by Lynn Landes
“Okay, give me a second.” He opens the lock with trembling hands and steps back.
“Get a bag and fill it!” Clint says and glances at the woman who’s being quiet and still. Her sniffing has his rage growing.
Clint’s spies an office and snaps orders to the man. “Inside, now!” He shoves the two of them into the office and points the gun at the woman’s tear-stained face. His hand is trembling, she has blonde hair like Maggie. For a second his ears start ringing.
“You’re coming with me,” he reaches for the woman, but the man startles Clint by smacking the gun to the side and kicking him in the stomach back into the hallway. The door slams and his voice is shouting orders. He blocks the door with a chair and Clint laughs.
“Good choice,” the bag is full of cash and he’s not worried about them any longer. “Time to catch a train.” He runs to the back of the bank and uses the back exit and runs with his bags to the train station, dropping the mask.
“I’m coming Maggie Rose.” He laughs as he boards the train bound for Chicago.
Chapter 10
Maggie glances at Shepherd and yawns. The past few months have been stress filled, and it’s catching up to her.
She sips her tea and watches Shep stretch. Her mouth goes dry when she remembers their first kiss. Sweet and hot in a carriage. Shep grins until his eyes drop to her lips.
“Maggie?” he whispers and reaches for her, but she jumps up and moves away from him.
“No more kisses, Shepherd. I can’t think when you touch me.” She jumps up missing the possessive grin on his face.
“We can take our time getting to know each other, Maggie. Tell me about your family.”
“My family immigrated from Ireland when I was young. Mother died on the ship, from cholera. It spread through the steerage class passengers. My brother was a baby.” She glances at him to find him watching her intently.
“How old were you?” he asks.
“Eight.” When he doesn’t stop her, she continues. “Father worked at a sawmill, well, many mills. We moved from California to Oregon where he remarried. Living conditions were… rough. Logging communities are not meant for families and children.” She wraps her arms around herself and walks over to the window and stares out at the scenery blurring by.
Shep waits patiently listening to her. He hears the sense of betrayal and hurt in her tone and frowns. “Where were you?”
Maggie remembers begging her father not to leave her, but he said he had no choice. “With Donna, his new wife. She was nice enough. Kind, and my Father seemed to love her. Especially Ian. He was only two.” Maggie smiles softly when she thinks of her brother.
“And you?” he asks softly.
“I was a reminder of the woman he loved first. I look like my mother.” Sadness wraps around her but she shakes it away. “He was gone for four years. Traveling from California, to Oregon, then Washington State.” She smiles with pride before she speaks again.
“He used his savings to buy a small mill in Oregon. It did really well, and we moved with him. The mill in Little Falls, is his pride and joy. His last letter said they were thinking of expanding.”
Shepherd feels for the little girl abandoned by her parents. It explains Maggie’s independent nature and her inability to rely on anyone. “How did you end up in San Francisco?”
“Nope, Mr. Millard. That’s enough for today. I need to sleep before we make our connection. This train is taking us to Chicago where we will take a train to Minneapolis.”
“Good plan. Is there a chance that Clint will know your traveling under O’Malley?”
“No. I never use my surname,” her smiles fades.
“Why not?”
“No one would hire a biddie,” Maggie snaps with an Irish lilt.
Shepherd jerks and stands up slowly. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Immigrants have a hard time finding work, Shepherd. Especially the Irish ones. Surely you’ve seen signs of that in San Francisco.” She glances away and wonders about the anger she recognizes in his stance.
“I have. It’s just that I didn’t know anyone affected by such bigotry. I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with that.”
Maggie recognizes the sincerity in his tone. What’s even more astonishing is that his anger is for her.
“I… it’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t. I’m going to step out to the men’s bathing room. Don’t open the door to anyone but me.”
Shep stalks to the door and closes it softly behind him. Maggie Rose O’Malley has trust issues, and he is just the man to solve them.
Maggie watches him leave and sighs. She lays down knowing they have a good four hours until the train stops. Before her eyes close, she prays for her family and asks God to help heal her heart. This trip home is bound to be eye opening for everyone.
Chapter 11
Chicago
“Would you do me the honor of having dinner with me, Miss O’Malley?” Shep asks.
Maggie smiles up at him, “Yes, please.”
“I know a great restaurant in Chicago. It’s called the New York Kitchen,” he grins at her surprised look. “Funny, but amazing food. I need to change my ticket to Little Falls, then we will go.”
“I haven’t bought mine yet. Everything happened so fast, but I will be traveling coach class the second half,” she glances nervously around, looking for any sign of Clint.
“I’ll take care of it. Maggie, he couldn’t be here already. You are safe.”
“That makes sense, Shep, but I don’t feel safe,” she murmurs.
“We don’t have to go to the restaurant if you…”
“It’s fine.” She stiffens her spine and nods to him.
Shep quickly buys two tickets for Little Falls and finds they have a two-hour layover. “Plenty of time for dinner and I need to send a few telegrams. Have you told your family to expect you?”
Maggie’s eyes jump to his. “No. I wasn’t planning to go home.”
