by Natalie Dean
"I don't know, Cec. They could be in Wyoming by now."
"What will happen now? Do you think Carson will be able to cope with the children on his own?" Lottie asked. Her own children were a little older than Billy and Jane. She wasn't sure her own husband, Hamish, would cope without her. Children needed a mother.
"We have to let the dust settle. Carson is still in shock, and for now, we can take turns minding the children. We have to do what we can," Cecilia was a practical type, but she didn't like thinking Maggie's death would go unavenged.
It was a terrible state of affairs. As the children were being cared for, Carson woke up in a sweat. It was dark. He had this dreadful dream where his Maggie had been murdered. He reached his hand over to feel for Maggie, but she wasn't there. His eyes became accustomed to the darkness, but this wasn't his room.
"Noooo," he exclaimed, "it wasn't a dream. Maggie, why did you leave me?" He didn't know how he was going to get on without Maggie. Then he thought about the children. Where were they? He threw back the covers and opened the door. He was in the hotel. He ran down the stairs. Horace was still at the reception desk.
"Where are my children?" Carson screamed.
"I think the Sheriff has them," Horace squeaked, afraid of what Carson might do to him. Carson ran out the door and over to the coffee shop where he raced up the back stairs to the overhead living quarters and banged on the door.
"Shush, you'll wake the children," Lance said as he opened the door. "Carson, the children are safe. They're asleep."
"They're okay? You’re not just saying that?" Carson asked. Afraid that his whole world had fallen apart.
"If you promise to be quiet, I'll show you." Carson followed Lance to the bedroom and there he saw his little children asleep, tucked in with Lance and Cecilia's own children. "I'm doing everything I can to find out who did this to Maggie," Lance said as he escorted Carson back to the living area.
"Why don't you stay here? I'll get a blanket," Cecilia had woken with the commotion.
"Why didn't I leave the dog with Maggie? Lola would have defended her, and she'd still be alive," Carson sobbed as Cecilia and Lance looked at each other, not knowing how to comfort their friend.
Chapter 3
Billy and Jane were shuffled back and forth between Lottie and Cecilia. The children had taken recent events in stride but tended to be quiet, only talking to each other. Carson didn't seem able to cope with having them at home. It was time for Lottie and Cecilia to do something.
"This can't go on, Lottie. Carson must figure something out and soon. We can't keep shuffling the children between our homes. It isn't fair on any of us," Cecilia said.
"I know but what can we do. Carson does have a lot of work to do and can't care for the children. Should we look at hiring some help for him?" Lottie asked. Her heart went out to the children who lost their mother. She couldn't bear the thought of being separated from her children. She had four, including one set of twins. Her twins were very close, and she could see that same bond between Billy and Jane.
"I don't know if hiring someone is the right plan. What if the woman has designs on marrying Carson? We should put the children's needs first. Anyhow, I doubt Mrs. Lavery would agree to a single woman living with Carson, even if she is hired help. We could get him a wife, but she must know her reason for being here is for the children. What do you think if we put an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times?" Cecilia took a pencil and pad from her apron pocket.
"Cec, shouldn't we tell Carson about our plan?" Lottie was hesitant about interfering and wanted to do things right.
"No, Lottie. He'll say no. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, I say. Let's come up with something. She'll have to know there's no romantic relationship but we still have to give some enticement. How about this, Loving mother figure wanted for three-year-old twins. Mother recently deceased. Single lady. Must be aged 18 to 22. Must be healthy. Practical arrangement. Comfortable home included. Send replies to C. Edwards, Bannack. How does that sound? Let's sleep on it and have it wired tomorrow," Cecilia said as Lottie left to go home. The twins were staying with Cecilia.
Morning came, and Cecilia wired the advertisement to the Matrimonial Times. She paid the clerk to divert any replies for C. Edwards to her. She didn't want Carson to be bothered with having to decide, she explained. They told themselves this was a good thing they were doing for the Edwards.
