Tenacious Love (Banished Saga, Book Four): Banished Saga, Book Four (43 page)

Zylphia turned around as the door was closing and thrust a pamphlet at him. “Thank you for your help,” she said with a broad smile. He frowned when he realized he received something other than a sandwich but then tipped his hat at her. The wooden door slammed shut with a thwack behind her.

Zylphia looked around the saloon. To her left was a long wooden bar. Behind it was a mirrored wall of shelves filled with glasses. Men leaned against the bar or sat at small round tables. The wooden floorboards creaked in places and were scuffed from the multitude of booted men visiting the saloon. Bright light shone through the front and side windows, and the tin ceiling reflected it.

Amelia turned to Zylphia with an inquisitive smile. “What do you think, Zee?”

“It’s not what I thought it would be,” she whispered.

“A den of iniquity,” Amelia giggled as she approached a group of men, joking with them and cajoling them into buying two of her sandwiches. She handed them each a pamphlet, urging them to vote for women in November. She moved from table to table, and Zylphia emerged from her trance and walked toward the other side of the saloon.

“Would you like to purchase a sandwich?” she asked a group of men deep in discussion.

One man tapped at an article in the newspaper and then scowled at her. “No, miss. We want one of Mrs. Carlin’s,” he said, turning his attention back to the paper.

“Excuse me, but I’m staying with her, and I’m helping her today. These are her sandwiches.”

He nodded, and each man at the table bought a sandwich. As they searched their pockets for coins, she twisted her head around to read the newspaper headline. She absently handed them sandwiches with a pamphlet and placed their coins in her pocket. “May I borrow your paper for a moment?”

At the man’s nod, she grabbed it and turned away, her eyes racing over the headline and its story. “Imagine,” she breathed as she read about six hundred Paris taxi drivers ferrying over six thousand reserve troops from Paris to the frontline to help protect the city and prevent it from falling to the Germans. The article mentioned heavy losses for the British Expeditionary Force, and Zylphia took a deep breath as she fought panic.

“Zee?” Amelia asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and glancing at the newspaper she held. “Oh, yes, the war. It’s quite something to imagine all those taxi drivers, isn’t it? The men have been talking of little else.”

“Why?” Zee shook her head as she forced herself to imagine Teddy well and whole.

“If they hadn’t acted as they had, Paris could have fallen. Can you imagine?” Amelia asked. “Their actions may have kept us from having to enter this war.”

“We’ll never join in,” Zylphia said. “Too many are against it, including the president.”

“I hope you’re right.” She traded her empty basket for Zee’s full one and moved through the saloon.

Zylphia faced the men at the table she’d approached. “Thank you for lending me your paper,” she said. She gifted them a weak smile before following Amelia onto the boardwalk.

“I have another stop. Do you still want to come along?” Amelia asked. At Zylphia’s resolute nod, they walked toward another saloon, this one a single story with low ceilings and a darkened interior.

“This is what I thought a saloon looked like,” Zee whispered, a miasma of smoke, unwashed bodies and stale beer permeating the air.

“I only have a few sandwiches to sell, and then we can leave,” Amelia whispered.

Zylphia followed behind Amelia, smiling encouragingly as Amelia sold her sandwiches and handed out pamphlets.

When they emerged onto the boardwalk a few minutes later, Amelia paused, watching the men coming and going. “We need an event. Where you three could discuss the merits of women voting. It would be much more effective than handing out pamphlets one by one with sandwiches.” She grabbed Zylphia’s arm, tugging her along. “Come with me.”

They walked along the main street of Darby, Amelia calling out hellos to most of the people she passed but not stopping. She turned left down a side street, and Zylphia heard the whirring of a saw.

“The mill’s not far,” Amelia said.

They made another few turns, and they were in a large yard filled with stacked logs yet to be sawn into lumber. Nearby a group of men loaded lumber onto railroad cars.

