by Amy Field
Three weeks later, a letter arrived at the Steadford School addressed to Lillian Steadford from Seth.
“Dear Miss Steadford,
I must say your letter took me by surprise. Mr. Carver and I served in the army during the war, he was a good friend and though we lost touch after the war I had always thought we would see each other one more time. I was sorry to hear that that was not going to happen now. I hope you can understand I had no idea that Randall had married or even had a daughter let alone naming me her guardian. I am prepared to honor his wishes and will care for her needs. You must understand I live in Wyoming on a ranch and not the sort of life I’m sure a young lady educated from your school would blend into our community. I am willing to have her visit, and we’ll see how it goes from there. I await your response.
Sincerely, Seth Bernstein.”
As Lillian puts down the letter she hears a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Slowly the door opens, and Charity walks in the room. Lillian looks up at the girl and smiles.
“Miss Carver, do sit down.”
Charity sat down across from Miss Steadford.
“I have an answer from your guardian in Wyoming. He is interested in following your father’s wishes and would like you to visit his ranch and see if you would be interested in staying there or something else can be worked out. I would like to know your thoughts on this matter.”
Charity thought about it and reviewed her options. If she decided to stay in here at Steadford, her only option would be that Miss Steadford found her some means of employment, something she didn’t want. She had been here since she was five years old and her dream had been for the past four years was to find a life outside of these walls. Though she loved Lilian deeply, as a daughter loved a mother, she knew a time would come when she’d have to move along and make her own life.
On the other hand, should she go to Wyoming and find that it was not to her liking what then? What type of man was this Seth Bernstein? Her father considered him to be the finest man alive but she had never met the man, and what would he think about having a young girl unexpectedly coming to live on his ranch?
She looked up at Lillian Steadford.
“Miss Steadford, I would like to visit Mr. Bernstein’s home in Wyoming.”
A smile came to the woman’s face, even though she felt sad. She cared deeply for Charity, and treated her as she would her own family. Her eyes grew misty, but then she regained her pose as the mistress.
“I’ll make the arrangements with Mr. Bernstein in the morning. Though it would take a few weeks to make the arrangements, I think it would be best to wait before telling the others.”
Charity looked at her and nodded understanding her point. “I’ll miss it here. You’ve always been so kind to me.” For a moment their hands touched.
Charity got up and left the office as Lillian began to write her reply to Seth. She picked up her pen and looked down at the blank paper. She begins to start her response to Seth stating that Charity does indeed want to leave and go out to Wyoming. After being here so many years Lillian had grown close to the girl, indeed, closer than to most. She will be sorry to see her leave. She begins to write.
”Dear Mr. Bernstein, I have discussed your response with Miss Carver and she’s quite interested in coming out to meet you and see Wyoming. Do let me know when you would like this meeting to take place. As always I am at your disposal.
Sincerely, Lillian Steadford.”
She looked at the letter and gave it one more look-over before she folded the paper and placed it in the envelope to post in the morning.
Meanwhile up in her room, Charity was on her bed holding a silver jewelry box. It was her mother’s, the only thing she had of her. It contained a photo of her parents on their wedding day; her mother’s golden wedding band; and a photo of her father and Uncle Seth when they were in the service. She looked at that picture so many times over the years, and when she was about fourteen, she started referring to Seth as 'Uncle Seth'. Her father had no objections to it, so Seth became the uncle she never met. Though her father was a handsome man, Uncle Seth was, in her eyes, the one she found attractive. She even had a secret crush on the man since she was fifteen years old, there were times she would sit in her bedroom and stare at the picture for hours wondering what it would be like to meet him. She even imagined her wedding to him. Brushing the childish daydreaming aside, she put the photo away. She couldn’t spoil this opportunity to get out and explore the wide world outside by having such silly thoughts.
Then another photo fell out from among the others and landed on her lap. It was a hazy, grey photo of a young boy. He had long, wild hair, was naked from the waist up, and he was holding a rabbit he had killed. Her father never spoke of him, but she knew he was her older step-brother, Robert. Her father had rescued him after both his parents died in an Indian raid, and raised him. He was almost ten years older than her, and ran away after a beating from her father. Not that he was a violent man, on the contrary. But the boy was known as a maverick, an outsider, and everyone accepted he’d never fit in.
He was never heard of again, after he left on that dark night. She was asleep at the time, so no goodbyes were said. Not that it would’ve meant anything, she was hardly a toddler at the time. She put the photo away, not thinking about it anymore.
In the distance the clock in the hall chimed, it was midnight, by now everyone was asleep, everyone but Charity. She took her mother’s wedding band and placed it on her finger and held out her hand to admire it. She mused about her own wedding day. Again the thought of her and Seth being married flashed into her head, but she dismissed it once again. She looked at the photo for one last brief moment, and then placed it and the wedding band back in the jewelry box, and in the drawer near her bed.
