A/N: I wanted to let anyone know who might be reading my story on my website, Death of a Phantom, I have put up three new chapters. I was going to just post this message alone but thought better of it. I know how I hate eagerly waiting for a chapter then get the alert only to find an A/N. So this week you get another early chapter. This may become a habit. I do tend to not want to wait to post especially after so many quick reviews.
Chapter Three
Day of Reckoning
The morning that Pricilla and Charlotte left for the station had been somewhat of a rush, as they had spent the night speculating what sort of men they might encounter. Pricilla had doubts racing around inside her head. What if no one claimed her? She'd be stuck in a place where Charlotte would be her only solace. Even she might abandon her cousin, not if, but when she married. Pricilla felt certain Charlotte would make a good match.
Pricilla hadn't had formal training to be a teacher but she was well read as well as intelligent. Perhaps she could be a teacher. She had to smile as the picture of a spinster surrounded by books and cats popped into her head as she wielded chalk and ruler in front of various school aged children.
The clacking of the wheels of the train took on the cadence of an annoying phrase inside Pricilla's head. 'Poor Pricilla, poor Pricilla, poor Pricilla. Even her own mind worked against her. Ever since boarding, Pricilla had the urge to jump from the train. Luckily she had sence enough not to want to kill herself, so she stayed put as Charlotte regaled her with different details of the men on the list.
Pricilla did not think that words written on a list could give any real insight as to a person's personality. Looking at the other women in the car Pricilla wondered what dissatisfaction in their lives had brought the others to this desperate act. For herself it would mean not ending her days a lonely, but wealthy spinster. Perhaps the man, if one would even accept her, perhaps she'd have children to comfort her in a loveless marriage.
Thinking of what intimacies would need to take place had Pricilla back to wanting to jump once more from the train. What did she know of such things? She had never even been kissed by a man. When she thought on it, Pricilla could not even remember a time when her mother or father had given her anything more than a quick cold embrace.
Sinking lower into the seat Pricilla groaned drawing Charlotte's attention from the chronological list of prospective husbands everyone had received upon signing the contract. Charlotte knowing her cousin well saw the concern Pricilla clearly felt about what would be happening within the next few days. A couple of days on the train then a night in town, then they would be meeting the men who had signed up for a bride.
"Pricilla if you sink any lower in the seat I think you just might fall onto the floor. Now sit up and tell me what has caused such distress other than the obvious?" Charlotte took her cousin's hand feeling how cold Pricilla's hands were. At this rate Pricilla would worry herself into an early grave thereby negating the necessity for this trip.
"It…it well you see…I have never and they probably have and what will whoever he is think of me? What will he expect of me? As for myself I don't expect much but I have heard…well to put it delicately I have heard that men require certain things on a regular basis. I am not sure of all it entails but from what I have heard it is a nasty business indeed with little to recommend it where women are concerned." Pricilla glanced around hoping no one could hear her. They more than likely had already concluded just by looking at her that she remained as untouched as the Virgin Mary and green as grass where that sort of thing was concerned or even anything remotely related to it.
"Oh Prissy only you would get into such a tangle of worry over something that I imagine comes naturally to almost everyone. No one comes out into the world knowing exactly the how's and why's of things but with patience and the right partner I think it should surpass anything on earth. Is that sort of thing not what created the best plays, books and operas?
I haven't gone further than a stolen kiss but I do think I will know what to put where when the time comes." It didn't take but a second for the shock on Pricilla's face to manifest itself in words containing an equal amount of shock.
"Charlotte Meriwether-Carpenter! How can you speak so cavalierly about something so…so...?" Pricilla found herself unable to finish the sentence.
"Intimate? Necessary? Exciting? What word or words suit you best? Relax Pricilla. God will not strike you down for having carnal thoughts. Not even your parents would haunt you for feeling and thinking about something most women have experienced by the time they are sixteen.
Do you think all those rushed marriages this last spring were because love had been in the air infecting everyone with its madness? No, dear sweet innocent girl, they rushed to tie the knot so the innocent offspring would be born on the right side of the blanket.
