She beamed a smile. “Plenty of time to take care of everything.”
He marveled at her serenity and ease of managing the situation. She really was quite special. Janey had always said that Marybeth’s calm in the face of a storm or bad time was inspiring. He supposed he’d seen some of that over the years. Now, however, it seemed far more personal and evident. He’d just taken her away from all the comforts of her home and still she awoke with a smile and kind word. She was quite the woman.
6
Marybeth didn’t know what she’d really expected of Cheyenne, but arriving in the wee hours of the morning and finding it still very active took her by surprise. Gambling and dance halls, saloons, and brothels were open, and what looked to be hundreds of people still milled the streets.
On the train from Omaha, Edward had spoken with an older gentleman who sat just across the aisle. He was involved in the town planning for Cheyenne and told Edward that he would be glad when the railroad moved down the tracks to build elsewhere and left Cheyenne behind.
“We want a nice town with good people like yourself and your family,” he had said, smiling at Marybeth and Carrie. “Right now, you’d think it was something from the pits of hell itself, but I hope that won’t keep you from considering its future.”
His description continued as he spoke of railroad men so rough and crude that they’d make sailors blush with their language and comments. It seemed the main focus of Cheyenneas a town was vice, and the godlier folks were determined to rid themselves of it as soon as possible.
“The hotel is just a block over on Sixteenth,” Edward told her. “Let’s get a move on so we don’t find ourselves mixing with the wrong folks.”
Marybeth nodded and stuck close to his side. Carrie, thankfully, slept through the ruckus. She had stirred several times, but her day of climbing up and down the seats and running the aisles when given a chance left her once again exhausted. Marybeth could only hope she might sleep well into the morning.
At the hotel, she changed Carrie into nightclothes and put her to bed. The room was quite small, but at least it was private. Edward told her most of the clientele slept in a communal room with as many as thirty men stretched out from wall to wall. They shared one common bathroom with brushes, combs, and razors shared as well. There were only five private rooms in the entire hotel, and they rented for much higher than the communal room. The small bathroom they shared with the four other rooms on the first floor wasn’t much, but it was clean. Marybeth could only imagine the filth of the community bathroom upstairs.
There wasn’t much space for Edward to stretch out on the floor so when Marybeth suggested he share the rather large full-sized bed, he agreed. The bed had been pushed up against the wall, so Marybeth took her place there, and Edward moved Carrie into the middle of the bed between them. He blew out the single candle they’d been given for light and eased into the bed in the dark.
Marybeth felt the bed dip down as Edward added his weight. She hadn’t been at all uncomfortable having him with her in the room, but having him in her bed, even withCarrie there, caused her some unexpected concern. What if they all ended up huddled together in the middle? Being together that way might become all too personal. As it was, Marybeth hadn’t changed out of her clothes, and she didn’t figure Edward had either. They really should have thought the practicalities through more thoroughly before striking out on their adventure.
Marybeth thought of their situation for a long time after Edward began the deep breathing of sleep. Things had moved so fast that she really hadn’t had time to consider everything, but here she was hundreds of miles from home, living in a town that was known for being dangerous and foul, married to a man who didn’t love her as a wife.
She glanced to the side in the dark. She couldn’t see him but knew that Edward was there. She could hear him breathing ... could feel his warmth. It was nice to have the latter, as the room was quite chilly.
What is going to happen to us, Lord?
She had prayed off and on throughout the trip, but this was the first time she had really worried about their outcome. In a town like this, the dangers were bound to be high. How could she keep Carrie from harm when it sounded like it was all around them? What would she do if something happened to Edward?
When she woke up hours later, Marybeth sat up with a start. Carrie was still asleep, but Edward was gone. Knowing him, he probably felt the need to find his friend and let him know they’d arrived. She eased out of the bed and looked around the room. It was then that she noticed there weren’t any windows, and the room was more like a large pantry or washroom than a bedroom.
She dressed quickly, sorry that her preparations for theday couldn’t include a bath. She wondered when that luxury might be hers again. She took the pitcher and went to the bathroom, happy to see that it was deserted. There was a small copper tub and a stove with a large reservoir of water. Hot water. She could have cried at the sight.
Marybeth filled the pitcher and took up a washcloth and towel and hurriedly returned to their room. Carrie slept on. Marybeth used the time to clean up and arrange her hair. By the time she’d secured the last pin, Carrie was awake and asking to go to the bathroom.
“You did so good not to wet the bed,” Marybeth said, taking her sister by the hand. “You’re a big girl!”
“I big girl,” Carrie repeated proudly.
Once Carrie had relieved herself and Marybeth had been able to clean her up and ready her for the day, the little one started complaining of hunger.
“Pease wanna eat,” she said, looking to Marybeth hopefully.
“I do too, but I’m afraid we have nothing here. I think we’ll have to go find a grocer and buy some food.”
“Buy food,” Carrie said, clapping and dancing around. “Buy food.”
Marybeth laughed and grabbed her sister’s coat. She helped Carrie into it and did up the buttons. After that, she found Carrie’s discarded bonnet and snugged it onto her head. It was almost too small. It seemed the child was growing every day.
When she went for her own coat, Marybeth found a note left to her by Edward. “‘Went to find the major. Be back soon. Edward,’” she read aloud. She looked at Carrie. “Well, that explains where Edward went.”
“We go now.” Carrie went to the door and tried to open it. Thankfully, she was too little to grip the handle.
Marybeth tucked the note into her coat pocket and went to her sister. “You must hold my hand. It’s dangerous outside.”
Carrie did as she was told but seemed completely oblivious to what Marybeth had said. It wasn’t likely she understood, but Marybeth knew she would have to get it across to her in time. Carrie needed to stick close to Edward or Marybeth, especially with all the rough characters the man on the train had described as regular citizens of Cheyenne.
