Reclaimed Love: Banished Saga, Book Two (25 page)

“I don’t know what I am going to do, Amelia,” Gabriel said as he paced the small living area. “I need to work.”

“I know, Gabriel. What happened?”

“Jeffers thinks I have a poor work ethic. According to him I missed too much work. Between the wake and the funerals, I was away for four days. He didn’t think mourning for friends warranted such time away.”

“And who is this Jeffers?” Amelia asked, a fiery glint to her hazel eyes.

“My foreman. And that’s not the worst of it.” Gabriel continued pacing. “He’s informed the other bosses that I should not be hired.”

“Gabriel.”

“I know he never liked me after my questions about politics. Well, and for being a Northerner, but it’s too much! I need to work.”

“Gabriel, I’m sure you have some money put aside. You’ll be able to bide a little time and then find work. This Jeffers can’t have this much clout.”

“He’s a very forceful member of the union, Amelia.” He sighed. “But Ronan needs money for the hospital. And I must have work with Clarissa coming.”

“Clarissa’s coming?”

“I received a letter a few days ago from her. It seems that she and her brother Colin will be arriving soon.”

He saw Amelia flush and look away.

“What is it, Amelia?”

“Haven’t you heard the talk?” At his quick shake of his head, no, she sighed. “Why do you think that you are one of my only visitors? The neighbors and community at large are whispering that you have a lovely widow on the side.”

Gabriel spun to look at her, shocked and angered.

“My neighbors shun me because they think I don’t show consideration to the memory of my recently departed husband.”

“Idiots!”

“Some say, if we were just a little more circumspect, it would be acceptable.”

“We have nothing to hide, Amelia,” Gabriel ground out. “Why can’t people understand friendship?”

“To them it’s unseemly. And I worry your Clarissa will hear the talk and…”

“Clarissa’s not like that,” Gabriel insisted. He continued to pace, lost in thought. After a few more turns around the room, he stopped, turning toward her. “I know I could find a job in one of the mines. They need carpenters, and I could work there.” He closed his eyes as though in pain. “I just can’t imagine that work. I never wanted to work underground, as though the outside were a distant memory.”

“Is there no other option, Gabriel?”

“Do you ever dream of living in a place where you can see the mountains? Breathe fresh air? Not hear the whistle signaling shift change or read about the latest mine disaster at every turn?”

“What are you saying?”

“Do you want to remain in Butte?”

“Not particularly. But I have nowhere else to go. I have no family. Soon I won’t be able to live here,” she whispered in a broken voice. “It’s Company property, meant for miners. Since I’m no longer married to a miner, I need to move on.”

“Amelia,” Gabriel said.

“I don’t want to end up in the Cabbage Patch, Gabriel,” Amelia said in a harsh, low voice.

“You’d never live there. I wouldn’t let you,” Gabe hissed. “You may not have family, but you have friends.”

“Gabriel, what are you saying?”

“Let’s leave Butte. Start fresh in a smaller town.”

“Butte is the place to live in Montana. Butte
is
Montana. Why would we leave it?” Amelia asked confused.

“Because we need to live in a place where there aren’t memories around every corner. Where I won’t have an agitated union man preventing me from obtaining work. Even if it’s temporary, I can’t wait. And I can’t work in a mine. Not after hearing so many stories and losing my friends in a mine. I can’t.”

“Where would we go?”

“I don’t know. I just thought of leaving at this moment. I’ve heard of a town called Missoula. It’s a ways west but still in Montana. Let me look into it.” At Amelia’s nod, he said, “Thankfully we had a decent collection for Ronan at the wake and funeral. So, even after helping Ronan with the rest of his hospital bills, I should have enough money set aside for the short train ride.”

“And I have the money from the death benefit,” Amelia said. “That will keep the children and me going for a little while as I determine what I can do in this new town.” She paused for a moment as though uncertain how to broach the topic. “Gabriel, it may prove awkward for me to travel with you as an unmarried woman. There may be a lot of talk. And talk may follow us.”

Gabriel sighed, closing his eyes. “I know, Amelia. But I can’t imagine leaving you here alone. Of not being able to help you. Of not seeing little Nicholas and Anne grow.”

“I want them to know their uncle Gabriel. Will you let me consider what I would like to do? Can you visit again tomorrow?”

