Wainright’s.
Homer Wainright sent her away, much to the dismay of his wife who
spends all her time raising their seven children.”
“Bad for Mrs. Wainright but good for Fred.
Maybe he can convince the woman to come back here,” Sarah said.
“I don’t think so. She told Mrs. Wainright
she had a vision that the same evil spirit who took Missy’s hearing
and voice is coming back. Anyone in the house is at risk.”
A couple of days ago Sarah would have scoffed
at the idea of evil spirits. Funny how a little time travel
expanded the belief system. “What do you think about that?” she
asked.
“I think its nonsense.”
Sarah relaxed, grateful for Suzanne’s easy
dismissal. She hadn’t just found a friend, she’d found a voice of
reason.
“I really do have to be getting back to
town.” Suzanne smiled at Sarah. “I have to work tonight.”
Sarah resisted the urge to ask her to
reconsider, knowing that her modern-day indignity over Suzanne’s
chosen profession didn’t align all that well with the cold reality
of 1888. “It was a pleasure to meet you,” she said. “Please come
back.”
Suzanne’s cheeks turned even pinker. “I’ll
try. I’m a bit embarrassed though. I was too busy hating you for
being here. I think I missed why you said you were only going to be
here for a couple days.”
The urge for self-protection smothered out
the urge to confide. “John Beckett is my brother-in-law. I’m just
here for a short visit.”
“Oh.” Suzanne’s eyes got even bigger. “You’re that Sarah?”
“I guess you’ve heard of me.”
Suzanne ran her tongue over her teeth.
“You’re different that I would have expected. Nicer.”
“I’m mellowing in my old age.”
“Your brother-in-law is a very handsome man.
He has all that wonderful hair and those muscles.”
Suzanne knew John. Oh, my.
He probably went to the saloon. Of course, he
would. What else did single men have to do in Wyoming? He probably
played cards and had a couple beers with the guys. Maybe he’d even
made a trip or two up the old saloon stairs himself.
Sarah felt sick. “Is he one of your
acquaintances, too?”
Suzanne chuckled. “Not mine. He’s Fred’s best
friend.”
“I suppose that would be awkward.”
“Even if I was interested, he wouldn’t be.
Most every girl there has tried one time or another. He always
smiles that sexy little smile and refuses right politely, like
they’d offered him a piece of peach pie but he was too full for
dessert.”
You had to like a man who watched his calorie
intake.
“I’ll make sure Fred knows you stopped.”
“Thanks. And,” Suzanne hesitated, “could you
let him know that I hope he can make it on Sunday.”
“Sunday? Fred and his father-in-law are
having lunch with you?”
“After lunch,” Suzanne added, clearly
understanding Sarah’s confusion. “The children love getting to
spend a couple hours with Grandpa.”
“Where does dear old dad think Fred is
spending his afternoons?”
“Playing cards. He never says much to Fred
about it. By the way, where are you headed when you leave
here?”
“California.”
“That’s a long way,” Suzanne said. “You going
to catch the train in Cheyenne?”
“Train? Please, please, do not be teasing me.
There really is a train? I thought I’d have to take a stage the
whole way.”
Suzanne frowned at her. “Of course there’s a
train. Just where have you been living the last ten years?”
“Under a rock, obviously,” Sarah teased,
hoping the woman wouldn’t probe. A train meant that she’d be back
in California before she had hoped.
“It would be nice if you could stay around,”
Suzanne said. “I’ve enjoyed today.”
Sarah nodded. “Me, too. But there are people
waiting for me in California. I can’t stay.” Not that she wanted
to. She wanted to be back to the land of running water and flush
toilets.
“But you’ve barely had any time to spend with
your brother-in-law.”
“Trust me on this one.
Homer Wainright sent her away, much to the dismay of his wife who
spends all her time raising their seven children.”
“Bad for Mrs. Wainright but good for Fred.
Maybe he can convince the woman to come back here,” Sarah said.
“I don’t think so. She told Mrs. Wainright
she had a vision that the same evil spirit who took Missy’s hearing
and voice is coming back. Anyone in the house is at risk.”
A couple of days ago Sarah would have scoffed
at the idea of evil spirits. Funny how a little time travel
expanded the belief system. “What do you think about that?” she
asked.
“I think its nonsense.”
Sarah relaxed, grateful for Suzanne’s easy
dismissal. She hadn’t just found a friend, she’d found a voice of
reason.
“I really do have to be getting back to
town.” Suzanne smiled at Sarah. “I have to work tonight.”
Sarah resisted the urge to ask her to
reconsider, knowing that her modern-day indignity over Suzanne’s
chosen profession didn’t align all that well with the cold reality
of 1888. “It was a pleasure to meet you,” she said. “Please come
back.”
Suzanne’s cheeks turned even pinker. “I’ll
try. I’m a bit embarrassed though. I was too busy hating you for
being here. I think I missed why you said you were only going to be
here for a couple days.”
The urge for self-protection smothered out
the urge to confide. “John Beckett is my brother-in-law. I’m just
here for a short visit.”
“Oh.” Suzanne’s eyes got even bigger. “You’re that Sarah?”
“I guess you’ve heard of me.”
Suzanne ran her tongue over her teeth.
“You’re different that I would have expected. Nicer.”
“I’m mellowing in my old age.”
“Your brother-in-law is a very handsome man.
He has all that wonderful hair and those muscles.”
Suzanne knew John. Oh, my.
He probably went to the saloon. Of course, he
would. What else did single men have to do in Wyoming? He probably
played cards and had a couple beers with the guys. Maybe he’d even
made a trip or two up the old saloon stairs himself.
Sarah felt sick. “Is he one of your
acquaintances, too?”
Suzanne chuckled. “Not mine. He’s Fred’s best
friend.”
“I suppose that would be awkward.”
“Even if I was interested, he wouldn’t be.
Most every girl there has tried one time or another. He always
smiles that sexy little smile and refuses right politely, like
they’d offered him a piece of peach pie but he was too full for
dessert.”
You had to like a man who watched his calorie
intake.
“I’ll make sure Fred knows you stopped.”
“Thanks. And,” Suzanne hesitated, “could you
let him know that I hope he can make it on Sunday.”
“Sunday? Fred and his father-in-law are
having lunch with you?”
“After lunch,” Suzanne added, clearly
understanding Sarah’s confusion. “The children love getting to
spend a couple hours with Grandpa.”
“Where does dear old dad think Fred is
spending his afternoons?”
“Playing cards. He never says much to Fred
about it. By the way, where are you headed when you leave
here?”
“California.”
“That’s a long way,” Suzanne said. “You going
to catch the train in Cheyenne?”
“Train? Please, please, do not be teasing me.
There really is a train? I thought I’d have to take a stage the
whole way.”
Suzanne frowned at her. “Of course there’s a
train. Just where have you been living the last ten years?”
“Under a rock, obviously,” Sarah teased,
hoping the woman wouldn’t probe. A train meant that she’d be back
in California before she had hoped.
“It would be nice if you could stay around,”
Suzanne said. “I’ve enjoyed today.”
Sarah nodded. “Me, too. But there are people
waiting for me in California. I can’t stay.” Not that she wanted
to. She wanted to be back to the land of running water and flush
toilets.
“But you’ve barely had any time to spend with
your brother-in-law.”
“Trust me on this one.
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