It would be better if he delivered them in person.
Was all hope lost?
Joshua cringed as he replayed the conversation just now. The look he’d caught on Rosemary’s face. She’d been a friend to him. They hadn’t done anything wrong. All this time, she’d cheered him on at school and always inquired about Anna. And seemed to encourage him to keep on with his lost love...
Rosemary’s demeanor might’ve changed in the last month, but he shouldn’t rush to conclusions. Who knew what had brought about the change? Perhaps he should apologize to her later.
If he saw her again. The Oppenheims might not be on the train for long.
He reached for his water glass and tried to clear his thoughts with a drink but a rustle next to him made him shift in his chair. Miss Rosemary Oppenheim. Headed straight for him.
“I simply had to sneak away from Father and tell you how wonderful it is to see you again, Mr. Ziegler.” She curtsied, her cheeks pink around a beaming grin.
He swallowed. But it didn’t go down and he choked on it.
“Oh dear.” She patted his back.
Joshua reached for a napkin and held up his hand. “That’s quite all right. No harm done.”
“I’m looking forward to catching up with you as we travel west together.”
As they traveled westtogether? He coughed into his napkin again, hoping it covered the heat that rushed to his neck.
“I’ll leave you to your dinner, but won’t it be lovely to spend time together the next few days? You can tell me more about your dreams. And your family.”
He lowered the napkin. “Um...” Then coughed again.
She dipped her lashes and scurried away right as his dinner was delivered.
Whathad just happened?
“Is everything to your liking, sir?” The waiter had a pristine white cloth draped over his arm as he waited at attention.
Joshua glanced at the food and then back at the man. “Yes, thank you.”
“Enjoy your dinner.”
As Joshua watched the waiter check on other tables around him, the chance of him following the waiter’s instructions seemed dismal.Uncomfortablebest described his predicament.
And he couldn’t see any way out of it.
Three more days.
That’s how long he would be on this train. The intent he’d seen in Miss Oppenheim’s eyes had been clear.
How exactly did someone avoid another person on a train? The cars all of a sudden felt much smaller.
He glanced back out the window.
Jumping from the train was out of the question. At least for now.
three
“Alas, is not life only dreaming and death waking up?”
~Earl Douglass
The roar around her grew until her head was engulfed in the waters. All sound dulled as Anna gripped Misty’s mane as tight as her fingers could squeeze. The water churned around her face, sucked at her torso, and swirled beneath her horse’s strong hooves. The mare fought the flash flood with every kick and heave of her body.
