Courting in Custer

by Kari Trumbo

  He wasn’t handsome, according to his mother, not as strong in the arms as the ranchers Daisy was used to seeing, nor was he spindly as many men of the age were. He’d been tall his whole life and most women he’d met wanted nothing to do with him, save Daisy. She’d always made time for him, talked to him, smiled at him. Their conversations had been pleasant, satisfying, addicting. He could talk about anything from faith to law, and she would speak her mind, never implying that her ideas were better or worse. And he adored her wit and intelligence. Frankly, he’d treasured every part of her, and that hadn’t lessened in his absence.

  Now that he’d left the courtroom and he’d given her the summons the judge had helped him arrange, he couldn’t settle his stomach. Seven long years of waiting, hoping, praying, and all of it could be dashed if she didn’t show up. They had signed that slip of paper he’d prepared, when he’d asked her so long ago under that tree. He’d kept that paper in his Bible, but it was worthless. As a lawyer, he knew that. She probably knew that, too, since she was now familiar with the court system. At the time, before he’d studied much of anything, he’d thought her signature made his plan foolproof. The only loophole had been if she had chosen someone else. He’d certainly never planned to find anyone, there was no one but Daisy. But the only fool had been him, she could walk away from him at any moment.

  It was possible she was, even now, thinking of some way out. All she needed to do was hand him the biggest embarrassment of his life, which was to be left at the altar in the court he’d made his second home.

  His own home came into view as he walked down Third Street. It was small, purchased just the week before when he’d arrived back in Custer after studying and building a practice in Massachusetts. But neither the east, nor his new house, felt like home. He finished walking to his modest story and a half house and pushed open the door. His little liver and white spaniel bounded down the stairs to meet him.

  “Gracie, girl.” He ruffled her ears. She was an exceptional bird dog and he’d finally get the chance to hunt with her, now that he was back in Dakota. All he had to do was drive east river—as the locals called it—and the prairie had more birds than a man could ever hunt. He let the dog outside and slipped his hat onto the lone hook by the door. He stared at it for a moment and warmth spread through his chest. He’d have to put up a second hook in the next few days, along with a few other things to get his house ready to finally be a home, with a wife. Daisy.

  He’d need to buy a new dresser for her, so she had somewhere to keep her clothes. He’d need more linens for the bathroom. As he wandered through the house, listing the various items he’d need, he stopped short outside of his bedroom. Every man wanted intimacy with his bride, but Daisy wouldn’t be a typical bride, and theirs wouldn’t be a typical relationship. Even if she eventually wanted him physically, he wouldn’t allow it. For her sake, they could never lay together. At least she would be with him always. He’d never have to be alone, and neither would she since he’d never leave her.

  Gracie whined at the door and he made his way back through the house to let her in. He opened the door to find a man in a high-button dark suit from the Fitch & Willis general store striding up his walk. Elias recognized him from the week before when he’d picked up a few groceries. The man’s face scrunched as he stared at the house number.

  “Can I help you?” Elias opened the door all the way and held it for him.

  The man stopped and squinted. “You Elias Laury?”

  Elias couldn’t help but feel annoyed, the man was interrupting him, and he had only a few days. “Yes. What can I do for you?”

  The man finally smiled and handed him a small box. “We don’t normally deliver, but the little lady had such a nice smile. You take care now.” The man tipped his hat and turned, quickly heading back toward town.

  The little lady?

  He looked at the plain brown card stock box. Who would be sending him anything, and why bother? He didn’t even know anyone in Custer except…

  Could it be?

  He made sure Gracie was in, then closed the door, locking it behind him. The box was light but so were his feet as he rushed for the kitchen. He opened the box, and inside was a small cake with frosting, and a note.

  Elias,

  I’m sorry I missed your birthday, especially when you went to such great lengths for mine. Perhaps, if we are to go through with this, we should take the next few days to reacquaint ourselves? I will wait by the First National Bank at six this evening. If I don’t see you, I’ll know that you are as nervous as I am about this. But I do hope I’ll not be waiting long.

  Yours in time,

  Daisy Arnsby

  He couldn’t breathe. Daisy wanted to talk with him. The sweet, quiet young woman had found her voice, at least a little, and she had more gumption than he’d given her credit for. If it were possible, he loved her even more for her found pluck. He took the little cake and hid it up in the cupboard so Gracie couldn’t get at it.

  He couldn’t help but smile as he loosened his tie. “I’m going to the bank tonight, girl. You’ll be good, won’t you?”

  She cocked her head to the side and stared at him. Even when they’d traveled by train, she’d been a good companion. Always with him, always happy to see him. She would be thrown off when he left in the evening, and even more so when he brought Daisy there to his home in just a few days.

  He knelt in front of the dog and gently scratched her neck. The dog was a great companion, but she wouldn’t compare to Daisy. “It won’t be long now, girl. Then we won’t be alone.”

  She nosed under his chin, leaving a chilly trail, and he patted her head, then stood. He had to get some supper for him and Gracie before getting ready to go back downtown. There was so much to do before he had to leave to make it there in time.