I am not worried about any man controlling me or not getting what I want from him." Charlotte glanced over her shoulder then said in a whisper, "Besides I had the forethought to purchase a few of those rather naughty books everyone is in an uproar over. I thought we could use them as a sort of guide if we get stuck knowing what to do or not to do. I don't know about you but I for one will not simply lie beneath a man and endure as he takes his pleasure. I want that glory land that those few lucky women among or crowd have hinted at all these years.
There must be something to recommend it or women wouldn't keep coming back for more popping out babies once a year. Loyalty and duty toward ones spouse goes only so far."
Pricilla could only stare at her cousin in wide-eyed wonder. Oh to have that sort of confidence in oneself must be grand. Pricilla felt as confident as a mouse among a roomful of hungry cats. She'd have as much chance of standing up to a man when she came face to face with one who would have every right to enter her bed like it or not, as that mouse had with the roomful of cats.
Over the next two days Charlotte tried to reassure Pricilla this had been a wise decision all the while her own confidence began to falter. Who was she to say what was or was not right for her cousin? Lord she could barely sustain her belief in this herself.
To bolster her flagging moral Charlotte used the small basin in the necessary to bathe as best as she could. They'd be arriving soon and she wanted to look her best. She'd wake Pricilla so she could freshen up too. Charlotte knew it would do no good to try to persuade Pricilla to change into one of her new attractive dresses. Pricilla could be a real prude at times.
The dresses weren't that scandalous. They covered the essentials giving only a glimpse of what lay beneath all the trappings. The lingerie, now most of that had been scandalous. Whatever man got to see Pricilla in those thin as gossamer wings nightclothes had better have a strong heart. Charlotte had forced her way into the dressing cubicle so she could see how Pricilla had looked. Charlotte had hardly recognized the woman before her as her shy prudish cousin.
Pricilla had literally let her hair down. The long glistening tresses had framed Pricilla's ample frame. God had blessed Pricilla with lush breasts as well as ample hips, a fact which Pricilla deplored because her mother had often commented her daughter would at least be able to deliver easily with her wide hips as well as give sustenance from her well endowed bosom.
Charlotte had always felt rather sorry for her cousin but had at that moment realized that Pricilla may at first seem quite ordinary but if she took the time to accentuate her assets, Pricilla could be quite the man trap, not that she would ever see that within herself or believe Charlotte if she had told Pricilla that despite what she and others may think, sometimes beauty of a quiet nature could spring forth with a resounding clash forcing everyone around to take a second look.
A shaking of her shoulder by Charlotte had woken Pricilla from an uneasy sleep. Pricilla had gone in to freshen up with the overnight bag the women were told to fill with their immediate needs as the rest of their things were a few cars back. Pricilla had changed her ugly brown day dress for an equally ugly and depressing black one. If Charlotte was not mistaken Pricilla had worn that very dress to her mother and father's funerals. Did she look upon the coming events as something funereal?
Not having time to do anything with her cousin's appearance Charlotte sprayed a little of her own French perfume she had splurged on hoping to win favor by smell alone. Predictably her cousin had protested but without any favorable results.
The shrill whistle of the train signaled their arrival. Pricilla felt her whole body tighten with anxiety. Nothing good would come of this. She'd be left alone while everyone else paired up with someone. It would be like all those dances she had attended where she would slip behind the tallest plant in a corner or find a quiet corner of whichever garden she happened to be in at the time. Old hurts lurked just under the surface ready to add more hurt and humiliation when Pricilla found herself the only woman left standing alone.
The disembarking felt to Pricilla like those poor cattle must feel when coming down the ramp from being cooped up in a somewhat small cattle car crowded shoulder to shoulder with other beasts headed for the same grizzly fate. This last thought Pricilla decided she had best keep to herself as Charlotte tended to become emotional when she had to think of how meat got from hoof to table. She hated to think that something must die in order for her to gain sustenance.
The platform seemed to have every spare inch occupied by every shape and size of man ever born. The men stood hats in hands as the women disembarked. The procession of women filing out of the car gave the men an opportunity to look over their prospective brides. They too had been given a list of names with a matching set of statistics and accomplishments.
