Herd to Breathe Read online

  “Your former school board will not give you a good recommendation,” Mrs. Henderson said. “We wired them, and they replied in less than two hours. Your level of conduct was not up to their standards, and they feel you should not be allowed to teach at any school in future.”

  Cina was so taken aback, she gasped for breath. “They’re not going to let this go,” she said at last. “They’re absolutely ruining me, and for what? I’m gone. I left. They got what they wanted. Why are they keeping me from being able to earn a living?”

  “Some people are just painted with mean,” Mrs. Henderson said. “They get some sort of bee in their bonnet and believe themselves to be offended in some way, and they can’t let it go.”

  “But I never did anything . . .”

  “We know, dear.” Zina reached over and patted her hand. “We know. But now the choice is yours—what do you want to do next?”

  “I don’t feel like I have options,” Cina replied. “Any prospective employer is going to want to know my job history, and if the school board is going to reply so harshly to every inquiry . . .” She closed her eyes. “I’m simply doomed.”

  “You’re welcome to live here with me as long as you want,” Zina said. “And I hope that will be forever, but I have a feeling that fate has something else in mind for you.”

  “I might have to move clear across the country if I don’t want my reputation to follow me.” Cina stood up and walked over to the window, too agitated to stay seated. “Someday this will all come back with a vengeance and land on Mabel Johnson’s head. The sad thing is, I won’t be there to see it.”

  “It will be lovely to imagine, though.” Mrs. Henderson turned to Mrs. Gardner. “Are you going to tell her?”

  “Yes, but I thought she should have a minute first.”

  “Tell me what?” Cina asked.

  “Well, when we left here yesterday, we spoke to everyone we ran into, and we paid a few calls,” Mrs. Gardner said. She sounded like she was trying to lead up to something unpleasant, and Cina hoped she was misinterpreting the situation. “One of our friends has a friend who writes to a lady in a town called Bent, Colorado. This lady runs a matchmaking business, and we thought she might be a good solution for you. She could help you find a husband, and perhaps you could also find a teaching position out there that wouldn’t require references from your previous job.”

  “I’ve never even heard of a town called Bent,” Cina replied.

  “Apparently, neither has anyone else, but it must exist because this lady gets her mail there,” Mrs. Henderson said. “Her name is Viola Redburn, and she’s been in the matchmaking business for quite a while with guaranteed success. That’s impressive—not a lot of people are willing to guarantee their work anymore.”

  Cina fingered the curtain, watching the pedestrians go past on the sidewalk. Colorado sounded nice—as much as she adored Aunt Zina, she very much wanted to try something new. Her confidence had been shattered, and leaving on an adventure sounded like just the thing to restore that confidence. But did she want to marry a complete stranger? That was the part that held her up the most.

  “I’ve never considered becoming a mail-order bride,” she said at length.

  “Oh, but this is different,” Mrs. Gardner explained. “This is a matchmaking service, not a mail-order bride business.”

  “And what’s the difference?” Aunt Zina asked.

  “I’m not entirely sure,” Mrs. Gardner explained. “I just know that this lady claims to have a long list of very happy couples.”

  “Frankly, I hope you choose to stay here,” Mrs. Henderson said, her eyes twinkling at Cina. “You’re such a delight to have around. But I do want you to be happy, and if teaching will make you happy, this might be one way to go about it.”

  “Do you think the schools in Colorado will be less rigid about their requirements for teachers?” Zina asked.

  “We were thinking they might be, given that they’re on the edge of civilization and are probably desperate for good educators,” Mrs. Gardner said.

  Mrs. Henderson shook her head. “I don’t think we can consider them on the edge of civilization—after all, I was reading in the newspaper the other day that Denver now has over a hundred thousand people. Only San Francisco has more in the whole country.”

  Mrs. Gardner blinked. “Oh, my. That’s a lot of people.”

  “It surely is, but I don’t think that’s the case for Bent,” Cina said. “If it were a large town, we would have heard of it, wouldn’t we?”

