Fae didn’t care if she was only hoping it to be true because she couldn’t stand thinking about the older woman ever being gone. She just wasn’t going to let herself believe otherwise.
Wiggie huffed again and swatted at her shoulder as she pulled back and let go. “I’m going to miss you, Fae. Make sure you write to me often and let me know how you’re doing. Once you get settled and have a chance to see about the school, we can figure out what needs to be done.”
Some of the girls had walked to the train station with them to say goodbye. Others had already left on their own adventures in the past few weeks. The rest, Fae had said goodbye to at the school throughout the morning. And even though she was truly excited for this new adventure, she had to admit her heart was heavy with each goodbye she said.
The Wigg School and Foundling Home was the only home she knew and every single girl who lived inside those walls had become her family. They might not be related by blood, but the bond they shared was just as strong as if they were.
She was saving the hardest goodbye for last. Harriet, Glory, and Imogene were standing together near the end of the lineup of girls. They were all heading off in different directions now, something the four roommates would never have believed would ever happen, even six months ago.
“Vera-Mae just couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye to you again, so she stayed at the school.” Yetta was trying to hold back her own tears as Fae made her way down the line of girls, pulling her into her arms for a quick hug. “I just know you’re going to have so much fun, Fae. Make sure you write and tell us all about it.”
Zara and Wendi nodded excitedly as they waited their turn. “You’re so lucky. Someday I hope I can be going off on an adventure like this. Promise me you’ll tell us all about it as soon as you arrive and meet him.” Zara couldn’t hold her excitement back as she threw her arms around Fae.
Fae laughed quietly to help calm her own nerves. “I promise to write as soon as I get there.”
“Well, make sure you write to us every week, so we know you’re all right. The Dakota Territory sounds so far away from civilization.” Tillie was next, and she gave a little shudder for emphasis. The petite raven-haired girl had a knack for being dramatic.
“I know everything will be perfect. What could possibly go wrong? You’re heading out to start a new life with a man who will most certainly fall in love with you and offer his protection. It will be wonderful.” Rebecca smiled warmly at her as they pulled back from their embrace.
Fae knew Madam Wigg had spoken to some of the other girls, but she still wasn’t entirely sure who else was taking the offer or who had found someone they planned to marry. The only ones she knew of for sure were her roommates.
She made her way toward the three women waiting closest to the tracks. These girls were her sisters and saying goodbye wasn’t going to be easy. She knew she’d have to do it fast before she changed her mind and told Wiggie she couldn’t leave them.
They formed a tight circle, holding each other’s hands. Glory laughed nervously, blinking her eyes hard as tears spilled out down her cheeks. “You’re sure you have to go? I’d be willing to stay if the rest of you all were.”
Fae could tell that even though she said the words jokingly, Glory was truly being serious deep down. She was having a hard time knowing they were all going to be moving around the country and wouldn’t be together anymore.
Letting go of the hand she was holding, Fae pulled her into her arms. “Glory, we might not be able to talk every day like we’re used to, but we’ll all write to each other as much as we can. And maybe someday we can all get together for a visit.”
Glory sniffed and wiped at her eyes when they pulled apart. “I hope so. I don’t know how I’ll manage without all of you.”
Fae swallowed hard against the lump that was forming. “You’ll manage just fine, Glory. And you’ll still have us. We’re never more than a heartbeat away from each other.”
Imogene put her arms out to Fae next. “I hate saying goodbye, but I know there’s so much more out there in the world we need to see. It would be too easy to stay behind the walls of the school and never go out to see any of it.”
Imogene was leaving on her own soon, although Fae had a suspicion the other girl wasn’t as excited about getting married as she was about the chance to try her hands at a new job she was drawn to. Where Harriet and Glory were the quiet and shyer of the four, Imogene and Fae were the dreamers who believed there was so much more out in the world for them to experience. They’d been the ones to offer strength to the other two when they didn’t think they had any of their own. It was now time for them both to realize just how much strength Fae knew they truly did have, without being able to rely on herself or Imogene.
Harriet was waiting her turn, quietly standing with the smoke from the train billowing around her. She jumped as the whistle sounded, announcing to the passengers it was time to board.
Her eyes were large as they met Fae’s. Their hands reached out for each other and Fae smiled at her friend. “You’re going to be fine, Harriet. Once I get settled out there, I promise I will write to tell you all about it. By then, you’ll be in your new home too. And I know in my heart you’re going to be happy. I wish you could believe it too.”
Harriet had answered an ad too, but Fae knew it had been a practical one she’d responded to. She hadn’t wanted to take any chances of being hurt when she arrived, and the man saw her “flaw,” as Harriet put it. So she’d found one who’d said he wasn’t looking for love. Harriet had said this was best because then she wouldn’t have any false hope of anything more happening.
Putting their arms around each other, they both jumped when the whistle blew again. “I will miss you more than you know. Take care of yourself, Fae. And thank you for always believing in me. I hope you find the love you deserve.”
