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Eugenia had known that with her Mama "heart failure" was just a nice way to say "heartbreak." Yes, Eugenia was well aware that her Mama had pined her days away for things that could no longer be.
To Eugenia's relief, houses began to dot the area around the railroad tracks. She smoothed the green silk folds of her skirt and felt her pulsebeat increase, anxious to be in Cripple Creek once again. She had her own home and her girls to see to. It had been ten months now since she had left. Her thoughts went to Adam, Nell, Iris, Alison, Key. How had they managed what she, herself, owned? She no longer wanted to think of the graves that she had left behind, or the house that now belonged to another family—a house that had been made by her Papa. But she brought part of her Papa with her, she brought his prized books.
With wide eyes, Eugenia watched as the train pulled up beside a small timbered house that had a large sign hanging above double doors that led inside to the depot. The name "Cripple Creek" p
ainted in bold red print made her heart swell with warmth. She felt alive once again. She was home. And she knew that she would never leave again. Not for the likes of Drew. Never again. She would never let another man sweet talk her into an empty, senselessness in her brain. Her destiny would be her own. She was Madam Eugenia. Now, and forever.
Climbing from the slender little Pullman of the Cripple Creek Special, she waited for the boxes of her Papa's books to be loaded in a carriage, then proudly climbed into its seat and held onto her hat as the carriage moved down a slope, then onto Myers Avenue.
Laughing to herself, Eugenia looked at each crib at the side of the road, remembering her first day in this town and how the girls had yelled at her. But not this time. She could see them gaping from their small windows, watching Madam Eugenia returning to claim what was rightfully hers.
The dry breeze of July whipped loose papers across the street in front of the horse's hoofs, and the noise of the saloons and dance halls began to be more prominent as the carriage moved on farther into the town. Even the men stopped to stare at her return. She knew that they had all expected her to be respectfully married now, and possibly with child. She also knew that they all had to be wondering what had happened to prompt her return.
When the carriage pulled up in front of The Old Homestead Parlour, Eugenia eyed it in silence, wanting to enter it, to see Alison, but first she had the need to get to The Towers, unload her many boxes, and get refreshed before going into her house of girls. She had to be dressed appropriately to fit the title of Madam Eugenia.
"On to The Towers," she ordered, tilting her chin upward, proud to be the owner of such a grand house.
Ah, dear Frederick, she thought, as she passed by the Opera House. It had been willed to the community, and had been taken care of accordingly. As when Frederick was alive, the Opera House still gave only the best performances for Cripple Creek's population. But Eugenia had yet to enter this particular establishment. It reminded her too much of Frederick, and would surely only bring tears to her eyes.
One turn in the road and The Towers loomed in front of her. It felt as though butterflies were fluttering their wings in her stomach as the carriage pulled in front of the steps that led to the front door. She sat in silence for a few moments to get her breath. She hadn't been this excited for months. Her eyes watched for the door to fly open, to see Adam, Nell, Iris, or maybe even Key. But nothing. Just the sound of horses neighing in the stables at the back of the house reminding Eugenia that that was where she would find Adam. She hurriedly stepped from the carriage.
"Please unload the boxes onto the porch," she ordered, watching the man dressed in black bow to her in silent response. Then she lifted her skirt and ran around to the back of the house. When she saw the stable's doors open, she swallowed hard and inched her way toward them. Then, so quickly, he stepped through the door and faced her, his large brown eyes growing wider.
"Eugenia?"
"Oh, Adam," she said. Laughter mixed with tears. She ran to him and fell into his arms.
Hugging him, she was reminded of their many nights together, how they had drawn such pleasure from one another's bodies. Then when she raised her face upward, she began to laugh softly.
"And your beard did grow, huh?" she said, studying the bristly patch of red hair that just barely revealed the reddish purple lips below his nose.
Adam stepped back away from her, studying her, frowning. "And where's Drew?" he asked.
Eugenia placed her hand in front of her, displaying an empty ring finger. "It never happened, Adam," she said.
"What?" he gasped.
"No. I didn't marry Drew."
"Damn. What happened?"
"It's a long story," she said, pulling the pin from her hat, then removing the hat from her head. She began to turn it in her hands, watching it blankly. "But to make it a short one, he married my sister," she added. She looked upward, watching his expression.
"You don't say. Damn," he blurted, running his fingers through his own crop of red hair. "Damn," he added once again.
"And you, Adam?" she asked, remembering Nell.
"Me?" he asked, almost shyly.
"Yes, you. What's happened to you while I've been gone? Any major events?"
Adam pulled a cigarette from a front pocket of his short-sleeved cotton shirt. He put it between his lips, then struck a match on the bottom of his cowboy boot.
"Well?" she prodded, becoming amused. She had already seen the ring on his finger. He and Nell had married. It made her heart swell with pride, feeling half way responsible for the two young lovers meeting. Of course, at first, it had been a betrayal to her own kindness shown to both of them, but, in the end, when she had chosen Drew over Adam, it had made for less hurt all around.
Eugenia saw Adam's eyes dart toward the house. She turned and followed his gaze. "Nell?" she whispered, seeing Nell walking toward her and Adam with fear etched all over her face. Her large, swollen abdomen seemed to pain her with each step taken.
"You're going to have a baby?" Eugenia said, looking quickly at Adam, then back at Nell.
