Authors: Nancy Radke
While she was trying them on, I chose three for myself plus a
party dress that I had always liked. When I got back to Baltimore, I would go
shopping and buy clothes that suited my tastes instead of my mother’s.
Baltimore seemed far away right now. I felt freed of my mother’s
constant control.
“Are you happy here?” I asked Lizzie.
“I missed you,” she said.
“But we never did that many things together. What else do you
miss?”
“The parties. The plays. The social scene. They try to do some
of that here, but it is just not as grand. They bring in entertainers from the
east. There is plenty of money being made in this town. But it just isn’t the
same crowd.”
“You need to make new friends.”
“That’s what Thomas tells me. And I try. But everything’s so
different.”
We had supper with Thomas. Lizzie’s cook brought the food by,
then left.
“Doesn’t she eat?” I asked.
“She has her own family to feed. I think she buys extra, cooks
it all, then brings us some and goes home and eats the rest with her family.”
I tasted it. “This is good.”
“It has too much salt,” Lizzie said. “I told her to use less
salt, but she doesn’t seem to listen.”
By the next day, I had had enough of Lizzie’s complaints. I put
on my comfortable dress and shoes and told her I was going to walk around town.
She protested, but I said she could either go with me or stay at home, but I
was going.
She offered me a sunbonnet, and I put it on, as I didn’t want a
sunburn.
Once outside I strode off, headed toward the city park that
James and I came through the other day. Pioneer Park. The trees were still
young, but big enough to furnish shade and I took off the bonnet, shook out my
hair and just walked around for a while, enjoying the warm fresh air.
And thinking about James. He was a working man, one who was
responsible for overseeing the farm as a partner with Trey. I had heard him
discuss the next day’s schedule with Trey, giving his take on things.
He sounded like he knew what he was doing. Somewhat like when I
gave the new boys their instructions on feeding the bulls. That was something I
knew how to do well, but it was not a skill men looked for in a wife.
What would James want? I’m sure she’d have to be able to cook
for him, and the haying crew. And how about harvest time? Mally said they had
just as large a crew then.
I’d seen their large vegetable garden. Catherine said they
canned some and dried the rest of it. The thought made me shudder. I could
never do that.
She would have to know how to run the household. Maybe keep the
books. I wasn’t able to do any of those things.
I’d never entertained such notions before. So why do it with
someone I had barely met?
I admired him. But then I had admired the sailors I saw in
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Perhaps I had those thoughts because I wouldn’t be
seeing James again after this trip.
That made me sad, but I also had to be realistic. I wouldn’t
survive as the wife of a farmer. There was too much I didn’t know.
I could learn. Given time
.
Yes. I’d learn. I needed those skills, no matter who I married.
Mother had talked about me attending classes on etiquette and deportment. Well,
I’d take classes when I got back to Baltimore, but they would be ones I chose.
I wandered around the park, then walked down the streets of
Walla Walla, looking into the stores as I went along. At a hardware store, the
clerk saw me enter at the same time as a farmer in dirty clothes, and went to
wait on the farmer. I was just looking, so didn’t mind. The farmer probably had
a crop he was trying to get in. When he left, the clerk came over to me and
apologized.
“Don’t,” I told him. “He was buying and I am just looking.”
“We have orders here to wait on the farmers first. You get some
well-dressed gent comes in, they’re usually a salesman. So we let them wait.”
I asked him about the uses of some of the items I saw, but
couldn’t figure out. He showed me around until another customer came in. I
excused myself so he wouldn’t have to, and walked on down the street.
One store had readymade dresses, and I went inside and looked
around. I found one that fit pretty well and bought it. It was a little large
around the waist, but a belt would pull it in. I wanted a dress to wear back on
the train, one I would be comfortable in.
I stopped at another store and bought a stick of sweet hard
candy wrapped in paper, then at a saddle shop to look at the saddles and
bridles and harnesses.
The saddle maker had two sidesaddles there that I admired.
He came out from the back. “May I help you?”
“I’m just admiring your work.”
“I make them to order, Miss. The tree will fit your size and the
horse’s back. You’ll never ride on anything more comfortable.”
“I believe you. May I watch you work for awhile?”
