He patted her knee. “Thank you. I suppose I need to focus on what’s important. Your father would tell me to give it over to the Lord and wait for His direction.”
Lizzy nodded. “That was exactly what I was remembering earlier this evening. So maybe that’s confirmation to us both. We need to pray and then wait on the Lord.”
The carriage halted, and soon the driver was opening the door. Uncle Oliver paid him and took Lizzy’s suitcase from her. They made their way to the family car and climbed aboard. Oliver set the case down by Lizzy’s bedroom door and covered a yawn.
“I’m heading to bed.”
“Me too.” She kissed his weathered cheek. “I love you, Uncle Oliver. Please always know that.”
He smiled. “I do. I know that as well as I know Wesley loves you.”
She frowned. How did he know she’d been concerned about that?
Oliver laughed. “I can see my comment surprises you, but I realize just how hard it’s been on you not to have him here. I’ve seen you waiting for the mail and then walking away discouraged when nothing has come. Don’t fret. Phillip’s needs are no doubt quite a lot these days. It’s a terrible thing to quit alcohol. You feel at times like you’re going to die. Pray for them. Pray for them both. It’s not an easy situation no matter how determined they are.”
“I’m afraid I’ve been rather selfish in my thinking. It’s hard, though. Wes and I didn’t part company under the best circumstances. I was pretty upset with him.”
Uncle Oliver touched her cheek. “Wes is a good man. He knows that you love him, and in time things will smooth out. In a few weeks we’ll be home, and everything will be as it should be.”
“I was going to talk to you about that. Maybe we could just leave from here and forget New York.” She watched her uncle for any sign of approval.
He seemed to consider it for a long moment and then shook his head. “We’ve made a commitment, and the show must go on. It won’t take much longer to see it through. We’ll be in New York in a few days, and then the performance will be over before you know it.”
“I’m not thrilled to return to the place where Jason tried to kidnap me. What if he’s gotten away from the sanatorium and plans to come find me? What if he tries it again?”
Uncle Oliver shook his head. “You aren’t really worried about that, are you?”
She felt as if he could see right through her. “No. I’m just tired and I miss my husband.”
“Absence is good—once in a while. It makes folks appreciate what they have. Just bide your time, Lizzy. The show must go on and you must go on too, as must I.”
He left her for his own bedroom. Lizzy found his words comforting. Her father had always said that seeing her commitments through to the finish was one of the most important things she could do in life. It built a reputation of trust, and if a person couldn’t be true to the smaller commitments of life, how could they be trusted with the more important ones?
She sighed and leaned back against the paneled wall. She would see it through. The performance and her marriage. With God’s help, she would carry on.
fifteen
Phillip marked an X through the calendar. He’d gone another day without liquor. It hadn’t been easy, especially when most of the ranch hands were heading to town for their regular Saturday night celebration. He had once been a part of that group, enjoying a few drinks and card games. He’d been one of the boys, but now, since giving up alcohol, he found himself strangely alone. What was a fella supposed to do for fun when having a drink couldn’t be a part of it? The other hands knew the situation, and while they maintained a certain degree of friendliness, there was an awkwardness now that strained their conversations.
“Mrs. Brookstone invited us to join her for dinner,” Wes announced, coming into the otherwise empty bunkhouse. He’d already washed up and changed into another shirt and looked a whole lot cleaner than Phillip. “Everybody else go to town?”
“Yeah.” Phillip untied the kerchief he wore. “They left about fifteen minutes ago.”
“It’s just as well. They’d be jealous of us getting to eat Mrs. Brookstone’s cooking.”
Phillip glanced in Wesley’s direction. “You go ahead. It’ll take too long for me to get presentable.”
“That won’t work. Mrs. Brookstone said she wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I’d just go ahead and get changed if I were you. You’ll learn soon enough that Rebecca Brookstone usually gets her way.”
Phillip could see Wes wasn’t joking. “All right.” He went to his trunk and pulled out a clean shirt. “I don’t feel much like socializing.”
“It’s not like anyone expects you to entertain them. Mrs. Brookstone will just feed us some of her home cooking and bemoan the fact that Lizzy and Oliver aren’t home yet. It’s as much for her sake as ours. She misses her family, and she’s lonely. The least we can do is give her some company.”
When Wes put it that way, how could Phillip possibly refuse? After all, Rebecca Brookstone had been very good to him.
He pulled off his dusty shirt and went to the washbasin. The water in the pitcher was cold, so he took a dipper of water from the pot that always hung in the fireplace. After mixing it with the cold water, Phillip used the soap and a clean cloth to wash away the day’s dirt. With that done, he donned the clean shirt and slicked his hair down before presenting himself to Wes. “Will this do, or should I change my pants?”
Wes nodded. “You look just fine. Come on, we don’t want to keep her waiting.”
Phillip nodded and followed his big brother toward the log house. “Weather’s been mighty fine. I figure this is just about the best time of year.”
“It has been nice,” Wes agreed. “Be nicer once Lizzy and Oliver are back.”
“It won’t be much longer now.” Phillip wished Ella were coming back with them, but he knew she was bound for Europe with the rest of the troupe.
