by Cyndi Raye
“A few days will be too late. I need to get to Wichita Falls,” Ruby confessed. She bit her lip and looked around. There was no way she could go back to the Brownstone. Slipping away in the early morning was hard enough. When Uncle Ross finds out she left, he would be furious. It was bad enough he cornered her later that evening to threaten her again with marriage to the old coot he owed money to. He told her within a day of her mother’s passing, he’d have her married off. Then he laughed and slapped her shoulder so hard she wanted to kick him. He was an abusive, horrible, selfish man.
When she had threatened to leave, he had locked her in her own room. Little did he realize she knew a way out. She had done it many times before, climbing out the window, working her way across the limb, then sliding down the trunk of the tree to meet some of her friends in her younger days. At eighteen, Ruby had a harder time of it, but when her feet hit the side walk, she took off down the street swearing never to return again.
There was no way she could go back.
A tear slipped from her cheek. Ruby lowered herself to a bench at the station, setting her one piece of luggage on the ground, her shoulders slumping with defeat. She never saw the couple holding hands beside her.
What was she going to do?
Where would she go?
Would she be inclined to go back to the Brownstone and marry an old man? Ruby almost gagged thinking about marriage to Horace Lourdes.
“Here.”
Eyes closed, head tipped towards the ground, Ruby slowly brought her gaze towards the female voice to see a gloved hand holding something. A train ticket dangled in front of her.
“Pardon?” Ruby asked, more confused than ever.
“I won’t be needing this after all,” the woman said. She snuggled closer to the man beside her.
“I thank you but I can’t possibly take your ticket. I have no money to pay you. The boy, he robbed me, took everything I had.”
“It’s fine. I never paid for this either. Here.” She reached in her own reticule and pulled out some letters wrapped with twine. “You better get on the train or it will leave without you. I heard you say you were going to Wichita Falls. This ticket will take you there.”
“Are you sure?” At the woman’s nod, Ruby reached out and took the ticket and letters before rushing towards the train. A whoosh of air brushed against her skirts and she turned back but didn’t notice anything strange. There were a few stragglers like her trying to board last minute. Perhaps that was what brushed by her, another passenger trying to get aboard.
“Please tell him I’m sorry but I found my true love. He was here all along.”
“What? Tell who?”
The lady who gave her the tickets laughed and waved as she rose from the bench. “Read the letters,” she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth to shout out at Ruby.
Clutching them in her hand, Ruby worked her way to a seat in the middle of the rail car. She was glad it wasn’t full. Sitting by the window, her gaze fell to the hustle and bustle of New York City and was glad to leave it all behind. Closing her eyes, she sighed, letting the sound of the train rattling down the track lull her to sleep. This new adventure was about to change her life.
<><>
Marshall Montgomery raised a booted heel to the fallen limb. With a quick kick, it moved out of his way so he could bring the wagon over to load it up. A treacherous storm passing through his land earlier fell some limbs and trees on the property. It would take hours to clean up the mess.
“Sorta looked like a large funnel just ploughed right through, huh, boss?”
He nodded to Max, the foreman of his ranch, glad to have the man along to help. The other men were checking the ranch land, making sure the rest of the cows and steers made it through the storm. There were 5 men in all, 6 including him. He was proud of his accomplishments so far. Before long, the ranch would be a big homestead, hiring more and more men each year. A dream come true. It sure beat working on the rail road. Those days were over now that he had his own spread.
Thanks to the land certificates he bought while working as a surveyor for the rail road. He had hesitated at first, thinking he’d always stay with the rail road but as they traveled further west, connecting towns, the land began to draw him in. He had ached to begin a new life and when the rail road tracks were laid in Wichita Falls and he saw the beauty of the area, Marshall threw down his tools and turned in the certificates for land. Six hundred forty acres of raw land was all his.
Marshall’s next goal was to buy more of the area next to his but he needed one more cattle drive to do so. It was a shame he had to spend some of his savings on a train ticket but it couldn’t be helped. Well, two train tickets. One for his little nephew from New York City, who lost his parents recently. The other, well, that had been a dumb move. Or maybe not. Maybe it was time he settled down.
“When’s the boy getting here?” Max asked, bringing Marshall back to reality.
He shrugged. “In a few days. I’ll meet him at the station in town.”
“Ya probably want to wear your Sunday best for that trip, seeing ya also bought yourself a mail order bride.”
“Yeah, and I may have had too much whiskey that day. I’m regretting it already but I can’t go back on my word now. Besides, the boy needs a woman to replace my sister. I don’t know what to do with a little person.”
Max snickered. “Seems you’ll find out right soon enough.”
Marshall took off his hat and slid his hand through dark, thick hair. He gazed over the land, trying to see it as a stranger would. Even though he agreed to this mail order bride stuff, he wondered if a city woman would be happy here. It took a lot of gumption to love the wild frontier. Not too many ladies from the east dared to venture further than the Mississippi River.
When the rail road came to Wichita Falls, men began to settle here. But the ladies were few and far between. When Miss Adeline from the boarding house began to dabble in her new business of bringing mail order brides to town, it seemed to work. The rowdy town was beginning to settle somewhat. More families were filling the streets instead of drunken cowboys and rail road workers looking for a cheap thrill.