By now, they both had tears pouring down their cheeks and when they pulled apart, it took every bit of strength Fae had to let go of her friend.
She looked back down the line of girls who stood waiting, her eyes stopping at Madam Wigg, who nodded and smiled at her, telling her with her eyes that she could do this. Fae knew she had to get on the train now or she’d never be able to go.
Turning quickly, she clutched her small bag tightly and walked toward the train. She wouldn’t let herself look back as she let the porter help her up the steps.
But when she got seated and looked out the window, she saw them all standing there waving. Her family. And even though they were all sad about saying goodbye, Fae knew how excited they were for her to start this new life.
As the train started to pull away, she let the tears flow but as soon as they were out of sight, she wiped her eyes and straightened her back in the seat.
This was her chance to find the love she’d always dreamed about over the years as she’d talked with her friends late into the night. She was going to have the chance to follow her dream of sewing dresses for other women, and who knew what could happen in the future. Maybe someday she would be a world-renowned, sought after dressmaker.
She would always hold onto her memories with her friends and her time in the foundling home, but right now, she was going to look forward to what life could bring her.
And as the train took her farther away from the only home she’d ever known, she believed in her heart it would be everything she’d always dreamed of.
Chapter 4
Caleb stared out the window at the wagons bouncing over the dusty road outside. He clenched his jaw tight, trying to prepare himself for whatever else the lawyer had to say about the terms of his father’s will.
“Your father was a wealthy man, Caleb. And even after the money left to your brother, you can be too. You will inherit the mercantile with the living quarters on the back, plus all remaining money from your father’s estate.”
Caleb turned to face his father’s lawyer, Nelson Ferris, an old man with a rim of graying hair who was holding the papers up close t
o his face to read the words.
“But only if I agree to the completely ridiculous terms my father has set into his will. It’s funny how even from his grave he thinks he can have a hand in forcing me to conform to his demands.”
Mr. Ferris looked at him over the rim of his glasses. “Well, from what I understand of your position, Mr. Bailey, you might not have much choice. Your father wasn’t trying to force you to do anything but clean up your act and live an honest life. It’s up to you. If you decide not to go through with any of it, all money and possessions will go to your older brother, Kane.”
Laughing cynically, Caleb sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Of course. I don’t know why my father even bothered to pretend I’d even have a chance to end up with anything. We all know it’s Kane he would want to take care of. All he wants is to make me pay by dangling the possibility in front of me, so he can rip it away.”
“Your father loved you just as much as he loved your brother. It was you who always believed you were being wronged. Did you ever think maybe if you’d have treated your father with more respect instead of getting yourself into trouble and causing problems, things might have been different? No, you had it in your thick head that he’d wronged you somehow and was favoring your brother, so you would never give him a chance.” Mr. Ferris shook his head sadly.
“You were his namesake. If only you would have seen how much he hoped for you to come back on your own, to stop your gambling and to take over the business he’d built in this town. But you were too busy drifting around the countryside looking for your own big payday, without needing your father’s money.”
Caleb glared at the man across the desk from him, piercing him with the cold stare that left many men shaking in their boots. But Nelson Ferris just looked back down at his paper without blinking.
He didn’t like hearing the words the old man had to say. They struck a nerve and he would rather let himself continue to believe he’d been the scorned son who had every right to walk away. It was easier than knowing how wrong he’d been. And knowing he’d never be able to make things right with his pa even if he’d wanted to.
“So, all I have to do is marry this girl and run the mercantile for six months? Then it’s mine? And that means I can sell it off and take the money if I want?”
Mr. Ferris looked back over his glasses at him and shook his head in disappointment. “Well, that’s the basis of his terms, yes. But I do believe your father hoped you’d at least put in some effort to turn your life around and make things work, instead of just doing it to sell it all off, take the money, and run back to the sordid life you’ve been leading.”
Caleb shrugged. “Running’s what I’m best at. So don’t worry about my decisions.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Now, read over those terms one more time for me. I want to make sure I’m understanding things.”
The lawyer sighed and flipped back to the page he’d read already. “To my youngest son, Caleb Thomas Bailey, I leave the mercantile in Promise, Dakota Territory, along with the attached living quarters with the following conditions.
“First, he must marry the woman, Fae Wigg, who will be arriving on the fifth of the month. My lawyer, Nelson Ferris, has all the details about the woman’s arrival and the situation which has brought her here. Caleb must treat the woman kindly and provide her a safe home for a minimum of six months.
“Secondly, during that time, he must run the mercantile and put a solid effort into working the business legitimately. After a minimum time period of six months, if he does not wish to be married anymore, the remaining money in my estate will be split between Fae and Caleb so she can be taken care of properly for her remaining years. At that time, he may choose to sell the business, provided he has put a true effort into it, as to be determined by Nelson Ferris. However, if he chooses to remain married and continue with the business, the remainder of the funds from my estate will be released to him at that time.”
