The Streel Read online

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  “So that’s the way those things work,” he said at the door as he turned

  and got a good look at me.

  I sailed a shoe at him and he left laughing.

  A ball, I thought— a real ball, even if it is in the farthest reaches of civilization.

  I stepped into my dress and pulled the confection up around me.

  Made of a heavy dark blue silk suited for winter weather, the garment was fairly low- cut. There was little bustle in the back and the train had four layers of flounces. What I was really happy about was how the dress fit my waist like a glove.

  The shoes I slipped into were lovely soft things. Even though my feet

  were on the dainty side, they were large compared to the Chinese wom-

  en’s bound feet. What an odd custom that was to tie your feet so tightly that they couldn’t grow and you’d be hobbled by them the rest of your life.

  Although I admitted to myself that I wouldn’t have been able to run far in these delicate shoes.

  I fastened the locket that Padraic had given me around my throat.

  Hopefully I would have a photo of Seamus to fill it soon. I would wear my black wrap and my muffler at my neck. The weather had stayed rather mild with the night temperature just dipping below freezing, a perfect night for the ball.

  Padraic and Billy had their backs to me as I came out of the room.

  “I think I’m ready,” I announced.

  They both turned and in their eyes I received all the compliments I

  needed that night.

  “Blessed Virgin,” profaned Billy.

  “Lord above,” agreed Padraic.

  “Do you like it?” I asked, twirling about to show them the dress from

  all angles.

  “An angel in our midst,” Billy said.

  “A piece of heaven, to be sure,” Padraic breathed out.

  The look in their eyes told me that what they said they meant. I thrilled to the novelty of such praise.

  “You two look quite handsome, like gentlemen indeed.” I walked

  closer and checked them over. Clean white shirts, dark wool pants and

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  overcoats, all very presentable. And the finishing touches: silk neckties tied correctly at their throats, sleeve buttons in their shirts, and gloves at the ready.

  Padraic gave me his arm. “We can walk the short distance to the hall,

  but I must insist that you slip on your boots and carry your shoes. Or else I will be forced to hoist you up in my arms.”

  We walked the two blocks to the hall and crowded in with everyone at the entrance. There was a flurry at the door of women slipping out of wraps

  and gentlemen helping them. The sound of a small orchestra tuning up

  could be heard over the hubbub of the people.

  When we stepped into the hall, I stood still and took the room in. The

  floor shone from its new coat of wax, wooden chandeliers carved from

  shipping crates were filled with tallow candles, bright oil lamps lit the corners of the rooms. Handsome pictures of George Washington and the re-

  cently deceased General Custer held the place of honor at the head of the room. They had been decorated with green paper laurels. At each end of

  the room great fireplaces were lit, throwing out a cheerful light.

  I clapped my hands and turned to Padraic. “This all promises good for

  the New Year,” I said.

  He nodded his head and looked around him. “I think you are going to

  be very busy tonight, dancing with all the men.”

  I followed his glance and noticed that for every four or five men there

  was maybe one woman. And some of the women were older and not so

  well dressed as they might like to be, but all of them were smiling and

  talking to the men crowded around them.

  Then I saw Elizabeth enter on the far side of the room and wondered

  if the man she walked with was the young soldier she had talked about, or if perhaps her husband had showed up on her doorstep.

  Padraic turned toward me and asked in all seriousness, “Before you

  promise yourself to everyone here, I’d like the honor of the first waltz with you.”

  “Of course, Padraic. I didn’t know that you could dance.”

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  “Billy taught me, and a rough job it was.”

  Billy laughed and asked for the first set dance with me.

  A few men started walking our way, and then a line of them assembled

  in front of me, asking me for the pleasure of a dance. I hated to give all my turns away. I had hoped to have at least one dance with Charlie no matter where things stood between us.

  Then the band struck up the first song of the night. I was not surprised a wit that it was “Garryowen,” as everyone knew it to be the favorite song of General Custer. His defeat at the Battle of Bull Run was still much

  talked about.

  After that the dignitaries were invited to form a group at one end of

  the room to do a set dance. As they whirled around to the calls, swinging their partners and following the patterned steps, Padraic pointed them out to me. “The sheriff and his wife, the mayor and his wife, the richest banker in town and his daughter. I’m not sure who the rest of them might be.”

  I was thrilled to be in this company, out in the world. I had danced many times before, but it was with the servants down in the basement of some

  house to the sounds of a piano and a fiddle, if we were lucky. I had never attended such a grand affair before in my life. I had heard that there had been balls at the Hunts’, but none had taken place while I was in their service.

  They called the next set, and Billy and I went forth to dance with many

  other couples. The caller had a clear loud voice and he proved a bit of a comic, calling off in new ways that made us laugh and lose our steps. Billy swung me and twirled me, he allemanded me left and right. I followed as

  best I could, not knowing the steps as well as he.

