The Chapel Car Bride

by Judith Miller

  The suggestion hit Kirby like a sucker punch to the midsection. Things had been going so well. Using the back of his hand, he wiped away beads of perspiration that had formed on his upper lip. He needed time to think, to come up with another suggestion that would deter Daniels from the idea of credit accounts. But there was no time. Daniels was moving around the desk toward the office door.

  He stopped beside Kirby. “You all right? All of a sudden you look kind of pale.”

  “I’m fine.” It took everything in his power to choke out the words.

  Daniels led the way into the hall and then stopped outside the bookkeeper’s office. “I’ll be gone for about an hour, Mr. Farragut.”

  The bald man cast a wary look in Kirby’s direction before turning his attention to Mr. Daniels. “I need you to look at the pay records when you get time.”

  Daniels nodded and grabbed his cap from the hall tree. “I’ll look them over when I return.” He turned, gestured to the front door, and arched his brows at Kirby. “Let’s get a move on. Once we have this set up, you can get things going up on the hill.”

  Kirby nodded. “I can hardly wait.” Mr. Daniels gave him a sidelong glance. In an effort to hide the sarcasm still dripping from his curt response, Kirby forced a smile. “I know the miners and their families will be thankful.”

  “Let’s hope so. And let’s hope your idea will halt any more talk of strikes or unions. Otherwise, your pa is gonna be one unhappy man.”

  Kirby grinned at the older man. Mr. Daniels may have waylaid Kirby’s plans for now, but he’d come up with a new one. One that would give him the money he wanted. For now, he would play along and gain the trust of some of the miners. He’d supply the goods needed to fix their houses and get the preacher to do the work. There were parts of this that would be advantageous to him. He could get out of doing much at the mine itself by saying he was helping the miners with their homes on the hill, and he could tell the preacher he was needed at the mining operation. His time would then be freed up to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, with whomever he pleased.

  Though the meeting with Daniels hadn’t gone as planned, a silver lining was on the horizon. He was sure of it.

  CHAPTER

  10

  Hope and her father had just finished breakfast and she was clearing the dishes when a knock sounded on the door of the chapel car.

  Her father met her inquiring gaze and shrugged. “Early for callers. I wasn’t expecting anyone. Luke said he’d come down about eight, so I doubt it’s him.”

  She doubted it, as well. Luke had mentioned he needed to work in the family garden plot and cornfield before his morning visit. Since Luke’s layoff at the mine, he’d been meeting with her father for morning Bible study. When Luke expressed his desire to become a preacher, her father had been eager to share his knowledge with the young man. While the two men studied and discussed the Bible, Hope busied herself with laundry and cleaning their living quarters. Occasionally she overheard one of their discussions and would join in, but usually she and Luke would visit afterward and they’d become fast friends. Both Luke and Nellie had introduced Hope to residents on the hill, and she’d gained acceptance—at least among the women—and for that she was most grateful. Even more, they’d both offered their friendship, though she secretly hoped Luke might one day become more than a friend.

  Her father stepped around her and opened the door leading into their quarters. “Kirby! This is a surprise. Come in.”

  “I know it’s early. I hope you’ll forgive me.” He stepped into the compartment and stopped short. Although Kirby had attended meetings in the railcar, he’d never seen the living quarters. He made a quick survey of their tight living space and swiped his hand across his forehead. “Whew! I don’t know how you two can live in here. I’d go stark raving mad if I had to stay in something this small. How do you do it?”

  The preacher directed Kirby to one of the chairs. “We’re happy in our little home.” He glanced at his daughter. “Aren’t we, Hope?”

  “Of course. We have everything we need right here in this small space.” She directed a hard look at Kirby. “Our accommodations are better than those shanties your company owns up on the hill. At least we’re able to keep warm during the winter and have screens for the windows and doors on the train. That’s more than can be said for your company houses.”

  Her father frowned. “No need for a lecture, Hope. I don’t think Kirby would be here so early in the morning unless there was some sort of problem or he needed assistance.” He looked at Kirby. “Am I right?”

  Kirby shifted in his chair. “I hope we can talk about a solution rather than a problem, Preacher, but I am in need of your help.”

  The preacher rubbed his hands together. “I’ll do whatever I can. What kind of assistance do you need?”

  Hope wiped her hands on a dish towel. If Kirby had a personal matter to discuss, her presence would likely cause him discomfort. “Should I leave while the two of you talk?”

  “No, please stay. This whole thing started with you.”

  Kirby’s tone hadn’t indicated irritation, but there may have been a hint of accusation in his words. She couldn’t be certain, so she stepped to her father’s side to gain a better look at Kirby’s face. He didn’t appear angry. She tipped her head to the side. “What whole thing started with me?”

  “Fixing up the houses up on the ridge for the miners and their families.”

  She clasped a hand over her heart. “You’ve come with good news?” Excitement bubbled in her chest until she thought she might explode. “Hurry and tell us!” She sat down on the sofa and stared at Kirby.

  “The company is going to purchase supplies and paint to begin refurbishing some of the houses. I can’t guarantee how many. We’ll need to be thrifty, and there won’t be any money to pay for labor.” He hesitated and looked at Hope’s father.

