eyes. Olivia just tilted up
that perky little chin, and looked away, pretending not to notice. That
movement of hers usually was his undoing, and he just grinned all the more.
Maria and her husband, Ricardo, were in heaven. This
was their kind of climate, and Ricardo happily reached down to grab some of the
luggage which had just been set out by the porters. There was only one small
hotel, that they could see, and describing it as run-down, Olivia felt, would
have been putting it mildly. Though she said not a word. She would not
complain! She did, however, feel that Garth’s many adventures on the high seas
could not have been equal to this! She’d most certainly have a tale to tell
Garth when they returned to the civilized east coast.
Well, at least Logan would be in Wyoming at that
time. Then she remembered what Logan had gone through for eight long years,
and she felt that anything would look good to him now. Now she really wouldn’t
complain. And she still hadn’t seen any of Amelia’s ‘Indians’.
Olivia was sorry that she was sometimes rude to Logan, but she just couldn’t help herself. The man made her so nervous and shaky
sometimes. Just his very presence in the same room she was in. He had such an
impressive stature. Of course, that was it! Well, he was good-looking,
actually downright handsome. “Well, he’s also an American and on his way
home. I live in England.” She told herself emphatically.
Claude had been talking to the railroad conductor and
now he walked over to where Olivia stood in the shade of the small depot,
looking down the dusty road toward the small row of buildings that made up the
main street.
He quietly took her arm, and began ushering her
towards the hotel across the road, as Logan, Ricardo and Maria followed; Logan
and Ricardo loaded down with carpetbags and valises. Claude then told Olivia,
“I instructed the conductor to be sure and have our leased coach put out at Kansas City, and have it kept there for our return trip. We’ll pick it up there, as we’re
not sure yet if we’re going on to Wyoming with Logan. We’ll have to wait and
decide that issue while we are at the ranch.
“If we do go to Wyoming, we will be returning by way of
Nebraska, then part of eastern Kansas then on to Kansas City, according to Logan.”
They noticed that it was cooler inside the hotel, as
the group entered, then walked across the lobby, and up to the desk. The clerk
was only to happy to take their ready cash and Claude paid for three rooms. Logan insisted on paying for his own.
When Olivia turned the key in the lock of the room she
had been given, she expected the worst, though when she walked into the room,
she was surprised. It was cleaner than expected, and actually looked
inviting. It had curtains at the windows, and a nice blue handmade quilt on
the bed. Claude carried her valise and carpetbag into the room, then left to
check out his room next door, first instructing her to lock the door after he
left.
CHAPTER 6
July, 1858
Texas
Olivia was pleased to see that a pitcher of cool water
and a basin had already been placed in the room, and the refreshing liquid felt
so good on her face and hands, as she made use of it. She never remembered
enjoying the feel of water so much before.
She had just finished changing into a pale yellow
gingham gown, a bit wrinkled, though much cooler than the heavy traveling suit
she’d worn on the train, when she heard several men’s loud voices outside. The
only window faced the street, so walking across the room; she pulled back one
side of the curtain, and then peered out.
She saw nothing at first, but after gazing a little
farther, she could see what appeared to be a tavern or saloon of some sort
farther down the road and across the street. There were three men standing in
front of the false-fronted clapboard building, and
that perky little chin, and looked away, pretending not to notice. That
movement of hers usually was his undoing, and he just grinned all the more.
Maria and her husband, Ricardo, were in heaven. This
was their kind of climate, and Ricardo happily reached down to grab some of the
luggage which had just been set out by the porters. There was only one small
hotel, that they could see, and describing it as run-down, Olivia felt, would
have been putting it mildly. Though she said not a word. She would not
complain! She did, however, feel that Garth’s many adventures on the high seas
could not have been equal to this! She’d most certainly have a tale to tell
Garth when they returned to the civilized east coast.
Well, at least Logan would be in Wyoming at that
time. Then she remembered what Logan had gone through for eight long years,
and she felt that anything would look good to him now. Now she really wouldn’t
complain. And she still hadn’t seen any of Amelia’s ‘Indians’.
Olivia was sorry that she was sometimes rude to Logan, but she just couldn’t help herself. The man made her so nervous and shaky
sometimes. Just his very presence in the same room she was in. He had such an
impressive stature. Of course, that was it! Well, he was good-looking,
actually downright handsome. “Well, he’s also an American and on his way
home. I live in England.” She told herself emphatically.
Claude had been talking to the railroad conductor and
now he walked over to where Olivia stood in the shade of the small depot,
looking down the dusty road toward the small row of buildings that made up the
main street.
He quietly took her arm, and began ushering her
towards the hotel across the road, as Logan, Ricardo and Maria followed; Logan
and Ricardo loaded down with carpetbags and valises. Claude then told Olivia,
“I instructed the conductor to be sure and have our leased coach put out at Kansas City, and have it kept there for our return trip. We’ll pick it up there, as we’re
not sure yet if we’re going on to Wyoming with Logan. We’ll have to wait and
decide that issue while we are at the ranch.
“If we do go to Wyoming, we will be returning by way of
Nebraska, then part of eastern Kansas then on to Kansas City, according to Logan.”
They noticed that it was cooler inside the hotel, as
the group entered, then walked across the lobby, and up to the desk. The clerk
was only to happy to take their ready cash and Claude paid for three rooms. Logan insisted on paying for his own.
When Olivia turned the key in the lock of the room she
had been given, she expected the worst, though when she walked into the room,
she was surprised. It was cleaner than expected, and actually looked
inviting. It had curtains at the windows, and a nice blue handmade quilt on
the bed. Claude carried her valise and carpetbag into the room, then left to
check out his room next door, first instructing her to lock the door after he
left.
CHAPTER 6
July, 1858
Texas
Olivia was pleased to see that a pitcher of cool water
and a basin had already been placed in the room, and the refreshing liquid felt
so good on her face and hands, as she made use of it. She never remembered
enjoying the feel of water so much before.
She had just finished changing into a pale yellow
gingham gown, a bit wrinkled, though much cooler than the heavy traveling suit
she’d worn on the train, when she heard several men’s loud voices outside. The
only window faced the street, so walking across the room; she pulled back one
side of the curtain, and then peered out.
She saw nothing at first, but after gazing a little
farther, she could see what appeared to be a tavern or saloon of some sort
farther down the road and across the street. There were three men standing in
front of the false-fronted clapboard building, and
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