  He’d never been so worried about how he looked for such a simple trip. There was nothing he could do to make himself look like other men, he’d tried. So, hopefully she could learn to be happy with a man who filled a room. He stood in his kitchen and realized his joking thought was true, he did fill the room. He could reach from one end of it to the other if he wanted to. Gracie barked to remind him to hurry as he put some meat and gravy in her dish.

  “I know you’re happy with me, girl. And maybe someday, Daisy will be, too.”

  Chapter 3

  Daisy stared at the little paper with the date and time of her birthday wedding on it. She sat in her small room at the boarding house, within view of the bank, and wondered what Elias would think of the little cake she’d had the grocer deliver. Years ago, he’d liked sweet treats, but so many years could change anyone. Patches, her tiny red tabby, jumped onto her lap and purred as she settled in.

  She would never admit to anyone that Patches was such a dear friend to her, but who else could she talk to? Even those who wanted to be alone needed someone occasionally. The cat never complained and seemed to like her company just as much, no matter if she conversed with her or was silent. Patches wouldn’t finish her sentences, nor would she make decisions for Daisy like her sisters had. She just listened, and that was exactly the friend Daisy needed. Not to mention, Patches kept the mice away.

  “If I do this, I’ll never have grand adventures like the heroines in Frances’s books. I’ll never find that someone who loves me so much his eyes soften in the moonlight and his kiss makes my knees weak.” She sighed and slid her hand down the length of Patches’ back. “Elias didn’t even kiss me when he had the chance. Though, maybe he never really wanted to. He might still never want to.”

  She stroked the cat, but it didn’t calm her as it usually did. “I’ve always liked him, but he’s not adventuresome, nor does he particularly like me. He never spoke to me overmuch. The only reason he chose me to make that pact was because I was the least likely to be married by the age of twenty-five. Even back then, he knew that, of all the others to pick from, I was the one sure to be alone.” Daisy sighed as her shoulders fell along with h
er thoughts, and Patches stared up at her, waiting for more attention. When she didn’t move to pet the cat, Patches stood and pressed her head to Daisy’s chin until she relented and resumed her petting.

  “Part of me is really sad, Patches. If I do this, it will make me unhappy every time I’m with my family because my sisters all have what I've wanted. But maybe that’s just plain selfish. The Lord doesn’t want us to compare our blessings to others. I’ve always adored that man, but I’ve also wanted someone who adored me right back. Maybe that is too much to ask for? I should be happy that any man at all wants such a mousy, old woman who doesn’t talk to anyone but her cat. If someone were going to come and sweep me off my feet, he’d have done it by now.”

  Patches heaved an indignant sound in her throat and jumped off Daisy’s lap as the clock struck five. Only one hour to eat, if she could, and then go down and wait to see if Elias would meet her. Her hands shook slightly as she opened a can of beans for her dinner. She rarely cooked anything that wasn’t canned, since it was just herself and food was expensive on her small salary. Most of her canned meals often stretched into two, for the sake of her budget.

  After picking at her supper for a few minutes, her stomach churning with nerves, she found she wouldn’t be able to eat until the evening was over and she could be done with it. Elias might not even come, and what would they talk about if he did? She knew nothing about him other than he’d been in Massachusetts at law school. She’d done no traveling other than from Deadwood, where her family still lived, to Custer for her job. He was well-traveled in comparison. Elias would find her dull, most everyone did.

  Daisy ducked quietly down the hall outside her room to avoid disturbing any of her neighbors as she inched down the squeaky stairwell. Mrs. Bates didn’t like to be disturbed during her supper, and Mr. Natchez suffered from headaches. One minor groan of a stair tread could cause either of them discomfort.

  Once outside, she turned her face up to the sun and let it warm her for a moment. Everything would be all right. She would be fine. A husband would mean she wouldn’t have to worry about her food budget. She would share the load with someone else. If he didn’t love her, well, it wasn’t about love. It never had been. Elias had wisely decided that being alone was a bad way to go through life and he’d ensured that neither of them would. It was noble. Just not the slightest bit romantic. Yet, why crave outside of her needs? The Lord had provided a man, a wonderful man, to provide for her. Putting aside her craving for adventure and romance was an easy idea, but in practice, would be one of the hardest things she’d ever done.

  Though she’d hoped he would be there early, the front of the bank was empty. It was tempting to go inside and see the pretty interior, but then she might miss Elias. It was close enough to six that if she was inside, she might miss seeing him. If he didn’t show up, she would dash into Fitch and Willis’s for something to do that evening to keep her mind off of why he might not want to spend time with her.

  Her sister, Eva, was both an artist and a reader. She had worked with the city of Lead to create a public library donated by Phoebe Hearst. And now, they were working toward building an opera house for the town. Daisy was still waiting for Custer to get a library.

  Fifteen years after Eva and her dear George met at the Lead library, they had three rambunctious boys and a precious, though quiet, little girl who couldn’t walk down the street without her brothers protecting her the whole way. But they still loved to visit the library.

