Hilde needed to find a man and soon. She wondered if this was going to be the performance of her career.

  Chapter 5

  Early December

  “Is everything packed?” Hilde yelled to Natalie, as she walked around the empty home.

  “Almost done. Just finishing the last of it!” huffed Natalie from the second floor.

  She looked at the bare blue walls of her parents’ house, following the intricate gold designs that were raised up from the paper. Not many houses actually had wallpaper on them, but this was a gift from one of the merchants that her parents worked with.

  She traced her fingers lovingly along the design. The house had been emptied of most of its furnishings and trappings. The large empty space loomed out before her as she walked around the rest of the floor.

  Most of the items had been sold. A few had been put into storage and would eventually be sent to where Hilde settled down. Wherever that might be. Since she had no family in Philadelphia, she didn’t feel there should be any more of a delay to get to San Francisco. She would arrive before the holiday, which would give her enough time to find a new apartment, meet her fellow thespians, and even ring in the new year at an upscale soiree.

  This house was now rented to a new family that were to move in the following day. It was fortuitous that Mr. Turner was able to secure someone so quickly. He was also able to secure someone to manage the import operations while Hilde was performing in San Francisco.

  Hilde participated in the interviews and hired the man on the spot. She felt confident that this man would do the right thing. Besides, Mr. Turner would be watching his every move and sending for Hilde if something was amiss.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, giving herself a hug as she rubbed her arms. It felt lonely in the house. Lonelier than she ever felt before.

  The sound of Natalie’s footsteps coming down the stairs drew her attention to the doorway.

  Natalie popped her head around the corner. “Everything’s done. Your old clothes are all packed for the journey.”

  Hilde smiled at her assistant. “Thank you, Natalie. The carriage should be arriving shortly.”

  They were heading out tonight for San Francisco. Hilde couldn’t wait to get back to the theatre, where she felt comfortable. Hilde ran her hands down her skirt, the ring on her finger snagging the fabric. She looked at her hand.

  “Hard to believe you’ve been married two weeks,” Natalie said.

  “Hmmmm,” Hilde replied, sitting down on one of the trunks in the room.

  Mr. Turner was having lunch with his friend, the pastor of a local church when the pastor mentioned a letter he received from his brother out West.

  She wasn’t told all the details, just that a widow needed a marriage certificate, but didn’t really want a wife. Hilde didn’t ask any questions. Instead she jumped at the chance to have her name on a certificate to be turned in to the court.

  The next day she was standing in Mr. Turner’s office as Pastor Barnes recited from his prayer book. Then she was married and signed her new name on the certificate. Hilde Amanda Remington.

  It was a simple, but informal ceremony. Afterwards, Hilde had a feeling of loss that she couldn’t explain. Even though she had what she wanted; security for the company and freedom for herself, she couldn’t help but feel disappointment that it wasn’t a real wedding.

  With her marriage certificate turned over to the courts, there was no reason for her stay in Philadelphia anymore. She was well past due arriving at San Francisco.

  Thank goodness she knew the play by heart, so rehearsals should be fairly easy once she arrived. Opening night was just after the new year and she still needed to travel five days across the country by train.

  She twisted the ring back and forth on her finger, before removing it and placing the gold band in her pocket. She’d put it in her reticule for safekeeping until they got to San Francisco. She wouldn’t need a ring after that.

  Everything was boxed up and ready to ship to San Francisco. She was ready to go back to the theater. It was right for her to sell the house, she told herself, as she knew she could never bring herself to live there after today.

  A knock sounded on the door and Natalie rose from the trunk she was sitting on to answer the door. The sound of hushed whispers reached her ears. Hilde stood and prepared to put on her coat when her attorney walked in the room.

  “Mr. Turner! Is there anything wrong?” Hilde asked.

  “I just received a letter from the courts. You have 14 days to prove that you are married. And I mean you need to appear with your husband.”

  “What?” A flitter of panic went through Hilde’s mind. She looked at Natalie who was sneaking out of the room to leave Hilde and Mr. Turner alone.

  “I came over to see you as soon as the letter was delivered. It appears someone filed a complaint with your marriage and the stipulation of the will.”

  “Uncle Julian?” Hilde asked, anger lacing her voice. Mr. Turner nodded. “What did the letter say?”

  “It says that you have fourteen days in which to present your husband to the judge. In person.”

  “Whatever for? I thought that all we had to do was turn in the marriage certificate.”

  “Your uncle is disputing the validity of such a marriage.”

  “So, he can just totally turn my life upside down?” Hilde said through clenched teeth. She balled up her fists at her sides, trying to calm herself down.

  Mr. Turner shook his head. “Your uncle does have a vested interest in your parents’ company. It was his father’s before it became your father’s. You knew he was never going to let it go without a fight. He is just prolonging the inevitable. That everything will be turned over to you.”

  “This isn’t right.” Hilde could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She could cry on demand but couldn’t cry when it was something that affected her personally. She willed herself to be strong. “He doesn’t care about the company. All he wants to do is split it up and sell it in parts.”

  “Miss Hilde, don’t worry. I will resolve this. The court appearance is in fourteen days.”

