Lilly_Bride of Illinois

by Linda K. Hubalek

  He crossed the room to look out the window, but couldn’t see anything but shadows. He tried opening the window but it wouldn’t budge.

  “There’s always someone standing outside the backdoor at night, more often than not, it’s a policeman,” she softly spoke to tell him about the staircase he had asked about. When Seth stared at her in disbelief, Lilly continued. “The woman who helped me dress tonight told me the police are paid to do certain ‘jobs’ for Mr. Hardesty.” Then she told him what else Fannie has said about other women who had been drawn here under false pretenses.

  “Miss Lind I promise to help you get out of this bad situation,” Seth put his hand over his heart, trying to prove his honesty to her.

  “How do I know I can trust you?”

  “My father is a minister. If you know your Bible, and can start a verse, I could probably say the rest of it. And if I ever hurt a woman, I’m sure I could feel my ma thump my head all the way from Kansas,” Seth earnestly replied, thinking what his parents would say about him being in a soiled dove’s room. But they’d be proud he was here to help another human being.

  “You’re from Kansas? Do you know any Swedish people?” Miss Lind relaxed a tad with her questions.

  “Yes. We have a big population of Swedes about fifty miles southwest of us. And we have a Swedish family in our community of friends.”

  Miss Lind narrowed her eyes and asked, “How do I now you’re telling the truth?”

  “Let’s see…I prefer hot mustard on lutfisk instead of cream sauce—if I have to eat the smelly fish,” he grinned as she snickered.

  “It only smells when you soak the fish to prepare it.”

  “Yep, Taylor’s Mercantile gets their supply of the ‘dried fish boards’ in early October because you have the soak the stuff for six weeks in lye first before it’s soft enough to eat.”

  “What else?”

  “I’m okay eating bruna bönor—or brown beans—although I didn’t expect them to be sweetened with molasses instead of seasoned with chili powder the first time I ate them.”

  “Now you’re making me hungry for Swedish food,” she held her middle, and he guessed she’d been just plain hungry since she left Boston by her thin stature.

  “I know some simple words, moder, fader, for mother and father. The Hamner family makes a nice smörgåsbord of food, so I always accept their invitation for a meal.

  “And…I use a Swedish word dumskalle when I get frustrated dealing with an ornery horse. I don’t consider it really cussing when I’m using the Swedish word, which means a dimwitted, blockheaded jackass.”

  Seth liked how Miss Lind’s blue eyes brightened when he talked about the little Swedish he knew. Would this be enough to put her mind at ease?

  “Tack så mycket, Mr. Reagan. Thank you. I feel I can fully trust you now,” Miss Lind quietly stated.

  “Varsågod, you’re welcome. I promise I will help you any way I can.”

  “Now if we can get out of here. I only have my reticule, a small bag and my cloak…” Lilly stopped mid–sentence as she looked around the room, and then pulled out the three drawers in the small dresser beside the window. “Now they’ve taken my cloak, hat and gloves! Earlier my shawl disappeared so I couldn’t cover up my shoulders and chest tonight,” Lilly closed her eyes, looking downright disgusted. “And my shirtwaist and skirt were taken the first day to be cleaned and haven’t made their way back to my room either. This blue dress is the only thing I have to wear,” Miss Lind cringed, apparently embarrassed at being seen in it.

  “What about your reticule and bag?” Seth asked, wondering if they were missing, too.

  Miss Lind opened a dresser drawer. “They are here. All I have in my carpet bag is my English translation book, my Swedish Bible, and an extra pair of underthings and socks. And I’m embarrassed to say only two dollars left in my reticule, but now I wouldn’t count on it being in there,” she whispered.

  “I’m so sorry, Miss Lind.” Seth touched her shoulder in sympathy.

  They both jumped when there was a sharp rap on the door. “Your time is about up!” the rat Hardesty growled. Seth wondered if he could overpower the man and sneak Miss Lind out the back way, but guessed Hardesty had a weapon on him. Why isn’t my loaded revolver in my gun belt around my hips like I always wear in Kansas? I feel so inadequate and unprepared!

