The scenery after the train entered Wisconsin delighted her. Lush green fields and thick forests alternated outside her window as the train rushed past them. Now, almost to Kilbourne City, beautiful rock formations appeared along the river they followed.
A man in the seat across from her leaned forward. “That’s the Wisconsin River, miss. Lookin’ at those carved rocks shows you how powerful it is.”
Alice bobbed her head under her plain black bonnet. Not because she was shy. Not at all.
This man seemed too friendly, and she didn’t want to encourage him. She’d save her enthusiasm for her patients, thank you very much!
He didn’t seem dissuaded, unfortunately. “I noticed your ticket earlier. Since we’re going to the same spot, I’d be happy to show you round the town.”
Worse and worse. Now, he wanted to squire her around sightseeing. How to discourage the man?
Clearing her throat at its sudden dryness, she worked to keep any nervousness out of her voice. “No, thank you very much though. I have plans to meet my employer as soon as I arrive.”
A smarmy smile appeared on the man’s face. “Not meeting a husband? Glad to hear it.”
When Alice turned her face from him to stare out the window, he fell silent for only a brief moment. She ignored his presence, as she’d been doing since boarding this train in Chicago.
Fixing her gaze on the scenery, she willed the train to chug faster so they’d arrive. She’d be able to escape from the man then. With the train car’s seats filled, she had nowhere else to sit and was trapped across from him.
His oily tone broke the pleasant silence. “Name’s Paul O’Hanlon.” His words ended with a lilt upward, as if he were asking a question.
Alice pivoted her body, making eye contact impossible. Was this man thick-headed that he continued to pester her?
“Well, since you won’t give me a name, I’ll just call you Miss Beauty.”
Silence. She refused to answer him. Refused to turn to look his way. Across from her, she heard him harrumph and assumed that was the end of this one-sided conversation.
“I’ll just have to guess who your employer is.” His voice took on a teasing tone. Rather than being lighthearted, it held a note she didn’t recognize. Not exactly cruel, but definitely frightening. Her shoulders stiffened in response.
He leaned diagonally across the small space between the seats, forcing himself into the space around Alice. The older woman next to her banged a wooden cane and objected. “That is quite enough, sir. Leave this girl alone!”
Her words brought Alice around again in her seat to stare at the woman beside her. She noticed that the belligerent man had pulled back and was scowling fiercely as he ran a hand through his red hair. At the scowl, Alice looked curiously at the old woman to study her reaction.
That lady had her cane raised and was waving it in the air. “I switched many a boy like you in my days as a schoolmarm, and I can still do that. You’ll get this cane alongside your head if you harass this girl.” She gripped the mentioned object like a club and shook it as she spoke.
Alice’s tormentor crossed his arms over his midsection and glared. Until he noticed Alice watching him. Then he straightened his shoulders and smiled what he probably thought was a charming grin. Something about it made Alice’s skin crawl, and she scooted closer to her champion.
The old woman picked up Alice’s small, gloved hand and patted it. “Now, no worries. You’re nearly to Kilbourne City, and I’m getting off there, too. I’ll wait with you at the depot.”
Giving her a relieved smile, Alice felt her shoulders relax. She’d never had a beau and lacked any experience dealing with persistent men. Obviously, this one hadn’t seen her walk onto the train or he’d known about the limp. That always had been enough to keep the men away from her.
Trying to appear normal while ignoring the beast across from them, Alice smiled at the woman. “I appreciate that. Do you have family in Kilbourne City?”
The older woman bobbed her head. “Oh, my yes. Too many, some might say. I’ve been living in Kilbourne City with my sister. Ever since my days teaching school in Ohio came to an end a few months ago.”
She eyed Alice. “I am Miss Emma Steele, by the way, and I can tell you aren’t a schoolteacher. Maybe a governess?”
Alice shook her head. “No, I’m going to help the local doctor after training at a school in the East. My name is Alice Cordell.”
Miss Steele pushed the wire-rimmed glasses up her angular nose and peered closely at Alice. “Are you one of those women nurses I’ve heard about?”
Alice’s relaxed shoulders again stiffened at Miss Steele’s question as she silently nodded her response. Would the woman tell her to find a husband and behave as God intended women of her class? Alice’s own uncle and aunt lambasted her choice to train as a nurse, cursing women like Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton for filling Alice’s head with silly ideas.
The old woman grinned impishly and cackled. “Good for you. Don’t settle for a man and children if you want something else in life.”
Nodding, Alice still remained quiet, though she did relax. The woman’s words stirred up a familiar ache. Nursing was a way to fill her life since she seemed doomed to remain a spinster. But, oh how Alice longed to be a wife and mother.
Already thirty-years-old, nearly thirty-one. She grieved that the possibility of motherhood had almost passed her by. Just like it did the old spinster sitting next to her.
“Kilbourne City!”
The
