by Unknown
A surge of warmth rushed to her cheeks as the carriage stopped. Barrett and Heath didn’t wait for their mother’s instructions but leapt out of the cubicle and ran into the brick building, calling out names of friends as they went. Marlena took the bag from Jess and helped her down the steps. Before they made it to the front door, Emily Stacey emerged looking far more mature and beautiful than she had the last time Marlena saw her six years ago.
She’d been seventeen and was a prisoner in the home of her wealthy and controlling father. Leonard Stacy had showered her with every material thing under the sun, but deprived her of the one thing she truly craved. Love. His thirst for power ultimately led to his demise and he’d been imprisoned at Leavensworth ever since. Emily had been granted a living stipend but chose to leave her father’s home and dedicate her time and affection to the local orphanage. Not only did she adore the children, but she felt responsible for them since it was in her father’s mines that the boys and girls had lost their fathers. Most of the mothers had succumbed to disease and other maladies of the hard life of the west.
Jess had filled Marlena in with all of the details on the way up from Gold Hill and she’d welcomed the distraction from her thoughts of Dalton. He’d said he needed to speak with her but had told her nothing of note. As she thought back on the exchange, she realized she hadn’t given him much opportunity to speak before Harrison and Sarah had arrived. Though his presence lit the fuse to a dozen emotions, finding him hanging from a tree limb outside her window kept her curiosity alive. But if anything could overcome thoughts of Dalton, it was spending the day in the presence of children.
“Jess!” Emily greeted cheerfully before wrapping her in a hug. Next, she turned to Marlena and greeted her in kind. “I can’t believe how you’ve grown. Your sister always tells me all your news when she visits so I am thrilled to congratulate you on your engagement.”
“Thank you,” Marlena said, clasping the woman’s hands. “Emily, you look radiant. It warms my heart to see you so happy.”
Emily squeezed her hands and pulled her toward the two-story building. Marlena thought the structure was large until she went inside to be completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of children living there. The first floor sat in an open floorplan with cots lining the perimeter and forming two back-to-back rows in the middle. Children ran around in varying degrees of play, their clothes bearing up surprisingly well, Marlena thought. There were several boys and girls in garments either a little too large or a little too small and she saw very few tears and holes. Emily had her hands full tending such a flock, and she accomplished it well. Marlena’s respect and admiration grew in an instant.
Several young girls stood staring in awe at Marlena’s fine gown. She sank to the floor and motioned for the girls to draw near.
“Would you like to touch it?” she waved to the scalloped silk hem. The girls nodded and Marlena encouraged them to stroke the fabric.
They did so and erupted into a fit of giggles, which drew other young girls. Marlena noticed one who kept tripping over the length of her skirts as they dragged on the ground.
“Well, that won’t do,” Marlena said to the girl. “We don’t want you stumbling all over town, do we? Emily do you have a mending kit?”
Emily nodded and retrieved it for Marlena. “I’m afraid I’m not as good as you,” Emily said. “And I haven’t had a chance to mend them all. It seems as though once I get them all fitted, someone grows that much more and I start the cycle again.”
Marlena frowned at the self-chastisement she heard in Emily’s voice. “You’re one woman, Emily Stacey, and a hell of a good one at that. But you can’t do it all. Now, hand over that sewing kit so I can hem this poor girl’s gown.”
Emily blushed, smiled, and handed over the sewing kit as she addressed the girls. “Do you know who this lady is?” They shook their heads, so Emily knelt down and widened her eyes in excitement. “Ever heard the name Ruby, the American Songbird?”
A round of gasps sucked the air out of the room and Marlena watched the young doe eyes turn dreamy. A pang of nostalgia moved through her as she remembered the almost worshipful adoration she once had for Sarah Jeanne. The woman’s nature soon destroyed the notion, and had almost destroyed Marlena’s love for music. if not for The Museum and Dalton she would have likely hated music forever.
