Damaged Hearts (19 page)

“Miss Marie left headed for town; problem is, Miss Anna took Nugget and followed behind her without telling anyone she was leaving.  I came as quick as I figured it out.”  He told her, acting quite distraught as he gave her the note that Anna had left.  “I’m not sure what we should do.  They are after all grown women but with the sheriff still unaccounted for, I’d hate to see either of them get hurt.”

“Let’s get Grace and see what she has to say about all of this.  I’d get Angel and Kat but they are both resting and I’d hate to wake them.”  Consuela said.  “We should probably let Sarah know what’s going on too but I just hate the drama that will come from it.”

“I tell you what, why don’t you go get Grace and let her know what’s going on, and I’ll find Edward.  If anyone can keep his wife under control, it would be him.”  James almost laughed.

Going their separate ways, Consuela found Grace first.  “Grace, I’m not at all sure how to tell you this but Marie took off on her horse and headed for town.  Unfortunately, Anna followed behind her.”

“I knew she was leaving Consuela, she and I had a discussion and an argument earlier about her selfishness.  I’m afraid I kind of hurried her on her way.”  Grace confessed.  “I was unaware that Anna had gone with her though.  Why would they leave together?”

“They didn’t.  Anna followed Marie off the ranch.”  Consuela told her.  “That’s what we are confused about.  No one knows why she would have left without telling anyone.”

“Well, I guess we had best go inform the Jamisons.  May as well get the unpleasantness out of the way.”  Grace sighed. 

~XXIV~

About half way to town, Anna caught up with Marie and they rode side by side for quite some time before either of them spoke.  Finally, Marie could not stand the silence any more “Ok, out with it, why are you following me?  I know it’s not my wonderful company you crave.”

“I actually want to propose a deal for you.  I am tired of living with my parents and have an income.  You want to be independent and have no means to support yourself.  I will help you find a job and help you pay rent on a place if you agree to let me share it with you.  This way we can both be respectable yet independent.”  Anna stated

Thinking on this a while Marie decided this just might work.  “If I agreed to this, where would we begin looking for a house to rent?”

“I happen to know of a couple that I’ve walked by for several weeks.”  Anna told her.  “After school when I walk home every day, I have noticed one that really quite pretty.  It may even be in our price range.”

“Well, that’s a start.”  Marie agreed cautiously.  “I wonder if we could look at it tomorrow.  Do you have any ideas as to where I might find gainful employment?”

“There is a lady I know at the bakery that really needs some help.  She is very nice and probably about Kat’s age I figure.”  Anna replied.  “Right now she is trying to run the bakery on her own but I think it has been so busy that she can really use the help.”

“Well, if you don’t have any qualms about it, we can check with Frances and possibly stay with her parents for a day or two until we find a house for rent and a job for me.”  Marie offered tentatively. 

“Do you think they will be ok with it?”  Anna asked.  “That would be good if we had a place so we can take a little time and not take the first place we look at.”

“Only one way to find out.”  Marie said, turning her horse and leading the way towards her old friend’s home.  “Just let me talk to the mayor and his wife.”

They rode the short distance in silence, each lost in their own hopeful thoughts.  To Anna, it was a grand adventure and the chance to be on her own.  To Marie, this was turning into shear survival.  She told herself not to even think about the possibility of getting married yet.

Dismounting in front of the mayor’s mansion, Marie cautiously brushed her riding skirt and checked to make sure her clothing was all in order.  She tied Flower’s reins to the post and waited while Anna loosened the cinch strap on Nugget’s saddle.  Sighing deeply “Anna, could you show me how to do that?  Flower might be hot too and should probably have a chance to cool down.”  She admitted.

Laughing to herself, but careful not to let Marie see her smile, Anna patiently showed her new friend how to loosen the cinch to allow the horse to breathe more easily.  Once her instruction was done in this area, she also untied the reins and showed Marie an easier, quicker and more secure way to tie them to the post.  Fascinated, Marie almost forgot why they were there.

