Enchanted Heart (13 page)

As they approached the foothills, Caid pulled back on the reins, allowing the oxen to graze while he climbed down from the wagon and strode to the edge of a stand of trees. Marty watched from the seat, wondering what had caught his attention. When he returned, he carried a long eagle feather in his hand. It had been tied at the quill with a thin leather strap and fastened to the limb of a cedar tree for Caid to find.

Caid climbed back into the wagon and handed the feather to Marty, explaining, “Black Bear says good-bye.”

Marty smiled in spite of herself. This gesture of friendship between the white man and the Indian was far beyond that which she could comprehend. To her, every Indian, no matter their tribal association, was a savage. But, she was beginning to rethink that perception.

However, she was not in the mood to contemplate the relationship between men of different races. She was ready to jump down from the wagon and race toward Fredericksburg and a bath! She would be happy to relax for a few hours and to think of nothing—well, almost nothing. Thoughts of the man beside her seemed to overtake her mind these days.

The animals would certainly be glad to have a few days to recover from their journey and have the energy to undertake the efforts to get those wagons up the higher hills that loomed into even higher mountains ahead.

Before they arrived in Fredericksburg, they had already decided to stay for two days to rest. Marty and Greta and Seraphina stayed in the Nimitz Hotel along with Elsa and her family, but the other families and Caid decided to camp just outside of town so that they could keep an eye on the wagons. Marty knew that secretly the others thought it frivolous to spend good money on a room in a fancy hotel, especially that nosey Mrs. Bader, who lifted her head to the Heavens and looked down at them with her narrow, pious eyes. The woman was even more miffed when her son Daniel volunteered to drive Marty’s wagon along with the others to the camp outside of town. But Marty, Greta and Elsa all ignored her and climbed down from their wagons, dusted themselves off then squared their shoulders and walked into the hotel as if they were royalty.

”It is such a quaint town,” Marty marveled while she and Greta walked the business district near their hotel after they had checked in and freshened up.

“Yes it is,” Greta agreed, turning her head back and forth, taking it all in. “The streets are laid out just like the ones back in Wasserburg.”

“Yes, it reminds me of home, too. Look there’s Main Street running along that creek.”

“That is Town Creek,” a woman who had been laying out her wares on tables informed them. She spoke in their native German, which surprised and amazed them.

They turned to her and asked in unison, “Are you from Germany?”

“That, I am,” she said with a quick nod of her kerchief-covered head. “I’ve been here going on twenty-two years now. Are you new to Fredericksburg?”

Again, they said in unison, “We’re just passing through.”

They all laughed and when the merriment dissipated, Greta asked of the older woman, “What do you recommend we do for entertainment?”

The older woman smiled wide, revealing a row of straight white teeth before she answered with a wave of her hand toward her left, “There’s always the theatre. Very entertaining. Actors, grand sets and an orchestra!”

“That sounds wonderful!” Greta said to her sister before she thanked the woman and they walked away.

“Shall we go tonight?” Greta asked Marty, who shrugged as if not interested in the lady’s recommendation.

Truthfully, Marty could not think of doing anything but going back to the hotel and soaking in a hot, steamy tub and then crawling into bed to dream of the man who entertained her heart, her mind and her soul. She shook her head and apologized, saying, “I’m too tired. Perhaps Elsa will go with you.”

“Mm-hmm,” Greta hummed, for she knew what her sister was thinking and that Marty would be no good company as long as she was away from the man that she obviously loved, yet would probably never admit it to her sister, much less to herself.

A few blocks down the street, Marty noticed a storefront that boasted women’s necessities in an enticing display in the window. With excitement in her voice, she suggested, “Let’s go inside!”

“Why?” Greta asked as if she would not be interested in anything inside the store.

“I want to get some bath salts,” Marty said with excitement in her voice.

“That’s all you’ve talked about for the past two days!” Greta joked but she followed her sister into the store.

“May I help you two ladies?” a thin man asked them, looking up from a stack of receipts on the glass countertop.

