The Streel Page 23

  Billy’s voice rang out. “I will not lie for you again. And you will not have Brigid. You have taken enough, God damn ye, and enough is enough!”

  Through the bare tree branches, I made out a fire burning. The flames

  glowed bright orange in this whitened world. I tried to see through the

  snow’s fine net and find the men.

  Someone was sitting on their haunches near the fire. I could tell by

  the red cap that it was Billy himself. He was rocking slowly back and forth.

  Then I saw another form standing by the fire with his back toward me.

  Tall and straight. I made it to be Charlie. I didn’t see Paddy anyplace and I had hoped to find him there.

  He spoke to Billy. “I’ll have her. There is nothing you can do to stop

  me and I have everything in my power to stop you. This deal for the claim will not go through unless you keep your part of the bargain.”

  At these words, I stopped. What could have brought this argument

  on? I dismounted and tied up Gertie. Keeping myself in the shadows of

  the fir trees, I crept closer to the men.

  Billy stood up and moved away from the fire.

  But Charlie would not let him go. He strode up to Billy and pushed

  him in the chest. “You’re deep in this, Billy. Don’t you think of backing out now. Lily’s death was as much your doing as it was my own.”

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  I stopped and sank down into the snow.

  “We did what we set out to do,” Charlie roared. I had never heard

  him raise his voice like that before. “We drove Seamus out of town and

  left the claim in your hands. All has worked out as planned. You will get what you want, more money than you’ll know what to do with, you stupid

  Mick.”

  Billy finally answered him. “Once we sell the claim to you, we’re leav-

  ing, and Brigid is coming with us. You’re not to have her. She was never part of the bargain.”

  “She is the cherry on top of the pudding. She’s a pretty little thing, and I’ve made up my mind to have her.”

  “So that is the way it is?” Billy asked.

  “All you have to do is tell Brigid that Lily never slept with me,” Charlie explained. “She’s ready to believe it. She might already. Nel ie already told her as much this morning. Brigid might not even ask you anything about it.

  But if she does, you know what you must say.”

  Nel ie. How did he know what Nel ie had told me? Then I remem-

  bered the closed door to her room, the way she moved me away from the

  door when she told me to get Charlie to marry me before sleeping with

  him. Everything was falling into horrible place.

  Charlie had been in her bed. When I left him last night, he had sought

  another woman out, one who would serve two needs for him: one who

  would sleep with him for money and lie for him for the same.

  While I was standing outside the hotel room door, Charlie had been

  lounging in the warmth of Nel ie’s bed, listening to me.

  The snow fell as slowly as a feather. I felt my body wanted to fall with it. The cold came into my heart and I shivered as if I would never stop.

  The two men were standing between the fire and the mouth of the

  new mine shaft. Billy shouted, “I will tell Brigid how you have been with every pretty woman here in Deadwood. Lily included. I will warn her that this will not stop, even if you do marry her, which I doubt would ever happen. Why would you marry her when you can have her when you want?

  Buy her like any other woman?”

  Charlie moved in toward Billy. “You will tell her what I ask of you or

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  I will tell everyone that you killed Lily. My man will swear to it. You are in no position to try to bargain with me.”

  Billy spat at Charlie. “The devil spits on your soul. I hate the day I met you. I will tell her the truth— that it was you who killed our Lily.”

  At these words, Charlie jumped at him and the two men locked arms.

  They were fighting on the cleared ground in front of the new mine shaft.

  The snow scraped to dirt beneath their boots. I could hear the sound of

  their breathing, harsh like horses pulling heavy loads.

  I stood up and felt in my pocket for the derringer.

  Charlie was much bigger than Billy, but Billy was fast. He pulled away

  from Charlie and then danced around him, landing punches when he

  could. Like a gnat, he buzzed around Charlie and stung him. Charlie con-

  nected less often, but when he did, he did damage. Billy’s face was bleeding and Charlie was getting the better of him.

  Suddenly Billy ran to the entrance of the mine. Charlie followed. Billy

  reached down and grabbed a pickax that was leaning by the opening. He

  held it out and motioned Charlie away with it. But Charlie moved in on

  him again. Billy was forced to defend himself and swung the ax at Charlie’s head. Charlie caught a glancing blow and went down.

  Billy backed off, unwil ing to finish Charlie off. He held the ax dan-

  gling from his one arm and breathed hard in the cold air.

  When I stepped forward, Billy lifted his head and saw me.

  In the time it took Billy to recognize me, Charlie pushed himself up in a fury and ran at Billy. Billy said my name and then Charlie pushed him hard in the chest.

  Billy flew backwards, falling into the mine opening. He fell into the

  mouth of the earth as if his body were parting the waters of an ocean. The darkness swallowed him up. A scream and then a thud and then silence.

  He was gone.

  I was alone with Charlie Hunt.

  “Brigid.” He said my name softly as if I were a shy animal he wanted

  to call in.

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  I had the derringer hidden in the folds of my skirt. I stood my

  ground.