  The preacher reached forward and patted Kirby’s arm. “I told you I’d be pleased to assist with the repairs. I think Luke will lend a hand when he can, and we may be able to enlist workers from among the other young men. When can we start?”

  “The sooner the better, I suppose. From what Hope tells me, fixing up the houses may ease some of the tension that’s been on the rise between the miners and the company.”

  Her father’s smile faded a modicum. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but there’s no guarantee a few boards and a little paint is going to heal all the wounds among the folks living up on the hill. If you’re going into this with that idea, I’d caution you to set your sights a little lower. I think it will help, but . . .”

  “But what, Preacher? Don’t expect miracles? I thought you and God were in the business of miracles.” He elbowed the older man and grinned.

  “I believe all things are possible with God, but I don’t believe He can be manipulated to suit our fancy. While it’s true God is faithful to answer our prayers, there’s something you need to remember.” The preacher leaned toward Kirby. “His answers aren’t always the ones we seek. Only He knows what’s best for us.”

  Kirby’s grin vanished. “Oh, I know about those prayers that don’t get answered the way we want. When I was a kid, I prayed my brother wouldn’t die. Guess God thought it would be better for my mother to spend the rest of her life grieving and for me to grow up without a sibling, right? Want to elaborate on that, Preacher?”

  His anger was palpable. The earlier excitement had escaped the room like air releasing from a burst balloon. “I can’t tell you why some people die and others live, Kirby. All I can tell you is that we live in a sin-filled world where both good and bad happen. Sometimes good happens to bad people; sometimes it’s the other way around. But I know God loves me. His Son died for me.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard all that before, but it doesn’t change the fact that my brother died and then my mother died two years later.” He stared into the distance, but then jerked back to the present when a nearby engine whistled. “Sorry, didn
’t mean to bore you with my life story.” Bright splotches colored his cheeks.

  “You’re not boring us,” Hope said, “and you never need to apologize for sharing the particulars of your life with my father or me. I think most everyone has been touched by death and sadness. We all need to talk about it sometimes.”

  She doubted her words adequately reflected the compassion she felt for him right now, but she did understand his emotions. When her mother had died, she felt betrayed by God. Had it not been for Aunt Mattie, Hope might have wallowed in her sorrow and become bitter.

  She scooted forward on the sofa and met Kirby’s pained expression. “When I was a young girl and my mother died, my aunt Mattie told me only I had the power to choose whether I would dwell on the unhappy circumstances in my life and eventually become a bitter, disagreeable young woman who would be liked by few or embrace the blessings I receive each day and become an affable, kind woman with a host of friends. I pondered her words for several days and decided I didn’t want to become bitter and unlikable. I’m sorry to admit it took me more than a few minutes to make that choice.” She pressed her hands down her skirt as she recalled that time in her life. “When pain runs deep, we sometimes need time and advice to guide us toward the right decision.”

  He inhaled a deep breath. “I’ll think about what you said, but maybe we should get back to the business of fixing up those company-owned houses. Whether it eases tension or not, I’ve got the go-ahead, so we might as well see when we can get it done. While up there, I’m hoping I’ll get to spend some time with a few of the men.”

  Hope’s father patted Kirby’s shoulder. “Good idea. I think the men will be quicker to let down their guard when you’re on the hill rather than at the mine. We should make a list of supplies. Hope already knows where repairs are most needed.” Her father flashed a smile in Hope’s direction as he removed a sheet of paper from his desk.

  Moments later, a knock sounded at the door, and all three of them turned. Hope stood and glanced at the clock. “That will be Luke. It’s eight o’clock already.”

  She heard her father mention the morning Bible study to Kirby as she was crossing the short distance to the door. Opening the door, she greeted Luke with a bright smile. “Come in. There’s good news to share.”

  Luke had barely cleared the doorway when he stopped short, narrowed his eyes, and whispered, “What’s he doing here?”

  Kirby swiveled around. “Good morning, Luke.”

  Luke nodded. “You joining us for Bible study?”

  “Naw. I came to tell the preacher that the mining company is going to purchase paint and carpentry supplies to repair some of the houses up on the ridge.”

  Hope lightly grasped Luke’s arm. “Isn’t that wonderful news? I can hardly wait to tell the women they’ll soon have screen doors and fresh paint. Some will even have repairs made to the roofs and siding on their houses.” She bounced from foot to foot while delivering the news.

  Kirby nodded toward the door. “Since your father and Luke are going to be busy with their Bible study for a while, why don’t you go with me and we’ll deliver the news together?”

  Hope turned to her father and arched her brows in question. She wouldn’t accept Kirby’s invitation without her father’s approval.

  Her father smiled and gave a nod. “I think you should have the pleasure of delivering the good news with Kirby. After all, you’re the one who’s pushed to have the company provide the finances for the repairs. Besides, the ladies might not believe Kirby if he’s the one who tells them.” He looked at Kirby. “I’m told the company has broken some of their promises in the past.”

