by Zina Abbott
“I would think you’d be wanting to spend time with our Katie. I’ll call her.”
“No!” Michael swallowed as Annie, her face reflecting her surprise, turned to face him. He lowered the volume of his voice, hoping what he said did not carry through the walls or up the stairs to the rooms on the second floor. “It’s you I need to talk to, Miss Flanagan…Annie. Please, will you join me?”
His feeling of hope changed to relief as Annie slowly walked to him and sat on the sofa. Leaving a foot of space between them, he sat next to her. He interlaced his fingers and leaned his forearms on his knees. “Annie, I need to be truthful with you. I believe it will be a big mistake if Kate and I marry.” At the sound of Annie sucking in her breath in dismay, he turned to face her.
“A big mistake? Michael, how can you be saying such a thing? For months, you and she have been writing to each other, getting to know each other. It was you asking her to come here to marry you. How can you be saying now it’s a mistake?”
Michael shook his head. Discussing this with Annie was turning out to be more difficult than he thought. “And, I did write to her with the best of intentions, plus I knew how important it was to you for your sister to come here. Now we’ve met, I don’t think she has strong feelings toward me. I’m not sure she wants this marriage.”
“She’s not knowing you well yet, is all. All you’ve had between you is letters. Once you’re knowing each other better, you’ll love her as much as I do.”
“Your sister is a wonderful young woman. I’m not saying she’s not. It’s just that—I don’t think I can be the husband who will make her happy.” Michael felt his shoulders tighten as he heard the anger creep into Annie’s voice.
“You’re thinking you’re not the husband to be making her happy? And, how would you be knowing what will be making Katie happy? Have you asked her?”
“No, but I intend to tonight.”
“You’ll be doing no such thing. Kate is counting on you, Michael. She’s expecting to be married in two days. It was you bringing her here promising you’d be wedding her. I’m expecting you to be a man of your word.”
Michael stretched his back and neck to look beyond Annie. Assured no one else had joined them, he lowered his voice even more. “I am a man of my word, Annie. I also like to think I’m a man who understands what’s real. If it’s not right for Kate and I to marry…” he leaned back as Annie jumped to her feet and, arms akimbo, leaned toward him.
“It’s not right for Kate, is it? And why would you be believing you’re knowing what’s right for my sister, Michael O’Hare? What’s right is you keeping your word!”
Michael also stood. If she raised her voice any louder, not only would everyone in the boarding house hear what they were discussing, so would everyone on the block. He reached his hand out to her. “Annie, please. You need to hear me out. It’s more than what is best for Kate. Now that I’ve met the both of you, what I realize is, I’ve fallen in love. You, Annie, it’s you…”
Annie threw up her arms and stepped back. Tears filled her eyes, as she talked over his words. “Don’t be saying what I’m thinking you’re trying to, Michael O’Hare. It’s Katie you’ve been writing to, and it’s you she’s come all this way to be marrying. It’s her you’re needing to love.”
“Annie, I didn’t ask for this. What about you? Can you honestly say you have no feelings…” Michael stopped speaking as Annie, her face suffused with misery, stepped toward him and pressed her fingers to his lips to stop his words.
“Kate’s my sister, and I love her. I’ll not be stealing her husband from her, no matter my feelings.”
Michael forced his words out in spite of Annie’s fingers pressing his lips against his teeth. “I still think we need to talk to her about it, and find out what she has to say.” He watched as, with jaw clenched, Annie dropped her hand to her side and shook her head.
“You promised her, Michael. She’s expecting to marry you. You’ll be breaking her heart if you’re turning your back on her now. I’ll be listening to no more of your blather about it.”
Before he could say another word, Michael watched Annie turn and run out the front door. He started after her, but turned at the sight of Kate walking down the stairs. Her hand on the bannister and her face scrunched in confusion, she stopped and stared at him.
“Hello, Michael. I thought I heard Annie talking to someone down here, not knowing it was you. Where would she be going in such a hurry she didn’t put on her cape or throw a shawl around her shoulders?”