They entered through the back door, which opened into a large mud porch, the walls lined with shelves and supplies. From there they stepped into the kitchen, where Mrs. Brookstone was standing at the stove.
She glanced over her shoulder. “You boys are just in time. I took the biscuits out of the oven a minute ago, and now I’m pulling the chicken from the skillet. Go take a seat, and we’ll eat as soon as I finish here.”
“Do you need any help?” Wes asked.
“No, I’ve got everything where I want it.”
Mrs. B, as most of the hands called her, had set a very intimate table for three. She had positioned herself at the end with Wes and Phillip on either side of her. Phillip took his seat, but no sooner had he claimed the chair than he popped back up when Rebecca Brookstone entered the dining room with a large platter of chicken and biscuits.
“Sit, boys. We aren’t going to be fussy around here.” She placed the platter on the table and took her chair. Wes helped her, then took his own seat. Phillip was the last to join them at the table.
“Wes, will you say grace?” she asked.
“Of course.” Wes bowed his head, and Phillip did likewise. “For what we are about to receive, make us truly grateful, Lord. Be with us here and with those far away and make us mindful of Your blessings. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Amen,” Phillip murmured.
Mrs. B motioned for him to help himself. “There’s potatoes and gravy, green beans, and of course the chicken and biscuits.” She scooped up some of the beans for herself before handing the bowl to Phillip.
The meal was delicious, just as Phillip knew it would be. It wasn’t the first time he’d enjoyed Mrs. B’s cooking. Even so, he’d have preferred to be left to himself in the bunkhouse. He felt awkward sitting in his employer’s house, sharing a conversation as if they were on equal footing.
“Phillip, you’re as skinny as a rail. You need to eat more,” she said.
He smiled. “Ma used to tell me the same thing, but I eat plenty. I guess I just work it off as fast as I put it in.”
> Mrs. Brookstone nodded. “I suppose you do. I’ve watched you out there working with the horses. You definitely use every muscle in your body just to stay in the saddle.”
“That’s a fact,” he said, reaching for another piece of chicken.
“I had a telegraph from Oliver,” she said unexpectedly. “The troupe is in New York, preparing for their departure to England.”
“Why is Oliver in New York?” Wes asked. “Last I heard, I thought he and Lizzy were heading back after Chicago.”
She gave him a sympathetic smile. “Henry begged Lizzy and Oliver to come to New York to close out the season there.”
“Sounds like him. He won’t be happy until he’s worn everyone out completely,” Wes muttered, shaking his head.
“Yes, well, apparently no one seemed to mind too much. I wasn’t sure if you knew, but Lizzy is performing.”
“What?” Wesley’s expression turned dark. “Since when?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but Oliver mentioned her riding in the New York performance.”
The news seemed to rob Wes of further appetite. “I thought we were finished with that.” He pushed his plate away, but to Phillip’s surprise, Rebecca Brookstone pushed it right back.
“Don’t make this more than it needs to be. Eat your meal. Lizzy’s a grown woman, and she knows what she’s doing. It must have been important for her to agree to it.” She didn’t wait for Wes to reply but turned to Phillip. “I wanted to have you here tonight so I could see for myself how you were doing.”
“I’m doing pretty good.” Phillip gave a smile. He knew he could be charming when he needed to be. “I try to just take each day as it comes.”
“That’s always best. After all, we can hardly manage what hasn’t yet come. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
“You can say that again,” Wes muttered as he picked at his food.
Rebecca gave him a brief glance, then turned back to Phillip. “I hope you know that I am proud of your endeavors. I know this hasn’t been easy. I watched my brother-in-law struggle through the same thing. Alcohol is a difficult thing to put aside, but with the support of loved ones and prayer, coupled with your own determination, you can overcome. In fact, you are overcoming. I just want to encourage you.”
Phillip was touched by her words. “Thanks, Mrs. Brookstone. It makes things kind of awkward with the boys, but I’ll get by.”
“Awkward in what way?”
He smiled at her and wished he’d kept his thoughts to himself. “Well, it’s just that they want to go celebrate at the end of the workweek, and I don’t feel like I can join them. I’m not strong enough to sit in the bar and not drink.”
She considered this. “I can see why that would be a problem. I suppose all of the men are given to drinking?” She posed this question to Wes.
He nodded. “For the most part, yes. The ones who aren’t big on it go along, but the temptation isn’t the same for them as it is for Phillip.”
She nodded. “I completely understand. Phillip, from now on, every Saturday night, you shall come here and be a part of our family activities until you feel strong enough to join your friends and not be tempted to drink. Wesley is family now, and that makes you family as well.”
Phillip was touched by her generous offer. “Thank you, ma’am. I’ve never worked for anyone quite like you.”
She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Absolutely,” he declared, a little flustered. “I meant it that way. You’re a fine boss, and this ranch is the best I’ve ever worked for.”
“Your brother tells me you’ve worked all over the country. Is that true?”
Phillip nodded. “I have. Been all over the West and into Texas. Never worked east of the Mississippi, though. Except with the show.”
