Faith laughed. “I remember that from her other pregnancies. Did you know she came galloping into town when she was about five months along with Hannah? I thought Heather’s head might burst when she found out.”
That sounded exactly like Josie. “Oh! She would want me to tell you that Mr. Chapman and Mr. Young found water on the property.”
Faith clapped her hands together. “Did you hear that, Celia? They have water!” She leaned across the counter to whisper to Josie. “I’m trying to convince my sister that she and Jack need to take the financial assistance that Pastor Collins mentioned so they can have the drill come out to their farm. But they’re being stubborn.”
“I heard that,” Celia said without opening her eyes. “And it isn’t me you have to convince. It’s Jack. He’s certain we can raise the money on our own.”
“In approximately ten years,” Faith said under her breath.
Lara chatted a little longer with the sisters before leaving to accomplish her other task in town. She left the mail with Belle, who was enjoying playing mother to the eleven children under her care behind the post office. Lara was certain that whenever Belle found the right man to marry, she’d wind up with an entire brood of babies, just like Celia.
The town was still dry and dusty, although the well in the park was a welcome change. Folks lined up to collect water in buckets and cups, chatting happily among themselves. It had been some time since everyone in Last Chance had been so cheerful.
Lara found herself walking with an extra bounce in her step to the library. The building that now served as the library used to be the schoolhouse, when there were enough children in town to warrant a schoolhouse. It was one of Lara’s favorite places in town, made even more so by the kindly older woman who ran it.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Payne,” she said when she spied the lady at a table with a stack of books.
“Miss Cummings!” The librarian’s eyes sparkled with joy. “It’s good to see you in town again.”
“Did you hear that we found water?”
“Well, that is a blessing.” She stood from behind the table. “Now, were you wanting the newspapers? I have one from Omaha and one from Denver. New ones came with the stage yesterday, so you can take these older copies with you. Give that cousin of yours something to read while she waits for that baby.”
Lara followed her across the small room, deciding not to mention that she was the one who devoured the newspapers before anyone else. The others enjoyed paging through and reading an article here and there, but Lara read them front to back, every single line.
Mrs. Payne handed her the papers, and Lara thanked her. Outside, she waved at Mrs. Collins, the pastor’s wife, before walking back toward the post and telegraph office. The newspapers under her arms were like beacons, calling her to them, and Lara finally gave in.
She held one of them—the one from Denver—out in front of her as she strolled, letting her eyes skim the headlines. There was so much information packed into these words, everything from the latest happenings in Washington, DC to an opera singer touring California. Lara reread each headline, trying to determine where she would start once she was able to sit down at home and read more.
Just as she reached the last headline, the strangest feeling came over her. It felt as if someone was watching her. Lara placed the paper under her arm again and looked around, expecting to see someone she knew.
But only a handful of people were about—a gentleman headed toward her a block away, and a small family across the road. Lara turned, still trying to put a finger on the feeling she had, and that’s when she saw him.
A man of medium stature walked several yards behind her. He was unremarkable in every way save for how he watched her. This was Last Chance, the town where she’d felt comfortable for the past two and a half years. She stopped and was just about to call to the man to see what he needed when she remembered the fellow who had grabbed her back by the road to the ranch.
Lara wrenched her mouth closed. Was he another one to watch out for?
Her heart jumped as the man stopped too. He raised his hat, gave her a smile that elicited shivers up and down her arms, and then turned and walked back the other direction.
Lara watched him a moment, wanting to ensure he disappeared down the road, before letting out a ragged breath and dropping a hand to her chest.
Was she being silly? The man was positively respectful in the way he lifted his hat. He didn’t speak to her, much less come after her. He was likely just someone new in town who had lost his way.
Still, Lara’s heart didn’t slow as she made her way across the road to the post and telegraph office. Something about him and the way he looked at her didn’t sit right with her.
And all she wanted to do was get back to the ranch as soon as possible.
#####
It wasn’t until laterthat night that Lara found time to sit with a lamp and the newspapers. She’d shared the one from Omaha with Isabel, who seemed just as curious to learn what was happening around the country and the world as Lara was.
The children were asleep, and most everyone had turned in for the night when Arlen passed by the dining room and reminded her not to stay up all night with the newspaper. Lara promised she wouldn’t—after all, a few hours would hardly be the entire night. And there was so much to catch up on!
She spent a few minutes reading a good, long article about a motor race between automobiles in Europe that left her breathless. She turned the page to finish it, but her eyes fell to a sketch at the bottom of the page.
Lara drew in a breath and ran her fingers over the sketch. A man, plain as plain could be, stared back at her.
He looked exactly like the fellow who had been walking behind her in town.
