CHAPTER5
Mary and Daisy shared a room, and the closer the clock moved toward time for the party, the more nervous the two women became.
“What if no one likes us,” Daisy said. “I’m not going back to Charleston.”
The woman was beautiful and Mary had no doubts that someone would latch onto her quickly.
“Honey, you’re beautiful. Any man downstairs would be thrilled to have you as his wife.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” Mary said. She was ready, wearing her best blue gown with a low-cut bodice and ruffles along the shoulder. She had worn her hair down and curled it with the hot iron.
“Oh my,” Aunt Grace said, “you both look stunning. I wanted to come up here and tell you girls how we’re going to introduce you to the men. Because this is a special day, I want you each to come down the stairs alone, and then once everyone is there, we’ll introduce the men to you.”
Nothing like being put on the spot, Mary thought. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Mary, you came out of the stagecoach first, so you’ll go first. Let me tell the other girls and then we’ll get started.”
She walked out and Mary stared around at the lovely guest room they were staying in. Tonight, it all began and nervous flutters filled her stomach.
“We’re going to be happy,” Daisy told her.
Mary smiled. “Yes, we are.”
There came a second knock at the door, and Mary turned to Daisy. “See you downstairs.”
Aunt Grace stood smiling at her and pointed her to the steps where she could see the men gathered below in the main room of the house. Slowly she started down, gazing at each man. Yet, her focus returned to the first man she’d met this afternoon. Something about him left her breathless, her stomach in a flutter as she felt drawn to him.
When she reached the bottom, the good doctor took her arm and led her across the room from the men.
Next, Daisy strolled down, smiling, her sapphire eyes shining brightly like she wanted to cry happy tears.
She soon stood beside her.
After that, each girl came down until all were together.
The doctor stood between the men and the women.
“Welcome, ladies, we’re so glad you’re here. Tonight is a chance for all of you to get to know one another. The men will tell you who their partner is and you’ll get to know both of the men at once. You have two weeks to make up your mind before we will have a wedding ceremony right here in the house. You’ll marry one man and the other will be your second husband.”
Mary’s mind swirled. What was he talking about? Two husbands?
“Excuse me,” Rose Patton said. “What are you saying concerning two husbands?”
There was a ripple of murmured whispers through the room.
“In Treasure Falls, there are two husbands for each woman. We have lived this way for many years due to the shortage of women. This way, if one husband is killed, the second man is there to make certain the family is taken care of.”
The girls turned to each other and all started talking at once. In some girls’ eyes, she could see the panic and disbelief. The matchmaker had not been truthful with them.
“Quiet please,” the doctor said.
“I’m sorry, but we were not told this,” Mary said. “We thought we were coming to a place where there was just one man for each woman.”
Now the men started talking amongst themselves. She could see that they were angry and she feared the women would all choose to leave. These men really wanted wives.
Jesse walked up beside his uncle. “This has been our way since Treasure Falls began for many different reasons. It’s not a bad way to live. You have a legal husband and also a second man who would love and take care of you.”
The women all looked distraught and anxious.
“Ladies, I’ve lived this way all my life and my husbands have kept me very happy. Sadly, Silas died last year. So now it’s just me and the doctor.”
The tension in the room seemed to stifle the party atmosphere that had existed a few moments ago.