Lizzy and her mother sat at the table, reading the local paper and eating a hot breakfast brought to them from their current stop. While the railroad men handled their routine business, Uncle Oliver had left the car to make certain the rest of Brookstone’s workforce had what they needed before the train started up again.
“It says here that the Galveston hurricane last month may have killed as many as twelve thousand people,” Mother said, lowering the paper. “Can you imagine? Oliver told me there are only about two hundred thousand people in all of Montana.”
“I can’t imagine it,” Lizzy admitted. “To think of that many people suddenly killed is beyond me. Those hurricanes must be terrible storms to endure. I hope we never encounter one.”
“It says the loss of livestock and crops was unimaginable.” Mother shook her head. “Seems the newspaper is full of such sad things these days.”
A knock sounded on the car door, but before Lizzy could get to her feet, it opened and her uncle peered inside.
“Oh good, you’re both awake and ready to receive,” Uncle Oliver declared. “I want you to meet someone.”
Lizzy stood and smiled as her uncle stepped into the car. The young man who followed him was expensively clothed and nearly a head taller than Uncle Oliver. He carried himself like a man who had been brought up in privilege. He glanced around their accommodations, seeming to assess the situation. Lizzy wondered if he thought their little home on wheels quaint or appalling. Finally, his gaze settled on Lizzy and then Mother. He offered them a wide smile that seemed sincere enough and took off his hat.
Uncle Oliver did likewise and offered an introduction. “This is Jason Adler. He joined us last night, but you ladies had already gone to bed.”
Mother and Lizzy exchanged a look. Lizzy knew that Henry Adler was responsible for her father and uncle having the money to start their own wild west show back in the day, but she had no idea who Jason was. Better still, what was his purpose here?
As if reading her thoughts, Uncle Oliver added clarity. “He’s the son of Henry Adler. Jason, this is my brother’s widow, Mrs. Rebecca Brookstone, and her daughter, Elizabeth.”
Mother spoke first. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Adler. My husband spoke so highly of your father.”
“And my father spoke highly of your husband. He sends his deepest regrets, Mrs. Brookstone.” Jason Adler gave a slight bow. He looked at Lizzy. “We are sorry for your loss as well, Miss Brookstone.”
“Call her Lizzy,” Uncle Oliver declared. “Everyone does.”
Lizzy wasn’t sure what Jason Adler was doing here, but she couldn’t deny that he was quite the dashing gentleman. He looked about her age, maybe a little older, and his accent clearly revealed his English heritage.
“Jason has come on board to help me,” Uncle Oliver continued. “He has all sorts of ideas for benefiting the show.”
“Won’t you join us?” Mother said. “There’s hot coffee and extra pastries, though I’m afraid if you want something hot to eat, we’ll have to send someone out.”
“We’ve had our breakfast, Rebecca, but a cup of coffee would suit me right down to my boots. How about it, Jason? Coffee?”
Jason Adler smiled. “I’d be happy to share coffee with two such lovely ladies.”
The men put their hats aside and took the empty chairs at the small table for four. Lizzy retrieved extra cups and brought them to the table. She didn’t understand Jason’s purpose. Uncle Oliver said the Englishman had all sorts of ideas, but Lizzy couldn’t see any reason they needed his or his father’s thoughts on the show.
Once Mother had poured the coffee and Uncle Oliver had made small talk about the weather, Lizzy decided to press the matter.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand the reason for having Mr. Adler join the show. You mentioned he has ideas for us, but I wasn’t aware that we needed . . . ideas.”
She glanced at Mr. Adler to judge whether or not he’d taken offense. He seemed completely at ease, however, and merely sipped his black coffee. He met her gaze over the rim of his cup, and it looked to Lizzy as if there was a twinkle in his blue eyes. He seemed amused.
Uncle Oliver, on the other hand, looked a bit sheepish. “Well . . . you see . . . a while back, I sold part of the show to Henry Adler.”
“What?” the women questioned in unison.
Jason Adler slowly lowered his cup while Uncle Oliver held up his hands. “It’s a long story, but the show has been struggling to make a profit. I thought some fresh ideas might benefit us. Mr. Adler has proven very helpful in the past.”
“Still, you should have discussed it with Mother, at least. She speaks in place of my father now,” Lizzy replied. She knew her tone revealed her outrage.
To his credit, Jason Adler said nothing.
“I think in time you’ll see how good this will be for us. Jason’s ideas are good ones—things I know your father would have approved.”
What could she say to that? If Lizzy even thought to argue, it would no doubt bring on another round of tears from her mother. No opinion was worth causing her mother pain.
