by Marian Wells
In the morning there were more passengers. The driver helped them in until Amy felt the stagecoach bumping against its springs. By the time they started down the canyon, dawn had painted the clouds apricot, and Amy feasted on the view.
One of the men tainted the air of the coach with his alcoholic breath as he asked, “Heard any more about the Confederates holding up the stagecoaches?”
Amy caught her breath and fumbled with the tiny money bag stuffed with gold nuggets—all of them. They were intended for a piano when their volume had doubled, tripled, and doubled again.
She was lost in thought, measuring Father Dyer’s sermons against her secret desire. Were the nuggets a golden idol? When this trip is ended, there will be neither nuggets nor piano.
A man laughed. “Confederates, don’t give them credit where it isn’t due. One incident blown twice its size.”
The woman next to Amy nervously patted her bag and said. “I thought the war was settled by Chivington’s men. Didn’t the Confederates go home?”
The man opposite her said, “Lady, nothing’s settled. As long as there’s shooting, this territory will be in danger.” He shot a quick look at the man who had laughed. “Contrary to some, there’s far too many incidents of stages being held up. Might not be much gold lost, but it’s leaking out of the territory, and it’ll be buying guns to shoot our young men.”
It was late afternoon when they reached Denver City. The line of buildings along Cherry Creek blossomed with light as they rode down the street. When the stagecoach turned on the road leading to the livery stable, Amy could see the final glow of color over the mountains.
She watched the clouds tumble and change shape and color, murmuring, “Beautiful!” Crystal looked at her. “When we came out here, the mountains and the sunset were the first things I noticed,” Amy explained. “Beginning then I thought the territory was bound to be something special. The mountains, the sunsets, all of it made it seem destined for great things.”
Crystal’s smile was amused. “Do you still feel the same way?”
Amy thought and slowly began to put words out. “It’s hard to see people with hungry eyes and shabby clothes still looking for gold and not finding it. I hurt when I see others hurt. It almost seems to drag me down, and keep me from remembering the beauty. But the feeling’s still there.” She looked at Crystal. “It’s terrible not to hope in a brighter tomorrow, not to expect—” The word flashed through her thoughts: Piano.
She took a deep breath. “I guess I’m older. I no longer expect gold nuggets to fall out of my rugs when I shake them. But even if they did, the good of the people is best. Somehow, I can’t stop believing in good.”
The woman seated across from Amy watched her. Her eyes were curious, suspicious. Her double chin moved gently with the motion of the swaying coach.
When they turned to follow Cherry Creek, Crystal said, “It’s dark. Amy, I’m going to the hotel. Why don’t you come too? Tomorrow you can search for your Daniel.”
By the time the coach stopped in front of the hotel, Amy had sorted her thoughts and surrendered her dream of finding Daniel waiting for her. She nodded and followed Crystal to the hotel.
Amy handed over one of her gold nuggets to the man at the desk and climbed the stairs to the tiny room on the top floor. While she unpacked the valise and shook the wrinkles out of her frock, Amy mulled over the events of the past week. But the most pressing was the piano.
I must take care of it tomorrow. I must clear the air with Daniel and let him know that there is nothing—nothing anymore—between me and Lucas Tristram. Whatever else happens, I don’t want Daniel to be hurt by suspicion—
Finally she lifted her hands to her throbbing head and said, “All this thinking is only confusing me. I’m tired and hungry.” She looked at the door and decided. “First thing, I’ll find Crystal and we’ll have something to eat. I know she’s down on the next floor.”
Amy picked up her shawl, the key, and the little bag of gold nuggets. She balanced the bag of nuggets on her hand and said, “I thought I was saving these nuggets for a piano. I never guessed I’d be spending them on a trip to Denver City to find Daniel. Neither did I think there would be a beautiful piano sitting in the church this very minute.”
She was still thinking about the piano as she locked the door and started down the steps.
When she reached the next floor, she stopped and looked at the line of numbered doors marching down each side of the hall. “I don’t know which room is Crystal’s,” she murmured, “without going down to the desk. How’ll I find her?”