  “Mr. Hunt,” I answered.

  “It was Billy who killed Lily. His idea entirely. He wanted to get rid of Seamus, for Seamus was opposed to sel ing the mine.” He spoke quickly.

  I did not say anything. Let Charlie pour out the words like waves

  pounding a far shore— they meant nothing to me. I believed him not at all.

  “I had to stop him before he did more kil ing. He was talking of harm-

  ing you, and I would never let that happen.”

  I nodded.

  Charlie started walking toward me. “You know I would never let any-

  thing happen to you. When he put you in the mine shaft, I went nearly

  mad trying to find you. He wouldn’t tell me where you were.”

  I felt sick deep inside of me. I needed to get to Billy. Somehow I must

  get past Charlie. He continued to walk up the hill toward me.

  “Let us leave this place now. Billy’s dead, I’m sure, and we need never

  think of this again. We can say that it was an accident, and in many ways it was. I want to take you home. Back to my parents’ house and marry you

  as soon as possible.”

  In some old part of me, I wanted to do what he suggested. I wanted

  to go back in time to his parents’ house so that I would never become the woman I now was. But it was not possible, any more than I could make the snow fall up into the sky.

  I could not feel my face. I looked at Charlie. If I felt anything for him, it was a deep and abiding hatred.

  He was within two body lengths of me. With a rush, he could be upon

  me. He would push me down the shaft just as he had done to Billy. I knew I could wait no longer. With a sure hand, I lifted the derringer and sighted as Paddy had shown me. Charlie yelled at me to stop.


  I pulled the trigger. My shot found its mark in the cold winter air.

  Charlie fel .

  Blood stained the snow.

  He gasped and writhed on the ground, his body arching from the pain.

  I had shot a hole in his leg, which was my intention. I was surprised I

  had succeeded. He would stay put for a while, I hoped.

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  Not looking at him, I made my way to the mine shaft.

  Behind me, I heard him calling my name. His voice came out in a

  whimper. I would not help him.

  Down into the dark shaft I went without even the help of the head-

  lamp, going hand over hand on the ladder strapped to the side of the shaft.

  The light fell in a narrow stream, and at the bottom of the shaft I could see Billy’s white face upturned to the sky.

  I stepped down next to him and touched him. He groaned and I was

  careful not to move him.

  “Billy, I’m here.”

  “Oh Brigid. I’ve done you such wrong.”

  “Don’t think of that now, Billy. Tell me what to do. What do you need?

  What can I do for you?”

  “I’m hurt deep inside. I’m no good anymore.” I could see his face and

  blood came to his tongue. I knew he spoke the truth.

  “Billy, lie stil . Save yourself. I’ll go get Paddy.”

  He reached for me. “No, please don’t leave me here, Brigid. Stay with

  me. Like St. Brigid, you’ll see that I make it to heaven. Please hear my confession.”

  I shushed him, but he would not stop talking.

  “You know the saying . . . there are three oaths you must believe: that

  of a woman giving birth, that of man without land, and the oath of a dead man. I am the last, Brigid, hear me out.”

  I held his hand and squeezed it.

  “Charlie killed Lily. He did it before anyone even knew he was back in

  town. He figured that Seamus would be blamed. With Seamus out of the

  way, Paddy and I could sell the claim to him.” Billy paused to get his breath and I heard a rattle in his throat. “I did not stop him. I watched and I did nothing to stop him. Sure, she was a streel, but all in all Seamus loved her.

  I must confess, I wanted the money.”

  I bowed my head. For money she was killed.

  “I found the ring,” I said.

  “Yes, I took it from her hand. I did not want Charlie to have it.” Billy went on. “I did not want Charlie to have you, either. Which is why I put you in the mining shaft. To scare you and put you on your guard. I wanted

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  you to think Charlie had done it. But I would not have left you there,

  Brigid. I only meant to put the fear into you. You must believe me.”

  “I do, Billy. I do.”

  “I could not let Charlie have you. I knew he would treat you badly, and

  you have been like a sister to me.”

  Suddenly, his face froze and he gasped, “God help me.” His head

  turned violently to the side and a sound crept up his throat like wind blow-ing through a mine shaft. Blood threaded its way out of his mouth and he lay motionless.

  Death settled heavy in the darkness and I felt weary of it. In the silence, I asked Billy to forgive me for the part I had played in his dying.

  The gloom of the shaft grew around me, and I knew I had to leave him

  there. I stood and made the sign of the cross over him. I prayed his soul to heaven to be with all the saints and angels.

  I climbed up out of the shaft in time to see Charlie struggling onto his horse, his leg hanging useless as he pulled himself up onto the saddle. He did not look back. He clung to the saddle and urged the horse to ride off up the hil . When he reached my horse, Gertie, he untied her and took her with him. The trail of blood he left behind glittered in the snow. Soon it would be covered with white.

  The snow drew the world in tight around me. My derringer was loaded

  and close at hand in my pocket. I faced the path that led out of the claim and watched the snow fall.

