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Authors: Tracie Peterson
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like wildfire.
There was even some talk after Judge Morgan passed away to retry Mr. Colton. But Carla said she would do everything in her power to fight the gossip. As she shared about her own loss and sorrow—all caused by her own gossiping tongue—she’d even shed a few tears.
The cool cloth on Lillian’s face and neck helped to refreshher, but there was so much to consider. It was a disturbing situation. After hearing Carla’s passionate words, Lillian knew she trusted the older woman. Especially after she scolded men, women, and children for spreading the hearsay. Anyone willing to stand up to bullies was all right in her book.
But then there was the little nagging in the back of her mind. What if Mr. Colton truly was a dangerous man? And he had just fooled the entire community all those years? It did seem that he only had one advocate she knew of in the entire town: Mrs. Clark. Was she blinded by her own need of redemption from the sin of a malicious tongue?
“Lillian?”
“Hmm?” She rinsed out the rag one more time and ran it over her face.
“Are you all right, dear?” Carla reached out for Lillian’s hand.
“Oh yes. I’m so sorry. I’m just exhausted from the trip.”
The sweet lady walked around Lillian, straightening her clothes and dusting them off a bit more. “You’re a bit wrinkled, but I don’t think we can do much about that. We need to get you out there, because it will be quite a drive to the Colton farm. I’m sure little Jimmy will want to meet you tonight before he heads off to bed. Here’s your lovely hat.” She eyed the fetching piece that so perfectly matched Lillian’s suit. “We need to get you a sunbonnet. Once you’re out on the farm, you’ll need one. Oh, and probably a different one for traveling back and forth. I’m guessin’ you traveled mostly in enclosed carriages.” She smiled at Lillian. “Pardon me for sayin’, but you look to come from wealth. I don’t figure you have any sunbonnets.”
“You’re correct in your assumption, Carla. I would appreciate your help. I had some very lovely walking-out bonnets, but failed to bring any of them with me. I did, however, bringa straw riding bonnet, so perhaps that will suffice for now.” Lillian pinned her hat into place, then tucked her reticule into her traveling bag so she wouldn’t have to bother with it on the ride to the Colton place.
“There.” Lillian picked up the bag and smiled. “I’m ready.” She followed Carla out of the small storeroom into the main area.
A large man sat in the seat she had occupied earlier in the day. As she approached, he stood—goodness, he was tall—and removed his hat to greet her. “I must apologize, Miss Porter, for being so late. My wagon had trouble, and I had to do the repairs on the road. I had hoped to arrive in town before you.”
She examined his deep brown eyes. He seemed sincere in his apology and didn’t look like a murderer. Not that she’d ever met one. “It’s quite all right. Thank you for coming.” His dark brown hair touched his collar in the back but wasn’t untamed. And even though he wasn’t spotless, she imagined that if she had to fix a wagon in the middle of the road, she wouldn’t be clean, either.
He nodded to her. “I hate to rush, but we do have quite a bit of a drive. I’m sure Mrs. Goodman will have something for us to eat when we get home.” He bowed a bit to her. Hesitant and humble, despite his imposing size. The poor man. What had these people done to him? And after he’d lost so much.
“Woody, it’s good to see ya again so soon. You need to come back more often. Especially now that Miss Porter’s here.” Carla walked forward, patted the man’s arm, and tucked a creamy package of cloth into Lillian’s bag.
“Good to see you, too, Carla. I’m sorry for all the trouble.”
“Like I said before, they’re good people. Just give ’em time.” She turned to Lillian. “Now, if you need anything, you let me
There was even some talk after Judge Morgan passed away to retry Mr. Colton. But Carla said she would do everything in her power to fight the gossip. As she shared about her own loss and sorrow—all caused by her own gossiping tongue—she’d even shed a few tears.
The cool cloth on Lillian’s face and neck helped to refreshher, but there was so much to consider. It was a disturbing situation. After hearing Carla’s passionate words, Lillian knew she trusted the older woman. Especially after she scolded men, women, and children for spreading the hearsay. Anyone willing to stand up to bullies was all right in her book.
But then there was the little nagging in the back of her mind. What if Mr. Colton truly was a dangerous man? And he had just fooled the entire community all those years? It did seem that he only had one advocate she knew of in the entire town: Mrs. Clark. Was she blinded by her own need of redemption from the sin of a malicious tongue?
“Lillian?”
“Hmm?” She rinsed out the rag one more time and ran it over her face.
“Are you all right, dear?” Carla reached out for Lillian’s hand.
“Oh yes. I’m so sorry. I’m just exhausted from the trip.”
The sweet lady walked around Lillian, straightening her clothes and dusting them off a bit more. “You’re a bit wrinkled, but I don’t think we can do much about that. We need to get you out there, because it will be quite a drive to the Colton farm. I’m sure little Jimmy will want to meet you tonight before he heads off to bed. Here’s your lovely hat.” She eyed the fetching piece that so perfectly matched Lillian’s suit. “We need to get you a sunbonnet. Once you’re out on the farm, you’ll need one. Oh, and probably a different one for traveling back and forth. I’m guessin’ you traveled mostly in enclosed carriages.” She smiled at Lillian. “Pardon me for sayin’, but you look to come from wealth. I don’t figure you have any sunbonnets.”
“You’re correct in your assumption, Carla. I would appreciate your help. I had some very lovely walking-out bonnets, but failed to bring any of them with me. I did, however, bringa straw riding bonnet, so perhaps that will suffice for now.” Lillian pinned her hat into place, then tucked her reticule into her traveling bag so she wouldn’t have to bother with it on the ride to the Colton place.
“There.” Lillian picked up the bag and smiled. “I’m ready.” She followed Carla out of the small storeroom into the main area.
A large man sat in the seat she had occupied earlier in the day. As she approached, he stood—goodness, he was tall—and removed his hat to greet her. “I must apologize, Miss Porter, for being so late. My wagon had trouble, and I had to do the repairs on the road. I had hoped to arrive in town before you.”
She examined his deep brown eyes. He seemed sincere in his apology and didn’t look like a murderer. Not that she’d ever met one. “It’s quite all right. Thank you for coming.” His dark brown hair touched his collar in the back but wasn’t untamed. And even though he wasn’t spotless, she imagined that if she had to fix a wagon in the middle of the road, she wouldn’t be clean, either.
He nodded to her. “I hate to rush, but we do have quite a bit of a drive. I’m sure Mrs. Goodman will have something for us to eat when we get home.” He bowed a bit to her. Hesitant and humble, despite his imposing size. The poor man. What had these people done to him? And after he’d lost so much.
“Woody, it’s good to see ya again so soon. You need to come back more often. Especially now that Miss Porter’s here.” Carla walked forward, patted the man’s arm, and tucked a creamy package of cloth into Lillian’s bag.
“Good to see you, too, Carla. I’m sorry for all the trouble.”
“Like I said before, they’re good people. Just give ’em time.” She turned to Lillian. “Now, if you need anything, you let me
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