The list with details had been forwarded a couple of weeks ahead of the women's arrival. Descriptions as well as information about each lady had been written underneath their name as well as any photographs that had been offered. Every potential bride had to fill out a questionnaire as well as list any special skills they may have along with a brief biography. The men had essentially chosen their woman already before they had arrived. Changes could be made of course at the time of the get together luncheon. The final pairings would then take place.
Once everyone had left the car a very tall dark-haired man stepped forward. Hat in hand he raised his hand to quiet everyone. Once order had been restored he introduced himself as Michael Landry the town mayor as well as one of the coordinators of the project to bring the ladies to Tyler Crossing. Charlotte for once in her life had been struck dumb and speechless. Her knees felt as if they might not hold her in her present standing position. Grabbing onto Pricilla's arm Charlotte finally felt able to take in a breath of air. The man had left her winded with only a few short words addressed to everyone but Charlotte felt as if he had spoken just to her. That feeling had only intensified when his eyes had captured hers holding her a willing captive.
Michael had hoped Erik would decide to come to town but he had not seen him all day. Most of the bachelors had arrived hours before the train had been due to pull in. They had discussed the merits of this woman or that woman. It had not been a romantic process getting those women to come to the hills of Kentucky to marry a man sight unseen only until a couple of days before the actual ceremony. Any woman who withdrew from the offered list must repay the expense of the travel arrangements. A women refusing more than three proposals would be considered in breech of contract with the same results for her as the ones who drop out.
Among the milling crowd of men and women Pricilla felt somewhat superfluous. She tried to smile when she thought a gentleman may be headed her way only to be disappointed when he passed her by to introduce himself to someone else.
Mr. Landry had his eye on Charlotte. He made that perfectly clear as he offered her his arm to escort her into the hotel where the women would be staying until the nuptials had been exchanged. Pricilla trailed behind feeling unnecessary. Not one gentleman had approached her. It was no less than she expected. Had she not spent the last few hours of the journey lecturing herself about expecting too much?
Once inside the hotel they were lead into a large dining hall which had been set up with a buffet loaded with all manner of savory items to tempt the pallet. Tea, coffee and water were also being served.
Mr. Landry once again quieted everyone to invite everyone to partake of the feast while acquainting themselves with their intended. Pricilla saw that each man had a scrap of paper. Apparently names were written down to be matched with the nametags being handed out to the women. Reluctantly Pricilla took her own nametag then took her place beside Charlotte in the line waiting for some man to claim her.
Charlotte had been snapped up by Mr. Landry right away. Slowly couples were pairing up. The line of women grew shorter. Pricilla felt her face beginning to burn with humiliation as one by one the women beside her were approached by the man interested in wedding them.
Pricilla bolstered her ego by repeating over and over that this was not even romantic. Not to be chosen in this manner would be a blessing. If would afford her the opportunity to find a gentleman who would be willing to court her before jumping into marriage. There had to still be single men in the town who had not signed on for this travesty. Pricilla completely overlooked the fact that she too had signed on for said travesty.
When Pricilla stood only with one other woman beside her, she knew once again she would be finding some corner to hide in so as not to be pitied. She'd not let anyone know how hurt she felt as she had been passed over time and time again.
Besides herself, only one other women remained unmatched. Miss Loretta Davis, a woman of forty-three years stood proudly beside the much younger Pricilla. Loretta had not married as she had been responsible for the raising of her five brothers and sisters. By the time she had made sure every one of her siblings had a settled life it had been far too late to expect any sort of amiable offers of marriage. She had not even been courted as a young girl. Life had passed her by while she had been busy attending to her family.
When she had read about this insanity at first she had dismissed it. As the lonely days passed one by one the idea began to have an appeal. Not having youthful good looks any longer Loretta thought a man far from civilization might not mind a plain looking woman passed her prime in exchange for a woman skilled in every aspect of keeping a home running smoothly as well as being able to stretch a penny into three.
Charlotte had been going to ask Michael to invite Pricilla and Loretta to their table when a commotion at the door drew everyone's attention. A very tall well built man came stomping into the room. He did not look pleased at all to be here. The scowl upon his face would unsettle anyone wishing to approach him. The mask on his face at first glance would give one pause for thought also. The women scooted closer to their willing heroes not knowing if this masked man was some marauder coming to relieve them of their worldly goods.
