Chapter 6

 

 

Outside Laramie, Wyoming Territory ~ July 17, 1878

B lythe closed her eyes against the breeze that brushed her face in response to waving her fan. Not for the first time, she silently thanked her friend, Daisy, with whom she stayed for two weeks. Daisy gave her the fan, insisting that, while traveling, Blythe would need it.

Fortunately, the Friday night she had been let go from her job at the Stapletons’, Daisy had taken Blythe in when she showed up on her friend’s doorstep. She asked to stay there just for the night so she could wait until daytime to look for a room in a decent boardinghouse. Daisy insisted she could save money by staying there. Contributing to the food budget and giving the family a smaller sum for a place to sleep would cost her less than staying at a boardinghouse.

Daisy had been right. However, sleeping in the front room next to Daisy’s three-year-old son meant Blythe woke each morning feeling exhausted. Then there was Robert, Daisy’s husband, who did not favor the arrangement. The night before Blythe left, he carried on an argument with Daisy loud enough to be heard through their bedroom door. That persuaded Blythe that—letter from Sgt. McGilvey or not—she intended to leave Chicago and start her journey west.

With her bags packed, Blythe stopped by the post office. After discovering no mail waited for her, with reluctance, she put postage on the letter she wrote earlier that morning and mailed it. In it, she told the sergeant that she would let him know where he could send his next correspondence. She hoped that when he replied, it would include the happy news that all they waited upon had been approved and she could proceed to Rawlins so they could be wed.

Blythe dropped the fan in her lap and heaved a sigh. Nothing had gone like she planned. Instead of staying in Omaha—well out of Chicago and the reach of Wendell, Jr.—she now traveled directly to the frontier, which she suspected was full of rough-mannered people, outlaws, and renegade Indians unhappy about being told to live on reservations. The positive side of the situation was that she would be within a few miles of the man who offered her marriage and a somewhat secure future—as secure as living in a fort in the middle of the Wyoming frontier could be. Most importantly, he would serve as a father to her child. Instinctively, Blythe pressed a palm over her stomach where already she had felt life. He does not know yet, but he did say he hopes for a child or two from our marriage. Will he accept this child?

Blythe turned her gaze to the seat in front of her where her newly-acquired friend, Eli Morgan, sat at an angle. His head leaned against the window frame. Once the passengers who sat there earlier left the train, he moved over to get out of the sun. His friends had switched to seats across the aisle for the same reason but moved farther up front. The shift had taken place with a great display of fanfare that involved moving rifles and telescopes which Blythe, as much as she tried not to laugh aloud, found quite amusing.

Now, with his legs crossed at his ankles and sticking out into the aisle, Eli appeared to have succumbed to the fatigue that claimed his companions earlier. As she studied him with his arms crossed and his derby covering his eyes, she suppressed a wistful sigh. Will Sgt. McGilvey be as considerate and gentlemanly as Eli? As much as she hated to admit it, she did feel an attraction to this man. She, who after her experiences with Wendell, Jr., had every reason to distrust men, found she trusted Eli. Will I feel I can trust Sgt. McGilvey the same way? Or perhaps she thought and behaved like a foolish female who, as soon as a man like Eli treated her decently, she felt drawn to him. I cannot allow myself to develop personal feelings for him when I am committed to another man.

Struck by guilt, Blythe decided she must focus her thoughts elsewhere. She rose to her feet, grabbed the edge of the luggage rack, and reached for her carpetbag.

“Let me get that for you, Mrs. Greenly.”

Eli’s words, spoken directly behind her, caused Blythe to pause. She blinked as she twisted her neck and tipped her face up to view his. Once again, his height caught her notice. She found it endearing that his hair had become mussed up and now stuck out in several directions. “Thank you. I decided to read some more.”

“Let me know any time you would like your carpetbag. I’m happy to help you.” Eli’s hand moved to her elbow as he helped her be seated.

“That’s very thoughtful. However, I truly am quite capable. If you knew how many times I have reached over my head to place or remove linens on a high shelf, you would know my getting something off this rack is second nature to me.”

“That might be. However, did the floors in the house where you worked bounce and rock like this train coach does?” Wearing a grin, Eli handed her the carpetbag and then he resumed his seat. “I don’t recall hearing that Chicago is known for having frequent earthquakes.”

“No earthquakes.” Blythe shook her head. “I truly am steady on my feet, Mr. Morgan.” At least, I was until about a month ago, when this baby began growing and my body started changing. “Thank you for helping me with my carpetbag.” She opened it long enough to retrieve her Jane Austen book.

“Would you consider it too forward of me to ask to sit next to you for a few minutes?”

Blythe snapped her gaze to Eli and blinked. “That would be fine, Mr. Morgan.” She cleared her throat and straightened her spine. “Do you prefer the aisle seat or the window seat?”

“Aisle seat, please. I can stretch out that way.”

Blythe picked up her carpetbag she had again placed on the other side of the bench and put it in her lap. She scooted over. She felt Eli’s arm and shoulder brush hers as he sat next to her. She sucked in a quick breath.

After being seated next to Blythe, Eli nodded toward the open window. “It’s a mixed blessing, isn’t it? With as hot as it is outside, the air movement helps keep it from becoming too stifling in here. I sure don’t like the cinders and ash, though.”

“I know. I doubt this dress will ever look the same as it did when I left Chicago.” Blythe looked at her lap and brushed away several small, black specks. “Still, train travel has its advantages over the old covered wagons.”

“That it does. Did you get enough to eat earlier? I hope you enjoyed the meat stuffed in rolls. Professor Sewell bought more than the three of us could possibly eat.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Mrs. Green’s bottom lip quivered. “In Omaha, I bought enough food to last me to Rawlins.” Did the man think she was blind? She recalled seeing the three huddled together several benches toward the front. When they stood straight, Eli reached into his pocket and pulled out several bills, which he handed to the older man. As Jason and Rand left the passenger coach, Eli returned to the seat in front of her. He gave the reason that he volunteered to stay behind to keep an eye on their belongings.

