Helen stood and hurried off to locate Violet and the boxing ring. She weaved through the crowd, eavesdropping on conversations and looking at quilts and other items for sale on tables that lined the street.
As she rounded the corner, she practically bumped into James Blaylock. He grinned from ear to ear, and she grinned, too.
“Miss Pendleton, I’d been wondering if you were here.”
“I’m off to watch the boxing.”
“They haven’t begun yet.”
“What else might be interesting?”
“There will be horse racing later. Would you like to see some of the horses?”
“Yes, I would.” She took his arm, and they headed off in the opposite direction, to the edge of town and away from the festivities.
“Are you going to race?” she asked.
“I always do.” He smiled down at her. “Will you cheer me on?”
“Most definitely.”
They continued on, stopping every few steps to say hello to passersby. Everyone appeared to know and like him. He inquired about their cattle, their crops, their problems and successes.
He introduced Helen, and she met so many that, eventually, she gave up trying to memorize their names. It was too overwhelming.
Finally, they were away from the merriment and next to a flat expanse of prairie that served as the racetrack.
He escorted her to the corrals where the horses were relaxing prior to the competition. He showed her the favorites, but as he explained their strengths and weaknesses, she was barely listening.
She was relieved to have a private chance to speak with him before Albert tracked her down. It might be their last opportunity to share confidences. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she’d left Florence’s side, not to locate Violet, but in her hopes that she might run into him.
She shouldn’t have snuck off with him, but with each minute that ticked by, she was more convinced that she should back out of the wedding. And she was anxious to hear his opinion.
She couldn’t ask Albert or his family, and Violet was the only other person available. Yet her sister was hardly a valid advisor. Violet saw her future one moment at a time, and she kept frantically urging Helen to flee. But there was no viable destination at the end of the road Violet envisioned.
There was no destination, at all.
Helen couldn’t have their destiny riding on her sister’s vague notion of what was appropriate. With Violet ill and so disruptive in her behavior, it was imperative that Helen wrangle a secure location for them, that she establish herself so she had a place where she could protect Violet from her worst impulses.
Wasn’t Albert’s ranch the best spot?
No, no, no, was the answer that pummeled her.
Though she’d struggled to tamp it out, a silly, romantic ember had begun to burn in her heart.
James enjoyed her company, and while she’d previously informed Violet that she would never impose on him, what if she could persuade him to save her?
If she didn’t try, she would spend the rest of her life wondering what his reply might have been.
She peered up at him. “Albert will come looking for me very soon.”
“Oh…for the wedding.”
She turned to face him and bluntly said, “Should I go through with it or not?”
* * * *
James stared at Helen. Her eyes were wide, beseeching him to action.
She’d asked a simple question: Should she marry Albert?
There was much more behind the query than a wish to be reassured. She needed advice, but she also needed assistance, needed rescue from the predicament in which she’d landed herself.
It had been ages since he’d met a woman of her status and temperament. She was pretty and educated and kind, and he liked her much more than was wise. In her presence, he couldn’t hide his fond feelings. They were so blatant that Mary had noticed his partiality a few days earlier during their visit to the Jones’s ranch.
Apparently, Helen had noticed, too, and she was desperate for him to furnish
As she rounded the corner, she practically bumped into James Blaylock. He grinned from ear to ear, and she grinned, too.
“Miss Pendleton, I’d been wondering if you were here.”
“I’m off to watch the boxing.”
“They haven’t begun yet.”
“What else might be interesting?”
“There will be horse racing later. Would you like to see some of the horses?”
“Yes, I would.” She took his arm, and they headed off in the opposite direction, to the edge of town and away from the festivities.
“Are you going to race?” she asked.
“I always do.” He smiled down at her. “Will you cheer me on?”
“Most definitely.”
They continued on, stopping every few steps to say hello to passersby. Everyone appeared to know and like him. He inquired about their cattle, their crops, their problems and successes.
He introduced Helen, and she met so many that, eventually, she gave up trying to memorize their names. It was too overwhelming.
Finally, they were away from the merriment and next to a flat expanse of prairie that served as the racetrack.
He escorted her to the corrals where the horses were relaxing prior to the competition. He showed her the favorites, but as he explained their strengths and weaknesses, she was barely listening.
She was relieved to have a private chance to speak with him before Albert tracked her down. It might be their last opportunity to share confidences. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she’d left Florence’s side, not to locate Violet, but in her hopes that she might run into him.
She shouldn’t have snuck off with him, but with each minute that ticked by, she was more convinced that she should back out of the wedding. And she was anxious to hear his opinion.
She couldn’t ask Albert or his family, and Violet was the only other person available. Yet her sister was hardly a valid advisor. Violet saw her future one moment at a time, and she kept frantically urging Helen to flee. But there was no viable destination at the end of the road Violet envisioned.
There was no destination, at all.
Helen couldn’t have their destiny riding on her sister’s vague notion of what was appropriate. With Violet ill and so disruptive in her behavior, it was imperative that Helen wrangle a secure location for them, that she establish herself so she had a place where she could protect Violet from her worst impulses.
Wasn’t Albert’s ranch the best spot?
No, no, no, was the answer that pummeled her.
Though she’d struggled to tamp it out, a silly, romantic ember had begun to burn in her heart.
James enjoyed her company, and while she’d previously informed Violet that she would never impose on him, what if she could persuade him to save her?
If she didn’t try, she would spend the rest of her life wondering what his reply might have been.
She peered up at him. “Albert will come looking for me very soon.”
“Oh…for the wedding.”
She turned to face him and bluntly said, “Should I go through with it or not?”
* * * *
James stared at Helen. Her eyes were wide, beseeching him to action.
She’d asked a simple question: Should she marry Albert?
There was much more behind the query than a wish to be reassured. She needed advice, but she also needed assistance, needed rescue from the predicament in which she’d landed herself.
It had been ages since he’d met a woman of her status and temperament. She was pretty and educated and kind, and he liked her much more than was wise. In her presence, he couldn’t hide his fond feelings. They were so blatant that Mary had noticed his partiality a few days earlier during their visit to the Jones’s ranch.
Apparently, Helen had noticed, too, and she was desperate for him to furnish
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