by Stella Clark
That wasn’t the first time his son had stormed off and it wouldn’t be the last. Jeb watched him go before carefully patting his jacket to ensure the letter was still there. “Then maybe you’ll like the next girl who isn’t from town,” he murmured. Jeb stood and left, waving to his men. He had a letter to write.
Chapter Three
It was a train ticket. A real train ticket. Grace played with it, reading the words in the dim light of the setting sun. She could hardly believe it was real. She read it over and over just to be certain. But there were few details and she realized she might rub off the ink.
Grace stopped, but she continued to clutch it in her hands.
“My ticket to Wyoming.” The words had to be said out loud. Just to know it wasn’t a dream.
Then she pinched herself, just to be certain.
She didn’t wake up. Her heart dropped at the idea of losing the ticket. So, hurriedly, Grace tucked it away in her pockets, using both hands to secure it within the folds of her dress. That’s all she had done this Tuesday.
With cloudy skies and the threat of rain, Grace had crossed the boroughs to the station and bought her train ticket with the money provided in the letter she had received just two days prior. She remembered handing over the money and accepting the ticket with shaking hands. It was really going to happen.
“Grace! Where are you?”
She clutched the letter to her chest as she looked up, finding her father poking his head out of the window. “Yes?”
“Why are you out here?” he demanded. “You’re filthy now. Come wash up this instant for supper. There’s food on the table.”
Just the thought of a hot meal made her stomach growl. The meager portions they were forced down to meant she was only eating twice a day, and a little more whenever she found an odd job around the city. It wasn’t often. For the last three months, Grace had spent most of her days rereading her dime novels and dreaming about Wyoming.
It was happening, though. She was really going to Wyoming.
Grace obediently hurried up the stairs, tucking the letters away before climbing back into the house. She skirted a glance at Mr. Post, who preferred to pretend she didn’t exist as her mother finished setting the table.
“Not like that,” her husband scowled before changing around the silverware. “Don’t be preposterous, Mary.”
“Of course, dear,” she murmured quietly before offering a grim smile to their audience. “We were able to get some potatoes today; can you believe it? Please sit down and enjoy.”
Everyone ignored Mr. Landers’ huff as they took their seats and began to eat. Grace took two bites slowly and carefully as though to make them last. She could feel the crinkling of the paper in her dress. Glancing at her parents, she wondered how to tell them the news. She had to say goodbye, after all.
She had meant to tell them earlier, but it was hard to decide on a right time. But certainly, they would be happy for her. Soon she would be off on her very own adventure and out of their hair. One less mouth to feed. Swallowing hard, she put her spoon down.
“I’m leaving for Wyoming,” Grace announced, sticking her chin out.
Their boarder said nothing, only giving her a strange look before turning to his food. He had the most potatoes, after all, and he wanted to enjoy them.
Her father continued to eat his food as if she hadn’t said a thing, but her mother reacted with a jerk before giving her a frown. “Wyoming, dear? Why ever are you going to Wyoming?”
Grace offered a hopeful smile. “I’m going to get married, Mother. I’ve found a man who will have me. He owns a ranch, you see, and—and he’ll have my hand even though he hasn’t seen me. It will be strange at first, I grant you, but I believe it will go well. I’ve always wanted to go west and now—”
The clanging of a fork shut her up as her father gave her a hard look. “You think you’re going to get married?”
“I am, yes,” she nodded hesitantly. Biting her lip, she wondered about the harsh tone and tried to find something to say to assure them she would be well. “I’ll write, I promise.”
“You think someone would marry you?” Her father snorted. “Who marries someone they’ve never met? You’re ridiculous.”
Blood drained from her face, not having expected a response like this. “I assure you …”
Her mother interrupted as she patted her husband’s hand. “I’m sure she’s only joking. She doesn’t know anyone in Wyoming, after all.” He tossed her hand back to her. “Right, Grace? You’re only joking?”
“No, no, I’m not. I’m really going. Tomorrow, in fact,” Grace added. “I wanted to tell you both sooner, but I didn’t know how to.”
“Why? Because you’re not really going? Huh? Or is this code for something? You’re working the streets. Is that it? You’re working the streets? I won’t have a daughter out there selling her body!” Her father slammed the table. Both women jumped but Mr. Post continued to eat as though he were alone.
Grace could hardly talk. Stunned, she glanced around at the faces before her only to find no one offering comfort or answers to her confusion. Scrambling for a defense, she tried to figure it out. “No. No! I-I only mean that I … I’m not a—Father, I just want to—I thought you would be happy for me. I just …” She turned to her mother for support, but the woman wouldn’t look at her.
“I won’t have a woman like that in this house,” her father announced loudly. “You had best pack your bags and be gone in the morning.”
She stared at her father in disbelief, trying to understand if this was simply ridiculous or a joke. Gulping, she shook her head. Had they not heard a single word she said? While they’d made it clear they couldn’t manage to keep her at home, Grace felt her hope fading away.
The rest of supper was quiet. Once she’d helped dry the dishes, Grace returned to the fire escape. It had been her haven before, and it would be her haven one last time. With a little light from the sky and the city still shining upon her, she picked up the letters again and read them for comfort.
