Chapter 6 #2
Half an hour later, they were enjoying Armand’s finest pasta with Bolognese sauce and crispy bread dipped in olive oil.
Carrie had to admit it had gone a long way to calming her.
So had all the information Spencer shared about his childhood and ambitions.
As a medical student, she’d had no trouble memorizing facts and figures and set her mind to consider this to be like any other class.
She was learning about a particular topic.
Memorizing information. She could do this.
“I’ve been so determined to catch Astor that I’d allowed myself very little time to really think beyond that moment. Even Al has reprimanded me for my obsession. Still, I feel I owe it to my father to deal with this man once and for all.”
“Do you plan to kill him?” Carrie couldn’t stop herself from asking the question. After seeing how consumed Spencer was, she wondered if arrest would be enough.
“I don’t plan to kill anyone. I’ve not yet had to, and frankly, I don’t want to have that on my conscience. But if he won’t surrender any other way, I won’t let him kill me or someone I love.”
Carrie nodded. “Fair enough. So, what can I tell you about myself?”
He glanced toward the copper tiles on the ceiling. “Well, the truth is, I already know quite a bit about you. I’ve paid very good attention, and I did some investigating.”
“On me? When?” She could hardly believe what he was telling her. He had investigated her? Had he involved the agency?
“Well, when I first met you, I thought you were unlike any woman I’d ever met.
You were beautiful, but also intelligent.
I was fascinated that you were a medical doctor and that you were interested in research on the brain.
You were so serious. But then, there was the playful side of you as well.
The fact that you enjoyed acting interested me.
I gave serious thought to seeing if you would go out with me to dinner and see where it led. So I looked into who you were.”
Carrie was rather stunned by this confession. She considered the fact that Spencer had just declared that he had wanted to court her, or at least pay her attention.
“And what did you learn about me?”
“Well, beyond the obvious interest in medicine and ability to memorize scripts and perform for audiences, I suppose the most important thing I learned was that you were engaged. I have to admit, I was sorely disappointed.”
“And yet, here we are, an old married couple.”
He laughed rather loudly, causing people at several other tables to glance their way. He controlled his mirth and looked at her with a shrug. “Not so old.”
“Nor so married,” she added.
He chuckled and nodded. “But at least you didn’t waste your time with Nelson. I checked into him as well, you know.”
“You didn’t!” She gasped and shook her head. “Did he ever find out?”
“Hardly. I’m very good at what I do, Carrie. You didn’t find out.”
“It’s true.” She picked up a piece of the bread and dabbed it in the oil. “Go on, please. What’s my favorite color? When’s my birthday?”
“You are partial to lavender but feel it’s too whimsical for a researching physician. And you were born in Indiana on December thirtieth in 1865.”
“So you know that my mother died in childbirth.”
“Yes, I did learn that. Your sister took over caring for you. I believe her name is Marybeth.”
Carrie was amazed at what he had learned. “I suppose you must also know that my father died two years later.”
“I do. Your sister then married Edward Vogel, and he adopted you as his own. The three of you then moved to Cheyenne, where he took on a job as a deputy town marshal. You also have three siblings: Robert, Greta, and Daniel. All living in Cheyenne.”
“Daniel is gone to college in New York. He was very smart and graduated high school when he was sixteen, like me.”
“I knew that.” He grinned. “I’m hoping my interest in knowing you better isn’t going to put a rift between us.”
“Not at all. It’s something of relief to learn that you already know a great deal about me and my family.”
She sampled the bread as Spencer continued.
“What do you want to know about me? I told you about my father and how he died. I was ten at the time. My mother died at the young age of forty, just five years later. Aloysius Gable, who is now my supervisor, took me in. He had already filled the role of father, after mine died. He was very good to my mother and me.”
“Did they marry?”
“No.” Spencer pushed the pasta around his plate. “My mother was never interested in anyone but my father. They were so in love, so devoted to each other. Al knew that and never tried to pursue my mother. I don’t think it was for a lack of interest, however. My mother was a great beauty.”
“Do you have photographs?”
“I have a single tintype of my mother and father. That’s all. I cherish it.”
“And you have no siblings?”
“No. My mother nearly bled to death giving birth to me. She was told she would never be able to have additional children.”
“They must have performed a hysterectomy.” Carrie grew very thoughtful. “That might have saved my mother’s life, but our small Indiana town apparently suffered for experienced doctors.”