  Hilde began to pace the room. She often did it when collecting her thoughts or trying to remember her lines. “But it is a legal marriage, isn’t it?” Hilde didn’t want to think that she had committed fraud.

  “Yes, it is. There is nothing wrong with a proxy marriage. Many soldiers in the Civil War used them to marry their sweethearts when they were away from home.” Mr. Turner placed his hand on Hilde’s arm. “There is nothing wrong or illegal about your marriage.”

  “So, what does this mean?”

  “I can delay the courts for a bit. Tell the truth, that your husband is on the other side of the country, ask if another court can send a certification if you appear there in person.”

  Hilde nodded. Yes, she could appear at another court with Mr. Remington and it would all be resolved in a matter of hours. “Where does Mr. Remington live?” Hilde asked.

  She really didn’t know anything about her husband. That nervous feeling crept up in her belly again and Hilde pushed it down.

  “A town called Sulphur Springs, Montana.”

  Hilde thought for a moment longer. “I guess Natalie and I can delay for a day or two and stop by Montana on the way to San Francisco. Can you send a telegram to the theater letting them know there has been a slight delay and to expect me a few days later?”

  Mr. Turner nodded.

  “Miss,” Natalie said, popping her head around the corner, “the carriage is here to take us to the train station.”

  Hilde waved to her. “Have the man come in and help with these trunks. We will leave immediately.”

  As she walked out of the house and down to the carriage, she couldn’t shake the feeling of doom in her belly. It seemed like everything was unraveling and she had no way to stop it.

  Chapter 6

  Ben walked into the mercantile, stamping the snow off his boots as he walked up to the counter. The snow had just started, but Ben could tell that it would pick up as the afternoon wore on. He just wanted to get his supplies, check the mail and get back to the hotel.

  Behind the counter he found Autumn Barnes sitting thumbing through a magazine. Her red hair hung down over one shoulder in a long braid, her green eyes moving back and forth along the page. Her mouth moved as she read the words, but she didn’t make a sound.

  He stood in front of the register for several moments before clearing his throat causing the young woman’s eyes to snap to him and she dropped the magazine. “Oh, Ben,” she said, placing the magazine back on the counter. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  Ben looked at the young woman for a moment. “I don’t know how you didn’t; I made a bunch of noise coming in.”

  Autumn looked sheepishly at him. “I sometimes get so caught up in these stories I forget where I am.” She put the magazine aside and sat up straight on the stool. “What can I do for you?”

  “You aren’t Mrs. Parker,” he stated.

  “Do I look like Mrs. Parker?” she grinned. “They had to go to Fort Logan. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. They loaded merchandise in the wagon and took off early this morning.”

  Ben shuffled from foot to foot. He was already anxious about picking up his mail, he didn’t want a delay. “Do you know when they will be back?”

  Autumn tilted her head and looked at him. “I think they should be back by tomorrow if the snow lets up.” She rocked on the stool, her red braid bouncing as she did. “Can I help you with something?”

  Ben handed her a piece of paper with several items written on it. “I have a list of supplies I need to stock up on. Can you fill this? I was hoping Mrs. Parker would be here as I was expecting a letter.”

  Autumn scanned the list. “I can get these together for you. Is your wagon out front?” Ben nodded. “As for the letter, I think Mrs. Parker was still sorting the mail when she left. Can you wait until she comes back? If it is really important, I suppose I can try to see if I can find it.”

  “I guess I can wait,” he said, disappointment lacing his voice. He was expecting a response from Boston after Michael sent a letter back to the courts on Ben’s behalf.

  Autumn hopped off the stool and went to grab the items he needed. Ben looked over the counter at the magazine she was reading. It was a different magazine than he saw in Pastor Eli’s office. This time that beautiful woman was on the cover, not tucked between the pages.

  “You really like the theater, don’t you?” Ben asked, picking up the magazine looking at the woman on the cover. The caption read: Miss Amanda Cartier is headed to San Francisco. He gave a little harrumph and put the magazine back down on the counter.

  Autumn placed a few items on the counter and reached underneath for a box. She sighed dreamily. “I would go as often as my parents would let me. Sometimes it was just a Sunday afternoon, but I loved seeing the stories I read come to life.” She started placing the items in the box. “Eli shared with me that you are married now.”

  Ben silently cursed the news. He knew part of him being married was so that the whole town would know that he was already taken and would leave him alone, but telling Autumn was like nudging a dog with a treat.

  Autumn had Pastor Eli wrapped around her little finger and she knew that she could get him to talk about almost anything. Even things that Ben wasn’t ready to share with other people yet. He wanted to get this whole matter with his in-laws behind him.

  Ben raised his eyebrow at her. “He did?”

  Autumn raised her fingers to her lips. “Oh, was it supposed to be a secret? I don’t think anyone else knows.”

  Ben agreed with that. If Mrs. Parker got wind of his marriage the news would have traveled faster than the snow was coming down. “I’d prefer if they didn’t.”

  “They won’t hear it from me,” Autumn said, making the sign of a cross over her heart. Ben thought it a little odd that she did that but dismissed the gesture.

  “Were you married by proxy?”

