there you can do what you advised me to do and follow your heart.”
Loretta thought for a few minutes. “I will give you the money to purchase tickets for us, but all my belongings are at Jack’s.”
“You can take some of my clothes. I think we’re about the same size.”
Loretta shook her head slightly. “Thanks, but I can afford to clothe myself. Take part of my stash and purchase two or three dresses for me. I might as well start a new life with everything fresh.”
“I checked at the depot and the next train to Pueblo leaves in three days,” Cyrus said. “It will take three or four days to get most of the way to our destination by train. I know you’ll be in a great deal of pain because of your ribs. Do you think you can stand the jostling around?”
“Reckon I’ll have to.”
Chapter Five
“I DON’T SEE anyone familiar,” Cyrus said softly as he knelt in front of the wooden wheelchair holding a woman who wore a heavy black mourning dress and adjusted her lap quilt. A black veil attached to a wide-brimmed black hat covered her face.
“How much longer before the train arrives?” she asked.
Cyrus withdrew a silver pocket watch from his vest pocket and flipped it open. “Half an hour. If it’s on time. Are you doing all right?”
“I’m smothering in this damned dress,” she said.
“Language, Miss Loretta. And patience,” he whispered as he stood and patted her lightly on the shoulder.
“As I recall, Reverend, patience was never one of your virtues either.” Loretta chuckled as she remembered Cyrus’ inability to contain himself when he spent an evening with her. The chuckle was followed by a fit of coughing which caused her to wrap her arms around her ribcage to lessen the pain from her damaged ribs.
“Leaving town, Reverend Langford?” a familiar voice asked as Cyrus leaned over Loretta.
“There, there, Mrs. Tobias. It won’t be much longer now,” Cyrus soothed. He smiled as he watched Jack Coulter approach. Dressed impeccably as usual, Jack puffed on a cigar as he glanced around the depot platform at the passengers waiting for the westbound train.
“How are you, Jack?” Cyrus asked, resting a hand on Loretta’s shoulder and squeezing lightly. “What brings you down here today?”
His eyes scanning the platform, Jack shrugged.
“I’m just keeping an eye out for a couple of friends I’m expecting to be here.”
“Are they coming in on this train?”
“No. Probably departing and I wanted to wish them well.”
“Really?”
“Have you see Retta or Amelia while you’ve been here?”
“No, I haven’t. I had planned to say goodbye and wish them both well before I left, but I was asked to assist a friend in getting her mother on board the next train and didn’t get the chance. I hope you will give them my kindest regards.”
Jack laughed and leaned closer. “I’m sure you’ll miss them, especially Retta.”
Loretta sat quietly in the wheelchair, barely daring to breathe as Jack continued his conversation with Cyrus.
“Oh, Cyrus. There you are!” Hettie said as she walked quickly across the platform. “Are you feeling all right, Mother?” she asked as she knelt beside the wheelchair.
Loretta nodded slightly and brought a glove-covered hand under her veil as if to wipe her nose.
“We should get mother into the shade, Cyrus. It’s getting terribly warm out here,” Hettie said.
Jack removed the bowler from his head and bowed in Hettie’s direction. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure, ma’am. I’m Jack Coulter. The Reverend and I have known one another for quite a while. I’m sure I would remember such a lovely woman as yourself.”
“Hettie Tobias,” she answered as she shook Jack’s hand. “Reverend Langford and I only met a few days ago. My mother’s health has not been good lately and this trip has taken a toll on her, I’m afraid.”
“And what might your destination be?”
“Colorado. I’ve accepted a teaching position
Loretta thought for a few minutes. “I will give you the money to purchase tickets for us, but all my belongings are at Jack’s.”
“You can take some of my clothes. I think we’re about the same size.”
Loretta shook her head slightly. “Thanks, but I can afford to clothe myself. Take part of my stash and purchase two or three dresses for me. I might as well start a new life with everything fresh.”
“I checked at the depot and the next train to Pueblo leaves in three days,” Cyrus said. “It will take three or four days to get most of the way to our destination by train. I know you’ll be in a great deal of pain because of your ribs. Do you think you can stand the jostling around?”
“Reckon I’ll have to.”
Chapter Five
“I DON’T SEE anyone familiar,” Cyrus said softly as he knelt in front of the wooden wheelchair holding a woman who wore a heavy black mourning dress and adjusted her lap quilt. A black veil attached to a wide-brimmed black hat covered her face.
“How much longer before the train arrives?” she asked.
Cyrus withdrew a silver pocket watch from his vest pocket and flipped it open. “Half an hour. If it’s on time. Are you doing all right?”
“I’m smothering in this damned dress,” she said.
“Language, Miss Loretta. And patience,” he whispered as he stood and patted her lightly on the shoulder.
“As I recall, Reverend, patience was never one of your virtues either.” Loretta chuckled as she remembered Cyrus’ inability to contain himself when he spent an evening with her. The chuckle was followed by a fit of coughing which caused her to wrap her arms around her ribcage to lessen the pain from her damaged ribs.
“Leaving town, Reverend Langford?” a familiar voice asked as Cyrus leaned over Loretta.
“There, there, Mrs. Tobias. It won’t be much longer now,” Cyrus soothed. He smiled as he watched Jack Coulter approach. Dressed impeccably as usual, Jack puffed on a cigar as he glanced around the depot platform at the passengers waiting for the westbound train.
“How are you, Jack?” Cyrus asked, resting a hand on Loretta’s shoulder and squeezing lightly. “What brings you down here today?”
His eyes scanning the platform, Jack shrugged.
“I’m just keeping an eye out for a couple of friends I’m expecting to be here.”
“Are they coming in on this train?”
“No. Probably departing and I wanted to wish them well.”
“Really?”
“Have you see Retta or Amelia while you’ve been here?”
“No, I haven’t. I had planned to say goodbye and wish them both well before I left, but I was asked to assist a friend in getting her mother on board the next train and didn’t get the chance. I hope you will give them my kindest regards.”
Jack laughed and leaned closer. “I’m sure you’ll miss them, especially Retta.”
Loretta sat quietly in the wheelchair, barely daring to breathe as Jack continued his conversation with Cyrus.
“Oh, Cyrus. There you are!” Hettie said as she walked quickly across the platform. “Are you feeling all right, Mother?” she asked as she knelt beside the wheelchair.
Loretta nodded slightly and brought a glove-covered hand under her veil as if to wipe her nose.
“We should get mother into the shade, Cyrus. It’s getting terribly warm out here,” Hettie said.
Jack removed the bowler from his head and bowed in Hettie’s direction. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure, ma’am. I’m Jack Coulter. The Reverend and I have known one another for quite a while. I’m sure I would remember such a lovely woman as yourself.”
“Hettie Tobias,” she answered as she shook Jack’s hand. “Reverend Langford and I only met a few days ago. My mother’s health has not been good lately and this trip has taken a toll on her, I’m afraid.”
“And what might your destination be?”
“Colorado. I’ve accepted a teaching position
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