“Sounds pretty.”
“So long as it’s maneuverable—that’s all I care about.” She plopped down on the chair across from Mary.
“Were you able to reach your mother?”
“Uncle Oliver had a message waiting for him at the station. She’s not able to leave the ranch but is looking forward to us being home again.”
“I’m sorry, Lizzy. I know you wanted her to come and be with Oliver.”
“I suppose she’s wise to stay put. There’s so much work that has to be overseen. It’s one of the busier times of the year. Besides, we’ll be home in just a week and a half.” Lizzy leaned back and stretched out her legs. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
Mary frowned. “What do you mean?”
“About the winter and next year’s show and where you’ll live and Christopher. It is the end of October, after all, and decisions should be made.”
“Oh, that.” Mary laughed. “Just little things.”
“Just the rest of your life,” Lizzy said, laughing.
“Well, not exactly. I want to return to Montana to see you and Wes get married, but after that . . . I don’t know. I want to see my family, so I suppose I’ll go back to Kansas for a month or so. I’ve been thinking about the show and . . . well, it won’t be as much fun without you, but I think I might stay another year.”
“I know that would please Uncle Oliver to no end. Ella too. She’s been worried she’d lose us both.” Lizzy glanced toward the ceiling as she toyed with the end of her braid. “That just leaves Christopher.”
“I have no answers for you regarding him.”
“Uncle Oliver said he had meetings all day today. Mr. Adler was going along to a couple of them.”
“The senior or the younger?”
Lizzy shrugged. “Both, I think. I’m not sure.”
Mary fixed her with a knowing look. “You mean Jason stopped shadowing you?”
Lizzy rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t shadowing me. He just wanted to make sure we had everything planned out in detail for the show’s finale at the Expo. He’s so excited about your shooting exhibition. He can hardly believe that Annie Oakley has agreed to do this for free.”
“It isn’t for free,” Mary said, then quickly bowed her head to begin putting her rifle back together. “Pretend you didn’t hear me say that.”
“I can’t,” Lizzy declared, getting up from the sofa to come to the table. “What do you mean, it isn’t for free?”
Mary drew a deep breath. “You can’t say anything. Please promise me you won’t.”
Lizzy took the chair beside Mary’s. “All right, I promise, but you have to tell me.”
“Chris is paying her to come. He’s paying her way and that of her husband and promised them a lovely hotel suite and all of their expenses.”
“Why didn’t he say so? I’m sure Jason would be more than happy to cover their travel and expenses. After all, he bought us a fancy wardrobe, and you know ready-made clothes aren’t cheap.”
“I think Chris just wanted to do this as a way of saying thank you for being included on the tour. But unless he says something about it, I won’t say a word to Jason or anyone else. I told him I wouldn’t, yet here I am.”
“I made you tell me. It’s not like you wanted to.” Lizzy shook her head. “Christopher Williams is a fine young man. I like him very much, and I think you two will make a nice couple.”
Alice and Carson appeared at the door of the commons car. “Oh, I thought we’d be the first ones here,” Alice said, pulling off her wrap.
“First ones here for what?” Lizzy asked, getting up from the table.
“I thought you were here for the meeting,” Alice said. “Mr. Adler called for an emergency meeting. I don’t know what it’s about, but he said it was serious.”
Mary frowned and began to clean up her mess.
“Maybe the Expo closed early,” Lizzy offered. “Since the president’s death, I know some people pushed for that to happen.”
“But he’s been dead since last month,” Alice countered. “If they were going to shut it down, don’t you think they would have already done so?”
Lizzy nodded. “I would.” She went to the sofa and took a seat. “But I’ve seen stranger things happen.”
Wes and Phillip ambled in, followed by the rest of the performing team. Jessie, Debbie, and Ella sat together, squeezing onto the sofa with Lizzy. Gertie came in after that and took a seat at the table with Mary, who had finally managed to consolidate her cleaning supplies and firearms into a neat pile in front of her.
Jason and his father entered the car, looking grave. Mary couldn’t imagine what was wrong. She prayed it wasn’t bad news related to one of the troupe. What if someone’s loved one had died?
Finally, Chris and Oliver stepped in from the men’s car. Oliver looked pale and just as upset as the Adlers. Chris exchanged the briefest gaze with Mary and offered her a sympathetic smile.
“What’s going on?” she blurted.
“We’ve had some bad news,” Henry Adler replied. “Apparently last night, Buffalo Bill’s show was involved in a train accident in Virginia.”
“North Carolina,” Jason corrected. “They were headed to Virginia.”
His father glanced at him, then nodded. “Yes. Thank you. They were heading to Virginia for their final show. Of course, Annie Oakley and her husband were also on that train.”
“Oh no!” Lizzy gasped. “Was anyone killed?”
“No,” Henry replied, shaking his head. “But Annie was badly hurt. They say she’s paralyzed and will never be able to walk again.”
Mary felt sick and bowed her head. What a horrible thing to happen. She whispered a prayer for all involved.
“What happened?” Ella murmured.
