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Chapter 4

 

 

Omaha Union Station, Omaha, Nebraska – July 16, 1878

R ather than walk faster to catch up with his traveling companions, Eli’s footsteps slowed as his gaze focused on a young woman dressed in an unadorned but attractive gown. She stood on the platform next to their train that had pulled in from Iowa. Her fan and reticule hung from the wrist that clutched her carpetbag, and a valise stood on the ground next to her feet. Although her face was turned so he could not see it, her auburn hair under a short-brimmed, natural straw hat festooned with small feathers and a wilted ribbon bow on the hatband caught his eye. He recognized her right away. After he and his two traveling companions boarded the train in Iowa City, she had been sitting across the aisle and one bench ahead of him.

With her head bowed, she appeared to study something she held in her hand. He slowed his footsteps and angled his path so he approached her from the side. “You look a bit lost, miss. May I help you with anything?”

Her eyebrows raised and her lips parted, the woman jerked her head to face him. She glanced back at the paper in her hand. “I don’t know.”

Upon gazing into her shining brown eyes ringed by dark lashes, Eli’s breath caught. His heart began to beat faster, and his breathing rate increased. After glancing at her hand, he saw that she held a Union Pacific ticket. She’s going the same direction I am. “I believe this is the wrong platform for the westbound U. P. train. I’ll be taking that train, too. If it would be more comfortable for you, I can find a depot employee to assist you with your baggage.” Why is a young, attractive woman like her traveling alone?

“Oh, I…um…” She glanced at her ticket again. “I’m not sure I want to continue west at this time. However, I suppose I should find the depot while I decide what to do. I appreciate your offer, though.”

“Eli, you coming?”

Eli looked up and saw Jason Sewell and Rand Poechet stopped several yards ahead of him. They had both turned back and studied him.

Next to them, the baggage worker stopped the handcart on which all three of them had piled their trunks, two telescopes in cases, and Rand’s camera case.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He raised his hand not holding his carpetbag and waved. He waited for them to continue to the depot before he returned his attention to the lovely lone woman traveler. “As you heard, my name is Eli. Eli Morgan. Those two gentlemen and I teach at the University of Iowa. We’re on our way to Rawlins.”

“You are?” The woman’s eyes widened, and she looked down at her tickets. “That’s the same place to which I have tickets. Only…” She swallowed and looked away. “I don’t know anyone there. Well, I know one man at Fort Fred Steele which isn’t too far from Rawlins. We’ve been corresponding, and he’s asked me to marry him.”

“You met him through letters, did you?” Eli knew his voice probably revealed his surprise. He felt disappointment course through him. She’s spoken for. “Then you feel courting through correspondence is a good option for finding a mate?”

“I-I hope so.” A frown flittered across the woman’s brow and disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “We’ve been waiting to finalize some business matters first. I…um…he was going to send tickets to me, but I received these tickets as a gift so I didn’t have to wait. My only concern is, I do need to find a job to tide me over until we are free to marry. Since I don’t know anything about Rawlins or if there is honest work available for women, especially since it would be temporary, I’m wondering if I should stay here.”

“If you stay here, what work did you have in mind?”

“I’m not sure. I used to work as a maid. I have a letter of recommendation from my former employer. I hope that will help me.” She shot a glance Eli’s way and then turned her head aside.

Eli blinked. She sounded too well-spoken to be a maid. “I don’t know much about Rawlins myself, Miss…”

“Mrs. Greenly.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Greenly.” Disappointment flooded Eli. She’s married. Without thinking, he glanced at her left hand.

As soon as Mrs. Greenly saw him look where most married women wore a wedding band, she blanched and buried her hand in the folds of her skirt. “I’m a…I’m a widow. After my late husband died, I had to sell my ring to get by.”

Eli glanced at the robin’s egg blue gown with a floral design. She was not dressed in mourning clothes. He began to suspect she wasn’t married but forced his face to show no reaction. To prevent unwanted advances, unmarried women often portrayed themselves as married or widowed. He felt his insides expand with a desire to protect this woman and look out for her best interests. “My suggestion is, if you think you and the man to whom you have been writing will be able to marry within a few weeks, there’s a strong possibility you might be able to pick up temporary work in Rawlins. Near the end of the month, there will be many astronomers and other scientists coming to the area to view the eclipse.”

“A lot of people will come to Rawlins just to see an eclipse?” Mrs. Greenly leaned away as she gazed at him with rounded eyes.

“It’s a full solar eclipse. They don’t happen often, especially in a high mountainous region in North America. Many, like me and my associates, are arriving early to prepare. Especially if you have worked as a maid, the hotel might hire you. I made reservations there. If you’d like, I’m willing to send a telegram asking them to consider you for a temporary position. I’m willing to vouch for you.”

“You would?” Open-mouthed, Mrs. Greenly stared at him for a second before she turned her face to the side. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Mr. Morgan.” She used the hand holding her ticket to brush a few stray hairs and the start of perspiration off her temple. “I’ll give your suggestion some thought. If I decide to continue forward at this time, I’ll look for you and your companions on the train.”

“Happy to do it. In the meantime, please allow me to carry your valise to the depot. After that, I need to rejoin my companions.” Eli thought he saw a flash of relief cross her features.

“Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I’m sorry to keep you from them.” Mrs. Greenly offered him a quick smile and picked up her carpetbag so he could reach the handle of the valise.

“You didn’t keep me from them. I enjoyed meeting you.” They walked side by side until they reached the stair taking them off the platform.

Eli offered his arm. “If you don’t think me too forward, Mrs. Greenly…”

“No. Thank you.” Mrs. Greenly glanced at him before she hesitantly positioned her fan and reticule higher on her forearm and slipped her hand on his arm. She allowed a sigh to escape as she held her skirt with the same hand that gripped the handle of her carpetbag.

While walking with the pretty woman by his side, upon hearing her sigh, he glanced at her. “Mrs. Greenly, I hope you do not consider me impertinent, but it is not customary for a woman to travel alone.” And it is imprudent. “I’m aware there are times it is unavoidable.” Such as, with my mother. “As much as I know you must be careful about being approached by strange men who, from your point of view, are who I and my two friends are, we are harmless. Annoying at times, perhaps, but harmless.” Eli offered her a grin, hoping she accepted his claim along with his attempt at humor. “If you do decide to continue to Rawlins, and we end up in the same passenger coach, please feel free to call upon me for any assistance.”

“Thank you. I’m not comfortable traveling alone.”

“It sounds like the circumstances that prompted you to travel at this time have been difficult.”

“You have no idea. It was not my wish to agree to a marriage under these circumstances. But one must do what one must do.”

Eli wondered at her cryptic response. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Greenly. Was your husband’s passing recent?”

“Oh, um…yes, it has only been a few months, actually.”

Eli faced forward with the hope she did not see the raise of his eyebrows or the parting of his lips upon hearing her statement. He’s only been gone a short while and already she plans to remarry? Assuming what he hoped was an appropriate solemn expression, he returned his gaze to her. “Was his death sudden, or had he been ill for a time?” He focused on her as he watched her eyes widen and she bit her, her expression giving the appearance of uncertainty. She acts like I asked a question for which she does not know the answer. She slid her hand from his arm and raised her fingers to her lips. She gave her head a quick shake and looked off to the side.

“He-he worked at the docks on Lake Michigan. He was killed in an accident.”

“I see.” No, Eli did not understand. He reached his hand to resettle his brown derby on his hair that he hoped did not looked too mussed after sleeping on a train bench all night. Something was going on with this woman. He sensed she was not trying to be deceitful for illicit intentions, but she was dealing with difficult circumstances. “Once again, my condolences. I’m sure it came as a shock.” If it happened that recently, where are your mourning clothes? A woman dressed in black is even less likely to receive unwanted attention. He again offered his arm.

Mrs. Greenly glanced at the bare ring finger on her left hand, which rested on Eli’s sleeve. She began to slide her palm so it did not show.

Eli tightened his arm next to his side, keeping her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry you were unable to keep your ring.” He still wondered if she ever had a wedding band to begin with.

Mrs. Greenly returned her gaze to his and licked her lips. “I’ve heard it’s unsafe to travel by train in the West. Do you know if that’s true? If so, that might help me make my decision.”

“Not much more than traveling by train in any other part of the country.” Realizing she asked a question to draw attention away from her missing wedding band, Eli hesitated as he studied her upturned face. The ghosts of freckles adorned her nose, but otherwise, except for a pink tint on her cheeks, her complexion was clear and pale. The skin beneath her eyes bore gray shadows. He realized that was to be expected if she had already endured a day and maybe a night or more of rail travel. Eli had seen many beautiful women, some of them at the university, but there was something about her that drew him to her. “If you don’t mind my asking, what is the decision you must make? Maybe I can provide some information to help.”

Mrs. Greenly turned away once more. “I don’t want to bother you with my personal problems, Mr. Morgan.”

“I apologize, Mrs. Greenly. I didn’t mean to pry.” Eli pressed his lips together and shook his head as he faced forward and walked several feet in silence. Actually, I did mean to pry. At the university, he dealt with women professionally all the time, but avoided involving himself with their personal affairs. He wondered what roused his curiosity about this woman.

The pair began to encounter other people as they approached the entrance to the depot.

Mrs. Greenly gazed around the inside of the building, turning her head from one side to the other as she studied the ceiling. Removing her hand from his arm, she opened her fan and began waving it. “Omaha is not as big as Chicago.”

“I’m sure it’s not.” She’s from Chicago. “With this being the eastern terminal of the Union Pacific line, it makes sense it would be fairly large. Ah!” Eli pointed in the direction of Jason and Rand, both loaded down with the gear that they refused to trust in the baggage car. “I see my travel companions made it, and it looks like they already checked in our trunks. I better go relieve them of my belongings before they decide to permanently claim them.”

“Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I don’t wish to detain you, so I’ll take my valise now.” She set her carpetbag down long enough to slide her fan and reticule higher on her left sleeve before she reached for both pieces of luggage. “I wish you and your friends a good journey.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Greenly. The same to you. Perhaps we will see you later on the train.”

“I’m still undecided.” The woman bit the side of her lip. “I think, before I do anything, I need to find a place to buy food. Whether I continue west at this time or stay in Omaha for a few months, I want to be prepared.”