“She said they left her with a tremendous physical scar, as well as emotional.”
“What was your mother like?” Carrie could see Spencer was feeling rather emotional.
“She was kind and generous. Always helping the neighbors and doing what she could to ease people’s burdens.
Even after losing my father, she never wavered in doing for others.
She grieved him deeply, but I think serving other people helped her.
It also killed her. She died of consumption after caring for others who also had it.
At least that’s what the doctor said of her death.
Still, my mother would never have done it any other way. She loved to help people.”
“Mama always says that when you feel at your lowest, you should get up and do something for someone else. I’ve known it to help tremendously and get me past sad situations. I’m sorry it claimed your mother’s life.”
“So you call your sister Mama?” he asked.
The question took Carrie off guard. “I do. She’s the only mother I’ve ever known, just as Edward Vogel is the only father I remember.”
“When did you learn the truth?”
“They never really kept it from me. It was something I just sort of knew in the back of my mind, but it was never really something we discussed. When I was ten, someone in the church brought it to my attention, and I remember asking about it. My mama sat me down, and we talked about it, but I found instead of helping, it just sort of opened a bigger hole in my heart. I’ve never been able to quite understand it.
“My folks were good parents. As my mama tells it, she and I have a unique and doubly bonded relationship that few ever experience. She’s my older sister and my mother.
She’s never failed to be there for me. Even saved me from being raised by strangers by marrying Edward Vogel.
They were good friends, nothing more. He was a widower who had lost his wife and child, and she had been best friends with his wife.
They needed each other. It wasn’t your typical romantic marriage. ”
“Kind of like us.”
She studied his gentle expression. “Yes, rather like us. It was more of a business arrangement in the beginning. But their marriage turned into a real love affair.”
An awkward silence fell between them. Spencer cleared his throat. “I hope you won’t regret this . . . regret me.” He put his fork down. “I enjoy your company, Carrie. Our friendship has gotten me through some rough patches. You might never have known that, but it’s true.”
Carrie felt a moment of tenderness for him unlike anything she’d ever felt for Oswald. Spencer seemed vulnerable in that moment, and she wanted to reassure him.
“I don’t think I’ll ever regret you. You’ve always proven yourself honorable and trustworthy.
I want very much for this to all work out for you and will do whatever I can to see it through.
” She paused, determined to lighten the mood.
“But just for the record, while I do enjoy lavender, my favorite color is blue. That’s why I wore it for my wedding day.
I want to remember this day as something special.
I may never have another. Men tend to be intimidated by intelligent women.
I thought things would be different with Oswald, but that wasn’t the case. ”
“He was more than intimidated by you. He knew he didn’t begin to have your level of understanding. He could only stand by and watch you achieve all that he had dreamed about doing.”
Carrie considered that a moment. “I know you’re right.
Oswald was never really able to go beyond the limits of what he knew to be certain.
I, on the other hand, constantly push that limit aside and ask what else might be known .
. . what else can I discover? I wasn’t afraid of considering strange possibilities.
I could see that wasn’t a quality that Oswald was capable of grasping.
It’s sad too. Oswald isn’t good with people, so research has always been more to his liking.
Now, who knows what direction he’ll go. Either he’ll find another person willing to let him take credit for their work, or . . . well, who can say?”
“Well, he won’t be able to steal your ideas anymore. I’m excited to see what this new freedom does for you.”
“I’m not sure it can happen in Cheyenne. Although there is a new sanitarium in town. I believe it’s mostly focused on recuperation.” She smiled. “Oh, and there’s a new asylum in Evansville. I could always take the train back and forth and do some research there on insanity.”
“Whatever you need to do, I will support you in every way possible. I know you don’t have a lot of money, and while your folks might have done good to put aside some savings, they have your brother’s education and sister’s wedding to worry about.
I’ve saved up a decent amount of money over the years, plus the money I made when I sold my parents’ house.
We weren’t rich, but we were comfortable. I’m pretty frugal, but it’s all yours.”
Carrie shook her head. “You are a wonder. I don’t know how you managed to learn so much about me. But even if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t try to hide things from you. That’s not my style. I abhor lies.”
“Good. I’d rather we be completely open and honest with each other.”
“Yes, I’d rather that too.”
And she meant it, but in truth she wasn’t ready yet to discuss how his kiss had affected her, nor the strange feeling that overcame her in realizing that she was going to spend the next few weeks—maybe months—as wife to this very handsome and charming man.