“A dance is much better than going around begging people,” Millie said. “I did not like doing that at all. But,” she said, with a sly grin, “there’s nothing I like better than dancing.”
“I suppose Travis has asked to be your partner for the first dance,” Posey said with a giggle.
“You know what, I’m tired of waiting for him to get a move on, so I already promised the first dance to Joe White. We’ll see how Travis feels about that.”
All the girls erupted in laughter, including Lizzie. She liked Millie’s spirit.
“Do you know how to dance, Lizzie?” Josie asked. “It’s fine if you don’t, I’m sure Matt will be happy to teach you.” Josie grinned and there were more giggles while Lizzie flushed.
She thought about the dance lessons she’d been taking since childhood, but had the forethought not to say anything about that.
“The young lady I worked for took dancing lessons and sometimes she showed me the steps.” Ugh. She hated lying and tried to keep as close to the truth as possible. How was she to know that pretending to be a maid would be so complicated? It was an innocent enough ruse in the letters to Matt, mostly to hide her identity and because she was tired of men seeking her for her money. She never imagined that the whole town would want to talk about it.
Honestly, Matt’s descriptions of Juniper Junction had seemed so far-fetched, she assumed he exaggerated to persuade her to come. What a shock to find out that the people were as kind and friendly as he’d promised and the beauty of the area was even more spectacular than his descriptions.
“I bet Matt’s lessons will be better,” Millie said with a grin.
“What on earth are you girls giggling about over there? We’ve got quilts to make,” one of the older ladies called out from across the room.
“Sorry, Mrs. Campbell,” Millie answered, then whispered to those around her, “maybe if she laid off the cobbler, they’d get more work done on their quilt.”
Lizzie nearly choked trying to hold in her laughter and then she started to cough. Fortunately, Posey whacked her on the back a couple times and then they all got back to work and sewed quietly for a few minutes.
“Oh my,” Josie said, peering over at the bit of quilt where Lizzie worked. “I’ve never seen that stitch before. It’s very fancy. Do you think you could teach me?”
Lizzie’s cheeks heated as everyone in earshot stopped and looked at her. “Th-thank you,” she managed to say, her mind whirling as she glanced at the quilt pieces where the others were working to see that they were all using a basic, and much more practical, stitch. Lizzie had never sewn a garment in her entire life, though she did enjoy fancy needlework and embroidery.
The difference between her piece and the rest of the quilt was glaring. No doubt it would have to be taken out and reworked, but worse than that was trying to explain herself.
“Oh, that is a fancy stitch,” Posey said admiringly. “I want to learn too. Usually we just use a straight stitch for the quilting, though.”
“I’m so sorry.” Now more people were looking her way. A few whispers buzzed around them. “I should have noticed what everyone else was doing. I’ll just take these out.”
“No, don’t do that, not yet at least.” Josie studied Lizzie’s work. “Where did you learn that?”
“Um, well, the young lady I worked for…”
“The one who taught you the dance steps?” Posey prompted.
“Yes, the same one. She taught me these fancy stitches. I used them sometimes to … um… mend her clothes and things.”
“Huh.” Millie said. “She sounds interesting. What’s her name?”
“Oh, I’m sure you wouldn’t know her. She lives all the way in St. Louis.”
“Yeah,” Josie poked her cousin in the ribs. “St. Louis is a lot bigger than Juniper Junction, it’s not like around here where everyone knows everyone else.”
* * *
Though she’d enjoyed herself at the quilting society meeting —she couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much — it was a relief to close the door to the house she shared with Matt, her home, and be alone to clear her head.
Rubbing her hands over her face, she berated herself for not realizing that a quilt wouldn’t be made with elaborate embroidery stitches. Or she could have at least looked at what the others had been doing before she started.
And all the questions. Of course, everyone was just being friendly and she ought not to be bothered by that, but when you’re living a lie, it gets complicated to keep things straight.
What would everyone think when they found out the truth?
They can never find out.
She really only thought she was lying to Matt and at the time she hadn’t considered it such a big deal. And maybe if she’d come clean to him right away, it wouldn’t have been, but now everyone in town, or so it seemed, had heard her story of being a maid at a fancy home in St. Louis. How could she tell all of them she was the rich girl who liked to have her hankies stitched with fancy embroidery?
They’d run her out of town on a rail. Just like those girls who injured her when she got off the train. She pictured the angry man who stood by making sure they got on the train. Only in her imagination, that angry man was Matt.
And the idea of leaving Juniper Junction made her heart hurt. In only a few days’ time, she’d become very fond of the little town in Wyoming Territory.
Not to mention the way she felt about Matt.
Was it love? It sure felt like it. And if it wasn’t yet, it soon would be.
But not if he found out she was nothing but a fake.
What was she going to do?
Nothing.
She took a deep breath, straightened her skirt and gave herself a pep talk. This was the bed she’d made for herself, now she’d lie in it. ‘Lie’ being the operative word.
Maybe in time everyone would forget about her past in St. Louis. Right now she was the new girl in town and everyone was interested, but soon enough there’d be someone else to occupy the town’s curiosity and she’d be just another one of the young brides. All she needed to do was get through a few days, maybe a week or two.
