When You Are Near

by Tracie Peterson

  Mary sighed and sank back in the seat and said nothing more. Ella watched her a few moments, then closed her eyes as if she were trying to sleep. She couldn’t bear knowing how much pain Mary was in and not do something to help ease her concerns.

  But I can’t tell her the truth. I just can’t. If I did, they’d all expect me to stand as witness—to confront my father and Jefferson.

  She sighed and drew her lower lip between her teeth. How could she ever hope to make this right—to give Mary and the others the truth?

  thirteen

  Lizzy was happy when the train arrived in Miles City. Everything was just as she’d left it the previous February, but without snow. Stepping from the train, she smiled. The dry air and pleasantly cool temperature brought to mind hours of riding Longfellow across their property, drinking in the scenery and solitude. She would have a lengthy trip from town back to the ranch, but the others would be with her, and there would no doubt be plenty of chatter. It seemed the last few months had been nothing but noise and conflict. How she longed for hours of silence just to think and pray.

  “I see our home away from home is waiting for us,” Mary said, pointing to the Brookstone railcars.

  Lizzy nodded. “They need to be repainted. I hope we can get the same artist as last time. He did such a good job.”

  “What a quaint little town,” Ella said, coming to stand beside Lizzy and Mary.

  “It’s a wonderful town.” Lizzy motioned down the street. “Let’s do a little shopping while the menfolk get our things squared away.” She went to Uncle Oliver and Jason. “The girls and I are going to pick up a few personal things at the store. Do you gentlemen need anything?”

  Uncle Oliver shook his head. “I don’t believe so. I arranged for a list in Missouri.”

  She thought of the liquor and wondered if that was what he was talking about. She forced a smile. “And you?” she asked Jason.

  He returned her smile. “Thank you, but I managed to secure my needs in Topeka. Although given the wild look of this country, I wonder if I thought of everything.”

  Lizzy laughed. “It is rather wild, but we have our comforts too. Don’t worry, if you’ve forgotten something . . . you’ll learn to live without it.” She turned back to her uncle. “Where shall we meet you?”

  “Just come over to the livery. Jason and I will have the horses ready,” Uncle Oliver replied. “Don’t buy too much stuff, though. I didn’t tell the boys to leave us a wagon, just horses.”

  Lizzy gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek. “We won’t buy out the store, I promise.”

  She felt relieved that Uncle Oliver was acting more like his old self. She didn’t bother to bring up the question of how he planned to get several crates of alcohol home. Knowing there wasn’t a wagon to use made her hope the alcohol wouldn’t make it to the ranch at all.

  She walked back to where the girls were waiting for her. “So did Mr. Adler propose?” Mary asked with a grin.

  Lizzy looked at her, unable to hide her horror. “Why would you even think that?”

  “Well, it’s obvious he’s sweet on you.”

  “Look, like I said before, I have no interest in him or anyone else. If you’re looking for a beau, then by all means pursue him.”

  Mary laughed. “I just got rid of one fiancé. I certainly am not looking for another.”

  “Then don’t try to sell me one.” Lizzy hiked her skirt and picked up her pace to avoid a grain wagon.

  Ella and Mary quickly followed, and they made their way into the nearest mercantile.

  Lizzy stopped to speak to Ella. “I know your circumstances prevented you from bringing much and that you are limited on funds. I don’t want you to worry about that. We have an account here, so just get whatever you need, and we can worry about settling it later. The sewing room at the ranch is full of fabric and notions, so we can make you some skirts and blouses or dresses, if you prefer.”

  “I don’t want to add to what you’ve already paid out,” Ella said, glancing around at the shelves of goods. “And I do have my jewelry. We can sell it. I don’t want to be a bother.”

  “You’ll be a bother if you need something at the ranch and don’t have it.” Lizzy turned Ella and gave her a little push. “Now, hurry. Uncle Oliver doesn’t want us to dally.”

  A young man stepped up to the register from the back room. “Miss Lizzy! I heard you were back.”

