She could hear her mother now. “Ted Jacob isn’t the best one for you. Why, just look at the way Ted pals around with people. He’s the life of the party, and you’ve dated plenty of those men in your time, haven’t you? Not a single one turned out to be responsible."
She glanced out the parlor window and saw Ted talking to a couple of men. He threw back his head and laughed. She shook her head. He seemed abnormally happy to be stuck in this time period. Already, the other men had befriended him. Well, maybe all the men except for the marshal who’d left to take care of a complaint. Still, Richie talked to him, and Ted obliged him as if they were old friends. Yes, she’d done her time with fun, easygoing men who could fit in anywhere at a moment’s notice. She recalled all the other guys she’d dated who’d impressed her with their outgoing personalities. She’d been drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Only, she got burned when she realized that was all those guys had to offer.
She grunted. Had Mike been any better? Not only had he been boring but he’d kissed an old girlfriend on his way to announce his engagement to Megan. They were going to Seattle so she could meet his family. Then he had to go and ruin it by cheating on her. Sure, he had money and a secure job, but what good was that when he ripped her heart to pieces?
Well, that wasn’t the truth. Not really. Yes, the rejection stung. Being dumped was never pleasant. But she felt a surprising sense of relief. Now she didn’t have to be tied down to a man her mother wanted instead of who she wanted. That was good. And she’d return home, tell her mother what a loser Mike turned out to be, and commit herself to a life of singlehood. She didn’t need a man to be happy. She’d be fine all by herself. As for children…Well, she just wasn’t meant to have them. She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced her attention back to Esther and Miriam.
“I think sensible colors like browns, dark greens and dark blues are more practical,” Esther said.
“But she’ll want to look pretty for her husband. I think pinks and yellows might be more becoming…and romantic,” Miriam argued.
“Let’s ask her what she wants.” Esther turned to her, her hands folded in her lap. “What colors suit you?”
Megan sighed, knowing she had to play along as if she’d still be here tomorrow. “I like a variety but if I had to choose, I want pink.”
“Ah ha!” Miriam clapped her hands and bounced in her chair. “Pink will look good on you too.”
Megan glanced out the window and saw Ted laughing at something else Richie said. At least he could find something to laugh about in this situation. Deciding she’d visited the past long enough, she stood up and stretched, feigning a yawn. “I’m tired. I need to go home.”
“Tired?” Miriam frowned. “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
Esther nudged her in the arm. “That’s personal.”
Megan’s cheeks flushed when she realized Esther assumed she spent the night with Ted. She didn’t consider herself to be a prude but still…She decided to play along. Giving what she considered a girlish giggle, she pressed a hand to her cheek. “I’d better go see him.”
She still couldn’t bring herself to say Ted’s name. Maybe he shouldn’t irk her so, but he had the audacity to imply that she slept around with his ‘virgin’ remark when they were in prison. That had been the final straw to her bad day. Not that today was much better, but at least she didn’t catch Mike kissing someone else. He ought to be happy right now…settling into Seattle with his family, introducing them to the true love of his life.
She had enough. When she got back home, she’d live her life for herself instead of for others. No more would she waste her time trying to please people who couldn’t be pleased.
Miriam surprised her when she wrapped her arm around hers and led her to the front door. “I think marriage is a lovely institution.”
Esther stood and placed her dark hat on her head. “It’s one that we have a duty to uphold. And yes, it is lovely.”
“I can’t wait until it’s my turn to marry.” Miriam sighed before she opened the door and waved to Ted. “I hope you don’t mind that we took your bride from you for the hour.”
Richie and Ted turned from the buckboard wagon, and there was no mistaking the way Ted flinched.
“Oh, Miriam,” Megan began, “do you know a place where I can sell a ring?”
“Why would you want to get rid of jewelry?” Esther asked.
Megan jumped, not expecting the other woman to be right behind her.
Esther stood primly before her, her hands clasped together as they held her purse by its strap.
“The ring has no meaning to me,” Megan replied, shoving the wayward strand of her hair back under her bonnet, noting that Richie directed Ted’s attention to the two brown horses in front of the wagon.
“Was it a payment for your…services?” Miriam whispered.
“No!”
“Please don’t take offense.” Miriam blushed but continued to look her in the eye. “I heard that soiled doves can make a decent salary.”
“Unless they are under the thumb of their master,” Esther snapped, frowning in grave disapproval. “Really, Miriam. How did you find out so much about whores?”
Her sister shrugged. “I talked to a soiled dove one time when she was on her way out of town.”
“That being the case, it’s still best to keep away from such discussions. The last thing you want to do is get involved in a bordello. Am I right, Megan?”
“Esther, give me some credit,” Miriam intervened, turning Esther’s attention back to her, much to Megan’s relief. “I wouldn’t do that. She and I were bored, so we talked.”
“There are some things you shouldn’t be curious about.”
“I wasn’t curious. I just thought the woman was nice. We had a good discussion, and most of it had nothing to do with her business. Believe it or not, she was well-read and we spent the bulk of our time talking about literature.”
“I’m sure.” Esther’s sarcastic tone left no doubts as to her thoughts on the subject.