“Haven’t seen a saddle made?”
“I’ve taken them in to be repaired, but never saw one made
completely.”
“That one is for Mrs. Trahern.” He pointed at the saddle I’d been
admiring. “She should be in soon to pick it up.”
He motioned me toward the back and I sat down and watched him
for an hour.
“I’d better leave,” I said, and went out into the front of the
store. Mally was there, stroking her hand across the new saddle.
“Hello, again,” I said. “That’s a beautiful saddle, you’ve got.”
“Thank you. And thank you for inviting Catherine to the party.
She’d loved to go. She’s been all excited, picking out a dress.”
“Wonderful.”
“I think there’s some fellow she wants to meet, and is hoping
he’ll be there. She won’t tell me.”
“One thing both she and the men need to know. Lizzie is planning
this like it was in Baltimore. She’s told everyone to wear the latest in
fashion. I don’t want Catherine embarrassed. Or James or Kelly, either.”
“Thank you, Brynn. That’s mighty thoughtful of you.”
“Personally, I think the latest fashions are ugly. And
uncomfortable. I’m not going to wear the last dresses my mother bought for me.
I can’t stand them.”
“Then don’t wear them. You won’t be ahead of some of the ladies
in this town, who have a standing order with their dressmakers. They will have
the latest. But you won’t be behind others. In this town, you can show up in
most anything and be accepted. The latecomers are trying to change that. I hope
they don’t. And James won’t put you to shame.”
“I wasn’t thinking of it that way.”
“He was.”
She paid the saddle maker for the saddle and he carried it
outside and put it in her buckboard. “So long,” she said, waving. “Have fun at
the party.”
I continued on back to Lizzie’s home.
“You’ve been gone four hours,” Lizzie said.
“Well, I told you to come with me.”
“Whatever did you find to do?”
“I walked around the park, bought a dress, and watched a saddle
being made.” I pulled out the dress and showed it to her.
“How could you buy that when you have all these lovely ones from
Baltimore?”
“I bought this for the train trip back. I want to be
comfortable. I would think you’d want some to wear around your house when it’s
hot.”
“I don’t think my mother would like it if I were wearing that.”
I looked around in mock surprise. “Is she hiding somewhere?”
“No.”
“Lizzie. You’re on the other side of the country from her. How
is she going to know what you’re wearing? And what difference does it make?
You’re married. You no longer have to please your mother. You’re supposed to
please your husband. Does Thomas care what you wear?”
“No.”
“Then put something like this on during the hottest part of the
day. You can dress up in the evening, if you wish.” I threw it into her arms. “Go
put it on. If you can wear it, I’ll go get another one.”
“There was more than one?”
“Yes.”
“Same model? Same pattern?”
“Yes. And that’s not an issue. Go put it on.”
While she went into her room to try it on, I washed the sticky
candy residue off my fingers, and freshened up.
“It is cooler,” Lizzie said. “And much more comfortable.”
“That looks charming on you,” I said. “You can’t go wrong with a
shirtwaister.”
She left it on. “I’ll ask Thomas when he gets home.
Thomas was delighted, and gave me an approving nod. “Go get
yourself several. You’ll feel much better during the hot summer.” She walked
away, and he turned to me. “If you can stay long enough to get her to make some
friends, that’d be great. I can’t get her out of this house.”
“I’ll try. You know… her mother…”
“Yes. I know.”
“Lizzie has to make the break slowly. It may take a while. I was
surprised you got her here.”
“So was I.”
She came back in. She had added a scarf to the dress, and made
it look more like Lizzie.
“That’s a good idea,” I said. “Why don’t you come out with me
tomorrow and we’ll get me another dress, and maybe you some, too?”
She looked at Thomas. “You like them?”
“Yes. Go with Brynn.”
We bought her several. She seemed different, once I got her away
from the house. I decided Thomas needed to sign her up for a ladies club or
something.
I even got her to go to the saddle shop with me and look at the
saddles. Lizzie used to love to ride, and she looked longingly at the
sidesaddle.
“Is there a place where you can keep a horse, Lizzie?”
“Yes. In the stable where we keep our carriage horse. But I
wouldn’t have anyone to ride with.”