Shep guides her through the station and into a carriage. “You can tell me why over dinner.”
“No. You’ve learned enough about me, tell how a rancher from Arizona ends up an architect in San Francisco?” Maggie listens intently as he talks.
“After the War, my family assumed that I’d come home and take over the ranch, but how do you tell your father that everything he worked for was not your dream?” he smiles and runs a hand over his face. “Here we are,” he jumps from the carriage and guides her inside a three-story brick building.
“It smells amazing,” Maggie breathes.
They are seated at a table for two and Maggie orders coffee. “I’ll have the same,” Shep tells the waitress. It isn’t lost on Maggie that the restaurant is mostly single men. They are trying not to stare openly at the vivacious blonde beauty and Shep glares openly at a few of them, causing them to glance away.
Maggie struggles not to laugh. “Shep, it’s okay. I’m used to it.”
“Used to what, exactly?” he asks.
“The looks, curious glances, stares, etc. I’m the exception when I travel alone. I wouldn’t usually go out, but I’m with you, thankfully.” She smiles at him and stares longingly at the handsome man she’s been lucky enough to get to know.
“Maggie-girl, you tempt a man to stake his claim in public,” Shep growls.
Maggie blushes and her eyes drop to her lap, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” they are interrupted by the waiter who brings their coffee while taking their order.
“Tell me, how did you tell your father, Shep?” she asks while she sips on her coffee.
His eyes jump to hers and he smiles as he remembers. “The second morning home, I was up early, sleep was difficult for me, so I went down to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. I was planning on drafting a letter with all the pro’s and con’s, but my Father was already in the sitting room.”
Maggie smiles at the similarities in their story. “What happened?”
“
He said that a letter came for me from Cornell University. They offered me a full scholarship and apprenticeship if I wanted it.”
“That’s amazing, Shep! He must have been so proud.” She smiles.
“He was, but I hurt him that I didn’t share my dream with him. I had studied all the ancient architecture that I could, but he never knew. Just before the war I entered a contest to design a new church and won.”
Maggie listens quietly as he tells her about the war, starting and finding himself working and going to college until it was time to go to war. “I had to walk away from that dream. I thought by the time I got back, if I survived it, that it would be too late.”
“What happened?”
“He sent them a letter telling them I was at war. The letter came offering me a full scholarship for serving our country, and my Dad’s eyes were shining with pride. I promised never to lie to him again.” Shep finishes his meal and marvels at the comfort between them. Even in the quiet moments they are in sync.
“My father wasn’t as kind as yours,” Maggie explains and glances away, lost in her memories.
Shep waits for her to continue. “He didn’t understand my need to leave.”
“Why did you need to leave? If your father was finally home with your family, why would you leave?” Shep asks.
“That’s a long story,” she sighs, relieved when the check comes. They walk arm in arm to the post office to send some telegrams before boarding. Once they are seated, Shep notices how nervous she is.
“The train ride is short. Only two hours, right?” she asks.
“Yes. Tell me what’s wrong?” he insists taking her hand in his.
“Shep, I haven’t been home in years.” Maggie chews on her lip, drawing his eyes.
“Then it should be a joyous occasion,” he stops talking when she shakes her head.
“My Father and I had a fight before I left for nursing school. He didn’t want me to go.” she grips his hand like a life-line. “He said things, I said things, to be fair we were both angry.” She sighs and glances out the window. “I’m not sure how I will be received.”
“You won’t be alone, Maggie. If you prefer to go to my ranch,” she squeezes his hand stopping him.
“Thank you for the offer, but I feel like I need to go home. I want to see my brothers, and I miss my father, but there’s more.” She waits for him to look at her.
“I was engaged Shep before I left for school,” she whispers.
Shep sits back and releases her hand. “I see. You’re nervous about seeing him again, that’s understandable. Do you still have feelings for him?” he demands.
“So many feelings, but none of them involve my heart,” she quips.
“I don’t understand.”
“George left me for my best friend, Mary, they married two weeks before I left for school.” The bitterness in her voice is not lost on him.
Shep’s eyes grow large and he waits for her to elaborate.
“Mary and I were friends for ten years, Shepherd. I considered her a sister. I trusted them both. It never occurred to me that my desire to go to nursing school would drive a wedge between all of us. George knew I wanted to go and right before our wedding he encouraged me to go. It wasn’t until after they ran off and got married that I understood why.”
“Guilt,” Shep snarls.
“Exactly. He knew I would need something to fall back on. They never expected me to go to Boston and never look back.” She smiles a bitter smile. “To add insult to injury, my father hired him on at the mill. I felt betrayed by all of them.”
“I can see why.” Shep falls quiet as she looks away from him. “Have you forgiven them? Has time eased the pain for you?”
“I hope so. I love being a nurse, Shep. I wouldn’t change a single experience I’ve had since I left home. Not even the most recent one.” She laughs when he snorts.
“I’m not sure I believe that, Maggie, but I can promise you I’m a better man than those you left behind. I would never betray you.” He presses a kiss to her hand.
