"Thank you." Edward sat on the hard wooden seat and placed his hat on his lap, shooting a slight smile to the lady next to him who had offered the cordial invitation. She was dressed in dark brown clothing suitable for the dusty train ride. Nevertheless, the materials were obviously of the finest quality. A large brimmed hat, which obscured her face from view, completed her ensemble. Her hands clutched nervously at a brown cloth bag on her lap.
"You're heading back east, too, I presume," he said as he brushed some dust off his hat.
"Yes!" she answered, "I'm going to Maryland, actually. My name is Lily, by the way."
"Edward. Ah! I'm heading for Philadelphia," he said and added absently, "I have family there."
"Yes, I have family in Maryland, too."
Edward ran his hand through his neatly cropped brown hair. It had been windy boarding the train.
"You look like the sort of fellow who was only visiting in California."
Edward shot her a quick glance. He spied a pair of blue eyes studying him. Lines stretched out in claw's feet around them, indicating the lady was older than her demeanor first indicated.
"Well, I had planned to stay...but things changed."
"Oh?"
Edward stroked his tiny brown mustache. The lady seemed interested in him. Why not tell her? She was a total stranger, and he would never see her again anyway.
"Actually, I thought I might stay for a certain young lady, but in the end, I decided not."
"Is that so?"
Edward settled more comfortably into his seat as the vibration of the train produced a movement that was hypnotic. He loosened his tie and stiff shirt collar. Then, he blurted out his huge sin, as if saying it out loud was the only way he could believe it.
"She was a dance hall girl."
"Ah! A dance hall girl!"
"Aren't you shocked?"
Under the wide brim of her hat, the lady's lips parted to display tiny white teeth that glowed in a pretty smile.
"No. I'm not shocked."
"Well, my family would have been. There is no way I could marry a dance hall girl and get their approval."
"Would they hate her before they even met her?"
"Ooooh, yes!" Edward replied. "I don't even know how I got into this mess. I'm an attorney, for Gawd's sake! What would I be doing with a dance hall girl? It was hot, and I wandered into the saloon to get something, anything, to drink, and there she was..." Edward remembered his first look at Susie. Blond and beautiful, she was wearing a purple dress with lots of ruffles and a low neckline that caught his gaze. She was sitting on the piano singing while a fellow played. He had sat at a table the rest of the afternoon, listening to her sing. Later, he approached her and introduced himself.
Lily leaned close and interrupted his reverie.
"Do you love each other?"
"Yes." Edward answered without a moment's thought. Yes, they loved one another. From that day on, he had stayed with her and soon came to adore Susie's gentle heart and sweet nature. She was alone in this world, and working in the saloon was the only job she could get. He longed to take care of her.
"A woman cherishes a true heart like yours. A shared love is something very precious."
Edward glanced at Lily, and her words crystallized in his mind.
"You're right! I'm taking the next train back to California! ...I'd better find the conductor and arrange to get off at the next stop."
"Yes, sweet man!" Lily said.
When Edward returned, she was gone. He spied a paper on Lily's seat and picked it up. It was an old, yellowed poster with a painting of a dance hall girl. He studied it until his eyes rested on a sweet smile and blue eyes. His hand shook as he almost dropped the paper when he realized who it was. A name was painted across the top of the poster. That name was "Lily."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Copyright 2002 Jo Ann English Janoski.
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