“It’s lovely!” Savannah gasps as they move through. Dayton smiles and stops to speak to a porter.
“This way, Sir.” A young black man leads them to the section they will travel in. “My name is George. I will be your Porter. Please do not hesitate to ring the bell, for any of your needs. You are traveling in Section 4b. Your bags can be stored beneath your seats, should you need to take a nap. I will return to make your bed when you are ready. Lunch and dinner can be brought to your section, or if you so choose, I can make a reservation for you in the dining car.”
Dayton gestures for Savannah to step inside the section and waits for her to choose her seat. “Thank you, George,” she says.
“My pleasure.”
“Which direction are the washroom, dining car, and parlor?” Dayton asks.
“Excellent questions! Your car has eight sections with a washroom for each of you. The female washroom is to the rear of this car, and the male washroom is to the front. You came through the coach cabin, if you continue through your car you will find the dining car, followed by parlor, and finally the luggage cars.”
Savannah listens quietly, taking note of each car and covers a yawn with her hand. She’s excited and tired. This is pure luxury compared to some of the other train cars.
“Thank you, George. We will have lunch here, once the journey has begun.”
“Excellent, I will bring you some a tea tray with biscuits and a menu. Make yourselves comfortable.”
Savannah unpins her hat and avoids looking at Dayton. This is much more intimate than she’d imagined. The semi-private cabin is much more private than the coach area. A ten-hour train ride in such close quarters could cause problems, considering they aren’t married or even related. What will she tell her parents? She shakes her head and smiles, how ridiculous. You’ve traveled all over the country and taken care of men in seriously intimate conditions. This is nothing.
“I can see your mind racing, Savannah. Care to share your thoughts?” Dayton asks, removing his overcoat and hanging it on the hook.
“No,” she glances up just as he stretched, and her eyes widen at the muscles clearly displayed. Her mouth goes dry, and she looks at him, wondering if he’s tempting her on purpose.
“I see.” He sits across from Savannah just as the train starts to move. The whistle blows. “I bought all four seats, so we’d have privacy, Savannah. It’s the best I could do under the circumstances.”
Savannah glances out the window as they start to move and her heart sinks. “It’s fine, Dayton. Thank you for thinking of my comfort.” She watches the town fade from view slowly and sniffs as Dayton watches her closely.
“It’s over now, how do you feel?” he asks softly.
“I’m not sure,” she glances at him and smiles. “Is it crazy? I’ve carried this for so long, and now I feel almost at a loss.”
“God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Dayton quotes 2 Timothy 4:7.
“That’s true Dayton, but we are human. I must admit I’m a little afraid of what the future might hold, but I won’t run from it. In fact, according to my brother, sometimes I run headlong into it.”
Dayton laughs, “Try not to do that while I’m responsible for your safety.”
“We’ll see, I won’t make a promise that I’m not sure I can keep,” she teases.
“A fact that has not gone unnoticed.” Sitting across from her he is well aware of the intimacy of the accommodations. Glancing over her beautifully pressed lavender dress and perfectly coifed hair, he finds he prefers the image of her riding at breakneck speed across a field.
“We should talk about our travel situation.” He clears his throat and Savannah is shocked to realize he’s worried about her reputation.
“Dayton…” she starts to say, but he holds up a hand.
“I’ve put you in a terrible position without thinking it through. If you’re in agreement, I thought we’d travel as cousins, to avoid any misunderstanding.”
“Cousins?” Savannah has learned to school her reaction through her years as a nurse. “Of course, Dayton. It’s very kind of you to think of my reputation.” She glances away and stares out the window.
“Excellent.” Dayton watches her face for any signs of emotion. He’s not sure whether to be upset or not. Confusion races through his body. He promised to get her safely back to her family. Not ruin her reputation because he can’t keep his hands and his mouth to himself. “If you are settled, I’m going to visit the Conductor. I’m hoping for a tour of the engine room.”
“Of course, I think I will take a nap.” She dismisses him without looking up and sighs in relief when he’s gone. “Cousins!” she huffs and jumps to her feet to pace in the small confines of the room. This is going to be a very long trip, she thinks. Two hours later and she is still fuming. Dayton seems to have forgotten she exists altogether.
The porter returns with a lunch tray for Savannah. She glances up in surprise, “Oh, I should wait for my cousin.” She starts to say.
“No, Miss Ward, he said to bring your lunch to you. He was lunching with guests in the dining car.”
“Oh, I see. Thank you.” George pulls out a tray for her and helps her settle with soup and biscuits.
“George is there a library on board?” Savannah