Miriam shook her head, clearly agitated. “You’ll have to forgive her, Megan. She doesn’t get much enjoyment out of life.”
Esther gasped. “Enjoyment? Is that what you think those poor women go through when men use their bodies?” She nudged Megan in the arm. “Set her straight for me, will you? Tell her how degraded your profession made you feel.”
Megan groaned. “It didn’t make me feel anything because I’m not a prostitute.”
“That’s true. You’re not one anymore. You’ve been rescued from that miserable life.”
“Look, Ted and I weren’t going to sleep together. We didn’t even know each other. I got stranded on a train and I didn’t have time to put on a dress, but I left the train so I could figure out where I was.” That was partially true. She couldn’t exactly come out and say she was from the future. “Ted happened to follow me into the train station and we both wanted the newspaper when your husband arrived.”
“So, you were in a sleeping car and didn’t have time to put on a dress?”
That sounded as good an excuse as any so Megan agreed to it. “Yes. We weren’t about to fornicate.”
“Hmm…” Esther sighed, as if debating the proper course of action. “I suppose there’s nothing we can do about it now. You are married to Ted, and since you consummated the marriage-”
“But we didn’t,” Megan quickly interjected, hoping this might be an easy out for her. “We slept in separate rooms.”
Esther smirked. “I wasn’t born yesterday. I know that a man can’t keep his hands off a woman’s body when he’s in the same house with her in the dark.”
Miriam pressed her hand to her heart and leaned forward. “Are they as ravenous as that soiled dove said?”
“No,” Esther replied. “Not ravenous. But there is a sense of…urgency about them.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me this before?”
“Because it’s not the kind of conversation
we should be having.” Esther straightened her back and waved to the men. “Let’s not dilly dally. We have things to do before the day is over.”
“But I need to find someone who’ll buy my ring,” Megan insisted, not moving from her spot.
Esther shook her head. “You won’t find anyone like that on a Sunday. Businesses are closed.”
Of course, she spoke the truth. Megan had forgotten that in 1898, businesses did close on Sundays. “Then where can I go tomorrow?”
“We’ll take you to Lee Griffith first thing tomorrow. He’s an honest man.”
Miriam leaned forward to ask, “So, may I ask who gave you the ring?”
“A man who proposed to me and then dumped me for someone else,” Megan replied, noting the bitterness in her tone.
“Dumped? You mean, he literally picked you up and threw you down?”
“No. I meant that he ended the engagement.”
Miriam offered her a sympathetic look. “How dreadful.”
Esther waved her hand. “It’s not dreadful. Better to find out before you say your vows what kind of man took to courting you.”
“So, you didn’t know Ted?” Miriam asked.
Megan felt like screaming. Miriam was just now getting that?
Esther gave Miriam a pointed look. “Well, she does now, at least in the Biblical sense. There’s no undoing what God’s joined together.”
Megan started to correct her but stopped. What did it matter? She’d be out of there as soon as she could buy a train ticket, which would be tomorrow. Not soon enough but she could bear one more day in this time.
Esther hugged her sister. “We’ll be here early in the morning.” Turning to Megan, she motioned her to the wagon. “We’d best be on our way. I have your measurements to take down before I make supper.”
Megan said good-bye to Miriam and followed the woman to the wagon. “Measurements?”
“Sure. We need to know exactly what size you are for the clothes we’ll get tomorrow.”
She nodded and got ready to hop up into the second row of seats.
Esther clucked her tongue and shook her head. “You poor thing. What you need to learn is chivalry. It’s only right that you are treated with respect.” She slapped Ted on the arm.
Ted jerked back, looking shocked.
Undaunted, she said, “You obviously don’t know anything about manners. When your wife needs to get into the wagon, you help her in.” She waved toward Megan and stared pointedly at him. “She’s waiting.”
Ted’s eyes met Megan’s and she shrugged. What could she say? In their time, women didn’t expect men to assist them with anything.
He walked over to her, his expression uneasy. He glanced from her to the wagon. “I’m not really sure where to touch you.”
Esther scoffed. “After your wedding night, you’re claiming that? You have much to learn. It’s a good thing I’m here or else poor Megan would have to deal with a brute for the rest of her life.” She took one of his hands and placed it in Megan’s. Then she put his other hand on the small of Megan’s back. “There. Now push her up.”
Megan’s back grew warm from his touch. Ignoring the way her skin tingled, she placed her hand up on the seat and set her foot on the floor of the buckboard. She pushed up with her foot and slipped.
His hand went from her back to her bottom. Then he steadied her and practically threw her up into the seat.
“Not so rough,” Megan replied, gathering what little dignity she could from the humiliation of almost falling flat on her back in the grass.
Esther sighed. “Ted, that kind of touching will have to wait until you’re alone with her tonight.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” he snapped at both women. “My hand slipped.”
Esther raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”
Megan sat up and wished for this trip to be over. She’d rather ride in the buggy that Esther’s husband had brought out. Richie’s buckboard wasn’t nearly as easy to get into, and she dreaded the process of getting off. She didn’t blame Ted for what happened. She knew it had been an accident.
