“I don’t know that anything can beat the speed of a train,” Brett said.
“You just never know what’s coming, especially when you advertise for a wife.”
Two weeks later, Emma Carnes stepped off the train in Helena, met by Brett and Bart, along with Jack and Letty Owens, the preacher and his wife. Bart had asked them to come, hoping to make Emma more comfortable in her new world.
Emma turned out to have all of her teeth, long brown hair and brown eyes. She also turned out to be quite comely. She was from South Carolina, an area of the country where the male population had been decimated by the recent war. She had one ability that impressed the twins right off. She was able to tell them apart from the get-go.
“Our mother is the only one that could ever tell us apart,” Brett told her.
“It’s easy,” she said. “I could tell right away.”
“That’s what I keep telling Bart. I’m the oldest and the best looking.”
“In your dreams, brother,” Bart said. “In your dreams.”
A week later, Jack Owens conducted the ceremony that united Brett and Emma in holy matrimony. She moved to the Flying W and into the master bedroom the same day.
Brett introduced her to Mrs. Crump, their large, intimidating black housekeeper. “Mrs. Crump kinda runs the house for us,” Brett told Emma. “If you need anything, just ask her.”
“You jus do that, Miss Emma. We gonna get along just fine.”
Up before dawn as usual, Bart and Brett forked hay into the horse stalls, and brought fresh water. They served as their own foreman, so they headed to the bunkhouse to hand out the responsibilities for the day to their eight ranch hands.
“You really are missing out on this marriage thing,” Brett said.
“You could always share,” Bart said.
“Don’t you ever say anything like that about my wife again,” Brett said, his voice dripping icicles.
“Ease up, I was only joking,” Bart said.
“All the same, I don’t like it, so don’t do it again.”
“All right, I’m sorry; I was only funning around like we always do.”
“Just so long as it doesn’t happen again. Emma’s a nice girl. She took a big chance coming this far to marry someone she had never met. She’s got more guts than either one of us.”
“Okay, Brett. She’s a remarkable girl, and I guess I envy you a little.”
“You could always do what I did.”
“I don’t have that kind of guts. I’ll play the hand I was dealt.”
“There’s always Mrs. Crump; she could use a husband.”
Chapter four
Annabel
Helena, Montana, June, 2015
“Annabel, it’s for you,” her mother called from the bottom of the stairs.
“Thanks, Mom, I’ll take it up here.” She finished brushing her shoulder length hair, laid the brush on the vanity, and took the call in her room.
She picked up the cordless phone from her nightstand, plumped her pillow, and sat on the bed leaning against it and the headboard. “This is Anna.”
“Hi, did I interrupt anything?” her on and off boyfriend, Jared asked.
“No, it’s a bad hair day and I was trying to brush it out.”
“Why don’t I believe that?” he laughed. “Your hair is always perfect.”
“Yeah, right. I’m thinking of getting it cut short like the woman on ‘Law and Order’.”
“Anniebel, you don’t want to cut it. I liked it back when it was longer than it is now.”
“Don’t call me that. You wouldn’t say that if it was yours and you had to brush it a hundred strokes every day. Actually, I’m letting it grow and thinking about cutting it and donating it to ‘Wigs for Kids.’ It has to be ten inches, and it’ll be that long in another month.”
“What’s Wigs for Kids?”
“They give wigs to kids with cancer.”
“I hate to see you cut it anyway, Anniebel.”
“I’ve asked you not to call me that,” she said.
“I’ve called you Anniebel since the third grade,” he protested.
“And I’ve never liked it, and I’ve told you over and over to call me Anna.”
“You’re getting snooty in your old age.”
“I’m just about to hang up on you, and I will if you keep this up,” she said.
“I don’t want to argue. The reason I called is there’s a theme party and I wondered if you would like to go.”
“What’s the theme?”
“Victorian, 1870 to 1890. You can get a costume at The Party Shop.”
“Sounds like fun. Where is the party?”
“At the country club, on the twenty-fourth. It’s a week from Saturday, but if you want to go, I’ll need to make reservations.”
“I may have a date that night.”
“We don’t have anything planned for then,” he said.
“You’re not the only boy in Helena, Jared.”
“Just the best looking one. The one with the prettiest girl,” he said.
“You have that half right anyway.”
“Which half?”
“Keep it up, and you’ll go to the party alone,” she warned.
“As if. One thing I never do is go to parties alone.”
Downstairs…
“Jared asked me to go to the country club costume party with him a week from Saturday. I’m going to the mall to see if I can find a Victorian costume. Want to come with me?”
“I already have decided what I want to be. I’m going as the wicked witch of the west, and your father is a miner. To the party, I mean.”
“You’re as bad as I am,” Anna said. “Come help me pick out something.”
“Not in your car. If I get in that thing, they might have to use the Jaws of Life to get me out. Besides, I just had my hair done and the wind would ruin it.”
Anna laughed. Her mother was very attractive and was frequently asked by strangers if she was Anna’s older sister. “I told Jared about donating my hair for a wig. He didn’t like it.”
“Those long red curls will make some child a wonderful wig. I’m proud of you for making the decision.”