  Hope listened to her father’s comments, but it was Luke she watched. His eyes had turned dark, his mouth stiffening into a taut line. There was no doubt he was unhappy. Surely he realized she’d done nothing to elicit Kirby’s invitation. More than anyone, Luke should understand her excitement and be elated the company was going to repair the miners’ houses. Yet he appeared as sullen as a child who’d been denied a piece of candy.

  She stepped around Kirby. “Let me get my hat and then we can leave Luke and my father to their Bible study.”

  Her father gestured to Kirby. “While you’re up on the hill, let folks know that you and I will head up the work teams and we’re looking for volunteers to lend a hand.”

  “Whoa!” Kirby held up his hand. “I don’t think I should be included as a leader of any work team, Preacher. I have my duties at the mine to consider. I don’t possess enough carpentry skills to be in charge of anyone with a hammer, but I’ll be up there supporting you every chance I get.” He directed a wry grin at Luke. “Maybe Luke would be willing to take over as your second-in-command. What do you say, Luke? You willing to spare some time to make things better for your neighbors?”

  “I’m willing to do everything I can to fix up those houses, but I don’t think you should let your lack of skill with a hammer stop you from taking charge. As far as I know, you don’t have any mining skills, but you’ve taken charge of the company, so this shouldn’t be any different.”

  The exchange between the two younger men charged the air with an uneasiness that threatened to erase Hope’s earlier excitement. She jabbed a pin into her straw skimmer and motioned toward the door before Kirby could respond. If they didn’t depart right this minute, she feared the two men would end up in a bout of fisticuffs.

  Kirby followed Hope out of the railcar and offered his arm. When she didn’t immediately accept, he nodded at the rutted terrain. “I don’t want to be responsible if you trip on this uneven ground.” He extended his bent elbow closer to her side. “Please.”

  She grasped his arm, and a sense of glee shot through him. Not because he particularly wanted to win Hope’s affections, though she would certainly prove a nice distraction while he was in town. Rather, he was glad to know his charming ways remained effective. He would need every ounce of appeal in his arsenal if he was going to accomplish his goal.

  “I’m pleased you agreed to come with me, but I don’t think Luke was too happy.” He directed her around a furrow in the soft earth. “Is he calling on you? I mean, do you consider him a suitor?” They approached the path leading up the hillside, and he grasped an overhanging branch and held it aside for her.

  “Luke, Nellie, and I are friends. If not for them, I doubt any of the folks on the ridge would have accepted me.”

  He grinned. “But do you consider him more than a friend?”

  “He’s . . . he’s a very dear friend.”

  She’d struggled to answer his question. Given Luke’s behavior, Kirby surmised there was more than friendship involved between Luke and Hope. While it wouldn’t be wise to annoy Luke too much, he was going to find it difficult to ignore Hope. He’d not discovered many good choices among the women in this town, but Hope possessed both beauty and intelligence. And unlike most of the pretty girls Kirby had known, Hope didn’t attempt to use her looks to gain an advantage. He doubted she even considered herself pretty. And while he wouldn’t give her a second thought once he was out of this desolate town, she could provide a little amusement and usefulness while he was here.

  Kirby was breathing hard when they arrived on the ridge. He’d hate to think of working in the mine all day and then having to climb this steep hill to get home. Hope jerked on his arm when they neared the first house, the one where he’d met Nora Selznick. He wondered if the woman had told Hope of their conversation. If so, Hope had never mentioned it to him.

  “I’d like you to begin work on the Selznick house first. Their home needs a great deal of work. Nora said all the houses up here need screens. If one of the men could make screens for windows and doors before the heat sets in, I know that would be appreciated. The mosquitoes and flies are a real nuisance, and it gets too warm to keep the windows closed all summer.”

  “I’ll stop at the hardware store and see how much screening they have on hand. They may have to order more.” He scanned the area. “Th
ere are quite a few houses up here.”

  She waved to several children playing in the dirt a short distance from the dilapidated porch. “Is your mother inside?”

  A little boy with disheveled hair sprinted toward them, his hands crusted with dirt. “She’s feelin’ poorly, but my pa’s here. He don’t have to go to the mine today, but he’s goin’ out to the woods pretty soon. Best hurry if you wanna talk to him.”

  Kirby stooped down in front of the child. “Your pa going out in the woods to go hunting?”

  The child’s eyes filled with curiosity. “Huntin’?”

  “Billy!” A man shouted from the porch, and the boy ran back toward the house.

  Kirby looked at Hope. “Is that Mr. Selznick?”

  “Yes. Nora says he doesn’t like me coming around, so I don’t stop if I know he’s home.”

  “Maybe he’s afraid you’ll put strange ideas into his wife’s head.” He chuckled. “You stay here and I’ll go talk to him. I don’t think he’ll try to run me off since the company owns his house and the land it sits on.” He hesitated a moment. “What’s his given name?”

  “His wife calls him Alvin. I refer to him as Mr. Selznick.”

  Kirby didn’t expect a hearty welcome, but if he was going to make inroads with the men, he had to begin somewhere. “Good mornin’, Alvin. I’ve come up here with Miss Hope to let you and the other families know we’re going to begin repairs on some of the houses. Yours is first on the list.” He drew closer and extended his hand.