Page 87 of The Prospector's Only Prospect
This was worse than being slandered in court. By stepping into her sister’s arrangement with Virgil, afterengaging in congresswith him, Marigold had earned her label of adulteress. She was everything Ben’s lawyer had accused her of being.
“And a suffragist,” another helpful voice provided. “That’s why Virgil is voting against statehood.”
“Is that true, Virgil?”
Virgil sent a glare across the crowd. “I’m voting against this constitution because every person ought to have the right to vote and that’s not written into this one.”
“See? She’s already influencing him.”
“I wonder how she does that,” a sly voice said.
“Hey!” Virgil’s hands closed into fists. “Button your mouth or I’ll do it for you.” With an impatient look at Marigold, he said, “Let me get these votes cast. Then we’ll”—he flashed another look at Pearl—“sort this out.”
He strode into the saloon.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“First you stole the ticket, now you’re stealing him?” Pearl hissed.
“I haven’t stolen anything! This happened very suddenly.”
“You alwaysdothis, Marigold.” Pearl stamped her foot. “You go ahead of me and stir things up, ruining it before I get there. It doesn’t matter how sweet I am, you’ve already salted the fields. Why can’t you let things happen as they’re supposed to?”
“That is very unfair.” She drew Pearl back toward the cart where they were less likely to be overheard.
“You said yourself that your past colors how people see you. It also colors how they seeme,” Pearl insisted. “It happened at school, when you were always so outspoken. Then you left your husband when I was trying to find one. I couldn’t stay in Philadelphia after that, could I? Hiram was the only man in Topeka who looked twice at me—”
“I knew I was getting in your way,” Marigold cut in with remorse. “That’s why I told him—”
“He thought I was loose,” Pearl said with a humiliated, furious pang in her voice. “When you told him I had feelings for him, he took it to mean he could take advantage of me. He didn’t want tomarryme. His mother caught him pressing up on me and kicked me out!”
“Oh no.” Marigold was sickened. Why were men such snakes? She hated Hiram for treating Pearl so horribly, but she hated herself more for interfering and putting Pearl in the path of such an unscrupulous man. She was no better than Uncle Felix when it came to dragging family into strife.
“That’s why I wanted to find a husband for myself, one who didn’t know anything about you and your past.” Pearl waved toward the entrance to the saloon where Virgil had disappeared. “I would have sent for you once we were settled. Why couldn’t you be patient?”
Because she’d had so little. She’d had no place or sense of acceptance in Topeka even before the fire. When her sister talked of leaving to marry a stranger, Marigold had fixed it so she wouldn’t. Then, mere days later, they had lost their home and she’d had no other option than to take her sister’s place on the stage.
She had only ever wanted a good life for herself. Why was it so hard to make one?
“You really came here to marry him?” Marigold asked, fighting the way her chin wanted to crinkle.
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t? Why didyouagree to marry him? Did you know he’s running for marshal?” Pearl asked, making it almost an accusation.
Marigold lurched her gaze back to Pearl, understanding what she was really saying.
“Statehood has to pass before he could run,” Marigold protested. “That isn’t likely.” Not according to Virgil. All the votes he’d brought were against.
“A territory is, though. Maybe not today, but soon. Even in Topeka, they know this side of Kansas Territory won’t remain Kansas much longer. Not with all the gold here.” Pearl had sat through as many meetings as Marigold had, serving refreshments to their uncle’s fellow agitators. Pearl might have less interest in pushing for women’s suffrage, but she wasn’t ignorant. She knew how all of this worked and perhaps had a better grasp on the game of politics.
In fact, if Virgil wanted to run for marshal, Pearl was definitely the sort of wife he would need, with her warm, compassionate temperament. She was rarely this strident. Only when she thought Marigold was overstepping.
Marigold crossed her arms over the stabbing sensation residing behind her navel. It was hitting her exactly what a detriment she was to Virgil’s ambitions. Any sort of politics invited dirty laundry to be aired. Hers would always be hung out. Always.
“I— He needs a mother for his children,” Marigold offered a weak, not wholly truthful reason for why she’d agreed to marry him.
“You wrote that your arrangement with him wouldn’t progress to marriage. That he’ll always see you as a thief. I wouldn’t have come and made a fool of myself if I knew you were taking him. What am I supposed to do now?” Pearl asked plaintively.
Marigold’s throat locked up, refusing to allow her voice to emerge.