For several minutes and another cup of coffee, her uncle explained that the Adlers were devoted to the best interests of the Brookstone family.
Finally, Jason spoke up. “My father—in fact, my entire family—is eternally grateful for what your father and uncle did for us. He often speaks of the hunting trip in the Rockies that your father and uncle guided him on. The fact that they saved his life will never be forgotten. Now, if there is a way for us to help you save the show, then we want to do whatever we can.”
“Save the show?” Lizzy asked, looking to her uncle. “What is he talking about?”
Again, her uncle looked uncomfortable. “The fact is, we can’t go on like this. There isn’t enough money to go around. We’re barely able to make our payroll.”
“But we’re always sold out.” Lizzy knew there was a great deal of pride in her voice, but she couldn’t help herself. “We have more towns asking for performances than we can say yes to.”
“Indeed,” Jason said. “It’s more a matter of management. There are ways to save money and economize. Your father and uncle were not . . . well . . .”
“We weren’t schooled for such things, Lizzy,” Uncle Oliver said. “We’ve managed as best we could, but Jason here is educated. He and his father both attended college, and they’ve run all sorts of businesses and know how to manage money better than I do.”
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Lizzy got up to answer it, and Jason stood quickly to help her from her chair. She didn’t feel very hospitable toward him but forced herself to be polite. “Thank you.”
She opened the door to find Agnes, the show’s head seamstress. “Mrs. Brookstone,” she called from the platform, “I wonder if you could come to the costume room when you have time.”
Mother started to rise, and again Jason was there to lend a hand. She gave him a warm smile, much more sincere than the one Lizzy had offered him. “I’ll come right now.” She looked to the men. “If you’ll excuse me. Oliver, I trust you to manage the matter. You’ve always had our best interests at heart.”
“August asked me to tell Mr. Brookstone that he needed to consult him on a matter related to the horses,” Agnes added. “He said he needed to speak to you before we pulled out of the station.”
Uncle Oliver got to his feet. “Jason, perhaps you could stay and explain some of your ideas to Lizzy. I want you two to become good friends.”
Lizzy didn’t want to contradict her uncle even though sitting and talking with Jason was the last thing she wanted to do. She walked back to the table and found Jason waiting to help her with her chair. She certainly couldn’t fault his manners.
Once she was seated and the others had departed, Lizzy looked at Jason. Previously he had been seated beside her, but now he took the seat opposite her, where Mother had been sitting. His expression was concerned. “I suppose this is a rather uncomfortable situation for you.”
“Uncomfortable isn’t the word I would choose.” She shrugged. “I’m confused and concerned, but not uncomfortable.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” His blue eyes sparkled, and his expression relaxed. “I wouldn’t like you to feel uncomfortable in my presence. Like your uncle, I very much want us to be friends.”
Lizzy tried to put aside her suspicion. “Why don’t you explain your money-saving ideas? Then perhaps I’ll be less concerned and confused.”
“I’d be happy to.” He tugged absentmindedly at the cuffs of his shirt. “As you know, a show such as yours is hardly guaranteed an income. There are all sorts of overhead costs and unexpected problems.”
“Isn’t that true of all industries?”
“Quite right. However, a performance-based industry such as yours has many variables that other businesses might never have to concern themselves with. Your business is in constant motion. You take it on the road, and for most of the year you go from place to place. The wear and tear takes its toll. The business is also dependent on living, breathing beings, both human and animal, for its success. That only serves to increase the risk and expense.”
“But all industry and business requires living, breathing beings.” Lizzy didn’t know why she felt so at odds with Jason. He was only trying to help, she supposed, but he wasn’t family, and the fact that he would be allowed to help make decisions in their business irritated her sense of balance.
He shifted in his seat and gave a hint of a shrug. “It’s true that any business is only as good as the individuals running and working it. However, Brookstone’s adds an additional element to that. In other industries, when a worker is injured or falls ill, there are many others who can step in to manage their position. The same is true for industries reliant upon horses. However, in your situation, that isn’t the case.”
Lizzy had to concede he was right. “I understand what you’re saying. It wouldn’t be possible to suddenly procure animals as well-trained as my horses, should something happen to them.”
“Exactly so.” He smiled. “Even harder to replace the rider.” His right brow rose, as if daring her to contradict him.
Lizzy remained silent but gave a nod.
“The most important thing is to assure quality housing and care for yourselves as well as your stock. I’d like to see the railcars inspected and repairs made. There are new, safer ways to transport horses, for instance. I can show you some of the designs I have with me. Perhaps later, when we’re actually on our way.”
“Yes, I’d like to see what you have in mind.”