“I’m afraid she and I had a disagreement. I’m going after her to persuade her she needs to return before the cold makes her sick. You and I can visit after.” Michael watched as Kate thought about his offer a second and shook her head.
“Begging your pardon, Michael, but I’ll not be visiting with you tonight. Pleased I am you’ll be seeing to Annie’s safe return. With her temper, certain it is, she’ll not be making it easy for you.”
“I’ll do my best. Good night, Kate.” Michael rushed out the door. On the boardwalk, a glance at the footsteps in the snow told him Annie had turned in the direction of the bank. He walked as fast as he dared with the snow and ice on the ground. He almost missed seeing her stand in the doorway of the mercantile with her arms folded and her hands rubbing them for warmth.
Michael removed his coat and handed it to her. “You need to return to the boarding house, Annie. You’ll get sick if you stay out in the cold this time of night.”
“I was waiting for you to leave before returning.”
“I’ll be leaving. Let me walk you home first.”
“Promise me you’ll be keeping your word, that you’ll be marrying our Katie this Sunday.”
Michael sighed in defeat. “I promise, Annie Flanagan. I will honor my word and marry your sister this Sunday. I will do my best to love Kate and provide a happy home for her. Now, please, let’s get you where it’s warm.”
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Chapter 18
~o0o~
December 24, 1881
A nnie followed Kate up the stairs to their room, both curious and annoyed that her sister insisted they must discuss something before she left for her job. Could they not have discussed the issue while they dressed for the day? No. As soon as she opened the door to go down for breakfast, Kate, who had hardly spoken the whole time, told her then they needed to talk, but it had to be after breakfast in their room because she dared not discuss it in front of Lizett Millard.
Still upset over the scene with Michael the evening before, Annie now worried Kate had overheard the conversation. Thoughts of how she could reassure her sister raced through her mind. She must convince Kate there had been but a small misunderstanding. Both Michael and Kate were ready for the wedding the following day, and all would turn out grand.
During breakfast, Lizett dominated the conversation by talking of little else but Kate’s wedding. Although the situation with the derailment had kept her trapped in Jubilee Springs, Royce Bainbridge had turned it into a holiday affair by squiring Lizett around town and taking her out to supper at the River Valley Inn on several evenings. She now looked forward to spending Christmas with the Bainbridge brothers.
As soon as the bedroom door closed behind them, Annie turned to her sister. “Katie, what’s so important we need to be talking about it now? Delly ‘s expecting me soon. Like I was saying yesterday, it being the first Christmas for herself and Mr. Nighy, she’s wanting me to fix a big candlelight Christmas Eve supper for them. With cleaning up after, I’ll be returning home later than usual, but we can be talking about it then.”
Kate shook her head. “Annie, we’re needing to settle this now. Besides, I’ll be joining you to do the baking. That will be saving you some time.”
“You can’t be doing that, Katie, not today. You’re needing to get everything ready for your wedding.”
Kate walked over and held each of Annie’s hands in he
rs.
Surprised, and wondering what Kate was up to, Annie stared into her sister’s face. She saw a determination in Kate’s gaze she had not seen since they both had been back home in lower east Manhattan.
“I’m not the one who’s needing to get everything ready for a wedding, Annie. I’m not marrying Michael tomorrow. You are.”
Annie sucked in her breath, and she stepped back as she flung her hands wide to break free of Kate’s grasp. Her throat tightened, and her voice broke. “Don’t be saying that, Katie. Of course, you’re marrying Michael tomorrow. After him asking for your hand, and you agreeing, he’s expecting you to become his wife. You’d be making a big mistake not marrying a fine man like Michael O’Hare.”
Annie watched as Kate stepped back and folded her arms. Her stubbornness revealed itself in the jut of her chin.
“I’m not the one making a mistake, because I’m not marrying a man I don’t love—a man who doesn’t love me. He won’t be falling in love with me, either, because his heart’s already taken by another, now isn’t it? And, you’d be knowing who that is, Annie. Don’t be denying it.”