  She smiled. “How are you doing, Barney? How’s the folks?”

  “They’re all doing well. Me too. I graduated high school this year.”

  Lizzy could see the pride in his face. “That’s wonderful, Barney. Do you have plans for furthering your education?”

  He shook his head. “No. Mr. Levine said I could work my way up here. Said I’d be making twenty-five dollars a month in a couple of years if I worked hard.”

  “That’s impressive, to be sure. Next thing you know, you’ll be married.”

  The young man blushed. “I already know who I plan to marry, Miss Lizzy. I haven’t asked her yet, but I plan to next summer.”

  Lizzy smiled. “I’m sure she’ll say yes.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’d better get my shopping done, or the others will be ready to go and I’ll still be dawdling.” She hurried toward the selection of books before Barney could even reply.

  Lizzy thumbed through the books, but nothing interested her. She turned her attention to items she thought would be useful, including a couple pairs of boy’s long underwear. She hadn’t told Ella how cold the winter could get and knew these would be welcome when they were training outside. Lizzy grabbed wool stockings and socks as well.

  When she put her things down on the counter, she spied a notice about collie puppies for sale.

  “You want one, Miss Lizzy?” Barney asked.

  Lizzy thought about Christmas. Her mother had always said that once she settled back on the ranch, she’d like to have a dog. A collie would be perfect.

  “I do. I think I’d like to get one for my mother for Christmas. Who has them?”

  He chuckled. “My folks do. I can have them save one for you. The pups are already weaned and ready to go, but I think for you, Miss Lizzy, we can hang on to one until Christmas. You want a male or a female?”

  “A male. Mother won’t want to worry about a female having puppies and such.”

  Barney nodded. “I know just the one I’ll save for you. Firstborn and a real sturdy fellow. He’ll be a good watchdog. I can even start training him to obey. You know, heel and sit and lie down. Those kinds of things.”

  “Thank you, that would be useful, I’m sure. I’m so glad you had the notice here.” Lizzy hadn’t given much thought to Christmas yet, but it would be on them before she knew it. “I suppose I should do some ordering for Christmas, but Uncle Oliver wants to get back to the ranch. We all do.”

  “That’s all right. Did you have in mind what you wanted to purchase?” Barney looked eager to help. “Are you buying for a man or a woman?”

  She frowned. They would have Mary and Ella at the ranch as well as Jason Adler. But it was Wesley who concerned her most. “I’ve got quite a list, Barney.”

  He pulled a catalog from behind the counter. “Take this home with you. That way you can find whatever you want. Make a list and then get it back to me.” He leaned forward. “The catalog too. We only have two.”

  Lizzy took the Sears, Roebuck catalog. “Thank you. This will definitely help.”

  “We might even have what you want on hand, but if not—I’ll order it.”

  “How much time do you need if we have to order something?”

  He straightened and puffed out his chest. “We’re completely modern here, Miss Lizzy. If I send in the order, we can almost always have it in a month or so.”

  That didn’t give her a lot of time, even if Miles City was completely modern. “Very well. I’ll try to get back in a few days.”

  Ella came to the counter, her arms full of various items. She looked apologetic.
“I promise I’ll find a way to pay you back. You could always put me to work around the house. I could even sew for your mother.”

  Lizzy laughed and started helping her put the things on the counter. “Don’t fret about it.”

  “This one of your new performers?” Barney asked.

  Lizzy hadn’t considered hiding Ella from the townsfolk. It had never even occurred to her, but now that the question had come up, she was hard-pressed to know what to do. The chances of Ella’s father following her all the way to Montana were slim, but she couldn’t help wishing she’d been more careful.

  “Yes.” Lizzy kept stacking the purchases on the counter. “Would you go ahead and tally these? Like I said, Uncle Oliver is in a hurry. Just put them on our account. Miss Reichert’s things too.” Mary had joined them at the counter with her meager selection.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Mary said. “I brought the money I saved up. I can pay.”