They'd deal with Carson's reactions before the woman got here. He wasn't in the best frame of mind to make any decision. After all, the woman would come to Bannack to raise children and keep a home, and who was a better judge of that than Lottie and Cecilia. They prayed to the Lord that the right woman would come their way.
Meantime in New York, Sarah managed to get some time away from the house. She had answered some advertisements, but no one had replied back to her. She was beginning to think her destiny would be to remain in this house forever. Sarah closed her eyes and asked the Lord to guide her hand. She opened her eyes to find herself looking at the Matrimonial Times. The newspaper vendor shook his head at the young woman's strange antics as she paid for the paper.
The advertisements fascinated Sarah. She had a wonderful imagination that never got exercised. As she read the requests to find a significant other, she wondered about the people who wrote the ads and those who responded. What made a reply stand out, she asked herself.
An advertisement caught her eye. Twins, three years old, had lost their mother. How sad, Sarah thought. Her niece and nephew would be three by now. She hoped whoever had them loved them as she did. This was the job for her. Strange to put a practical job in a matrimonial newspaper, she thought. This was the job she wanted. Sarah ran to the nearest Western Union office to send a reply. As each word cost fifty cents, she kept what she needed to say at a minimum.
Lost mother as a child. Healthy and can care for the twins. I am 18, single. God-fearing woman. Housemaid. Available now.
Sarah Smith
Sarah reviewed what she could afford to send. She hoped being deprived of a mother would be in her favor because she could understand what the children were feeling. She had no ties and could focus entirely on the children. Sarah didn't contemplate the notion of having a family of her own.
Cecilia was excited to receive the first batch of replies. She and Lottie sat across from each other to review them.
"I wonder if this is how our men felt receiving our letters," Lottie smiled, but then her face clouded as she remembered how the man she had written to had been murdered before her arrival to Bannack. Cecilia didn't want to remember the past too much either. Her beloved first husband had died shortly after her arrival. He had been her savior in many ways.
"Stop maudlin, Lottie McLennon. We've work to do."
Cecilia opened the first couple of replies and cast them aside. Lottie looked at her.
"Why aren't you reading them?" she inquired.
"I don't like their names. Remember, Lottie, this woman will be our friend and has to replace Maggie. That's not easy to do. We can come back to them if no one else appeals."
Lottie rolled her eyes. She was glad Cecilia hadn't been judging her reply.
"Here's one," Cecilia said, "she twenty and a nurse."
"No, she'll make plans to work with Hamish, and I don't want some young woman around him," Lottie said. She was feeling a little self-conscious lately about her figure. Cecilia was still willowy and guffawed at Lottie's insecurities. "You are a silly thing. Hamish still looks at you like he did the very first day he met you. Anyway, aren't we looking for a wife for Carson?"
"Now, listen to this. This girl, Sarah, lost her mother when she was young. That's good. She'll relate to the twins and hopefully, know how to be what she was missing in a mother. Is eighteen a little young to become an instant mother?" Cecilia asked.
"We'll reply to her and see what she says. The sooner, the better I think. That home needs a mother, and the children need security. Ask her to come."
&
nbsp; "Don't you think we should correspond a few more times? Just to make sure she's the right person." Lottie didn't want to make a mistake. It wouldn't be fair to the children to lose another mother figure.
"That's a good point. But we can't go on months trying to see if she's a right fit. We won't know until she gets here. I think she needs to come now. Remember, we both had reasons for coming here and didn't want to wait. Let's send the two of them a question. Let's ask what they think a child needs most. I don't want those children raised by some authoritarian. I had that all my life and Maggie wouldn't want that for Billy and Jane."
Cecilia and Lottie still didn’t tell Carson their plans. It was too soon, and besides, they still hadn't decided on who was the best choice.
Sarah's hands shook as she opened the envelope. "What's that? Who'd be writing to you?" Cook asked annoyed that Sarah had received a telegram.