4
Charity Is A Girl’s Name
Lillian’s letter arrived within two weeks, much to Seth’s surprise. He read the letter a few times over, then folded it away and looked out onto the horizon. This invitation of his, to a young girl to come to Wyoming, was it really such a good one? Shouldn’t he have made some plans for her where there were more opportunities, perhaps set her up back East where he still had friends and contacts? But what was done was done. He got up from the porch.
His first thought was this house needed a complete cleaning. He walks into the kitchen.
“Jonesy, we need to get this place in shape. Charity will be coming in a few weeks.”
Jonesy looked at him.
“I thought charity started at home, Seth?”
He looked at Jonesy.
“ Charity is also a girl’s name.”
“Really?”
Seth nods his head.
“Well, I’ll be…”
Seth stops him.
“That’s another thing; we’ve got to watch our language. Miss Charity is a lady and has been raised in a fancy girl’s school. So for the short time she’s with us let’s watching our language.”
Jonesy looks at Seth.
“How long is she going to be here with us, boss?”
“Just until she get something to do in town, I guess.” Seth gave him a sharp look in return.
He didn’t know the letter never did stipulate how long, all Sam knew was that she was coming. He looked around the house and realized the house needed a woman’s touch; perhaps he could get Rose to help out.
He looked at Jonesy.
“Look, I’ve got to go into town and see Mz. Rose to help us get the place in order.”
“Seth, wouldn’t be easier to have her stay at the hotel in town?”
“It would be but we still have to clean up, besides we’ve got four empty bedrooms upstairs. She’s our guest.”
Jonesy nods but still is not happy with the idea.
A few hours later Seth is at the store trying to convince Rose to see his point of view.
“Seth Bernstein, you expect a twenty-one-year-old young girl to live out at your
place and not have town folk talking about it?”
“Ms. Rose, you can’t tell me people would talk if she were just here for a visit? The girl is my ward; her father wish was for me to watch over her if anything should happen to him. “
“Yes, I understand that Seth, but she’s not a little girl anymore. She’s a woman full grown.”
He looked at Rose.
“Why I never…”
Rose looked at him.
“Now before you say something you’ll regret, think about it, Seth. I know you, and you’re an excellent man, but look at you, and you yourself would have to admit if it were someone else with a young lady living at his home, and him being as handsome and unmarried as you wouldn’t you be talking about it?”
“ Now Rose, I wouldn’t think about...”
She looked at him, and he stopped.
“I always had a feeling you were like the others, Seth Bernstein, you’d be talking just as much as any of the other men in town. I could hear you and the others at the Silk Garter talking away if it were some other man in your situation. I won’t be surprised if these friends of yours don’t talk about you when it does happen. Now to avoid any embarrassment the young lady will be staying here in town at the Cheyenne Hotel, she can visit the ranch, but it’s out of the question for her to spend the night there.”
He knew there was no way Rose was to change her mind, and he was not even going to try.
“Mz. Rose I would still appreciate your help in cleaning the house up a bit.”
She looks at him. There was no denying the man looked so pitiful you really couldn’t say no.
“I suppose I could clean it up a bit. The good Lord knows, between you and Jonesy it’s going to need a good cleaning.”
A smile comes to Seth’s face.
“So when can you start?”
“ Tomorrow morning be here early, and bring your wagon. There will be things I need to take to out there that I doubt you even have. Oh, by the way, get yourself some new clothes, and some for Jonesy too.”
“New clothes?”
“ Yes new clothes, I think meeting your ward would want you to at least look your best.”
“ I suppose I could clean up a bit.”
She moves from behind the counter and gently leads him to the direction of the clothing. With that, she returns to behind the counter and takes care of the other customers.
It was that afternoon back in Richmond when Lillian Steadford received the wire from Seth stating he had transferred some funds to the bank in Richmond for the purchase of the tickets for Charity’s trip and for any other items she might need. He only asked that he been given notice when she leaves Richmond so he can be at the station upon her arrival. It was the answer she had hoped for, but in the same token, she dreaded. It would mean Charity would be leaving; true, it was her father’s wishes that Mr. Bernstein be her guardian, but she had hoped Charity would want to stay on at Steadford, perhaps even teach. Though it was her decision to go, maybe, it would be a good idea for her to get it out of her system, so to speak, and come back after this trip.
True to her word, Rose was standing outside the store early the next morning waiting as Seth arrived with the wagon. He jumps off the wagon and gives her a big smile.
“Good morning Mz Rose. I am here at your service.”
He takes off his hat and gracefully bows to her. She smiled at him, and she had to admit that smile of his was, well, he was such a charming rascal that not even she could be mad at him. He had that gift to turn a woman and woman’s head with a ‘simple good, morning ma’am’. Yet, there were two little words that so many women would love to hear him say to her, but there wasn’t a single woman who has been able to get a simple ‘I do’ from him, but there’s always hope. Maybe this young girl from his hometown of Richmond could be the one to steal his heart. She had noticed that since she’s come into the conversation, there has been a change in him. Maybe Seth Bernstein was ready to say those two little words. Granted a lot of young and older ladies will be heartbroken, but they knew it had to happen one day.
