Jake Butterfield never got his stake of land in Texas. After Jane died a few weeks later, he sold the rest of their belongings. He spent his days and nights playing cards and drinking. Della tried hard to make her daddy stop, but he wouldn’t listen. It broke her heart when he was found in the alley by the saloon. Dr. Baker said it was from too much drinking and a broken heart. Della laid her daddy to rest by her mother under an oak tree in the town cemetery.
From that day on, Della had to grow up fast. She worked odd jobs for Miss Nancy. Then the day came when she had to start working like the other girls. The first time was the hardest for her. Deep down, Della closed her heart and all her senses. Each day was no better than the last, and she wondered if it ever would be. As the years passed, Della kept doing what she had to, hoping that one day, she would be able to make her own choices. Maybe the time is now?
Looking back was always hard for Della. A new start is what she needed, a longing deep inside. The more she thought about the Bagwell place, the more she knew that buying the place was right. Her heart beat strongly. For the first time in a long time, she was happy.
Della knew that she had to take one step at a time. She knew she could talk to Miss Nancy. It would be very hard, but she loved her very much. Nellie, of course, would miss her too. They were her family and always would be.
The noise from downstairs had drifted up to Della. A sound that now she couldn’t stand anymore. She had to have her talk with Miss Nancy as soon as possible. She never wanted to work as a saloon girl again. Tonight of all nights, she wouldn’t be able to. Inside, she could feel herself changing, and it was going to be all the way.
Chapter 2
Della hurried and got dressed. She knew that Miss Nancy would be in her sitting room. Miss Nancy was able to have her privacy from the girls and the saloon. Her rooms were built to the side of the Desert Rose. Nellie also had a room there that was off the kitchen.
Miss Nancy was a person that you couldn’t fool. She knew as soon as Della walked in the room that something was not right. She wasn’t sure what it was, but being Della, it was important. Della had never given her any trouble since her parents had died. Whatever it was, Della had a look of determination about her. Miss Nancy continued with her coffee, giving Della a chance to compose herself.
Della was nervous. She gave Miss Nancy a peck on the cheek and sat down to have coffee. Her hands were shaking and almost dropped the cup in her lap. Miss Nancy reached over and patted her hand, asking her what was wrong.
Della took a deep breath and told her that she didn’t want to work as a saloon girl anymore. She had made a decision to buy a piece of land and a home. She wanted to start over. Miss Nancy had sat back and was listening. There was a sparkle in Della’s eyes that she hadn’t seen in a long time. A look that she had longed to see again. Della deserved so much more than working in her saloon. The poor girl had such a rough life from the start.
When Della had finished, Miss Nancy stood up and went to her desk. Her back was to Della, and she didn’t say a word. Della was worried that she had upset her, but Miss Nancy had unlocked a drawer in her desk. She took out an envelope and walked back to sit in her chair, smiling.
Miss Nancy chose her words carefully. It was important that Della understood how she felt. She leaned over and poured Della and herself another cup of coffee.
Nellie came in to see if Miss Nancy needed anything. She really wanted to see what was going on. Miss Nancy told her to let Jed Lightfoot, the barkeep, that Della wouldn’t be working this evening. Nellie stopped to look at the two women then headed toward the door. Miss Nancy told her to ask Gracie to take care of Della’s regulars. Now Nellie was sure something was up. Only Della had the best customers that came into the saloon. Miss Nancy always made sure that she got the best ones. Now Gracie was always jealous of Della because she was Miss Nancy’s favorite. Nellie knew how Gracie was going to take the news…surprised!
Miss Nancy sipped her coffee and sat back as Nellie left the room. She took a deep sigh. She told Della that she had been waiting for this day for a long time. Before her mother died, Della’s parents had asked her if she would take care of their daughter. The answer, of course, was yes. Miss Nancy had also taken care of Jane. They had gotten close. She said that she would love Della as if she was her own child. Della’s parents had given her an envelope to be given to Della when she was older. She had put the envelope in the desk drawer and had completely forgotten about it.
Miss Nancy said it was a hard time after Jane died. Her daddy, Jake, went off the deep end. He had loved her so much. It was as if they knew that he wouldn’t be there for Della and that Miss Nancy would. They had Della’s well-being in mind.
Miss Nancy told Della that she tried talking to Jake, but he wouldn’t listen. She had to ban him from coming into the Desert Rose. Jed had strict orders. She had been looking out for Della. She didn’t need to see her daddy in that condition. Della remembered all the time that she tried to wake him up and all the fights over a card game gone bad.
Miss Nancy sighed. She put her cup on the tray and took Della by the hands. She told her how much she had grown to love her like a daughter. She never liked the idea of her working as a saloon girl. Miss Nancy told Della that she always made sure she got the best and that they had to be a gentleman or suffer the wrath of Jed! Della laughed. She patted her hand and sometimes said things happen that couldn’t be helped. Adults made decisions that were not always right. She was happy that Della was making a choice in her life now, to be able to go to something far better than the saloon.
She handed Della the faded envelope and told her to go with her love and blessings. Della’s eyes were misty when she reached for the envelope. As she opened the envelope, she was surprised to find a larger number of bills and a letter. As Della read the letter, her eyes filled with more tears. The money was what her parents had when they sold everything in Oklahoma to come to Texas.
The letter told of their love for their daughter and how sadden that things didn’t turn out as they had planned. They hoped that Della would grow up to be a fine young lady. The money was all they had and hoped that she would be able to follow her own dream. They knew that leaving her in Miss Nancy’s care was the best for her. They hoped that she didn’t hold anything against them. They always wanted the best for her. The last line that Jane Butterfield wrote was “Follow your heart, Della, follow your heart.”
A flood of tears came to Della’s eyes. She had so much that had been bottled up for way too long. She was sobbing with so much strength that Miss Nancy rushed over and wrapped her arms around her. Della fell into those arms and cried until she could cry no more.
It seemed that hours had passed. You could hear the noise from the saloon. The Desert Rose was busy. Della dried her tears and tried to compose herself. Miss Nancy took her by the hands and told her that everything would turn out fine. There was nothing to worry about but be happy. She would go and live her life as she wanted to, leave the past behind, and make a new life.
Now Nellie Montgomery had gone and carried out what Miss Nancy wanted her to do. She had been right about how Gracie was going to take the news. She was surprised. Jed took it in stride and had smiled. Gracie was working the tables, hoping to steal some of Della’s customers. She found out that she was coming up second again, so her mood wasn’t too pleasant. Most of the cowboys were asking for Della. Jed just let them know that Della wasn’t come down for the evening.
Nellie had been wondering what was going on. She was a woman you couldn’t get much by. She had been with Miss Nancy for a long time and kept everyone in line. She took care of Miss Nancy and all the girls. Nellie was the best cook in the county and had blue ribbons to show. Now she knew that Della had been way too long with Miss Nancy. She had to tell Jed that Della wasn’t coming down for the evening and then letting Gracie take over Della’s customers. Something had to be wrong.
Nellie decided to take matters into her own hands. She marched right on into the sitting room, just in