  Seth pulled his wallet out of his pocket, opened it up and took a twenty–dollar bill out of it. “Here, hide this on your person now before he pushes his way in. If I can’t get you past him now, I’ll wait outside near the end of the alley for three hours in case you can get out yourself.”

  Miss Lind turned her back to him, frantically pulling her skirt up to get under the tight corset to her chemise, where Seth assumed she was trying to hide the money. Seth was embarrassed to see her go through her clothing, but she had to hide the money under as many layers as she could.

  Hardesty rapped louder on the door.

  “Hey!” Seth yelled. “Hold your horses! I haven’t finished using up my two dollars yet!”

  Seth leaned down to stare into her eyes and whisper, “Remember I’m in the Hough House, room 217. If you can’t get there, I’ll be in the stockyards the next two mornings looking at the horses in the sale pens… If we can’t meet before I leave in four days, keep trying to escape this place! Use the money to get on the train and head for Clear Creek, Kansas. Remember Clear Creek. It’s opposite of the dirty stinking creek near here. Clear Creek. Go to my parents at the parsonage, or to Marshall Adam Wilerson. Remember Adam is the first man with Eve. He’s the first man you can trust in town.”

  “Okay, I promise I’ll get out of this mess and to you as soon as I can. Thank you so much for trying to help me!” Lilly wrapped her arms around his waist and Seth wished he could hold her forever. Why did that thought pop into his head?

  “Now, how about a kiss on my cheek to smear a little of your paint on me? Got to make it look like we did something in here besides talk,” Seth said trying to give her a little hope.

  Miss Lind stood on tiptoe, grabbed his face between her hands and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

  The key turned in the lock and Seth jumped to the door and pulled the chair out of the way. He motioned for Miss Lind to get behind him as he prepared to mow Hardesty down when the man opened the door.

  But when the door opened, two burly men stood three feet away from the door—with Hardesty behind them. Apparently the man was used to trouble in his saloon.

  “Your escort is ready to see you outside, Mr.…?” Hardesty asked with calculating eyes.

  “George Milner,” Seth said the first made–up name which came to him as he stuck his hand toward Hardesty, as if he wanted to shake hands. Hardesty ignored his gesture.

  “See he gets outside now, Jones,” Hardesty pretended to say politely. “I need to have a little talk with my newest singer for a moment.” Now his lip curled in a snarl as he watched Seth’s face, but Seth kept all emotion clear of his features.

  Seth turned to walk toward the front stairway. He took a quick glance over his shoulder to see Hardesty shut the door and the third man fold his arms and stand guard in front of it.

  Jones grabbed Seth’s arm like a vise and pulled him toward the stairs. “Don’t worry about the lady. The boss really likes her looks and voice, so he’ll keep her around. He never hurts them where it shows anyway.”

  Seth barely kept the bile down which erupted up this throat. He had to find a way to get Miss Lind out of this place.

  ***

  “Well,” Mr. Hardesty said as he walked into the room and shut the door, “was Mr. Milner happy with your time together?”

  Lilly glanced at the bed, then around the room before answering, “I think so. He…wanted to stay longer…but you chased him out.”

  Hardesty walked up to her and lifted her chin with one finger so she had to look up at him. “Except for the red smear of lip paint on his cheek, neither of your clothes were altered, nor was
the bed even sat on. It didn’t look like the two of you had much contact this evening.”

  Lilly’s temper flared at his remarks. She was not going to cower to this loathsome man. “Well, a lady never tells such details, Mr. Hardesty. You got your money, and that’s what counts, correct?”

  She guessed his answer when he raised his fist, but she wasn’t giving in to this bully.

  The saloon was finally quiet upstairs and down at around four in the morning. She looked out the window and couldn’t see the night guard now. Was he leaning against the building, inside the doorway, or no longer on duty?

  Lilly guessed it took at least fifteen minutes for her to pick the lock open with a hair pin. She took the gray blanket off the bed and put the top quilt back on so someone wouldn’t miss it right away. It would have to do for warmth since her outer clothes had been taken. She slipped her reticule and bag on her arm, then wrapped the blanket around herself, being careful to wrap it high enough around her shoulders so she wouldn’t trip on an edge.

