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“Sending you away. It’s for your own good.”
Sending me away?
I took one step back, but Marina grabbed my upper arm in a talon-like grip.
“You’re getting rid of me.” I looked between my two very pretty, very mean stepsisters. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to marry a stranger.”
“You can’t show your face around here. Have you heard what people are saying about you?” Tara asked.
I looked at the people milling about the platform. Were they staring at me? Passing judgement? Did they know?
The train whistle blew, making me jump.
“You had this all planned. Even the train’s departure is so timely. To arrange for a husband probably took months. I didn’t think you had the smarts for it,” I countered. The barb may have hit its mark, but it didn’t matter. They’d done far worse.
Tara’s smile slipped.
Marina waved to a porter who carried over a bag, one I recognized as my own. Yes, this had been well planned. Lying about an indiscretion was only part of it. They’d most likely pretended to be me to the mail order bride agency, even found someone to deliver my bag—already filled.
“Why now? You’ve hated me for almost ten years.”
They both shrugged, but Marina spoke. “Why not?”
I shook my head, almost stomped my foot. “I’m not going. You can’t make me.”
“That’s true, we can’t,” Tara said, then shrugged. “Stay if you wish. I’m sure the Ladies Auxiliary will be looking forward to your presence at the meeting tomorrow.”
I was impressed with Tara’s use of dramatic irony, although she probably didn’t really know what it was.
“And church on Sunday, weren’t you leading the children’s program? I’m sur
e that’s no longer a possibility,” Marina added. “Here.” She put some coins in my hand and I gripped them tightly. “Mommy offers this as a going-away present. For the stage from Denver to meet your new husband. She didn’t want you to struggle.”
Mommy, or Victoria as I called her, was probably thrilled to part with the meager coins so she could part with me. And not just across town to the schoolteacher’s house, but to a small town called Slate Springs on the far side of Denver.
“You mean she didn’t want there to be a chance I could come back,” I countered.
Marina sniffed, but didn’t respond to my statement, for she knew it to be true. “Go. Stay. You decide.”
With one last disdainful look from each of them, they turned and walked away, their heads held high. One man tipped his hat to them as they passed and held their gazes longer than appropriate. Once they were out of sight, I remained where I was, ticket and marriage license in hand, bag at my feet. The train whistle blew again, but I was too stunned to be startled this time.
Mrs. Michaels from down the street walked past, stopped and gave me a look of such… disappointment I had to look away.
“Shameful,” she murmured, before she walked off. She’d known me my entire life and she believed the worst. Was this how it was going to be if I stayed in Clancy? With one lie, Tara had ruined me. With Marina’s careful plans, they were sending me away. They were right. I had no choice. I had to leave. There was nothing for me here. With Father gone, I couldn’t even guarantee Victoria wouldn’t toss me out for the lies her daughters spread.
“All aboard!”
The conductor’s shout made me look at the train, see the passengers through the windows. The platform was all but deserted. I had no job. No family that I wanted. Nothing. Just a train ticket and a husband who was a complete stranger. Lifting my bag, I climbed onto the train and to a new life.
CHAPTER TWO
Jed
“I’m sorry, Mr. Thomkins—” the teller told the man in front of us, “—but I can’t let you withdraw any money from your brother Melvin’s account.”
My brother, Knox, and I stood behind the man in the bank, awaiting our turn to withdraw money for our supply trip down to Jasper. I sighed as quietly as I could. The quick trip inside was not going as expected. With the horse and wagon hitched at the rail, we’d hoped to be on our way by now.
The snow had melted enough on the pass for Slate Springs to be accessible once again, just a few weeks ago. Most likely in Wichita—where we’d lived until last year—it would be hot by now, but this far in the mountains was still chilly at night. I didn’t mind it at all. I was big and was always warm.