  It was difficult to wait, and not appear like she was waiting. The bank was a narrow, large brick building. If she’d thought ahead, she would’ve asked to meet him somewhere farther down the street where there were benches on the boardwalk. People walked by and stared, nodding slightly as they passed, and Elias still didn’t come. Daisy pulled her little time piece from her pocket and opened the front. He was only a few minutes late. It was possible he’d been detained, or he hadn’t gotten the message. She’d had to ask the judge for Elias’s address, then rush to the store for the cake. The grocer hadn’t been certain when he would be able to deliver it, though, she’d asked for it to go right away.

  The sun warmed her head and face and she tried to enjoy herself, though she’d rather be sitting at home with Patches than be out and about, forced to nod and smile at everyone. She searched the street once more and a broad-shouldered, tall man ambled toward her. Something within her fluttered to life. It had to be Elias, no other man was quite the same. At least to her. As he got closer, she could see he’d taken off his suit coat and tie from earlier, but still wore his crisp white shirt and well-cut black trousers. It was obvious that Elias didn’t get his clothes second hand.

  As his eyes lit upon her, his face softened with recognition. He’d never done that before, and it changed his whole face. Was it possible that he was looking forward to meeting with her as much as she was with him? He strode up to her, his old confidence in place.

  “Good evening, Daisy.”

  There was no need for formality, they had known each other since grade school, proper names would’ve been stuffy, odd, uncomfortable.

  “Good evening, Elias.” She smiled and wished he’d do the same. “Where would you like to go to sit and talk for a while?”

  He laughed for a moment before he caught himself and she wished he hadn’t. His laughter was a window into the real man, the man she’d never seen before, but would soon be married to.

  “I’m afraid I don’t know much about the city. I just moved here, and I’ve spent most of that time finding a place to live and getting a few cases going.”

  Her most favorite place was a small park down by French Creek. It had a few benches and it wasn’t far. It reminded her of the school yard where Elias had visited her under the tree and proposed—if she could even call it that. “I have a suggestion, if you don’t mind staying outside?”

  He offered his elbow. “Lead the way.”

  His arm was strong under her fingertips even through the thin cotton of his shirt. As they walked, she tried to recall all the things she’d wanted to learn about him, but now that he was right there, she found it difficult to think of anything. Where could she start? He wouldn’t be anything like the boy she’d known.

  “So,” he ventured, “what made you decide to go into court reporting? That is a fairly new profession, at least for women.”

  That was a long story, and she didn’t want to bore him with details of her own life. She’d taken the long way around the barn when it had come to making a living, after realizing she wouldn’t be able just marry and have a family like many other women her age.

  “I started out taking a typing course for journalism. I had planned to join my brother-in-law, Clive, in Deadwood at the newspaper. When I finished, the state was pulling out of a recession and there were no jobs. I worked for a while in a law office as a secretary, and the lawyer suggested I take a course in shorthand and stenography. He thought I would be good at it. Not to mention, he didn’t need me anymore, but felt guilty about letting me go.” She still chaffed at the memory. After that, she’d refused to work for anyone who might become a friend. It had hurt him financially to keep her as long as he did. She didn’t want to be a financial burden on anyone.

  “You always did have a fine attention to detail.” He stared ahead, but his compliment sent warmth right to her heart. No one ever noticed anything about her.

  “Thank you. I see you went ahead with your parents’ plan and attended Harvard. They must be incredibly proud of you.”

  Elias waited to answer, as if he needed to mull everything over for its value before he spoke. “Yes, it turned out they were right. It was a profession I was well-suited to and leaves me in the unique position of being able to work anywhere I choose.”

  As they reached the little park, Daisy stopped leading them and let Elias pick where he’d like to take them. She held her breath as they approached the bench where she usually sat to read, right under a large silver maple tree. Custer ha
d very few trees. It was situated in a wide grassy valley. That made the little tree all the more special to her. When he stopped there, at her spot, and motioned for her to sit, it was like a little whisper from Heaven that things would change, but they didn’t have to change completely. Elias would fit into her life if she just let him.

  Chapter 4

  Elias felt the change in Daisy the moment she started following his steps, instead of choosing her own. She loosened her stride, like they were dancing together. It was momentous to him, a changing of the guard, symbolic of what he’d hoped to achieve. She wanted him to guide her to a place, to lead her.

  After a minute of looking, he chose a bench with a pretty tree that reminded him of the one where he’d proposed, if he could be so bold as to call it that. Daisy sat down, her skirt rustling softly. She was so poised. Everything about her was tiny compared to him, and it worried him. Would she fear him when they were alone?

  He’d never forget a comment his grandmother had made in passing, when she’d thought he couldn’t hear: ‘It’s really too bad he’s such a big fellow. Life will be hard for him alone. Women will be plum terrified…’ The words, and the assumption that his size would mean he’d never find love, had stayed with him even now. Reoccurring instances throughout his days had only underscored his fear. He was just too big to love.

  His grandmother had professed to love him, she’d never say anything to purposely hurt him, nor would she whisper an untruth. Her words had been part of why he’d asked Daisy to sign his contract and make that pact with him so long ago. He would never find someone to love him, but he didn’t want to be alone. However, if he ever went too far, tried to be with her as a husband, he might hurt her, and he’d never forgive himself for that. He wouldn’t let himself get any closer to her than a faithful companion.