  When we finished the set, I was claimed by another man and after that

  another. I could smile at these men, cleaned up in their best clothes, and let them swing me around, but it was difficult at best to talk to them over the swell of the music.

  In between the dances I confess I watched for Charlie but saw no sign

  of him. I feared he would not come, and that took some of the charm out

  of the evening for me. My own vanity surprised me, but there it was. I

  wanted him to see me in this lovely dress, to see me as I could be, not just a servant girl who worked for his family but a woman with real possibilities.

  For the first time I felt I looked as lovely as I often felt.

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  When I heard the first notes of a waltz struck up, I looked around for

  Padraic. He was sitting in a far corner, watching the dances. He seemed

  to be amused, as I could see a smile upon his lips, but he always appeared quite removed from the affair. I ran over to him for our dance.

  “You’ve come to fetch me?” he asked as he stood.

  “Not very ladylike, I imagine,” I said.

  “No, but very full of enthusiasm. So like you, Brigid.” He moved in

  close to me, and the next thing I knew I was in his arms. Waltzing differed so greatly from square dancing. Dancing in sets was almost an athletic venture, following the turns and swings of the whole group, but waltzing—

  waltzing was intimate.

  Padraic’s hand was very properly placed under my shoulder blade and

  his other held my hand. His grip was firm and he waltzed as he moved

  through the world, silently, competently, but with a slight remove. I relaxed in his arms and followed
his sure lead around the room. I had never had such a night as this, and the waltzing made me feel like I had drunk champagne, which I had only sampled once after a party at the Hunts’.

  “You’re enjoying yourself then?” he asked.

  “Oh, I feel as glamorous as Jenny Lind.”

  “Whoever that might be, I’m sure she’s not half the beauty that you

  are, my lovely Brigid, mo shearc. ”

  The words of Irish brought tears to my eyes. That he had called me his

  love seemed simply part of the evening’s magic. As we moved, the room

  twirled around us and the colors spun in my head. I laughed in Padraic’s ear from the joy of it all. At this sound, he held me closer, and suddenly he was moving with more grace and form. He was dancing with some of the

  passion he brought to his mining work. I felt a pull to him I had never felt before. I had come to regard him as a brother, but in his arms, dancing so close, I was reminded that he was nothing of the sort to me.

  When the dance ended, I stayed in his arms for a moment, sad to re-

  linquish him, but then I felt my hand pulled away. As I stepped back, I saw that it was Charlie Hunt who was separating me from Padraic.

  “I had to see the belle of the ball,” he said, spinning me out and looking me over. “Very nice indeed,” he said, viewing with a pleased look. “Brigid has always used her wit to charm us, and now she has pulled out her whole

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  arsenal and brings to bear the full power of her beauty. Can anything stop her?”

  Padraic ignored Charlie’s courting and bowed over my hand, which

  he still had in his grasp. “Thank you for the dance. If you have any left, I’ll try to claim another later in the evening.” And he left us.

  Charlie Hunt was resplendent. I had read that word so many times in

  his mother’s novels that it jumped into my head quite easily when I saw

  him standing before me in all his fine glory. He wore a dark maroon necktie with a diamond stud. His vest fitted him like a glove. His hair curled back from his face and his eyes shone with delight. I could not help but smile up at him. “I’m sorry I’m late.” He bowed his head down close to me to talk above the music.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing to me.”

  “I suppose not. You look like you’ve been quite busy. And, as you are

  the most beautiful woman in this room, there can be no question that ev-

  ery man has been clamoring to dance with you.”

  My face grew warm, but I said nothing.

  “May I have this next waltz?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid that it is promised.”

  “I will take care of that,” he said and watched the man approach to

  claim his turn. Charlie stepped aside with him, said something in his ear, and the man slunk away.

  “What did you tell him?” I asked as Charlie took my hand.

  “I merely said that you were my wife and that we had not seen each

  other for weeks. He appeared to understand.”

  “You are very bold,” I laughed.

  “Only when I have to be.” With those words he took me in his arms. He

  was a big man, Charlie Hunt, and yet quite nimble on his feet. He danced with authority and gusto, seemingly the way he did everything in his life.

  While he was a good leader, I felt that any woman could be in his arms and he would dance the same. I had felt a little more special with Paddy. Then I pulled myself up, gave him what I hoped was a bril iant smile, and finished off the waltz.

  He bowed low over my hand. “I know you think me a lout, but I’m

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  enough of a gentleman to know that I cannot monopolize you all evening.

  It is an hour to midnight. Pray save me a dance, for I would like to see the New Year in with you. Until then, Brigid of the Hil s.”

