A Truth Revealed (The Heart of Cheyenne #3)

Chapter 4

4

“Thank you so much, Marybeth, for inviting me to tea,” Laura said, accepting a cup and saucer from the expectant woman.

“I’m glad to have you join us.” Marybeth poured another cup and offered this one to the old woman Laura had been introduced to yesterday as Granny Taylor. “Sometimes we sew, and sometimes we share Scripture and what God has been doing in our lives. Always, however, we have the best of times, and our friendship grows in such a precious way. When I first came here, I knew nothing about Cheyenne or the people. I’ve been blessed so much to add these wonderful ladies to my list of friends.”

“I think we all feel that way,” Faith Cooper said. Laura had met her at church but knew very little about the woman except that she ran a boardinghouse with her husband.

“I know that I feel that way,” Melody Decker added. “I’ve known Granny Taylor the longest of all of you, but you’ve all become so dear and important to me. I couldn’t have made it through these last months without you. Losing Da was so hard, but you were all good to be there for me and encourage me.”

“The Bible says that we’re to bear one another’s burdens,” Granny said. “I’ve always found that to be of vital importance. As with any burden, when more than one person helps to carry it, the load is lightened. God encourages us to do that for one another so that none of us will fall down under the heavy load.”

Marybeth took her seat once everyone was served. “I know I will definitely need you all now more than ever. Edward is terrified that I’ll die in childbirth as his first wife did.”

Laura knew nothing about Marybeth’s past and so sat quietly stirring her tea as Marybeth continued. “He’s trying to give it over to God, but he can’t help but worry.”

“We’ll keep him in our prayers, to be sure,” Granny replied. “Childbearing is often a hard situation for the men involved. They cannot understand the way a woman feels about the life she carries within. She will give her life for that child.”

Marybeth nodded. “I feel that way for Carrie as well. She’s as much my firstborn as a child could be.” She paused and looked at Laura. “I’m sorry, you don’t know about my family. Carrie is actually my half sister, but her mother died after giving her life and begged me to raise her and care for her as my own. I did so, and in every way that matters, she is my firstborn.”

“How lucky she is that you loved her so much,” Laura replied. “My own mother died when I was young. Nothing has ever filled the void of her absence.”

“How old were you when she passed?” Melody asked.

“Twelve,” Laura replied.

“I was ten and Marybeth thirteen when our mothers died. Sadly, we have that in common.”

“I didn’t even get to grow up with my father around,” Laura admitted. “He was heartbroken after losing Mama and sent me to boarding school.”

“How awful.” Marybeth bit her lower lip as if regretting her outburst.

Laura nodded. “It was hard on both of us. Father was devoted to my mother and felt he had completely failed her. We were quite poor, and the doctors wouldn’t help her because we couldn’t pay. Even our church was limited in their support. It’s the reason my father has difficulty attending church now. He feels that God abandoned him.” She paused and shook her head. “But please say nothing. I know he wouldn’t like that I shared such a personal thing with others.”

“Of course we’ll say nothing,” Granny Taylor assured. “There are a great many people who feel abandoned by God when bad things happen. Our little group here gathers to pray for a long list of people. We’ll simply add him to the list. God can mend his broken heart.”

“I know God has done such a work for me. I loved my mother dearly, and losing her was the hardest thing I ever had to endure. And it didn’t help that Father sent me away during my mourning. But he was lost in grief. Mother was his entire world.”

“How could he afford boarding school?” Mrs. Cooper asked.

“I often wondered that myself,” Laura said. “I’ve never had a chance to ask him, but I assume he borrowed the money at first. As the years went by, he bettered himself, and he moved me to more prestigious schools. I made good friends, but still the loneliness was acute. When the summer breaks came, the other girls went home, and I was left behind to live with the headmistress or travel with one of the teachers.”

“That must have been a very difficult existence for you,” Granny Taylor said after a long sip of her tea.

It felt good that someone understood, and Laura nodded. “Sometimes I feared I’d never survive, but the more I missed my father, the more I turned to God. He was all that I had at times.”

“I’m sure it must have felt that way.” The old woman set her cup and saucer aside. “But that’s often the way we grow closer to our heavenly Father. When all the world seems to have forsaken us, we seek desperately for an answer—for someone or something that will fill that void in our lives.”

