Bay City Belle. Shirley Kennedy

it, she’d have realized she wasn’t in the South anymore, so of course this was bound to happen. She couldn’t change her feelings, though. The Yankees had nearly destroyed her family, her home, everything she held dear in life. Yes, she’d survived, but she’d never, ever forget the terrible price she and her family had paid.

      Ronald withdrew his arm. “All the same, my brother’s a hero, I don’t care what you say.” Undaunted, he began chatting with Mrs. Hollister. “Have you ever been to the Tadich Grill? Best steaks in the world. You ought to try it sometime....”

      While the banker rambled on, Belle directed her attention to her dessert. She felt, rather than saw, Yancy’s gaze upon her and raised her eyes.

      He was giving her a long, searching look. “Are you surprised?”

      “That you fought on the Union side?” She paused to put her thoughts together. “Yes, but I shouldn’t be. I’m not in the South anymore. The trouble is where I come from, the Yankees are gone now, and we very much like it that way.”

      He sniffed appreciatively. “And you thought you’d never see another.”

      She tilted her chin. “I’m not sure about that, Mr. McLeish. All I know is, for me the war will never be over. Never.”

      If he took offense, he didn’t let it show, and instead simply gave a brief nod. “Understandable,” he said and returned his attention to his meal.

      * * * *

      At the end of dinner, the two ladies left first, the brothers gazing after them as they disappeared up the aisle. “Pretty little thing, isn’t she?” Ronald remarked.

      “Which one? Have you become smitten by the charms of Mrs. Hollister?”

      Ronald guffawed and reached for a cigar. “You know who I mean. Well put together, I must say. Pretty face. I don’t think she likes that you’re a Yankee, though.”

      “She’s from Savannah. How else would she feel?”

      Ronald sighed. “I’d like to see you married someday. So would Mother.”

      “I don’t need a wife, Ronald, so for God’s sake don’t try any matchmaking.”

      “Can’t blame me for trying, although I’ve got to admit there’s a certain merit in being single.” He thought a moment and quickly added, “Except for the children, of course. What would I do without them? Wait till you meet them.”

      Yancy replied with an agreeable nod and said no more. From what he’d gleaned thus far, Ronald didn’t have anything good to say about his wife, Bernice. He’d noticed that since they left Maine, her name hadn’t crossed his brother’s lips, although he’d heard plenty about his children, Richard and Beth. Plainly Ronald wasn’t happy in his marriage. Hard to figure why, but Yancy supposed he’d find out soon enough and wouldn’t pry. And in the meantime, he hoped Ronald would cease any further efforts to marry him off. In the future, he’d be more careful because somehow Ronald had sensed his attraction to Belle Ainsworth, even though he thought he’d concealed it pretty well.

      He’d only known her for an hour or so, but couldn’t stop thinking about her. So unlike him to have a woman on his mind, but the moment she sat across from him, something about her sent a jolt straight to his gut. He could hardly keep from staring at the delicate features of her face: those high cheekbones, full lips, perky up-tilted nose, the sweep of her lashes against her fair skin. She’d sat all ladylike and proper, dressed in the appropriate fashion, including that ridiculous feathered hat perched atop her head. But the severe cut of her suit hadn’t concealed her full breasts and small waist, and he could easily imagine those long legs hidden beneath her skirt. But wait. The trouble was, his hands would never be exploring the intimate parts of Miss Belle Ainsworth, not when she knew the whole truth about him. He allowed a wry laugh to escape his lips. Lord no!

      Chapter 5

      That night, Belle didn’t sleep well, and no wonder. Even though she could lower the seat back, it didn’t go all the way down. It was better than sitting up all night, but the hard pillow provided by the railroad did little to alleviate the discomfort of having to lie halfway horizontally on a thinly upholstered seat. She must have slept some, though, and when she opened her eyes in the morning, she found Mrs. Hollister already awake with her mouth pursed.

      “Good morning, Miss Ainsworth. I see you’ve survived the night, no thanks to those heartless millionaires who run the railroad. My rheumatism is killing me, but do they care? Now that they’re rich, they don’t give a fig we must practically sit up all night and end up with stiff necks and aching bones.”

      “Good morning.” This early in the day, Belle didn’t feel like arguing. She’d awakened in a good mood and wanted to keep it that way. “At least they gave us pillows.”

      “Ha! Who cares? Robber barons, all of them.”

      Belle chose not to answer, even though she was tempted to point out that judging from Mrs. Hollister’s remarks and those Tiffany jewels, she herself was one of those heartless millionaires she supposedly despised. Instead, she hastened to the tiny bathroom where she washed up as best she could, combed her hair, and resettled the ostrich-plumed hat atop her head. When she returned and peered over her seatmate to look out the window, she got a surprise. “Where did the prairie go? Look, we’re in the mountains. I’ve never seen such tall trees.”

      Mrs. Hollister didn’t appear the least impressed. “They’re only pine trees. At least we’ve left Nebraska behind. We’re in Wyoming Territory now.”

      The train soon stopped for water at a place called Pine Bluffs. When Mr. Parkhurst, the conductor, announced they could get off the train for twenty minutes, Belle jumped at the chance to move around and stretch. Mrs. Hollister chose to stay on the train, but when Belle stepped to the platform, she found most of her fellow passengers taking a break from the narrow confines of the cars. She was watching a little boy racing madly from one of the platform to the other when she heard a shout.

      “Good morning, Miss Ainsworth! Nice to see you again.”

      The banker’s voice. She looked to see Ronald McLeish and his brother standing not far away. She could hardly avoid them, nor did she wish to. She moved toward them, waving a greeting. “Good morning, gentlemen. I trust you slept well last night.”

      Ronald appreciated her humor and guffawed. “That’s a good one, Miss Ainsworth. Makes you appreciate your own bed, doesn’t it? But things may improve soon. I’ve heard there’s a fellow in Chicago named George Pullman who’s started a company that makes sleeper cars. Think of it. Your own private bed on a train.”

      “That sounds almost too good to be true.” She gazed around her. The small train station sat nestled amidst tall trees. She drew a deep breath, savoring the sharp scent of pine in the air. “So this is what the mountains are like.”

      Ronald started to answer, but suddenly his eyes lit. “Oh, say, I think I see someone I know.” He drifted away, leaving her standing with Yancy McLeish, who so far, other than a nod of greeting, hadn’t said a word.

      She hadn’t planned on having a conversation with this former member of the Union Army and therefore a hated Yankee. She could walk away, but again good manners intruded. “It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it, Mr. McLeish?”

      He surprised her by breaking into laughter. “You don’t have to be polite, Miss Ainsworth. Don’t worry about hurting my feelings. If you wish not to talk to me, I completely understand.”

      His honest answer caught her unprepared. What next? She could simply walk away, but if she did, she’d come across as incredibly rude, and she wasn’t raised that way. Better that she stayed. What would it hurt to exchange a few words with the man who played a part in her most enjoyable dinner last night? And besides all that, how nice to be standing in the sunshine, breathing in the delightfully sharp, pine-scented mountain air. At the moment, she couldn’t make herself hate anybody, even a Yankee. “It’s too nice of a day to argue, don’t you agree?”