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Chapter Two
True to her word, Sydney packed up her belongings and bribed some servants to take them to the Tandys’ home. On Saturday morning, she rode out to the orphanage on the other end of town and brought prizes for the children who had earned them. She brought three of her old dolls, and several coins for the boys. After distributing prizes, she went to Mrs. Anderson and whispered what she was about to do. The other woman looked worried, but she understood why Sydney felt as if she must do it. How could she not?
Sydney was the model daughter all weekend, attending two balls, and having tea with two potential mothers-in-law. She acted like the daughter her mother had always wanted, instead of herself.
Instead of long, tear filled goodbyes, Sydney wrote a short note to her father, whom she was certain would understand why she was leaving. He’d always been an ally of sorts. “I have gone west to marry. I will send you and mother a letter when I am settled into my new home. I do ask that you not tell mother for at least a week that you know what I’ve done. I do not want to marry the kind of man mother is determined for me to marry. I will be good. Love, Sydney.”
She left the note on his desk for him to find the following morning. There was a train that left Beckham at six every morning, heading west, and she planned to be on it. She’d switch trains as she needed to, contemplating and then discarding the idea of traveling to California and seeing the entire country from her own private sleeping car, but she realized it wasn’t a good idea. No, she’d stick with the original plan and marry Randy Ranch.
Fort Worth, Texas sounded like the wild west anyway.
*****
Days later, Sydney arrived in Fort Worth, Texas, tired and dirty. It had been a long train ride, and she was ready to just sleep in a bed that didn’t make sounds. She’d thought the train was a great adventure until she’d gotten on it, and the adventure had worn off within an hour. No, Fort Worth would have to be her home because she was not getting on that thing again.
She got her bicycle from the luggage car and picked up her carpet bag. Now she must find Mr. Randy Ranch.
As she wandered away from the train station, she realized she was not in a good part of town. She got onto her bike and turned around, heading north instead of south. The buildings and houses there seemed to be in better order.
She stopped at the first business she saw, a general store, and she wandered inside. “Hello. I’m looking for Randy Ranch.” Sydney was dressed in bloomers and pushing her bicycle. The woman behind the counter looked her up and down.
“You looking for the man or the house?”
“I don’t know what the house is. No, I’m looking for the man.”
The woman scratched her head. “Well, he owns all the businesses on this block, but he doesn’t often make an appearance. Mr. Ranch is an important man.”
“Can you tell me where I might find him then?” Sydney asked. She wasn’t sure what was so complicated about finding the man if he was as prominent as it seemed.
“He’s probably at the house.”
“What house?” Sydney asked, growing a little more confused by the moment.
“The brothel…Randy’s Ranch.”
Sydney stared at the woman for a moment. “Brothel? This man owns a brothel?” How could she have come this far to marry a brothel-owner? No, she had to figure out how to change things.
“He does. Is that not the man you’re looking for?”
“No, I don’t believe it is. Could you perchance tell me how I might find Mrs. Susan Dailey?”
“The Daily Ranch is a few miles outside of town.”
“That’s all right. I brought my bicycle.” Though she was tired and had hoped to sleep immediately, it obviously wasn’t going to happen.
The woman made her a map, explaining where to turn.
Sydney thanked her. “May I have a glass of water before I head out there? It’s hot.”
The woman smiled. “It’s only April. Wait until July.”
“I think I’d rather not,” Sydney said with a grin. She wasn’t certain she would be able to survive the heat of the summer if it was this hot in April!
The woman gave her a glass of water and Sydney gave her a silver dollar for her trouble. “I thank you for taking the time to help me.”
“But…this is a day’s wage!”
“That’s all right. The help is appreciated.” Sydney handed the empty glass back to the other woman and set out on her bike in the direction the woman had indicated. She wouldn’t be sleeping in a brothel or with a brothel owner that night.
