September Wind (16 page)

             
By the time she saw the man, it was too late to turn around. He didn’t smile or say anything, just gaped at her with curious eyes of stone peeping from beneath his brown hat. It took her a moment to snap out of her shock before flying around him and up the aisle. But not before she caught the intent expression in those eyes that seemed so familiar.

             
She took a seat at the back of the lounge car, still racking her brain about where she'd seen him. It could have been during a trip to Watseka, or, maybe he had come to the house. Although he didn’t look like a farmer. Wherever she had seen him, she knew by his expression he too was considering where he’d seen her. How ironic to have traveled hundreds of miles from home just to run into someone who could turn her in to the police.

             
She opened the bag of chips, and absently consumed them one by one as she contemplated her predicament. She finished the last bite, and still, couldn’t remember where she’d seen the man. It’s wasn’t as if she knew a lot of people. Although, that wouldn’t keep someone from knowing who she was. She tossed the bag into the garbage receptacle, rested her fist beneath her chin as she gazed out into the countryside, concentrating on every possible option regarding this man. Then it came to her as she watched three men rounding up a herd of cows.

The man had been out at the farm several years ago, asking to buy some calves. She’d just finished the breakfast dishes that day, and had walked out onto the front porch as he drove into the yard. Grandfather was on his way to work and spit out a nasty, “We have none for sale,” then headed out to the field.

              In the meantime, she’d walked to the grove and climbed up to her tree house for a break. When she heard a noise and looked down, there he was staring up at her with those gray eyes. She was too shocked to react. Yet, he seemed set on asking questions, such as, how she liked living on a farm, and what she liked to do the most. She told him reading, star-watching, playing with the animals, riding the horse, and sitting up there were her favorites. At the time, she wondered why he seemed so interested in her. She still wondered.

             
After carefully considering the spot she was in, she decided there was no other choice but to get off the train, and take another to San Francisco. If he didn’t already recall who she was, another meeting would be sure to trigger his memory.

             
When a crewmember announced that the next stop was Rawlins, Wyoming in ten minutes, she rushed down to the baggage area to wait.

             
Once she got off in Rawlins, there was a slight setback. The next train to San Francisco wouldn’t leave until tomorrow evening. Disappointed, she took a seat in the waiting room and pulled out the first in the Nancy Drew series from her bag, ready for a long wait. She had only been seated a few minutes when she saw him again. He was talking to another man no more than ten feet away.

             
She bolted from her seat, sending her book sailing to the floor. When she stooped to retrieve it, she glanced up and saw that he was watching her. She grabbed the book, flung her bag over her shoulder, and dashed for the exit.

             
“
Emily?” the man called.

             
She hesitated for a split second, and then ran out the door and alongside the building. She made sure he wasn’t following her before making a loop back to the train. When she rounded the corner, the horn blasted a warning and a crewmember lifted the last step-box back onto the train. He looked around, surprised to see her rushing over. “Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you?” he said, placing the stool back onto the ground.

             
She gave him a breathless, “Thanks,” and then climbed aboard.

PART II

It came unexpected

like lightning through her veins

like a soft wind tempting

It came like the hot sun against her cheeks

like a flower waiting for rain

It came like a book
 ready to open

by a curious heart yearning

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

On the way down the aisle, Emily bumped into a woman and sent her flying back into her seat. The group of women she was with roared with laughter.

             
“
Young lady, are you all right?” someone asked. The train was already moving and the man in the brown hat and stone-colored eyes was back at the Rawlins Station, so if he decided to call the police, they would look for her there. Unless… Well, she wouldn’t worry about that. She
had
been careful.

Whatever the case, this last ordeal hadn’t made it any easier on her nerves. What made it so bizarre was that he knew her name. During the few minutes she spent with him at the farm, there had been no introductions; the men never did such things. Besides, it was obvious her grandfather didn’t know who he was.

              “
I’m fine,” she said to no one in particular. She turned to the woman she had run into. “Sorry, Ma’am.” She realized how odd she must look, all flustered, shaking and out of breath, maybe even a little wild-eyed in the midst of all these light-hearted travelers.

             
The women were still chuckling as she charged up the aisle, into the vestibule and right into the arms of a man.

             
“
Are you okay?” he asked, holding her by the shoulders.

             
“
Sorry,” she said, too embarrassed to look up. She pulled herself free and meant to rush off until one of his hands slipped to her elbow.

             
“
Miss?” His voice came again, so soft and pleasing she couldn’t help but turn back to look at him.

             
He was probably in his mid-twenties, several inches taller than her. His dark hair had just enough curl to be noticed. And his eyes were almost black, deep like the shadows at the base of one of those beautiful sunsets over the ridge back home.

             
“
I-I’m fine.” She pointed a thumb over her shoulder. “Just... late, that’s all.”

             
He dropped his hand and she wrenched her eyes away and slipped through the door. It only took her a few moments to gather her senses, because that little episode back there was ridiculous. She knew it the moment it happened.
How silly of you
.
How silly!
She thought again as she made her way through the cars, slower now, carefully, and then collapsed on her seat.

Maybe from the very first she’d made a big mistake by running, probably making herself look guiltier than ever. It happened so fast she couldn’t even say for sure what took place except that she put a pitchfork into Claude. There were plenty of reasons to hate him, things she wouldn’t let herself think on… but killing? No, that’s not what she was made of.

              She rested her head on a pillow and leaned toward the window, concentrating on a spot in the distance.               Although the sun was out, it was easy to imagine herself in the midst of a galaxy on the tail end of a comet zipping through space. She closed her eyes and played it like a movie in her head until she drifted off.

