The Invitation

July 14, 1861

Rock Creek, Nebraska Territory

"Well, boys, I hold in my hand here our official invitation to the annual Founder's day ball to take place the evening of July twenty-seventh," Teaspoon announced to the table of express riders over dinner. All around him, the five men threw looks of excitement and eagerness to each other. Rachel, sitting at the end of the table, took on a slightly dreamy mein. Lou, he noticed, looked less than pleased about the impending ball if the pushed around food on her plate was any indication. He knew events like these had to be hard on his female rider, and having noticed the change in her relationship with Kid since the two of them, along with Jimmy, Cody, and Buck, had returned from Fort Kearney late yesterday afternoon, he suspected the southern rider might want to take her to this dance as a woman. He had received the invitation the day he had sent the five of them out of town with that Margaret woman in hopes of catching the band of outlaws that had put Louise in danger. The boys had all shared the events that had transpired in Fort Kearney in their absence, but Teaspoon could see the looks that now passed between his two riders and had a feeling more things happened in the military town than anyone had shared.

"Why is it a ball, Teaspoon?" Jimmy asked between forkfuls of mashed potato, interrupting the station master's train of thoughts. "Isn't it just another dance in town?"

"Yeah, what makes this so special that they had to send out invitations," Cody added.

Rachel chose this time to speak up, upon seeing Teaspoon's mystified expression. "Apparently, it has become an annual tradition here in town over the last few years to have a fancy ball to celebrate the town's founding. Mayor Ritchie's wife decided Rock Creek needed a fancy ball to mark the occasion. So each year, a group of townspeople, led by Mrs. Ritchie, organize the affair and decide on the theme for the ball. This year is a Regency theme," she explained.

"She must be reading too many novels," Lou muttered under her breath, drawing a sympathetic look from Kid sitting next to her.

"Alright. But what does that mean for us? Does it mean we gotta dress up?" Cody asked.

"Yes, it does. But because of the theme, you will all need to wear your best suits for the ball, with a few alterations. Men dressed differently fifty years ago. They danced differently too," Rachel continued to explain. "The usual musicians that come to the dances have been learning new songs for the event and we have to learn some new dances," she added, watching the six pairs of eyes looking at her in horror. "Unless you don't want to. But I would bet all the young ladies in town will be learning these dances, so if you want to impress any of them, you will have to learn," the station mistress suggested. Upon spying the crinkled brows and serious expressions looking back at her, she added, "Don't worry! It's not that hard and there should be a caller, who will tell you what comes next. We just need to learn the basics."

"What are we supposed to wear, Rachel. None of us have the right clothes for this," Kid asked, studying the drawing of the regency-era couple on the invitation Teaspoon had handed him while watching Lou at his side carefully. He desperately wished she could go to this ball as herself and not dressed as a boy. Then he could spend all night with her in his arms as he whirled her around the room. Since their return from Fort Kearney yesterday, there was no longer any question in his mind that they were indeed together now. After their conversation in her hotel room Friday night, they had truly found their way back to each other. He knew she was still nervous about giving up her disguise, but he figured this would be just the opportunity he needed to show her what life would be like if she was brave enough to trust him.

"Teaspoon," Lou asked from her seat, breaking Kid from his thoughts, "Can't you schedule me for a run that day? I really don't want to go to a fancy ball as a man." The idea of having to go to another dance as Lou and not Louise was becoming too much for her. While she was still loath to drop her disguise, with each day that passed, her longing for a time when she didn't have to pretend anymore grew.

Rachel could see the look of defeat on the young woman's face. It wasn't fair that she couldn't experience this as a woman. Or could she, she thought to herself. Shooting a pointed look to Teaspoon, Rachel hoped the man understood her meaning. "Lou, the ball is Saturday after next and everyone will be there as there are no runs currently scheduled that weekend. So, you can go with the rest of us," he said with finality. Rolling her eyes with a groan, Lou pushed herself off the bench she was sharing with Kid and left the bunkhouse, slamming the door behind her.

"Rachel, I hope you have something up your sleeve for her. We all know how much she hates these things," Teaspoon addressed the woman opposite him.

"Don't worry, Teaspoon. I've got an idea. Haven't you mentioned that you wanted your 'niece' to visit you soon?" Rachel suggested, her eyes full of meaning.

Picking up on where she was going with this, he turned to the boys before informing them, "Boys," he bellowed, "I think it's time you met my niece, Louise. She'll be staying with us for a day or so next weekend. I hope you all treat her well and promise to show her a good time at the ball." His meaning was immediately understood by everyone at the table.

Following dinner, Rachel found Louise sitting on the corral fence watching the sun set, tears running down her face. "You alright," Rachel asked.

Lou swiped the tears off her face as she answered, "I'm fine. I just couldn't listen to any more talk about fancy balls in there."

Rachel rested her hand on the younger woman's thigh, saying softly, "Do you want to talk about it? I know it must be hard, having to see all the girls from town dressed in their fancy dresses."

"You have no idea," she said, turning to look at Rachel. Seeing the raised brow on the woman next to her, Lou added, "Alright, maybe you do," dropping down off the fence.

Rachel moved to stand next to the girl who had become like a daughter to her. "How would you feel if you could go to the founder's day ball as Louise?" she asked tentatively.

Louise turned her head to look at Rachel before looking back at the ground. "That would never work, Rachel. Besides, I have nothing fancy enough to wear," she said forlornly.

"Tell you what, why don't you let me worry about that and you just think about how many times Kid will ask you to dance that night as he tries to chase off all the other young men from town?" Rachel implored.

Hearing the suggestion, Lou wrapped her arms across her chest, shaking her head as a sigh escaped her lips. "Alright, Rachel," the petite woman conceded, "I give up. You win. I guess I'll go to the ball." Walking together back to the bunkhouse, the two women exchanged a look of silent understanding.