With a shrug she turned toward the stairs and then stopped. There was a burst of excited words coming from one of the rooms. As she paused, she realized she couldn’t understand the words. Amy waited, and when the rush of words came again, she knew they were foreign.
A heavy voice replied. With a shock of recognition, Amy took a step toward the door. Both of the voices were familiar. Now they were speaking words she could understand.
Lucas—and Crystal! His voice dropped as he said, “Don’t despair, my darling china doll.” Amy stepped close to the door and listened. “This war isn’t over by a long shot. I still need you, and you will be handsomely rewarded. I must have every scrap of information you can give me.” He paused. There was a quiet murmur, and scornfully he added, “Who are you to judge whether or not the information is important? Now come, let’s go to dinner and then we’ll talk about this later.”
Amy flew up the stairs.
As she sat on her bed panting, her fear of discovery changed to outrage. “Crystal, you lied! You are everything I guessed you to be—and more! Lucas was talking about the war. Daniel and I saw him with the Confederates.”
Amy’s breathing slowed. She leaned back on the bed and tightened her shawl around her. She began to relax, to push the lies out of her mind. Turning over on her back, Amy looked and then sat up to look more closely at the ceiling.
The neat white ceiling was only canvas tacked to the rafters, Amy began to giggle. “Fancy hotel, ’til you look up. You get what you pay for. Were you trying to buy us, Lucas?”
Amy concentrated on the hazy ideas that seemed about to slip away from her. She tried to sort out the jumble of thoughts: Lucas. Crystal. The war. The piano. But as understanding escaped her and exhaustion took over, she fell asleep.
When she awoke it was cold. The lamp was smoking, and its light was dim. It took Amy several moments before she began to remember. “Daniel,” she murmured with a sinking heart. And then she added, “Crystal, Lucas. The piano.”
The morning was half gone before she awakened again. The now-familiar nausea was there to remind her she hadn’t eaten.
She bathed and dressed while she counted off all the facts. “Without a doubt Lucas had a reason for giving us the piano, and it had nothing to do with his charitable instinct. Now I think he was trying to win my favor and silence.”
She was still thinking as she went downstairs to the dining room. While Amy ate her breakfast, she thought about the effect the piano would have on Daniel. Crumbling the last bite of bread, she decided, One thing is certain. I must tell Lucas to get that piano out of the church, take it back. I am ashamed to admit I know a man like that. Dear Lord Jesus, to think I’ve let him blind me to the real Lucas all this time! I can’t allow Daniel to see that piano on top of the other hurt. Please help me have this all settled without Daniel having to know about it!
She sat staring at the coffee cup in front of her. Why does this seem all wrong? I’m trying to protect him from any more hurt. Amy winced as she thought of the words she must say to Daniel. As she got up and went to pay her bill, Amy still struggled with the uneasiness she felt.
With her valise firmly in hand and the shawl clinging to her shoulders, Amy set out from the hotel. Thinking of Crystal, she muttered, “Right now I don’t feel like confronting any more lies. Sorry, Crystal, I just can’t take more of you right now.”
It was a long walk
to the church. When Amy arrived it was time for services to be over. Still thinking about Crystal, Amy reached the steps of the log church and stopped. Bewildered, she looked around. There wasn’t one buggy or horse to be seen. The door was tightly locked and not the slightest sound disturbed the stillness of the day.
With her face puckered in a puzzled frown, she went down the street toward the Goodes’ home. The silence of the cabin was evident before she reached the door.
Turning away, Amy walked down the road to the next house. She found a woman hanging laundry on the bushes. Amy said, “The church—aren’t they having services?”
The woman shook her head. “You’re thinking of the conference next week. I don’t go there, but Mrs. Goode was telling me all about it just before they left.”
“Where have they gone?”
She shrugged. “Visiting someone. Said they won’t be back until the Sabbath. Want I should give a message?”
Amy shook her head and turned away, trudging back down the way she had come. She reached the hotel before she managed to push away the confused thoughts. There was only one thing to do. Amy approached the desk. “May I have my room for another day or so? Just until I finish my business and get ready to leave for home?”
