Chapter 11
“You chose well. This little house is more than adequate for our needs,” Spencer told Carrie.
Their short time in the house had proven the accommodations to be more than acceptable.
Spencer still had trouble accepting their separate sleeping quarters, yet knew it was the right thing to do.
He supposed he had gotten used to having Carrie near him, and the loss was surprisingly hard for him.
Still, he could hardly expect her to live as a wife when their agreement was to separate after he found Astor.
Her reputation would be compromised enough.
Of course, Carrie was used to people questioning her standards and practices.
He had even heard some rather negative comments about her at church.
Of all the places he expected to find love and acceptance, church hadn’t proven to be one.
He still recalled the Sunday before when he’d overheard two women exchanging their disapproval of Carrie becoming a physician.
The Cheyenne Leader had come out with an article on Carrie’s return to town, explaining how she had set up shop as a doctor specializing in head injuries and disease.
They thought it all rather scandalous, and their questions were plentiful.
Would she see male patients as well as female?
Would she treat only the head or other parts of the body?
They thought it completely unacceptable that she might be called upon to treat any condition particular to a man’s needs.
Spencer had smiled at their concerns, but at the same time he was troubled to consider that Carrie would probably face women like this all her life.
Even Oswald Nelson had convinced her that no one would ever take her research seriously.
Such attitudes made him even more determined to help Carrie in any way possible.
He wanted her to succeed. Wanted her to see all of her dreams come true.
The only problem was, he was starting to hope he might find a way to be included in those dreams.
“I put away the food Mama sent home with us. I suppose I should be grateful they have us over to dinner almost every night. Neither of us are great cooks,” Carrie said, coming to the front parlor.
Spencer had settled down in front of the fire on the sofa and patted the seat beside him. “That’s what restaurants are for.”
She smiled and sat down at his side. “I agree. However, Mama is a great cook, and she loves having the entire family around. She misses Daniel something fierce, and even though he’s been good to write, it’s not the same.”
“Of course it’s not. So what is that brother of yours hoping to do with his life?”
“Who can say. He changes his mind all the time. He went through a stage when he wanted to engineer and design bridges. Then he was sure he wanted to be an architect. After that I believe he wanted to build ships. It’s always been about creating things.
He has such a brilliant mind. Probably even more capable than mine. ”
“I find that hard to imagine.” Spencer gave her a smile.
“Tell me how things are going in your pursuits. Have you any new leads on Mr. Astor?”
“None. I spoke to someone with the Union Pacific, a man who handles initial interviews for new positions. I told him I was looking for a distant family member and told him the name Eugene Astor. He’d never heard of him, and he’s been with the UP for over twenty years.
Said they never employed anyone by that name in Cheyenne.
I told him he might have changed his name since there had been some problems when he lived back east. I asked if perhaps he remembered a comptroller or accountant who looked like Astor, and then I described the man I remembered. ”
“And what did he say to that?”
“That the description pretty much fit half of the men they’d hired for the UP and that they had dozens of comptrollers.
” Spencer shook his head. “I’ve asked around to some of the other men, but no one seems helpful at all.
I’ve been hesitant to push too hard for fear of Astor catching wind of my search and making a run for it. ”
“So what will you do to further investigate?”
Spencer heaved a sigh and stared into the blazing hearth. “That’s what I keep asking myself. I’ll probably have to go to the offices at night and search through their files. I don’t know that it will reveal the information I need, but I have to start somewhere.”
“You say this man came here perhaps twenty years ago or so. Is that right?” Carrie looked to him for confirmation.
“Yes. One of the earliest letters Eugene sent his mother stated that he was moving to Cheyenne. That letter was sent in the early part of 1870. It might be possible, however, that he didn’t stay here.
The Union Pacific could have hired him to work anywhere along the line as a sort of traveling employee. ”
“What do you mean?”
