Promise me tomorrow Read Free Page B

next morning.
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3
    Colorado Springs
    His bag in one hand, Chase moved around the large depot, his eyes scanning the crowd for a redhead. He didn't think he could have missed Miss Taggart and the children, but they were a little late. He circled the station again, his bag in one hand, his eyes searching. It was then that he spotted her, or at least the woman he thought might be her. But why did it appear as though she was coming from town?
    Chase didn't think they had planned to come in the night before, but the woman and children he was watching definitely came from the direction of town. Indeed, the children had small sticks of candy in their hands.
    Chase watched a few minutes longer and then decided it must be them. Paddy had described the woman as a petite redhead, and there was no missing that hair and diminutive size. They came directly onto the platform, and as Chase watched, Rusty read the train schedule and then began to search the crowd herself. He approached immediately.
    "Miss Taggart?"
    "Yes," Rusty craned her head upward and smiled, her voice as bubbly as ever. "I'm Katherine Taggart. People call me Rusty. You must be Mr. McCandles. I hope we didn't keep you. The train was early, and we decided to walk into town. The children have never been here in Colorado Springs, and it was such a fun adventure."
    Chase didn't say another word. At the moment he felt incapable of speech. He had been warned in Paddy's letter about her size and the color of her hair, but her uncle had said nothing about her eyes. He had never met anyone whose eyes were the color of the violets that grew each summer in his yard. No, that wasn't it; they were darker than violet. Purple—she had purple-colored eyes that sparkled when she talked. Chase, who usually took little notice of people's appearance, thought they were beautiful.
    "You are Mr. McCandles, are you not?" Her now uncertain voice broke through the riot of his thoughts. "Mr. Chase McCandles?"
    "Yes," Chase recovered himself and put out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Taggart."
    She beamed at him and shook his hand.
    "Children." She spoke formally to gain their attention. "Lizzy and Thomas Parks, please meet Mr. McCandles. He'll be escorting us to Kurth."
    Chase looked at the children, realizing he had forgotten their presence. He watched now as Thomas' little hand came out, but Lizzy kept her head down.
    "It's good to meet you, Thomas." lhank you, sir.
    "And this is Lizzy?"
    Thomas nodded, but Lizzy still didn't look up. Chase opened his mouth to say something more, but their train was called.
    "Fountain, Makepeace,          
    Kurth, and Pueblo—now leaving on Track 14."
    "Oh, that's us!" Rusty said to the children. "Hand me your bag now; there you go. Come this way."
    She directed them proficiently, and Chase was reminded of what the letter said about her not having traveled far. Something wasn't right. She simply didn't seem to be in need of an escort. For an instant he thought his presence might be unnecessary. After all, she seemed capable and very comfortable on her own, but then he noticed something else. Although he was not given to watching people, he couldn't help but see that she was attracting attention. She wasn't doing anything to accomplish this; she was just walking gracefully with the children on either side of her, but male heads were turning from every direction.
    Knowing you 're with her puts our hearts at rest. Just one line from Paddy O'Brien's letter came leaping back to Chase's mind. This was what his friend was talking about.
    "Was there a particular place you wanted to sit, Mr. Mc Candles?" Rusty had stopped outside the train and turned to her escort. She was used to taking care of things on her own. If she wasn't careful, she would forget he was there to help.
    Hearing her voice, Chase forced his mind back to the task of the moment.
    "Anywhere you and the children will be comfortable," he told her honestly, and then realized she was