that the children were so pleased and Lizzy only bit her lip once. It also helped to see that glow in Jessie Davidson's eyes. "
"They did look happy."
It was the last thing either of them said for several minutes. The past days were starting to blur. So much had been seen and talked about; it was almost too much to take in. Rusty decided that she didn't want to try. She turned to her seat companion and found him sitting quietly.
"Would you think me rude if I read for a time?"
"Not at all," he told her kindly. "I have some papers I should go over. Is your book in your bag?"
"Yes."
He fetched her handbag, which she decided to keep at her feet, as well as his own portfolio of papers, and both settled down to read. Almost 45 minutes passed in silence, whereupon Rusty's stomach growled. She started a little and looked at Chase. The man was smiling.
"I think I forgot to eat breakfast," she told him.
Chase only nodded. He had noticed how centered she was on the children at the breakfast table, leaving her own plate untouched, but remembered his resolve not to treat her as a child.
"Didn't Jessie send some food?"
"Oh, yes," Rusty brightened. "I'd forgotten." Digging in her bag, she found the parcel of food and offered some to Chase. He declined. In the process Rusty noticed that he had put the papers away.
"All done with your work?" she asked before biting into a roll that Jessie had stuffed with beef and cheese.
"Yes. It's nothing too urgent."
"I've never asked you, Mr. McCandles—what type of business are you involved in?"
"Mostly land investments and developments."
"Anything in particular?"
"It's a wide range," he told her, wondering if she knew he was a benefactor to the orphanage. "I own property in several cities in the state, but most are in Colorado Springs."
"And do you always carry papers with you?"
"No, but I have a meeting coming up and thought I might need to go over them."
"Whom will you meet with?"
"A rancher in Pueblo."
"Pueblo?" Rusty's face showed her distress. "Why, we were almost there. You could have gone right to your meeting."
Chase felt himself blink. In his opinion she was not safe on her own, but he couldn't tell her that. Indeed, when they arrived at Springs he would have to send her on alone—something that made him very uncomfortable.
"I hope my staying until today didn't completely mess things up."
"Not at all." He stared down at her, finding her profile suddenly very distracting.
"Are you certain you don't care for something to eat? Jessie sent plenty."
"I'm certain. Thank you."
"I thought you were staring at my sandwich," she told him with a small shrug and smile.
Chase was again reminded of her innocence. "No, I ate plenty of breakfast. Jessie's a good cook," Chase said to take his mind off leaving her on her own in Colorado Springs. Still, it bothered him.
"Yes she is," Rusty agreed with him. But Chase barely heard her.
"You're taking the train to Boulder when we arrive, is that right?" He couldn't let the matter drop.
"Yes. I'll be home tonight."
"Your parents' home?"
"Yes." Her smile was soft. "I haven't seen them since Christmas."
"Do you have siblings?"
"Three. Two sisters and a brother."
"Let me guess—you're the baby?"
Rusty smiled. "No, I'm the oldest. How about you?
"I'm an only child."
Rusty turned to him. "Are your parents still living?"
"My mother is. She used to live in Springs, but she moved to Texas about six years ago when she remarried."
Although listening, Rusty put the lunch away, her movements all very proper and neat. They reminded Chase of her way with the children. The thought made him smile. Rusty chose that moment to look back at him.
For the space of several heartbeats, Rusty was taken with his face. He was smiling at her, his eyes kind, and Rusty couldn't look away. Chase looked right back but didn't comment. Still she studied him.
"Did I miss something?" he asked, his voice kind so she didn't feel ashamed to be gawking at
"They did look happy."
It was the last thing either of them said for several minutes. The past days were starting to blur. So much had been seen and talked about; it was almost too much to take in. Rusty decided that she didn't want to try. She turned to her seat companion and found him sitting quietly.
"Would you think me rude if I read for a time?"
"Not at all," he told her kindly. "I have some papers I should go over. Is your book in your bag?"
"Yes."
He fetched her handbag, which she decided to keep at her feet, as well as his own portfolio of papers, and both settled down to read. Almost 45 minutes passed in silence, whereupon Rusty's stomach growled. She started a little and looked at Chase. The man was smiling.
"I think I forgot to eat breakfast," she told him.
Chase only nodded. He had noticed how centered she was on the children at the breakfast table, leaving her own plate untouched, but remembered his resolve not to treat her as a child.
"Didn't Jessie send some food?"
"Oh, yes," Rusty brightened. "I'd forgotten." Digging in her bag, she found the parcel of food and offered some to Chase. He declined. In the process Rusty noticed that he had put the papers away.
"All done with your work?" she asked before biting into a roll that Jessie had stuffed with beef and cheese.
"Yes. It's nothing too urgent."
"I've never asked you, Mr. McCandles—what type of business are you involved in?"
"Mostly land investments and developments."
"Anything in particular?"
"It's a wide range," he told her, wondering if she knew he was a benefactor to the orphanage. "I own property in several cities in the state, but most are in Colorado Springs."
"And do you always carry papers with you?"
"No, but I have a meeting coming up and thought I might need to go over them."
"Whom will you meet with?"
"A rancher in Pueblo."
"Pueblo?" Rusty's face showed her distress. "Why, we were almost there. You could have gone right to your meeting."
Chase felt himself blink. In his opinion she was not safe on her own, but he couldn't tell her that. Indeed, when they arrived at Springs he would have to send her on alone—something that made him very uncomfortable.
"I hope my staying until today didn't completely mess things up."
"Not at all." He stared down at her, finding her profile suddenly very distracting.
"Are you certain you don't care for something to eat? Jessie sent plenty."
"I'm certain. Thank you."
"I thought you were staring at my sandwich," she told him with a small shrug and smile.
Chase was again reminded of her innocence. "No, I ate plenty of breakfast. Jessie's a good cook," Chase said to take his mind off leaving her on her own in Colorado Springs. Still, it bothered him.
"Yes she is," Rusty agreed with him. But Chase barely heard her.
"You're taking the train to Boulder when we arrive, is that right?" He couldn't let the matter drop.
"Yes. I'll be home tonight."
"Your parents' home?"
"Yes." Her smile was soft. "I haven't seen them since Christmas."
"Do you have siblings?"
"Three. Two sisters and a brother."
"Let me guess—you're the baby?"
Rusty smiled. "No, I'm the oldest. How about you?
"I'm an only child."
Rusty turned to him. "Are your parents still living?"
"My mother is. She used to live in Springs, but she moved to Texas about six years ago when she remarried."
Although listening, Rusty put the lunch away, her movements all very proper and neat. They reminded Chase of her way with the children. The thought made him smile. Rusty chose that moment to look back at him.
For the space of several heartbeats, Rusty was taken with his face. He was smiling at her, his eyes kind, and Rusty couldn't look away. Chase looked right back but didn't comment. Still she studied him.
"Did I miss something?" he asked, his voice kind so she didn't feel ashamed to be gawking at
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