“I never imagined it would be such a big operation,” Zylphia said, slowing her stride as she watched in fascination as the men worked in concerted effort.

Amelia kept her hand gripped around Zylphia’s arm. “Lest you have an inclination to wander away,” she said. She pulled Zylphia from any possibility of harm and toward a doorway.

Zylphia raised her hands to cover her ears at the piercingly shrill sound of the saw cutting wood.

“Amelia!” Sebastian yelled, emerging from his office. He led Zylphia and Amelia outside to the relative quiet of the yard, steering them to a safe area. “Has something happened?”

“No. I had an idea,” Amelia said. She smiled as Sebastian pulled out the last unsold sandwich in her basket and ate it.

He nodded for her to continue, watching her with intent interest.

“Do you think you could spread the word that we’re having a social tonight at the Hall? I’d like Zee, Rissa and Sav to have the chance to talk to more men, and that seemed a better way to go about it.”

Sebastian nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. ’Bout seven?” At Amelia’s nod, he leaned forward to kiss her on her cheek. “I’ll spread the word and see you home tonight.”

Amelia beamed at him and then spun, gripping Zylphia’s arm as they left the mill yard.

“Does he always go along with what you say?” Zylphia asked.

“Not always but generally. He respects my opinion, as I do his. Sometimes we argue, but I hate fighting over things that are petty or senseless.”

“Are you always this rational?”

“No, of course not. We have our fights. But, more often than not, we talk things through. We argue, but we never endeavor to hurt the other.”

Zylphia flushed at Amelia’s words.

“Why should that embarrass you, Zee?”

“Because I intentionally hurt the man I love. Out of fear.” Zylphia shrugged her shoulders. “Makes me realize I’m not as mature as I like to consider myself.”

“Or you’ve yet learned to trust yourself and others,” Amelia said. “I know what it is to be afraid of the future. To wonder how I’d ever survive.” At Zylphia’s curious stare, she nodded back toward the mill. “Sebastian’s my second husband. Liam—Nickie and Annie’s father—died in the mines in Butte when they were very young. I never thought I’d love again.”

“But you did.”

“I did. You never know what’s possible, Zee, unless you give yourself permission to fully experience life. To not worry what others are saying or if you are disappointing someone.” She smiled at Zylphia. “It doesn’t mean you have no concern for those around you. But I think we become so focused on what is expected of us and our vision of who we think we are that we lose sight of what we truly want. Who we truly are.” She gripped Zylphia’s hand. “Come. Let’s go to the Hall and organize the gathering for tonight.”

“I’m an artist,” Zylphia blurted out. “It’s the one thing in this world I love to do.”

Amelia smiled and then teased her. “Good. Because when you’re rich and famous, the painting Sebastian says you’re gifting us will have even more value.”

* * *

“
A
melia
, are you certain about this?” Clarissa asked as she ushered the McLeods into the Hall. Amelia and Clarissa carried boxes filled with cookies. Sebastian was at the saloon, obtaining a few kegs of beer and drumming up interest in the gathering, while Zylphia and Sav carried pies. Along with beer would be kegs containing apple cider.

“This is the perfect way for you to speak to the members of the community. Who doesn’t like a gathering?” Amelia asked as she set up her treats on one of the tables. “Besides, when people learn Sebastian will play his fiddle, they’ll come out to hear him and to dance.”

“I’m not sure the women in charge of the committee would be pleased we’re serving alcohol,” Savannah muttered.

“Well, those temperance women aren’t welcomed here,” Amelia said. “If we didn’t have beer, there wouldn’t be much of a gathering. The men want to have a drink when they’ve finished a hard day’s work.”

Clarissa shared a worried look with Savannah and Zylphia but moved to work beside Amelia. “Have either of you thought about what we’ll say?” she whispered.

“No,” Savannah said, then giggled. “This could be an unmitigated disaster.”