             
When she woke, Sophie was sleeping across the aisle, huddled up with her mother and brother. Just to see them so peaceful and secure in each other’s love was comforting. It hurt not having it herself, but it also gave her hope, that is if she could just get through this.

She could either live in a state of self-condemnation; she could give up and turn herself in at the next stop; or she could put everything in its place and continue on as planned. There was no hope in prison, no support from anyone back home, especially the men, not even Steven after what she did. But there was hope in Samuel Dimsmoore, and she had to believe he had cared enough about her mother that he would have compassion for her. Her heart told her to think on that, to forget the bad if she could, and to leave behind Claude and all the misery he brought her.

Those three across the aisle snuggled up like new-born pups was the kind of thing she would dwell on, that and keeping so busy she wouldn’t have time for anything else. A trip to the lounge car was probably a good place to start.

             
She picked up her purse and began to stand when suddenly the train jolted and brakes screeched as she flew headfirst into the seat in front of her. Sinking back with a thud, she reached in her bag for a tissue and held it against her head. Her temple throbbed. The sound of squealing brakes and the grinding of wheels as they came to a stop didn’t help. She looked over at Mister lying on the floor. Sophie was dangling off the seat, still hanging onto her mother. Everything was quiet for a few seconds, and then the train came back to life.

             
Nettie pulled her children into her arms. “Are you two all right?”

             
“
Yeah, but what happened, Mommy?” Sophie sounded frightened.

             
“
I don’t know, sweetheart.” She looked over at Emily who was dabbing her forehead with a tissue.

             
“
Oh, Emily, you’re bleeding.”

             
“
A little. It’s nothing to worry about. What about the children? Are they okay?”

             
“
They’re fine.”

             
“
Boy, that was cool,” came Mister, over on his seat now, looking out the window.

             
A few moments later, a crewmember stepped from the vestibule, moving from row to row, questioning passengers. “Is everyone okay, anyone hurt? You okay, Ma’am? Sir, any injuries your way?”

             
“
Over here,” Nettie called, motioning toward Emily. “She’s bleeding.”

             
He nodded, continued assessing the passengers, and then stopped at Emily’s seat. “Oh, yes, you do have a gash there, don’t you? Just sit tight, young lady. It won’t be long. We’re gathering up medical volunteers.”

             
“Sir,” Nettie said. “Can you tell us what happened?”

             
He had already started up the aisle but stopped and turned back. “I’m afraid we hit a herd of cows, Ma’am. That happens now and then. Although we have everything under control, I assure you.”

             
Not more than ten minutes later the same man Emily ran into in the vestibule walked up the aisle.

             
“
Oh... hi,” he said as their eyes met in a fleeting moment of recognition. “I see you’ve got a little cut there. How’re you doing otherwise?”

             
“
I’m all right... just... startled more, I think.”

             
“
Let me set this down,” he said, placing a black bag on the floor, “and I’ll patch that up for you.” He took a seat next to her and pulled out cotton and disinfectant. “Does it hurt?”

             
“
Not really, not any more. A little numb, maybe.”

             
Sophie leaned over the armrest. “Hey, mister. You a doctor?”

             
He turned for a moment, smiling. “I’m working on it.”

             
“
Is her cut bad?”

             
The young man chuckled. “No, not at all. I think it looks worse than it is.”

             
Emily tried to concentrate elsewhere, but her gaze kept drifting back to his eyes. She winced when he swabbed her wound with disinfectant.

             
“
Sorry.”

             
“
That’s okay.” She would make sure not to flinch again.

             
“
Is it just your head?” he asked, exchanging supplies for a Band-Aid.

             
“
Yeah, I hit the back of the seat.”

             
He ripped the Band-Aid open and placed it over her cut. His cool hand lingered for a moment and then gently moved down to the spot still bruised from the wallop Claude gave her. “Is that sore at all?”

             
“
No, no, not at all. I-I bumped into something a couple days ago.”

             
“
Sir,” a crewmember called from the doorway. “When you’re done here, there’s a couple people two cars up that need looking at.”

             
He glanced up at the train official. “Sure, I’m just finishing up here.”

             
Then he turned back to Emily. “So, there you are.” He pressed the edges of the Band-Aid.

             
“
Thanks for the patch.” She watched him gather up his bag and stand, imagining herself tugging on his sleeve and asking him to stay.

             
Sophie jumped to the floor and yanked his pant leg several times. “Is my friend okay?”

             
“
Almost as good as new,” he said.

             
Sophie held up her doll. “See what she gave me?”

             
“
Oh, well, that was very kind of her.” He turned to Emily and nodded. “Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.” Then he smiled down at Sophie and walked up the aisle.

             
Sophia took a seat next to Emily, hugging her doll. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

             
“
Oh, Sophie, I’m glad you are too.”

             
As the train sat for the next few hours, Emily caught herself looking for the young man whenever someone walked by. Finally, she saw him as she headed to the diner with Sophie and her family.

             
Their eyes met just long enough for her to experience an excitement that sent shock waves through her in the most stunning way. Daniel made her heart flutter, made her want to do crazy things like fling herself onto a swing and take it higher than she should have. He made her jump for joy and laugh, and even made her cry with longing when he was gone. But this was more intense, like a flame rushing through her veins and into every cell of her body, nearly sucking the breath out of her in the best of ways. And it made her forget. It made her happy again.

             
A little voice warned her that now wasn’t the time for these feelings. Although they weren’t something she could stop any more than she would be able to stop her heart from beating, or her lungs from wanting more air.