Chapter 11

Mary Anna paced in front of the window in her hotel room. Chris had no reason to expect her to live in a small room all by herself. She was bored. She came to Abilene to marry Chris and not be alone. Now, she felt lonelier than she ever had.

She stopped pacing, stomped her foot, and grabbed her reticule. Mary Anna was going out on the town to see Abilene. It's not like Vicksburg didn't have unruly characters after the war. She could handle herself, although she wished she had a derringer.

Mary Anna had her hand on the doorknob when someone knocked on her door. All her bravado disappeared. It wasn't time for Chris to be back. Had something happened to him? She grabbed at her fleeing courage and faced the door. "Yes?"

"Mary Anna? It's Alice."

Relief spurred Mary Anna to pull open the door. "Alice, how are you? Did your man meet your approval?"

Alice hugged her. "Steve is a dream come true. He owns the livery and has a nice house several blocks away. It's a sweet home, and he's letting me fix it up however I want." She sighed and twirled around before sitting in one of the chairs. "And your man?"

Mary Anna, for sure, wasn't going to sigh and twirl around in bliss before sitting in her chair. Instead, she frowned and slumped down. "Chris is a Yankee in every sense of the word. And he wanted to marry a Yankee girl. All we do is fight the civil war over and over."

Alice put her hand over Mary Anna's. "I am so sorry. But you are still married?"

Nodding, Mary Anna let her sorrow slip out in a sad sigh. "Yes. I am afraid we are stuck with each other. He is handsome, although I think he is somewhat of a scoundrel. A drifter, he confessed. He has a partner, Jake. The two of them look like outlaws. I wouldn't be surprised if they robbed a bank."

"Oh, no."

"Right now, they are out buying a ranch. So, you are looking at a woman who will be living with two drifters and who knows how many cows. A far cry from the civilized life I thought I would live. No gowns, no balls, and no gentlemen."

Alice laughed. "You are so dramatic. Face it, having a ranch will be better than sewing on buttons or plucking chickens."

"I suppose. If he would just let up on the North and South routine."

"Have you?"

Mary Anna grinned. "You have me there. I guess not. I hope the ranch house is livable. Jake has a woman who wants to marry him, but the man is too dumb to ask her. Sheila is her name. You'd like her."

"Sheila? She works in the Drop Dead Saloon. Steve pointed her out to me. I've not met her." Alice fidgeted with her reticule. "You do know she works in the saloon?"

Mary Anna nodded. "Yes. She told me she did. But she loves Jake. I'm going to help her get that man to ask her to marry him."

Alice stared at her. After a moment, she stood. "Let's go and have tea at a little café. It's on the other end of town but not a far walk."

"I'd love to. I am tired of staying in this room. Chris told me to stay here, but I can't stand it any longer."

"Chris suggested to Steve that I come and call on you. He sounds like he cares about you."

Mary Anna smiled. "That is refreshing to know. Maybe the man has a heart." She stood and hugged Alice. "I'm so happy to see you. Let's go to that café."

"My treat. Steve does very well with the livery." Alice opened the door and waited for Mary Anna to get the key.

"I have seen very little of Abilene."

"It's nothing like Vicksburg, and it certainly has no river running near it." Alice sighed. "Vicksburg used to be such a fine city."

"That was then, and this is now. I intend to make the best of Abilene."

"Does that include Chris?"

Mary Anna looked at her friend. "Yes, it does. Sheila gave me wise advice. Told me to surrender like General Robert E. Lee. I'm afraid I have not quite reached that point yet. Maybe when I see the ranch."

They walked past the sheriff's office and saw Marshal Trask sitting outside. He tipped his hat and nodded to them. "Enjoying yourselves, ladies?"

Alice grinned. "Yes, we are."

Mary Anna nodded. "Yes. We're going to have tea at the café."

"Best you get out of this part of town." He got up and walked with them. "I'll escort you two lovely ladies to the café. Hate for one of the rowdier crowd to harass you."

"Have you found the men you're looking for yet?"

"No, I haven't. I guess you both found your husbands?"

Mary Anna took a deep breath. "Yes."

"You don't look so happy about that." Trask caught Mary Anna's elbow and moved her around a man who looked as if he'd just as soon take off her head as let her pass by peaceably. "I'm sorry, Mary Anna. Some of the men here are still fighting the war. That one there lost his brother in the battle of Vicksburg."

Mary Anna looked at him. "A Reb?"

"A Yank, ma'am."

"Oh. I guess everyone lost somebody in that awful war." Mary Anna thought about Chris and what he'd lost. She hoped they could make peace.

Alice peeked around Mary Anna. "Who are you looking for, Marshal?"

He looked at her and gave her a slight smile. "No one for you to be concerned about. Actually, the man hasn't made his move yet. When he does, I'll be ready. There are suspicions he's robbed before, but no one can prove it. So, we play the cat-and-mouse game of waiting."

"Chris and his partner bought a ranch and are checking it out today." Mary Anna looked into the marshal's face, hoping she'd see approval.

Instead, he frowned. "Ranch life is hard on a woman. I hope you have a good life, ma'am."

Alice shook her head and pulled Mary Anna away from him. "We're going to have the best of times. Regardless, it will be better than where we came from."

Trask nodded. "I suppose you're right."

Mary Anna looked at him. "You never said which side of the war you fought on."

"No, I never did." He released her elbow and pointed across the street. "There's your café."

Mary Anna looked at Alice. "Shall we go and have our tea?"

"Certainly. Good day, Marshal Trask."

"My pleasure, ladies." He stayed on his side of the street and watched them cross.

Alice hugged Mary Anna's arm to her. "Well, Yank or Reb, what do you think?"

"I have no idea. He keeps it close to the heart. I guess he figures he is a U.S. Marshal, so no need to pick a side."

Alice sighed. "He's an interesting man. If things don't work out with Chris, he might be someone to consider."

"Oh, Alice. Put that thought out of your head. I will work things out with Chris. I do think we both want to make our marriage work."

"Hope so. But Trask was just a thought."

Mary Anna laughed. "You are always scheming. I'm glad we'll be living close to one another."

"Why don't you and Chris come over for dinner?"

Mary Anna smiled. "I'd love to. I'll ask Chris when he comes back."

"Six o'clock? My house is the third one on the north on Silver Street. It's the yellow house."

"That sounds wonderful." Mary Anna felt hope slide into her heart. Maybe this could work out. At least she had a friend in Abilene.