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She was a beautiful girl, her hair the color of the fiery red setting sun she had witnessed so often from her home in Missouri. Her eyes were the color of the lush green grass in spring. Her face was oval, her cheeks were a lovely pink, and her lashes were thick and long. She drew attention wherever she went.
Today she wore a dark cotton floor-length travel skirt and a white long-sleeved blouse that did nothing for the shapely curves beneath her attire.
For the most part, she could be defined as petite, but she had been blessed with those attributes that drew too many a man’s notice, as far as she was concerned.
All that she wanted out of life was to be left alone to find her own happiness. Ever since she had been old enough to understand how a teacher shaped children’s lives sometimes even more than their parents, it had been her dream to teach. She wanted to help make children’s lives fulfilling and happy.
Soon this dream would come true, and she was delighted at the prospect.
She longed to be a teacher even more than she wanted to be a wife. Up until now, no man had interested her.
Ignoring the only man in the stagecoach today, and the way he seemed to fix his eyes on her much too often, she held on to the seat as she stared through the window.
As they passed beneath the welcome shade of tall and stately trees on both sides of the road, all she could think about was how anxious she was to get to Tyler City, where she would be reunited with her mother and father.
She loved her parents, but often during her childhood, she had been given cause to question her father’s choices in life.
Most of her friends adored their fathers, but her father was vastly different from her friends’.
He had cheated his way into wealth by his skill at gambling. In fact, he had amassed enough money to leave their home in St. Louis, Missouri, and had bought up land in Utah, enough land to build a whole town.
Nicole’s face flushed red even now as she recalled the reason why they had left St. Louis. Her father had cheated at cards one time too many, and the leaders of that fine city had told him that if he didn’t take himself elsewhere, they would lock him up and throw away the key!
Her father had heard about Utah, with its green valleys, towering mountains, and rivers teeming with fish. His favorite pastime after playing poker was fishing.
Nicole had accompanied her father many a time when he went fishing in the muddy waters of the mighty Mississippi River. She had brought in many a delicious catfish that her mother had cooked and placed on the evening dining table.
She wondered whether her father was enjoying the fishing in Utah. Had he truly been able to put his gambling days behind him and enjoy spending time with his wife, whom he had often neglected while gambling was the most prominent thing on his mind?
Her mother had not enjoyed fishing or boating, so she had not shared those rare moments when Nicole joined her father on the river, laughing and talking.
Nicole had seen her mother smile with joy when Nicole’s father had told her that he was through with gambling and that he would build her a whole town in Utah that she could all her own!
It would be named after their family.
It would be called…Tyler City.
It had been decided that Nicole would stay in St. Louis until she finished her schooling and received her teaching credentials. Until only a few weeks ago, she had lived with her aunt Dot and uncle Zeb.
But now?
Having finally earned her teaching credentials, she was anxious to join her mother and father in Tyler City.
Her father had told her that with the town so new, everything from doctors to teachers were needed.
She would be the first teacher!
She had begun her journey west on a riverboat. Oh, how slow it had been.
After smelling the stench of fish that wafted in from the river, she had been glad to board a stagecoach for the final leg of the trip. Even now the smell of fish seemed to cling to her skin and clothes.
But it had been rugged traveling since she had boarded the stagecoach. She ached all over, especially her behind.
The voices of children broke through her thoughts, bringing her eyes to the four little girls who had been silent for most of the trip.
But now their father had announced that they had almost reached their destination, a new, small town called Hope. Their excitement at this news showed in their lovely eyes and high voices.
Suddenly their father ordered them to silence, scolding that they were bothering the young lady.