“Of course. I won’t abandon you,” Gabriel said. He gripped her hand, leaning forward to kiss her gently on the forehead. He brushed away her tears as he crouched in front of her. “I promise that I’ll always be there for you, Nicholas and Anne.”

“I know, Gabriel,” Amelia said. “But this isn’t the life I envisioned. I need Liam so badly. Why did he have to die? Why?” she cried, burying her face in Anne’s swaddled clothes.

“Amelia,” Gabriel soothed.

“No, Gabriel,” Amelia choked out. “There are no words of comfort. There is nothing you can say to bring him back so that he can hold me in his arms and tell me it was all a bad dream. To take this pain away. To…” She began to sob.

Gabriel gathered her close, rocking her and baby Anne in his arms as he tried to offer solace. “I know, Amelia. I know there is nothing to say to soothe your pain. I just wish there were.”

“Oh, Gabriel. Why did he have to go away from me?” she cried.

Gabriel merely continued to rock her, rubbing soft circles on her back.

After a few minutes, she eased away, refusing to meet Gabriel’s eyes. “Forgive me, Gabriel.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Amelia,” he said. “If you didn’t mourn Liam, then I’d be worried.” He wiped her cheeks once then reached out for Anne. “Here, let me take her for a few minutes.” He stood, holding her against his chest and cooing in her ear as he walked around the small living room.

***

“RONAN, HOW ARE YOU recovering?” Gabriel asked. He walked toward the chair by Ronan’s bed, noting that most of the occupants in this hospital room were either sedated or unconscious. One man in the middle bed on the other side watched them, as though nothing of interest had happened in days.

Ronan struggled to a sitting position, gasping with pain. His arms shook with the exertion of pushing himself up. His brown beard had filled in and thickened, masking his recent weight loss. “Slowly.”

“What’s the doctor say?”

“That the pain’ll go away, but I’ll probably never walk again.”

“Ronan, no,” Gabriel moaned, grasping his nape. “What will you do?”

“I’ve no idea. There isn’t much work a cripple can do at a mine.”

Gabriel winced at the word
cripple
. “There’ll be something for you to do. They’ll find work for you.”

Ronan shook his head. “How is Amelia?”

“Suffering. Missing Liam,” Gabriel murmured.

“I wish I could have been at the funeral. Who kept vigil at the wake?” Ronan asked.

“I did.”

“Was there a good showing for the funeral?”

“More than you could imagine. I stood next to Amelia at the cemetery and held Nicholas during the burial.”

“And for Matthew?”

“I threw on the first soil. And I wrote his family. I don’t expect to hear from them. He told me once they couldn’t read.” Gabriel sighed.

“What is it?” Ronan asked. At Gabriel’s shake of his head, Ronan became more curious. “You seem worried. What’s bothering you?”

“There’s gossip about Amelia and me. And she has been blacklisted by the women of the Guild.”

“What? How are you stopping it?”

“There’s little I can do. I can’t stop seeing Amelia, Ronan. She needs help with the children, and she needs company.”

“Is there any truth to the rumors?”

“Of course not!” Gabriel glared at Ronan for a moment before he sighed. “No, Ronan. I received word from Clarissa that she is planning on joining me here in Montana.”

“Seems your patience was worth it. But if you and Amelia aren’t to marry, I don’t understand what you can do to stem the gossip here in Butte if you continue to spend time at her house.”

“We’re thinking of leaving Butte.”

“Leave Butte? Why?”

“I’ve lost my job due to the amount of time I was absent from work for the wake and funeral. I need work to support Clarissa.” Gabriel massaged his hands. “Besides, it’s too painful to walk around the streets, with the memories of all of us together. I need a fresh start, Ronan.”

“And you think it’s acceptable to leave me here? Alone?”

“Ronan, I can’t stay here,” Gabriel rasped out.

“Take me with you,” Ronan begged. At Gabriel’s silence, Ronan whispered, “Please, don’t leave me here with no close friends and only self-pity for company.”

“I can speak with Jed at the railroad station. I know him from when I arrived last fall. Let me see what can be managed. If you want to come with us, Ronan, I won’t leave you behind.”

Ronan sighed. “Thank you, Gabe.”

“One day, you may wish you had stayed in Butte, Ronan.”