“It’s the least I can do. It breaks my heart to see them with their head shaved. They’re so thin, but they all manage to keep a good face on even though they’re fighting for their lives. You know they’re in pain and you just want to hug them and make them well.”
“If only it was that easy. I don’t see how they do it.”
“Neither do I.”
Her mother drove her Buick. The shop had a large selection of costumes, but none looked quite right, and they started to leave. “Wait,” said the manager who had been helping them. “We got some in this morning. I haven’t even unboxed them. I’ll be right back.”
She returned with several boxes. She opened the third one. “This will be beautiful with your red hair and creamy complexion.” She took out a fancy Victorian dress. “What’s your size?”
“Six or eight, depending on the dress.”
“Why don’t you try this one on? The pale yellow and pink color suits you perfectly. The print adds just the right touch and there’s a hat to match.”
“I like it,” her mother said.
“He’ll love you in it,” the manager said.
“Who,” Anna asked.
“Surely a girl as pretty as you has a ‘he’ in her life.”
“I’m afraid not,” Anna’s mother said. “I keep pushing and she keeps pushing back.”
When Anna came out of the dressing room, her mother put her hand to her mouth. “Darling, it is perfect. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen you in. Come over to the mirror and take a look.”
Anna stood in front of the three sided mirror and looked at the images. “I like it,” she said.
“You’re going to be the belle of the ball, and Jared’s going to love it,” her mother said.
“I knew there was a ‘he’
around,” the manager said.
“Jared’s just an old friend, home from college.”
“Unless this old friend has bad eyesight, he will be blown away. I don’t think this needs any alterations either. I doubt we can make it a better fit. Will you be taking it with you?”
“We will,” her mother said firmly. “Now I have to find something for my husband and myself.”
Party night…
“Come in, Jared, she’s putting the final touches on her hair. You’re going to be in for a surprise.
“You certainly look nice. The vest adds a nice touch, and the watch fob sets it off. Are you a gambler?”
“Yes ma’am. A wild west gambler.”
“Can I get you something?”
“No ma’am. I’m good. You and Mr. Reeves should go with us. I think there’s going to be a big turnout for this. Even Mom and Dad are going to be there.”
“We don’t belong with the young folks. We’ll be along later. I hear her coming down the stairs now. Better brace yourself.”
His jaw dropped. “Anniebel, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. You are drop dead gorgeous.”
“Call me that one more time, and you’ll be going to the party alone,” she said. “I’m not going to tell you again.”
“It comes out before I realize it,” he apologized.
“All eyes are going to be on you tonight. How have you been?”
“I’m getting better… finally. It’s been rough.”
“I wish I could have been here for you.”
“Actually, I don’t think it would have helped. The medication helped, but the eye movement thing is what helped the most. I’m ready whenever you are,” she said.
On the way to the country club, she asked, “Does your girlfriend know about this?”
“I asked her if she could come but she said no. I didn’t tell her I was going to go anyway.”
“So I’m second choice? Just call old Anna, she’s always home. This isn’t fair to her. Perhaps I shouldn’t be going either.”
“It wouldn’t be fair to not let everyone see how beautiful you are,” he said.
“I guess I should go ahead and go. Since I paid for this outfit, I might as well put it to use. But, and I really mean this; I don’t like being a part of this, whatever it is you’re doing.”
“It isn’t anything. Two friends are going to a party; that’s all.”
They sat with their old friends, the same group that had gone through the back door of the bus. The other girls raved about her dress, and she did indeed draw a lot of attention from others. “I think I’ll go see if I can scare up a game of five card stud,” Jared said, twirling his fake handlebar mustache, “maybe get a little swig of sarsaparilla. What about you, Anniebel, can I bring you a mint julep or something?”
When he returned to the table, she wasn’t there. “Where did she go?” he asked.
Marisol shrugged her shoulders and said, “She said something about teaching you a lesson and left. She didn’t say anything else. She may have gone to her parents’ table.”
Chapter five
Bart
June 24, 1870…
Bart was the youngest of the Williams identical twins by seven minutes, and Brett never let him forget it.
Bart was the better rider of the twins, and this morning he was trying to break a magnificent, newly purchased black stallion. He had named him Thunder and intended to make him his personal mount.
“You had better hang on, he’s got fire in his eyes,” Brett said.
“Ain't no horse can't be rode,” Bart said.
“Don’t forget the rest of it; ain't no cowboy can't be throwed.”
“We’ll see about that,” Bart promised.
Thunder chafed at the bit when it was first put in his mouth, but calmed down when Bart held out his hand with a lump of sugar. Thunder delicately plucked the sugar from the extended hand. Bart led the big horse around the inner perimeter of the corral several times to get him used to the foreign object in his mouth.
“Hey, are you going to ride him or take him for a walk,” Brett called.
“All in good time, all in good time.” He tied the reins to a post in the middle of the corral, and went to fetch his saddle. When he approached with the saddle, Thunder sidled away from him. He continued walking, with Thunder backing away until the reins were wound around the post and he was held tight against it.