  Lizzy was really starting to worry about Ella being seen and didn’t want to argue about it. “We’ll figure it out later.”

  Once things were settled at the store, Lizzy hurried the girls to the livery, where Uncle Oliver was just about to send Jason Adler to find them.

  “If we don’t get a move on, we’ll lose the light. Sunset comes sooner this time of year.” Her uncle handed her a saddlebag.

  Lizzy stuffed some of Ella’s packages inside it, while Ella and Mary split the rest of the load in saddlebags Mary had brought with her. That accomplished, Lizzy went to Longfellow and secured the bags. Without any help, she got into the saddle and looked down on her uncle with a grin.

  “So what are you waiting for?”

  Wes sat on the fence, watching his brother work with a new horse. Sandy Anderson, Wes’s assistant foreman, had recently returned with a string of horses. They’d been purchased for using with the cattle, and most weren’t saddle broke. Sandy was more than a little glad to learn that Wes had hired Phillip for such tasks so that the job didn’t fall to him.

  Phillip was delighted by the challenge. He lived to ride—wild or tame, it was all the same to him. He had been working long hours with each of the new horses, and though he’d taken minor injuries, nothing seemed to slow him down. He loved horses, that much was certain, and he was good with them. Wes had seen a lot of horsemen in his years, and most weren’t concerned with breaking a horse in a gentle manner. They slapped the halter and bridle on, threw a saddle on their backs, and then rode them wild until they gave up the fight. Phillip, on the other hand, liked to take his time. He was that way about most everything. Wes had decided not to hurry him along. They had a little time, and he wanted to see what Phillip could accomplish.

  “Looks like your brother is nearly as good at this as you,” Thomas said, coming to stand beside Wes.

  “I heard that, and I’ll have you know,” Phillip called out, “I’m better!”

  “Yeah, well, just remember, this horse was already broke, just hadn’t been ridden much,” Wes countered.

  “Trouble is, he’s a bully,” Phillip said, “but I’m a bigger one.”

  The men continued to watch as the horse, a beautiful bay, settled down and began to surrender to Phillip’s demands. It wasn’t long before the horse was trotting a circle around the corral.

  “You’ve got him now,” Thomas declared.

  “There was never any doubt I would.” Phillip slowed the animal to a walk. “It gets a little easier each time, that’s for sure. This big boy just about broke my back the first time I climbed on him.”

  Thomas and Wes laughed. Wes jumped down from the fence. “Did you just come out here to watch Phillip, or did you need me for something?” he asked Thomas.

  “Mrs. Brookstone sent me to tell you that Oliver and the others should arrive today.”

  He knew the others would include Lizzy. For a minute that old tightness in his chest returned. He’d pretty much avoided her for the last couple of years, but now Mrs. Brookstone wanted his help in drawing her daughter out, helping Lizzy get past losing her father. It wasn’t a job Wes wanted, but it was also not something he felt he could ignore. The Brookstones had been good to him, and he owed them.

  The dinner bell rang, and Wes breathed a sigh, but it wasn’t one of relief. “I suppose we’d better go get our grub.” He started for the bunkhouse. “Cookie doesn’t like to have the results of his talents go cold.”

  “I’m gonna miss Mrs. Brookstone’s meals,” Thomas said. “Cookie fries and boils the life out of everything.”

  Phillip slid off the horse. He praised the bay, stroking his neck. “Save me some,” he said, leading the horse across the corral.

  Thomas and Wes made their way to the bunkhouse dining room. “How’s Phillip settlin’ in?” Thomas asked.

  “Pretty good. There’s been a little grumbling and roughhousin’. I think some of the boys thought I’d give Phillip special privileges or not make him toe the line, but I think they’re starting to see that isn’t the case. I figure if all goes well, everybody will be settled in by Christmas. Those new fellas you took on during the show seem to be working out well. Judd and Richard might be city boys, but they aren’t afraid of hard work or getting dirty.”

  Thomas nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t have any trouble with them on the circuit.” He opened the door to the bunkhouse. “It’s gonna be good to have everybody back home. Did you know Lizzy’s thinking of quittin’ the show?”