That is, if Seth and she could live through the jealousy and gossiping that would ensue, if they did established a relationship. Rose knew how cruel townsfolk could be.
Half way to the ranch Rose curiosity got the best of her; she started to ask the question every woman in town was dying to know.
“So tell me, Seth, you said you’ve never met this Miss Carver, how you will know her when she gets off the train?”
He smiles at her.
“I was wondering when you were going to get around to asking that question. It sure took you long enough.”
He takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and hands it to her. It’s a photograph of a beautiful young girl.
Rose had to admit she was indeed very pretty.
“Seth, she’s a beautiful child.”
“ Seems Miss Steadford had that picture taken of Charity last year to send to her father. But they received news about his passing before they…“ Seth’s voice broke off.
“I’m sorry,” Rose said. She changed the subject.
“H will she know you?”
“ Well, believe it or not, she has a photograph of me and her Pa when we had just got our commissions in the army and were awaiting our assignments. We had to be all of twenty-one years old if that.”
“Seth, that photo is over twenty years old. How you expect her to know you?”
“ Well, I haven’t changed that much Mz Rose.”
She looked at him for a moment, and had to admit he was right, he hadn’t changed much.
“Now she has kept that picture all these years along with her parents wedding picture that has to be important to her, Mz Rose. That’s why I want her stay here to be a happy one. She’s had enough sorrow in her life for a bit.”
That was Seth, always thinking of someone else instead of himself. Rose saw a different Seth when he spoke of this young girl. There was a tone of responsibility and honor in his voice; his whole mannerism was one of duty and honor, he almost he took this task as an assignment he had to follow through. Rose handed him the photograph back, and he placed it once again in his pocket.
They spoke very little after that as they made their way to the ranch.
5
The Arrival
Two weeks had passed and after a week of traveling Charity was almost at the end of her journey. Cheyenne was the next stop on the train line. Seth was like a new father, pacing the platform, waiting for the train to pull into the station, why he had poor Sam check at the depot station three times if it was on time or not. It was Rose who was trying to keep him calm but not doing a good job at it.
“Seth you’re making a path in the platform with your pacing.”
“I can’t help it, Mz. Rose. The train should have been here by now. Sam, will you check for me?”
“Seth, I just checked not more than three minutes ago, and they said it’s on time.”
As if on cue in the far off the sound of the train whistle is heard. A smile of relief comes to Seth’s face.
“ Ya see Seth, I told you not to worry.”
Rose put her arm in his and gave him a gentle hug. Slowly the train comes to a stop, and each of the passengers get off. It was Rose who spotted Charity coming out of the second car. She had to get Seth’s attention.
“Seth!”
She points to the next car. The young girl turns and sees Seth. There was no mistaken that was him - his face hadn’t changed at all.
“Uncle Seth!”
She runs to him and starts putting out her hand, unsure of what she should do. Then emotion gets the better of her, and she hugs him.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you!”
He hugs her back, a little unsure, and as Sam and Rose look on, he felt a bit awkward. Rose looks at Sam.
“Just remember she’s not his niece, and I don’t know any niece that would greet her uncle like that.”
Sam looks at his wif
e and was about to answer her but kept quiet instead.
“Don’t even think to answer that, Sam Jacobs.”
“Me? Why I wasn’t going to say a word Rose, but you’re like all the others. Every woman in this town has this infatuation with Seth, but here I thought my wife was different. That just goes to show you how wrong I was. Why, you’re no better than the others, Rose.”
“ Oh hush up Sam; let’s catch up to those two before we lose them.”
Seth removes Charity’s arms from around him and steps back. His first thought was her picture didn’t do her justice.
“Well, Charity, I must say I am happy to meet you.” I’m sorry about your dad, he was a great friend of mine.”
He looks to his right as he sees Sam and Rose heading toward them.
“I’d like you to meet Sam and Rose Jacobs. They run the general store here in town.”
“I’m happy to meet you, Miss Carver. Ever since Seth got the letter we’ve all been excited to meet you.”
Charity looks at Rose and smiles.
“Well, I’ve been just as excited to meet Uncle Seth and all his friends.”
She turns her attention to Seth again.
“I can’t wait to see your ranch, is it very far from here?”
“Why no, when you get settled at the hotel, I’ll take you out there.”
Charity look at them al with disappointment.
“ Could we just go now? I’d like to see it before it gets dark?”
Seth looked at Rose and Sam. Rose knew how he always was willing to accommodate, and smiles at him.
“Go ahead Seth, Sam and I will get her bags checked in at the hotel. “
“Thanks, Rose.”
Somehow Rose got the feeling that Charity didn’t come for a visit. She had a feeling just by the way she looked at Seth she had set her sights on him, and he just couldn’t see it coming. Sam, on the other hand, saw the smile on Seth’s face, and he felt that this may very well be the one who wins Seth after all these women have been trying. As they walk off the platform arm and arm they run into the Franklin sisters.