"I have an aunt," Sarah said as she walked away, puzzled by the question posed. What was the most important thing a child needed? This was a very bizarre question. It was love. Who could thrive without love? Sarah was anxious to send a reply, but Cook was now calling her to do various jobs. None of which were urgent or important, only a ruse for Cook to delay Sarah responding to the wire.
She'd have to wait until Cook fell asleep which was usually in the afternoon after her tipple. Sarah took her chance to send off her telegram. She hoped it was what her future employer wanted.
In Bannack, Cecilia went to the Western Union office. The usual clerk wasn't there. She frowned, not quite sure of whether to ask if any wire had come for C. Edwards.
"Why, yes, ma'am and I've given it to Mr. Edwards already," the replacement clerk smiled cheerfully. Cecilia rushed out and looked up and down the street. Lottie had the children. He was bound to be with them now. She ran as fast as she could, but it was too late. She could see Carson showing the two letters to Lottie. Cecilia could see by his body language that he was angry and Lottie was trying to calm him down.
"Carson, we've only done it for your own good. Come inside and stop making a scene. You're frightening the children," Cecilia took control and managed to get Carson inside Lottie's house. They sat around the table, Hamish included, and Cecilia and Lottie told them what they'd done. Carson was still annoyed. How could they think he'd want to marry again? Hamish chastised them for not telling Carson of their plan.
"But that's just it, Carson. It's the best of both worlds. It's not a real marriage, in any sense but it's proper in the eyes of the Lord. You can't have a single woman living with you. She would take care of the children and cook and clean. I really think Maggie would approve. She loved those children, and you can't cope as it is and we can't keep taking turns with them. They need to be home, Carson." Cecilia rested her arm on Carson's, and he bent his head low. He was usually such a reasonable man, but he was hurting.
"Let me see what the responses were. We set a test for the two ladies we wanted. Our nurse thinks discipline and education are the most important and our housemaid believes love is the most important thing a child needs," Cecilia looked around as she put the responses down. "Everyone agree on love being the most important?" she asked, and everyone nodded. It was settled. Sarah Smith was coming to Bannack.
Within a week, Sarah was on a train heading out of the city. She hadn't much in the way of belongings. She was delighted to find that a ticket had been purchased in her name and she was going to travel relatively comfortable. It was a good start into the unknown. She didn't even know where Montana was, but it was going to be the start of a new life for her. The final leg of her journey was by stage coach. She missed the rickety comfort of the train. She was thrown about in the stage coach. She could hear the call out for Bannack.
She stepped off the stagecoach and looked around. There were two women, a man and two children standing close together. The taller of the women moved forward to greet her.
"Miss Sarah Smith. Welcome to Bannack, I'm Cecilia Dexter. This is Carson Edwards, my good friend Lottie McLennon and here are the children, Billy and Jane."
Sarah's eyes were transfixed on the little girl. She was the spitting image of her dear sister, Katie. The likeness took her breath away, and she became faint. Carson caught her before she hit the ground.
"Carson, carry her to the hotel. Let's get her freshened up. That journey is an ordeal," Lottie said as she fanned Sarah with her handkerchief.
"What's wrong with my new mama?" Jane asked, and Carson frowned. Sarah felt uncomfortable in the man's arms. He was very strong, but it wasn't exactly the first impression she wanted to make.
"I'm quite well. I can walk. It's just the little girl reminds me of someone." Sarah reached out to Jane who was in Lottie's arms, and the little girl went to her.
"That's odd. Jane usually makes strange with people when she meets them first," Lottie observed.
"Hold me too," Billy said, not wishing his sister to get all of the attention. Sarah carried a child on each hip as Carson took her bag.
Chapter 4
Sarah was tired but happy as she sat with them. The children were adorable and friendly.
"Is this the new arrival?” quipped Mrs. Lavery.
“Yes, my name is Sarah. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I'm Mrs. Lavery. My aren't you a lovely little thing?" Mrs. Lavery said as she served them tea and sandwiches.