Mr. Wade Shelton was a frank and honest man, one whom she felt assured was an upstanding member of society. Her first letter in response to his ad had also been honest in stating her desire for independence within the potential union. It wasn’t that she wasn’t a good person, she had mentioned, but she only wished to be able to speak her mind and act as she saw fit. She wanted a marriage unlike the one her parents had; there would be no living under the thumb of another man ever again.
And he hadn’t been bothered. Instead, he had written her back and thanked her for her frank nature. In turn, he was honest with her on why he’d placed the ad. The family ranch had been established and he wanted to have an heir to pass it down to one day.
That had not been what she had expected, but she had continued to read his letter.
In following, he’d assured her that he wouldn’t expect a rushed marriage by any means but that she could come to Wyoming, stay in town, and they could grow accustomed to one another. Then whenever they were ready, they could wed.
The thought of finally going to Wyoming sent a shiver down her spine. She was most certainly nervous. It filled her with trepidation, just the idea of leaving New York. But then she pictured the green valleys and the blue mountains. The time could hardly pass soon enough. Only one more night.
Yawning, Grace closed the letters and folded them up before leaning against the brick wall. She hadn’t thought of children much. Though she knew most of those in the neighborhood and had even played nanny to one or two on rare occasion, she hadn’t ever considered herself a potential mother. There had been so few thoughts of marriage. When the girls in school giggled over the boys, she was too busy reading adventure stories.
***
The night passed and Grace wound up sleeping on the fire escape, curled in a ball. The sunrise pulled her from her drowsy state, reminding her it was time. Her parents were already up as she returned to the front room to gather her things.
They all fit in a single carpetbag. The letters fit nicely inside, and her train ticket was still in her pocket.
“Well, I’m off,” Grace called out as she went to the front door. But no one said anything as they gathered around the table to eat. They didn’t even invite her. The young woman swallowed the lump in her throat. Not wanting to be a bother, she put her house key on the table and left out the front door. She had an adventure waiting for her.
Chapter Four
Jeb checked his reflection in the mirror as he fixed his collar. For some reason, it kept wrinkling. With a frown, he tried to flatten it out. First impressions meant a lot. As he continued working on his shirt, Leona came from the hall and crossed her arms.
“And who are you trying to look so handsome for?” she asked with her half smile.
He winked through the mirror. “Only you, my darling. And of course, our guest. We are going to have a guest,” he realized his mistake as his wife’s mouth dropped open. She was supposed to know about that earlier.
“Jebediah Shelton! What are you talking about?” she cried out in surprise. “Who is it? When? The guest room isn’t ready! What were you thinking?”
The collar would have to wait. Hastily he caught up to his wife down the hall to calm her down. “It’s nothing, really, my dear. The room probably won’t even be used. Well, perhaps just for tonight. But I’ve booked a room in town. It’s just for a little while,” he added as she frowned.
“It at least should be aired out,” she sniffed. This time when she crossed her arms, it was not a casual move.
He tried to give her his most charming smile. After all, it had won her over thirty years ago. “My dear. My dear, sweet, beautiful Leona. So, we air out the room. That’s all. You don’t need to worry. I already have everything ready to go. I even have Wade heading into town this very minute to pick them up.”
Leona frowned before glancing down the hall. “No, Jeb, he’s not. I just talked to him at his cabin and he was headed out to look for coyote tracks. He said something about Thomas …”
“What!” Jeb roared.
Though his wife told him not to worry, it was too late. She went off to fix the guest room and Jeb went to hunt down his son. Wade protested higher priorities when he eventually found the young man a mile out on their property. Their argument died soon enough when Jeb didn’t know how to explain who the guest was or why this mattered.
“Well you’re expected at supper tonight,” he mustered finally. “And you had best clean up before your mother sees you. If you’re a hair late, boy, well—well, don’t be.”
Wade scoffed, putting his hat back on and swinging back into his saddle. “I’m never late for food. Or Mother,” he added, and headed off without so much as a farewell.
Jeb was forced to return to the house alone, wondering if he’d ever be able to rein in that boy. But there was little time to think as he found Thomas and his wagon in front of the house, having already returned. Since he didn’t see the girl, that meant she was inside. He hesitated. That meant Leona had met her.
“There’s the man of the hour,” his wife gave him a stern look as he peeked his head inside. She was sitting in the parlor with their guest. And she did not look happy. “We were wondering where you had gone off to.”
Trying to chuckle, he entered the room. “Dear, I was just coming to … Well, I won’t be rude. Miss Landers, is it?” Jeb turned his attention to the young lady, who stood immediately. She was a skinny little thing, with long brown hair and a sharp nose. The girl wasn’t dressed up much, but she was a beauty. And she looked as cheerful as his wife did.
“Yes, sir. The very one who’s clearly been sending letters to the wrong person. Now, am I to understand that Mr. Wade Shelton doesn’t know I exist?”
Jeb grinned, already like her gumption. Her letters had been simple but clear, hopeful and strong. Clearly, she would be a match for his son. A good one, he hoped. When he glanced over to Leona, however, she apparently didn’t share the same thoughts.
