railroad spur, Eden and Ma was keepin' tabs on the society page. I reckon because they knew they'd move here someday. Anyhow, sometimes Ma would read the articles out loud. About all the dances and socials and such. Who went with who, and what lady wore what. She and Eden have a keen interest in that kind of thing. Anyhow, one of the things I learned by listenin' was that Caitlin O'Shannessy attends community church real regular."
"Will wonders never cease," Joseph inserted. "Our Esa, keepin' tabs on No Name's high society."
Ace sent Joseph a warning glance. To Esa, he said, "Go on."
"Go on with what?" Esa asked.
Striving to keep his patience, Ace said, "Tell me more."
"No more to tell. She goes to church regular like, that's all, and helps with all the ladies' club functions that raise money for the poor."
"There's a social and dance comin' up on Saturday night," David said. "I saw the church poster when I was in town the other day."
"A dance would be perfect," Joseph said. "All joking aside, Ace. She'd have lots of people around to make her feel secure, and you could approach her without raising any notice. Men approach ladies at dances all the time."
"Yeah," Esa agreed. "Even if she doesn't want to dance, it'd give you a chance to tell her you're sorry. At a function like that, it ain't likely her brother would cause any trouble, either."
Ace tried to envision himself attending a small-town social. Not that he was a stranger to dancing. He just hadn't danced with any ladies in a good long while. "I don't know. A church social? I haven't attended something like that in years."
"Better that than to make a fool of yourself tryin' to talk to her out on the street," Joseph observed.
Ace guessed that was true.
"Besides," Joseph went on, "socials aren't really all that churchy."
"Heck, no. To raise money, they gotta charge admission," David explained. "The public is invited. All kinds of people go. You see men steppin' out to sneak a swig or have a smoke. That kind of thing.”
Ace glanced down. "I'm a long way from small-town respectable."
Joseph chuckled. "The roof of the community hall won't cave in on you, Ace. Trust me."
"I’ll go with you," David offered. "I was plannin' on it, anyway."
"We'll all go," Joseph declared. He flashed Ace a teasing grin. "This is one social I don't want to miss."
***
On Saturday night, Caitlin felt uneasy about attending the social. First of all, Ace Keegan might be there, and she couldn't think of anything worse than running into him. Secondly, it had been only three weeks since Patrick had quit drinking, and there would be temptations galore at a social.
"Patrick," she said as he parked their wagon along the boardwalk in front of the general store, "I know we've been over this, but are you sure you're going to be able to handle this tonight? I really wouldn't mind a quiet evening at home."
He tied off the reins and set the wagon brake. "You've been planning to attend this social for over a month, and you worked all day yesterday helping to get the hall ready. How do you think I'd feel if I spoiled it for you?"
"There'll be lots of other socials, Paddy. I don't—"
"Exactly," he said with a gentle smile. "Lots of other socials, and at every single one, there'll be liquor. I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from it."
"Staying away from liquor for a month or so isn't exactly what I would term hiding from it for the rest of your life."
He looked deeply into her eyes. "Caitlin, I know I haven't given you much cause to have faith in me, but can't you at least try?"
The plea in his gaze made Caitlin feel ashamed of herself. "Oh, Patrick, of course I have faith in you. I'm just worried about you, that's all."
"Well, stop worrying. I'm going to be fine. With someone like you to help me over the rough spots, how can I fail?" He vaulted down from the wagon, then stepped around to the side. "Lord. What all did you bring? Looks like we'll need a small horse to carry
"Will wonders never cease," Joseph inserted. "Our Esa, keepin' tabs on No Name's high society."
Ace sent Joseph a warning glance. To Esa, he said, "Go on."
"Go on with what?" Esa asked.
Striving to keep his patience, Ace said, "Tell me more."
"No more to tell. She goes to church regular like, that's all, and helps with all the ladies' club functions that raise money for the poor."
"There's a social and dance comin' up on Saturday night," David said. "I saw the church poster when I was in town the other day."
"A dance would be perfect," Joseph said. "All joking aside, Ace. She'd have lots of people around to make her feel secure, and you could approach her without raising any notice. Men approach ladies at dances all the time."
"Yeah," Esa agreed. "Even if she doesn't want to dance, it'd give you a chance to tell her you're sorry. At a function like that, it ain't likely her brother would cause any trouble, either."
Ace tried to envision himself attending a small-town social. Not that he was a stranger to dancing. He just hadn't danced with any ladies in a good long while. "I don't know. A church social? I haven't attended something like that in years."
"Better that than to make a fool of yourself tryin' to talk to her out on the street," Joseph observed.
Ace guessed that was true.
"Besides," Joseph went on, "socials aren't really all that churchy."
"Heck, no. To raise money, they gotta charge admission," David explained. "The public is invited. All kinds of people go. You see men steppin' out to sneak a swig or have a smoke. That kind of thing.”
Ace glanced down. "I'm a long way from small-town respectable."
Joseph chuckled. "The roof of the community hall won't cave in on you, Ace. Trust me."
"I’ll go with you," David offered. "I was plannin' on it, anyway."
"We'll all go," Joseph declared. He flashed Ace a teasing grin. "This is one social I don't want to miss."
***
On Saturday night, Caitlin felt uneasy about attending the social. First of all, Ace Keegan might be there, and she couldn't think of anything worse than running into him. Secondly, it had been only three weeks since Patrick had quit drinking, and there would be temptations galore at a social.
"Patrick," she said as he parked their wagon along the boardwalk in front of the general store, "I know we've been over this, but are you sure you're going to be able to handle this tonight? I really wouldn't mind a quiet evening at home."
He tied off the reins and set the wagon brake. "You've been planning to attend this social for over a month, and you worked all day yesterday helping to get the hall ready. How do you think I'd feel if I spoiled it for you?"
"There'll be lots of other socials, Paddy. I don't—"
"Exactly," he said with a gentle smile. "Lots of other socials, and at every single one, there'll be liquor. I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from it."
"Staying away from liquor for a month or so isn't exactly what I would term hiding from it for the rest of your life."
He looked deeply into her eyes. "Caitlin, I know I haven't given you much cause to have faith in me, but can't you at least try?"
The plea in his gaze made Caitlin feel ashamed of herself. "Oh, Patrick, of course I have faith in you. I'm just worried about you, that's all."
"Well, stop worrying. I'm going to be fine. With someone like you to help me over the rough spots, how can I fail?" He vaulted down from the wagon, then stepped around to the side. "Lord. What all did you bring? Looks like we'll need a small horse to carry
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