  “Yes, you are correct. I was married by proxy a month ago,” he answered, silently pleading with her to change the subject.

  His prayer went unanswered. “So, when will we be meeting your new bride? Is she going to be traveling here or will you be going to get her?”

  “No, she won’t be coming here, and I don’t intend to get her either,” he said, as he picked up the box she pushed towards him. Autumn looked disappointed. Ben sighed and put the box back on the counter. “It is a little complicated right now. I don’t know if she will ever come out this way.”

  Autumn looked puzzled. “Why is that?”

  Even though Ben didn’t want to continue the conversation, he knew that Autumn would be relentless until she got the answers she wanted from him. He decided that it would be better for him to just continue talking. “The weather wouldn’t permit it. It’s the wrong time of the year and I can’t risk taking the children out in the cold.”

  “Oh, well, I suppose that makes sense,” she said, pulling out a second box and placing canned goods inside it. “Maybe this spring.”

  Ben nodded to appease the young woman. “Maybe.” He pointed to the list. “I need the rest of the supplies; the snow is coming down harder and I need to get back to the hotel.”

  “I’ll get the rest of these items together. The bags of flour, sugar and coffee are next to the door.”

  Ben turned on his heel to take the box to the wagon before grabbing the large bags next to the door.

  Hilde leaned out of the train door and the scent of rotten eggs overwhelmed her. She held her handkerchief over her nose and tried not to retch.

  The trip was long, and she was in no mood to be in this town for a minute longer than she had to be. Natalie was somewhere behind her, gathering up the last of the luggage and making sure everything was removed from the rail car.

  She had paid for a private compartment for her and Natalie. It contained benches, a sleeping area and a necessary. She was hoping the trip would be as quiet as possible, but as soon as word got out that a famous actress was on the train, passengers started peering in the windows of her compartment trying to get a glimpse of her.

  She spent a few moments signing autographs and passing out placards that normally came in the theater magazines. The passengers were delighted. After that she asked the steward to ensure she was left alone.

  It appeared that only a few people were getting off the train in Sulphur Springs. She didn’t blame them. There wasn’t anything appealing about the town. She could see several small buildings in the distance and a hotel near the depot. She saw an older couple on the platform trying to brush off the dirt on their traveling clothes.

  She looked around again. It didn’t appear that there was anyone around. The train depot consisted of a small shack and a wooden platform.

  She didn’t have the first clue where to find her husband, and there was no one to ask. She thought for a moment. Might as well start at the mercantile. She knew that stores were the hub for gossip in most other towns, why not this one?

  “Miss, do you want me to go see if I can find someone to direct us?”

  She turned to look at Natalie who was standing behind her on the step, two travel bags in her hands.

  Hilde shook her head. “I need some air. I’ll just to go into town and see what I can find out. You stay here and watch the luggage.” Hilde stepped from the platform into the slush that was on the ground. The icy dirt covering the toes of her boots. She gave a grunt, pulling her coat tighter, and started her walk towards the town, trying to dodge between the slushy puddles.

  By the time she reached the mercantile the hem of her skirt was soaked with ice and mud. Perhaps she should have had Natalie go ahead instead.

  She stepped inside the mercantile and closed the door behind her. There was an iron belly stove in the corner that provided warmth. Hilde went over to the stove and held her hands out. Her fingers were frozen in the gloves. It was hard to believe that she would get that cold from walking such a short distance.

  She heard movement from behind a door and watched as a young woman with long red hair came out carrying a box. The woman placed the box on the counter and noticed Hilde standing by the stove.

  “Hello,” she said in a sweet voice. “I didn’t see you there. How can I…” Hilde watched as the woman looked from her, down to something on the counter and then back to her again. The woman’s green eyes opened wide and her mouth formed an O.

  Suddenly the petite woman let out a squeal as she came running around the counter and grabbed Hilde in a hug. Hilde stiffened at the attention. She didn’t like people she didn’t know touching her.

  The woman released her and jumped backwards, a magazine falling from her hand to the floor. “You’re…you’re…you’re,” the girl started to say, touching both hands to her mouth. “You’re Amanda Cartier.” Before Hilde could confirm, the girl jumped up, grasping Hilde into another tight hug. “Oh, my stars, you are Amanda Cartier.” She leaned back, looking at Hilde. “You look even more beautiful in person.”

  Shrugging out of the young woman’s embrace, Hilde shook her skirt out before the fire. “How are you so sure that is who I am?” she asked the young woman.

  The woman leaned over to pick up a magazine that fell to the floor, but Hilde grabbed it before her. Staring at her from the magazine cover, was her own reflection. The cover revealed that she had just completed her last play on Broadway.

  “I’m surprised that periodical would have made it out this way so quickly.” Hilde gave a little smile and handed the magazine back to the young lady.

  “I beg my husband to buy me the theater magazines so I can read about new musicals and plays around the country. We don’t get much theater here in Sulphur Springs, so the magazines are my only glimpse into it. This one is from a few weeks ago, as mail out this way is kind of slow.” Hilde watched her hop back to the counter like some sort of schoolgirl. “You’ve been featured in almost all of the magazines I own. I read them over and over.”

 

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