Maya Hart is going to be in trouble. Okay, fine, she's always in trouble but she's trying not to be in one. Really. She promised her mom that she won't take the subway by herself at night, and yet here she is, in the subway sans Riley. Again, it's not her fault. She was with Riley but she got a call from her mom and was asked to come home ASAP but Maya's not ready to leave the museum yet.
If Maya is going to be honest, she's a bit scared right now. She's taken the subway alone before but never this late. Okay it's only 9:20pm but that's still late for a 16 year old to be alone in a New York subway. As if that's not enough, of all the days to be alone why does it have to be on a day where the weather is as gloomy as it can get.
Maya was about to pull out her phone from her pocket when the train suddenly stopped and the lights went out.
xxxxx
1897 Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad
A flit of elation put a smile on her lips. She was going to make a name for herself, and a living, without any help from a man. The town was growing fast, and would continue to now that the railroad was here. Every man, woman and child would need clothes, and she was here to sew them.
She found a spot near the building, where porters unceremoniously dropped luggage and cargo of the travelers ending their voyages while others scurried to load trunks and bags for those departing. The train didn't depot here for long, and to her sensible mind, something she prided herself on, it would be more prudent to wait for the chaos to slow rather than attempting to rifle through it.
Before long, and in between two loud steam-filled blasts, the conductor shouted a boarding call, which had the crowd dispersing.
She tip toed to find the young man who had helped her earlier to carry the items from her buying trip but couldn't. Having pulled one of her crates forward, preparing to hoist it in her arms, she stopped to find a human figure slumped behind the other crates.
"Pardon me," with caution, she bent down to get closer to the stranger. "Pardon me, but are you alright?" She raised her voice a bit so her voice can be heard against all the noise.
"Riley?" Maya asked as she threw herself into the arms of the surprised young woman.
Thank God Riley is here. Maya thought. But why is Riley staring at her as if she doesn't know her?
'Who are you?' she demanded without finesse.
'Riley I just got the scare of my life so I'm not in the mood to play games. What are you wearing?'
'I beg your pardon?" she asked coldly.
What's going on? Why is Riley acting so weird and why is she wearing that dress? Maya's head is hurting and her surrounding seems to get fuzzy.
The woman watched the color completely drain from her face before her legs gave way. "Oh dear."
"Rosalie?" Joshua drawled.
Without glancing his way, she asked, "Would you please give me a hand?"
"I thought you don't need help from a man," he answered.
There was a smile in his tone, which greatly irritated her. Having pulled one of her crates forward, Joshua had crouched down, preparing to hoist it in his arms. A man who sewed clothing and help oversee an estate for a living should not have the arms of a blacksmith. They should be scrawny.
"Leave my belongings alone Joshua and help me here instead."
As if she hadn't spoken, he hefted the crate into the air. "Who else is going to haul all this to your shop?"
"Anyone but you," she snapped. The crate was far too heavy to simply take it from his hold, and kicking him in the shin would be unsightly, but she wanted to. Not just kick him in the shin, but into the next territory. Her older brother is a pest.
Carrying her crate, he started walking. "The wagon's right over here. Be careful of that hole in the platform."
"Joshua Matthews!"
Her growl was just what he expected. She hated it when he, their father or any of the men in their family help her, which is why he did it as often as he can. The tight pinch of her lips was expected, too.
"Why, Miss Matthews, it is not very lady like to raise one's voice in public."
"I wouldn't have if only you'd listen."
"Rosalie, I have to get back to the manor before supper. Whatever it is you want to discuss, can it wait till we are at the wagon?"
"Joshua, look at me."
"Rosalie, really…" Joshua was ready to chastise his sister when his gaze landed on a figure that Rosalie was barely supporting on her side. "Who is that?"
"I don't know. She was lying against my crates and when I spoke with her she fainted."
Joshua scanned the station, and with the train gone, there's barely anyone around.
"Joshua, we cannot leave this poor young woman here. She is without a chaperone and she seems ill."
Joshua dropped the crate he was holding and carried the young woman instead. Rosalie grabbed her traveling bag and the satchel filled with thread, lace, and fancy buttons, and followed, stepping over the board hosting a hole from where a knot in the wood had been knocked loose. "Why would your wagon be at the train station?"
"Because father told me you'd be home today." He shrugged and pointed toward her bags. "Put those in the front. The back will be full."
"No, it won't."
Joshua nodded toward the four men carrying crates twice the size of the one he'd just left at the station. "Yes, it will. My supplies have arrived, too."
He watched, waited until her gaze landed on the name printed on the side of the large crates, then he laughed. "I wired a friend. Told him to buy me everything you purchased." Giving her a wide smile, he added, "Twice as much."
"Get in. I will place your friend in between us so you can support her." Joshua told Rosalie while placing the woman across the wagon seat.
Once seated Rosalie turned her attention back to her brother. Her face turned brighter pink and her brown eyes narrowed. "You what?"
"I needed supplies, too," he said, stepping onto the platform to retrieve her other crate. One way or another, he'd make her see things his way. "Winter will be here before we know it, and people will need warm clothes."
While the porters move in order to load his crates, she stomped onto the wagon floor. "You are a snake. A low down, slithering in the mud, hissing snake."
He flicked her nose before bending down to pick up her other crate. Getting her goat was too easy. Hardly a challenge. Grinning, he said, "Yet, you love me."
"Love you? I don't even like you."
"Yes, you do."
"No. I. Don't."
Grinning, for he certainly was winning this round, he nodded. "Of course you do. We're family."
Maya heard a soft footstep and jumped to her feet. As she was looking at her surroundings Riley entered the room and nodded to acknowledge her.
"Riley?"
Though her word was calm, her face composed, Rosalie read shock and desolation in the young woman's eyes. She had a sudden, impossible impulse to once again shelter her in her arms, as she had yesterday when she'd first saw her at the train station.
Lips pinched, Maya stuck her chin skyward. "This is just a dream."
"I'm afraid it is not," Rosalie mumbled, "If you do not mind me asking, what is your name miss?"
The desire to scream strained Maya's throat, but knowing that wouldn't help, she let out a low growl instead, "Riles, will you knock it off? I just had the scare of my life and now I have a headache. What's going on? Why are you dress that way? Where are we?"
"My word. One question at a time," Rosalie retorted, "and you haven't answer my question."
Maya withheld another growl. "My name is Maya. Maya Hart. Like you don't know that."
"I have only seen you earlier at the train station Miss Hart. Allow me to introduce my self. My name is Rosalie Matthews. You had lost consciousness and my brother and I brought you here at our home. Where is your chaperone Miss Hart?"
"Chaperone?"
"Yes. Your companion. A young woman such as your self should not be travelling by her self. Do you have any relatives here in Arkansas that we can send message to about your affair?"
"What are you talking about? This is New York!"
"New York?" Rosalie sighed. "Come, Miss Hart. Look out the window. Does this look like the place you speak off?"
Maya stiffened and gave Rosalie a wary glance. "No. I don't know what's going on."
Rosalie looked at Maya with sympathy. "Let's not worry about it for now. You must be tired and hungry from your travel. I will send someone to help you freshen up and also have cook prepare something for you."
"Riles…that is…" Maya tightened her grip on her black sweater and kept her gaze on Rosalie's immaculately manicured hand. "Don't go… please stay…" she began again.
"But I—" Rosalie drew a deep breath. "Of course. Just give me a minute so I can get help for you and I will return with your food. It's best to tackle things when one's fresh and properly fed."