  She turned down the lantern wick until the flame went out, stood a minute to let her eyes adjust to the darkness, then carefully opened the door and looked down the hall.

  She slowly stepped out of the room, holding her breath in case a floorboard squeaked and gave her escape away. Should I go down the back staircase or the front one? Which one would they expect me to use if I could escape?

  What about a weapon to protect herself? The two times she’d passed through the kitchen—of course with someone escorting her—she hadn’t seen any knives or knife blocks out on the table or sideboard. She could guess why the cutlery was locked away.

  Better to go down the front steps because they were carpeted. Lilly kept her hand lightly touching the wall while tiptoeing down the hall. She saw a bit of shadow when she got to the top of the stairs. She eased down to sit on the first step, listening for any sound from the first floor. She slid down another step. There was a little light coming in from the street lamps outside the saloon’s windows, showing the main room and bar area was quiet. She slid another step down. Unfortunately she hadn’t paid any attention to the front double doors when she’d been in the saloon, nor had she ever gone through them. The top half of each door had a frosted glass window, but she didn’t know what kind of handles and locks they had.

  She slowly slid down to the next to the last step, then stopped when she saw the outline of a person to the left of the door. Someone was watching her descend the steps! When the person didn’t move, she realized the shape wasn’t right for a body.

  It’s a coat rack! Lilly stepped down to the floor, pulled up her skirt and bent over to tiptoe to the rack. Maybe there’d be a coat someone forgot. She felt up the pole rack, but only found a woolen scarf. She pulled it off the peg it was draped across, glad it would give her a head and neck a little protection from the cold.

  Still in a crouching position, she ran her right hand across middle of the door to find the lock. Would it need a key or was it a knob mechanism? There was nothing on the first of the double doors, so she kept sliding her fingers on the second. A knob! She could open this door, if that was the only lock! What about a deadbolt? She felt nothing up to a foot higher than the knob. How about a foot bolt, or a chain bolt at the top of the door? Running her hand to the base of the door, she had to move her hand back to the first door to find it. So the first door had a lock at the bottom, and looking up, she saw the shadow of the chain to pull down the top bolt.

  Moving her fingers back to the center lock on the second door, she slowly turned the knob until it clicked. Would the door squeak when she pulled it open? Was anyone on the other side of the door? She couldn’t chance lifting her head and someone inside or out seeing her shadow. She held her breath as she pulled on the door handle and the door opened a crack. Getting a firm grip on her bags and blanket, she opened the door wide enough to crawl out, being careful it closed quietly behind her.

  She peeked both directions and saw no one in the streets—which wasn’t surprising considering a mixture of rain and sleet was pelting down on her head. Keeping low, she scurried to the recess of the next doorway, paused a moment then moved to the next until running to the corner, always staying close to the buildings.

  Now which way? The depot? But when Hardesty or Mrs. Mason found her missing, they might head there first. And learning how the police and business owners were in Hardesty’s back pocket, they’d probably return her to the Emporium. Seth’s hotel? It was close enough they could look for her there, too.

  Lilly ran towards the smell and the stockyards, hoping to find shelter there.

  Chapter 4

  He acted drunk and wandered around to the front of the Emporium, but all he could see inside was the bartender and one of the women working behind the bar, cleaning up after closing for the night. He walked around the block and headed for the hotel just as light rain started spitting on him.

  He watched from his hotel window until the dawn showed a glistening white landscape. After quickly taking care of his toiletries he moved down to the lobby, choosing a chair near a window where he could see a wide view of the area outside the hotel, and watch the front desk. Seth brought along the program from the stock show so he’d look like he was reading while waiting for someone to come down to join him for breakfast. The dining room wouldn’t open for another hour, but men usually came down early to talk and wait, so he didn’t look out of place.

  Cold air swept in the lobby as a policeman pushed through the hotel door and walked to the front desk.