The man behind the desk shook his head. “Sorry, ma’am, I’ve let it out. Might be you could find a room down the street.” Slowly Amy turned away. She thought of her dwindling store of nuggets. She also thought of Lucas and the message she must deliver.
She straightened her shoulders and turned toward the stairs. “Ma’am?” the man called.
“I’m going up to see Crystal Thomas,” she said, continuing on her way.
When Amy reached the second floor, she stopped in front of the room she guessed to be Crystal’s. Last night it seemed the voices she identified as belonging to Lucas and Crystal had come from here. She tapped.
A moment before the door was pulled open, she looked at it in horror. What if Lucas were still there? The door was wrenched open and a surprised Crystal peered out.
“I thought you had left.”
“I found the meeting isn’t until next week. I don’t know whether to stay or just go home.”
Crystal pulled the door open. “Well, I suppose you can stay here. It’ll save you money. I guess that’s a consideration, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Amy said slowly. She swallowed her pride. “I would appreciate it very much. I must see Lucas Tristram before I return to Oro City.”
“Lucas Tristram?” Crystal said slowly. “Why?” Amy lifted her chin, and Crystal said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like a scolding mother.”
“Well, I suppose you might as well know. It’s the piano. I’m starting to mistrust his motives, and I want to have a talk with him.”
Crystal blinked. “Motives? Amy, I don’t think—you mean why he gave you the piano? Surely the fact that he did is most important. Can’t you leave it there?”
The expression in Crystal’s eyes changed from questions to uneasiness. Amy hesitated, trying to muddle through the implications wrapped in last night’s conversation. Slowly she said, “I’m not free to say much. It’s just that—well, maybe I shouldn’t have accepted it. I need to talk to him. If it’s all wrong, then I must get it out of there before Daniel comes home and sees it.”
The expression in Crystal’s eyes sharpened. “I find it interesting that a parson’s wife feels she can’t confide in her husband.”
“You don’t understand.” Amy turned toward the window and tried to control the rush of words that rose to her lips. She struggled with her thoughts. Perhaps if Crystal knew more of her suspicions, then she would understand.
“There seems to be something strange going on in Lucas Tristram’s life. Something about the war. It began when he was in Oro City the first time. Handbills were passed to the miners. I need to know whether or not he was involved in that.”
“And what will you do if you find out that he was? Amy, there’s cause for suspicion in nearly everyone’s life, if we dig far enough. Why were the Gerretts in Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory, a couple of weeks ago? See—even you could come under suspicion.”
Slowly Amy said, “Crystal, there are other things. We met a—” She caught herself before she said Matthew’s name, and as she hesitated, she wondered why it seemed important to keep a rebel’s name secret.
She continued. “A man who recognized Tristram. The accusations he made against Lucas are interesting enough that I feel I must do something about them. At least to satisfy myself.”
She looked up and was surprised by Crystal’s expression. The questions were gone from her eyes, and something very nearly like hope shone there. Crystal turned to pace the room. Finally she said, “Amy, I can help you find Tristram, but do you want to ruin your reputation searching out a man in Charley Harrison’s saloon?
“Why don’t you just go home and forget the whole thing? When this war is over, if Tristram is still around, you can ask. Meanwhile, you will have the joy of that beautiful instrument in your church.”
“I can’t do that, Crystal. I mustn’t have any more hidden things in my life. Daniel is too important to me. Certainly, I could pretend I don’t know where the piano came from, but I don’t want to live that way.” She started to turned away and then hesitated as she studied Crystal’s face and measured the risk.
Slowly and deliberately, Amy said, “Why don’t you bring him here, like last night?”
Crystal was very still. Amy felt her heart thudding out the seconds as she waited, studying the changing expression on the woman’s face. Crystal stirred. “Very well.” She quickly crossed the room and picked up her hat.
She stood in front of the mirror and adjusted it carefully. Amy watched, wondering why Crystal’s hands were trembling.