  Wes shrugged. “It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

  “Well, after hittin’ her head so hard in Kansas City, I think she got to figuring her time out there was gettin’ shorter and shorter before something really bad happens.”

  “She hit her head?” Wes tried not to sound overly concerned. “How bad was it?”

  “It made her see stars, that’s all. She bruised a bit, but you know Lizzy. She used some of the theatrical makeup, and no one was the wiser—except for her ma and me. I told her she needs to get married and start a family. That’s not nearly as dangerous.” Thomas grinned. “Mr. Adler seems mighty interested in her, so who can tell what’ll happen.”

  Wes tried not to feel worried by the old man’s statement. He didn’t like the idea of a man he didn’t know getting close to Lizzy. If he was honest, he didn’t like the idea of any man getting too close.

  That evening the family gathered in the living room. Wes was touched that Mrs. Brookstone had invited him to join them and have dessert. She had made a wonderful apple cobbler and served it hot with fresh cream. Wes devoured two large servings during the casual conversation. Seeing Lizzy again had stirred something inside that he wasn’t sure he understood, especially after he’d all but ignored her the last two years. He’d put a wall between them, but now he felt it crumbling.

  “So you see,” Oliver said, “Jason is important to our situation. His father has a vested interest in the future of the show, and Jason is here to learn every possible angle. He’s also hoping to save us some money.”

  “Well, we’re all going to be busy, for certain,” Mrs. Brookstone said, speaking up for the first time. “Since I won’t be returning to the show, we need to figure out who’s going to take my place and then teach them how to manage my jobs. Also, Agnes mentioned to me that she might not return after next year, so in light of eliminating extra crew and saving money, I suggest we find someone who can come to the ranch in February, and I’ll teach them how to handle cooking for the crew and managing the costumes.”

  “I think that’s an excellent idea,” Jason said, nodding. “The more crew jobs that can be combined, the better. Thinning the numbers will certainly help in the long run, and I find that people can generally take on additional duties with proper management of their time. The other important thing is teaching another person or two on the crew how to manage your position in case of illness or, as in the case of Mr. Reichert’s . . . death. We’ve found this system very beneficial in our industries.”

  “You mentioned that should include performers
as well,” Lizzy said.

  Jason nodded. “I think it should . . . don’t you?”

  Lizzy considered the question for a moment. Wes studied her. She was all grown up, that much was unavoidably true, but there was still something of the innocent tomboy he’d first known in her face.

  “I do see the sensibility of it,” Lizzy said. “And I think it could be managed. Ella knows some trick riding as well as Roman, and Mary can definitely teach some of the trick riders to shoot. I suppose we might all be able to do each other’s jobs to a certain point. Of course, none of us will ever match Mary’s marksmanship.”

  “Perhaps not, but in a crisis, having people familiar with her part of the act might allow us to fill in during her absence. Just as teaching Ella and the others how to do some of your tricks would allow the show to continue should you be unable to go on. I wouldn’t expect them to do all of your tricks or come anywhere near to doing them as well, but having performers at the ready to take over in desperate situations could save the show.”

  “I agree. In the past, if someone was ill or hurt, we simply shortened the act and doubled up in another area, but this makes sense.”

  “Good,” Jason said, beaming at her. “I’ll count on you to do your part in helping the others learn what they need to know. Perhaps you could oversee it all, Lizzy. Better still, you and I could work out the details together. It might take long hours, but I’m sure you’re up to the challenge.” He winked, and she laughed.

  Wes didn’t like the suggestion of Adler and Lizzy spending all their time together. Adler was far too familiar, and he was always smiling at her. Who knew what he might attempt if they were alone?

  Mrs. Brookstone started gathering the empty bowls and spoons. “Well, I’m afraid Lizzy can’t oversee it all, Mr. Adler. She will be needed to help with the ranch and, of course, to work on her own tricks for next season. Perhaps Mary could step in to take the job.”