“I suppose we should go in, I think we’ve almost driven Thurston to distraction.”  Marie giggled behind her glove as she led the way up the walk.  Knocking lightly, the two young women stepped politely back from the door waiting for it to be opened.

“Well, if it isn’t the rude Miss Fairchild.”  Thurston said snidely as he opened the door slightly.  “What do you want?”

“Thurston, I’d like to speak with the mayor or Mrs. Andrews please.  If they are not home, I must speak with Frances.”  She said nose in the air; knowing that above all else, appearances must be kept up.

“Let me check and see if someone is in for you to speak with ma’am.”  Thurston said as he firmly closed the door.

“What in the world was all that about?”  Anna asked aghast at the way Marie had acted.  “I thought we were trying to find a place to stay, not make a butler angry.”

“It’s all part of the game Anna.”  Marie informed her.  “Just watch and learn how the rich act and thank god you don’t have to be this way.”

“Well, I am not sure I could act like that even if I was well off.”  Anna huffed.  “Wait, what are you doing with our horses?”  Anna yelled as a familiar looking young man diverted her attention.  He was untying both of the horse reins from the post before he led them towards the back of the house.

“That’s Willie, Anna.  He used to work for my father and was my driver before my world fell apart.  Don’t worry, he’s just doing his job.  Thurston will be back to admit us in a matter of minutes.”  Marie said confidently.

“I’m not so sure I want to be part of this world Marie.”  Anna confided.  “Everything is so superficial and nothing seems to matter.”

“Like I told you Anna, it’s all about appearances.”  Marie said.  “Just play along and once we are given a room and can talk to Frances, you’ll see that she is just like us.  Hopefully her parents are home or will be tonight so that we can talk to them also.”

Like Marie had said, within just a few minutes Thurston held the door open and graciously admitted them into the front room.  “Wait here and Miss Frances will be down shortly.”  Thurston commanded before leaving the room.

Shaking her head, Anna wandered absently through the room looking at all the little trinkets on display.  Gasping in wonder, she gingerly picked up a small figurine of a palomino colt and an Australian shepherd puppy playing.  “This is one of the most delicately beautiful pieces that I’ve ever seen.”  She told Marie in wonder. 

“And it’s been sold.”  Frances said as she sailed down the stairs.  “To your brother, I believe.”  She added giving Marie a hug as she spoke to Anna. 

“To my brother?”  Anna asked confused.  “Which brother and when did you see him?” 

“Matt came here several days ago with Marie and after seeing that small figurine, asked if he might make a deal or purchase it.  Said something to the effect that it matched a description of something someone once cherished.”  Frances said shrugging her shoulders.  “I’m not sure but after talking to my father, they made some sort of agreement and it now belongs to Matt.”

“I think it’s for Kaitlyn.”  Marie whispered, thinking back to the day of the conversation.  “Matt is supposed to talk to Rick about some stock that your father wanted to purchase.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”  Frances replied before changing the subject.  “Now where in the world have you been and what are you doing here now of all times?” 

“We need somewhere to stay temporarily Frances.”  Marie explained.  “Anna is tired of living with her parents and you know the situation with my father.  We need somewhere to sleep for two or three days, a week at the most; until we can find a house for rent and until I can find employment.”

“You want to be employed?”  Frances asked completely baffled.  “You have never worked a single day in your life.  What do you plan to do?”

“I think the lady that runs the bakery may be interested in hiring Marie to help her.”  Anna spoke up coming back into the conversation.  “I know she doesn’t have a sign but she is so terribly busy in the mornings when I walk by that I know she must need some help.” 

“Well, mother is at a ladies luncheon but I’m sure she won’t mind.  Father...oh dear.”  Frances looked worriedly at Marie.  “Father is in the study with your father.  I am not sure what is going on but they have been terribly quiet and I haven’t been able to overhear so much as a word.”

“My father is here?”  Marie asked astounded that the mayor would even allow him into his house with all the scandal that was sure to come up.  “We mustn’t allow him to see me.”  Marie told her friend.  “Please make sure Thurston knows how important it is that Father does not know I am here.”