“I would like some bath salts, please,” Marty replied with a smile, her eyes darting around the store in search of the product that she sought.

“Ah, we have a wonderful selection! Some even from Paris,” the man said walking away. He indicated with a wave of his hand that she should follow him to the back of the store where a beautiful display of bathing articles were arranged as if they were waiting for some special woman to come and enjoy them.

“What a beautiful bath tub!” Greta marveled as she stroked the curled copper edge.

“They are all the rage now,” the man touted with pride. “The Nimitz has them in every room.”

“We’re staying at the Nimitz!” Marty said excitedly.

“Wonderful,” the storekeeper exclaimed. “They have my linens as well!”

“Your linens!” a strange woman’s voice interjected from behind a wall of kitchen utensils.

“Now, Josephine,” the man scoffed with a shake of his head. “You know what I mean."

“What does he mean?” Greta whispered to her sister.

“Maybe they are married,” Marty whispered back while she lifted a silver brush to examine its carved handle.

But the man explained in a hushed voice, “She used to own the store. Well, her husband did. Now she just comes in to make sure that I’m running it correctly.”

Marty and Greta looked at each other as if that information was not any of their concern, yet Marty could not leave it alone. She whispered to the man, “You are doing a marvelous job! I’m sure that she doesn’t have many unpleasant things to say about the way you are handling the store.”

“You don’t know Josie,” the man said. “By the way, I’m Tyree Parnell.”

When Marty took the hand that he had extended, she introduced herself and her sister, “I’m Marty Ingram and this is my sister Greta. We are only here for a few days. But I’m sure that we will see you again before we leave, Mr. Parnell.”

“Only if you run out of bath salts,” Greta quietly quipped, to which her sister laughed out loud.

“Here they are,” Tyree said as he rounded a table laden with an assortment of the very item of which he spoke. “We have scented salts of rose, lavender, lilac, honeysuckle and, of course, the very expensive imported salts. Would you like to smell a few?”

Tyree lifted the glass lid of one of the jars and let the lavender scent waft toward the prospective buyer. Then he lowered it again and lifted another, letting the smell of honeysuckle fill the air.

“I truly adore the lavender salts,” Marty said with exuberance in her voice.

“I’m partial to the rose scent,” Greta interjected with a sniff in the direction of the jar with the pink contents.

“It’s all costly and unnecessary,” Josie said as she sidled up to the table and lifted a lid from which the scent of jasmine escaped. “All a body needs is soap and water.”

“Sometimes, one likes to have enticing aromas surrounding one,” Tyree argued, hoping that Josie had not deterred his customers from purchasing his wares. But he found himself staring at her and could not be angry with her despite her countless efforts to start arguments with him.

“I know I do,” Marty said happily. “I’ll take an ounce of the lavender, please.”

“Pshaw!” Josie hissed. “A pretty thing like you doesn’t need to use such frivolous things to insure that you are noticed.”

“You are too kind,” Marty told the older woman who stood just inches away with her arms folded beneath her ample breasts. “But I’ve been on the dusty trail for weeks and I need to wash away the smell of ox and perspiration.”

“I suppose that is a good reason,” Josie agreed with a smile that showed yellow yet straight teeth. “Now, Tyree, you see that you don’t take advantage of the lady.”

“I won’t, Josie, my dear,” he assured her with a nod. He picked up the jar with the light purple contents and carried it toward the counter and the scales thereon.

Josie followed him to the counter where she continued badgering him, “Not in the paper bag! Get one those pretty silk bags from the storage room. That way, if she doesn’t use it all, she can put it in her trunk for a sachet.”

“Good idea,” Tyree had to agree, yet he knew that the silk bags were expensive and he was not sure if Marty would want to pay extra for it.

“I’ll pay for it,” Josie said, interrupting his thoughts. “It’s the least I can do for a woman who’s been on the trail for such a long time.”

“Ah, you are so generous,” Marty said. “But I’ll just take it in a paper bag.”

