Eleanor plopped her hat back on her head. “I’m sorry,Tobias. You’ve done nothing wrong. I appreciate your help, but I’m going to take my bicycle out again.”
“Very well, Miss.” Another bow and then he opened the door for her.
Once she was astride her two-wheeled conveyance, she pushed her legs to the limit in all hopes of working out the frustration. But frustration with what exactly? And why couldn’t she put her finger on it? Never had she dealt with these kinds of feelings before.
Almost like she didn’t even understand herself anymore.
The more she pedaled, the more it built. In all her years, she’d been a lover of research and facts. To not have the answers annoyed her.
Father had said and done a few odd things lately as well. Maybe they were both simply going through a season of...
She couldn’t find a name for it. Yet another question without an answer.
With a shake of her head, she focused on the streets before her. She needed to pay attention or she would get lost.
People milled about, strolled the sidewalks, and walked in and out of businesses. Kalispell really was a quaint little town.
All the news in town was about the railroad. Since Kalispell was the economic center of the whole area, it made sense that the railroad was here. But she also understood why the railroad was moving their main line division point up to Whitefish. If the rails west of Kalispell were worse than what she endured on the wayhere, then she, of course, was in full agreement. It would also be better for the creation of a national park.
Winding her way through Kalispell’s streets, she turned right on Third Avenue East and headed for the depot. Not for any particular reason, but it was on her mind. At the end of the road, she found herself facing the tracks. She turned left and rode up to the building.
The two-story depot was clean and neat. No grand piece of architecture, but it was welcoming and practical as it bustled with activity. Something she’d come to appreciate more the past couple years. She parked her bike outside the door and saw the same man behind the counter. The man who obviously knew Carter Brunswick well.
He hadn’t seemed all that impressed with her after her first arrival, but he’d been nice enough. Maybe she should smooth things over. Since things weren’t busy for him at the moment, she walked up to the counter. “Gus?”
He glanced up from his paperwork and blinked several times. The hesitation in his eyes couldn’t be mistaken. “Miss Briggs. How may I help you?”
“I was simply riding my bicycle about town and found myself curious about the building here.”
“Oh?” He went back to his papers and scribbled something else on one.
“It’s an excellent depot.”
He continued to write. “Yes, it is. We are pleased to have it.”
“May I perhaps look around?”
“What for?” He frowned. “Forgive me. It’s just a train depot. Built in 1892. Had a fire in 1899 and we had to rebuild the interior.”
She blinked, then shrugged. Whydidshe want to look around? This strange boredom of hers was leading her nowhere. “Just curious.”
“You’re welcome to look here on the main level, but upstairs are private quarters. And the basement is off-limits. Too much equipment down there. Wouldn’t want a lady to get injured or covered in dirt.” He shifted his gaze to her but didn’t really appear like he cared what she chose to do.
“A basement?” How very intriguing.
“Off-limits.” He drawled out the words. “It doesn’t have lights and is pretty scary if you ask me, so a lady of your station wouldn’t care for it.” Going back to his papers once again, he released a little huff when she made no move to go. “Anything else, Miss?” His tone had lost what little patience it had held.
Maybe because she hadn’t been very nice their first meeting. She swallowed. Carter had been correct, her manners had been lacking that day. “I apologize, Gus. I was in quite a fret when I first arrived, and I didn’t treat you well. I’m afraid you received the sharp edge of my tongue, and I’m sorry.”
He chuckled a bit and shifted the papers in front of him. “If I recall, Carter received the worst of it, but he’s got a thick skin. Don’t worry about me, Miss Briggs. I’ve dealt with worse than the likes of you. All’s well.”
She felt lighter even though his comment stung a bit. “Thank you for that, Gus. And thank you for your assistance the other day.” A bit more of the cloud in her mind lifted. “I’ll leave you to your work.”
Back on her bicycle again, she stared at the pretty brick building before she rode toward the other end of town. It had been a long time since she had simply conversed with people she didn’t know.
And, for that matter, since she’d taken time to conversewith people shedidknow—other than Father and his friends.
Their work took them all over the place and most of her activities included meetings with her father’s friends and fellow conservationists. There was always a list of things to accomplish. Papers to write. Correspondence to send. And, of course, all the travel.
