After a Time Read online

  Other books by Laurie Salzler . . .

  A Kiss Before Dawn

  Right Out of Nowhere

  Positive Lightning

  In the Stillness of Dawn

  Eye of the Beholder

  After a Time

  Laurie Salzler

  © 2016 Laurie Salzler

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

  reproduced or transmitted in any means,

  electronic or mechanical, without permission in

  writing from the publisher.

  978-1-943837-62-5 paperback

  978-1-943837-63-2 epub

  978-1-943837-23-6 mobi

  Cover Design

  by

  Bink Books YA

  a division of

  Bedazzled Ink Publishing, LLC

  Fairfield, California

  http://www.bedazzledink.com

  In the late 1800’s, Mayme Watson boards a train bound for Eagle Rock, Idaho. What she finds there is the start of a new life. Disillusioned by her parents and completely alone, she finds a place to stay and a job to support herself. When Mayme discovers that most of the girls in town are just biding their time until they can marry, her heart calls for a change. She embarks on an adventure to overcome her feelings of failure. And what a change that is. She disguises herself as a boy and manages to hire on as a Post Rider for the United States Postal Service. Follow along with Mayme on her often dangerous journeys as she discovers that waiting for the future is not an option. This book is for young and old and all those who dreamed of living back in the days of the Wild West.

  After A Time is dedicated to my dad, Gerry Salzler. Years ago, I amassed enough frequent flyer points to take him on a trip to the western states of the US. When I called and gave him three days to decide where he wanted to go, he was so excited and it made me smile to think I could make him that happy. However, the trip never eventuated because of circumstances neither he nor I could control.

  Dad passed away in 2014, shortly after his seventy-fifth birthday. He never made it past the Pennsylvania/Ohio border. Dad, I hope your soul has traveled the world over and maybe one day when our souls meet again, we can see those sights together.

  Acknowledgments

  It’s funny and at the same time, peculiar, how an idea for a story grows, takes hold, and then seemingly of its own accord, changes direction. This book was intended for a completely different genre than what it ended up as. But, it was a story that wanted to be written as it reads here, not as I had originally planned.

  Thank you to Casey and Claudia of Bedazzled Ink for seeing the story’s true form and encouraging me to continue writing it for a young adult audience.

  It was a fun book to pen, and the character of Mayme (named after my Gram) was someone I would have loved to emulate back in the days of the Wild West. Thank you, Gram, wherever you are. You taught me to reach for whatever star I desired. I love and miss you deeply.

  Mardi, Karen, and Cat, you Aussies kept me entertained with laughter and great conversation. You have no idea how much that helped dispel a lot of the dark stuff and make room for and encourage my creativity. I’m deeply indebted to you and value your friendship more than I could ever describe.

  Leika, my Vizsla, Rainy my Jack Russell, and Kalie, my big, boofy Kelpie-cross, are my constant companions and I’m so thankful to have them in my life . . . even when they wake me up at the crack of dawn to go for walks.

  Last but not least, heartfelt thanks to you, dear reader. When you picked up this book and took it home, or wherever your favorite place is to get lost in a story, you inspired me as a writer and a dreamer.

  It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along

  the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain

  nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their

  appointed course with all speed.

  — Herodotus, Histories (8.98) (trans. A.D. God ley, 1924)

  Chapter 1

  “YOU STAY PUT, Mayme.”

  Father grasped her upper arm roughly, dragged her toward a bench, and forced her to sit down. As usual, it was easier to give in than to resist, so she plopped down like a rag doll.

  He let go, gave her a look that reiterated his order to stay, and marched toward the ticket office. The suitcase lay at her feet where he’d carelessly dropped it. It held her meager belongings and she possessively slid it closer. Right now it was all she had.

  She sniffed and yanked the bunched up dress from under her butt. God, I wish I were wearing my trousers instead of this damned thing. She silently patted herself on the back for sneaking them into her suitcase at the last minute without Mother seeing. At least she was wearing sensible shoes.

  She absently ran her hand over the bench. The wood was planed smooth like glass. Every growth ring of the unfortunate tree could be seen clearly. I wonder how many bottoms it took to sand this down. She chewed her cheek to keep from laughing out loud at her secret joke.

  She knew if she didn’t find humor in such things, she’d go stark raving mad. To this day she couldn’t believe how far her parent’s entire charade had gone. As near as she could figure, they had cooked up a story to get rid of her once and for all. And here she was.

  The big steam engine huffed twice in quick succession. A white cloud of mist engulfed her and everything around her disappeared briefly. It settled on her woolen coat and the bench. Her dark braids were jeweled with tiny drops.

  A long coal box sat alongside the train. O.S.L. was painted in white on the end. It matched the letters on the train she was to board as well as the sign they’d passed on the way into the station. She assumed it stood for Oregon Short Line.

