Page 79 of An Unescorted Lady

"Too modern for me," Lance laughed.

"Modern?"

"Trolley cars, gas street lights, bicycles and all kinds of contraptions. I felt down right naked without my horse."

Gil laughed. "Must have been some trip."

"I'll tell you all about it, later." Lance promised.

"Lookin' forward to it, boss."

Chapter Nineteen

With Lance gone, Trudy wanted to get out and visit with some neighbors, so after making a roast, she set it aside and asked Chico if he'd go with her over to see Helen.

"Si," Chico smiled.

He got the wagon ready and drove her over.

When they got there, he helped her down and while she went inside, he went to talk to one of the boys that was left to manage the ranch while his Pa and brothers were with the herd.

Michael was seventeen, and he'd been raised taking care of his father's place. He knew every inch of the place and was quite capable, but then all the Mitchell boys were like that, well raised.

Chico enjoyed his company.

Helen was working on a quilt when Trudy walked in.

"Come on in, girl. Good to see you. Sit down and pick up a needle, I could use some help. This is a quilt I been working on, and I'm giving it to you as a wedding present."

Trudy's mouth flew open, "Me? Oh, it's lovely. But you don't have to."

"'Course I do, your new to the community too, and I want to give you a wedding ring quilt."

"Is that what this is?" Trudy smiled.

"Yes, do you like it?"

"Oh, my yes, it's beautiful." Trudy touched the intricate seems in the quilt.

"I'm almost done with it. If you can stay a while, I'll send it home with you."

"I'd be glad to. I've never seen anything so fancy in all my life."

"I thought you came from one of those well-to-do families up north." Helen chuckled.

"Helen, there are some thing you don't know… " Trudy began relating her story of how she came to be Mrs. Rogers.

"St. Louis huh? And you was supposed to be their cook?"

"Yeah, you see, I was wearing that lace dress, well, I bought it thinking I could impress my new boss." She told her.

"Well, it looks like you did a little more than impress him, honey. Land sakes, if that don't beat all. And I can tell you are crazy about him." Helen chuckled. "So, what did he do about the other lady, the one he was supposed to marry?"

"He's gone now to talk to her."

"To Boston?"

"Yeah, I kind of insisted that he meet up with her and straighten things out. I wouldn't want her being upset and all. He needs to talk to her."

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