Josephine stepped from the stage and
stared at the men assembled. Every muscle and bone in her body ached from the
long ride from Fort Worth. A breeze swirled dust from the street without
cooling her skin.
She thought she’d been prepared for a
small western town, but Tarnation shocked her. There were only a few stores.
Surrounded by low hills she learned were called the Palo Pinto Mountains, the
town must not have over two hundred residents.
One of the tallest and most handsome men
she’d ever seen stepped forward and removed his western hat to display thick
dark hair. His electrifying blue gaze locked with hers until she pretended to
check her purse.
He said, “Welcome to Tarnation, ladies.
Nice to have you back, Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Gaston.”
Lydia brightened in spite of her
exhausted appearance. “Girls, this is our mayor, Michael Buchanan, who owns the
mercantile. The man beside him wearing a badge is Sheriff Adam Penders.”
Inwardly, Josephine cringed. Barely off
the stage and already she encountered the mayor and the sheriff. While they
were both nice looking and neither leered, she certainly wouldn’t trust either
man. She’d hoped to reach a safe haven where no one knew her and she’d be free
of her father and crooked politicians.
Josephine had no intention of being at
the mercy of any man ever again. She’d look for some means to earn her own way.
Glancing around the businesses, she realized her choices were severely limited.
The other men pressed forward and
Josephine took a step backward. Mayor Buchanan raised his arms. “Gentlemen,
please don’t crowd. You’ll all have a chance to meet the ladies soon. They’ve
had a long journey and are doubtless tired. Give them time to get settled. In
the meantime, give a hand with the luggage.”
In an instant, the trunks and cases that
weighed down the stage were unloaded and hefted. Lydia led the girls, many of
whom chattered excitedly. Following behind, men joked and talked while they
carried the women’s belongings.
Lydia turned in at a neat gray clapboard
home trimmed with white and wine. A painted picket fence surrounded the front
yard. The house was huge, by far the largest in sight. Josephine believed this
home would have been elegant in Virginia before the War. In this dusty Texas
town, the effect was astonishing.
Lydia smiled graciously. “Thank you for
your help, gentlemen. I’ll be sending each of you an invitation to our social
events later.”