The other women nodded in agreement, and Laura couldn’t help but smile. They all understood. They knew about the emptiness she had once felt. The emptiness she thought no one else had experienced.

“Thank you for your words, Granny Taylor.” Laura nodded to each of the women. “I feel so welcomed. Thank you all.”

“That’s why we come together,” Melody said. “We want to serve God faithfully and share His love with one another, but we also know what it is to feel alone, to need a friend. God has given us each other.”

“I agree,” Faith Cooper said. “No matter how old or young you are, a good friend is more valuable than riches.”

“Especially here in Cheyenne,” Granny added. “When we first arrived here, the town was nothing but lawlessness and greed. There were a lot of terrible people doing terrible things.”

“It really was an evil town,” Melody said. “We were among the first here, Laura. My father was helping lay the track for the Union Pacific. They called this an end-of-the-tracks town.”

Faith put her cup down. “They called it a lot worse than that, and it deserved the monikers.”

“We came a few months after everyone else,” Marybeth said, rocking gently in her chair. “It was a horrible place. Edward is a deputy and worked nights then. His dear friend Fred Henderson, who owned this house, was his boss. Fred built this house for his wife and boys. He was killed by ruthless men who cared only for themselves and their greed.” She shook her head. “I worried so much about Edward being the next one to die. I still must pray to keep from living in constant fear and dread. But the town is better. Your father and other men like him have had a lot to do with that.”

“I’m glad Father has made a positive difference.” Laura smiled at the circle of women. “It does my heart good to know he’s so well loved.”

“He’s also very supportive of women and their right to be treated as equals, so it’s made him very popular with the women here,” Marybeth said, getting up to pour more tea. “He has been instrumental in pushing for women to have the right to vote.”

“To vote? I would never have thought Father to be part of such a thing. Not that he isn’t supportive of women.” Laura felt a wave of sadness. It seemed these women knew her father better than she did.

“He’s convinced a lot of men to be open to the idea,” Granny said, accepting more tea from Marybeth. “I heard him speak last summer at the Independence Day celebration. He said that women had been instrumental in every good thing that ever happened to this country, from our fight for liberty to the railroad connecting this country from coast to coast. It was quite the speech, and people cheered him on for at least ten minutes.”

“It’s true. I was there,” Faith confirmed. “I had never heard a man speak in such a way about women and their contribution to the country. He was very forthright about it, pointing out the value of women as wives and mothers. He stressed that women were the ones raising the leaders of tomorrow, be they men or women.”

“I’m clearly at a disadvantage.” Laura felt close to tears. “You all know him better than I do. I had only a handful of letters over the years. I feel I’ve missed out on so much.”

“Well, you’re here now,” Granny replied. “That’s what matters. You will catch up quickly. I’ve no doubt.”

Laura forced a smile and nodded. “Yes. I will endeavor to do so.”

Granite Evans finished looking over the inventory record, then handed the papers to his clerk. “This looks good, David. Don’t forget to order those new bustles. The ladies are going to be asking for them, and we want to have them in stock.”

“Yes, sir,” the young man replied.

Evans liked the young man. He was industrious and kept to himself unless needed. When Granite had hired him, he knew the boy came with very little experience, but he’d proven himself over and over. Granite had put him in charge of inventory and found the hireling met the challenge with gusto. He might be the kind of man that could manage the entire store one day.

“Let me know when we get in that new order of silk flowers. I want to run an advertisement in the newspaper and have a sale. I think the ladies are going to be especially delighted to have a little beauty available to them in the dead of winter.”

“Very good, Mr. Evans. I believe the flowers will be well received.”

“Go on now. I have another meeting.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Evans.”

Granite didn’t have to wait long before there was a light rap on the door. “Come on in, Gus. What do you have to report?”

The man drifted into the office like a mist. There was something about Gus Snyder that Granite found fascinating. He seemed capable of moving throughout the town almost unseen and made himself so nondescript that anyone who did manage to see him couldn’t remember much about him.

Gus closed the door and took a seat in a chair opposite Evans’s desk. “Got those beeves taken care of.”

“Glad to hear it. I don’t much care for being in the livestock business. Let’s avoid any more acquisitions of four-legged merchandise.”