“Do you enjoy the ranch more than the show?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not exactly. I enjoy the show because of who else is there. Otherwise, I might prefer the ranch. I think I’ve had enough movin’ from place to place.”
Rebecca Brookstone laughed. “Yes, I can well imagine. And I know from having watched you and Ella that you’re rather sweet on each other.”
“I asked her to wait for me.” Phillip hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that.
Mrs. B smiled. “You did? That’s wonderful. What did she say?”
Phillip toyed with his fork. “She said yes. I told . . . well, it wasn’t a proposal. I couldn’t propose until I . . . knew whether or not I could master my love of alcohol. I didn’t figure I’d be much good to her if I couldn’t overcome drinking.”
“That was very wise. I’m glad you were able to see things clearly in that way. It’s never wise to move forward in marriage with something so daunting hanging over your head.”
“That’s how I figure it.” He looked across the table at his brother. “I couldn’t have done it without Wes, though. He’s been there for me all along. I know it hasn’t been easy for him either, what with me taking him away from Lizzy. I hated that I made her cry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Wes said gruffly. “She was crying or angry most of the time. I’ve never seen Lizzy like that. She’s usually so even-tempered. I don’t think the show was suiting her, and she was all worried about Oliver and that Amanda Moore woman.”
“Well, it sounds like Amanda is no longer a problem, from what Lizzy said in her letter. I suppose we should be grateful for that.” Rebecca got up and motioned for Phillip and Wes to stay seated. “Are either of you up for some peach cobbler?”
Phillip grinned. “You bet.”
They finished the dinner with dessert. Phillip had two helpings, then figured it was time to excuse himself for the evening. Wes, however, volunteered them to do the dishes.
“You wash,” he said, pushing Phillip toward the sink.
Phillip rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He wished he could offer his big brother some sort of solace, but he didn’t know what to say. Sometimes it was just best to be quiet.
“You go on back to the bunkhouse,” Wes finally told him. “I’ll finish up here. I need to talk to Rebecca before I head to bed.”
Phillip rinsed the plate he held. “This is the last of them anyway.” He handed the wet dish to Wes, then reached for a dry towel. “I guess I’ll see you in the morning for church.”
Wes waited until Phillip was out of the house before seeking out Rebecca. She had asked him to see her before he headed to bed. He found her in the living room, knitting.
“You wanted to see me?”
Rebecca looked up and smiled. “Yes. Come sit with me a minute. This talk is long overdue.”
He wasn’t sure what she had in mind, but he did as she asked and pulled up the rocking chair.
He watched her finish her line of knitting, then put aside the yarn and needles to give him her full attention.
“I’d like to ask you to consider something. I didn’t ask you before now because I wanted you and Lizzy to have some privacy in your first few months of marriage, but now that you’ve been together awhile and are about to reach your first anniversary, I’d like to pose a request.”
“Of course, whatever you need.”
“I wonder if you and Lizzy would agree to move into the house. It’s such a big house, and you are family. I think it would be nice to have us all together here.”
Wes had never given that possibility a thought. “I don’t know. I’ve never talked to Lizzy about it. Do you suppose she’d like that?”
“I think she might. Especially now.”
“Why especially now?”
Rebecca smiled. “Because given what you said this evening about her being angry one minute and crying the next, I suspect she may very well be with child.”
Wes was glad he was sitting, because otherwise he might have fallen to the floor in shock. “A baby? You think that’s what’s going on with her?”
“I do. I was the same way. Just a mess.”
Wes shook
his head. “She never said anything about a baby.”
“She probably doesn’t know. And I could be wrong, but if I’m right, I’d love for you to move in here and let me help. A grandchild is something I’ve long looked forward to.”
Wes could hardly think clearly. He had never supposed Lizzy might be pregnant. It was almost more than he could comprehend. Then a terrible thought crossed his mind: She was performing.
“What if she is . . . with child? She’s out there performing. That’ll risk the baby’s life and hers.” He felt a sudden chill. “I should bring her home. I should go now.”
“Wes, she’ll be home shortly. By the time you were able to reach her, she’d already be headed for home.”
“I should at least telegraph her and tell her not to perform.”
Again, Rebecca shook her head. “You aren’t going to stop her, and you know that. Don’t create more problems for yourself. Pray for her instead and give her to God. Then, while you wait for her return, move yourself into the house. You can have an entire wing to yourself, if you like. We can even redo the rooms to suit you and Lizzy.”
He couldn’t shake his feeling of dread, but he knew she was right. He was helpless to stop Lizzy from performing. She’d already been performing in his absence, and if something was going to happen, it might have already happened. He clenched his hands in frustration. If only he’d been able to stay with her.
If only.
sixteen
Ella received a note from her brother the same day the troupe arrived in New York City. Robert informed her that he was in town with their father and mother, and he wanted Ella to join them. He assured her Jefferson Spiby was not in attendance, but it still unnerved Ella to think that the last time she’d seen her father, he had been in strong support of that man.
“He says I may bring along anyone that I deem necessary for my protection,” Ella told Mary and Lizzy. “And the meeting place is the Waldorf-Astoria.”
What Comes My Way Page 15
