“Well, I never!” shouted Natalie as she stood. “How could he do that to me, and where am I supposed to live, since when are you getting married?”
“Since Papa arranged it,” Kitty said.
“Did you know about this?” Natalie demanded.
“Yes, I did. Papa told me he was selling Rosendale.”
“And that-that sister of yours, where is she?”
“Already married,” Kitty said.
“Why you, you little conniving…”
“I only did as Papa instructed me to do,” Kitty said, cutting her off.
“Mrs. O’Byrne if we could please continue…” Mr. Allen said.
Shots rang out in the distance, causing Kitty to jump. She watched as Natalie ran to the window.
“What is going on out there? Who is shooting?” Natalie asked as Bart Jones raced in from the side door, “What are you doing in here?”
Bart ignored her. “Shots fired, east side,” Bart told Mr. Allen
“Guard Miss O’Byrne.”
“What about me?” Natalie wailed.
“Not to worry, Ma’am, I won’t be letting you out of my sight,” said Mr. Allen.
Kitty watched as a multitude of emotions flashed across Natalie’s face. She couldn’t tell if Natalie was relieved or frightened. It didn’t matter much as she wouldn’t be letting the vile woman out of her sight, either. She may not know exactly how to use the small derringer she held beneath the table, but she refused to go down without a fight.
The pounding of horse hooves drew closer. The truth would be revealed in a moment and she couldn’t wait, she had a train to catch. The further she got away from here the better. Kitty was stunned by the sudden thought, but realized it was true. There was nothing left for her here. One might say she was running from the pain, but she was ready for an adventure of her own, and longed to see Abby.
“Deputy Jones,” Sheriff Riley called, “we’re all good here!”
Detective Gibson entered the dining room. “Everyone alright in here?” he asked.
“Who-who is that man lain across that horse?” Natalie asked, her voice shaking as she pointed out the window.
“Well now, Mrs. Bloomberg, that would be your real husband’s right-hand man, Crowley,” said Detective Gibson.
Natalie crumbled to the ground in dead faint. Crowley’s appearance had sealed her fate.
Kitty was thankful that Detective Gibson and Sheriff Riley had kept her safe. She smiled now as she noticed the gun Mr. Allen wore. It looked out of place on him.
She reached out her hand and placed it on Bart’s arm. “Thank you, Deputy Jones.”
“I told ya, Ma’am, we wouldn’t let nothing happen to you or Miss Abby,” Bart said.
“Are you staying on here with the new owners or have you decided on a new profession?” Kitty asked.
“Little of both, Ma’am. You have a safe trip to Oregon now, ya hear?”
“Thank you, Bart.”
Bart nodded and left. Natalie moaned and Detective Gibson reached down, taking her by the arm and into custody.
“Thank you, Miss O’Byrne, for your assistance,” he said and escorted Natalie out the door.
“Well, Miss O’Byrne, shall we head into town? I believe you have a room booked at the hotel and your train leaves tomorrow morning. Miss Abby will sure be happy to see you,” said Mr. Allen.
“Mr. Allen, the funds that were originally going to Natalie, could you give them to our cook, Ms. Lena?” Kitty asked.
“Yes Ma’am, I can arrange that,” he said.
“Then give me just a moment, I wish to tell her and to say goodbye,” Kitty said and rushed from the dining room into the kitchen. Ms. Lena was sitting at the counter, tears streaming down her chubby face.
“Ms. Lena, are you alright?” she asked.
“Oh yes, dear. I only stayed on for as long as I did because of you girls. You’re so precious to me,” she said, wiping her tears away with a kitchen towel.
“We will miss you too, Ms. Lena, but we have a gift for you.”
“Oh, you sweet girls, you didn’t have to get me anything. My time with you was gift enough.”
“We didn’t know your future plans… Papa set aside some funds for Natalie but since she is guilty of serious crimes, we’d like you to have them. You could go see your family in Tennessee or travel, maybe come see Abby and I sometime?” Kitty suggested.
“My dear girl, you do know your pa paid me generously, don’t you?”
“No, Ms. Lena, but what I do know is Abby and I have plenty to live on for the rest of our lives, and we want you to have this. I’ve asked for Mr. Allen to arrange it,” Kitty said.
