“I hope that we’re doing the right thing,” Beth said nervously.
“We are. This feels right to me. And I think you might be nervous because you are liking George more than you expected to.”
Beth turned to her mother in surprise. “What makes you say that?”
Her mother chuckled. “I know you, my dear. And you have a very expressive face. One that is easy for a mother to read.”
“Oh. Well, truthfully, I don’t know what I feel. He is a nice man, though.”
“Yes, he is that,” her mother agreed.
Beth changed the subject, and they talked about Montana and what they imagined it would be like there. Both of them had done some research, looking at books and newspapers in the local library to learn about the area. They were going to Bozeman, Montana, and Beth knew that George had several businesses there including two factories, one that made fabrics and another that made all kinds of cast-iron products. He also had a large property with a working farm and from what the girls said, a very large house. They were both curious to see it and to meet some of the townspeople.
Beth wondered if it was very different from the Boston area. She imagined so as from what she’d read, there was so much more land there and people often lived on many acres. Farming and ranching were big industries in Montana.
She was daydreaming about what their life there might be like when George returned with the girls and checked their luggage in. The girls came running excitedly to Beth and her mother.
“We’re finally going home! Have you ever traveled on a train before?” They both spoke at once.
“I’ve only gone as far as Boston,” Beth told them.
“This trip takes a long time,” Harriet told her seriously. “But, it’s fun to look out the window!”
George joined them once he got their luggage all set and a few minutes later, they all boarded the train. George had reserved two Pullman sleeping rooms for them, one for Beth and her mother and one for him and the girls. The two rooms connected and each had its own sitting area. The trip got underway and Beth enjoyed the change of scenery as they passed through one state to the next. The girls were interested at first, bouncing up and down in their seats and staring out the window but they quickly grew bored. Beth had brought a deck of cards with her and taught them how to play several simple games that helped to pass the time.
George read for most of the trip, except for when it was time to eat, and both Beth and her mother were surprised at the quality of the food on the train. It wasn’t as bad as they expected.
“This leg of the trip has better options for dining. Once we switch to the Western route, we’ll mostly be eating when the train stops, at the Harvey Houses.
Beth and her mother were intrigued by the Harvey Houses. They enjoyed their first meal at one about halfway through their trip. All of the waitresses were young girls between the ages of eighteen and thirty and unmarried. Beth thought that seemed a bit glamorous, and interesting to see all the different people who came off the trains. The food was excellent, too.
Before they knew it, they were pulling into the Bozeman train station. They followed George off the train and waited while he went to collect their luggage. When he rejoined them, two men were with him,
“Beth and Mrs. Mitchell, this is Dusty and Tim. They work on my ranch and came to bring us home.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” the two men said at once and then started hoisting luggage into the back of one of the buggies.
“I’ll go with Tim, and Dusty can take the girls and the two of you.”
They all piled into the buggies and headed off to George’s home. Beth took a good look at the town as they drove away from the station. It was just past four in the afternoon, so still light out and she was surprised to see that downtown Bozeman was more built-up than she’d expected. She lost count of how many saloons they passed and there were also quite a few restaurants, a mercantile, newspaper, bank and more. Dusty pointed out a few locations as well.
“That’s the Opera House to your right, and straight ahead is the Bozeman Hotel. It’s just a few years old and quite grand. On your left is the new library and around the corner is the school.”
“An Opera House?” Beth was intrigued by that.
“That’s fairly new, too. It’s always booked. Folks here like their culture,” Dusty chuckled as they left downtown Bozeman behind them and turned onto the main road. About twenty minutes later, they turned onto a narrow road that Dusty said was the driveway to George’s property. They were on that road for at least five minutes before a house came into sight and what a house it was. Beth and her mother had been chatting with the girls but when they saw the house, they both went silent. Big didn’t begin to describe it.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Dusty broke the silence as they drew closer to the house.
The house was magnificent and sprawling, with a large front porch and stables off to the side. The front door opened as they pulled up and Dusty jumped out to tie up the horses. He then helped everyone out and the girls went running to the older woman who stood waiting with her arms stretched out. She pulled the girls in for a hug and Beth heard her say, “I’ve missed you two so much.” She then lifted her gaze to Beth and her mother and smiled.
“I’m Caroline Cummings, Mr. Montgomery’s housekeeper.” Caroline looked to be about her mother’s age. Beth hadn’t realized that George had a housekeeper in Montana, too. The surprise must have shown on her face because Caroline went on to explain. “This is just a temporary situation until George returned with the girls and is settled. I was a close friend of his parents.”
“That’s so nice of you,” Beth’s mother said.
“George is like a son to me and those poor girls, losing their parents so suddenly. I was happy to help. My husband will be glad to have me back, though,” she said with a smile.
“Come on, we’ll show you around.” Harriet grabbed hold of Beth’s hand while Genevieve took her mother’s and the girls pulled them into the house. Harriet led the way, through the spacious living room and dining room, to the oversized kitchen with everything a chef could imagine wanting. Around the corner was a cozy library with a cast-iron wood stove by the fireplace, and then upstairs were five bedrooms, all with comfortable-looking beds and soft colors. It was an inviting home and although it was large and spacious, it felt warm and cozy, too.