  Heavy footsteps approached her from behind. “Here’s your ticket.” Father gruffly shoved it into her hand. “They’ll tell you when to board. Somebody will meet you in Idaho to pick you up.” He turned to walk away from her.

  “But where in Idaho?”

  “You’ll get off when the train stops.”

  “Father, please.”

  He paused for a moment and without so much as a glance her way, he said over his shoulder, “You’d been warned by the school master to change your behavior. You chose to ignore him and now you have to live with the consequences. You will not be a disgrace to our family any longer.”

  Despite her attempt to fight the prickling behind her eyes, tears welled as she watched him walk away. She’d been discarded like trash. She dropped her chin to her chest and vowed not to let anybody see her cry. Nor would she run after him. It was quite clear what her parents thought of her. Which apparently wasn’t much. She swiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath.

  A flicker of white tickled her peripheral vision. Curious, she leaned over and discovered an open book lying halfway under the bench. The chilly breeze crinkled and slapped the pages against one another, playing haphazardly with them as she picked it up. It was well read. Or maybe very abused. She turned it over and looked at the cover. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. The book described the life of a shipwrecked man who had lived alone on an exotic island for many years. She compared the similarities of where Robinson Crusoe had found himself and where she was headed. Both unknown.

  Whhhhhooooeeeooooooheeeooohh

  She clutched her chest and jumped in fright. She never dreamed a train whistle could rattle her insides like that.

  “All aboard!”

  She took a quick look around. People were moving toward the various cars. She stood up on her tiptoes but there was no sign of her father. He hadn’t changed his mind. She wadded up the ticket in her hand and took hold of the suitcase handle. She summ
oned her courage and walked toward the small crowd.

  The second and third car filled up so she and the last ten people were ushered to the first. Once inside she tucked her suitcase under her seat and slid over to the window. She looked up and down the outside waiting area. It was now deserted except for a man dressed in a red and black formal coat.

  He wore a black top hat and carried a pocket watch as he paced up and down alongside the train. He checked it several times before trotting toward the engine. Evidently it was time to go.

  The iron wheels screeched beneath her. She watched as puffs of sand sprayed outward from the sides of them. Some of it had to have landed on the rails because the driving wheels finally took hold and they began to move.

  Puff, puff, puff

  She considered herself among the fortunate to ride in the first car. But she quickly realized luck was not the case. Her compartment was connected to the train tender, which held the coal fuel for the firebox. She knew it also held water for the boiler as she’d seen workers pumping water into it. As the train got underway, rancid puffs from the burning coal wafted into the car.

  The train inched forward and strained to gain momentum. Once it had snaked its way out of the bland and grey outskirts of Chicago, she turned her attention to the interior of the car. It was decorated quite ornately. The seats were covered in pale green cloth and were supported underneath by a thick elaborately carved wooden base. The teak walls were polished to a shine and a chandelier hung from the equally glossy ceiling. It reminded her of her parent’s sitting room. Up front, a wood-burning stove sat to the right of the door. The black smoke pipe extended straight up through the roof.

  Clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff.

  Every second, every repetition of the steamer wheels took her further and further away from the home she knew. She stared vacantly out the window. Her head and shoulders lulled in time with the movement of the train. Long stretches of boring barren land flew by, broken only by the appearance of a wide scattering of seemingly deserted flat board houses.

  She sighed and turned her attention to the book. Despite its condition, she hoped it would provide her with a little entertainment over the miles. But it wouldn’t be enough to make her forget Father’s cold, unforgiving eyes when he’d shoved the ticket into her hand and wordlessly walked away without so much as a hug or goodbye.

  The words on the cover swam and blurred. She rubbed at the tears that escaped and rolled down her cheeks. One dropped onto the page before she could catch it.

  “Ticket please.”

  She blinked and looked up. A kind-faced, slender built man waited at the end of her seat. He seemed tall from where she sat, but not imposingly so. His brown hair was streaked with grey and politely slicked back. His hazel eyes held a warm friendliness that put her at ease.

  “Your ticket?”

  She realized she still clutched the crumpled ticket in her hand. She gave the ticket master an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

  “It’s quite all right, madam. Are you traveling alone?” He straightened the ball of paper and studied it.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Oh my dear. Eagle Rock is a long way.”

  “Is that in Idaho?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Will you be going on from there?”

  She lowered her head and tried to control the quiver of uncertainty in her voice. “I don’t honestly know. Father made all the arrangements and told me to get on this train.”

  He smiled down at her. She read sympathy in his eyes. “My name is Clarence. If you require anything, just ask. I generally come through here once or twice an hour.”

  “Thank you.”

  “It says here that you’re to have meals in the dining car.”

  She realized she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and then it’d been only a piece of toast before dawn. She hadn’t had much of an appetite. But now her stomach clenched in hunger at the mention of food.

  She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know much about that. I didn’t look at the ticket.”