“It would be nice to go home to Tennessee. My sister has three grandsons I haven’t seen in quite some time,” she said.
“It’s settled then.” Kitty wrapped Ms. Lena in a big hug. “You are always welcome in Oregon.”
“Thank you, Miss Kitty.”
The following morning, Kitty stood, once again, on the train platform with Mr. Allen. Ms. Lena had quickly arranged her affairs and would be boarding the train with her. It was an unexpected surprise and she found she was thankful for it.
“Your pa left you this, but you are not to open it until you arrive in Silverpines. You wouldn’t want it to get covered in soot and dust from the train.” Mr. Allen handed her a white rectangle box like he’d given to Abby.
“Thank you, Mr. Allen, for all you’ve done.” She looked down at the box. “I’m thankful it has come to an end and that I can put it behind me now. I couldn’t have done it without you,” she said as Ms. Lena came bustling up.
“I made it. I’m here my dear, are we ready for a grand time?” she asked. “Oh my, look at the people. I’d say it’s going to be a bit crowded.”
“I’ll let you ladies get settled. Miss O’Byrne, should you need anything you have my information,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Allen,” Kitty said, leaning in to hug him goodbye. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered.
“And I you,” he said flatly as Ms. Lena leaned forward, hooking her arm through Kitty’s.
“I will take good care of her. Don’t you worry.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Shall we find our seat dear?” asked Ms. Lena. “It won’t be the most comfortable but it’s the sacrifice one must make when traveling.”
“I reckon we shall.” She sniffled, clutching the box to her chest. “Do—do you enjoy train travel Ms. Lena?” Kitty asked as they boarded the long black train, similar to the one Abby left on, and stowed the bags. Looking out the window, she saw Mr. Allen had remained, watching them board with slumped shoulders. She’d lost her pa, had to send her sister far away, lay a trap that frightened her, but never once had she thought about what Mr. Allen had lost until now. Pa and he had been great friends. The heaviness she’d been wishing would disappear settled into her chest, causing her to rub her fist against her heart as she fought for relief. She lost too, but she could have been kinder.
“I do, for short trips,” Lena said, digging into her handbag and pulling out a handkerchief. She handed it to Kitty. “It’s interesting to watch the different landscapes unfold. You’ll see areas just as flat as can be and others that look like they’re trying to reach up and touch the heavens. After many days, you do tire of the constant movement and the grime, though.” Ms. Lena made a face.
“Oh dear, I hadn’t thought about that,” said Kitty as the train whistled loudly and lurched forward, causing her to grab hold of the seat before her. Atlanta would be behind her in a moment. It was terrifying, and exciting, and it added to the pain in her chest. She couldn’t wait to get to Abby and ensure she was safe, and that her new husband was treating her well. Maybe then she’d feel some sort of relief. In the meantime, she would write an apology to Mr. Allen.
Chapter Four
Kitty awoke from a troubled sleep when the conductor called out the next stop. She sat up and smoothed out her hair as she looked to Ms. Lena. “What did h
e say?” she asked, yawning.
“He said the next stop is Sweetwater, dear. We’ll be getting off there.”
“Oh! I feel so horrible, I slept most the way.”
“You needed your rest dear, you’ve had a rough few days and I wasn’t about to wake you after all you’ve been through,” said Ms. Lena, patting Kitty’s arm.
“Thank you. I’m sorry I wasn’t much company for you,” Kitty said.
“Sweetwater, Tennessee,” The conductor called out for a second time. “Those traveling onward have thirty minutes to stretch your legs and enjoy some of Mrs. Dolly’s fine cooking,” he said, his voice rough, as if he’d gotten smoke in his lungs.
Kitty’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food, causing Ms. Lena to chuckle.
“Sounds to me like you might need to grab a bite to eat. I know you haven’t been eating well, but you’ll need your energy for this trip. It’s gonna be a long one,” said Ms. Lena.
“Yes, Ms. Lena, I believe you’re right. Do you know a place nearby?” Kitty asked.
