Chapter Six
Randall returned to the sheriff's office, and everyone else went about their business. Lisabet groused her way through the rest of the afternoon, Clara had gone off somewhere before the set-to out front. Marie-Rose sent Tully round with a list of goods for the pantry. No new customers had arrived, and the emptiness of the place made the clock tick doubly loud.
She forced herself to keep busy, not watch the road. She fussed in the kitchen a while, tried to do something with the laundry, but in the end accomplished nothing. After an hour or so, she finally gave up wondering and marched out the rear door to look up Johansen in his smithy and the stable beside the Astoria. As she exited into the side alley, Tully flashed past on the main road, legs pumping with exuberance. He skidded to a halt as he caught sight of her.
"Can't find no one, Miss Rose. Brubaker is all shut up, Howland and the Mercers are loading their wagons, looks like they're fixing to leave town. Benedict's boys are down at the Crystal Spring." He was all out of breath.
"Let's hope they stay there. Never mind, Tully. Seen Clara? How about that Mister Cartwright?" She tried to act casual.
"Miss Clara's at Doc Abernathy's. Haven't seen Mister Cartwright. You want I should find him?" She could feel him winding up. "I'll go fetch him back here!"
"No, no need for that, just asking. Go see if O'Malley needs you, why don't?" She smiled a pleasant, calm smile. Wasted effort as boys thrive on excitement. He bolted off, fortunately to the front of the Astoria, rather than back down the road. She continued on back.
She found two horses in the stalls. The rising breeze wafted the sooty smell of the forge through the slats. She looked about. The irons were still warm, but not red. The hammer was on the anvil, the coals still glowing in the fire pit. Not a soul to be seen. She thought to call out, but her voice died in her throat.
She returned to her room. Stepping out onto her balcony, she looked over the town. A wagon was heading east past the water tower, piled with belongings. She watched it round the post office, twining her fingers in the fringe of her overskirt. She glanced toward her cards, wrapped in their blue cloth, but she didn't want the advice. Or the bad news. She settled on her bed for a bit of napping to rest her nerves.
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