That seemed easy enough.
Going to the bedroom to put away her sewing things she spotted her valise in the corner. Matt had encouraged her to unpack and put the bag away in the attic but she’d told him she’d wait to do it while he was at work at Windy River Ranch. Yes, it was a strange statement and Matt’s eyebrows had gone up, but he’d not objected.
She still had some time before she needed to try to figure out how to make dinner, so she opened the carpetbag and rummaged through the contents. She’d already hung the dresses up, though she felt foolish every time she looked at them, realizing how completely impractical they were for life in Juniper Junction.
The real issue was the wad of currency tucked into a compartment in the very bottom of the bag. Along with the currency, she still had a few items of jewelry too. The ones with the most sentimental value. Maybe one day she’d be able to explain everything to Matt.
Maybe.
She sighed and glanced around the room. Where could she hide the money and jewelry? It seemed that the drawer with her undergarments and stockings would be the one Matt was least likely to open. He’d have no reason to, so she put everything into the toe of a stocking, rolled it up and tucked it beneath everything else.
When she closed the door she said a silent prayer for her own transgressions as well as some miracle to help her with the mess she’d created.
Time. She just needed to get through a few weeks and everything would be fine.
Or so she hoped.
Returning to the kitchen, she glanced at the calendar. A gift from the nice folks at the general store.
Her wedding with Nevie—she shuddered to even think about it—was ten days off. No doubt her father had realized she was no longer in St. Louis.
But he’d never find her. Not all the way out in Wyoming Territ
ory.
Chapter 8
"What do you mean she's not here?"
Minnie had never seen Mr. Pendleton so angry before, and that was saying something since the man had a perpetual scowl on his face and it seemed his eyebrows were always scrunched up like two caterpillars butting heads.
"I have not seen her today," Minnie said, which was true. Of course, she also hadn't seen her mistress since the previous afternoon, either. But, so far, she had not lied.
"Well, where the hell is she?"
"My apologies, sir, but Miss Pendleton is not in the habit of sharing all her plans with me. It wouldn't be proper, me being a maid and all."
Mr. Pendleton gave a decided harumph and turned his back to her, indicating she was dismissed. She stifled her sigh of relief until she was out of the room and well down the hallway, then she ducked into the linen closet and let out her breath and rubbed her pounding temples. It was true that she didn't absolutely one hundred percent know where Miss Elizabeth had gone, but she had a pretty good idea. For a moment she allowed herself to imagine the thrill of getting on a train and heading west, far from the crowded streets of St. Louis and the oppressive presence of Mr. Pendleton. And into the arms of a handsome cowboy.
She sighed again, enjoying the daydream. Maybe she'd take a look at those advertisements too.
But first, she needed to keep her job and do what she could to protect Elizabeth, though how she'd manage that, she had no idea.
Slipping from the linen closet, she snuck down the hall and into Elizabeth's room, closing the door behind her. She took a minute to gaze about the space and she realized that she missed Elizabeth. Though she was a rich girl and had no real idea what life was like for a maid such as Minnie, or for anyone outside her exalted social circle, she was still kind and treated Minnie well. It was often remarked upon in the servants’ quarters, when they were certain no one could hear, that Elizabeth was so different from her father that some wondered if she might have been adopted.
Outside the door she heard more raised voices. Not wanting to be caught, she hurried to hide beneath the bed, grateful for the dust ruffle that reached the floor. Scooting as far into the corner of the bed as she could, she pulled her knees to her chest making herself as small as possible while still peeking out to see what was happening.
The door slammed open and she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her gasp of surprise. Doors did not slam in the Pendleton household.
Two pairs of highly polished shoes pounded into the room. “Elizabeth,” Mr. Pendleton called, as though his daughter might pop out of the wardrobe and shout ‘surprise!’
“She’s not here.” Minnie recognized the voice of Rudy Barr, Mr. Pendleton’s chief henchman.
Negative energy wafted off of the two men and made Minnie’s stomach bubble with anxiety. Without Elizabeth in the house, it was time for Minnie to leave, for her own sanity and well-being. She’d start asking around about openings in other homes.
Or...there were still the matrimonial advertisements.
She could not stay in this house, that was for certain.
“I can see she’s not here,” Mr. Pendleton spat the words out. “Stupid girl. Where could she have gone? I made sure she didn’t have any cash.”
“Wh-what about her jewelry?” Rudy offered.
Peering at the drama from beneath the dust ruffle, Minnie saw a pair of shoes turn quickly until they were toe to toe with the other pair. “No jeweler in the city would be stupid enough to buy any of the Corwin family jewels.”
“I’ll send some of my men to check, nonetheless.”
“Fine. But that still doesn’t tell us where she is. I don’t suppose you think you’ll find her just waiting outside the jewelers?”
“No, sir. But it would be a place to start. Do you have a better idea?”
Minnie felt her eyebrows raise. No one ever talked back to Mr. Pendleton, though Miss Elizabeth had been doing it more and more lately.
“All I know is that if she is not standing in the church on the first of the month, prepared to marry Neville Pettit, heads will roll. Yours first.”
