“I know. I was told it could take forty to fifty days by wagon.”
“And we’ll get there in mere hours. Just imagine when they’ll have the entire railroad in place and you’ll be able to go from one coast to the other in just a matter of weeks instead of months.”
“Probably less time than that. It will be a wonder.”
Marybeth suppressed a yawn. “I’m going to get ready for bed. Would you put the milk on the dresser? I think the room will be cool enough that it’ll keep just fine.”
“If not, I could put it on the ledge outside the window.”
She shook her head and yawned again. “No, it’d freeze. It’ll be okay.”
After gathering her nightgown and robe, she glanced around the room trying to figure out how best to change. It dawned on her that the clerk had said the bathroom was next door.
“I’ll step next door and clean up a bit ... and change.”
Edward nodded. “Keep our door open. That way I’ll hear and see if anyone tries to cause you trouble.”
Marybeth hadn’t thought of something like that. She smiled and gave a half nod before heading out. There was so much of this arrangement they really hadn’t considered.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face seemed paler than usual. Thinner too. She supposed she hadn’t eaten much since Papa died. Her attention had been focused on making sure Carrie ate. People from the church as well as neighbors had brought food to the house for days, but Marybeth couldn’t remember any of the meals.
Pulling the pins from her hair, she couldn’t help but wonder if Edward regretted his decision. Did she?
“It was the only thing we could do,” she murmured. Trying to fight off the pastor and Mr. and Mrs. Wandless by herself would have been impossible. Pastor Orton had already gotten a judge involved. They would have taken Carrie from her without delay.
She looked again to her reflection. No matter what happened, she vowed to make things as easy on Edward as possible. He was the hero in her story—hers and Carrie’s. No matter what the future held, she promised herself then and there that she would do whatever she could to make certain Edward didn’t regret his decision.
Edward awoke early the next morning. It wasn’t even light outside, but then again, dawn came later and later as the calendar pushed toward the end of the year. He stretched, surprised at how well he felt. That massage Marybeth gave him the night before had really done the trick with his stiff neck and sore shoulders. She had a touch.
He got up and cracked the hall door open to check his pocket watch. Four forty. They had a little less than three hours before they needed to catch the train. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Marybeth and Carrie were still sleeping. He opened the door a little wider to let more light filter in. Carrie had snuggled into Marybeth’s arms, and they’d pulled the quilt tightly around themselves. Marybeth’s blond hair mingled with Carrie’s, making it almost impossible to tell where one left off and the other began.
For a long time, Edward just stood watching them. He’d used to watch Janey that way. She seemed so angelic in sleep.He’d told himself when she was laid out for the funeral that she was just sleeping. Nothing more. It was the only way he could keep from rushing to the front of the church to take her into his arms as people paid their respects.
Memories flooded his mind. Janey sleeping late because he’d failed to wake her up. Her chiding him for it because she had things that needed to be done. Usually, it was laundry or baking. Janey always made the very best bread. Marybeth’s bread was just as good. He couldn’t help smiling. The girls once had a contest baking pies to see who should enter their pie into the county fair’s judging. Edward and his father, along with Marybeth’s pa, had been the judges. They’d sampled each pie, then told the girls they’d have to sample them again. They put away four pieces of pie each before admitting that both were equally delicious, and they couldn’t pick just one. The girls gave them such a hard time. That year at the fair Marybeth and Janey tied for first place, vindicating the men’s inability to decide.
Edward nearly laughed out loud, and when he looked at Marybeth again, he saw that she was awake and watching him.
“Good morning. You look mighty happy for a man who spent the night on the floor,” she said as Carrie began to stir. “Would you light the lamp?”
“I was just remembering that time you and Janey had us judge your pies before you entered them at the fair.” He went to the bedside table and found the matches. He lit the lamp and turned the wick up.
Marybeth chuckled. “That was something else. They’d never had a tie at the fair, but the head judge told me they had never had two pies taste equally delicious right down to the flaky crust.” She pushed back the quilt and sheet and sat up.
Her straight blond hair splayed out around her shoulders and down her back. Edward imagined it feeling like corn silk. She rose and took up her robe. Only then was Edward aware of her state of undress. He turned rather quickly on his heel to close the door.
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“I’m completely covered. No need to worry,” she replied.
Edward peeked over his shoulder and saw that she was wrapped in the robe. Carrie rose up on her knees and held up her arms. “I wet.”
Marybeth nodded. “I figured you might have trouble since we didn’t take you to the bathroom before bed last night. Thankfully, I made provisions. Hopefully the top sheet isn’t too bad. Come along. We’ll get you cleaned up.”
“I’ll take care of the bed,” Edward said, figuring he should do his part.
“I’ll take the mat and towel with me. You might check and see if she got anything else wet.” Marybeth gathered all the things she’d need and headed with Carrie to the door. “How much time before we catch the train?”
“Just under three hours.”