  “True, true.” Mrs. Henderson now bobbed her head, and the feathers on her hat fluttered. “At any rate, my dear, it’s an alternative.” She handed Cina a slip of paper. “Here’s her information, and you may do whatever you like with it. I know it’s hard to make a decision when a dozen different people are sharing their opinions with you.”

  “Thank you.” Cina tucked the paper into her waistband, and within a minute or two, the conversation shifted to something else. She tried to relax and enjoy the rest of the visit, but she kept feeling as though she should follow up on this possibility, as odd as it sounded.

  When their visitors left, she turned to her aunt. “Do you think I’m crazy to be considering this?”

  “I don’t see any harm in inquiring,” Zina replied. “You could write and ask her a few questions, and then you could make an informed decision.”

  Cina nodded. That’s what she would do. Chances were, by the time she got an answer, something better would have come along, but this way, at least she was exploring all her options. She would hate to rush into something without poking into all the corners to make sure her choice was the very best for her situation.

  She went upstairs to her room and took out a crisp sheet of stationery. What should she write? After thinking about it for a few minutes, she began.

  Dear Mrs. Redburn,

  I was referred to you by Mrs. Geneva Applegate, who tells me that you offer matchmaking services. My name is Cina Fairbanks, and I’m nineteen years of age. I have blonde hair and blue eyes, I’m petite, and I’m a hard worker. I’m also a schoolteacher by training and profession, and I would like to continue to work in that field as long as possible.

  Now for the complicated part. Perhaps if she kept it vague …

  Circumstances at my last post forced me to seek a new path for my life, and I wonder if your services might be useful to me. Ideally, I would marry a man who would support me in my teaching career, as it brings me great joy. He would also appreciate literature and the arts, as well as tolerating my sometimes passionate nature.

  If you feel such a man exists and you believe I’m suited, please reply to this address.

  She read the letter over twice, wishing she could be more eloquent or convincing, and decided she’d done the very best she could do. She would take the letter down to the post office the next morning and pray that whatever happened, she would be doing the right thing.

  Cina had known as soon as she received the reply that she and Miss Redburn—apparently, the lady had never been married—would get along just fine. There was something in the words the woman used that spoke to Cina’s heart and tickled her at the same time. She wrote back and agreed to travel to Bent so Miss Redburn could get a better look at her and decide what was to be done with her. There were several men in the area who might suit. Additionally, it seemed almost certain that Cina wouldn’t have to give up teaching, and she was ecstatic about that.

  “Oh, my dear, I’ll miss you so much.” Aunt Zina gave her what seemed like her hundredth hug since they’d arrived on the train platform. “Promise to write as often as you can. I’ve gotten used to having you around these last few months—things are going to be so quiet now.”

  “You’ll be glad to have your house back to yourself,” Cina told her.

  “Perhaps, but mostly, I’ll be worried about you. Let me know when you arrive, and then of course let me know when you’ve chosen a husband. Or he’s chosen you . . . however it ends
up working. I’ll come for the wedding if I can, but it’s been years since I’ve been able to travel, so I can’t promise anything.”

  “I’ll bring him to meet you.” Cina’s heart gave a stutter at the thought of “him.” Who was this man going to be? Miss Redburn had said that she’d keep whittling down the list—it was wonderful to consider that there were so many good possibilities. She’d just have to wait until she arrived to see what the whittling yielded.

  “I’d love that. Choose someone who will be kind to you, my dear—someone who will see to the depths of your heart. A friend as well as a husband.”

  “That’s what I want, Aunt Zina. I won’t settle for anything less.”

  “Good.” Zina gave her one more hug, then stepped back. “I believe it’s time for you to board now.”

  Cina nodded. “I love you—and I’ll write as soon as I get there.”

