Ticket to Tomorrow by Carol Cox

Author:Carol Cox [Cox, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aspen Hill Press
Published: 2020-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

"I don't know. Maybe I should wait until another time." Annie fidgeted with her reticule and cast a worried glance at Silas, waiting patiently in the entry hall.

"Not go?" Mrs. Purvis's face twisted into a mask of consternation. "When your in-laws' carriage is already on the way? Of course you're going." She nudged Annie toward the door.

Silas bobbed his head. "Absolutely. Don't worry about the exhibit. I'll take care of everything."

Annie edged closer to Mrs. Purvis and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm not sure he can find his way to the fairgrounds on his own. He tends to woolgather so."

"Not to worry." Mrs. Purvis pulled her hat from its hook on the walnut hall tree and gave Annie a conspiratorial wink. "I have it all under control. I'll be glad to walk along with him and make sure he gets there."

Oh dear. Annie spotted Silas's startled expression when he caught sight of the landlady donning the feather-trimmed creation. "I don't want to put you out."

"Quite right." Silas's head bobbed in agreement. "Don't go to any trouble on my account."

"No trouble at all." Mrs. Purvis favored them with her sunniest smile. "I'm all caught up on my housework, and I don't need to worry about starting dinner for hours yet. I'm perfectly free to take some time off. It just may do me a world of good." She cast a coquettish look at Silas.

"But..."

"Too late to change your mind now," Mrs. Purvis caroled. "Look, the driver is just pulling up."

Annie boarded the carriage and tried to put her concerns for Silas out of her mind. He couldn't get lost with Mrs. Purvis to guide him, she reassured herself. As far as protecting his bachelor status... well, Silas already had years of practice at that.

She settled back against the soft leather seat, thinking how different it was to ride through Chicago at street level. No constant clack of train wheels or jarring to a stop at every station. Only the steady clop of the horses' hooves and an occasional soft splash when they stepped through puddles left from a nighttime shower.

Her thoughts turned to Will's family and the mysterious letter she had received the previous evening, a politely worded request to call on them at their home this morning. Their carriage, they assured her, would be sent for her convenience. Sure enough, it showed up right on time. She hoped that boded well for the rest of the visit.

Why did they want to see her again? She scarcely dared to hope their trip to the fair had reopened their hearts to Will after all this time. But what other reason could there be? She remembered Graham's excitement at the sight of the carriage, his mother's intense interest. She recalled the look on Graham's face when she mentioned the probability of lining up investors. Excitement rippled through her. Please, Lord, let it be a beginning.

The driver handed her down in front of the stately brownstone. Blevins's greeting was not effusive, but substantially warmer than on their previous meeting.

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