“Y-yes sir, Mr. Pendleton.” Rudy’s brash demeanor diminished somewhat. Not entirely, for he could never actually be humble.
Mr. Pendleton ignored Rudy and she watched as his feet stomped around the room.
The sound of wood rattling caused Minnie to push the dust ruffle aside and dare a peek at their activities. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Mr. Pendleton was rattling the drawers on Miss Elizabeth’s desk. The locked drawers. But, they seemed to be no match for an angry Mr. Pendleton. He was unaccustomed to not getting what he wanted, including uncooperative furniture. His fist landed hard on the top of the desk and to Minnie’s horror a shiny key fell from beneath the desk onto the floor.
Mr. Pendleton reached down and retrieved it with his fat fingers, a satisfied grin on his face. Minnie wondered if she might lose her breakfast.
She ought to duck back beneath the thin barrier of the dust ruffle but her gaze was locked on the happenings in the room.
Mr. Pendleton jammed the key into the lock of the top drawer, but he rushed and nearly bent the key in half and when he got the door open, it was empty.
Minnie slowly released a sigh.
The key was shoved into all the drawers of Miss Elizabeth’s desk and coming up with nothing. Some of the burden lifted from Minnie’s shoulders but Mr. Pendleton’s anger flamed higher. When the key stuck in the final drawer he raised his foot and kicked at the piece of furniture until the drawer broke open and a sheaf of letters fluttered to the floor.
Oh damn.
He reached down and grabbed at a few of them, ripped open the envelopes and began to read. As he did so, he muttered words and phrases, his face reddening deeper and deeper as he flipped through the letters.
“Matt Foreman. Windy River Ranch. Wyoming Territory?” He nearly screeched the last word. “She told him she’s a maid. A maid for God’s sake.”
His face puffed up and his breathing seemed to stall. He was apoplectic.
“She’s agreed to marry him. A cowboy!” He sputtered and spit then shoved the letters at his stooge, Rudy Barr. “Get her back here.”
“Yes, sir.” Rudy turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Oh, maybe he’s changed his mind, Minnie thought hopefully.
And incorrectly.
He grabbed the letters away. “I’ll go myself.”
The two men left with Mr. Pendleton bellowing down the hallway to his valet to start packing his bags.
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
Minnie laid flat on her back beneath the bed, her mind racing. She had to do something.
The question was … what?
* * *
“Please. It’s an emergency. Look at this bracelet. See all those jewels? That’s enough for ten train tickets. I just need one.”
Roy Gantry sat on the platform of the St. Louis train station reading a newspaper and doing his darndest not to lower it and watch the scene which he could hear playing out. He would not get involved. No he would not.
Today was the day he left St. Louis and headed west, to a town where he would be deputy sheriff. It was a small town and he didn’t expect to stay there long. But the west was growing and opportunities for someone young and ambitious were endless.
He’d trained to be an officer in the St. Louis police department, even spent a year working there. But it was clear there was no future for him. There were too many officers and, from what he’d observed and wished he hadn’t, there was too much corruption. Officers taking kickbacks and bribes. Planting evidence. Or losing evidence.
It was no place for him. So when he’d seen an advertisement for a deputy sheriff in the Wyoming Territory, he’d sent a letter of interest. What a shock when he received an offer of employment.
He patted his breast pocket where the letter resided. He’d be working for a man named Cal Watson, in Juniper Junction, Wyoming Territory.
Cal had described the town as small but growing, where an honest man could earn an honest living.
What kind of corruption could there be in a sleepy western town? Least of all, one called Juniper Junction. He had to look it up on a map just to make sure it wasn’t a made-up name someone was using to lure the unsuspecting into danger.
He still wasn’t sure he wasn’t being set up for something, but he’d keep his wits, and gun, about him and all should be fine.
“I said, it’s an emergency. I have to get to Juniper Junction. It’s in Wyoming Territory because I have to warn someone.”
“Why don’t you just tell the police?” That must have been the voice of the ticket agent. He sounded exasperated.
“Well,” he heard the girl say, “if she has to come back here and marry that despicable man, that’ll be on your conscience, not mine.”
It was too much for him. The dramatics alone deserved to be observed. Not to mention the fact she planned to go to the same town where he was headed. But, before he lowered the paper and glanced at the girl, he put his skills of observation to the test. Based on what he’d heard, he conjured a vision of what he expected to see. A young girl, no doubt, probably dressed in tattered clothes and with a sob story to match. Obviously this was some sort of con game being played out and the jewelry she touted was made of paste.
Was this part of a bigger crime ring that might be headed to Juniper Junction? What a coup it would be for him to break up the gang before he’d even arrived in town to claim the job.
Feeling proud of himself, he folded the paper and glanced in the direction of the ticket booth.
Damn. He was usually pretty good at this little game he played, but not today. The speaker was no girl, but an attractive, if petite, young lady. The gold of the bracelet she held glinted in the afternoon sunlight. When the young lady turned in his direction, her large brown eyes met his.
Cowboy’s Rules: Brides of Juniper Junction, Book Three Page 6