The girls led them back downstairs and past George and the men who were carrying in the luggage. George directed them where to put everything and then after they left, he explained where he’d put them. Beth was in the room next to his and her mother was at the end of the hall, just past the girls.
“Dinner is ready for you, whenever you want it,” Caroline said. “It’s a hearty beef stew with biscuits and butter.
“Will you join us for dinner?” George asked her.
“No. Thank you, though. I told Andrew I’d be home to eat with him.”
“Give him my best, will you?” George said as she left.
The dining table was set for them, so Beth and her mother helped Caroline dish out bowls of stew and carried in a platter of butter and biscuits. Then they sat down to eat their first meal together in their new home.
“I’m going to go in to work early tomorrow and will stop by the town hall and church to make sure we can get married this Sunday. I thought we’d do it right after the Sunday service and have some friends back here afterward for a meal. I can get some of the women to help with that if you like.”
“We can do the cooking,” Beth’s mother said quickly and Beth nodded in agreement.
“If you like, you can follow me into town tomorrow. You can take the extra buggy,” George said and then frowned. “You do know how to drive? One of you?”
“We both do. We had a buggy and horse for years, but when my husband died and I moved into an apartment, we sold them,” Beth’s mother said.
“All right, then. So I’ll show you where the mercantile is so you’
ll be able to get any supplies you need there. I have an account you can charge it to.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Beth said and then stifled a yawn. She noticed that the girls’ eyes looked heavy, too, and they were just picking at their food, even though it was delicious.
“I think it’s been a long day for all of us,” George said. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I am going to head to bed early.”
“We’ll help get the girls ready for bed and I don’t think we’ll be too far behind them,” Beth’s mother said.
After dinner, Beth and her mother cleaned up the dishes and then after saying good night to their uncle, the girls went to bed without protesting and Beth guessed it was only because they were exhausted. She felt about ready to drop into bed herself and after saying good night to George as well, who was reading in the library, she and her mother both went off to bed. She changed and slipped beneath the soft sheets of her bed and rested her head on the fluffy pillow. A sense of relief swept over her that they’d finished their journey west and were safe in their new home. And in less than a week’s time, she would be married.
Chapter Eighteen
The next morning after breakfast, George helped them get familiar with the buggy and horses they would be driving and then the girls went with George and Beth and her mother followed behind. It had been several years since Beth had driven so she was a bit nervous at first, until she and the horses found their rhythm and she was able to relax and enjoy the ride.
Their first stop was at the small schoolhouse downtown where they went in with George to meet the teacher, a young woman about Beth’s age who George introduced as Miss Collins. She showed the girls to their seats, and they then left and followed George to their next stop, the mercantile.
After tying up their horses outside, they went in and Beth was impressed. Just about anything they could imagine needing seemed to be sold here. Everything from sewing materials to readymade clothing, blankets, all kinds of dry goods and other supplies as well as candy and other prepared foods.
George introduced them to the two women behind the counter. “This is Hannah Donovan. She and her husband Joshua own the business and this is Annabelle Jones.” Both women were smiling and friendly.
“Welcome back, George. We’re all looking forward to the wedding on Sunday. Just so you know, my mother-in-law is planning to bring food, too. I’m sure that comes as no surprise.” She turned her attention to Beth, “You’ll understand when you meet Naomi. She’s a wonderful woman and when she wants to take over, we just get out of the way. She’s a wonderful cook, too.”
“George, I haven’t seen you in ages. You look well. And Beth, it’s so nice to meet you!” Annabelle was so welcoming.
“Do you need help, by the way? We could come over on Saturday to help you cook,” Hannah offered.
“Oh, that’s so nice of you. I think we will be fine, but if there’s anything you’d like to bring, feel free,” Beth’s mother said. “You don’t have to, of course. I’m sure there will be plenty.”
“I’ll stop by Saturday afternoon to drop off a cake and help if I can,” Annabelle said, “I remember being new in town. It will be fun for us to get to know each other.”
“Oh, I’d like that,” Beth said. She welcomed the idea of making new friends her age. She was already missing Alice and Judith.
“We should probably get our shopping done, so we don’t keep George,” her mother said.
“Oh, of course,” Beth said.
George smiled. “I can see you’re in good hands now, so I am going to be on my way. I’ll see you both at home later today. I’ll pick up the girls from school.”
A few more customers came in as George was leaving, so Beth and her mother walked off to shop. They gathered as many supplies as they thought they needed and Hannah added it to George’s account.
They discussed the menu as they rode home. For a small crowd of about thirty or so people, they planned to cook up trays of roast chicken and potatoes, green beans, some nuts and cheeses to nibble on and a variety of pies and cakes.
For dinner that evening, Beth’s mother showed her how to make a chicken pot pie and while that was cooking, they started a loaf of bread and let that rise for several hours before putting it in the oven to cook about an hour before dinnertime.