Picking up her shawl and handbag, Crystal headed for the door. “Why don’t you lie down and rest. I’ll be back before you’ve had time for a good nap.”
She waited beside the door. Amy got on the bed and pulled her shawl over her. Crystal nodded. With a smile she said, “Now be quiet, like a nice girl.”
Amy burrowed into the pillow as the door clicked. It clicked again. Puzzled, she lifted her head. The heavy door and the solid walls had muffled all sound of footsteps, but she guessed Crystal had left.
She lay down again, but her eyes were wide. Why would the door click twice?
The answer had Amy off the bed and across the room. As soon as she touched the doorknob, she knew. Slowly she crossed the room and looked out the window. “Too high. I’ll never get out of here until Crystal wants that to happen. What did I say that caused her to do such a thing?”
Below her, the wagons and carriages were moving up and down the street. She tried the window. There was no way she could lift it. A man dressed in white came down the street. He disappeared from sight, but a moment later he reappeared. This time there was a woman clinging to his arm, and Amy recognized Crystal’s bonnet.
Chapter 29
The late afternoon rain began to turn to snow. Daniel hurried his mare along. “Old girl, let’s get down off this mountain. Come on, move it. Might be we’ll find Amy at home tonight, the good Lord willing.”
Daniel prodded the borrowed mare and settled deeper into his coat collar as he addressed the mare. “Need to head into Denver City with you before the Army comes looking for their property.”
He patted the mare and squinted at the sky. A May snowstorm wasn’t a surprise to anyone living in the mountains. With the cold wet flakes melting down his neck, Daniel considered the possibilities. There were cabins along the way where he would be welcome, but his thoughts were reaching toward the cabin in Oro City.
The snow thickened into big soft flakes. By the time he reached Oro City, the storm had hidden the high road above the gulch. He dropped the reins across the horse’s neck, saying, “You’re the boss; your feet are better than mine on this road. Take us home.” He settled back and let the mare plod her way over the road.
When they reached the lane, he guided her toward the shed behind the cabin. Daniel peered toward his windows, hoping for a hint of light.
He shook his head and sighed, “No one, and they won’t be coming home in this storm.” He rubbed down the horse before he poured a measure of oats for her. As he hung the saddle and bridle out of the reach of mice, he muttered, “Can’t understand why it’s taking them so long to get home. Father’s leg seemed to be healing nicely.” He patted the horse and added, “Girl, we might just have to take a few days and head out after them.”
He was in the cabin, building a fire in the little stove before he realized the piano was gone. Settling back on his heels, he studied the room by the light of the leaping flames. Not only was the piano gone, but the cabin showed evidence of a woman’s touch. The floor had been swept and the tumble of towels had been washed and folded. He looked in the covered tin and found a loaf of bread.
Daniel was grinning as he sat down and studied the room. “She’s home! At least she was.” He studied the empty spot where the piano had stood, then turned to the table. The paper was gone. The piano and the bill of lading were missing. He folded his arms and watched the fire flicker.
Finally he shoved back on the bench and sighed. “Well, this is a mystery. Why is the piano gone? Does it have something to do with the names on that piece of paper? Where’s Amy?”
There were no answers in the cabin, only silence except for the crackling fire.
In the morning Daniel walked down the hill to the Withrops’ cabin. Lettie opened the door and frowned. “Back from conference already? Wantin’ your horses. I’ll call Hawk.”
“No. Please keep them here. Conference is a week away. Have you seen Amy?”
“She’s come and gone. Only had a few minutes with her, and that weren’t much of a visit. When she found out you’d gone to conference, she packed up and headed for Denver. Oh!” She paused. “You didn’t go.”
“Next week,” Daniel said patiently. He studied Lettie’s puzzled face and considered asking her about the piano. But there were all those shadowy things connected with the affair. Not only was the piano a mystery, but Lucas Tristram’s name was on the bill of lading. Why would Tristram send a piano—and why would it be specifically addressed to Daniel Gerrett’s wife? Daniel moved his shoulders uneasily and held back the questions.