Phebe crossed over the threshold to room number five on the second floor of the Lakehouse Hotel. The journey from Sacramento to the more primitive mining and logging town of Reno had seemed endless. As much as she’d tried to concentrate on adding to her “map” of structures that would need to be built for the new school and orphanage, Phebe had been constantly distracted by the man sitting across from her, reading his book.

After the long train ride from San Francisco, Phebe thought she would have been used to being alone in the cozy train compartment with Henry. But with every passing mile bringing her wedding night closer, his presence just a hand’s width away had wreaked havoc with her nerves.

Finally deciding to make a list of tasks that she would need to complete once they reached the site of their new home, Phebe managed to make a note of half a dozen things before her mind wandered once again to the evening ahead. Now that she was actually standing in the room she’d spend her first night with her husband, it was almost a relief. Better to face something and get it over with than waste even more hours wondering and brooding about it.

Henry stepped in behind her as Phebe moved to the far side of the room. She didn’t dare glance at the bed as she set her reticule on a small table in the corner.

“Not as spacious as the rooms back home, but it should be adequate enough for one night.” Henry put the two bags he was carrying on the floor as he took a sniff of the air. “And it seems to be clean.”

Taking her own assessment of their surroundings, Phebe slowly nodded. “It’s fine, Henry.”

“That’s good.” He wandered over to a wardrobe and opened one of the doors.

He sent a quick glance to the patched-together bag sitting next to his neat satchel. He’d left a second bag downstairs with the clerk at the front desk, who’d promised to bring it up shortly.

“You can hang your things in here, although you didn’t pack too much.” He gave his bride an absentminded smile. “Which is a nice change from the way Christa travels. She usually has at least one trunk with her, even for an overnight stay.”

Since she had nothing to say to that, Phebe only sighed. Henry did seem to have trouble grasping the obvious things that most people saw quite easily. She was sure it never occurred to him that Christa simply had a great many more clothes than Phebe did. Still, that little flaw wasn’t so bad. All in all, she could have done much worse in a husband than Henry Frommer.

Phebe sent up a silent prayer of thanks for Madam Wigg’s wisdom in choosing Henry to be her young teacher’s husband. And to Caroline Frommer for beginning a correspondence with the school’s headmistress in the first place. If it hadn’t been for that happy circumstance, she very much doubted she would have been able to keep her promise to her dead mama.

Henry cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses on his nose before clasping his hands behind his back. “Well, then. If you’re satisfied with the room . . . ?” He paused, waiting for Phebe’s nod. “I’ll have the desk order a supper tray for you. I’m sure you’re exhausted after all the traveling we did today.” He pointed to a door on the opposite wall. “That leads to my bedchamber. If you require anything during the night, knock loudly several times and I’ll be happy to come to your aid.”

Phebe’s mouth dropped open slightly as she stared at the closed portal before slowly turning her gaze back to her husband. “If I require anything?”

“Yes. I can order you a bath if you’d like?”

Completely taken aback at this turn in the conversation, Phebe silently shook her head.

Henry smiled. “I know all this is new to you, so the recommended course of action is for you to have some time to adjust to being a wife.” He nodded, looking pleased with himself. “Try to get a good night’s rest, and I’m sure it will all seem better in the morning.”

“But, Henry, I don’t see anything difficult to adjust to right now,” Phebe protested.

He nodded as if she’d said something profound. “That’s good. Then things are going along very well. I need to speak with Jake and meet the rest of the men Evan hired to accompany us to our new ranch.”

“Ranch?” Phebe repeated, her thoughts still jumbled as she tried to make sense of what Henry was saying.

“Homes outside of the city are called ranches.” Henry smiled as he picked up his satchel and slowly walked to the door connecting their two rooms. “I shouldn’t be gone more than a few hours.”

Phebe’s mouth dropped all the way open as she stepped forward and wrapped an arm around one of the four posters sticking up from the frame of the bed. Gone for a few hours? On their wedding night?

Henry gave her a final smile before opening the door and then firmly closing it behind him. Stunned, Phebe could do nothing but stare at the solid wood of the portal that now separated her from her husband. She finally sat on the bed, her gaze still fixed on the closed door. In her head, she could hear Madam Wigg’s voice explaining to her “what was what” on a wedding night. But nothing in that talk had mentioned an absent groom.

Feeling more than a little rejected, Phebe fingered the pearl necklace Christa had given her and wondered if she would ever have a daughter who’d wear it someday.