“I think we need to keep it short and to the point. The men coming here tonight will have worked a long day and won’t be interested in listening to us go on and on,” Zylphia said. She winked at young David as he purloined a cookie, then ran off to join his friends on the other side of the Hall.

“Zee, you’re the calmest of us all. You should speak,” Savannah said.

“I’m from Massachusetts and have the strongest accent. I haven’t lived here for over a decade. They won’t listen to me like they would you. Besides, you’re the one who’s best friends with Amelia and Sebastian,” Zylphia argued, nodding at Clarissa. Zee pulled out a scrap of paper and handed it to Rissa. “Here’s a list of things you might want to touch on but keep it brief.”

Clarissa groaned. “Fine, I’ll talk, but you’ll all be up there with me.”

Savannah and Zylphia grinned conspiratorially at each other.

Sebastian entered the Hall, smiling to many of those present and slapping the backs of most of the men. He asked a few to move the casks of beer outside into the Hall. Sebastian approached the women. “I’ll introduce you. Most of the men know me, and it’ll help when they realize I’m for this referendum to pass.” He winked at Amelia who chatted with women near the long table. “Are we ready?” he asked them all.

Clarissa took a deep breath and nodded. “As ready as we’ll ever be.”

“Great.” He rose onto a small stage, holding up his hands and motioning for those present to cease speaking. He smiled at a few ribald jokes and whistles, but the room’s occupants quieted.

“Thanks for coming to the Hall tonight on such short notice. It’s always a pleasure to have our friends, the McLeods, visit us from Missoula. This time they’re here to promote the upcoming referendum granting women the right to vote. It’s something I urge you to consider, and I can’t wait for voting day so that my Amelia will have the right to vote, too.” He smiled as a few of the men whistled and hooted. He then waved an arm in the women’s direction, and Clarissa stepped slightly forward of Savannah and Zylphia.

“Mrs. McLeod, Miss McLeod and I would like to thank you for the warm hospitality you’ve shown us as we’ve walked through your beautiful town. Although you might not realize it, you have the opportunity to make history on November 3. For on that date, the men of Montana have the opportunity to enfranchise the women of this state.

“You will be joining the company of esteemed states such as Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, California and Washington. You will grant for women what no state east of the Mississippi has granted. As you know, those easterners like to say they are progressive, but their actions have proven otherwise.”

The men laughed at that, hearing a hint of Massachusetts in her voice.

Clarissa smiled and laughed with them. “Now I know many of you may wonder what a woman would do with a vote. Well, she’ll do much the same as you. Enter a booth and practice her rights as a member of this country. As a full citizen.

“Just as you do, she will determine what issues are important to her. She will listen to the candidates as they campaign, deciding the merits of their arguments. Just as you are concerned about safety at the mill, she may promote causes such as food safety or care of infants. Causes that affect her family’s health.” She continued on in that vein for a few more minutes. “Vote for women in November!” Clarissa raised her hand in triumph as she finished.

Clarissa blushed as the men hooted, hollered and whistled at the end of her speech. Savannah and Zylphia giggled and they moved off of the miniscule stage.

Sebastian pulled out his fiddle; others joined him with a banjo, guitar and another fiddle, and the music began. Before Clarissa had a chance to speak with Zylphia or Sav, she was grabbed by one of the men and spun into a lively dance. She shrieked, then laughed as she twirled around the dance floor in the arms of a tall lumberjack.

Clarissa looked to see Zee, Sav and Amelia dancing and laughing as they enjoyed the evening. They spent the entire evening dancing, barely taking a moment to rest. Clarissa felt her concerns about the upcoming election fade as she danced with a different man each time. Finally she held up a hand, out of breath and on the verge of falling over. “Enough,” she gasped. “I need a glass of water and a break.”

She glanced around the room to see Amelia standing near Sebastian, pausing from his fiddle playing. Savannah was approaching them, and Clarissa went to join them too. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced as much as tonight,” she said.

“It’s glorious,” Zylphia said before she laughed as she was again led onto the dance floor.