“I’m afraid Fancy is right,” Annalise added. “He’s been in a foul mood ever since he came back alone. Of course, that’s just today. Most days he’s quite preoccupied and, well…rude, in my opinion.”
“We know he wants us gone,” Fancy said with a sigh. “Annalise here should just up and marry Ty and get out of here. I know I’d be gone if something opened up for me.”
“Come on, I know you’ve had several marriage proposals and turned them all down,” Matthew scoffed at the pretty redhead.
“That’s because I don’t see myself as wifely material. The last thing I’d want is a man telling me how to run my life. My plan is to be on the stage. I want a life of my own, without being tied down.”
“You’re on the stage here.”
“Yes, and I’ll be forever grateful to Callie Mae for giving me a chance, but I need more than a small-town audience. I’d like to see my name on a marque,” she said, rising and waving her hand through the air. “Presenting Fancy O’Shea, A New Singing Sensation,” she dreamily informed them.
“And I can see that happening,” Marilee agreed excitedly. “You’ll be fabulous.”
“Perhaps, if I move on, and I can’t do that until Callie Mae decides to shit or get off the pot!”
“Fancy!” Annalise gasped in shock.
“Well, it’s true. We’re all here, and stuck,” Fancy continued, dropping down onto the piano stool and picking out a one fingered tune.
“Marilee, give me a beer, will you?” Matt said. “I thought you were only staying until you’d paid Callie back for your fare?”
“Oh, we did that long ago,” Annalise softly whispered. “We just haven’t said anything about it. She pays us and we pretty much save our money. Heavens, if Ty knew I’d already paid my debt to Callie Mae, he’d whisk me off to the preacher so fast my head would spin. And he’d probably swat my behind for not telling him the truth,” she finished with a hand to her chest.
“So, what is the truth?” Matt enquired before taking a drink of his beer.
“The truth is that none of us wants to leave Callie Mae shorthanded,” Marilee interjected. “When she married Morgan, we all thought she was going to sell The Duchess. We were prepared to move on. Fancy has been saving to go to San Francisco. Annalise is going to marry Ty Wainwright, and I figured I’d look for a teaching position. Jane…well one never knows what Jane’s plans are. She’s so flighty, but now that Doc Brubaker has laid claim to her, I guess she’ll be fine.”
“He has?” Matt said in surprise.
“Yes, he took her out of here the other night when she caused some trouble, and she’s hasn’t been back since. I think she’s well and truly caught,” Fancy stated with a slightly repulsive shiver. “Poor Jane. He’ll be a demanding husband.”
“Probably,” Matt agreed. “So, what’s going to happen now, now that Callie Mae won’t sell?”
“We don’t know. We’re not sure how long Callie Mae will keep the deception going, and I can’t put Mead off forever. At some point, all of this is going to come to a head and then we’ll all be in hot water,” Marilee whispered in a soft drawl.
“And if Callie is ill, that will change everything,” Annalise pointed out.
“True. Do you think she is really sick?” Matt asked.
Fancy rose and peered out the window.
“Well, Morgan is carrying her down the boardwalk,” she gasped in surprise.
“I’ll try to find out what’s going on,” Matt stated, before draining his mug. “I need to talk to Morgan anyway. And don’t worry. I’m no back talker, so your secrets are safe with me.”
“Thank you, Matthew,” Marilee softly said. “You are a true gentleman.”
“You’ll let us know?” Annalise asked.
“Of course, and if you learn more than me from Callie Mae…”
“We’ll be sure to let you know, too. I don’t think Callie Mae will lie to us,” Fancy informed him. “Morgan might, but not Callie Mae. Lord, I wish things were settled. He’s been a bear today and I don’t know how long I can tolerate his attitude without losing my temper. We didn’t come here to work for him. We came because we were desperate and grew to love Callie. Putting up with him is…”
“Shh,” Fancy said. “Here they are. I hope Callie Mae is all right. I’d never leave her and go to San Francisco if she’s truly ill.”
“Morgan, what’s wrong with your wife?” Matthew asked as soon as he walked through the door with her in his arms.
“Nothing,” Callie snapped. “He’s simply being an over-bearing beast.”