“When that day comes, I’ll let you remind me that you told me so. Right now I can’t be separated from you, Amelia and the children. You’re my only family,” he whispered. Gabriel nodded, gripping Ronan’s shoulder as he left.

“I’ll return tomorrow, hopefully with plans.”

CHAPTER 22

“SOPHIE, I CAN’T BELIEVE the convention is already over,” I said as I leaned against an overstuffed chair upholstered in a steel-gray silk damask pattern in her well-appointed room in the West Hotel in Minneapolis. Potted ferns flourished beside the large arched windows, sheer curtains preventing the glare of the late afternoon sun from shining on the thick red rugs. Sophie sat on the matching settee, its button-tufted back cushions curved at the top in a serpentine manner forming a camelback shape and finished with rosewood carved in an elaborate floral pattern. Small tables were scattered around the room, and the cream-colored wallpaper held pictures highlighting the beauty of Minnesota.

“Nor can I, although I am ready to return to Boston. It has been a wonderful few weeks with you, my girl, between the time in Chicago and the convention. What did you think of the convention?”

“I liked Mrs. Catt and her plan to have us organize and then work with the legislators. I think Miss Anthony chose a good successor in Mrs. Catt.”

Sophronia
harrumphed
but then smiled. “Yes, she will lead us on well, but she mustn’t become too enamored with all of her organizing. Sometimes change comes from chaos.”

“Don’t you think we need to have a better understanding of our opposition in order to attain our goal of the Sixteenth Amendment?”

“I’ll never argue against understanding the myopic views of those who would rather choke on tradition than accept that change is coming. However, you should not become so entrenched in your beliefs on how to accomplish something that you can’t see another way to obtain your goals.”

I nodded for a moment as I thought through her words. “What did you think of Mr. Blackwell?” I asked.

“I found him as fascinating here as in Boston.”

“Do you think it possible for a man to truly be in favor of women having the vote? Can there really be a partnership between men and women like he had with Lucy Stone?”

“I can’t answer for their marriage, but I believe it can happen, yes.” Sophronia watched me. “You’re thinking of your young man in Montana.”

“Yes, I am. I hope he is like Mr. Blackwell, although I don’t know as I want my wedding to be referred to as a marriage protest.”

“You say you don’t want a marriage protest, but I imagine you would like a marriage like theirs. Like equals,” Sophronia said with a piercing stare. “I can envision you wanting to omit the word
obey
from your marriage vows.”

“Yes, I would like to feel like my ideas and beliefs matter. That I have rights as an individual even though I am married. And I’ve never liked the word
obey
.”

“Did you know that Lucy Stone was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree?”

“Yes, I had heard that.”

“It seems to me there are men who aren’t afraid of educated women.”

“And I remain hopeful Gabriel is one of those men. Sophie, I can’t thank you enough for insisting I come to this convention.” I sighed with delight as I clasped a throw pillow to my chest.

“Have you learned anything useful, my girl?”

“Yes. I must continue to champion this cause, and, although it may seem daunting, we will obtain our goal.”

“Very good,” Sophie said with a small smile. She settled herself in her comfortable chair before pinning me with the gaze of her intense aquamarine eyes. “Have you learned anything about yourself and what you need?”

“No.”

“No?” Sophie asked.

“Sophie, please listen. I knew when I left Boston I wasn’t returning.”

“You have this planned?” At my quick nod, she directed her stare at me. “What of the tea?”

I flushed, but met her eyes. “All is as I had hoped,” I muttered.

Sophie gave a satisfied nod. “Who will travel with you?”

“Colin. He helped me and plotted it all with me. He’ll be here tonight, and we’ll travel together to Montana tomorrow while you return to Boston. In fact he wishes to stay with me.”

“Wonderful news,” Sophronia said. “About time you took your life into your own hands. I had never thought to visit Montana, but now I might have to.”

At the quick knock on the door, I knew it would be Aunt Betsy. Sophie rose to answer the door, calling out as she opened it, “Clarissa has wonderful—” She stopped short.

“News?” Aunt Betsy said. “I too have a … surprise.” I turned toward her with a lightness of spirit and gave a hoot of happiness at seeing Colin. He wore a simple suit of gray pants, waistcoat and jacket. The light blue of his shirt enhanced the sparkle in his blue eyes.

“Col!” I flung my arms around his neck. He laughed as he picked me up and swung me around once.