Loretta grabbed onto Pricilla ready to give fight if this masked man intended to rob or harm anyone. Her protective instincts would not let her stand idly by while someone of a weaker nature was harmed.
Pricilla had only a quick look at the newest man to enter the room. He had looked as if he had stepped right out of some novel about a dashing pirate. The cloth about his face aided in the pirate image while his head was topped by a rather large hat that most westerners found to be necessary, gave him a look of danger. What she had been able to see of him looked better than average. Far better.
Michael excused himself from his table to latch onto Erik before he turned tail to head back home. The man did not look at all as if he intended to stay or even felt the least bit happy to be here. Michael did not know much about Erik or his past. What he had deduced on his own had been that Erik more than any man he knew wanted roots, something permanent. Erik wanted a family but because of his affliction felt he would never gain a woman's interest.
Erik had told Michael a little of his past but not anything that would give anyone a clue as to what his life had been before immigrating to America. Michael knew that Erik had been some sort of composer in a Paris opera house. Any more than that he could only speculate other than Erik had hinted at a romance that had ended badly.
"Erik you cut it kind of short didn't you? There are only two women unclaimed. Well one that will be of interest to you as the other is somewhat older. As luck would have it the younger one, Pricilla Carpenter is the cousin of the woman I may ask to be my wife."
Michael turned to point toward where a rather plain woman in black stood by an even more dour looking older woman in a dark faded colorless dress of her own. Erik had not expected much from this but could not help feeling disappointed. After Christine's beauty ever other woman would compare unfavorably in Erik's eyes. He had at least hoped for a pleasant looking woman. A man in his position could not afford to be choosey. He should be grateful to have anyone at all willing to be with him. Of course he had not as yet met the woman and she still had a choice to accept or deny him. Perhaps he had counted his chickens before they hatched as the saying went.
"Michael I had only at the last minute decided to even come to town. I have been indecisive about this whole thing." Erik had been agitated all morning. He had hardly slept a wink. One moment he had thought it would not be so bad to at least give it a try to find someone willing to be his wife. At his next turn around the veranda he would have changed his mind not eager to risk rejection in such a public way again.
"Erik all men take a chance when offering their worldly goods to their intended. Someone has to make the first move risking rejection. Society has deemed it that men should be the risk takers in this arena. After the initial introduction things will become easier. No one will think any the less of you if things don't work out. If you had been here earlier you would have seen partners being handed off rather frequently. It takes a little while to find someone who is at least slightly compatible."
Leading the way Michael went to where the two lone women stood looking out of place among all the chattering couples around them. It was nothing new to Pricilla but she felt sorry for poor Loretta. She had come all this way with high hopes only to be passed over. It wasn't fair. Loretta had so much to offer.
Pricilla vowed not to leave Loretta standing by herself like some unwanted piece of furniture. It only then occurred to Pricilla that perhaps the gentleman Mr. Landry was leading their way may have an interest in Loretta and she herself may well be the one standing alone.
"Ah, Miss Carpenter is it?" Michael put his most charming manners into play. He did not want any of the women to be unhappy as that would not lend credibility to the next projected offering.
"Please sir, call me Pricilla and this is Loretta Davis." Pricilla could not look either man in the eye. She mentally berated her habit to be so shy when around others. Even people she had known for years tied her tongue in knots. She had no control over the tide of red that always flooded her neck and face. Oh how she wished she had even a smidgen of Charlotte's confidence.
"I would like to introduce Erik Dante ladies. He is one of our more illustrious citizens. He owns a very prosperous horse and cattle ranch."
Pricilla cast an under browed peek at the man beside Michael. From Pricilla's rather hasty first look she garnered that the man could be considered impressive by anyone's standards. Why would he settle for her when he could wait to obtain some woman more suited for a man like him? Surely an inexperienced plain looking woman had not been what he sought when he came looking for a bride. The horrid realization came to Pricilla that since he had already contracted for a bride he felt obligated to take one. She being the lesser of two evils in his eyes, he had decided he would do the honorable thing by offering marriage. Possibly he hoped she would refuse him. Right at this moment that private forgotten corner looked very inviting.
