Epilogue

Cora

To Cora’s dismay, the tour of Perkin’s Teacher Academy began after lunch. Not the best time of the day for Daniel. The two-year-old napped from one to three every day. Anytime he missed his nap he would fuss and grumble for the rest of the day. It couldn’t be helped though. Miss Perkins had written the month before, giving them the appointed time.

They walked the short distance from the hotel to the school. Fort Worth’s busy city streets made Cora’s heart flutter with worry. She couldn’t imagine Justine living in the bustling city. For the last month, she’d been tempted to talk the girl out of her plan.

Even Nick seemed pensive instead of his usual cheerful self. It was a fine, Fall day, clear and sunny. Daniel smiled, for the time being. Nick indulged him by carrying the boy on his shoulders. Justine walked with Cora, their arms linked.

In Colter Canyon, people often remarked that she and Justine looked like sisters. A comment that always warmed Cora’s heart. They shared the same coloring. Their height and build were similar, but while Cora’s red hair was straight as a pin, Justine’s was a mass of wild curls that tumbled past her shoulders.

Everything about her was different from the day Cora first lay eyes on her in the train station. She’d grown into a lovely young woman. A few months after Cora and Nick had married, they’d formally adopted Justine.

“Henry’s come to Fort Worth this week too,” Nick said.

Justine tensed. “Henry?”

“Right, Henry.”

“What’s he doing here?” Justine demanded.

Nick’s mouth twitched. “He came with a herd of yearlings to sell. Third time this year that boy’s brought cattle to Fort Worth. He’s going to have to buy another five hundred acres if he keeps this up.”

Justine said nothing, but Cora didn’t miss the way she pressed her lips together. Cora glanced at Nick and gave a slight shake of her head. Don’t tease her.

Nick winked back.

Daniel babbled with excitement. He gripped Nick’s hair with two small fists to keep his balance, but something caught his attention. He released his hold and pointed.

Nick swung him down. “What do you see, Daniel?”

“Too-Too,” the boy said. “Too-too.”

“He’s pointing to the train tracks,” Justine said. “He’s trying to say choo-choo.”

They paused at the street corner, and after a horse and buggy passed, Cora could see the train track up ahead. The sun glinted on the track.

Daniel didn’t have a wide vocabulary, but it grew every day. Justine read to him all the time and took as much pride in his accomplishments as Nick and Cora. She also knew how to interpret all his babbling and acted as a translator for Cora and Nick. It seemed unimaginable that the girl wouldn’t be living with them. Two whole years, thought Cora, with a new wave of misery. How would she manage without Justine?

Without thinking, she moved her hand to her stomach. As of that morning, she was exactly one week late. Tonight, over dinner, she’d tell Nick and it would mitigate the pain of parting with Justine.

The school lay just a block ahead and, as they drew near the track, Daniel pointed again.

Nick smiled. “You like the train, Daniel. How does the train go?”

Daniel frowned.

Justine smiled. “Does the train go meow?”

Daniel giggled and shook his head.

“Woof?”

Daniel laughed. “No.”

“Now I remember,” Justine said. “The train goes Moo.”

“That Justine’s silly,” Nick said. “Tell her how the train goes.”

“Too-too,” Daniel said, his eyes lit with happiness.

The boy was the image of his father, down to his expressions and gestures.

They crossed the street and stood before the school for a moment, taking in the impressive sight. The Academy had started out, twenty years prior, in Miss Perkin’s home. A new building had been added in the last two years. Classrooms, a library, a recital hall and dormitories for sixty girls. A wrought-iron fence surrounded the school.

Cora kept her gaze fixed ahead, to avoid looking at Justine. Her eyes prickled and she willed herself not to cry. Justine had dreamed of studying the violin and teaching. Cora reminded herself of this. Cora tried to remind herself, too, that if she loved Justine, she had to let her go.

A man strolled up the walkway. With the brim of his hat obscuring his face, it took Cora a moment to realize it was Henry. When had he gotten so tall? He didn’t have Nick’s massive build, but he was almost as tall.