Determined to be a better model, she threaded the needle and began to sing as she stitched. One by one children streamed her way until every single occupant of the building sat around for their private concert. When the song finished, the children burst into praise and applause. Barrett and Heath jumped up and down to claim Marlena as their aunt. Song titles flew out of mouths, requests and stories about songs that meant the world to the children, songs their mothers and fathers would sing. Marlena did her best to accommodate them all, stitching clothing as she went.
“You have the most beautiful voice,” a little girl told her. “I hope I can sing like you one day.”
Marlena reached out to brush a finger along the girl’s cheek. “There’s no reason you can’t sing like me now. What’s your favorite song?”
“Beautiful Dreamer.”
“Ah,” she said with a grin. “That’s mine, too. Shall we sing it together?”
The girl nodded eagerly, sitting forward on her knees to be eye level with Marlena. They sang together and the girl’s voice was soft and timid at first. Marlena nodded her encouragement and the girl grew more confident. To Marlena’s surprise and delight, the girl had no trouble staying on key, and that is something that is very difficult to teach. Her voice had a quiet, lyrical vibrato she could be taught to control. She made the common mistake of using her lungs to project instead of her diaphragm, but again, that could be taught as well. She showed great promise and Marlena’s smile was wide and genuine when they finished.
“How old are you?” she asked.
“Six.”
A deep breath filled Marlena’s lungs. She remembered the age very clearly, living in a place not much unlike Virginia City. Motherless. Fatherless. Holding onto the only beautiful thing she had: Music. But this girl was one of many in the same state, and though she had a wonderful caretaker in Emily, she’d likely never have the opportunity to realize her potential, and the thought burdened Marlena’s heart. She grabbed the girl’s hands and pulled her until she sat on Marlena’s lap.
“You have a very beautiful voice,” she told her. “Would you like a music lesson from me?”
The girl’s head bobbed up and down.
“When you sing you are filling your lungs with air, but to really project, to make your voice swell and soar, you must use your belly.”
“My belly?”
“Mm hmm.” Marlena pressed on the girl’s diaphragm. “Right here. This is a very important muscle when singing. Do you know how our muscles become strong? By working them.”
“How can I work my belly?”
“I’ll tell you how. Lie down on this cot.” The girl obeyed and Marlena grabbed a book from a nearby shelf and set it on the girl’s diaphragm. “Now, take a deep breath and when you breathe in, try to lift the book. If you can do that, then you are filling your belly with air instead of your lungs. The object is to raise the book. Let’s see you try.”
A look of pure concentration tightened the girl’s features and her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she filled her body with air. Her chest rose, but the book did not. When she breathed out, her face looked as deflated as her lungs were. Marlena encouraged her to try again. After five attempts, the girl was able to concentrate her air to her stomach. She sat up with wide, excited eyes and Marlena applauded.
“Now, keep practicing and the next time you sing, be sure to gather the air to your belly, then use that muscle to push the air behind your words.”
“I will practice,” she promised. “Will you come back tomorrow and show me some more?”
Marlena pressed her lips together sadly. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to c
ome back tomorrow. In fact, I’m not sure if I’ll be back at all. I’ve only a month in the city and then I’m moving on.”
Disappointment and sorrow scraped all of the excitement from the girl’s face and she set the book on the cot and rose. “Thank you, Miss Ruby. I really appreciate it.” She strode off with such a dejected and defeated look, and Marlena wanted to tear her eyes out so she’d never see such a heartbreaking sight again.
“Wait!” Marlena called. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I promise.” The girl’s smile returned before she ran off to play.
Jess asked Marlena if she was ready to depart and she nodded, forcing herself to her feet and sweeping one sympathetic gaze about the building before exiting.
The boys climbed into the carriage first, followed by Jess. As Marlena grabbed hold of the side to climb up, Barrett’s voice squealed at her.
“What’s this?” He held up a folded note and Jess grabbed it.
