Chapter 2 #2
Emily looked at Madame Maxine who was very short and thin with black hair that was probably from a bottle and green eyes that seemed greener with the help of her cosmetics.
“Sally Wyatt.”
Madame came forward and gave Sally a kiss on each cheek.
“So good to see you. I see you have brought Madame another client. What is needed and what is my time frame?”
Sally read off the list from Mr. Logan.
“I have skirts and blouses that will work already made. I will need to adjust them, as I always do, though,” she looked Emily up and down. “Not as much as I usually do. I make all my clothes with large seams for adjusting for my ladies.”
Madame stood back with one hand on her hip and the other with a finger on her chin. She studied Emily.
“Now. With that fabulous golden hair and light brown eyes you have, we need to play them up. I have three dresses in mind for you. One is pink, one lavender, and the last one is royal blue. They are in heavy cotton and can be worn in any season. The wool dresses are harder. I have a purple one that is ready but the other one we would have to make.”
She turned to Sally.
“Tell me how long we have.”
“Until Friday, the 3rd. I want her on the train as soon as possible.”
“Mais oui, that is not much time, but Madame will do it. Don’t I always for my favorite customer?”
“But Sally,” said Emily. “The list said only four dresses. Two cotton and two wool.”
“Don’t worry; you’ll need the fifth dress. He also said you need one for Sunday’s and dances. Besides, I know Maggie and she always expects to dress the ladies for one week of changes. She says it’s the least the gentlemen can do for their new brides.”
Sally turned to the seamstress.
“Thank you, Madame. I know I can always count on you.”
“But, of course,” replied the seamstress.
After they got outside Sally took Emily by the elbow, hooking their arms together as they walked. They passed a bakery, a shoe store, and a small café. The street teemed with people walking in and out of the shops, horse drawn carriages passed by on the streets, along with Hansom Cabs.
“Aren’t you excited? You’re starting a whole new life. You’ll have a fine-looking husband and children will follow. It will be wonderful, you’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right because I’m more than a little nervous.”
“Em, I wouldn’t steer you wrong. This man is friends with my boss. You can’t get a better recommendation than that.”
“You trust her and I trust you. I have to admit, I’m excited, too. My dream has always been to have a family of my own. Being raised in an orphanage, I was used to having lots of children around me. I was always the oldest and helped with the babies and little kids.”
“You are perfect for Ben Logan. This explains why I couldn’t find anyone else before now. It was fate, and you can’t go against fate.”
Emily shook her head. She didn’t believe in fate, but she did believe in luck, and she was a pretty lucky person to have come in today.
To have lost her job didn’t seem like a streak of good luck, but it was.
If she was still a governess, she would never have considered marrying so far away from New York.
What was life like in the Colorado Territory? Were there hostile Indians and bandits, like in some of those dime novels that Timothy read so frequently?
“Em? Emily?”
“What? Oh. I was wondering what it’s like in Colorado.”
“Maggie loves it there. Of course, she has Caleb and her children, too. You’ll like it Em. I know you’ve wanted this all your life. Accept it and grab hold with both hands.”
Emily leaned into her friend and then back from her as they approached a newsboy selling papers.
“You’re right. I’m grasping this gold ring and hoping this new life is all I dream it will be.”
Sally grinned. “That’s the spirit. Now let’s go home and tell Mark. He’ll be flabbergasted.”
Emily smiled back. “Why should he be any different than I am?”
Friday, September 3, 1875
Sally closed the office and went to the train station with Emily. When they got there, Emily had the porter take her trunk to the baggage car. Everything she owned fit inside this one battered trunk. All her clothes, her books, hats, everything with even a bit of room to spare.
What would her husband-to-be think of that?
She turned to Sally.
“What if he doesn’t like me? What if he gets one good look at me and changes his mind?”
Sally grasped Emily’s hands and squeezed.
“He’s going to love you. Just give him a chance and he’ll give you one. I know you’re afraid he’ll be put off that you are not thin as a rail, but I’m telling you, men, real men, like curves. As Mark says, he wants some meat on the bones. You’ll see. You are perfect in every way. I know it.”
“You love me. That makes you prejudiced in my favor.”
“I would never match you if I thought the slightest chance existed that he would not want to marry you.”
“Okay. I’m just nervous.”
“Don’t be. Look at this journey as an adventure. You are going to a new land, a new husband and a new life. Enjoy, while you can.”
The train whistle sounded. Couples parted and people scurried along the platform hurrying to board.
“That’s the last whistle. You need to go. Write me.”
They hugged.
Emily nodded. “I will. Just as soon as I’m settled, I’ll write.”
“Good. I’ll be waiting. Now go before the train leaves without you.”
Again, Emily hugged her friend hard.
“I love you, Sally.”
“Same here, Em. Now hurry.”
Emily rushed to the train and bounded up the stairs. She walked into the car to her right and got to the window in time to wave at Sally. Then she sat and wondered, not for the first time, just what had she gotten herself into.