"Sarah, we chose you because you understand what the children need. Their mother's death was tragic, and we miss her every day. But as Mr. Edwards has a farm to manage, he can't cope with the children as well. Until now, Mrs. Dexter and I have been taking turns caring for them," Lottie said.
"I'm not afraid of hard work. I look forward to taking care of your children, Mr. Edwards. You live on a farm?”
“Yes, mam.”
“Will have I have my own quarters in the home or will I live somewhere else? I really don't need much space," Sarah said to the amused looking faces.
"You'll stay in the homestead with the children and me," Carson said, wondering why Sarah was confused.
"I don't know what goes on out here, but in the city, we do things properly. I can't live with a man I'm not married to," Sarah said indignantly.
"But you are here to marry Carson, I mean, Mr. Edwards. It's all arranged for in a few days’ time. We thought you'd like to settle in first," Lottie said.
"Married! You said nothing about getting married," Sarah screeched, unsure of what was going on.
"We thought you understood that. That's why we placed the advertisement in the Matrimonial Times. And anyways, it's marriage in name only. Our main concern is that the children are loved, as their mother would have wanted," Cecilia said.
"You didn't say anything about getting married. I thought it was just about taking care of the children. I'm sorry. This was a mistake. I figured it was a job. I suppose I should have asked about the pay. Oh no, what am I going to do? I've given up my job." Sarah became upset.
"What's she going on about? She didn't know it was supposed to be a marriage?" Carson was annoyed. It was a silly idea. The very notion that someone would come from a city just to take care of the children. She wanted a job. The children needed a mother.
"Carson, you go and find Hamish. She looks very pale to me," Cecilia said as Sarah looked all clammy. He was glad of the excuse to leave. He would never understand women.
"Sarah, we're sorry for the misunderstanding. I know you don't know us, but Carson is a good man. He would never act improperly. We need the children to have a stable home life. If they were older, it would be different. They could help on the farm, but they are too young. You can stay here in the hotel as we planned and get to know Bannack. The children seem attached to you already," Cecilia said, and it was true. Sarah hadn't eaten anything as the children sat on her lap, cuddled into her.
Sarah looked down at the little faces who looked up at her. Jane was so much like Katie, even with the mark on her forehead. Sarah's heart almost burst. It had been a face she h
ad missed.
"I'm not sure about getting married, but the children do seem to have taken a shine to me. If I'm here for a while, I may as well be useful," Sarah said to the delight of Cecilia and Lottie.
"You get settled in and come over to my place when you're ready. I own the tea shop," Cecilia excused herself and looked for Mrs. Lavery to make arrangements.
"I think you should stay, Sarah. The children need love, and I feel in my heart that you are the one to give them this. There's something special between the three of you already," Lottie said as she patted Sarah's arm.
Sarah missed that touch of another. Someone to acknowledge her. She had seen the bond Katie and Nancy had. Lottie and Cecilia reminded Sarah of them. It was something she had never experienced. All she got in service were beatings. She shivered as she remembered the whippings Cook had given her. The scars were still there, but Sarah had managed to forget about them. Funny how a caring touch could remind of such pain, she thought.
The children didn't want to be wretched away from Sarah. And deep inside her, she didn't want to let them go either. "Why don't you leave them with me? We can get to know each other," Sarah said, and Lottie smiled as she watched Sarah and the children go upstairs.
"What do you think? Will she stay or go?" Cecilia asked Lottie with Mrs. Lavery in tow.
"The children have decided, and I don't think she'll have the heart to refuse them. Now if only we could get Carson on board."
As Sarah put the children on her bed, she noticed Jane yawning and it made her want to yawn too. Soon the three of them were laying together on Sarah's bed and fell asleep. It was so long since Sarah had a bed, she had forgotten what it felt like, but she'd never known anything like this. The children snuggled into her, one at each side and she felt content. Her heart was full of love for them. How could she love them already? Sarah knew she could never leave them. It would mean she would have to marry Carson. He didn't seem happy at the idea and rightly so if his wife wasn't long dead. It was a good sign of a man.