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A little flutter of excitement filled Ida’s chest. Could she convince women to travel so far west?
Suzanne grinned at her. “It’s a long ride home.”
“What if I didn’t tell them everything and let them decide when they arrive. Let’s face it, most of these girls are not coming from ideal situations. They’re either alone or helpless or there is some reason they have not found a man here in town.”
So many of her young women were running from a bad family life. There were reasons why they had not found a husband. As much as she didn’t want to take this man’s money, she needed the funds in order to eat.
Her assistant sat back and smiled. “We could be helping them find a good home with not one man, but two to care for them.”
Suzanne smiled and gave a little giggle. “Two men. It’s hard enough to please one. How do they make love? One at a time or two on one? Oh, I wish I were a fly on a wall. This I would like to see.”
“Suzanne,” Ida said in a warning tone. “That’s…not seemly. We shouldn’t think such thoughts.”
“Maybe not, but I’m curious about how this would work. So are we taking on this project or are we going to starve?”
Honestly, she had no choice, but it would be better to let the women decide once they arrived in Montana. Somehow she would just forget to tell them that they would be marrying not one, but two husbands. She hated lying to them, but it was that or find herself out in the street.
Leaning back in her chair, Ida smiled at her assistant. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. I’ve got to find eight girls. Load them up on a train to St. Louis and then they will take a boat to Fort Lewis and from there not one, but two stages, will take them to Treasure Falls. A three-month journey from Charleston to Treasure Falls.”
For a moment, they each sat in thought.
“It could be a great beginning for these women.”
“It could be hell,” Ida said. “Oh, goodness, I wish I could tell them what they were getting themselves into, but no one would take the chance. And it’s obvious the man has money. They could be living a very rich life.”
“This man must be very wealthy for him to request eight women and to pay for their travel and your fee,” Suzanne said.
It was true. The amount he was paying her was double what she normally received and he’d sent enough for passage for eight women as well.
But was she being devious not telling these ladies what they were about to get themselves into?
What choice did she have?
This would save her business. It was either that or find another job and the ones available to women were not good.
With a sigh, she grinned at Suzanne, her decision made.
“Where should we start looking?”
“Let’s start with some posters on poles spread throughout the city.”
Two days later as Ida was hanging up a poster, a beautiful young woman approached her. Her eyes were red rimmed and she looked nervous.
“How can I sign up?”
Ida had her first customer and she gazed at the girl in shock. She was stunning. Her long black hair and emerald eyes that peeked from beneath long dark lashes made even Ida’s heart swoon.
How had the men of Charleston missed this woman? Or did she have a secret?
“I’ll sign you up.”
“When does the journey begin? I have no place to stay and I’m needing to leave right away.”
Long ago, Ida had made a decision not to ask too many questions of these girls. There were so many reasons for them becoming a mail-order bride and a lot of them were not good. The less she knew, the better. That way, when their suitors or fathers came looking for them, she could deny any knowledge of why the women chose to leave.
“As soon as I can find eight women. I’m hoping in the next two weeks,” she said, thinking that would be nearly impossible, but she would do her best. The longer it took her, the more someone might find out what kind of town Treasure Falls was. “You’re welcome to stay at my place until all of you depart.”
Years ago, she’d built on several bedrooms for just this type of problem.