Rubbing his hands on his pants, he gestured for the young woman to take a seat. “Please, sit. I had best explain myself.” Once they were all in their chairs, the two women stared at him. Jeb tried to remember the speech he had prepared for this very moment. Rather, he’d expected it to start out better. But he was hopeful for the right conclusion.
“Wade is our son. Everything in those letters, miss, is correct. The minor detail that was, well, avoided, was that I was writing on behalf of our son.” Jeb shot a glance at his wife and offered a sheepish grin. “He doesn’t know it yet.
“But he needs a woman,” he added hurriedly when the young woman opened her mouth to protest. “And he needs one just like you. A bold woman, a woman with grit. One who isn’t afraid to speak her mind or—or have opinions. Your letters made that very clear. If you two just meet, I’m certain you could change his mind. If you just give him a chance, I think this could work.”
Miss Grace Landers stared at them in disbelief. Slowly, she shook her head. “I must apologize. I know I come from the city and I’ve had a very long train ride. But you must understand how crazy this sounds.”
His smile began to fade as he glanced back at his wife. She didn’t offer him any support as she sighed. “No, my child, don’t apologize. That’s my husband’s job. He should have been honest from the start. What did you expect to happen when you told the truth?” Leona asked him.
Jeb hesitated. The girl had agreed to the idea of the marriage, so he didn’t see why that wasn’t likely anymore. “I thought this would be all right. Doesn’t everyone want to be married?”
“Not like this.” Leona shook her head and moved to the couch beside the girl. “I apologize on behalf of my husband for this confusion. Can we purchase you a ticket home?”
Miss Landers covered her mouth as she turned away. He thought she might be laughing, but then he heard a loud gulp and awkwardly realized she was holding back tears. “I-I don’t know. I didn’t think I’d ever return. I …”
Perhaps he should have thought this through a little more. It just didn’t make sense. Surely once she saw Wade, she would change her mind. He was a handsome young man, after all. There were several girls in town who would like to marry him. Why not her? Jeb coughed loudly. “Well, I-I suppose I could have tried …” Leona gave him a look that told him to be quiet.
“Here’s what we’re going to do.” His wife took charge as she wrapped her hands comfortingly around the girl’s shoulders. “We’re all going to put some food into our bellies, all right? That will help us all feel a little better. Then everyone is going to go to bed, and we’ll discuss it tomorrow. There is a guest bedroom with your name on it, Miss Landers, and after breaking our fast we will see about fixing this marriage mess.”
Jeb opened his mouth to protest but his wife stared him down. Just as he closed his mouth, however, Wade spoke up from behind.
“What marriage mess?”
Chapter Five
Grace could never have imagined such an incident. In all her days, in all the possibilities, she wouldn’t have imagined she would be trapped at a supper table with these folks. Certainly, they all appeared kind enough, friendly enough, but she had never felt so betrayed. She had been so honest in her letters. Now everything was a lie.
The food was delicious, but she had no appetite. Swirling the food around on her plate, Grace glanced up at the man across from her. Wade was eating slowly as well. When he glanced her way, she dropped her stare back to her plate.
He was handsome, she could admit that much. Thick blond hair curled around his face and ears, framing refined features and blue eyes that kept skirting around her. Was he as confused as she felt? Surely he had to be. But he’d hardly said a thing as his mother explained what had happened. She couldn’t recall the exact words, but he had scoffed at his father and attempted to leave.
“You’re already here,” Mrs. Shelton had pointed out. “Be a gentleman, would you?”
Everyone had tuc
ked into their food and eaten quietly, forks scraping against the plates in the silence. And now here they all were. She had never eaten such a tense meal like this one.
Finally Wade stood, and everyone jerked their heads up. “Mother, thank you for supper. In case anyone was wondering,” he added mildly, “I’m still not planning to get married. Good night.” And he left out the back door.
Grace felt her cheeks heat up, embarrassed and humiliated. She had been such a fool. Even afterwards as Mrs. Shelton quietly led her to the guest bedroom for the evening, Grace could hardly talk. “Thank you,” she managed. “You’ve been too kind. I’m sorry to—to have come and bothered you.”
“Nonsense,” the woman patted her arm. She had kind eyes, Grace decided. “I told you, you have nothing to apologize for. Besides, it’s nice to have another woman in the house again. So no matter what you decide tomorrow, I do hope you’ll stay a while.”
***
Though she tossed and turned for the entire night, hardly sleeping a wink, Grace couldn’t sort out what to do. Even as dawn arose, she hardly knew what she wanted. Mostly just her books, she thought to herself. She’d managed to bring three of them with her. And there was a pen and paper, so she could write.
Gathering her courage, Grace informed the Sheltons that she did not appreciate the misleading communications and that she refused to go through with any sort of marriage. It wasn’t like Wade wanted that, after all. But, she added, she didn’t have anywhere else to go. So she would take up the offer to stay with them in the house.
“That’s great!” Jeb offered so cheerfully that it made her hesitate. But Grace decided to put that behind her and turned her attention to trying to write her very first story.
Sitting on the porch, she was trying to piece together the first chapter when loud footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. Grace froze when she noticed who it was.