“The key is to keep both performers and livestock at their optimum health and ability. After all, venues will hardly pay if there is no performance.”
“I imagine our contracts allow for some sort of compensation.”
Jason shook his head. “The contracts created by your father and uncle were hardly more than handshakes and letters. In the twentieth century, attention to detail is required. My father had our solicitor put together some sample contracts that we might use. We can discuss this when the time is right.”
She felt her anger building. “I see. So our problem is that my uncle and father mismanaged the show?”
“Not entirely. They did what had been done in the past. What they learned from the show in which they had once performed. I’m not here to point out fault, but to help. I hope you won’t always be hostile toward me.”
“If someone came into your home, started suggesting changes, and told you that your father hadn’t sense enough to know how to manage his affairs, wouldn’t you feel a tad hostile?” She fixed him with a stern gaze.
“If my father had asked someone to help him figure out how he might better his home and family,” Jason replied calmly, “I would hope that the remaining members of the household wouldn’t treat that person as the enemy.”
Lizzy forced herself to calm down. He was right. He wasn’t here to be her enemy. “So what do you suggest, besides improving the railcars and new contracts?”
“It will be necessary to look at the operation and see where money can be saved. Perhaps we can start by eliminating some of the men who work with the stock and equipment. I’ve noticed quite a few are well into their years and able to do very little. It seems the younger men could handle their responsibilities along with their own, thus saving money in wages.”
“Those older men are friends of my family. They were given jobs with the show because they aren’t able to work full-time on our ranch. They’ve been with us for a long time, and although broken and aged, they still provide good help.”
“I know it’s hard to imagine letting them go, but no one will earn a wage if there is no longer a show.”
Lizzy hadn’t realized things were so dire. She wanted to ask Jason about the details, but at the same time, she didn’t want anything to do with him. Apparently he noted this dilemma as well.
“Over time, we can go over the ledgers and review where costs might be saved. For now, however, just let me say that I think the show is amazing. I know the crowds love it and will continue to do so. I want your help to figure out how we can keep it alive.”
His change of direction made Lizzy remember her own thoughts from the night before. “My mother doesn’t plan to continue with the show. It’s been so hard on her since my father’s death.”
“I can’t begin to imagine. Why didn’t she return to the ranch with . . . your father?”
“She wanted to.” Lizzy felt her anger fade. “She would have, had she not promised him to stay with the show. Father was a firm believer in honoring his commitments, and he didn’t want to disappoint the people who were looking forward to our performances. He made Mother and I promise we’d stay on until the end of the tour this year.” She shook her head. “I think he also knew that Mother would be lost in her grief if she didn’t have something to do.”
“And now she’ll return to the ranch?”
“Yes.” Lizzy met his sympathetic expression. “I may remain with her.”
He frowned. “But why? You’re the main attraction.”
“I am only one of several, if you’ll recall. I’m also twenty-eight. It’s getting harder to perform those tricks. Besides, without my father, I’ve lost the heart of it all.”
“But your fans can surely help reinstate that passion. They’re devoted to you. You may not realize this, but some people actually follow you from show to show—at least within a certain radius of their homes. If you leave the show, I believe it will fail. Like it or not, you are the main attraction and the reason the show continues to garner large audiences.”
“I wouldn’t go without training a replacement. The other girls who trick ride are quite good. With some practice, they could take over my tricks—even mimic my costumes and styles. No one will ever know the difference. They come for the Brookstone all-female wild west show. Not for Elizabeth Brookstone.”
“I don’t think you realize your importance.” Jason shook his head. “People know exactly who you are. You receive fan letters, don’t you?”
“Yes, but so do the others.”
He leaned forward. “Miss Brookstone, would you please at least delay making your final decision until the end of the tour? I’d like to convince you to stay on for at least one more year. The changes I’m going to suggest will upset things enough, but if you leave, then I can guarantee the show will fall apart.”
Lizzy sighed. She didn’t want to be the reason the show failed. In some ways it would be like losing her father all over again, and it would break her uncle’s heart. Uncle Oliver would never give up the show. He loved it too much. The show was his entire life, although since her father had died, Oliver had taken to drinking a bit too much, and she wasn’t sure how much life he had left in him.
Jason leaned forward. “Just give me some time, Miss Brookstone. Think about staying on for one more year. Please.”
His pleading tone stirred something deep within her. Lizzy knew what it felt like to desperately want something to work out. She also knew how it felt when the one key person refused to do their part.
“I’ll pray on it, Mr. Adler.” She met his gaze. “That’s the best I can give you.”
He smiled. “It’s enough. For now.”