“Apparently, some workers went back and forth between various towns on the line. As an accountant or comptroller, they might have had him doing that. Maybe taking inventory and making payrolls to the smaller towns where the UP had no offices. Of course, he might just as well have been headquartered here in one place. The Union Pacific employed a great many men here in Cheyenne.”
“The town was still very small back in 1870. You might want to talk to the folks who were in charge of selling town lots, although I know the railroad did that as well. You could also talk to boardinghouse owners and get a list of folks who rented out properties back then. Papa would probably know who you’d want to talk to. ”
“I can’t involve him. At least not yet. I want to, mainly because he deserves to know what I’m up to. But if I explain that much, there’d really be no excuse not to be honest about our marriage.”
“And we can’t tell them that because they would insist we stop the charade, and that would create problems for you,” Carrie said, shaking her head.
“And even more troublesome, he could be good friends with Astor and not even know it. We’ve been here such a short time we’ve not really had a chance to explore that possibility.”
“Maybe check the land management records.”
He smiled. She was able to think like a detective, and he liked that about her. “Yes, I should.” Spencer reached over to push back an errant blond curl. Carrie didn’t seem to notice. He liked that she was so comfortable with him that his action seemed natural.
“Use the distant family excuse. People respect folks trying to connect to family,” Carrie suggested. “Papa was always talking about folks stopping by to ask him what he might know. I remember that quite well because my mother was worried about someone coming after us.”
“For what reason?” Spencer stretched his legs out toward the fireplace.
“I mentioned it once when we were acting in that play we did about a group of orphans getting homes for Christmas. Don’t you remember?
There were these people who wanted to take me away from her after our father died.
” Carrie frowned and shook her head. “It wasn’t a good situation.
When our father died, the local pastor thought it unacceptable that my sister should take over raising me.
She was young and unmarried. She had no means of supporting me.
There was a wealthy and powerful family in the church who couldn’t have children, and the pastor tried to arrange for them to adopt me.
Mama was terrified of losing me. She and Papa married and came west to save me from being taken away.
Besides, you told me you investigated me. ”
“I do remember it, now that you bring it up. Wasn’t it the pastor who involved a local judge to take you from your sister?”
“Exactly so. Mama was beside herself because it always seemed rich people could buy whatever they wanted. After coming here, she was always quite adamant that I never speak to strangers unless she or Papa was with me.”
“Seems a smart thing to teach children.”
Carrie seemed lost in her thoughts. “I do recall, however, that once the railroad was completed a great many people began flooding our little town, and a lot of them came in search of family and friends. Your story won’t be considered unusual at all.”
“I suppose not. The problem is explaining the name change.”
This drew her full attention. “Nonsense. The West is full of people who were looking for a fresh start and changed their names. Many of the immigrants did that too. I had a friend whose last name was Karpovsky, but it was too difficult for others to pronounce, so they changed it to Karp. If you just explain that to the people you talk to, they’ll understand why you don’t know what name he went by. ”
“Makes sense. Maybe I’ll ask around tomorrow after Bible study with the men. Your father and Mr. Decker really seem talented in leading the men. The study has deepened my knowledge of the Bible.”
“Mr. Decker has a vast education and has even filled in for the pastor on occasion. He runs a wonderful school for boys, and nearly everyone who attends his school ends up going to college. His son Michael, the one who’s marrying my sister Greta, graduated college early and teaches at the school as well. ”
“The Deckers have ten children, if I remember correctly.”
“Yes, they do. Mrs. Decker and Mama have been close friends since we first came to Cheyenne. They both wanted big families, but Mama couldn’t have any more children after Daniel.
Mrs. Decker said that was all right, she would have plenty and share them with Mama.
We grew up like one big happy family. I got a lot of experience caring for babies that way. ”
“I think I would have enjoyed being part of a big family. Having had no siblings, I was often very lonely, and after losing my father, there was no one with whom I could share that pain. My mother was devastated and hardly able to console herself, much less her child. I tried to be strong for her, but I assure you, the loss was deeply felt.”