“I agree. The men aren’t cowboys. A couple of them nearly lost their lives trying to manage that bunch.” There was a hint of a smile on his lips. A rare thing for Synder, to be sure.

“And you’re certain no one is the wiser as to where the animals got off to?”

“No one is ever going to have a clue. When the time is right, we’ll get them sold, and that will be that.”

“Good. Now, what do we have on the agenda?”

For the purposes of the payroll, Gus was in charge of Granite’s three warehouses. For Granite’s more nefarious purposes, however, Gus was his right-hand man.

“We’ve been watching the stage schedule and passenger lists out of Denver. I learned from a friend that there’s to be a money box sent up from Denver on the fifteenth. It’s headed to the First National Bank.”

“Perfect. With any luck, maybe we’ll get a rich banker or two accompanying the goods. Those men tend to be foolish enough to travel with large amounts of cash on their person as well as in their strongboxes.”

“It’s always possible one will accompany the money.”

“Well, whoever rides the stage will hopefully be carrying plenty of cash and maybe even jewelry. We’ll take it all. Can your boys be ready in time?”

“Yeah, I have to collect a few of the things we need, but it shouldn’t be all that hard.” He leaned back in the chair. “Oh, I got another cousin comin’ to Cheyenne. He’d be trustworthy to hire on.”

“Good. We can use more men like you.” Granite fixed Gus with a hard look. “You know my daughter is living with me now.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want it clear that no one lays a hand on her. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Gus replied with a nod. “I’ll make sure everyone knows that.”

“I have plans for her, and I won’t have any of those low-life hoodlums taking liberties with her. She’ll be around the house and here at the shop, and I won’t have anyone disrespecting her. Make sure that’s understood.”

“The boys will follow orders. They’ll do what’s expected of them.”

Granite pulled out his watch. “I need to get going. I’ve got a meeting to attend, and then I need to get home in time for dinner. I promised Laura I’d be there.” He got to his feet. “I’ll trust you to take care of that other thing as well.”

Gus pushed back his thick black hair and got to his feet in a slow, casual manner. “I’ve got everything under control. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

Granite bent down to retrieve a pair of gloves from his drawer. “That’s the way I like it.”

When he glanced up, Gus was already gone from the room. The man was uncanny in his ability to sneak around. Granite headed for the door, where he took up his heavy outdoor coat and hat. He pulled them on as he moved through the store, then added his gloves. Several of the young women who worked for him gave him a smile. They were young and na?ve, perfectly suited as salesgirls for the store. A few of them flirted with him from time to time. He found it enticing but never gave in to their charms. It wouldn’t bode well with his plans for office. At least not at this point. There would come a time when he’d do as he pleased with the ladies, but for now, he had to be certain that he kept his appearance aboveboard. That’s why Gus was so crucial.

Gus had shown up to work for Granite just before they moved to Cheyenne. He had proven himself to be the best of workers, yet few knew anything about him because Gus always remained in the shadows. And that was the way Granite liked it.

He thought of the meeting he was about to attend. The men there would be the wealthiest in Cheyenne. They were all of a like mind toward progressing Cheyenne forward. They all wanted to see the town become a great city. They already had a good start. The railroad made Cheyenne an important place on the map, and the tracks being laid from Denver would solidify its importance as a Western crossroads.

Not only that but it was also a gateway of sorts to the goldfields of Montana and elsewhere. With a little help, they might even be able to promote a local boom and get all the travelers moving through Cheyenne for supplies and guides. Granite had been thinking long and hard about this. Small gold deposits had been found in the territory, so the idea of a large strike wasn’t out of the question.

He wondered what Laura would think about his political ambitions. He had mentioned a bit of his interests, but he hadn’t gone as far as to explain that he intended to run the entire country. Becoming governor of the territory was the first step and after that ... the presidency. At least, that was the way Granite Evans planned it. He’d take on the position of governor and see that the territory became a state. Then with that fame behind his name, he’d move forward to endear himself to the nation.

Of course, that was probably a good ten or twenty years down the road, but Granite knew he could be a very patient man. And once he accomplished all that he planned, he could begin to expand his revenge to each and every man who had wronged him.

The thought was most satisfying.