  She walked away quickly, knowing that if she didn’t, the goodbyes were only going to become more difficult. It was tempting to change her mind and stay right where she was, but something was calling her to Colorado, and if she didn’t go find out what it was, she’d regret it. She knew she would.

  Chapter Three

  It seemed as though her journey would never end. Cina had never spent much time on a train before, and now, if she never saw one again, that would be all right with her. The letter Miss Redburn had sent confirming her travel arrangements had been very specific, telling her which trains to take so she would be on schedule. Cina supposed there was a reason for all of it, but she did dislike having to be so rigid with her plans. There were a few places where she would have liked to explore.

  As she boarded the train on the second day after a good night’s rest, she noticed a young woman also boarding whom she thought she’d seen the day before, too. The girl wore a large hat which was quite distinctive from the passengers around her, and she seemed to be traveling alone. Cina thought about introducing herself, but the girl ended up getting on a different passenger car.

  As the journey continued, Cina kept seeing the girl as they boarded or disembarked, and it seemed to her that they were nearly following in each other’s footsteps. At last she caught up to the girl the morning they were to arrive at their destination.

  “Excuse me,” she said, coming to her side as they waited on the platform. “I’m Cina Fairbanks, and I noticed that we both seem to be traveling alone. I thought we might keep each other company today.”

  “Oh, yes! That would be very nice,” the girl responded. “My name is Violet Montgomery.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, and quite a coincidence, too—I’ve just come from Montgomery, Alabama.”

  “And I’m from Greenbough, Alabama!” Violet chuckled. “It’s good to meet you too, Cina. Where are you headed?”

  “I’m sure you’ve never heard of it—a little town called Bent, Colorado.”

  Violet’s hand flew out and grasped Cina’s wrist. “Are you one of Miss Viola Redburn’s brides to match?”

  Cina’s breath caught for a split second, and she grinned. “Yes! Are you?”

  “I am! Actually, I’m going to be her assistant. We’ve been corresponding for quite a while about it.”

  “What a wonderful surprise. I really should have introduced myself to you sooner, but I felt shy about approaching a stranger—I’m not always as brave as I’d like to be.”

  “Well, I think signing up for a matchmaking service is plenty brave,” Violet said.

  Just then, the conductor signaled that everyone should board, so they climbed up the steps and found seats across from each other so they could continue to visit. Cina was so relieved—she’d be heading into this experience with a new friend rather than all alone.

  At the stop just before the one that would carry them the rest of the way into Bent, more passengers came aboard, and there were now ten young women on the train. They naturally gravitated toward each other, and within moments, they discovered that they were also going to meet Miss Viola. Quick introductions were exchanged, and they hugged each other as though they were sisters they never knew they had.

  “How did Miss Redburn coordinate this so we’d all arrive at the same time?” Helena shook her head, looking amazed. “That must have taken a great deal of planning.”

  “However she did it, I’m sure glad,” Bertha said. She’d announced from the start that she’d like to be called Bert—it might take Cina a few tries to remember that unusual name. “I thought for sure I’d cry the whole last leg of the journey, but now you’re here to cheer me up.”

  “Is everyone else as nervous as I am?” Jasmine asked, and they all nodded.

  “We’ll settle in very comfortably, I’m sure,” Violet said. “I’ve done quite a bit of corresponding with Miss Redburn, and I know that she has every intention of making us right at home.”

  That sounded lovely, especially as it was getting dark outside and the temperature was dropping.

  “I’m just eager to get some sleep,” Esperanza said. “I tried to rest on the train, but I couldn’t, and I’m exhausted.”

  When at last the train pulled up at the station in Bent, it almost seemed like a great comedy of errors to discover that no one had come to meet them, and then a slap in the face to learn that Miss Viola Redburn had passed away a short time before. When he finally arrived to collect them, her nephew, who was a tall, lanky cowboy, introduced himself as Chance Redburn. He said that he’d be taking over her business and would see that the girls were comfortably settled in.

  Cina blinked, unable to push through her fatigue to understand what was going on. “How long ago did she pass away?”