Before, there had been a rail road depot, a saloon and mercantile. Since Miss Adeline began her mail order business, the town was growing fast. They now had a church and parish, side streets with cabins and rows of houses along the main road with families and men looking to start a family. The Texas prairie was blooming with life.
He had been walking to his horse, well, stumbling to it one late afternoon drinking at the saloon, sad over his sisters death, when Miss Adeline confronted him. He hadn’t seen her in over ten years, never even met the son she wrote so much about.
Miss Adeline had heard his sister died and knew he was bringing the boy out here. After a lecture on how the boy needed a firm hand and a mother to learn him, she had made Marshall feel so guilty he signed right up for her mail order bride. After that, he had exchanged letters with a lady from New York City. Catherine Jackson.
Now he would be meeting her within a few days. She mentioned she wanted a fresh start, somewhere far away from the lure of the city. She loved horses and would be an asset to his ranch. Said she didn’t mind working hard and could take care of herself. Said she could cook and clean and was fit enough to do outside work if needed. With those credentials, he figured she’d be good for the boy and could replace Joe doing the cooking. He needed Joe out on the ranch more than in the cook house.
“Watch that limb, boss.”
Max’s warning brought his attention back to the business at hand. A snake slithered along the fallen limb, a rattler. Marshall stepped back, too close for comfort until he had enough space between them to strike it down with his axe. He looked up at his foreman. “Thanks.”
Max nodded. “Best to keep your mind on the work at hand, boss. Don’t mean no disrespect but we can’t have you getting bitten here with you becoming a new father and husband soon.”
Mar
shall glared at his foreman. “Guess you’re right,” he told Max after a bit. “It wouldn’t do any good for the boy to come all this way to a dead uncle. Then the kid would have to go back to the city to grandparents who don’t want him.”
“What’s the story with the boy? He’s ten? Sounds like he’s old enough to help with some of the ranch work,” Max suggested.
Marshall shrugged, then swung the axe at the tree limb. “Got a letter from my brother-in-laws family. Said the boy was living with his grandparents after my sister and her husband died in the carriage accident. He won’t listen, keeps running away, hanging out in the back alleys of the city, skipping school. As soon as I heard, I sent a one way ticket for him to come out here. I had just finished my business with mailing the letter, had a few drinks at the saloon. That’s when I got reprimanded by Miss Adeline about how a boy needed a mother. You know how fast your business is spread all over town around here. Personally, I think Miss Adeline coerced me into taking a mail order bride.”
Max flung his head back and laughed. “That’s Addie. She’s got half the town matched up with someone. Glad I’m not there much these days.”
Marshall’s brow rose. “That’s cause she’s sweet on you, Max. The last time we went to town together, I saw the way the two of you talked. I’d say it’s the reason she hasn’t found you a bride yet.”
Max shook his head. “Not true. We’re friends since way back.”
“You may want to rethink things. Friend’s don’t blush like she does whenever you’re around.”
Max moved away without saying anything, ending the conversation. He began to work on another tree. Marshall didn’t mean to embarrass him but the man was blind as a bat. Everyone could tell Miss Adeline was sweet on him. Everyone except the man himself. Or, maybe he was just good at hiding his feelings.
Marshall was glad he wasn’t going to go sweet on a woman. He didn’t have that kind of time. This mail order bride seemed nice enough. Catherine. Her name rolled of his tongue nicely but he didn’t think she was looking for love. She wanted a way out of the city. She was a hard worker, could cook and clean and work outside in the garden. Guess a man couldn’t ask for much more than that in a woman.
Chapter 3
Ruby woke to the sound of passengers moving towards the dining car. She was so hungry, actually ravished. With her uncle locking her away in the bedroom all night, there hadn’t been a way for her to stock up on food for the trip. Now, with her reticule stolen, the extra money she tucked away was long gone. She would have to do without food until they reached Wichita Falls. It was going to be a long couple of days.
“Care to join us for supper?” a voice said behind her.
As she turned to see who was talking, Ruby smiled at the odd fellow. Wearing a top hat that looked way too big for his head, a giggle almost erupted. She contained herself by placing a hand over her mouth and coughing. “I’m afraid that’s impossible,” she told him. “My reticule has been stolen with all my monies inside.”
The man lifted his hat and tipped it at her. “You have to be careful traveling alone these days. It’s quite alright. I am inviting you to dine, therefore I plan to pay for your meal ticket.”
Ruby hesitated. The man looked harmless. Dare she let him? Would a lady alone be scoured by allowing a stranger to feed her?
“Don’t worry. My wife is right here. We’d be happy to escort you to the dining car.”
Ruby looked behind the man to see a tiny figure. She hadn’t noticed the woman until she peeked her head over his shoulder. That’s when she realized the two were standing, not sitting. Her mouth hung open for a slight second before she chastised herself for staring. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see her,” Ruby apologized.
“Quite alright, miss. You are not the first to notice our size is not normal. We are tiny people. May I introduce you to Mrs. Martin.”