Richie helped Esther in next to her, making the process look easier than Megan found it. Esther smiled and patted her hand. “Don’t give up hope. I’m sure Ted will be a gentleman someday.”
Ted rolled his eyes but didn’t comment as he joined Richie up front.
After Richie grabbed the reins and urged the horses forward, he rambled on about the farmhands at Ray’s farm. It became clear to Megan that Richie was the big gossip of the area. Listening to him reminded her of watching soap operas with her mother while growing up.
Esther, who apparently noticed this too, tapped Richie on the shoulder. “Please wait until I’m not around to be a busybody.”
Megan silently thanked her. She didn’t care to listen to this either. Turning her attention to the houses lining the block, she noted the children playing in the yards while mothers talked to their neighbors. The men sat on porches, leaving the women to catch any children that ran into the streets. A couple of children darted in front of riders who had to rein their horses back so they didn’t plow into the youngsters. As a mother apologized to one rider, Megan watched as one of the horses lifted its tail and went to the bathroom right there in the street.
She cringed. Now that was something no one ever saw in the movies. By the looks of the dusty street, she realized that someone had to clean the waste up. She shivered. How awful it would be to have that job!
Richie stopped the wagon in front of a green house with white trim. “Well, here we are!”
Esther turned to her. “This is my home. You will be staying here tonight.”
Ted whirled around in his seat to face Esther. “What?”
“The hour is getting late and it’s going to be time for supper soon,” she explained in a very matter-of-fact tone that left no room for argument. “Then it’ll be too late to take you home. You’ll stay in the guest bedroom.”
Ted moved his mouth but didn’t speak.
Megan sighed. “It’s just as well. I don’t feel like going all the way back to that house.” Plus, she’d be right here in town to visit Lee Griffith about hawking her ring.
Richie hopped out of the wagon with surprising ease. His tall and lanky frame made him light on his feet, or so it seemed.
Esther held out her hand and allowed him to help her down. Then she stared expectantly at Ted.
“But…” His gaze shifted from Esther to Megan and then to Richie.
Richie chuckled. “Come on down.”
Ted groaned but got off the wagon. He stood in front of Megan and held his hands out to her. “If I touch something I shouldn’t because you slip, it’s not my fault.”
“I’m not stupid. I know it was an accident,” she whispered as she grasped his arms and practically jumped into them.
“Yeah, well your friend doesn’t agree,” he quietly replied. He set her down.
“That’s because she assumes we actually slept together last night.”
He blanched.
How nice. The thought of sleeping with her repulsed him! She’d been insulted in her time, but this was a new one. Even couldn’t-be-faithful-Mike tried to get her into his bed. “Thanks,” she snapped and took a step away from him. As she stepped forward, her foot caught on the hem of the dress and she fell on the dirt road, coughing as the dust swirled around her face.
Ted reached down to help her, and though he tried to hide his laughter, she saw his body shake with merriment.
She shoved him away. “I can do it myself.” Irritated, she pushed her body off the ground. Thankfully, she hadn’t landed on a lovely pile of horse droppings. She brushed the dirt off the dress as best as she could.
Esther hurried to her and supported her so that she didn’t trip again when the awful dress wrapped itself around her ankles.
Megan gritted her teeth. If she could wear her shorts and a shirt in public, this whole fiasco would never have happened. She couldn’t w
ait to get out of this time. Then she could return to her life of normalcy.
***
Ted sat across from Aaron at the square kitchen table. Esther sat on his left and Megan sat on his right. Esther made pot roast with vegetables, dumplings, and apple pie. The meal was one of the best he’d ever eaten. A kerosene lamp sitting on the counter by the cookstove gave off enough light so he could see everything he was eating. Evening sunlight filtered through the sheer window curtains, creating what should have been a relaxing and warm atmosphere.
And it would have been an ideal setting had Aaron not been staring at him with the intensity of a cat planning its next move on trapping the mouse. Ted, of course, knew he was the mouse. Ted raised the fork full of hot apple pie to his mouth and forced himself to eat it. Having an appetite when being scrutinized seemed downright impossible but with each hard swallow, he’d managed it. Now that he’d done his duty, he put his fork on his plate and wiped his mouth with the neatly folded cloth napkin embroidered with the initials AT.
“That was a good meal,” Ted told Esther, reluctant to take his eyes off of Aaron’s piercing stare. Didn’t Aaron ever blink? Taking a deep breath, he nodded and patted his stomach. “Yep. A good meal.”
Esther smiled and gave a curt nod. “Thank you.”
Megan sipped her water and placed her glass by her empty plate. “I have to agree with Ted. You did an excellent job.”
Esther’s smile grew wider. “Don’t you fret about cooking. I can come out and teach you how to do it. Just stick with easy stuff, like slicing bread and hard boiled eggs until you learn how to cook without starting a fire.”
Megan’s cheeks grew pink and she shrugged.
Ted thought it best to keep Megan away from the kitchen as soon as he saw the flames shoot up from the skillet, though he still couldn’t figure out how she started the fire. “I can cook,” he told her. “So there’s no need to worry about it.”
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