“I bet there are other ladies with horses that get together and
ride. You just need to find out who they are. We can ask around at your party.”
The day before the party, Victor showed up. I stared at Lizzie’s
brother in dismay as he walked up to the front porch, wearing a top hat and
carrying a cane.
“Lizzie. Victor’s here,” I whispered, loudly enough for her to
hear. We were both wearing shirtwaisters and looked at each other.
“Oh, no. We have to change,” she said.
It had been my first reaction, too.
“No, we don’t. I am not dressing for Victor or your mother,” I
said, as she ran up to her room. “And neither should you.”
She stopped at the top of the stairs, and came slowly back down.
“He’ll tell mother.”
“You didn’t marry her. Or your brother.”
“You aren’t either, are you? Marrying him?”
“No. I’m not.”
He was knocking at the door, but I left him standing out there.
“I’m sorry I asked him, Brynn. It seemed such a good idea at the
time. I wanted you for a sister.”
“We can be sisters in spirit. Best friends.”
“Are you going to let him in?”
“I didn’t invite him. You go ahead and let him in,” I said.
“I don’t want him here, either.”
“Then make him uncomfortable and send him to the hotel. You do
have a hotel in town, right?”
“Right. I’ll tell him we don’t have an extra room,” she said.
“Do that. I don’t want him in the same house as me.”
She opened the door.
“Lizzie?” Victor stepped back, a look of shock on his face.
“What are you wearing?”
“And hello to you, too, Victor,” I said. “You’re a day early for
the party.”
He looked at me. Took in my dress. Frowned. “Lizzie’s got room.”
“Not with me here. You’ll need to go to the hotel. Stop your
cab, and put your case back on it.” He’d brought out a steamer trunk.
He hesitated, so I pushed my way past him and hailed the cabbie.
“He needs you to take him to the hotel. Reload his trunk,
please.”
Victor stood there, looking uncertain. “But, Brynn. It’s me.”
“I’ll see you at the party, Victor.”
He tried to give me a kiss and I stepped back before he could
grab me.
“Go,” I said.
“Save all the dances for me,” he called, as he climbed back into
the cab.
I walked back up the steps and looked at Lizzie. She waited
until she got inside before she broke out in giggles.
“Did you see his face when he saw our dresses?” she said,
laughing so hard she finally had to sit down. “And when you ordered him to
leave. He’s never had that happen to him before.”
“I treated him sort of rough, but I was not going to have him in
the same house as me at night. He’d find some way to come to my room. He’d try
to compromise me and force me into marrying him. He tried it once before.
Almost succeeded, except my father saw him and threw him out. You didn’t know
about that, did you Lizzie?”
“No.”
“I’m not going back on the same train as him, either. We’ll find
out when he plans to leave. I’ll leave a day earlier. You saw him try to kiss
me?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother wants him to marry me. She told my mother, who thought
it was a good idea. My father didn’t.” I felt safer with Shorty than I’d ever
felt with Victor. Clothes did not make the man. My thoughts switched to James,
dressed in his cowboy clothes. We had ridden for hours together and he had
never touched me inappropriately. Neither had any of the workers at my father’s
estate.
Except one, whom my father had swiftly fired
. So it worked both
ways. You just couldn’t tell about a person by their clothes.
I thought about the clerk at the hardware store. If Victor went
in there, he would be taken for a salesman. It made me start to laugh again, so
I had to tell Lizzie about the store.
She laughed, too. “A salesman! Oh, he’d be so outraged.”
Thomas walked in at that time, home from work, and found us
laughing hysterically as we shared images of Victor.
“What?” he asked.
We told him, and soon he was laughing. “I’m glad you finally see
your brother as he really is, Lizzie,” he said, wiping the tears from his eyes.
“He thinks he is so great. Your mother tells him so, and he believes it.
Someday, someone is going to put him in his place. I didn’t, because I wanted
your parents approval before we married. I hope he takes the lesson well.”
“Brynn is going to take the train back before he does. She
doesn’t want to be on the same one as he is.”
“Good idea, Brynn. I’ll tell him you’re leaving on Wednesday,
and you can go on Tuesday.”