“Apparently another train hit them head on. Over one hundred horses were killed, along with other animals that they used in their shows. It’s a complete loss for them, but no one was killed. At least not that we know of at this time. But things are quite grave.” Henry Adler looked to Oliver.
“From what I’ve been able to learn, many of the actors and performers have been hospitalized with injuries. I know you probably know some of the folks involved, and of course I have long been friends with Bill. We sent our deepest condolences and have asked if there’s anything we can do to help.” Oliver shook his head. “We just never know when something like this might happen to us. I’m very grateful God has spared us such a disaster.”
“Needless to say,” Henry continued, “Annie won’t be coming to perform with us tomorrow. However, I think it might be fitting if we dedicate our last performance to the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.”
“Absolutely!” Lizzy declared, and the others either nodded in agreement or voiced their approval.
“The audience had no knowledge Annie would be joining us for the competition, so we’ll say nothing of it. Instead we will focus on Wes and Lizzy’s matrimonial celebration.”
Mary knew this wasn’t what Wes and Lizzy wanted, but they would go along with it. Especially now. A twinge of guilt surfaced as Mary acknowledged that she was relieved not to have to perform against Annie Oakley. She had always admired Annie, and frankly, she didn’t want to know who was better.
“We will do what we must and put this sadness from our minds lest it hinder us,” Oliver said, bringing Mary’s attention back to the meeting. “Above all, we must pray for those who were hurt, that God will restore them to health and prosperity.”
Jason wasn’t happy about the news regarding Annie Oakley. He had hoped the big competition would keep the show’s personnel and audience so preoccupied that no one would have time to miss Lizzy until the very end. Now with her and Wes being the main surprise planned for the finale, she would be harder to separate from the others.
He had used what little time he had in New York to seek out some of the seedier members of his mother’s extended family. They would do almost anything for money, including n
abbing Lizzy. After discussing what he had in mind with the son of his mother’s cousin, Jason was further inspired. The cousin had an uncle who was also interested in making extra money and happened to be a judge. Once in Buffalo, Jason was to take a letter of reference with him to see this man. The cousin felt certain that for a price, the judge would be happy to marry Jason and Lizzy, even if the bride was less than enthusiastic about the arrangement.
Getting Lizzy to agree to marry him had been the only real problem in his plan, and this development resolved that neatly. With the help of his newly hired team, he would have Lizzy chloroformed and taken to an agreed-upon place. He would then join her, leaving behind a letter that stated he and Lizzy were eloping. Once the marriage was performed—and consummated—Lizzy would have little choice but to endure the situation, and in time, he was sure she would be happy with it.
Jason smiled. He was certain he could make her happy . . . make her forget Wesley and all that she thought she loved. He was convinced that with his money and family’s connections in England, he could make a wonderful life for them both. Even his father would have to see the brilliance in such a plan.
twenty-three
Chris stood watching in the wings as the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza unfolded. A crowd of over twenty thousand was reported to be in attendance. The electric lighting that had been featured at the Pan-American Exposition was an enjoyable benefit for the audience and performers alike, but with strings of electric lights taking up space overhead, Mary and Alice had an additional obstacle to bear in mind. It was a good thing they were so precise with their shooting.
The evening was damp and cold, but no one really seemed to mind. They were there to be entertained by beautiful women who performed outrageous feats that served to stimulate and motivate an entirely new generation of potential performers. And unlike Jason Adler, Chris felt certain the wild west show would continue to appeal to audiences. After all, rodeos were now considered a novel entertainment for city folks. What had started as a way for ranch hands to relax and have fun after roundup was now watched with fascination and gained in popularity every year. No doubt it would be easy to combine the wild west show and rodeo into one big performance that would draw the attendance of many. Oliver Brookstone had even mentioned the possibility of adding rope tricks next year.
Watching as the Roman riders completed their performance, Chris marveled at the acrobatic abilities of these otherwise prim and proper young women. Ella had been raised as a Southern lady with all the respectability and manners of the finest socialite, yet she was just as comfortable standing on the shoulders of another young woman, racing around the arena on horseback. He’d seen her performance many times now and had to admit that she was a natural. She had trained with Lizzy and picked up the tricks so easily that she seldom had to be shown more than once. Then, given her spirit and determination, she practiced those tricks until they were second nature. Her dedication to the art was certain to take her far.
Lizzy was convinced Ella would become famous, but what would that mean to her family and whatever secret they had buried at Fleming Farm? Something had happened there—something worth murdering a man over. Yet no one was willing to speak up about it. In fact, an entire town—even an entire county—was happy to remain silent on the matter. Chris’s reporter friend had tried to snoop around and discover what August might have seen. Fleming had confronted him, and when Chris’s friend said it was just his way of doing a story, Spiby had told him he was no longer welcome. The reporter had thought it strange that this had come from Spiby and not Fleming, but nevertheless he was forced to leave.
This left Chris with a great sense of frustration. He wasn’t even sure how to tell Mary the news. He was convinced there had to be a way to find out what was going on at the farm that had brought about the death of her brother. The reporter in him demanded answers and wanted more information. The man in love with Mary wanted only to keep her safe and as far from the threat that had taken her brother’s life as possible.