  After that I danced many more dances. My new shoes pinched my

  feet a bit, but I ignored them. Men made various propositions to me and

  I laughed at the sil iness of it all. They claimed I was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen, and I knew full well that they would say the

  same to the next woman they danced with. But still and all, I drank it in: the swirling of so many full skirts, the sprightly music, the warmth in the room, the high spirits of all. For a few moments, I forgot that my brother was missing from my life, and in dire straits to boot.

  One of the men I danced with was Moses Walker. He seemed in high

  spirits, and I doubted whether he even remembered who I was. He kicked

  my ankle once in his exuberant dancing but did it with good humor.

  I inquired how his wife was and he said, “The missus is busy as could

  be dancing with all the young men. She’ll be in fine fettle tonight when I take her home, which will be good by me. She’s often cross with having to watch the young ’uns.”

  One older gentleman told me of his claim and all the gold he was tak-

  ing out of it. Then he asked if I might not want to join him in sharing all his wealth.

  “What I mean, ma’am, is a proper proposal. Nothing untoward about

  it. I could use a wife.”

  I took care not to laugh— he seemed a nice old man— and told him

  that it was a very decent proposal, but not one I could consider at the moment. He took it wel . I had never had such a night in all my life and did not know if I ever would again.

  Close to the midnight hour, a group of women at the door surprised

  everyone. The dancers stopped, and I looked and saw that it was Nel ie

  and some of the other sporting women who worked the theaters. They

  were all dressed up in low- necked gauzy gowns with lots of bangles on

  their wrists and flowers in their hair.

  As a couple of men barred their way into the room, I heard one of the

  women yell out in a voice loud and clear, “We’re good enough to visit at

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  the Gem but not to dance with in public, eh? Wel , we’re here to have a

  little fun.” Then she waved at a few of the men and called them by name.

  There was laughter at her boldness.

  A number of men, including Billy, stepped forward and claimed their

  hands for the dance. I watched the sheriff walk over to the side of the room with the mayor and wondered what they were plotting. Several women

  had stepped off the dance floor, embarrassed to be seen in the same room as these working girls. I was sure I could not care. I waved at Nel ie and Billy as I danced by. Charlie was nowhere to be seen.

  However, I did notice, lined up against the side wall were a number

  of the celestials. Only the men of course. They were dressed in lovely dark outfits with their queues all nicely braided. How odd it must feel not to be asked to join in. But then, from what I understood, their wives rarely left the house.

  I picked out Ching Lee, standing at the front of the line. As I looked at him, he glanced up and caught my eye. He nodded and I knew I had been

  seen by him. Feeling full of the spirit of the evening, I dropped him a full curtsy. He had been kind enough to send me some jasmine tea; I could at

  least show him equal courtesy.

  Needing a break from the dance, I took myself off to the ladies’ room

  to make sure my coiffure was still in place.

  In the ladies’ room, I walked up to the long mirror and surveyed my-

  self. My color was high and my eyes bright. Arranging my hair, I turned

  my head to the side and readjusted some of the pins. I looked forward to dancing the last dance before midnight with Charlie. I had heard that a

  light supper would be served of ham sandwiches, potato salad, and cake. I realized with surprise that I was hungry.

  E
lizabeth came in and we hugged. “You look so elegant,” I told her.

  “Did your husband make it back?”

  She blushed and lowered her head. Then she lifted it and looked me

  straight in the eyes. “He’s not here. He did not make it back, and so I accepted the gallant offer of my soldier to accompany me here to the dance.

  He has been most kind.”

  “Are you worried for your husband?”

  She frowned. “I know I should be. I guess I’m worried every which

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  way and trying not to think about it.” She took a deep breath, forced a

  smile, and changed the subject. “Isn’t this the most glorious dance?”

  “You can say that after all the balls you must have attended in

  Philadelphia?”

  “They seemed much more staid to me. There’s a freedom here in

  Deadwood. I guess it must come from being out in this wilderness, but I

  feel like I am not judged the way I would be back East. A married woman

  going to a dance without her husband.” She turned to the mirror and

  touched her face as if she did not recognize it. “Nor have I ever been as happy.”

  For a moment, I worried about Elizabeth— pregnant, alone, husband

  off who knows where— and then I thought, she’s happy. And I’m happy

  too.

  As I stepped out of the ladies’ room, I saw Charlie talking with the mayor on the other side of the room. He looked up and across the room and spot-ted me. He came straight to me and asked if he might have the next dance.

  I couldn’t help myself but say what was on my mind. “Oh, Charlie, I

  said I would save it for you.”

  “Those are the sweetest words I’ve heard yet out of your lips. Have

  you changed the way you feel about me?”

  “Not so considerably,” I confessed.

  “That statement can be taken two ways, and I dare not go into it with

  you right now. Rather, I will accept my good fortune and lead you to the floor.” He took my arm and escorted me through the crowd. “Are you enjoying your dances?”

  “Thank you, very much so. I have had many offers to entertainment.