Chapter 4

Sissy

By the time the train pulled up in Laramie, the snow had covered everything in pristine white.

"Gather your things!" the porter announced, walking down the aisle. "We'll stop in a few minutes!"

"Well, it was a pleasure traveling with you!" Kenzie pulled Sissy in for a dainty hug. "If you ever find yourself in Whiskey River, please look me up."

"I will." Sissy smiled. "And next time, the champagne will be on me."

Kenzie leaned in conspiratorially, her eyes dancing. "Be careful what you offer!" She gave her air kisses over both cheeks. "I'll see you soon." Then, she headed down the aisle and out of sight.

Sissy let out a deep breath as she squared her shoulders, ready to meet her betrothed. But the whole way there, Sissy couldn't get past the immigrant ticket. If nothing else, she vowed to give him a piece of her mind about it when she had the chance.

All of the men she had been associated with her whole life were kind and respectful of women. Now, Sissy was beginning to see that not all men were that way. She just hoped that Mr. Webster was a decent man.

As she stepped to the door, it struck her that she didn't even know his first name.

When she stepped out, there was a business man wearing a top hat and Sissy gasped. But then Kenzie stepped up to him and took his arm. He opened the door for her, and she climbed into his carriage.

To the left was a good-looking blonde man dressed in a suit, but then a beautiful woman with dark brown hair approached him and kissed him. He offered her his arm and he escorted her away.

Sissy wished that she knew what Mr. Webster looked like, at least. She refused to holler his name, so she stepped to the edge of the platform and pulled her coat around her, waiting. He knew which train she would be on, so she had no doubt that he would find her.

Suddenly, a group of scruffy men on horses pulled to a stop at the edge of the platform. They were wearing dirty clothes and had mud on their boots, led by a heavy-set man that looked much too big to ride the poor horse he was straddling.

"There she is!" yelled a short, skinny man that was with him. "Elmer, there she is!"

Elmer took off his hat and swatted the man, causing Sissy to jump.

Sissy looked away, hoping beyond all hope that none of these men was Mr. Webster.

She moved to the other side of the platform and looked away, hoping not to attract their attention.

"There's Sissy! It has to be her!" the skinny man shouted in a southern drawl, jumping up and down. "Elmer, you're the luckiest man in the world!"

Elmer spat into the snow and locked his eyes on her.

No, please, no, Sissy thought to herself, hoping that someone was playing a terrible joke on her, or that someone had made a mistake.

Holding his hat, Elmer headed toward her. "Are… are you Miss Sissy?"

"Umm?" she asked, debating whether or not to lie and tell him that it wasn't her.

"Sissy Spenser," he clarified, straightening his back. "Are you Miss Sissy Spenser?"

She let out a deep breath, relenting. "Yes. Yes, I am."

A broad smile spread across his face. "Well, it's me! Elmer Webster, your betrothed! It's a pleasure to meet you!" Before she could say anything, he grabbed her around the waist and spun her around. "Come on! The preacher's waitin'!"

"Preacher?" she asked horrified as he led her toward his posse. "Now, wait a minute here—"

"Yes! We're getting' married today!" Elmer chirped, a broad smile showing a few blackened teeth. "Let's get hitched!"

"No."

Elmer froze. "What? But I paid for your train fare—"

"In immigrant class," Sissy corrected. "I had to pay for an upgrade or else I would have been stuck sitting between two lecherous men."

"Who were they?" Elmer doubled his fists at his sides, looking over her head through the crowd.

"Never mind." Sissy dug sixty-five dollars out of her reticule and thrust it into his hand. "Here. Take this and let's call off the wedding."

"Now, wait a minute here!" Elmer hit his hat against his leg and dust surrounded him, making Sissy cough as he shoved the money back into her hand. "I paid for a mail-order bride and that's exactly what I'm gonna git!"

"No!"

But before she could get away, he threw her over his shoulder, marched her toward his horse, and plopped her down on the back. "Now. You're gonna do as yer told! My brothers and I are tired of eating canned beans and I aim to have a wife that can cook!"

"Well, that's not me," she lied. "I can't cook to save my life."

Elmer stared at her for a long moment, and then chuckled. "Nah! Every woman knows how to cook!" Then he nodded toward the skinny man, who Sissy assumed was one of his brothers. "Sal, bring her trunk and meet us at the church."

