“Father, we thank You for this food and ask Your blessing on us as we seek You. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
“Amen,” he murmured.
Emma took that opportunity to ask about his beliefs. “So have you come to any further conclusions about God?”
“No. I have listened more carefully to Reverend Bright’s sermons. I definitely have a deeper desire to understand,” he admitted. He glanced around. “Where is Mrs. Olson?”
“She had a doctor’s appointment. Her knee has been bothering her, and she wanted to have the doctor check it out.”
“It’s probably nothing more than old age.” With that, he took a bite and completed his sandwich.
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right, but if it offers her comfort to seek the doctor’s opinion, I think it’s a good idea. Besides, he might have some medication that can help. They’re alwayscoming up with something new. The newspaper is constantly advertising a variety of tonics.”
“Usually made up of alcohol or opium in some arrangement or another. People can’t stop old age with a tonic or pill.”
“True enough.” Emma spooned a cold pear onto her plate.
She wanted to talk about Colton’s feelings for her, and at the same time, she wanted to avoid it. She certainly wasn’t ready to pledge undying devotion to him, yet she couldn’t help but think that she should at least address the matter. But before she could figure out what to say, Colton spoke up.
“There’s something that we should discuss. I’ve not said anything until now, because ... well, it wasn’t all that important.”
Emma figured he meant to discuss their feelings for each other. She nodded and put aside her spoon. She wasn’t certain she could eat and listen to him pledge his love for her.
Colton took a sip of coffee, then pushed it aside. “As you know, I’ve been in meetings with various railroad officials.”
Emma was disappointed that he brought up business rather than their kiss. “Yes, I know that very well.”
“The fact is, we have been talking about selling our railroad to one of the larger lines. We were approached by the Southern Pacific first. Our plan was to arrange things and sell by autumn or sooner, but now the Union Pacific is aware of our desire to sell. They have approached us to consider selling to them.”
“I don’t understand the desire to sell in the first place. This is your family’s legacy. Your father worked hard to build this railroad so that you would always have something of him to hand down to your children and their children.”
Colton nodded. “I’m well aware of that. However, the upkeep that goes along with the railroad is costly and cuts deeply into the profits. The responsibility and potential forproblems is growing with each passing year. My brothers and I feel that we could sell the railroad and reinvest the money in other things and do just as well, if not better.
“The Southern Pacific Railroad has been buying up smaller Texas railroads for many years. They’ve bought them all across the southwest and elsewhere and brought them, quite successfully, under their management. They could do the same with ours and benefit greatly. However, the Union Pacific also is of a mind to buy our railroad. You might not be familiar with our line, but it runs from Missouri to Houston. The UP already has track in Missouri, and incorporating our line will give them a greater benefit in reaching the Gulf.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. This is something that seemed quite important to your father,” Emma replied before biting into her sandwich. She began chewing and noted the look on Colton’s face was one of surprise.
“Father is dead, but even before he passed away, the possibility was discussed. It isn’t something we’ve decided without great consideration. We weighed the good and the bad.”
Emma swallowed and dabbed her mouth. “It seems that I should take interest in this and learn for myself what is most beneficial.”
Colton’s expression suggested confusion. “Why would you want to thwart our efforts? We certainly aren’t looking to cause harm. You know nothing about railroads. Until earlier this year, your only real knowledge of such matters was traveling on them to those wonderful destinations you longed to see.”
His tone took on a hint of sarcasm, and Emma didn’t intend to stand for that. “I might have been focused on having a good time, but that doesn’t mean I was without understanding of good investments. Tommy and I talked more than once about reasonable risks and investing money wisely.”
Colton tossed his napkin down. “Ha! My brother knewvery little about such things. Believe me. We tried to educate him. Father sent him to college to learn about business investments, but he returned home a miserable failure.”
Emma knew that her response had upset him, but she didn’t care. “Tommy was smarter than any of you gave him credit for. He was bored with college because he already understood the world of finances and investments. If any of you had bothered to ask his opinion, you might have realized that. Just because classroom lectures and testing didn’t suit him didn’t mean he wasn’t brilliant. How do you suppose he made all of that money investing? You credited yourself for handing his affairs, but he had other accounts that you knew nothing of.”
“How do you know?” he questioned, raising his voice.
“He told me!” Emma matched his volume. “I didn’t bother to know more about it, but Tommy fully understood and took advantage of it. You might recall I had a visitor come to see me at the house before we left Dallas. He was a lawyer Tommy had used in addition to you.”
Colton was more than a little agitated. “I find this hard to believe.”
“I’m sorry, Colton. I’m not trying to stand in the way of plans that you and your brothers have made. I just want to be informed and see for myself that it’s the wisest plan to make. I owe it to Rosie, if for no other reason. I want the money to last and support her.”
“Rosie is my sister, not yours.”