“It’s addressed to you,” she said before addressing the driver. “Stewart, did you see who put this letter in the carriage?”
“No, ma’am,” he answered. “I went on a walk a little while back but I’ve not seen anyone approach before or since.”
Marlena opened the note and felt a wave of red, hot fury well inside her.
If music be the food of love, play on!
She caught a movement from her peripheral vision and turned to watch a man walking down the street away from the orphanage at a brisk pace. He wore a long coat and hat, but one thing gave away his identity. Indigo trotted alongside him.
“I’ll be right back,” she told Jess, and ran up the road, calling his name when she was close enough.
Dalton turned and all anger flew from her at the swollen purpling of his eye. “What happened to you?”
She reached out to touch his face and he stepped back, out of her reach. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”
Her hand dropped to her side and she swallowed the pain of his words. He was right. The concern of his health and well-being belonged to someone else, the woman he’d chosen over her. And her care and concern belonged to someone else, the man she’d chosen over him. Knowing it, however, did nothing to rid her heart of worry or relieve the tightening of her chest at the deep sadness pulsing from his eyes. It radiated from him, feeling as real and tangible as her own.
“Are you all right, Dalton?” she asked and he snorted.
“If you’re talking about my eye, yeah. I’m fine.”
She took a deep swallow. “And if I’m not talking about your eye?”
He laughed coldly and looked away before clearing his throat and returning to her gaze. “That’s mighty fine of you, spending time with the orphans.” He nodded toward the building.
“Thank you. It’s the least I can do.”
“It’s more than others do. And it doesn’t surprise me to find you here. You’ve the best heart of anyone I know.”
She allowed the change of subject, and the flush of warmth that moved through her at his compliment. Being near him was such sweet torture. A cord of heat stretched between them, familiar and intense, and the traitorous longing of her body was to draw close to him, feel the gentle press of his lips, the solid feel of his form wrapping around hers. She almost gave into it, until her heart filled with bitter memories and reminders of the way he’d broken it.
Yet every fiber in her being told her he had more to say.
“Dalton, why did you come here today? If you have something to say to me, don’t leave it in a note. Tell me.”
His eyes bore into hers searchingly and for the first time in a year, a flutter of hope moved deep in her belly. His feelings were anything but resolved and she wondered if his marriage to Rosa had ended. She held her breath, waiting to hear him speak, but he only ruffled through his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope.
“Here’s the eighty dollars I owe you for the dress.”
She took it without a word. That was all he had to say? He spun on his heel, leaving her standing in the middle of the road with a wad of money, a quote from Shakespeare, and a still-very-broken heart.
Chapter 19
Dalton snapped the reins and made a clicking noise, urging the horses to pull the buckboard down Center Street in Carson City before veering west toward Dayton and Virginia City. Indigo sat on the bench beside him, staring out at the desert, barking every once in a while at a racing jackrabbit. Dalton glanced back to be sure the furniture was still covered and secured in the wagon as the road grew rougher, jostling his load even more. Reginald Buford would be meeting him at the crossroads to collect his order. Dalton had been glad for the excuse to ride back to his homestead four days ago. If not for the Buford order, he might still be in Virginia City, torturing himself.
He’d wanted to leave town, to get as far from Marlena as possible, but he couldn’t seem to get his feet to do it. He also wanted to hate her but he couldn’t get his heart to do that either. It would be easier to go on with hate inside instead of the constant ache of lost love. He’d fully intended to leave town after giving her the money for her gown and paying the Silver Queen for the damaged chandelier, but what happened instead took him completely by surprise. He’d fallen completely in love with her all over again. And in an instant.
Ellie had told him she’d gone to the orphanage so he went to seek her out. But he never made it past the front door. Her singing voice found him on the street and beckoned him to an open window. There, he’d stood for two hours, watching her sing and play with the children, soil her rich gown on the dirty orphanage floor as she mended clothing. She was generous with her smiles, liberal with her hugs, and he knew he would always love that heart of hers.