Music signaled a change in the acts, and Chris watched as Phillip and Wes helped Mary and Alice with their props. Mary was dressed in her western costume. Deerskin, fringed skirt, and cream-colored cotton blouse trimmed with red silk fringe and black piping. She wore her customized red Stetson and tall black boots. She looked every bit the part of cowgirl. His cowgirl.
She had told him she loved him despite knowing what his family had done. He’d never replied to her declaration, because at the time he’d been too stunned. Then the demands of his job kept him busy, along with his newfound faith in God. He had spent a lot of time discussing matters with Wes, even receiving a personal invitation to return to the ranch for his wedding to Lizzy. Wes had teased that Mary would be coming back with them as well, and maybe that would give Chris the needed time and place to speak to her about his feelings. It seemed logical to Chris, so he’d accepted the invitation.
It wasn’t long before the sharpshooting act began, and Chris found himself caught up in the performance. For nearly twenty minutes Mary and Alice alternated with their particular skills. Alice was quite the sharpshooter with the bow and arrow, and most of that she performed on horseback at a galloping rate. Chris doubted he’d be able to hit the target while standing still. When it was time for Alice’s last act with flaming arrows, Mary hurried to the little dressing room where Ella and Lizzy waited to help her into her evening wear.
Henry Adler had taken over the job of announcing the act and was explaining some of the details related to riding and bow shooting.
“The American Indians were famous for their abilities on horseback. Skilled beyond the expectations of the pioneers, the natives were often able to drive back the thousands of whites who crowded in to take over their beloved prairies and mountain lands. But they weren’t alone with their skills, for the art of mounted archery goes back centuries and is shared by people from all corners of the earth.”
Chris thought Adler was a natural at the job, even if he had been raised to look down upon such a position. When Oliver fell ill, Chris had heard Jason Adler speak in disparaging terms about taking on such a demeaning task. Of course, he hadn’t said that in front of Oliver or Lizzy.
Thoughts of the Adlers disappeared as Mary emerged again, dressed head to toe as a lady of refinement. Chris couldn’t help but give her a smile as she passed him, pulling on her long white gloves. She was deep in thought, however, and didn’t seem to notice him. Instead, she headed for the arena without so much as a glance. Chris would have liked to break her concentration and take her in his arms to kiss her with all the pent-up passion he felt. He sighed. “The show must go on,” he muttered.
He made his way out to the audience so as to have a front-row seat. He loved to watch Mary perform, and tonight she had promised a surprise.
“How about another round of applause for the beautiful and talented Alice Hopkins!” Henry Adler called to the still cheering audience. They didn’t disappoint. “And now for our final sharpshooting act,” Adler began. “We have something very special for you tonight. Our Miss Mary will shoot . . . blindfolded.”
There were exclamations from the audience. Chris hadn’t known her to do this before and was a little intrigued.
Alice appeared from behind the large heavy curtain used to stop or slow the bullets. She helped Mary finish setting up metal targets in the shape of animals. The targets were lightweight enough that they would snap down when hit. Once the targets were arranged, Mary went to stand in her usual place and picked up her pistol. Meanwhile, Alice came forward with the blindfold.
Henry Adler pointed at Chris. “You, sir. Would you come forward and witness that this blindfold prevents all possible vision?”
Chris stepped forward and received the blindfold. Alice wrapped it around his head, and blackness engulfed his vision. When she pulled it away, Chris nodded. “Complete darkness.”
Henry further surprised Chris by pointing to a white-haired man in the audience about three r
ows up. “Would you come and witness this as well?”
The old man nodded and hurried forward. Once Alice had secured the blindfold, he shouted, “I can’t see a thing!” The audience laughed.
He was returned to his seat, and Alice moved to Mary’s side. Henry described what was about to take place. “Miss Mary is a precisionist. She knows exactly where to stand and how to position her firearm in order to hit each and every target, every time. I ask that you remain completely silent while she readies herself.”
Chris had no doubt she’d handle this test as easily as she had everything else, but he couldn’t help smiling. Her skills were impressive.
Alice secured the blindfold, and without warning, Mary went into her act. She hit seven targets in a row, much to the amazement of the audience. The roar of approval was deafening. Mary took off her blindfold and waved to her fans.
“And now we’ll further challenge our Mary,” Henry said, motioning to Chris once again. “You, sir, would you come forward again?”
Chris nodded and got to his feet. He joined Adler and waited to see what he might request of him this time.
“Mary Reichert will once again shoot blindfolded, but this time she will have a live target.”
Live target? Chris glanced from Adler to Mary. She was grinning, thoroughly enjoying his sudden discomfort.
She came forward and reached for his arm. “Are you willing, sir?”
Chris nodded but wasn’t sure that was the wisest thing to do. He followed her to the curtain and let her position him in front of the barrier. While he waited, she pulled down a paper shade as Henry announced that this would provide proof of each bullet’s mark.
“You must stand perfectly still,” she said in a whisper. “There isn’t a real risk unless you move around.”
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