48
Mattawa train station
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1909
The train was late, but the small group awaiting its arrival didn’t mind. “I think you’ll enjoy working for the Michaels,” Jake told Opal. “They’re a fine family.”
“I look forward to doing something to earn my keep again.”
“You’ve helped me plenty, young lady,” Mirabel informed her starchily. “So, don’t go pretending you’ve been lazing about like a lady of the manor.” She thrust a small covered basket into the girl’s hands. “Here,” she said gruffly. “I made you a little something to tide you over. No sense throwing away good money in the dining car when we have a full pantry to choose from.”
“And probably a hundred times better than anything I could get on the train, too,” Opal murmured, peeking into the generously packed basket. Then she looked back at Mirabel. “Thank you,” Opal said softly. “For everything.”
Hattie watched as one by one, Augusta, Nell, Moses, and Doc stepped forward to wish Opal a good journey and bid the young woman farewell. Finally, just as the train roared around the bend, Hattie drew her aside.
“I have something for you, which you probably won’t appreciate at the moment,” she said, pressing a small box into Opal’s hand. “I hope, however, someday you’ll be glad of it.”
Opal looked from Hattie’s face to the small box in her hand. Slowly, she opened it.
Nestled within, on a small bed of velvet, was a plain gold wedding band. Puzzled, Opal returned her gaze to Hattie’s smiling face.
“Jake told the Michaels you’re widowed,” Hattie explained. “He said you’d been married a very short time before your husband died in an automobile accident.” She gripped Opal’s hand. “Please wear it. I know our viewpoints differ on this matter, but it is my dearest wish you someday fall in love with a deserving young man. If that happens, I would truly hate to see it tarnished by the need to explain your lack of virginity.”
Opal doubted such a day would ever arrive, but she’d grown to love and admire Hattie during their brief acquaintance and couldn’t deny she appreciated the sentiment behind the gift. Opal slid the ring onto the appropriate finger. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You are the most courageous woman I’ve ever met,” Hattie said softly in Opal’s ear as they hugged. “I wish you all the luck and happiness in the world.”
“Booard!”
The remaining moments before her departure passed in a blur for Opal. Her suitcases were whisked away into the bowels of the train and everyone started talking at once. She remained in the car’s doorway as long as she could, but the conductor’s impatience grew, and, finally, she turned to follow his demands.
She heard her name called and turned back to see Jake just outside the doorway. “Thank you, Mr. Murdock,” she said quietly. “I will never forget what you did for me.”
“You contact us if you ever need anything,” he commanded with his easygoing smile. “You hear me?”
The train began to roll. “I hear you,” she called as the conductor grasped her arm and pulled her into the car. As though waiting just for that, the train left the station.
A scant hour after seeing Opal off, Jake and Hattie packed up their belongings. With a wave to the family and friends gathered on Augusta’s porch to see them off, they headed for home. When Hattie entered the ranch house a short while later, she felt as if they’d been away for years, rather than the few weeks that had actually passed. She went straight up to their bedroom to change out of her fashionable hobble-skirt dress. With a sigh of relief, she exchanged it for a blouse and split skirt, which allowed far greater freedom of movement. Then she tossed her cursed corselette into the back of the closet.
“Burn it,” advised Jake, entering their room.
Hattie grinned at him and sat on the edge of the bed to don her shoes. “I just might do that.” She stretched lazily. “Isn’t it grand to be home again?”
“Yeah.” Leaving a trail of his own discarded shoes, socks, and shirt scattered across the floor and rug, Jake came to sit next to her, clad only in his undershirt and dress slacks. When Hattie flopped onto her back, Jake immediately loomed over her, leering theatrically. “Alone at last, me pretty.”
“What do you plan to do first?” Hattie raised her hands to stroke his cheek. “I want to see the horses and check my garden.” She smiled in contentment. “I feel so renewed. Released. Free as a bird. I wonder if Blossom’s foaled yet.” After smoothing her palms down Jake’s shoulders and upper arms, she slid them around to his back and continued down until her fingertips slipped under the waistband of his slacks.
His eyebrows met briefly above his nose as if he hadn’t given thought to what he’d do once the trial ended. Which was probably true. Between the trial and fielding questions from the ranch foreman, Jake hadn’t much time for anything else. “I should talk to Herman, I suppose,” he said. “Find out what’s happened around here since he and I last spoke.” Suddenly grabbing her hands, Jake pressed them against the mattress on either side of her head. He nuzzled her neck.
“I thought you wanted to catch up with your foreman,” she whispered, even as she arched her neck, allowing Jake greater freedom.
“Oh, I do.” Jake stretched out on top of her. “But first we need to discuss the honeymoon we never got around to taking.”
Hattie waited for him to continue, but he was engrossed in removing the clothes she’d only just donned—without first removing himself from her body. “Um, I thought you wanted to talk about our delayed honeymoon.”
“Yeah. I do.” Jake slanted her a wicked look. Continued in a voice pitched deeper than usual: “Be sure to remind me in, oh, say, twenty-five minutes or so.”
Sighing with happiness, Hattie scratched her fingernails down his back. “Happy to oblige.”