I’d been as shocked to see her as she had been to find me indulging in, as she called it, the sin of self-abuse. She had recovered more quickly, however, and promptly ordered me out of her house and never to darken its door again.
Shaken, I’d hurriedly tossed my few belongings into a bag and left. Her husband had joined her in leering at me from the doorway as I’d hurriedly dressed, putting a skirt and blouse on over my nightgown since the Garners seemed determined to give me no privacy.
Stunned by my sudden change in circumstances, I had spent that night huddled in a corner of the park near the spot where I had encountered Keane and Rye. It seemed I had been drawn to that location and, though the tawdry thoughts and deeds that had led me to be in such a peculiar situation were due to them, I had no animosity for the two gentlemen. No, far from it. As I sat upon the ground and leaned against a tree, I thought again of both men.
Which did I prefer? I honestly could not have said. Rye, with his serious manner and sincere gazes? Or, Keane with his ready smile and a twinkle in his eye?
It seemed they were the perfect yin and yang, and I could not decide.
I gave myself a mental shake. I needed to stop my foolish daydreams and consider my own survival.
By the time the sun rose, I had a plan in place to find new employment. I would miss Michael and Hannah desperately, but that was water under the bridge. Their mother had made it perfectly clear I would never again be welcome in their home.
But, based upon my sterling reputation in certain social circles, I had no doubt that by sundown I would have new employment.
It turned out that gossip traveled at lightning speed and, by the time I’d arrived at the home of the Ruffing family, word had already reached the formerly cordial Mrs. Ruffing. She at least had the decency to gaze at me with a bit of sympathy while telling me she could not offer me any sort of employment.
This, despite trying to lure me away from the Garners not two weeks prior.
Such was the reach of the Garner family’s power.
By the end of the second day, it was clear I’d find no respectable employment in Butte. I had a bit of money tucked away in the bottom of my carpetbag and decided it was best spent on travel to a new location as there was no future for me in Butte.
A tiny part of me had hoped I’d encounter Keane and Rye again. I’ll admit to whipping my head about in an unladylike manner when I saw a silhouette from the corner of my eye that I would have sworn was Keane. Sadly, it was not.
After my night in the park and no luck finding a job, I’d booked a room at a seedy hotel where I’d barely slept at all. Fear of vermin—animal and human—had made for a most unpleasant stay.
Doing some mental calculations, I determined I could afford a room at the Hotel Imperial before taking the train the next day to Missoula. Surely I’d find employment soon and be able to replenish my savings, and so I engaged a room and eagerly anticipated a bath and a quiet final night in Butte.
The only fly in the ointment had been seeing Timothy, Mr. Garner’s assistant—disgusting henchman, really—exiting the hotel dining room. Of course, he did not acknowledge me, nor I him, but even in my less-than-pristine state he’d recognized me. His foul countenance was impossible to miss, not to mention his uniquely unpleasant features, including a constantly sneering mouth, beady eyes, and a raised scar along his jawline.
No matter, I told myself as I locked the door to my room. Mr. Garner had no sway over me, and neither did his vile assistant. I’d never see either of them again, and for that I was grateful.
In short order I’d bathed and changed my clothes, feeling a hundred times better after I dressed in a clean blouse and skirt.
I gazed out a window overlooking the park. Ironically, the location on the path where I’d met Keane and Rye was directly in my view. Again, the entire scene replayed in my mind. The last thing was Keane saying, "Wait. May we…" But he’d never finished his statement. I’d been desperate to turn around and continue the conversation, but once Mr. Garner joined the children and me, I dared not.
What had Keane been about to ask? May we see you again? May we walk with you? May we take you away from here to a place where you’ll never have to be fearful again?
Ha. I had let my imagination run much too far away with me.
And why did I keep thinking of them as a pair? Certainly they were distinct in their own ways, yet, in my mind, they came as a set.
I turned away from the window with a shake of my head. They were no more a part of my future than Michael and Hannah. And, come morning, I would be far from Butte, never to see any of them again.
It was time to focus on the future, not the past.
There was a knock on my door, and I startled. I paused and listened, and the knock came again. I made my way to the door. "Who is it?"
"Room service."
"I have not ordered any food." Panic built in me. I could not afford to pay for an extravagant meal.
"Compliments of the hotel. Please open your door."
I had no experience with such a fancy establishment. Perhaps this was customary. Besides, I was hungry.
I opened the door, but instead of a liveried waiter, Mr. Richard Garner leered at me. Shocked at his presence, I involuntarily and foolishly took a step back. He pushed into the room and closed the door behind him.