The station was crowded when Marty arrived. He managed to find a place to hitch his phaeton, and rushed inside. The sound of the train’s whistle was loud and clear as it came around the bend in a blanket of steam and smoke. Marty looked around at the faces of the people nearby. Some looked excited, he presumed these were the people waiting like him for loved ones. Others looked apprehensive, he wondered if they were taking their first trip on the railways, or if they were meeting people as yet unknown. Others just looked bored. He found a porter and gave him a dollar to stay close. He knew it would be mayhem once the train pulled into the station, and finding what you needed at that point was almost impossible.
The train came to a halt with a screeching of its brakes, and what sounded like a big sigh. The cloud of smog took a while to clear, but when it did he saw her. He knew it was Georgina. She looked up the platform, her long chestnut brown hair swinging over her shoulder as she tossed it out of her way as she bent to pick up a small suitcase. He met her gaze, and knew that he had been right to be impatient. He had never been so before, had always been most circumspect when making such decisions. He hurried forward. “Miss Chappel?” he asked her, bowing gallantly. She put her hand on his shoulder and encouraged him to stand upright. She leant over and kissed his cheek.
“Georgie, we agreed that such formality was no longer required did we not?” He grinned at her.
“How was your journey?” he asked, not knowing what else to say to this goddess standing before him. She was tall and elegant. There was no hint of the hoyden she professed to be.
“It was long, but I met some lovely people and isn’t Texas stunning? I did not know. Everybody has been trying to talk me out of coming, telling me it was desolate and filled with nothing but cows, but it truly is quite spectacular.”
“It is indeed,” he agreed.
“Now, did you keep your promise?” she asked him curiously looking into his eyes. He could only hope that she would find whatever she was looking for in them, as his mind had suddenly gone blank.
“My promise?”
“You assured me that I could drive your phaeton if I were to come and visit with you,” she said with a smile that lit up her entire face. The skin around her eyes crinkled, and her cheeks dimpled prettily.
“Oh, yes of course I did promise you that didn’t I,” he said trying to sound as though he had completely forgotten. “I am so very sorry.” Her face fell, and he could keep up the ruse no longer. “Of course I did not forget. Though Allegro and Scherzo may be a little tired to race at their top speed today after the journey here. I have organized for the stage to take your trunks to Ruby Springs, and thought that we might take a sedate drive so you could see some of the beautiful scenery, especially the springs that give the town its name.”
“Without a chaperone?” she said, trying to sound aghast, but only ending up in a fit of giggles. The sound was like music and it played over his lonely heart. He felt a pang of guilt that he had not told her the truth about everything, but though he had tried, he had been unable to find the words to tell her in a letter. He knew he had to do so before she married him, it would be most unfair if she were to find out afterwards. But now he had met her he did not want anything to ruin this moment, and he vowed that though he would not do so today, he would tell her everything tomorrow.
“Yes, I am afraid that we are all set to start a scandal the likes of which Ruby Springs has never known. I have not even arranged for you to live elsewhere. I am afraid your reputation will be quite ruined,” he teased.
“I don’t think my reputation was ever in anything but tatters,” she admitted taking his arm. Marty felt a frisson of pleasure sear his skin where her bare wrist touched his hand. He could hardly believe that he was no longer alone. It had been such a long time, and he had surely punished himself for long enough?
“In truth I have arranged for you to stay with my friend Matthew and his new wife Ellen. They live just outside of Ruby Springs, and I know they will take good care of you,” he said, whilst he prayed that neither one of them would mention Alice, his long lost fiancée. That was a story she should hear from him first, and she should hear the whole truth – not the version he had told his friends. He knew he should never have lied, but when he came to Ruby Springs he had simply wanted a new start, and by telling a half truth he had been able to explain his reticence in finding a new love, and had not had to find a story that was completely untrue. He had kept it simple, telling everyone of Alice, that he had loved her very much and that she had died of consumption. But he had not told anyone of those final days of her life, and until now he had never realized how much he needed to do so.
“We could always get married now, before we leave Dallas, and then nobody would have to act as chaperone and propriety would be served at all times,” she said flirtatiously. Her words filled him with joy and pain in equal measure. She had arrived, she had met him and had not recoiled in horror, and above all expectation still wanted to marry him and swiftly at that. But he had to give her the chance to turn away from him, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it here, now.
“When you see the little church in Ruby Springs and meet our dear Reverend Meakins, you will understand why I think it best to wait. I know you have left family and friends behind you in Providence, but I want us to be surrounded by people who care for us when we are wed,” he said truthfully, though he felt terribly guilty that again it was only a half truth.
“I concur,” she said amiably. “I have the most beautiful wedding gown, made for me by my very best friend, and it would be a shame if nobody got to see it.”
Allegro and Scherzo had their heads in the water trough when Marty and Georgie reached them. Marty clicked his teeth, and the pair stood upright in perfect unison. Georgie laughed. “You have them very well trained,” she said looking them over with an appraising eye. She smoothed her hand down their necks, over their strong shoulders and down their flanks. “They are beauties,” she finally decided.
“Yes they are, but they are tired beauties,” he said knowing exactly what the gleam in her eye meant. She could hardly wait to race his phaeton against the wind. “I shall drive us out of Dallas, and then you may take the reins and get the feel of them once we are off the busier roads. But no racing today. We shall all need our wits about us. I promise once we have gotten to Ruby Springs, had a day or two’s rest that then you shall push them as hard as you like.”
“I shall try and be patient,” she said greedily. “But the temptation may be too much.”
“I do not wish our relationship to be done before we have even started,” Marty said softly, “would hate for harm to befall you because of my tiredness, their tiredness – or your own.”
“I sense from the way you say that, and the sad look in your eyes that there is good reason behind your words and so I shall be a good girl, this once. Take me to my new home Martin, I cannot wait to see it.”
He watched her as she hitched up her skirts and hauled herself up into the somewhat uncomfortable passenger seats of the sporty open carriage. He was impressed that she was no simpering miss, who waited for a man to assist her. He scrambled up into the driver’s perch and took the reins. Allegro and Scherzo responded as smoothly as they always did and they began to make their way out of the bustling streets of the busy city. Marty pointed out the main shopping district and where the theatres and concert halls were, so she would have some sense of direction should they return soon. She seemed to be interested, but he could see that she was tired. “There is a blanket under the seat if you wished to have a nap,” he said tenderly as they drove out of the city limits.
“Thank you, that would be nice. Wake me up when you feel too tired to continue. I will be more than happy to take the reins for a while,” she said half in earnest and half joking. He nodded to her.
“I may well do that. It is a long journey. But if I am to nap you will have to promise me no racing.” She crossed her heart and looked up to the heavens.
“I most solemnly swear I shall not race,” she said her eyes blazing with mischief.
Marty pondered what to do as Georgie curled her legs up under her and settled down to sleep. He was already falling in love with this woman. He could not remember being so enamored with anyone before, not even Alice. But his secret was too much to bear, and he was sure it would end everything. Why could he not just tell her, as he had everyone else, that Alice had died of consumption? Why did he feel the need to tell her the absolute and heart-breaking truth, that he was responsible for Alice’s death?
He did not know, and so he could not answer his own question – but he knew he had to do so, even if it meant he lost her forever. Trust and honesty were too important within marriage for their relationship to start with him knowing the lie he had been telling for too long. He tried to rehearse how he might explain it, going through every possible response he thought she might make, every question she might ask. The only problem was, that in the end all he saw her doing was getting right back onto a train and going home to Providence once she knew. He simply could not picture it ending any other way.