Charity knocked on the bordello's door and waited. She never thought in a million years she'd be seeking out the help of a soiled dove but Elena was her only real friend in town, and Charity had no one else to turn to. When Tally opened it she asked to see Elena and was asked to wait in the foyer, which was just fine with her because there was no way she'd ever step foot into the back part of the house, or so she told herself. A few moments later Elena came skipping down the stairs in one of her more simple dresses.

"Charity, what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." Charity answered.

"It seems that is the main reason anyone comes to see me anymore. Come on upstairs."

Charity arched an eyebrow. "I don't think so."

Elena sighed. "If you want to talk to me, then you'll have to come upstairs I have to get ready for work, and besides we'll have more privacy up there."

"Oh alright." Charity replied in submission, but she couldn't keep the anticipation from showing in her face. She'd always wondered what a prostitute's boudoir looked like.

Once upstairs and safely in Elena's room, the woman looked around with a critical eye. Elena's room was pleasing to look at, almost elegant in its simplicity. Charity doubted she'd ever be able to afford furniture so refined if she worked for the next fifty years.

Elena sat on the bed and proceeded to take off her boots. "So tell me what brings you here?"

Charity sat on the vanity's settee and inhaled deeply. "I need to know how to make a man fall in love with me."

The prostitute looked up at the other woman in shock. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Charity, you're asking the wrong person about love. I can tell you how to make a man want to bed you, but not how to make him fall in love with you. That should be pretty clear when you look at my Luke Saunders dilemma."

Charity bit her lip. "I can use any help you can give me. If he wants to bed me then I can hope he has some feelings for me."

Elena arched an eyebrow. "Do you think that men have feelings for every woman they bed?"

"Well-"

"They don't. In my experience men only use women to satisfy their manly urges. Which is why I'm able to make a very good living with what I do."

"If you're so sure about that, explain couples like the Saunders' or the Thomson's. Surely those men have feelings for the women in their lives."

Elena rolled her eyes. She silently asked why everyone had to bring those particular couples up. "I'll have you know both Luke and Daniel Thomson were here."

"You're kidding!" Charity said breathlessly, she loved a good piece of gossip.

Elena smiled innocently. Well, what she was about to say wasn't the whole truth but since when did that matter to Charity? "I most certainly am not kidding. You can ask Dean if you don't believe me. In fact Mrs. Saunders caught me and her husband in quite a compromising position. It just goes to show you that every man still prefers his pleasures without emotions getting in the way."

"Are you telling me that Luke Saunders was here and that Meghan caught him . . . with you?"

"She caught us kissing downstairs in the foyer."

Charity sat back in wonder. "Well, I would've thought that they were very happy, what with the baby coming and all."

"Baby?" Charity, I thought that rumor died down already."

The gossip looked up and smiled slyly. "Oh this is no rumor Dearie. This is fact. I overheard Meg telling Blythe the happy news. She's due in March."

Elena's mouth dropped open. She then covered up her shock by shrugging nonchalantly. "Well just goes to show you the lengths a woman will go to in order to keep a man from straying."

Charity smiled at the younger woman's disbelief. "So are you going to help me or not?"

"Why should I? You haven't even told me who it is you're after."

"It's not Luke Saunders that's for sure."

"Than who is the lucky man that has won your notice."

Charity exhaled loudly. "Cody."

Elena's flung herself back onto the bed and laughed wildly. "William Cody . . . the Express Rider?"

"It's not funny. He's a very nice man, and I happen to like him."

Elena tried to catch her breath and wiped a tear from her eye. After she was calmer she inhaled deeply and turned to her friend. "I'm sorry Charity, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. It's just surprising that's all. Here I was thinking it might have been your very handsome boss and it's not." Another giggle escaped her. "Sorry."

Charity's mouth was set in a straight line and she narrowed her eyes at the prostitute. "Cody happens to be a very sweet man, and he's a good catch. Not to mention that I prefer my men unmarried."

Elena frowned at the barb. "Alright you've made your point. I'll help you."

Charity's smile lit up the room. "Thank you Elena. I owe you one."

"Yes you do, and I intend to hold you to it."