Rebecca Hagan Lee - [Borrowed Brides 01] (2 page)

“What style?” Faith glanced around at the bare walls and floors. The once magnificent dining room was unfurnished except for the stove, a rough pine table and benches, a broken cherry sideboard, three wooden crates, a battered copper tub for bathing and the oak barrel.

“I’m glad Mama and Papa didn’t live to see this,” Faith said softly.

Even the huge crystal chandelier was gone, a victim of looters. The scavengers had used it for target practice, then cut the support rope and allowed the gilded frame and the remaining crystal prisms to crash to the floor.

“I don’t know,” Aunt Tempy teased to lighten the mood. “I’ll bet that chandelier was the devil to clean. At least, that’s one less thing to worry about.”

“I suppose you’re right, Aunt Tempy,” Faith agreed. “We have enough to worry about without that. What with the roof and the price of everything going up except what we get paid for sewing and our property taxes due next month. I just don’t know where to turn. We’ll never be able to earn enough money to pay for everything.”

“We’ll manage.”

“But the taxes are due at the end of next month,” Faith said.

“What about the bank?” Mrs. Everett asked. “Have you tried to take money out of the bank? That’s what my dear late husband used to do.”

Faith looked at Mrs. Everett. She hadn’t realized the others were listening so closely.

“Agnes,” Aunt Virt scolded her sister-in-law, “you always were such a featherbrain. Even I understand that in order to get money out of the bank, you must first put money in it, and that’s just what we can’t do.”

Faith rubbed at her temples, trying to blot out the angry voices.

Couldn’t they see it did no good to argue?

The squabbling between Aunt Virt and her sisters-in-law was a constant source of irritation to Faith. She needed help and guidance, not quarrels and accusations.

“And why not?” Agnes Everett asked indignantly, “We can put all our sewing money together and open an account at the bank, then we tell the banker how much we need for the roof and the taxes and all, and we just draw it out.”

“I wish it were that simple, Mrs. Everett,” Faith said with a sigh, “but it isn’t. Our earnings from sewing amount to sixty-eight dollars and thirty-two cents, and that includes Joy’s ten dollar gold piece. The roof alone will cost more than that. A banker would be out of his mind to lend us money on the basis of sixty-eight dollars and thirty-two cents.”

“Can’t we use the house and land as collateral?” Aunt Tempy asked, “I seem to remember Papa using the farm as collateral to get the money to build the new barn and stables.”

“We could try, Aunt Tempy, but I wouldn’t want to do that unless we had no other choice. The carpetbaggers are eager to snatch up land, and if we can’t pay back the loan, we’ll lose the house and the land.”

“If we don’t pay the taxes, we’ll lose the house and the land,” Aunt Tempy pointed out.

“I know,” Faith said miserably. “What we need is a miracle.” Faith sat back down in her chair and picked up her sewing.

“What we need,” Aunt Virt said bluntly, “is a man.”

“A man?” Faith murmured, perplexed. “Another mouth to feed?”

“No, a man. A husband. A provider. Someone to shoulder the burden,” Aunt Virt elaborated. “Someone to get us out of this mess. Someone who knows how to go about things. A husband.”

“For whom?” Aunt Tempy asked her know-it-all sister. “There are five of us if we exclude Joy.” She glanced to the settee where five-year-old Joy lay curled up sound asleep.

“Well, of course, we must exclude Joy, she’s only five,” Hannah Colson replied reasonably. “I wouldn’t mind getting married again. Surely, one of us can find a husband.”

“Within a month?” Mrs. Everett was incredulous. “That’s impossible.”

“I’m afraid Agnes is right, Hannah,” Temperance admitted, “Most of the women in the South are looking for husbands. I’m afraid there just aren’t enough men to go around. The war has made a lot of widows and left a great many girls waiting at the altar. There will be too many old maids and widows in the years to come.”

“Yes,” Aunt Virt chimed in, “look at Faith. I don’t see any men beatin’ down the door asking to marry her and she used to be considered quite a catch.”

Faith frowned at Virtuous. She knew she was getting older, losing her looks, but she was only twenty-four, not eighty.

“There aren’t many men Faith’s age left around Richmond except Union soldiers and undesirables.” Temperance leaped to Faith’s defense. “Joy has a better chance of marrying a gentleman than Faith does.”