“Are you planning on using the whole bag?” Josie asked with a brow raised in questioning criticism.

“I plan to put a dent in it,” Marty joked, which gathered laughter from all present.

“Get the fancy silk bag,” Josie demanded of Tyree, who hurried to the back of the store to do as he was told. While he was gone, Josie whispered, “If we don’t keep men in line, they’ll take advantage of us. Better we have the upper hand than get the boot to our backsides.”

“Surely,” Marty argued with a brow raised. “Surely, there is some point of agreement between men and women.”

“Not as far as I’ve seen,” Josie said with a huff. “And I’ve seen it all!”

At that moment, Tyree returned with a small silk bag into which he poured the colored crystals. He had heard Josie’s comments but he chose to ignore them and he changed the subject, “Just a sprinkle of the salts and you are immersed in their magical aroma, chasing away all of your cares and all of your worries.”

“She’s already bought them, Tyree,” Josie complained. “You don’t have to convince her of their wondrous attributes.”

Tyree cleared his throat before he declared, “That will be fifteen cents. A-hum...and ten cents for the bag.”

“Add it all to my bill,” Josie said with arrogance in her voice. “No need to bilk a beautiful stranger out of her money.”

“But…” Marty started.

“No thanks are needed,” Josie declared loudly as she waved Marty’s words away. “You go and enjoy your bath. If you’re traveling across the hill country, it may be the last one for quite a while. I know that from experience.”

“You are too kind,” Marty said with a nod. “And we haven’t even been properly introduced.

“Josephine Winters,” the woman announced as if her last name had a distasteful ring to it. “Most folks just call me Josie. Right, Tyree?”

“That’s right,” Tyree said almost sheepishly, averting his eyes so that they would not betray his feelings for her especially when her name is mentioned. He began scribbling on a ledger, adding the figures with the aid of his fingers.

“Four dollars and twenty-three cents,” Josie told him. “Including the fancy silk bag. That’s how much I will pay you at the end of the month. Don’t you go frettin’ about the amount, Tyree. I’ll pay you every damn cent of it.”

Tyree coughed before he declared, “I wasn’t worried about whether or not you would pay me. You know as well as anyone that I am one for keeping the books perfect.”

“Not everyone is as perfect as you, Tyree Parnell,” Josie growled as she turned to leave the store. “God help the woman who has to deal with your obsessions!”

“I’m not obsessive!” Tyree yelled at her retreating figure. To Marty and Greta, he whispered as if Josie could hear him outside the store, “Sometimes I wonder why I allow her to talk to me that way.”

Greta, having noticed the way that Tyree had secretly stared at Josie, looked at her sister and turned around so that Tyree could not hear her while she whispered, “Because you love her!”

Marty giggled but quickly changed the subject, saying, “You don’t have to put it in the silk bag. Really, I can take the paper one.”

“Nonsense! Josie would skin me alive if she found out!”

Raising her shoulders in concession, Marty agreed, “Very well. Thank you so much, kind sir!”

“Enjoy your stay in our wonderful town,” Tyree said as the two women left him.

They stepped into the carriage giggling but as soon as the town’s wonders overtook their thoughts again, the conversation inside Parnell’s Store was quickly forgotten. They made their way back to the hotel so that Greta could get ready for the theater and so that Marty could enjoy that beautiful copper tub in her room.

While Greta and Elsa were gone, Elsa’s husband stayed with the children and Marty took a much-needed soak in the tub. As she eased into the hot water, Marty could hear the squeals of amusement emanating from Elsa’s hotel room next door while Sera Dear and the others loudly played despite the mumbling grumbles from Arnie and Ingrid’s father.

Drowning out the din of delight, Marty closed her eyes and soaked up the warmth of the steaming liquid that surrounded her. Breathing in the scent of lavender, she scrunched down until the water tickled her chin while tendrils of her auburn hair that had escaped the jumbled pile on the top of her head floated around her. Slowly, her mind began to wander to places that it had never dared to venture before.