dangle and unbuttoned his coat and vest, then two of the studs down the front of his shirt.
With a hiss of brakes, the train slowed.
A glance at the window showed Joshua they’d reached Sweetwater Springs. A crowd had gathered on the platform. What are they all doing here? Even as he thought the words, Joshua realized the citizens of the town had planned a homecoming celebration—the last thing he wanted. But if they were fortunate, the doctor his parents had written about was among the well-wishers.
“Miss.” Joshua took her elbow. “This town has a doctor. Let me fetch some men to carry your father off the train to a place where he will have care. Can you gather your things?” He stared into her eyes until he saw some awareness penetrate her fear.
“Yes, yes. I’ll do that.” Her soft voice held a southern accent.
Joshua gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her arm. “Good for you. This is my hometown. I promise, you and your father will be well taken care of.”
Blinking quickly, she clung to his hand. “Thank you, sir.”
The train came to a complete stop.
The woman released his hand with obvious reluctance.
Saying a prayer, Joshua hurried down the aisle. As he appeared in the open doorway, he heard a cheer go up. With a clash of cymbals, a brass band began playing a song he didn’t recognize. Two enthusiastic youths held poles supporting a banner with “Welcome Home” painted in black letters.
Automatically, Joshua waved to everyone in acknowledgement. He trotted down the steps into the Montana air, tainted by the smoke from the train, and over to his parents standing at the head of the group.
“Joshua, my dear son!” Mary Norton threw herself into his arms.
He gave her a quick hug and kiss, then shot Reverend Norton a loving smile. “A passenger on the train is taken ill,” he told his father. “His heart, I believe. Is the doctor here?”
“Yes.” With a nod, his father whirled. “Doctor Cameron,” he called to a man wearing a frock coat, with a bowler hat on his head, standing next to a pregnant woman. “Your services are needed on the train.”
The doctor nodded and hurried toward Joshua.
The crowd parted to let him through.
“Your patient is right inside the door,” Joshua said. “His daughter is quite distraught.”
The doctor trotted up the steps and into the train.
Joshua looked around, his gaze settling on two brawny men in shirts and suspenders. One looked faintly familiar. “You two, come with me,” he ordered. “I’ll need someone to carry the stricken man off the train.” Scanning the crowd, he raised his voice. “Does anyone have a carriage or wagon nearby?”
“A carriage,” one man called out, raising his hand.
Joshua recognized rancher John Carter, his face more weathered, sandy hair thinning. “Thank you. We’ll need transportation to the doctor’s.” He hurried back into the train, almost bumping into the conductor in his haste.
The man grabbed his arm. “I’ve spoken with the engineer. The train will wait until the ill passenger has disembarked. We are having their trunks unloaded, as well.”
“Thank you.” Joshua peered around him, saw the aisle was jammed with people, and stepped off the train again. He turned to his parents and pointed. “Micah is in the next car. Can you see to him?”
His mother touched his arm. “Of course, dear.”
Joshua led them to the next set of stairs and into the car where Micah waited, one of his hands gripping the chair rail. “These are your grandparents, son. Please wait with them a few minutes while I see to the ill man and his daughter.”
A mulish expression crossed Micah’s face.
“Remember the lady who came to your aid when the man with the luggage ran into you? It’s her father who’s ill. She needs our help now.”
Concern chased away the stubbornness. “Oh, yes, Father. Hurry and help her.”
“Good boy.” He threw his parents a quick smile and squeezed around them to leave
With a hiss of brakes, the train slowed.
A glance at the window showed Joshua they’d reached Sweetwater Springs. A crowd had gathered on the platform. What are they all doing here? Even as he thought the words, Joshua realized the citizens of the town had planned a homecoming celebration—the last thing he wanted. But if they were fortunate, the doctor his parents had written about was among the well-wishers.
“Miss.” Joshua took her elbow. “This town has a doctor. Let me fetch some men to carry your father off the train to a place where he will have care. Can you gather your things?” He stared into her eyes until he saw some awareness penetrate her fear.
“Yes, yes. I’ll do that.” Her soft voice held a southern accent.
Joshua gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her arm. “Good for you. This is my hometown. I promise, you and your father will be well taken care of.”
Blinking quickly, she clung to his hand. “Thank you, sir.”
The train came to a complete stop.
The woman released his hand with obvious reluctance.
Saying a prayer, Joshua hurried down the aisle. As he appeared in the open doorway, he heard a cheer go up. With a clash of cymbals, a brass band began playing a song he didn’t recognize. Two enthusiastic youths held poles supporting a banner with “Welcome Home” painted in black letters.
Automatically, Joshua waved to everyone in acknowledgement. He trotted down the steps into the Montana air, tainted by the smoke from the train, and over to his parents standing at the head of the group.
“Joshua, my dear son!” Mary Norton threw herself into his arms.
He gave her a quick hug and kiss, then shot Reverend Norton a loving smile. “A passenger on the train is taken ill,” he told his father. “His heart, I believe. Is the doctor here?”
“Yes.” With a nod, his father whirled. “Doctor Cameron,” he called to a man wearing a frock coat, with a bowler hat on his head, standing next to a pregnant woman. “Your services are needed on the train.”
The doctor nodded and hurried toward Joshua.
The crowd parted to let him through.
“Your patient is right inside the door,” Joshua said. “His daughter is quite distraught.”
The doctor trotted up the steps and into the train.
Joshua looked around, his gaze settling on two brawny men in shirts and suspenders. One looked faintly familiar. “You two, come with me,” he ordered. “I’ll need someone to carry the stricken man off the train.” Scanning the crowd, he raised his voice. “Does anyone have a carriage or wagon nearby?”
“A carriage,” one man called out, raising his hand.
Joshua recognized rancher John Carter, his face more weathered, sandy hair thinning. “Thank you. We’ll need transportation to the doctor’s.” He hurried back into the train, almost bumping into the conductor in his haste.
The man grabbed his arm. “I’ve spoken with the engineer. The train will wait until the ill passenger has disembarked. We are having their trunks unloaded, as well.”
“Thank you.” Joshua peered around him, saw the aisle was jammed with people, and stepped off the train again. He turned to his parents and pointed. “Micah is in the next car. Can you see to him?”
His mother touched his arm. “Of course, dear.”
Joshua led them to the next set of stairs and into the car where Micah waited, one of his hands gripping the chair rail. “These are your grandparents, son. Please wait with them a few minutes while I see to the ill man and his daughter.”
A mulish expression crossed Micah’s face.
“Remember the lady who came to your aid when the man with the luggage ran into you? It’s her father who’s ill. She needs our help now.”
Concern chased away the stubbornness. “Oh, yes, Father. Hurry and help her.”
“Good boy.” He threw his parents a quick smile and squeezed around them to leave
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