  He cocked his head. “Do you know where you’re headed, child?”

  “Idaho, I’m told. But that’s all I know.”

  “Do you have family there?” She shrugged again. He narrowed his eyes. “Did you get into trouble? Are you being sent away?”

  She nodded. “I got in trouble at school.”

  He raised his eyebrows. She knew what that particular look meant. She’d seen it many times

  “Not with a boy,” she said quickly.

  “Ah. Something else then.”

  She nodded quickly, secretly hoping he didn’t ask for details of her exile. When he didn’t she allowed herself to relax a little. “Would it possible to get something to eat?”

  He took hold of a chain that was attached to button and plucked a watch out of his breast pocket. He pried it open and stared at it intently for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. Not for a little while yet.” He reached into the deep pocket of his coat and pulled out a cloth wrapped parcel. “I would offer you this though. It’s not much, but at least it’s something to hold you over.”

  “Oh no. I couldn’t. But thank you.” As hungry as she was and as much as she appreciated his generosity, she couldn’t take this charitable man’s food.

  “How about half?” He smiled and she wondered if he understood her dilemma.

  She deliberated for a moment and then nodded.

  “You hold onto this. I’ll be back for the other half once I collect the rest of the tickets.” He handed it to her and winked.

  He was gone before she could thank him. She quickly unwrapped it and was pleased to find a thick wedge of cheese between two slices of buttered bread. She held it in the middle so she’d be sure to only eat half. She took a bite, chewed slowly and swallowed.

  She peered out the window and watched as miles of prairie went by. A small herd of pronghorns watched the train’s progression from a short distance away. They didn’t seem to be afraid of it, yet she assumed they were right to be wary. It appeared that all had horns, but one stood out amongst them. She wondered if he was the buck. She smiled when a fawn sprang up from the ground and disappeared behind the group. In short order they were out of sight and the landscape seemed empty again.

  She looked down at her empty hand and was horrified to realize that she’d eaten the entire sandwich. A heated flush of embarrassment crept across her cheeks. Now Clarence would go hungry. Dammit. Once again she didn’t think. And wasn’t that what got her into trouble in the first place? She’d acted purely on impulse and didn’t give a thought as to what would happen if she were to get caught.

  She slid deeper into the seat and clutched her folded knees against her chest. Not quite lady-like, but she didn’t give a damn. She looked out the window and wondered what kind of life she’d find in Idaho. Maybe she could get a job on a ranch and rustle cattle. She could ride well enough, but she’d have to learn how to throw a rope. Or maybe she could learn to drive a stagecoach. She smiled at the thought of galloping a team of horses over miles of uninhabited lands, transporting people to various places all over the west. Maybe if Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came to town, she could get a job taking care of the horses. Or maybe clean Annie Oakley’s guns for her. Heck, maybe she could learn to shoot as good as her and they could perform together in the show.

  Endless ideas and possibilities streaked carefree through her mind like the sparks of a fire, flying every which way. The daydreams relaxed her and made her forget for a while. She rested her forehead against the window and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 2

  SHE AWOKE WITH a start. Her heart thumped wildly. Where am I? She frantically looked around and searched for something, anything that was familiar. There was nothing but black on the other side of the window. She glimpsed the faint line of the horizon but it appeared darker because of the brightness of the chandelier lights hanging above. Her hand came to re
st on the book that lay beside her. Robinson Crusoe.

  Oh. The train.

  She’d been so hurt when Father walked away, abandoning her to whatever would become her. It rushed back and crashed into her chest like a horse’s kick. She was sad and angry at the same time. She couldn’t believe Mother had said nothing. She had just sat there with a blank glassy-eyed look on her face while Father lectured on and on about responsibility and how her actions may have tarnished the family name. The precious Watson name. She rolled her eyes. As if, God forbid. For as long as she could remember she was sure Father thought he’d hidden Mother’s drinking problem. They had obviously never heard the whispers. The rumors. She had. Even her friends talked about Mother and her drunken escapades into town when Father was away. She had heard it all.

  Although she missed her horse and the family mutt, she had enjoyed boarding school. And the anonymity. It’d been far enough away from home to escape all the bells and whistles, and the hell, that was associated with her prized family name. She’d had classmates whose last names were much more prominent and acclaimed than hers. And for that she was grateful. Although she’d been teased in jest about being less than a lady, she thought the other girls might have been just a bit envious. While she didn’t have a care, and wanted to focus on her studies, the others had images to perfect and hue to. They’d gone to great lengths to ensure upright postures, dresses always of the finest quality, and of course, there was never ever a hair out of place on their heads.

  She snorted. They’d all seemed so fake. Except for Mary.

  Mary had been great company. She’d been able to count on seeing her, share meals and have a laugh or two. And she’d always helped Mary when she was having problems with her studies. She was a wonderful friend.

  Not anymore.