“I know the best place. I’d say it is one of the best kept secret around these parts, but that conductor just blabbed it to everyone on this train. My sister, Dolly, owns it. She’s an amazing cook. You can help me surprise her.” Smiled Ms. Lena
“She couldn’t be as good as you. Papa always loved your cooking.”
“It’s a good thing he didn’t find her first. She’s better,” said Ms. Lena. “The inn is straight across the way there. You won’t be far from the train.” She gathered her belongings and led the way with a bounce in her step that made Kitty’s heart happy. After the past week, she needed that bit of joy to help burn out the pain in her chest.
They walked directly across from the train straight to the inn. It was a quaint little town and so much smaller than Atlanta. Everything was right there on one road. It had a welcoming feel and Kitty found she rather liked it. She wondered why Ms. Lena left it years ago and watched as two young boys ran past.
Ms. Lena turned to her then. “I think that might be my sister’s grandsons, Billy and Bobby, but I haven’t seen them in ages. They grow so quickly. Dolly is always writing about them and how they run everywhere they go—except her dining room at the inn,” said Ms. Lena
They stepped up onto the boardwalk and entered the inn. “Let’s just take a seat and see how long it takes her to notice me.” Ms. Lena grinned.
Kitty followed along and sat with her back to the door so that Ms. Lena would be able to see the room. She was so intent on watching the surprise unfold that she nearly missed the man dressed in solid black sitting behind Ms. Lena. He was staring directly at her, his dark eyes never wavering as he lifted his coffee cup to meet a pair of full lips.
Kitty looked away, slightly frightened. Who was he? she wondered while picking at the napkin on the table. Unable to stop herself, she glanced back up, her eyes clashing with his beautiful dark chocolate ones. She held his gaze for a moment before looking away again, feeling the heat rush to her cheeks. Oh dear, she’d be bright red in a moment. That was the last thing she wanted him to see.
What if he was Mr. Bloomberg? Did Mr. Bloomberg know what she or Abby looked like? She thought, trying to distract herself from the handsome man. She’d always imagined Mr. Bloomberg to look like a monster, though she truly had no idea, and the man before her was no monster. Something about the man sitting behind Ms. Lena had sent her pulse racing and suddenly she was very thirsty.
“Lena? Is that you?” called out a small plump woman with curly black and gray hair. She wiped her hands on her apron and rushed across the dining room, embracing Ms. Lena in a warm hug.
“Grammie! You said no treats if we run in here,” called out a small boy standing at the entrance of the dining room, his little fist balled up on his hips.
“Oh, Bobby, come here. You are correct and I’m sorry. I won’t have any dessert with my dinner, but I’d like you to meet my sister, Ms. Lena. She surprised me and that’s why I ran. I haven’t seen her in a very long time.”
“It’s okay, Grammie. You can have dessert. I know you’s excited and dats why you ran. Dats why I runs everywhere. Is she my grammie, too?” asked Bobby as he looked between the two women.
“Well no…”
“She looks like a grammie. She even has hair like you,” Bobby whispered loudly.
Mrs. Dolly smiled and wrapped her arm around Bobby. “Bobby, here, thinks everyone beyond a certain age is his grandparent,” she told Ms. Lena.
“That’s quite alright. I’ve never been a grammie. I’d be honored to be one,” said Ms. Lena.
Bobby looked at Kitty then. “She’s not your grammie?” he asked, his little face showing his confusion. He probably wouldn’t appreciate Kitty saying so, but he had the prettiest little blue eyes she had ever seen.
“No, she’s not. I never met my grammie.”
“Dat’s sad, you should keep her for your grammie,” said Bobby.
“Ms. Lena has been the cook in my home for many years, so I guess she’s kinda like a grammie,” said Kitty.
“Oh yes. All grammie’s cook.” Bobby smiled big, showing a few missing teeth. “Dats what makes them good grammies.”
“And she’s the best cook, too,” said Kitty.
“Are you sure? Cause people’s always coming here on that there train to eat my grammie’s cooking. So, I don’t know if I believe you,” said Bobby.
“Well Bobby, I’m going to be staying here awhile, how about I make you some treats and you can decide if you like my cooking or not?” said Ms. Lena.
“Can you make a cherry pie?” he asked.