“But what you brought wasn’t cooked food. You should allow us to gift you that one meal without feeling awkward. We certainly were not about to eat such a feast in front of you and not share.”

Blythe glanced at him and smiled before ducking her head. She thought he used the term feast rather loosely. Under normal conditions, it would have been considered fairly simple fare—something people ate when in a hurry. However, after a diet of bread, cheese, apples, and dried fruit, the shredded meat with an au jus sauce soaked into the rolls had been a wonderful treat.

Then there had been the cold soft drink Rand handed her along with an explanation. “It’s called root beer. It’s fairly new—only been out a few years. A good root beer is quite tasty and satisfying when the temperature is hot.”

Blythe assured them the sweetened drink made with soda water had been refreshing, especially considering the dark brown bottle it came in had been sitting in chipped ice. It was a pleasant break from the plain water she brought in a jar. Her insides vibrated with awareness when Eli leaned toward her and she felt his breath tickle her ear.

“I have something to show you. It’s a gift for my niece. When the train stopped in North Platte, and right after I sent the telegram to the Railroad Hotel in Rawlins, I wandered into a nearby shop and bought it. I want to see what you think.” Eli pulled out a small jeweler’s pouch of black velvet and shook the contents into his palm. He held it toward her. “It’s pewter, but I thought it attractive.”

“It’s lovely.” Blythe leaned forward to study it. The ring was probably not that expensive, but she found the floral design eye-catching. She sat back and her gaze met his. “Depending on the age of your niece, it might be too mature a gift for her.”

“She’s my older brother’s daughter. Well, Edgar is my only brother, but he’s the oldest of us three siblings. He married young. Annabelle is probably in her mid-teens by now, just about out of short skirts.”

“Then, she would probably enjoy such a ring.”

“I’ll send it to her when I return home. Both my brother and sister live in Albany, New York, you see. It’s where I grew up.” Eli rotated the ring with his fingers before he held it out to Blythe. He leaned his head toward her as he lowered his voice. “In the meantime, I would like for you to wear it.”

Blythe choked and twisted in her seat. With lips parted and her eyes wide, she stared at him. She glanced around the passenger coach to see if anyone observed the scene. Seeing no one paid them any attention, she leaned forward and practically hissed her response. “Mr. Morgan, that would be most improper for me to accept a ring from you, even one you bought for your niece. Besides, how would she feel about receiving a ring first worn by a stranger?”

“I doubt she will care.” Eli shrugged and smiled. “For one thing, I have no intention of telling her.”

“Your friends would know.” Blythe felt the heat rise in her face. She realized this man had a knack for causing her to blush often. “I can hardly countenance what they would say about it.”

“They don’t know.” Eli shook his head. “Neither was with me when I bought it, and I didn’t tell them.” He shifted in his seat to position himself so he better faced Blythe. “Here is why I offered to loan it to you. I consider it a shame that you were forced to sell your wedding ring. Yet, I know from listening to my mother all these years, if you still wore your ring, you would reduce your chances of receiving improper advances from unknown men.”

Blythe stared at him in silence. Then, against her will, she felt a smile appear on her lips. “Unknown men. You mean, unknown men like you?”

The muscles of Eli’s face danced through a range of expressions. “I suppose you could say that, yes.” He raised a hand. “In my defense, I tried to think what my mother might do to help a friend in your situation rectify the lack of a wedding ring. I decided she would loan you a ring that would pass.” He cleared his throat. “This was the best I could come up with as a way to loan you a ring on terms you might accept.”

“Because, in the short time we’ve known each other, you consider me a friend?” Blythe felt the muscles of her face, neck, and shoulders relax. She could not hold back her smile.

“I would like to think of you as a friend, Mrs. Greenly.” He reached for her hand and turned it palm up before he dropped the ring. “I would happily give it to you as a gift. However, I suspect you would refuse. Therefore, I am loaning it to you for the reason I explained. I just hope it fits.”

Blythe stared at the ring. “Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I will accept it as a…as a…” Blythe cleared her throat and hoped the tears she felt trying to fill her eyelids would not fall. “I’ll accept it as a loan and give it back before I marry. Please don’t tell your friends.” Slowly, she slid it on her ring finger. It fit snugly.

“I won’t.” Eli also studied the ring on her finger. After seconds passed, his forehead creased as he raised his gaze to Blythe’s face. “Mrs. Greenly, if you don’t think me too impertinent, might you share with me your given name?”

“My given name?” Mesmerized by the beautiful sky-blue eyes that gazed at her, Blythe stared at him. Then, in order to break the spell he held over her, she blinked and smiled. “I’m sorry. Somehow, I thought that in the course of introductions, I shared that. My first name is Blythe.”

“Blythe. What a pretty name. I can’t say I’ve heard of many women named Blythe.”

Blythe’s face turned pink. Her shoulders relaxed as her smile widened. “My mother said it comes from an old English word meaning carefree or having a happy disposition. Only, she spelled it with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i.’”

“Ah. I can see why a mother might name a beloved daughter that.” Eli smiled and leaned toward Blythe. He reached for her fingertips and turned her hand at an angle to view the ring. “It’s pewter, not gold, but with your late husband having been a dock worker, it will be believable as a wedding band. It’s not much, but it should do until your soldier marries you.”

“Thank you.” She turned to him and smiled, only to realize how close her action placed her lips to his. She immediately leaned away and turned so she faced forward once more. Again, she wondered if Sgt. McGilvey would be as considerate as Eli Morgan had been the past two days. Will he give me a wedding ring?