I didn’t want to leave so soon. I wanted to see more of James.
“Tell him I’ll be going next week on Saturday’s train. Or Monday’s train.”
“Do you want to avoid him that long?”
“I came to visit Lizzie. I refuse to have my trip cut short by
Victor.”
“Do you know how different you sound? You and Lizzie both.”
“Is it good?” I asked.
“Makes me happy. I’m glad you came, Brynn.”
“I am, too.”
Lizzie grinned at us. “So am I.”
Thomas gave her a kiss. “If Victor shows up here this evening,
I’ll take us all out to supper. Then you won’t have to entertain him, Brynn.”
“Thank you.”
Victor did show up, in about an hour, and we left him cooling
his heels in the parlor while we took our time “dressing” for the evening out.
Thomas invited him to sit up next to him on the driver’s seat, letting Lizzie
and I sit together in the back of the carriage. I’m sure Victor wondered why we
were almost laughing all night, as both Thomas and Lizzie managed to
outmaneuver him every step.
Thomas dropped him off at the hotel when we were done, then
drove us home. Lizzie and I started laughing, sharing the antics of the
evening, and Thomas joined in, so we were all hysterical by the time we got
home. I had thought Thomas very straight-laced and humorless, but that evening
proved me wrong.
The next day as Lizzie was trying to choose a dress, I told her
what Mally had said about the lack of dress code in the town. “I’m not wearing
one of these stiff dresses my mother just had made. I’m wearing the pretty blue
party dress my father got me a year ago, that I just love. I don’t care that it
isn’t the latest.”
“Then I’ll wear my favorite, too,” she said, and pulled out a
lovely wine colored dress.
The party was too large for the venue she had chosen, so she
wisely had them open the doors to the courtyard and hang up colored lanterns
all around. It required a minimum of decoration, and looked like a fairyland.
We were there first, making sure all the arrangements had been
finalized. Lizzie knew how to throw a party, and this one was not lacking.
“The lanterns make it, Lizzie,” I told her. “Everyone will want
them at their parties.”
“There’s a Chinese couple who live on our street. She had one on
her porch. She and her children made these for me.”
“You’ll have to tell everyone her name and send her the
business, if she wants it.”
“She makes her own paper. Aren’t they beautiful?”
People started coming in and we went to greet them. I got
introduced to people, young singles and couples.
Victor came in and promptly headed for the punchbowl.
“Is it toxic?” I whispered to Lizzie.
“No. Not unless someone spikes it. There’s just a little gin in
there, well watered down.”
Dance cards had been included with all the invitations, and the
women wore them hanging from their wrists. Lizzie had given me one. It was
empty. Then Victor strode up, grabbed my card and wrote on it. He handed it
back with a smile. “There you are, sweet thing.”
He had written his name in every slot. I showed it to Lizzie,
then tore it up.
“There you are,” I said, and tossed the pieces at him.
“May I have a new card, Lizzie?”
She nodded and pulled one out of her purse.
Just then James and Kelly and Catherine arrived. They were
dressed as well as anyone there. Catherine looked beautiful, and I handed my
empty card to her and got another one from Lizzie.
I was greeting James and had turned my back on Victor, when I
felt someone grab my shoulder so hard it hurt.
“Ouch!” I protested, looking to see who it was.
Victor, his face twisted with anger. “I filled your card. Come
dance!”
The band that Lizzie had hired had started to play. I did not
want to dance with Victor, but I also did not want to make a scene.
“I’m sorry,” James said. “Her first dance is already spoken for.
Shall we?”
He took my arm, and gently led me out on the floor. I looked
back as we spun into a two-step and saw that Thomas had grabbed Victor and was
talking to him. I hoped Lizzie’s brother would take a hint and get lost. I knew
he had a hot temper and didn’t want him spoiling his sister’s party.
“Who is he?” James asked. “He looked like he thought he had a
right to you.”
“He’s Lizzie’s brother. She had invited him to the party and he
came all the way out from Baltimore. But I can’t stand him. She’s just learning
what he’s like, as he’s been away at college. I hope he doesn’t cause trouble.
I don’t want him challenging you. He’s an expert pugilist.”
