Christopher out to the buggy, and after he loaded Rayne’s bag into the back, he assisted her in and then kissed Hannah.
“Are you going back to the office after you drop her off?” Hannah asked.
Christopher shook his head. “No, I’m coming home.”
Hannah and Victoria linked arms and waved as Christopher guided the buggy toward the train station. Rayne gave him a tentative smile. “Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it.”
Christopher smiled. “Try not to worry, Miss Green. Sophie will be able to assist you home.”
Rayne’s stomach churned when they arrived at the train station. Clayton and Emma stood on the platform and Emma rushed to her, pushing her toward the steps. “We need to board. Clayton will take care of your bag.”
Rayne followed Emma onto the train and down the aisle. They took their seats just as the whistle blew. Clayton joined them a few minutes later and sat next to Emma.
Rayne laid her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. Leaning her head against the window, she tried not to panic.
Emma reached over and patted her hand. “Sophie’s going to help you, Rayne. You don’t need to worry.”
Rayne nodded and made an effort to watch the passing terrain. Thirty minutes into their trip, a porter asked for their tickets, and then Clayton retrieved refreshments from the dining car. The threesome spent the rest of the trip in silence, other than the occasional whispering between Clayton and Emma. The train pulled into Harrisburg Station and they stood to disembark.
As they stepped off the train, Emma let out a quiet squeal and ran into the arms of a dark-haired man. His blue eyes showed both kindness and mischief as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. “What’s going on, Squirt?”
“We’ll fill you in at the house.” Emma grinned. “This is Rayne. Rayne, this is my brother-in-law, Jamie.”
Jamie’s eyes widened. “Rayne Green?”
Rayne nodded. “That would be me.”
“Wow.” Jamie held his hand out to her. “It’s nice to meet you. Welcome to Harrisburg.” He leaned over to add in a whisper, “ A nd the eighteen hundreds.”
Rayne smiled. “Thank you.”
“Sophie’s pacing the halls, so we better get a move on.”
“I’ll get the bags,” Clayton said and made his way down the platform.
After loading their bags into the buggy, Jamie took off toward home. Rayne was overwhelmed with the sights of soldiers roaming the area. Some on foot, some on horseback, the town was littered with blue.
As they drove out of the small-city center and through the countryside, Rayne noticed primitive fencing, some of it falling to pieces, and the occasional grouping of tents. “Are those soldiers’ camps?”
Jamie nodded. “Yes. Most of them are the men who train with us. We have them strategically placed around Harrisburg…it keeps everyone safe.”
After almost thirty minutes in a bumpy carriage, Rayne thought she might need a chiropractor and a deep-tissue massage, but then Jamie pulled the buggy through large iron gates, and they drove down what seemed to be a driveway of some kind.
A massive brick Federal-style manor loomed ahead, complete with cobblestone steps leading to a large porch, which housed two massive white doors. Jamie pulled up beside it and jumped down.
Rayne turned as she saw a beautiful woman who looked much like Emma make her way onto the porch. Long blonde curls cascaded down her back and she grinned as she stood and waited for Clayton to lift Emma down.
“What have you done, Squirt?”
Emma rushed up the steps and hugged her. “There is so much to tell you!”
Sophie turned to Rayne and held her hands out. “You must be Rayne. I’m Sophie.” She pulled her in for a hug. “It’s nice to meet you.”
The warmth from Sophie surprised Rayne, but then again, she was always surprised when people were genuine. Sophie broke the hug and turned to her husband. “Baby, I’ve set Rayne up in Hannah’s old
“Are you going back to the office after you drop her off?” Hannah asked.
Christopher shook his head. “No, I’m coming home.”
Hannah and Victoria linked arms and waved as Christopher guided the buggy toward the train station. Rayne gave him a tentative smile. “Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it.”
Christopher smiled. “Try not to worry, Miss Green. Sophie will be able to assist you home.”
Rayne’s stomach churned when they arrived at the train station. Clayton and Emma stood on the platform and Emma rushed to her, pushing her toward the steps. “We need to board. Clayton will take care of your bag.”
Rayne followed Emma onto the train and down the aisle. They took their seats just as the whistle blew. Clayton joined them a few minutes later and sat next to Emma.
Rayne laid her hands in her lap and took a deep breath. Leaning her head against the window, she tried not to panic.
Emma reached over and patted her hand. “Sophie’s going to help you, Rayne. You don’t need to worry.”
Rayne nodded and made an effort to watch the passing terrain. Thirty minutes into their trip, a porter asked for their tickets, and then Clayton retrieved refreshments from the dining car. The threesome spent the rest of the trip in silence, other than the occasional whispering between Clayton and Emma. The train pulled into Harrisburg Station and they stood to disembark.
As they stepped off the train, Emma let out a quiet squeal and ran into the arms of a dark-haired man. His blue eyes showed both kindness and mischief as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. “What’s going on, Squirt?”
“We’ll fill you in at the house.” Emma grinned. “This is Rayne. Rayne, this is my brother-in-law, Jamie.”
Jamie’s eyes widened. “Rayne Green?”
Rayne nodded. “That would be me.”
“Wow.” Jamie held his hand out to her. “It’s nice to meet you. Welcome to Harrisburg.” He leaned over to add in a whisper, “ A nd the eighteen hundreds.”
Rayne smiled. “Thank you.”
“Sophie’s pacing the halls, so we better get a move on.”
“I’ll get the bags,” Clayton said and made his way down the platform.
After loading their bags into the buggy, Jamie took off toward home. Rayne was overwhelmed with the sights of soldiers roaming the area. Some on foot, some on horseback, the town was littered with blue.
As they drove out of the small-city center and through the countryside, Rayne noticed primitive fencing, some of it falling to pieces, and the occasional grouping of tents. “Are those soldiers’ camps?”
Jamie nodded. “Yes. Most of them are the men who train with us. We have them strategically placed around Harrisburg…it keeps everyone safe.”
After almost thirty minutes in a bumpy carriage, Rayne thought she might need a chiropractor and a deep-tissue massage, but then Jamie pulled the buggy through large iron gates, and they drove down what seemed to be a driveway of some kind.
A massive brick Federal-style manor loomed ahead, complete with cobblestone steps leading to a large porch, which housed two massive white doors. Jamie pulled up beside it and jumped down.
Rayne turned as she saw a beautiful woman who looked much like Emma make her way onto the porch. Long blonde curls cascaded down her back and she grinned as she stood and waited for Clayton to lift Emma down.
“What have you done, Squirt?”
Emma rushed up the steps and hugged her. “There is so much to tell you!”
Sophie turned to Rayne and held her hands out. “You must be Rayne. I’m Sophie.” She pulled her in for a hug. “It’s nice to meet you.”
The warmth from Sophie surprised Rayne, but then again, she was always surprised when people were genuine. Sophie broke the hug and turned to her husband. “Baby, I’ve set Rayne up in Hannah’s old
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