Annie struggled to hold back tears. Yes, she did love Michael. The previous night, if she had not stopped him, Michael would have told her he also loved her. However, she knew Michael wrote to Kate with the intention of marrying her. Annie refused to be disloyal to her sister by acknowledging her feelings for Michael or acting upon them. How did her sister figure it out? “Were you listening to Michael and me last night, Katie? Is that what has you fretting? I’m telling you the truth when I’m saying, you’ve no need to be worrying about anything. After the wedding tomorrow, everything will be working out the way it should.”
Kate stepped closer to Annie once more and wrapped her arms around her.
Annie put up no resistance as her sister squeezed her tight.
“You need to be listening to me, Annie. It’s time you stop being the big sister always trying to fix things for everyone else in the family. Everything will be working out the way it should tomorrow morn because it’s you who’ll be marrying Michael, not me.”
Annie choked, afraid to believe her sister gave her blessing to allow her most cherished dream she had struggled to suppress to come true. “If you’re sure, Katie…”
“I’m sure.”
“I don’t know what Michael will be saying about it.” Annie smiled as her sister laughed and released her hold.
Kate stepped away and, wearing a knowing smile, nodded. “He’ll be saying ‘I do’ once he’s knowing it’s you under that veil Ma sent us. What we’re needing to figure out is how we’re getting what we’re up to past Lizett Millard. You know she’ll be attending the wedding, and she’ll start howling like a banshee once she realizes who’s marrying Michael.”
~o0o~
Swallowing to settle her nerves, Kate turned as Delly Nighy entered the kitchen area.
Delly, her steps stopping abruptly, looked between her and Annie with a raised eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware I hired another maid.”
“I’m not expecting to be paid, Mrs. Nighy. I’m here helping Annie with baking for your Christmas Eve supper. It’s a blessing, sure, being busy in a kitchen again.” Expecting sharp words of disapproval, Kate tensed her shoulders.
“As much as I appreciate that, I would think preparing for your wedding and the move into your new house would occupy most of your time today.”
Kate held her breath as Annie turned to face Mrs. Nighy and cleared her throat.
“Sure, it is, we’re needing to talk, Delly. It’s not our Katie who’s needing to be preparing for a wedding because she won’t be marrying Mr. O’Hare tomorrow. I will.”
Kate watched Annie bite her lip while both of them waited. She expected the woman to explode with anger. Instead, her eyes moved side to side as she silently studied them. Why did Delly not say something? She surely would realize that, once Annie married, she would soon be too busy taking care of her own house and husband to work full-time, if at all. Delly placed a hand on her hip and twisted her lips.
“I knew it was only a matter of time until you married and I would lose my maid, Annie. I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”
Kate stepped forward. “There’s no need you being without a maid, Mrs. Nighy. With me not marrying, I’ll be needing to find a position. Our ma worked in service many years and taught us cleaning houses proper. I was working as a scullery maid for the Van Cleets before coming here. I enjoy cooking and baking and was watching the Van Cleet’s cook every change I got.”
“I’m sure Michael won’t mind me helping Katie learn how you’re liking things done. And, I’ll be remaking the gowns you bought me for her to be wearing to work.”
Kate closed her eyes and sighed with relief when Delly waved off Annie’s offer. From the words that followed, she guessed Mrs. Nighy agreed to let Kate work for her.
“Keep what I gave you as part of your wedding gift, Annie. Your sister will look better wearing different colors, so I’ll see to buying gowns that look decent on her. However, this is rather sudden. I wasn’t aware your miner changed his mind. How long have you two been keeping this secret?”
Kate glanced at Annie, she but decided it was up to her to explain. “We haven’t been keeping it secret. We were discussing the matter just this morning. Michael O’Hare isn’t knowing yet he’ll be marrying Annie instead of me. And, we’re asking you to keep our secret. If the gossip starts making it way around town, certain it is there’ll be problems.”