Bart threw the blanket onto the back of the horse, followed by the saddle. He quickly cinched the belly strap tight and backed away. Wild-eyed, Thunder kicked and bucked, but the saddle remained in place. When he calmed down, Bart unwound the reins from the post, and once again led him around the corral. On the third lap, he grabbed the saddle horn and threw his leg across the saddle.
Thunder reacted immediately, before Bart’s feet could get settled in the stirrups. He bucked, twisted, and sunfished. It was the sunfish and twist that got him. Bart landed in the dirt on his backside while Thunder continued bucking and twisting even though he had won the first battle.
Bart dusted himself off, and took hold of the reins and remounted, with the same results. It was the fifth try before Bart was able to keep his seat for any length of time. Two more tries and Bart rode him to a standstill. He dismounted, and held out his hand with another lump of sugar.
“I almost hated to do that to such a spirited animal,” he told Brett.
“I know what you mean. He is a fine specimen of horseflesh.”
“Next time, open the gate. I want to take him out.”
“Let me get my bronc first, in case he decides to show you he’s boss again.”
“Good idea,” Bart said. “Man, I’m going to be sore and stiff tomorrow.”
When Brett was ready, Bart remounted Thunder, and the bucking continued. “Open the gate,” Bart yelled. Thunder saw the open gate and decided it was his chance, and took off through the gate. The stubborn rider kept his seat until the big horse tired, and slowed to a walk. Bart loosened the reins and the horse began munching the shoots of grass.
“Good job,” Brett said, riding up.
“Thanks. This is the toughest ride I’ve ever had.” The brothers and their mounts returned to the barn at a slow walk. Bart removed the saddle and bridle once Thunder was in the stall. He brought fresh water and gave the horse some well-earned oats.
He brushed the black coat until it had a sheen. He patted the neck affectionately. “I’ve been watching you and Emma,” he told Brett. “You’ve changed. There may be something to this marriage thing after all.” “Why don’t you ask Emma if she has any friends she would recommend?”
“I’m still leery about the sight unseen part. It would be my luck to get some pinch-faced old maid school teacher.”
“You don’t have to marry them if you don’t want to.”
Dinner…
“Emma, Bart is coming to his senses and might want to try finding a mail order bride, but is afraid of who he might wind up getting. Do you have any friends back in Carolina that might be interested?”
“Now why did you have to bring that up?” Bart asked.
“It was your idea.”
“It was not,” Bart replied.
“It would have been if I hadn’t thought of it first.”
Emma looked at one brother and then the other. She was fascinated by the way their minds worked. Sometimes, she thought they knew what the other was thinking. “I’m sorry, I don’t. I lived on a farm near Rock Hill and I was just about the only unmarried girl close. There were probably some in town, but I didn’t know them. You could certainly do what Brett did.” She smiled at her new husband. “It sure has worked for us.”
“So far, but wait until you get to know him better.”
“I know all I need to know,” she said. “Mrs. Crump, I’ll clean the table.”
“You just set yourself back down. I’ll take care of it,” the good-natured housekeeper said.
“If I should find someone wi
lling to marry me, we’d have to build another house.”
“Why?” Emma asked. “There’s lots of room here.”
“Once you and Brett start having your twins, it could fill up in a hurry.”
“I’m only going to have one at a time,” Emma said.
“You know, I’ll bet Ma said something like that one time or another,” Bart told her.
“I guess we were pretty bad. After us, she didn’t want anymore,” Brett agreed.
“When you’ve got it all, why try to have more?” Bart said.
“Indeed.”
Chapter six
The Country Club
Anna was in the Ladies Room when the lights flickered. She quickly took note of where she was in the room in case they went out. The shaking increased in intensity. Water sloshed from the toilets. The lights flickered, then went out. With her hand on the wall for orientation, she made her way to the door. Surely the emergency lights in the hall would be on.
They weren’t. A ceiling beam had fallen and blocked the exit to the ballroom. She remembered the instructions from some long past school lecture and stood in the doorway. It was pitch black in front of her as well as behind. She could touch both sides of the doorway, so she decided to stay put, and started to sit down. Sliding her hand down the doorframe as a guide, it reached the bottom and felt water. So much for that. She couldn’t sit.
An explosion rocked the building as a ruptured gas line ignited. Anna was thrown back against the wall. A piece of the falling ceiling struck her on the head. On the verge of panic, she heard a soft voice say, “Follow me. I’ll show you the way. You can’t help them now.” She saw a woman in a long, flowing white dress.
“How? I can’t see anything. It’s as black as a cave.” Then, off to her right, she saw a faint glow as the woman walked down the hall to her right.
“Follow the light,” the soft voice said again.
Her hand touching the wall, she stood, and moved slowly forward toward the only thing she could see, the pale glow surrounding the woman.
The glow became brighter, but she still couldn’t see the end of the hall. The brilliance of the light was far greater than she had ever seen. “Don’t be afraid,” the voice said. “You’re near the end, and I am with you.”
Belle of the Ball: A Historic Western Time Travel Romance (An Oregon Trail Time Travel Romance Book 2) Page 2