There was another reason she hadn’t immediately recognized Henry. Instead of dusty jeans, chaps, and ragged cowboy hat, he wore clean, pressed trousers and a crisp white shirt. His felt hat looked new, and the hat band matched Henry’s light brown eyes.

For two years after his father died, Henry spent most of his time living with her and Nick, sleeping in the extra cabin. He worked for Nick, saved his money and began rebuilding his family’s ranch.  In his spare time, he fixed up his home and soon lived on his own place. Now she only saw him every so often.

He stopped a few paces from them and shook his head. “I don’t like it,” he said without preliminaries.

“What are you doing here?” Justine demanded.

“I came to see what kind of school you’re going to.”

Justine pulled her arm from Cora’s. “But you couldn’t be bothered to come to my going-away party last weekend?”

“I was busy, getting my cattle ready for the trip to the stockyards.”

Justine rolled her eyes. “Well, thank you for gracing us with your presence. Don’t let us keep you.”

Henry smiled. “My work’s done. Nick invited me to take the tour.”

Justine turned to Nick. Her mouth opened, but snapped shut. Henry took her silence as an opportunity to properly greet the group. He shook Nick’s hand and tousled Daniel’s curls. The boy reached for him, and Henry took him from Nick. He came to Cora and kissed her on the cheek, but ignored Justine.

“Not going to give Justine a kiss,” he said to Daniel. “Not without a chair and whip.”

Daniel chuckled at this.

Justine shook her head and stalked up to the school’s entrance. Henry gave Cora a look feigning dismay.

They followed Justine up the steps and inside, to Miss Perkin’s office. The head mistress greeted them all with a reserved smile and dainty handshake.

“We’re very pleased to have Miss Travis joining us this year,” Miss Perkins said. “Such a gifted violinist.”

“We’re very excited,” Nick said. “Even though we’ll miss her very much.”

“We’ll let you have her back for several weeks over the Christmas holidays,” Miss Perkins said. “Shall I show you around?”

They left the office. As they walked down the corridor, Daniel rubbed his eyes and reached for her. Cora smiled and gathered him in her arms, patting his back. He settled against her shoulder. The boy might prefer Nick or Justine during most of the day, but when he was feeling tired, he only wanted Cora.

Nick set his hand on her low back, and frowned.

“It’s fine,” Cora said softly. The feel of her boy in his arms soothed her. “Can we agree that we won’t send any of our other children off to school?”

Nick smiled and kissed her forehead.

Miss Perkins led them to a grand library with stained glass windows. Cora noted that Miss Perkins turned to face the group when she spoke. Perhaps it was out of consideration for Cora.

After the library, she led them to the dining hall, and then to the recital hall. Some of Cora’s misgivings fell away as she watched Justine’s face. Everyone said the girl had a gift for music, and while Cora hadn’t ever heard a single note, she could see the way Justine’s expression lit with passion when she played her violin. She knew it must be true.

Not only did she play like an angel, she also excelled at math and science and writing. Cora had tried to teach her, but Justine quickly over took her. For the last two years she had simply taught herself.

Daniel slumped on her shoulder as he fell asleep. Nick lifted him into his arms. “He’s too heavy for you.”

Cora missed the feel of him in her arms, but when Miss Perkins led them up two flights of stairs, she was grateful Nick carried the boy.

“Here we have one of the girls’ dormitories,” she said.

The room held a dozen beds. One side of the room was a bank of windows that allowed the soft Autumn sun to bathe the room in light. Cora tried to imagine Justine sleeping in a room like this.

Henry looked out the window. “Do the girls leave the school very often?”

Miss Perkins nodded. “They’re allowed to leave on Saturday afternoons for scheduled trips to various locations.

“Alone?” Henry asked.

“No, they travel in groups of no less than three girls and with a chaperone.”

Henry nodded with approval. Away from Miss Perkins’s field of vision, Justine made a face at him.