"Pricilla, Loretta, would you do us the honor of joining us at our table? I am sure your cousin had been about to invite the both of you to join us. Please come this way so that we may get better acquainted."
Not quite understanding what this meant Pricilla cast quick little glances toward the man she supposed might be her intended. Did his compliance to Michael's suggestion mean he would consider her as a candidate? Panic began to set in. What could she possibly offer such a man? He would learn on the first night she knew next to nothing about the workings of men's and women's bodies. Just now Pricilla felt like cursing her parents for their lack of interest in teaching her any skills that would allow her to be at ease around others.
Michael had offered Loretta his arm hoping to give Erik the opportunity to pay Pricilla a compliment in private. Women loved to hear compliments from women. Even an untruthful one could make the most sedate old dowager blush like a debutante.
When they reached the table Pricilla nearly lost what little power to think she retained when Erik came up behind her. He only meant to pull her chair out for her as a gentleman would. Feeling ridiculous for seeing things that were not there Pricilla took the chair Erik held out for her.
Much to her surprise he afforded Loretta the same courtesy. It didn't take a mind reader to see Loretta had fallen for this impressive man. Loretta indeed felt her heart flutter within her chest. Such gallantry had never been offered to her by any male. He did not take the open chair by Pricilla but sat on Loretta's right.
Whether or not he had intended to make her feel less of a curiosity or not, Loretta felt such a swift allegiance to this man who was a stranger to her but one she would not be adverse to knowing better. She would not let her silly old maid heart fall totally under his spell for it seemed clear Michael had meant for Pricilla to be partnered with Mr. Erik Dante.
The conversation remained stilted between Erik and Pricilla if one could call a word or two a conversation. Erik thought the woman felt frightened of him as she would not meet his eye or speak above a whisper. He had to strain to catch her words. Loretta on the other hand had loosened up as the meal had progressed.
Erik did not want either woman really as the woman who would replace Christine in his dreams of having a wife. He could wait until the next allotment of women arrived. The next time he could make sure he arrived long before anyone else.
When he looked past Loretta he saw Pricilla with her head down as her hands lay in her lap. A more forlorn lost soul Erik could only recall seeing in his own mirror shortly after he had lost Christine. Erik cursed this new tendency he had for feeling compassion. Had he not declared to the boy, Raoul de Chagny that the world had shown him no compassion? Why had he suddenly developed all this need to offer lesser beings a helping hand? He wanted to tell Michael he had changed his mind. After the meal he had taken Michael aside to do that very thing when much to his disgust he found himself informing Michael to place Miss Pricilla Jane Carpenter on the list of women who had partners.
A picnic on Saturday with the preacher in attendance had been arranged. The man of God felt it his duty to at least give the couples some advice and guidelines in place of the normal recitation about love and loyalty binding two people together into one entity. Reverend Horace Mitchell could not say he had been at all pleased when this whole idea of importing women had begun. Some months later he had to say things had been working out fairly well. There had only been a few instances of disharmony. The ceremony joining everyone would take place on Sunday after Sunday's church service.
Erik gave his assurance to Michael he would be there. He could not bring himself to face his prospective bride once more. Tomorrow would be soon enough. If he was getting married Erik supposed he should pay a visit to the town's only jeweler. This thought reminded him of the ring Christine had returned to him just before she left. It had not been a ring he had chosen but the ring Erik had ripped from Christine's neck during the Masquerade Ball.
As a reminder of his folly Erik had kept the ring. He hid it among many other reminders of Christine. He chose to think of them as only reminders of his stupidity when many were clearly objects kept as mementoes of a woman a man still loved deeply even if he could not admit that to himself.
Erik could see a sleepless night ahead of him. Saturday night would be no better. Perhaps that would afford him an excuse not to partake of his bride's charms. During the meal he could not say he had even felt one iota of attraction for his prospective life's partner. That did not bode well at all. One thing Erik had promised himself after making up his mind to do this had been that he would not remain a man unknown to the pleasures of the body for much longer. He'd not demand anything yet as he did not feel he could perform satisfactorily. He would at least like to know Pricilla a little better before entering into an intimate union. Erik did not discount the possibility she would refuse him in the end anyway. He at least would know tomorrow if he was to acquire a wife or not.