The little woman stepped around her husband. She held a reticule over her wrist in one hand and held her other one out. Ruby took the tiny warm hand in her own. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Martin. I am Ruby Adams of New York City.”
“A pleasure, dear. I’m famished. How about you?” She began to walk towards the dining car.
“Yes. I believe I will take you up on your offer. Thank you.” With relief, she followed the Mrs. to a table with a stunning view of the landscape. The dining attendant helped the two tiny people on to their chairs as if they were royalty, then held the chair for her.
Ruby didn’t want to admit the only time she ever met someone so small was in the circus that came to the city once a year. After spending the next hour with the two, it became clear they were madly in love and well off.
Trying to ignore the hand holding and occasional kiss from the married couple, Ruby stared hard at the land outside as the sun began to fade from the sky. As the candle light came on in the train, its soft glow in the background helped to reflect the inside of the dining car through the glass window. A familiar reflection stood out.
Ruby stared, shocked and surprised. Sitting at a table with another couple was the thief, looking clean and dapper and enjoying a meal at her expense, no doubt. Not one to take action without thinking, Ruby realized she had two choices. She could march over to him and demand her stolen goods back or report him to the conductor and have him thrown off the train. Yet, without proof she would look like a fool and lose any chance of recovering her land certificates. No, she’d have to be more careful and find her property before she made any claims.
First, she needed to know if the couple at the table were his parents, mayhap she could take them aside and tell them what their son did. She slid the chair back and stood up. “If you will excuse me for a moment, I think I see someone I know.”
Mr. and Mrs. Martin looked up and smiled before going right back to their conversation. They hardly took a second look. Ruby grinned at their dedication to one another. She hoped someday a man looked at her the way Mr. Martin looked at his wife. That’s why she needed those land certificates back. She didn’t care so much about the small amount of money in her reticule but the land certificates were her golden ticket.
She had to be careful how she approached the boy. Didn’t need him running off scared and losing her only chance at making a new life for herself. Her mama explained how she could sell the certificates if need be or use them to purchase a parcel of land. In all fairness, she wanted to sell one for cash and use another one to buy a small parcel of land in Wichita Falls where she owned the place and no one could ever make her leave. She’d contract someone to build her a quaint log cabin and live happily ever after without a mean and nasty uncle to ruin her life. For now, she needed that boy.
“Good day. May I ask to join your conversation for a moment?” Ruby acknowledged the lady and directed herself to the man sitting across from the kid. She figured he was the head of the table.
“Ma’am.” The gentleman pushed his chair back and stood up, nodding to her. “I assure you may. Please join us. What do we have the pleasure of your conversation for?”
“I thought I recognized this young fellow. I taught school in the city and at first it appeared he was one of my students. I wanted to come over and see if it was indeed one of my former students.”
The gentleman’s brow rose. “Do you know him? Seems he was all alone on the train, so my wife, Mrs. Carrington, deemed it suitable to escort the boy to his destination.”
“I believe I do.” Ruby made herself appear confused, as if she were trying to remember him. She directed her next conversation to the thief. “You were in my class last year. I’m just having a hard time recalling your name.” She looked directly at the boy whose eyes were downcast. “It’s Johnny, correct?”
The adults laughed. “No. He goes by William Dawson.”
The kid began to fidget. He fiddled with his hands before hiding them under the white linen-clothed table. He wouldn’t look at her.
Ruby threw her hands in the air, as if she now recalled everything. “You are
correct, sir. He likes to be called Billy. I remember now.” She turned to him, lowering herself gently to make eye contact. Except he wouldn’t look up.
“He’s a bit shy around the ears,” Mr. Carrington mentioned.
“That’s strange, the Billy I remember was quite the rambunctious type. Isn’t that correct, Billy?”
There was no way he could avoid her. Politeness demanded he address the person talking to him, which happened to be Ruby. “Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled, his eyes still downcast.
“Hello, Billy. I’m so glad to see you here. Where do you happen to be traveling all by yourself?”
“Oh, he’s going to Wichita Falls to live with his uncle.” Mrs. Carrington joined in the conversation, not letting Billy speak for himself. The two were nice to take him under their wings. Little did they know he was a pan handler and thief. “I wish we were heading that way, too, just to make sure he is deposited safely with his uncle. Unfortunately, we are getting off the train in the morning.”
It was as if God had opened the heavens and showered good tidings. She shouldn’t doubt Him, ever. Ruby placed a hand over her heart. “Oh! This is wonderful. I happen to be getting off at Wichita Falls myself. I’d be more than happy to escort my former student.”
Mrs. Carrington smiled and clapped her gloved hands. “This is so wonderful. Thank you, Ms. Adams. It’s highly kind of you to do so.”
Ruby nodded. “It would be a pleasure. I must get back to my dinner companions but as soon as we are finished, I’ll be back for Billy. He can ride next to me the remainder of the trip.”
“Wonderful. Wonderful. We will see you then.”
Ruby didn’t miss the boy shuffling his feet back and forth under the table. She smiled as she worked her way back to the Martin’s table. Her land certificates would be in her lap, along with her stolen reticule in a short while. She may as well enjoy the rest of her dinner.