"Ah, Elmer!" he kicked at the snow with his cowboy boot.

"No! Leave my trunk and I'll come back for it later!" Sissy yelled as Elmer climbed up into the saddle in front of her. He smelled like he hadn't bathed for at least a month, causing her to gag. "Elmer, please… take my money and let's call off the wedding—"

"No!" he yelled, kicking the poor horse they were sitting on, causing him to run. "You agreed to marry me and that's exactly what we're gonna do!"

Sissy held onto the back of the saddle, trying not to touch his hind end, and they rode for a bit and stopped in front of a church in downtown Laramie. The rest of his brothers wrapped the reins of their horses around the hitching post and walked inside. Then, a man pulled up in a horse-drawn sleigh, pulled by a white horse, decked out in red bows and ribbons for the holidays.

"That's for later." Elmer gave her a toothless grin, taking her hand and pulling her toward the church.

"Wait!" Sissy yelled, trying to think of something… anything as an excuse.

Elmer froze, along with his brothers. "Boys, go into the church. We'll be right there."

"Right, Elmer!" they replied, all of them taking off their hats before entering the church.

"Elmer…." Sissy smiled, hoping this worked. "Why don't you go inside the church and give me a minute to freshen up. After all, I want to look my best on my wedding day."

He gave her an incredulous look, and then a slow smile spread across his face. "Well, all right!" He grabbed her shoulders and pressed his lips to hers, nearly causing her to get sick. "I'll see you inside, darlin'!" Then, he took off his hat and headed inside, leaving her alone.

Eyeing the sleigh, she jumped inside and shook the reins. As if wanting to make its escape, the white horse leaped into a dead run. She didn't yell, but just shook the reins, not wanting to attract attention. She had no idea where she was going, but anywhere was better than here… marrying Elmer.

Not wanting to be caught, she took the backroads headed out of town. "Yah!" she yelled when she was a safe distance away, knowing Elmer and his brothers would catch up to her at any moment.

The snow came down in sheets, blinding her and piling up along the road. Sissy just hoped that it would be too much for Elmer and his brothers and decide not to follow.

Sissy drove through a pass between the mountains, hoping to find a town along the way where she could hide, but she couldn't see anything. She rode for what seemed like an eternity when streaks of orange, pink, and yellow streaked across the sky, signaling the end of another day. Unless she wanted to accidently ride over the side of a mountain, Sissy knew she had to find shelter fast.

Suddenly, the road opened up to a cute town in the middle of nowhere. She pulled into the livery stables and, luckily, someone was there.

"Well, hello, ma'am." A muscular man approached, wiping his hands on a towel. "That's a nice-looking rig you have there."

"Thanks," Sissy replied, realizing that she was now officially a horse thief. "Actually, it's not mine."

He froze. "It's… what?"

"Can I keep it here for tonight? I need to find shelter and a job, and then I'll be back to settle up."

Dirk studied her for a moment. "Did you say that this rig wasn't yours?"

Sissy sighed, defeated. "Do you have a sheriff? I can explain—"

The man smiled as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Miss, you're freezing! Why don't you go to the restaurant, get something to eat, and I'll come by with the sheriff? In the meantime, I'll take care of… the rig and the horse."

She nodded, giving him a slight curtsey. "Much obliged." Tears filled her eyes as she started to walk away.

"And miss?"

She stopped and turned around, raising her eyebrows.

"Welcome to Whiskey River."

Sissy's mouth fell open. "This… is Whiskey River?"

He chuckled. "You've heard of it?"

Sissy nodded. "Yes, I met a young woman on the train—Kenzie Baker—who said that she moved here a year ago."

"Kenzie!" Dirk nodded knowingly, a smile spreading across his face. "She's made quite a name for herself since her arrival." He smiled, nodding toward the restaurant and hotel. "Go get something to eat and I'll be by soon with the sheriff." A crease formed between his eyes. "I don't know what you've been through, miss. But rest assured, everyone here in Whiskey River pulls together in times of need." He shrugged. "We wouldn't survive otherwise."

She nodded, grateful that she had landed in Whiskey River. "What's your name, by the way?"

"I'm Dirk Price, owner of this livery stable." He nodded toward the restaurant. "Now, you go ahead. I'll be there shortly with the sheriff."

"Thank you… for your kindness."

A smile lit Dirk's lips. "Don't mention it."