Emeline laughed when he picked her up, sharing in his excitement, and loving him all the more for it. She had no doubt that life with him was going to be adventurous and amazing, and that they could accomplish anything together. And now, with 'home' being an entirely new place, and the start of an entirely new life, she was as anxious as he was to get to it!
Finishing up the packing didn't take long, and Emeline was able to get in a quick bath before dressing and heading down to the restaurant. To a degree, she was going to miss the variety of food that they'd had on the trip, but that had given her some ideas, and she really was looking forward to being back in the kitchen for a while before the baby came. Even after she had the baby, she would keep working, she wasn't the sort to sit idle, but it was good to know she didn't have to if she couldn't...or didn't want to!
He checked his pocket watch, just seven twenty, town was alive, shift change at several of the mines, "C" street already loud and raucous, he made his way down to the depot on "D" street, pushing past the throng of miners, prostitutes, barkers, pedlers, and Chinese. The place never slept it seemed. This scene went on around the clock, it seemed to him that eventually the whole thing would be devoured when the hillside slipped into the shafts.
At the depot, there was a choice because trains ran on the hour, with thirty to forty trains a day, both passenger and freight, another reason for the crowds, it was odd that the first thing visitors saw was the cribs that lined "D" Street, but things seemed to be built where they could, or where they would fit. He stepped inside the crowded ticket office where people were trying to get refunds or tickets for any one of the trains headed off of Sun Mountain. It made him smile as the five ticket agents seemed to have their hands full.
He reached the window, "Two for Carson City, either eleven, twelve, or one this afternoon." He requested.
"Two on the eleven to the capitol. Last two at that. Four dollars, sir." The agent told him. Barnabas laid the money down and picked up the tickets. Nodded and stepped away from the window. Now, back up to the hotel and breakfast.
He reached the hotel and went directly to the dining room to find Em seated at a table close to a window. "Got the last two for eleven o'clock. Anything else would have been later."
"Eleven?" Emeline frowned, shaking her head. "Goodness, that hardly gives me any time to buy out Grosh Brothers!" She laughed as he sat across from her. "I have been thinking about what we might need that would be more difficult to get in Kalispell, so I can check what I can get here, what is worth shipping, what we can get from the Montgomery-Ward catalogue...some of it will be difficult to decide on until we see the house."
Sighing, she grinned. "The house...I can't wait! It's going to be grand and beautiful, and comfortable all at once!" It had pretty much been just a frame the last she'd seen it, but Barnabas' vision had painted a picture that she could easily see in her mind. "Oh! And I can look for some nice, lacy curtains for the bunkhouse!"
Well, she was teasing about the curtains, but they did need to make sure they had bedding, chairs, tables and whatnot for the bunkhouse.
"Well now, Carson City might well offer much the same thing, but cheaper, and closer to the railroad for shipping." he offered, "You might want to consider that. Things up here are more expensive, what with the toll road through Devils Gate, and freight charges. Or shipping it up Jumbo Grade out of Reno. Just a thought."
He smiled, much had been ordered, delivered, and, set up already, but he was not planning on telling her that. He would have to head off any orders she wanted to make if whatever it was, was already sitting in the house waiting on her. "Now about them curtains, the boys'll not appreciate curtains for the windows of the bunk house, I promise you that. But you do what you think's best." He knew she was kidding by the sound of her voice.
"A good breakfast and we can get movin', I'm anxious to make a start for home." He admitted.
"Very well, no curtains." Emeline sighed. "And I promise I won't paint flowers on the shutters!" Well, maybe on the outside, so the building looked nice!
The waitress came by and she ordered French toast, eggs and bacon, along with some coffee. "We can shop here or Carson, I just wasn't sure how long we'd be there. And none of it is really urgent, I was just thinking about getting some materials to make some dresses, a warm blanket for the baby, maybe a cradle to go with the rocking chairs? And perhaps some hair combs, or watercolor paints and art paper, in case I decide to try my hand at that?" There was certainly no harm in being a little extravagant, right?
"Carson City is your best bet, prices are lower down there, and you'll overpay up here for those sorts of things. Shipping will be cheaper as well." He said, which was true. "It doesn't matter how much money we have, no sense throwing it away, but maybe we could find you a dress or two up here, maybe a ball gown before the train. How's that?"
Wealth aside, Pronto understood about prices and being just twenty miles from Carson City, and with tickets to have them there in just over an hour, there was really no reason to overspend. But then, whatever she wanted would be okay with him.
"Oh, heavens, I don't need any more fancy dresses, just things to wear around the house and working with the horses." Emeline shook her head. "So I'm happy with waiting until we're in Carson, and only if we have time." She took a sip of coffee. "Is Carson as far as the train goes?" She wasn't sure how far they could go by train, or what larger towns they might go through on the way home.
"You know best what we're in for on the trip home, so I defer to you," she continued without any sort of judging, "I'm anxious to get home, and there's nothing pressing that can't wait until we're home."
"The hotel said that our things will be at the depot, and loaded onto the eleven o'clock train, so that's outta the way. Clothes fer workin' around the ranch, again, cheaper in Carson City than here, or even at home. And, I'd wager, anything suitable for you to wear for the trip will be in the bottom of one of those trunks, doing you no good at all."
"So I'd say you can stock up and bring 'em on board the Nevada Central when we head north." I'll have my duds to hand when the luggage gets transferred over." He added, "But you suit yerself, either way, you'll be needin' them clothes for the trip home an' afterward." He smiled as he spoke to her. The adventure was far from over. Need yourself a good hat though."
"Oh, well, I just might have to get a couple of dresses for travel," Emeline declared with a grin, "I believe all of mine are packed." Well, not really, she did have her old dress on top of her others, but there was no harm in getting a couple new dresses, they would go to good use, and last years.
"I can take care of that, and you can meet me at the train station, and I promise not to go off anywhere that I shouldn't." Her adventure the day before had been fun, but she knew that there wasn't time today, especially considering the unpredictable nature of such ventures!
"That's a deal." Pike said as they walked up 'C' Street, pausing to look into shops. "We've better than two hours yet so running me off to stand at the depot, I could be kidnapped, or worse, hired as a Deputy here, again. And winters up here can be rugged. Like Kalispell, but maybe not as deep, couldn't really say."
"It crossed my mind that perhaps a couple pairs of trousers for the trail wouldn't hurt. Thinkin' it might be easier, and more comfortable in 'em than address, but you suit yourself." He suggested. "You'll be drivin' the wagon, time to time, and I'd thought to get a saddle horse we could switch around, ridin', drivin' and on the seat together. How's that sound?"