  “Five days,” Mr. Redburn said.

  “I got a letter from her not long before that,” Cina murmured. How very odd to think that just days before her death, Miss Redburn had been sitting at her desk, writing letters, going on as though she would live forever. No one knew when they were going to die, of course. That was one of the great mysteries of humanity that might never be solved.

  Mr. Redburn was saying something about taking the girls out to the house and getting them warmed up. It was cold outside, but Cina had gone numb from the shock of his news and hadn’t noticed. Now that he pointed it out, however, she began to shiver, and was glad to crowd in with the other girls in the back of the wagon. Some of them were genuinely upset, and Violet was speaking reason to them, trying to help them see the positives in their situation. Cina just needed a few minutes of quiet so she could think, but with nine chattering girls surrounding her, that was impossible.

  When they reached the house, Mr. Redburn explained once again that he would be overseeing the matches, and that the girls would be well cared for. He seemed worn out and overwhelmed, and Cina couldn’t say that she blamed him—she certainly wouldn’t want the responsibility of a whole house full of girls. Especially girls who were talking all over each other, clamoring for information, and creating quite a lot of chaos—Esperanza in Spanish, and the rest in English. They were all scared and confused—not that they could be blamed—but they weren’t even letting the man answer the questions he was being asked.

  Once everyone had finally settled down enough to where they were listening to what Mr. Redburn had to say, he explained that they would discuss everything at breakfast. Then he directed them to find their rooms and to choose a roommate. Cina looked around, feeling somewhat lost. This was like being on the playground as a child when teams were being chosen—she was always the last one picked because of her small stature. This time, though, Violet gave her a big smile and reached out for her hand.

  “You’re a teacher, and I used to be one—we’ll get along well.”

  Cina couldn’t help the relief that washed over her. For once, she wouldn’t be left standing there alone and awkward, wishing she knew why the heavens had made her so useless.

  Mr. Redburn called out for some help, and a moment later, a grizzled-looking man with a beard and salt-and-pepper hair stumbled in from th
e next room, looking a little inebriated.

  “Ladies, this is Clarence McGruder, or as he’s called, Beans.”

  Mr. McGruder blinked a few times as he looked at the girls. He seemed to sober right up at the sight of them, and helped Mr. Redburn carry the trunks and bags up the stairs. They made trip after trip until everything was where it ought to be.

  Cina sat on the edge of the bed, numbly watching as Mr. McGruder and Mr. Redburn set their things in the middle of the room, then as Violet began to put things to rights. “I don’t believe I’ve ever been so tired in my life.”

  “Me neither. Let’s get ready for bed—we can try to make sense of things tomorrow,” Violet suggested.

  That sounded good to Cina. She took off her wristwatch and laid it on the bedside table, and then she rummaged through her things just long enough to find her nightgown. She would unpack the next day—if she tried that night, she’d likely just curl up in the corner of one of her trunks and sleep there.

  “Now, I might be exhausted, but I do believe I’m awake enough to have noticed one thing,” Cina said as she tucked her shoes under her side of the bed. “Mr. Redburn is a very handsome man, and I’m pretty sure you noticed that too.”

  Violet’s cheeks turned pink. “Yes, he’s very handsome. May I tell you something, Cina? Can you keep a secret for me?”

  “Of course. We’re roommates—there’s an unwritten secret-keeping rule about roommates, isn’t there?”

  “I’m sure there is.” Violet smiled and sat down on the bed, tucking one leg beneath her. “I mentioned that Miss Viola and I wrote quite extensively over the last several months. She was hoping that when I arrived, I’d be an assistant of sorts in the matchmaking business, but also that Chance and I—that is to say, Mr. Redburn . . .”

  Cina grinned. “Oh, so you’re his match?”

  “Yes, but I don’t believe he knows it. Miss Viola said that he really wasn’t interested in marriage, but she was going to match us anyway because she knew what was better for him.”