“There are lots of my friends here. They know how to take care
of that sort of thing. I doubt they’ll let him get close.”
I watched and observed several men who had gathered around
Victor, thumping him on the back, and talking to him. Keeping him from
following James and myself out onto the floor.
James kept me at the other end of the room. From there, we
danced outside.
I swung my attention to the man holding me so gently, yet with a
lead that was easy to follow. He was an expert dancer.
I smiled at him. “Thank you for rescuing me, Sir Knight.”
“Anytime. Now that I have a bull named Sir Galahad, I had better
watch myself. He’ll be hard to live up to.”
“How is he working out?”
“Fine. He has all the lady cows lined up. Although—” he
paused.
“Yes?”
“I do think he looks for you.”
The dance stopped. James looked around at the many lanterns
lighting the courtyard. It was not dark yet, but they glowed in a myriad of
colors. “That’s a good idea.”
“Lizzie’s.”
The band started a waltz. James started to dance with me again.
I wondered if I wanted to dance with anyone else. The waltz brought me closer
to him, almost an embrace. Cheek to cheek, although I wasn’t quite that tall.
He spun me around into a dream world and I really didn’t want that dance to
end.
It did though, and he held me just a little longer than the
music lasted.
I smiled at him as he let me go. He smiled back, and we just
stood there, looking at each other.
“Hello.” I turned to see Catherine, walking next to a young man.
“Brynn, this is Arthur.” We nodded “hello” and I decided this
must have been the one she wanted to meet. The stars were in her eyes.
I smiled and closed my eyes for a second. I could feel them in
mine, too. James brought them out for me.
We were no longer alone in the courtyard, as people began to
find it and come outside.
The band started another song, but James and I stayed to talk to
Catherine and Arthur. I felt heady, like I had drunk too much punch.
Then one of James’ friends came over and claimed a dance, then
another. The men kept all the girls there, busy dancing. There were almost
twice as many men as there were women.
I said something about it to one of the young men. “They’re here
looking for a wife,” he said. “All of us are. There are so many men, you have
to grab quick or you miss out. Women don’t stay single for long out here. I’m
surprised Catherine still is.”
“I think she isn’t.”
“Arthur?”
She was still with him, looking delighted, and ignoring anyone
who tried to take her away. James was still there. He hadn’t left to try to
dance with anyone else.
I caught his eye and he moved toward us as the music stopped. I
put my hand into his outstretched one, and we walked back to Arthur and
Catherine. Lizzie and Thomas had joined them. I don’t even think I even
remembered to thank the young man for the dance.
“James was telling us about Sir Galahad,” Arthur said. “I need
to come see him. I could use a bull like that on my land.”
“Where is that?” I asked.
“Central Oregon. I can’t grow much wheat like James and his
father, so I raise cattle. A bull like that sounds like what I need to improve
my herd.”
“Just so you don’t claim the girl who comes with it,” James
said, patting my hand as it lay upon his arm.
“I don’t come with every bull,” I protested. “Just Sir Galahad.”
James’ eyes danced with humor. “Aren’t I the lucky one,” he
said.
“Yes,” I agreed. “And so am I.”
“You could come out to the ranch tomorrow and see him,”
Catherine said to Arthur, ignoring us. “I’d show you around.”
“Yes,” James added. “That’s a good idea. You could come stay
with us for a while, if you’d like. No need to stay here in town.”
“I’ll take you up on that,” Arthur said. “I really need to come
and check him out.”
“Should take you a week at least,” James said.
“Yes, that sounds about right. Or longer, if I need to.” He was
looking at Catherine as he spoke.
I stood beside James, completely happy and content. I’d like to
be out visiting the ranch also, but couldn’t think of a reason to go.
“Wouldn’t you like to come see how Sir Galahad is doing?” James
asked me.
I grinned, catching Lizzie’s surprised expression. “Would it
take a week?”
“Maybe longer.”
“I must make sure he is well taken care of,” I said.
“And that his grain has a little sorghum molasses on it?”
“That, too.”
James smiled, that beautiful smile he had, that made his eyes
dance with humor. “I wondered, if I let him out, if he would come to town
looking for you.”
“I hope you don’t. He scares people. Someone might shoot him.”