Ray stopped the carriage at the edge of town and asked, “Where would you like me to take you, Ma’am?”
“I need to send a telegram, go to the telegraph office first.”
Ray nodded and continued their trip, stopping outside the telegraph office. He helped Aunt Hortense from the carriage and waited with Constance while she sent her telegram.
Aunt Hortense pushed open the door to the small wooden office that sat next to the stage stop where she first set foot in town. She cringed at the condition of the office—wood floor, plain wood walls, a wooden plank for a desk. The room had no personality and nothing to make it enticing for customers.
A small man seated at a table behind the wooden plank looked up and said, “Good morning, Ma’am, may I help you?”
“I need to send a telegram.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” the man answered, sliding a slip of paper and a pencil toward her.
Aunt Hortense wrote out her message and handed the paper back to the telegrapher.
When he read it, she snapped, “Do you have to read my personal message?”
The man smiled. “If I don’t read it, how am I going to know what to send?”
Aunt Hortense was forced to agree but scowled when the man questioned her.
“We don’t have anyone in town named Eliza Woodward. I know everyone around here. Are you sure you have the right name? You don’t want to pay to send this all the way to New York if you don’t have the right name, and besides, why are you asking about St. Louis? We aren’t in St. Louis.”
Aunt Hortense reined in her temper and did her best to smile. “If you must know, I met the young lady when I traveled through St. Louis. I want to know all about her before I offer her employment.”
The man nodded. “That makes sense. I’ll get this out right away. Where do you want the answer sent?”
“I will be in town for a while, and I will check back. If there isn’t any message for me then, you can send the messages to Blake Montgomery’s ranch.”
He glanced at the message again for her name and said, “Yes, Ma’am, Missus Montgomery.”
Aunt Hortense strolled back to the carriage, asking herself how anyone would prefer this town over the comforts New York offered.
Ray helped Aunt Hortense back into the carriage and asked where she would like to stop next.
“Is there a seamstress shop and a café in town?”
“Yes, Ma’am. Our café is right across the road from the dress shop,” Ray answered.
“Then take us to the seamstress shop and pick us up in two hours at the café,” Aunt Hortense instructed.
Ray drove to the seamstress shop, helped both ladies from the carriage, and then headed back to the ranch as quickly as safety allowed.
When Constance and Aunt Hortense entered the dress shop, Aunt Hortense looked around and shook her head. “I doubt they will have anything that you’re used to, but we will do the best we can to have them make you a dress for the supper I insisted Blake host to welcome us to town. He will see what a real lady looks like.”
“I brought a party dress with me.” Constance shared. “Why can’t I wear that?”
“Because my dear, if we have a party, the other women in town might buy a dress. The seamstress will never make two similar dresses. I intend to buy the absolute best this woman can make.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a petite woman with raven black hair and a welcoming smile. “Good morning, ladies. How may I help you?”
“We need the best party dress you can make for this young lady,” Aunt Hortense said. “I want it to be special and not like any other you’ve made or will make.”
“I believe I can accommodate you. With my last fabric order, the company included two free patterns to hopefully have me order more of the newest patterns, I think. The women here in town would never want anything quite that elaborate, and I put them away. Let me get them, and you can see if you like either one,” the seamstress said. “Oh, and I’m Missus Bedwell, but you may call me Florence.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Constance said, and Aunt Hortense merely nodded.
Florence brought the two patterns and lay them on a small table. “Please sit and look at the patterns. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, thank you,” Aunt Hortense said. “We are in a bit of a hurry.”
Florence smiled and let the two ladies discuss the patterns. Constance liked the elaborate gown, but Aunt Hortense convinced her it was too fancy for a small ranch town and convinced her by saying she would look stunning in either dress.
Aunt Hortense inquired about fabric, and Florence said she had red satin she had ordered the previous fall in hopes of selling Christmas dresses. But satin wasn’t at all sensible on a ranch or in town.
That suited Aunt Hortense perfectly, and she and Constance ordered the simple gown in the red fabric.
After taking Constance’s measurements and assuring Aunt Hortense that she could have the gown ready in a week in time for the party at the Montgomery ranch, Florence bid the two ladies good day as they headed for the café.
Chapter 11
The café door opened, and a young cowboy entered, looked around, and strode to Aunt Hortense’s table.
“Hello, Missus Montgomery, Miss Constance, I’m here to drive you back to the ranch whenever you’re ready,” the friendly young man stated.
“Where’s Ray,” Aunt Hortense asked.
“He had a job to finish at the ranch and sent me.”
“I suppose that is acceptable, but you are not allowed to refer to Constance as anything but Miss Bradshaw,” Aunt Hortense corrected.
“Yes, Ma’am, sorry, Ma’am,” the young cowboy said, taking a step away from the table. “Um, are those your packages?”
Aunt Hortense nodded.
“I’ll