“You want a pie? Not some cookies?”
“Cookies are for babies. I’m a growing man,” he stated and pulled on his little suspenders.
Ms. Lena laughed. “A pie it is.”
“Alright Bobby, why don’t you go on and pick up your lunches from the kitchen, while I see what these hungry travelers would like for lunch,” said Mrs. Dolly.
“Okay. Nice to meet you new Grammie. Wait, who are you?” Bobby asked, looking at Kitty. She glanced up and noticed the stranger still had his dark eyes locked on her. He was clean shaven and had a strong jawline, but those eyes, for a moment she wondered if she should answer Bobby or not, but she didn’t want to be rude. It was ridiculous to think the man might be Mr. Bloomberg anyway.
“I’m Kitty. Ms. Lena was keeping me company on the train,” she said.
“Oh, are you staying, too?”
“No, I have someplace I’ve got to be.”
“Me too. I’m going fishing with Billy. See ya later,” he said and trotted off toward the kitchen.
“That’s the inquisitive one, always asking questions,” said Mrs. Dolly, reaching out to Kitty. “It sure is nice to finally meet you. Lena has told me all about you and Abby over the years. Is Abby not with you? I’d love to meet her, too.”
“She recently married,” said Kitty as she glanced up to judge the stranger’s reaction, but he only stared and she had a feeling if she gazed too long into those eyes she’d melt.
“Well, I’d best get you some food. How ‘bout I bring you both the special; fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, a side of green beans, and a slice of apple pie,” said Mrs. Dolly.
“Fried Chicken is one of Kitty’s favorites,” Ms. Lena announced. “Could you put a little something together in a bag for her, as well, she’s got a long journey ahead.”
“I’d be happy to. See ya in jiffy.”
Soon as Mrs. Dolly disappeared, the man that had been staring at Kitty stood. He was the tallest man she’d ever laid eyes on and she had to lean her head back to see just how tall he was. For a tall man, he filled out his frame with thick arms and legs. Like a solid shield of protection versus a string bean that would snap in two. He laid down the money for his bill, tipped his hat to Kitty, and walked out.
Kitty leaned forward. “Ms. Lena, do you know that man?” she asked.
“No dear, I can’t say as I�
�ve seen him before. Why?”
“He stared at me the whole time. It made me a little nervous,” she said, shivering.
“You’re a beautiful young lady, Kitty. The fellas are going to notice. But I understand you being a tad uneasy. You just be careful out there and take care of yourself,” Ms. Lena said.
“Thank you, I will.” She said as Mrs. Dolly approached and set their lunch on the table. It smelled so good that Kitty’s stomach rumbled loud enough for both ladies to hear it and Kitty’s cheeks grew warm. She was thankful the handsome man had left and not heard her stomach or seen how beet red she’d become.
“You eat up, Miss Kitty, and take this for your journey,” said Mrs. Dolly as she handed her a paper bag.
“Thank you, very much,” Kitty said.
“Lena, we’ll visit after you’ve said your goodbyes and this lunch crowd has skedaddled on outta here. It was nice to meet you Miss Kitty, you have a safe journey now,” she said as she turned and headed back toward the kitchen.
“Better eat up girlie, we’ve gotta get you back on that train,” said Ms. Lena as she dipped her fork into the gravy covered mashed potatoes and sighed. “My sister sure can cook.”
Kitty only nodded as she dug into her food and they finished their meal in silence.
Their last few moments together were over far too soon, and it was time for Kitty to board the train, this time alone. She worried that the stranger with the dark eyes would be on the same train. She wouldn’t mind seeing him again and that both terrified and excited her. What if he was Mr. Bloomberg? For the second time that day, she wished she had asked Detective Gibson what Mr. Bloomberg looked like.
Ms. Lena walked her back across the road to the train platform, then pulled her into a big hug and held on tight. “If you need anything you let me know, and if you and Abby aren’t happy, you come on right back here to Sweetwater and let Ms. Lena take care of y’all,” she said.
“Yes Ma’am. I’ll send word once I’ve arrived. Thank you for all you’ve done,” Kitty said as she hugged Ms. Lena one last time before turning to board the train.
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