When George and the girls came home, George went into his study to work while the girls washed up and played for a bit before Beth called everyone to dinner. The chicken pot pie was a hit and after they ate, the adults lingered over a cup of tea in the living room.
Over the next few days, they fell into a routine and on Friday and Saturday, Beth and her mother spent the day baking and cooking as much food ahead as possible. As she had mentioned doing, Annabelle stopped by at around two in the afternoon on Saturday and had a beautiful white frosted cake for them. Beth and her mother took a break to enjoy a cup of tea with her and it was fun for Beth to chat with someone her age.
“Have you lived here long?” Beth asked her. She couldn’t help but admire Annabelle. She was a very pretty girl, with long, blonde hair that was carefully curled into ringlets and she wore a pale blue dress that accented her tiny waist.
“I’ve been here for just over a year now. My mother and I moved here from San Francisco when my father died. My aunt lives here, so my mother wanted to be closer to family.”
Beth nodded. That made perfect sense to her. “Your cake looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it.”
“It is delicious. Not that I ever eat it of course,” she said with a chuckle.
“You don’t? Why not?” Cake was one of Beth’s favorite things in the world. She couldn’t imagine not eating it.
“I’d love to, but I wouldn’t fit into this dress if I did!” Annabelle smiled sweetly and took a sip of her tea.
“I admire your willpower. I’m not that strong.” Beth glanced at Annabelle’s tiny waist and smiled. “That’s probably why my waist will never be as small as yours.”
“Oh, you’re very pretty. I am sure you will make a beautiful bride.”
Beth’s mother set her teacup down and stood up. “Well, it was very nice to meet you Annabelle, but I’m afraid I need to return to the kitchen.”
Annabelle stood as well. “I will let you get back to your work. It was nice chatting with both of you. I look forward to seeing you at church tomorrow.”
Beth walked Annabelle to the door and after she left, she returned to the kitchen to help her mother roll out more pie dough.
“I really wish that Alice and Judith could be at the wedding. But, maybe Annabelle can become a good friend.”
Her mother was quiet for a moment. “I’m sure you will meet plenty of other nice young women, too. Hannah from the mercantile seems like a lovely woman.”
“Yes, and she mentioned possibly stopping by, too.” Beth turned her attention back to the dessert that she was making. She filled the piecrust with chopped apples, and dotted it with cinnamon and a dusting of sugar. Then she topped the apples with another layer of piecrust, crimped the edges, and poked holes in the top using a fork. She had just slid the pie into the oven, when there was a knock at the door. She went to open it, and it was Hannah, and three other young women, all of them holding pies and cakes. She almost didn’t see an older woman about her mother’s age standing behind them holding a large tray.
“Hi, Beth. Meet the Donovans,” Hannah laughed as she gestured towards the other women.
“Come in, please.” Beth held the door open wide so they could all walk in. She led them into the kitchen, and they set everything down on the counter or the kitchen table. Then Hannah made the introductions.
“Beth and Mrs. Mitchell, meet Naomi Donovan.” She gestured towards the older woman.
“A pleasure to meet you. George is a dear friend of the family.”
“And this is Maeve, Brianna, and Colleen.” She went on to explain that they were married to Jason, Paul, and David Donovan, who were all Naomi’s sons. “There�
��s still a whole bunch more of us but you’ll meet most of them tomorrow.”
“There’s scalloped potatoes and roasted vegetables in the large tray,” Naomi said.
“Is there anything else that we can help you do?” Hannah said.
“No, this is really wonderful. Truly,” Beth’s mother said.
“George is one of my husband Jason’s best friends,” Maeve said.
“His other closest friend is Jason’s cousin, Ricky,” Colleen said. “You’ll meet him and his wife Sarah tomorrow, too.”
“It’s a lot of people to keep straight, but everyone is really nice. You’ll like them,” Hannah assured her.
“Everyone I’ve met so far has been so warm and welcoming. You just missed Annabelle. She came by to drop off a cake as well.”
Colleen and Maeve exchanged glances.
“Annabelle came by? How sweet of her,” Colleen said.
“We should probably let you go,” Hannah said. “You must have a million things to do before tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Naomi asked.
“Just bringing all of this by is a huge help,” Beth’s mother said.
Beth gave Hannah a quick hug. “Yes, thank you so much.”
“All right, then. we will see you at the church tomorrow,” Hannah said as they turned to go.
When they left and Beth closed the door behind them, she turned to her mother and said, “It’s starting to seem real. I’m getting married tomorrow.”
Chapter Nineteen
Beth barely slept the night before her wedding. When she woke in the morning, it was almost as if she hadn’t slept at all. She realized it was likely nerves and who could blame her? She got up early, went downstairs and put a kettle of water on for coffee. No one else was up yet. By the time her mother and the girls came down to the kitchen, she had breakfast made for everyone and was ready to go wash up and get dressed. Her mother had told George the day before that it was bad luck for him to see her in her wedding dress before the wedding, so he spent the night at his friend Ricky’s house and said she would meet him, his wife Sarah and son Andrew at the wedding. Beth was a bit relieved that George had done that. It was easier somehow to get ready without him being there.
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