Knowing it belonged to someone else had been too heavy to bear, so he’d rushed away from the orphanage, but not soon enough. She’d followed him. Why, he wasn’t sure, for once she’d seen his bruises her face had turned to one of genuine concern. Seeing it made his heart ache even more. It was obvious she still cared for him, but he couldn’t take having her concern and not her love. He’d had to quit her presence or risk making an even greater fool of himself than he had at the boarding house, seeking out a woman who had chosen another.
The distance had not calmed his emotions, though. If anything, he felt more turmoil as he’d spent the entire four days reliving every word, every touch or encounter between him and Marlena in Boston, trying to determine if he’d misread their connection, their love. He came to the same conclusion after each recollection. They’d loved each other. Something had to have happened to change her heart, and he’d bet all of his money on that something having to do with Sarah Jeanne, the Opera Queen.
His jaw clenched and his hands tightened around the leather reins as they continued to climb up the road and wind through the mountains. As he rounded a curve, he came upon another wagon pulled slightly off the road. Its rear wheel had fallen off and a finely dressed gentleman squatted before the axle in study. Dalton slowed his wagon, pulling up behind the stalled vehicle.
As he made to leap down, the gentleman stood, and Indigo growled. Dalton’s shoulders sagged as he sighed, taking in Harrison Brady’s tall form. Harrison brandished a grateful smile and a wave as Dalton jumped down to shake the man’s hand.
“What’s going on here?” he asked.
“The wheel fell off while we were driving and I can get it back on, but it’s loose for some reason.”
Dalton scanned the area. “We?”
“Yes, we,” he heard Marlena’s voice and found her in front of the wagon, petting the mules. Their eyes locked for the briefest moment before she looked away.
“We are very fortunate you’ve come along,” Harrison said. “I secured the wheel back to the axle but it is still loose. I wonder if the axle is broken somewhere I’m not seeing. I’m afraid this contraption is nothing like my carriage in Boston and I’m at quite a loss here.”
Marlena strode toward them, rolling her eyes as if to confirm Harrison’s statement. “
We’ve been stranded for almost an hour now.”
Dalton nodded toward the wheel. “The problem is with the wheel, not the axle. The wood is old. You can see tiny cracks in the hub and spokes and the bands are loose. You need a new one.”
Harrison put his hands on his hips and began to pace. “That cheap shyster. He ought to have known his equipment was defunct. What was he thinking sending us out into the desert with a bad wheel?”
“Who did you hire from?” Dalton asked.
“Tom Jackson in Gold Hill. We went to Carson City to pick up supplies for the wedding.”
“The wedding?” Dalton asked, almost choking on the words.
“Yes,” Marlena answered. “Harrison and I are getting married at Jess and Val’s next week.”
Dalton swallowed. Did he imagine the sadness in her eyes, or was he thinking merely of his own?
“You will come, of course?” Harrison added. “You and Ruby were so close in Boston. I’m sure she’d love to see you there to celebrate with us.”
“Would she?” Dalton studied Marlena again, waiting for her to meet his gaze but she refused.
“Yes, of course,” she responded meekly. “You are welcome to attend if you’d like.”
Dalton chewed the inside of his cheek and looked into the afternoon sun. “I’m afraid I can’t. I’ve got important business.” He removed his hat and wiped a hand through his hair. “Let’s get you back to Virginia City. You’d best ride with me. That wheel is no good.”
Harrison huffed. “We’re lucky we made it this far. Ruby nearly fell from the wagon when it stumbled.”
Dalton appraised her. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, thank you. Is there no short-term remedy? Something to get us as far as Gold Hill?”
He shrugged. “If we could soak it, it might swell enough to fit the bands and get you there before it dried back to its old size, but there’s no water near enough to do that. No, I think it’s best y’all come with me. I have to make a delivery, then I can take you into Gold Hill.”
