Heart of a Cowboy (Heart of Colorado #1)

Chapter 14

She didn't want to beat on the window to gain their attention. For one, Matthew would surely hear it and then there would be too much trouble. For two, she didn't want to break the glass. 

She heaved an unsettled sigh. She decided to put away the dress Hester Sue had lent her. She unfolded the many layers, and shook it. The crisp material made a cracking and popping sound. Then another sound: the clink of metal on wood. When she looked down, the item on the floor made her heart stop and her breath catch simultaneously. 

It was a key! 

She slowly picked it up, looking at it as if it were a precious piece of jewelry. 

"I'm free. I'm free. Thank you, Lottie." She was overjoyed. She figured Matthew was down in the saloon, or worse, entertaining one of the ladies of the house. Maybe he would have his appetite for women satiated, and would forget about Corinne. 

She decided to wait a few more minutes before making her way out. She was formulating a plan of escape. She wanted to run straight to Ryne, but knew that if Matthew wasn't restrained, he would just try to take her again. 

After waiting an agonizingly long time, about ten minutes, she unlocked the door, walked out, locked it again, and sought out Lottie. She hoped Lottie would help her escape. She thought she would, as she had slipped her the key to her room. 

Corinne could hear a customer being "entertained" and was afraid it was Matthew. The man had lost her affections already, but now she didn't even remotely respect him. She shook the sound from her ears and walked to the stairs. Lottie happened to be cleaning a room. 

"Lottie!" Corinne whispered loudly. "Come quickly." 

Lottie hurried over. "Yes, ma'am. Whut kin I do fuh yah?"

"Is there a back way out of here?" 

"Yes ma'am. Go ta the next door on the lef, and they down that aways."

"Oh, thank you, Lottie. Thank you. Where's the jail? I need the Sheriff!"

"It's jus two doors down. Hurry. I cover fuh ya." She said as Corinne handed back the key.

"Thanks Lottie. You've literally saved my life."

"Hurry. He gunna come back and see you gone."

She grinned and resisted the urge to hug the girl, who might be scared for her job if she did. She waived instead and headed in the direction of the back stairwell.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Of course you'll always be my number one girl, Sally. Marriage is just that. An institution. Every time I come here, I see you. Being a married man won't change that." Matthew cooed to the still-naked woman lying next to him.

"So, why are you getting married, then?" She whined.

"She needs to be reminded that when one decides to do something, he, or in this case, she, should follow through."

"So you're going to make the little girl marry you to prove a point. Then what? Marry me instead. Get me out of here, and I promise you I'll be the best wife in the West." She made her point by doing some very intimate kissing. Matthew was unfazed. 

"Sorry, Sally. But you know as well as I do that men want untouched women to have babies and make a life. That's just the way it is. We learn from the likes of you and your friends, and then teach our virgin wives how to please us."  He laughed and stood up to get dressed. 

She held back her tears. This wasn't the first man to do this to her. She made the mistake of letting her heart mingle with her business. She would find another, and maybe someday, a good man would decide to rescue her from this horrible lifestyle she'd been forced into. She really did love Matthew Richards. He was good to her, actually treating her with respect in the bedroom. He never raised a hand to her and was a very considerate lover.