“I wouldn’t worry about gossip as much as what Mr. O’Hare might think of your scheme. He might not appreciate being duped.”
“Oh, he’ll not object to marrying Annie instead of me. What’s concerning us is Mrs. Millard hearing of it. Her being the one matching Michael and me up, we’d be having nothing but trouble from her. She can’t be knowing about the switch until Annie and Michael are standing before the priest.”
Upon hearing Delly’s snort of derision, Kate blinked and jerked her head back. Having been raised in high society like Delly was, Kate guessed Delly’s mother would not have approved of such a response.
“Yes, I know about Mrs. Lizett Millard. I already told Annie what I think of her and her graphology hocus-pocus. She’s so intent on proving that her method for matching couples is perfection personified, she’ll go to unreasonable lengths to interfere with a love match that comes about any other way.”
Delly’s response puzzled Kate. “But, you were the one giving Annie her name and address.”
“That was before I had my run-in with her once I arrived in Jubilee Springs. I found Mr. Nighy on my own, no thanks to her. You’re right about the need to keep her nose out of the matter. Whether you want my advice or not, I’m giving it to you. First, Annie, what do you plan to wear?”
Kate turned to Annie, who shrugged. The sisters had not planned that far. “Ma sent her Irish lace veil, but we’ve mostly been working on a blue wool gown for me. I suppose we could be taking it in for Annie.”
“Or, I could be wearing that dark green bombazine dress you had made for when I’d be serving company.”
Delly shook her head and waved her hand in dismissal. “No, Annie. I don’t approve of you getting married in a gown I bought you to serve in.”
Kate watched as the woman walked around Annie and studied her sister’s form.
“I have a lovely cream-colored silk of last year’s design that, if one of you can hem it up a few inches, would fit you nicely. Don’t press the fold, though. I may wish to take out the stitches and wear it again myself. It should go well with your lace veil. As for Mrs. Millard, here’s how you handle the situation with her…”
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Chapter 19
~o0o~
December 25, 1881
W earing a solemn expression, Michael O’Hare stood at the front of the small nave and waited for his bride to join them. After the priest offered the wedding mass and
performed the ceremony, he would be a married man.
Michael reflected on how the situation had turned out so differently than what he had expected when Royce Bainbridge awarded him the tenth company house left vacant when the first man assigned to it had been killed in a shoot-out. The next step involved him writing a letter to Lizett Millard so she could use her graphology science to match him up with other women who were the most suitable possibilities for creating a satisfying, loving marriage match. At the time, it sounded reasonable and logical—like taking the next step at his job to work toward a promotion. After he met the two Flanagan sisters, he realized choosing a mate involved so much more than following a procedure.
Michael did not know the moment he fell in love with Annie Flanagan. He realized the day she fussed at him for not attending mass he wished to spend time with her. Then again, with so few women in Jubilee Springs, it was not uncommon for most of the miners with whom he worked to desire female companionship. Some found it among the prostitutes at the Silver Dollar Saloon. Others, like Michael, yearned for a wife and family.
“Wife and family” sounded like inanimate objects, a concept to be turned into reality, possessions to be treasured. Yet, the words, “wife and family” by themselves, did not involve the heart. Then, after Kate arrived to be his wife with the expectation of providing him a family, the concept took on a whole new meaning—an extremely personal, life-altering, soul-binding meaning. Once he met Kate, he realized she did not touch him in the deepest inner-workings of his being the way her sister did.
When Michael thought of Annie, his heart soared. He yearned to spend every moment with her. He craved her touch, longed to watch her every move, and to listen to her voice. He desired to hold her close to him so he could feel her heart beat against his, assuring him he would never lose her.
Yet, lose her he must. Because of the commitment—the promise he made—when he asked Kate to come to Jubilee Springs to marry him, he must sacrifice his heart’s desire to maintain his honor. He had not been the strong one; it was his Annie—his sweet love he could never lay claim to—who had insisted he fulfill his duty. She had assured him, love for her sister would eventually come, that he and Kate would enjoy a rich and fulfilling life together.