  “Good morning, Officer Reinhart. What can I do for you?” The older man at the desk wasn’t alarmed when the policeman walked in, but he did look slightly annoyed at the snow the man tracked in across the carpeted foyer.

  “Hey, Brody. Hardesty is missing a girl this morning. Seen anyone come in during the night? Tall blonde, Swedish immigrant so you know the accent, and wearing a blue floosy dress.”

  Seth raised his program higher to cover his face as he listened.

  “No, but I’ll get her back over there if I do. What’s her name?”

  “Lilly Lind. She arrived earlier in the week, and Hardesty really likes her looks—and her voice. Wants her back ‘performing’, if you know what I mean,” the cop smiled as if it would be a pleasure to be the one to deliver her back to Hardesty.

  Seth gritted his teeth hearing the two men talk about Miss Lind as if she was Hardesty’s property.

  “Why’d you think to look here?” asked the hotel clerk.

  “She was with a rancher by the name of George Milner last night, so figured we need to check all the hotels in the area. Check your register to see if he’s here.”

  Excuse me for lying about my name last night, Lord, but I’m so glad I did.

  The clerk scanned several pages in his book. “No, don’t see his name. You know the stock show is going on. There are thousands of ranchers in the area this month and not all at this hotel.”

  “This man was tall, cowboy hat, western style boots.”

  “You’re still describing most of the men staying here this week.”

  “He’s young, late twenties, has dark red hair too, so that’s got to cut down the list of suspects.” The policeman rapped his knuckles on the counter. “Let us know if you hear anything about her. Mr. Hardesty would appreciate it.”

  Seth breathed again, relieved Lilly got away last night. Unfortunately, people were looking for both Lilly and him now. So where is she? Apparently Lilly got away before the snow would have shown her tracks. As soon as the clerk turned his back, Seth would sneak back up the staircase for his coat and hat, and start looking for her.

  He wondered if she went to train station, but she’d probably guess Hardesty’s thugs, or the police, would look for her there. And he doubted she could find out where a church was, or find help there during the night.

  Seth had told her to meet him in the stockyards, so he had a feeling she was hiding there—if she hadn’t been accosted by someone
else along the way. There were around two thousand livestock pens and numerous buildings covering the three–hundred acre stockyards. Somewhere, hopefully, Lilly was hiding—and not frozen to death—waiting for him to find her before someone else did.

  It was time to pray to God and one of his Irish mother’s favorite protectors, Saint Michael for help, because this search could be harder than finding a needle in a haystack.

  Two hours later, Seth still hadn’t seen any sign of Lilly in the buzz of activity in the snow–covered stockyard. Some yard workers were moving hogs toward the meat packing plants, while others unloaded livestock from the trains which had stopped in the Yards. Workers were systematically forking loose hay from horse drawn hayracks into the horse pens’ feed troughs, so horses were lined up in the pens eating. Seth slowly walked down the alley of the horse pens, pretending to look at the horses listed on this week’s sale bill he carried. He kept up a steady conversation with the horses, loud enough so Lilly could hear him if she was nearby. Seth stopped when other lookers walked by, but started talking again after they passed.

  “Look at that dumskalle, will you, looks like the jackass came all the way from Sweden.”

  “A Kansas rancher wouldn’t buy that dumskalle.”

  Seth kept talking, thinking of words Lilly might catch as a clue to show herself.

  He stopped at the next pen, realizing that all the horses were standing facing an inside corner, as were the horses in the three other pens which connected to it. Something, or someone had their attention.

  Seth looked closer, trying to see through the legs of eight horses in this pen, then he went to the next pen to look at the corner from another angle. A tiny bit of blue fabric showed in the corner pile of hay. Surely he had found her!

  “Miss Lind! Lilly!” Seth hissed as loudly as he dared. She didn’t answer, nor did the patch of material move. He tried again, “Dumskalle! Smörgåsbord! Lutfisk!” Still no movement in the corner.

  Seth looked around, then slid open the gate latch to get into the pen, then closed the gate behind him. “It’s all right, just trying to get to the corner,” he calmly spoke to the horses as he made his way around the inside perimeter of the pen’s fence.