“I agree, Aunt Tempy,” Faith said, “but by that time we’ll all be homeless and hungry.”

“Or dead,” Virt added ominously.

“Like I said,” Faith continued. “What we need is a miracle—and fast.”

“I think we have one,” Hannah Colson said in a voice trembling with excitement. “I think we have it. Look!” She handed Temperance a folded newspaper. “I found it in Major Butler’s overcoat.”

Temperance held the newspaper up to the flickering kerosene lamp and read aloud, “‘Wanted: Healthy woman between the ages of 18-23 to provide for heir for wealthy rancher. Widow with excellent background and lineage preferred. One child acceptable. Must travel to Wyoming and remain for one year. Excellent salary and bonus. Apply in person to David Alexander, Madison Hotel, Washington City, December 20th.’”

“That’s it!” Virt exclaimed. “We have our miracle.”

“Wait a minute,” Faith ordered.

“Yes,” Tempy added, “slow down.”

“What’s the date?” Hannah asked.

“The fourteenth,” Agnes answered quickly.

“Good. That gives us plenty of time to get Faith ready,” Virt replied, matter-of-factly. “She can pretend to be a widow.”

“At least I look the part.” Faith stared pointedly at Virtuous.

She didn’t want to get swept up into their plans to send her to Washington to answer a newspaper ad. Her parents would turn in their graves at the thought. But unless someone else came up with a better idea…

“Faith,” Tempy asked, “you aren’t considering this featherbrained idea, are you?”

She hated to admit she was. The possibilities were going round and round in her mind. It was a chance. A slim one, but a chance just the same. Faith nodded in answer to Tempy’s question.

“Stop right there!” Temperance ordered. “Faith, it isn’t like you to be impulsive. Take time to think this through.”

“I can’t. I might not do it if I give it too much thought,” Faith answered truthfully. Already she could see the drawbacks of the scheme and the ordeal of traveling alone to a distant city full of strangers. “Does anyone have a better idea?”

The ladies all shook their heads—even Tempy, though her brows were knitted into a frown and her mouth was a thin, worried line.

“You must go,” Aunt Virt ordered. “You’re the only one of us who fits the description.”

“For your information, Virtuous May Hamilton Jessup, Faith
doesn’t
fit the description. She’s over the age limit; she’ll soon be twenty-five and she’s never been married, so she’s a far cry from an experienced widow,” Temperance retorted.

Faith’s heart began to pound. “Joy could go with me. She could pose as my child.”

“You don’t look anywhere near twenty-five,” Aunt Virt said, studying Faith with a critical eye. “You don’t look a day over eighteen.” Virt was quick to see the benefits of a little deception.

“Faith, stop,” Tempy pleaded “You can’t just jump into this.”

“I have to, Aunt Tempy, unless you have a better idea.”

“I don’t, but—”

“Then it’s settled,” Mrs. Colson announced. “Faith’ll take the sewing money and go to Washington and get this job.”

“No, it’s not settled, Mrs. Colson.” Faith hated to dampen their excitement, but these wonderful women had to understand the consequences. “There will probably be hundreds of applicants—women who are better qualified than I am. I may not get the job.”

“You’ll get the job,” Aunt Virt predicted. “You have no other choice.”

“Even if I do, I’ll have to take Joy and go to Wyoming for a year. Who will take care of things here?”

“We will,” Aunt Virt said. “I’m sure we can learn to manage on our own for a year, especially with the bonus money you’ll be able to leave us.”

“That’s another thing,” Faith began, far from convinced. “What if the bonus isn’t enough?”

“You’ll just have to get enough,” Agnes said. “Bargain. You’re good at it.”

“I just don’t know.” Tempy sounded hesitant. “Do you think you can do it, Faith? Do you think you can lie about your qualifications?”

Faith put aside the trousers she was hemming and walked over to Temperance. She put her arms around her aunt and stared into the gray eyes in the expressive face so like her own. “Aunt Tempy, I’ll do anything I have to do to see that this family survives. Our men gave their lives for the survival of our way of life. I think the least I can do is lie if that becomes necessary. We need money, and I’m the only one of us qualified to get it. Why, I would work for the devil in Hades if that would provide the money we need.” Faith stood up, straightening her back. “At least, I’m going to try. I have to.”

“All right, Faith.” Tempy leaned her forehead against Faith’s. “If you think it’s best, we’ll help you. You’re the only hope we’ve got at the moment. Go to Washington and do your best.”