“Thank you for saying that, Shep, you’ve more than proved the kind of man you are. I didn’t tell you this to earn your pity, I just didn’t want you blindsided by things.”
“Maggie, I want a promise from you,” he leans forward and stares into her eyes. “If at any moment you want to leave, or you don’t feel safe, you tell me. Don’t run from me.”
“I promise,” she kisses him softly earning a rumble from him.
“I thought you said no more kissing,” he teases.
“I said you can’t kiss me,” she lets him pull her into his lap and she meets him with another heart pounding kiss before moving back to her seat.
“That’s mean, Maggie.”
“I’ve been called worse,” she snaps.
Shep frowns as he watches her go into her memories. Not while I’m around, you haven’t, he thinks.
Chapter 12
Little Falls, Minneapolis
The sun is just starting to set when they arrive in town and Maggie stays close to Shep. She isn’t ready to see her family yet and stumbles when they step outside of the train station.
“Are you ready?” Shep asks softly.
“I don’t know,” her heart is pounding in her ears and she is tempted to run back inside and buy a train ticket. Panic has her beautiful eyes wide and dilated. He steps to the side and pulls her with him, stopping and blocking her from view.
“Why don’t we see about getting a hotel room for the night? Surely it’s too late to go see your family tonight.”
Maggie smiles up at him, and wonders at the compassion he’s showing her. “That would be wonderful.” Relief has her sagging and clutching at his arm.
“Which way, Miss O’Malley?” he offers her his arm and they walk again.
“Little Falls isn’t so little is it?” she says as she looks around for the first time. The town has grown significantly in the past few years.
“I admit, it is more than I expected.” Shepherd glances around. Falls Mill General store, Falls mill Black smith, Falls Mill Bank, Falls Mill dress shop and more. “I’m seeing a pattern here. What’s the name of your family's mill?”
“Falls Mill,” she quips with a smile in her voice.
Shep glances at her and smiles. “I assume they are a major employer,” he says.
“Absolutely. They employ over fifty people, but he’s thinking about expanding.” They cross the street and walk towards the hotel.
“How far is the Mill from town?”
“About ten miles, towards the river.” Nerves have her chewing on her nail.
“Magdalaine,” he says, “say the word and we will board a train to Arizona.”
“Don’t call me that,” she grumbles. His eyes darken and drop to her mouth, “And don’t look at me like that.” She smiles when he huffs and glances away from her.
“Are you registering at the Hotel under your family name?” he asks.
“No,” she’s quick to say. “Maggie Rose isn’t known here,” she stiffens her spine and nods. “I’ll get my own room.”
Maggie pulls away and enters the eight-story hotel without him. Shep lets her go, knowing she needs time. He follows slowly and books his room on the same floor.
After they enter the elevator, she turns to look at him. “Thank you, Shepherd. Having you beside me gives me the strength I need to face this.” She steps into his heat and he leans down to kiss her softly.
She means to keep the kiss soft, but the moment his mouth touches hers, all thought, and worry sifts away. “You taste so good,” she moans when he breaks the kiss.
Shep grips her arms and takes her mouth with a heat she didn’t know he possessed. When the elevator slows, he releases her and straightens his coat. “Dream of me tonight, Miss Rose,” he says as the doors open.
“Count on it, Mr. Millard.”
His soft laughter follows her down the hallway to her room. He waits for her to enter and lock it before goi
ng to his own room.
Blessed silence greets her. Maggie is quick to unpack and stride to the separate bathing room. “A hot bath is just what the doctor ordered.”
She unpacks quickly, while the tub fills and hangs up her one travel dress. “I need to visit one of the dress shops soon.”
Maggie soaks after scrubbing her body and hair and tries not to think about tomorrow. “My life is a mess,” she murmurs and wonders how her family will react to her showing up bruised and battered.
“Looks like I’m I for a long night.” She sighs and steps out of the tub, only just realizing she has nothing to sleep in. Leaving in such a state didn’t give her much time to pack. Her bag had one change of clothes and money.
Maggie grins when she thinks of Shep’s face if he could see her now, parading around in only a towel. Her smile disappears when she thinks of his kisses and how her body reacts to him. Was it ever that way with George? No, in fact, now that she thinks about it, he very rarely touched her. She thought it was respect for her and her family, but now she wonders if this passionate connection was never present.
She combs her hair out as she thinks about it. How does she feel about seeing George again? Staring at herself in the mirror, she wonders at what she sees. Gone is the young naïve girl of sixteen. Life has hardened her into a woman. A woman who has held life and death in her hands. Pride flickers in her eyes. Losing a man to her best friend didn’t define her, stepping into who the Lord wanted her to be did that.
Maggie turns away from the mirror and dresses in her chemise before grabbing her bible and snuggling in under her covers. “Time to remember whose daughter I am.” Her finger traces over Psalm 46:5 “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.”
Bowing her head she prays, “Father, I’m scared. I feel like the prodigal son returning home in defeat. Thank you for protecting me and bringing Shep into my life. Give me the right words and heal the pain in my heart so that I may be the daughter and sister you want me to be. Amen.”