Caleb stared down at his scuffed boots as he tried to process the words he was hearing. He was expected to marry some strange woman who would be arriving in two days. And as long as he gave her a home and took care of her for a period of six months, he could sell everything and take the money from his half of the estate. It would be more than enough to pay off his gambling debts and to set him up quite nicely far away from here.
The girl could take her share and do whatever she wanted with it. He’d give her an annulment and they could go their separate ways.
It wouldn’t be too much of a hardship.
Or would it? He gnawed this over as the old man continued.
“But I should tell you, there is more to it. Your father corresponded with this woman knowing his time on this Earth was coming to an end. However, he never told her the real Caleb Bailey she would be coming to marry was you. If she finds out she was lied to and chooses to leave at any time within those six months, I’m honor bound to give her the share of the settlement she is entitled to. So I’d suggest you treat her well, so she wants to stay, and you can decide how much you want to tell her of the arrangement.”
Caleb shook his head in frustration. “I just don’t understand why he did it. Why go to so much trouble? And how could he have known he wouldn’t still be here when she arrived?”
Mr. Ferris stared at him for a moment and leaned back in his chair. “He knew you wouldn’t ever choose to get married and settle down on your own or agree to give a legitimate job a chance if he didn’t force your hand. He knew you were a gambling man, so I guess he figured he’d see if you were willing to call his bluff.” The lawyer stood up and went to stand by the window.
“Your father was barely hanging on even as he wrote to the woman, getting to know her enough to see if she would be a suitable bride for you. He knew his time was short and he held on, fighting long enough to make sure everything was set up for you before he died.”
Turning to face Caleb, he leaned against his desk. “Whether you choose to believe it or not, your father loved you and he wanted to know you would have a chance to turn your life around. This is your chance, so I hope you seriously consider taking it. If you don’t, you won’t see a penny from your father’s estate.”
Caleb stood and pushed his hat onto his head as he walked toward the door. “I’ll stop by to see you tomorrow. I don’t know if any amount of money is worth having to abide by those terms. I’m not the type of man to settle down and marry some woman I don’t know, or work behind the counter of any mercantile just to make my father happy.”
“Caleb, I think if you were to give it proper consideration, you’d realize your father was only trying to do something to ensure you would be happy. He knew he might not have always treated you fairly, but he wanted to make things right. Don’t let your pride throw away this chance for a better life.”
“I told you I’ll give you my answer tomorrow. Like you said, my father knew I was a gambling man. I just need some time to decide if the risks will be worth the reward.”
Chapter 5
The view outside her window was so different from what she’d been looking at as the train had left New York. Now, she was bouncing across the open prairie in a rickety-looking stagecoach completely in awe of the wide-open spaces around her. Long prairie grasses blew gently in the breeze as the dust from the passing coach circled in the air.
Fae had arrived on the train in Brookings last night, then left early this morning on the stagecoach that would take her the rest of the way to Promise. The small town she would be going to, and which would now be her home, was located southwest of the larger center of Brookings in the Dakota Territory. After bouncing over the dirt roads all day, the stagecoach driver had just announced she would arrive at her new home within the hour.
As she leaned forward to look out the window, she bumped against the frame but barely noticed. She was too excited for this new adventure she was headed toward. Growing up in the orphanage, she’d often dreamed about a life wi
th a man who loved her, and even the possibility of starting a family of her own. She still couldn’t believe she was close to seeing that dream come true.
Of course, she didn’t know if Caleb would love her right away, or even if he ever would for that matter. But she did hope they could have a good life together and maybe with time, love could grow.
She sat back in the seat, her head bouncing against the hard seat. Ever since she’d first seen the ad from Caleb in the magazine, Fae had been imagining him and what he looked like, how tall he was, the color of his hair, and what kind of man he would be.
All her life, she’d found her eyes drawn to a nice, clean-cut man with golden hair. He was the perfect image of what she’d like in a husband. And her fantasy man was also kind, gentle and loving, completely doting on her, and spending his life devoted to her. The girls had sometimes teased her about reading the books like Pride and Prejudice that had given her such “grand” notions. Fae had read that book at least a hundred times and had imagined herself having a story just like it.
She was hopeful that maybe real life could truly be like that too. Maybe a man really could fall deeply in love with a woman like her and she could have her own happy ending. Until Madam Wigg had given her the chance to marry a man out west, Fae had held that dream inside, sure that it would never happen. She was an orphan without anything to offer a man, so it had never seemed possible.
Until now. She was about to meet the man she would marry. And the town that would become her home.
They rounded a bend and she heard the driver shout from above, “Town of Promise straight-ahead.”
Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she watched the buildings come into view. They crossed a bridge that spanned a small creek before rolling into the town. She watched as each building passed, noticing how primitive everything looked here compared to what she’d grown up with in New York.
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