Frances quickly led the two women up the stairs and to the bedroom across the hall from her own.  “If you’re not opposed to sharing a bedroom, I think this will be the best place to put you.”  She said before leaving them and heading to her room.

“Let’s get our clothing put away and then I’ll sneak downstairs to see if I can overhear anything from that conversation.”  Marie instructed.  “Maybe we can get some kind of information to give to Kaitlyn and Angel that might help them.”

“We must be careful though Marie.”  Anna said bluntly.  “I don’t think the mayor is a man to be trifled with, any more than your own father is.  I’m sure they could both be quite dangerous.”

“You’re right about that Anna.”  Marie agreed.  “But I am not certain what game the mayor is playing at agreeing to help Matt one moment and then seeing my father in secret the next.  It’s so very confusing.”

“We’ll get through it.  We do need to find out more about what both of them are up to but we’ll need to start looking at our position bright and early in the morning.”  Anna reassured.  “In fact, what do you say about going to the bakery first and then going to the land office after that?”

“I’m not sure I can concentrate on finding employment or a house with this headache I am getting.”  Marie said dramatically, forgetting about putting away her clothing or eavesdropping on her father.

“Marie, look at me!”  Anna demanded.  “We are absolutely not going to stay at this home indefinitely.  We must find our own lodging and employment for you as soon as possible.  I don’t think the store clerks are going to let you live free off your name for long, if at all.”

“Oh what do you know?”  Marie asked sarcastically.  “Just because you have a job and a nice room at your parents’ house I’m sure; doesn’t make you an authority on living life.”

“Well, if you want to go to those lengths Marie…”  Anna took a deep breath.  “No, I have not been spoiled by my parents.  They are not even my true parents, I was adopted when I was young; my parents were killed coming out to the area in a terrible wagon accident.  My brother and I were found by people passing by and brought here and separated.”

“Oh my!”  Marie gasped; temporarily brought out of her huff by Anna’s story.  “Why does no one know about this?”

“Well Marie, my guess is that most people are not such snobs that they must dig into everyone else’s lives to find drama to talk about.”  Anna spit out.  “Most people are more intent on living than about gossiping about other’s hardships.”

“But I just assumed that Rick and Matt Jamison were your true brothers.  They act like they are blood and don’t seem to mind having you in their family at all.”  Marie said confused again.

“You know something Marie?”  Anna said barely containing her mirth.  “You truly are a snob and I’m not so sure you even know how terribly rude you sound.”  Shaking her head, Anna left Marie in the room to think about what she said as she went across the hall to ask Frances for directions to the necessary.

“I almost have to agree with you Anna.”  Frances turned to her as she came into the room after knocking lightly on the door.  “Marie has never had any idea how rude she can sound because it has never before been an issue for her.  Although my father is mayor, our family only moved here about ten years ago.  The first few months we lived here were dreadfully boring for me.  Marie was away at school out east and I didn’t know anyone.  I went to school at first but my father is a lot like Marie’s father and after a short time, I was pulled out and given a tutor in the form of a nanny.”

“Seems like we all have our own little secrets.”  Anna said thoughtfully.  “If you don’t mind telling me, I don’t mind listening to your story.”

“There’s actually not a lot to tell.  Marie came back from out east and we were thrown together by our fathers.  Plan this and design that.  We became great friends and accomplices.  Our fathers would decide the town needed some sort of event and presto; Marie and I came up with an event.”  Frances took a breath.  “All we have known these past many years is how to be a china doll; pretty and fragile to look at but not to be touched.  I was really hoping that Marie had finally found a man that wanted her for herself and not for who she is.  It doesn’t look like it was meant to be though if she is here instead of with him.”

“I think there’s more to it than that Frances.”  Anna said cautiously.  “I think Frank did indeed want Marie and I believe that scared her.  After spending quite some time together, all the sudden she up and left.  I honestly think she got spooked.”

“That’s something I have to think on.  I may need to enlist your aid on this Anna.  And for the record, I’m really glad to have you staying here if even for a short time.  I’d be happy to count you as my friend.”  Frances added.