  The fire warmed me through and I sat staring at the flames dancing as

  if to some unheard music, a jig, a reel, some haunting tune that accompanied Billy on his journey away from this world and into the next.

  After time had passed, I saw a horse and rider moving through the trees.

  The fire had sunk low and I was feeling very sleepy. The thought of lying down in the snow had come to me.

  I felt no fear. What would come, would come.

  But as I watched the rider come near, I recognized a face I loved, and

  hope poured through me.

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  Paddy called my name as he rode down the hil . “The man at the livery

  told me you had taken a horse. I came as quick as I could.”

  When I said nothing but looked up at him with tears running from my

  eyes, he leapt down from his horse and came to me.

  “Is it as bad as that?” he asked, standing over me.

  I nodded.

  “Billy? Is he all right?” he asked.

  I shook my head.

  “What has happened here?” he asked, looking around.

  I could not say.

  He knelt down next to me and opened his arms, saying, “Brigid, my

  own.”

  I moved into the warmth of his arms, and all I could say was, “Paddy,

  I prayed you would come.”

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  For the day or two after Billy’s death, I was good for nothing at all.

  I lay abed and slept and wept when not sleeping. Paddy brought

  me broth and told me more stories of his childhood, the happy ones. I told him briefly what had happened. He asked me no questions.

  On the third day, I knew it was time to get up when the sun made its way to my window. Late afternoon, I finally rose from my bed, cleaned myself as best I could, and dressed. Paddy was out of the house for the moment, and when he came back, he found me sitting up in a chair near to the fire.

  “It’s good to see you up.”

  “When is the funeral for Billy?”

  “The morrow.” Paddy took off his jacket and sat down on the couch

  near me. “The priest is seeing to it. I’ve bought Billy a plot in the graveyard.

  Will you be well enough to go?”

  “I will be well enough. I would not miss it. Have you heard news of

  Charlie?”

  “He’s left town. He was in a bad way. His kneecap was shattered. I

  don’t know how they managed to move him, but I think they were afraid if he stayed, he would never walk again.”

  I tried to push the thought of Charlie from my mind. “No loss.”

  “Can you talk of it more, Brigid?” He reached out and took my hand.

  So holding tight to his hand, I told him all that had happened: how I

  had talked to Nel ie, how I had found the ring, the fight between Billy and Charlie, the fall, the shot. I even told him that I knew Charlie had been with Nel ie.

  “And so you shot him?” Paddy asked.

  “I did. Not for what he did to me, but for Lily and Seamus and Billy.”

  “That wound will probably be all the punishment he will get, for no

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  one will believe us that he killed Lily. And who knows what will come of our claim now.”

  “I know. I think we must use Billy’s death to save my brother,” I said.

  “If it is all right with you, I think we should let it be known that Billy killed Lily so Seamus will be free of the crime.”

  Paddy bowed his head. “I hate to do it, but you might be right. He had

  his hand in it too. If not for his silence, some of this wouldn’t have
happened. God forgive us.”

  I squeezed his hand. “I think he wil .”

  The following day Elizabeth left Deadwood. I helped her pack and walked

  with her to the stagecoach. Her books had been moved to our house, and

  she told me to rent out their house to someone and watch over it, in case her husband ever returned. She hugged me and I felt a deep sorrow at the thought of her leaving. There were not many women to be friends with in

  Deadwood. But then I didn’t expect to stay much longer in the town myself.

  The day of the funeral was cold and dark. We were a very small

  gathering— Father Lonegran, Paddy, Nel ie, and myself. We said the prayers and listened to the Word, and then I threw a wee bit of gold dust down into the dirt on the coffin. I knew Billy would hate to leave it all behind.

  Three days later, I heard the rumor going round town that Billy had

  killed Lily, and the sheriff talked to Paddy to confirm it. The wanted posters of Seamus came down from the storefronts.

  Not long after, a letter arrived from Seamus, just a page of simple

  words, but I was never so happy to see his scrawl. He told us to sell the claim, however we could, and come to meet him in Cheyenne.

  That night I was fixing dinner and Paddy said he must talk with me.

  “Oh, aye, I hate to tell you this but Nel ie was found dead this morning.”

  “Paddy, never. What happened to her?”

  “What I’ve been hearing is that she took the opium and it was too

  much for her.”

  I sat with the news. I knew that she had loved Billy. She must have

  heard the news that he had killed her friend Lily. And so another death.

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  They followed on each other so fast. Like links in a necklace, they were connected.

  I fell to weeping and Paddy pulled me into his lap. “She was only a

  streel, my Brigid.”

  “But that’s what makes me weep, that you too can say it so. Only a

  streel, a woman made to earn her living in a hard way like that. What if it were me? What if I too must become a streel?”

  “I would never let that come to be. Do not think it.”

  “Paddy, what’s to become of us?”

  He touched my cheek to wipe a tear away. At his touch, I calmed. He