He frowned. “What? I just want to make sure you stay out of trouble. And most of all that no one bothers you.”

Miss Perkins smiled. “Of course. Perfectly understandable. We take our girls’ safety very seriously.”

“Thank you for your concern, Henry,” Justine set her hand on her chest. “It’s heart-warming.”

“You’re very welcome, Justine.”

Miss Perkins beamed at Henry. “What a noble hearted young man you are. Such neighborly concern.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

“My father’s name was Henry.”

“You don’t say.”

Cora glanced at Justine and saw the small pulse at the base of her neck. She glared at Henry who made a point of ignoring her. Miss Perkins and Henry chatted as they descended the steps and went to the chapel. After that, they went to a sitting room where Miss Perkins served them tea and cake.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to excuse myself,” she said. “I have another tour in a few minutes. But please, stay and enjoy a little refreshment.”

Daniel stirred soon after she left, and while he was cranky from the short nap, his eyes lit when he saw the array of tiny cakes.

Cora poured the tea while Justine served cake.

“What do you think, Justine?” Nick asked with a smile. “Change your mind?”

Justine gave him an answering smile. “No. I love it here. I’ll miss you and Cora and Daniel, but I can’t wait to get started.”

“You’re not going to miss me?” Henry asked.

Justine sipped her tea. “Maybe. A little.”

“I think you’ll miss me a lot. A whole lot. I bet you’ll get homesick, and come back to Colter Canyon in no time.”

Justine took a dainty bite of cake and ignored him.

Nick shook his head and smiled at Cora. Daniel sat on his knee and tried to bring a piece of cake to his mouth. The cake wobbled on the fork and fell off once, then twice. When if fell off a third time, Daniel picked it up in his chubby hand and stuffed it in his mouth.

Henry, not to be ignored, went on. “I’m so sure you’ll be back that I’d bet you a dollar.”

That got Justine’s attention. “A dollar?”

Nick wiped the icing from Daniel’s mouth. “If you want her to come back to Colter Canyon, you’re going about it the wrong way, son.”

“Is that so?”

“You know how stubborn she is,” Nick said. “If you bet she’s going to do something, she’ll dig in twice as hard to prove you wrong.”

“No disrespect sir, but I’m certain I’m right on this one,” Henry said. “I’m perfectly willing to risk a dollar because I’m sure that I’ll win.”

Justine set her teacup in her saucer. “I think I need to see this dollar before I agree to a bet.”

Henry arched his brow. “You don’t think I have a dollar? Justine, I just sold forty head of cattle. I’ve got a few dollars.”

“Why not prove it then, Mr. Tarrant?”

Henry’s mouth curved into a smile. He shifted in his chair and reached into his back pocket. His smile faded. He reached into his other pocket, and, coming up empty handed, scowled at Justine.

“What is it, Henry? Don’t you have a dollar?”

Henry shook his head.

“You shouldn’t bet if you don’t have the money to back up your words, Henry.”

“You better give it back to me, Justine.” He folded his arms across his chest.

She gave him a cool gaze, reached into her skirt pocket and drew out Henry’s wallet. He held out his hand, and she placed it on his palm.

Nick turned to Cora, a smile playing on his lips. “Our girl is going to do just fine here, don’t you think?”

Cora nodded. She couldn’t help but laugh at Henry’s frown. “I’m certain she will.”

 

 

 

*** BONUS CHAPTER ***

 

I hope you feel like you just had a satisfying meal. If you want a sweet mint for dessert, click the link below to read a bonus chapter featuring Justine and Henry, not long after Justine returns from her studies in Fort Worth.

 

Thank you for reading my story. If you enjoyed this story please consider leaving me a review. where I will notify you of future releases, exclusive offers and bonus material.

Lastly, let me just say, I love alpha cowboys, past, present and future. If you like them too, I encourage you to check out my contemporary works, written by my alter ego, . As a taste of those stories, and a thank you, please continue reading to read , a story set in the Wilds of Alaska.

 

Alix