“Yes, please Faith,” the others chimed. “Go to Washington.”

The small group of women looked at her with hope shining out of their eyes. Faith wanted to feel as confident as the others. It had been a long time since she’d seen hope in their faces.

Faith realized, even if her dear ladies did not, how many other women desperately needed jobs to feed their families. She knew that landing a plum of a job like the one in the newspaper advertisement would be the answer to the prayers of many southern households. Her chances of being chosen out of a multitude of younger, more attractive women would require a miracle.

But a year in Wyoming, a year far away from war-ravaged Richmond… Faith sighed as butterflies beat a wild tattoo inside her stomach.

Faith walked six blocks from the Washington station to the Madison Hotel on the most miserable day of the year. Sodden from the icy rain, her skirts wrapped themselves around her legs, slowing her pace. Crystal droplets clung to her lashes and coated the tendrils of black hair peeking from beneath her drooping bonnet. Her feet were numb with cold, her shoes and stockings soaked after trudging through the muddy river Washington residents called streets. Sneezing repeatedly, Faith hesitated on the sidewalk in front of the Madison Hotel.

The massive brick structure glowed with care and money. Ivy flourished, clinging tenaciously to the red walls. Faith stood in the stinging rain and stared. It had been a long time since she’d entered a fine hotel and had never done so alone. Her father or Hamilton, her older brother, had always accompanied her. A southern lady never traveled without a chaperon and never dreamed of entering a hotel without one.

Faith recalled her upbringing with a sad smile. Since the war began, she had done a lot of things southern ladies didn’t do. This was just one more example. She bit her lip, straightened her back in an imitation of Aunt Virt, and marched up to the entrance of the hotel as if she owned the place.

A uniformed concierge in a long, jade green overcoat adorned with gold braid stepped forward to open the door. Faith nodded regally in his direction and strolled into the opulent foyer. She paused for a second, summoning her courage, then walked to the registration desk and informed the clerk on duty that Mr. David Alexander was expecting her.

The clerk looked her over, up and down. Faith did not flinch under his haughty scrutiny. She had seen the same scornful expression on hundreds of faces since the war. She knew he thought she lacked the necessary commodity for prompt, efficient service. Money.

Faith’s gaze cooled to a crisp, slate gray as she stared through the insignificant clerk.

“I’m afraid Mr. Alexander is occupied at the moment, miss,” the clerk informed her.

“Madam,” Faith corrected, “and he’s not too busy to see me.”

“He’s very busy. He can’t be bothered.”

“Surely, that’s for Mr. Alexander to decide,” Faith said. “Shall we go ask him?” She stood her ground.

He shrugged and rang the bell for the bellboy. “Escort madam to Mr. Alexander’s suite.”

“Yes, sir.” The bellboy started toward the stairs with no more than a mere glance to see if Faith followed.

He led her up the stairs, down a corridor, and into a suite of rooms at the end. “He’s down there. At the table.”

Faith slumped against the wall. A quick glance at the line of women waiting to enter the sitting room confirmed her worst suspicions. The place was literally wall to wall with women of all ages, shapes, and sizes.

Faith took a deep breath, then wished she hadn’t. The atmosphere was thick with the clashing odors of washed and unwashed bodies, fine soaps, and cheap perfume, layered with the contrasting smells of fried food and rancid grease. Her stomach heaved, threatening revolt.

It seemed the promise of cold, hard, cash appealed to all levels of society. The war had left a great many destitute widows and orphans in its wake. Many of them, Faith was sure, were much better qualified than she to care for an infant in the Wyoming wilderness.

The woman in line ahead of Faith turned and issued an order: “You might as well take a seat like the rest of us. It’s been like this since eight o’clock this morning. He’s taking his own sweet time about deciding. It’ll be a while.”

Faith nodded in mute affirmation, then looked around for an unoccupied seat.

The chairs lining the corridor were all taken. Many women sat on the floor, talking quietly among themselves, their skirts modestly arranged around them. Faith followed suit and sank to the floor, standing occasionally and advancing several steps as the line moved slowly, steadily, forward.

* * *

Three hours later, Faith had made little progress up the line. She was cold, tired, and cramped from sitting on the hard floor with her legs tucked beneath her. Her empty stomach rumbled hungrily.