SECRETS OF THEN

© HJ 2000

Chapter 3

Lou looked out the coach window. It'd been a while since she'd been in Seneca as a girl. She'd barely had one day their when she had. She had bought a very pretty dress their too. Maybe she could convince Lynn to at least alter some of the dresses so they looked more ladylike. Maybe she cold even buy one herself for Kid coming the next day. She arrived in front of The Maple Tree Hotel and saw Lynn waiting for her.
"So how was your ride?" Lynn asked the minute Lou got off the coach.
"Good. How was the night? Is this hotel all it's cracked up to be?"
"Sure is. They got room service and everything. It's real nice. Do you know how long it's been since I've slept in a hotel?" She whispered.
"No. I know at least two years."
"Add six to that."
"Eight years? You we're with Wicks eight years!"
"Yup, eight years of pure hell."
"Well, now I'm a free women. Lou, I was thinking."
"That's a bad habit for you Lynn."
"Oh be quiet." She giggled. "Is it safe for you to be a girl right now?"
"I have no fear of Wicks or that man Sanes when they are miles away. This is my life. They're not going to ruin it because of some contract that I didn't even know I signed. I may have been they're best girl, but I hated it there more than anyone. I need to be free. I'll do anything for anyone as long as I don't have to be trapped in a deal that no one can move around in."
"I felt the same way. I wonder why Wicks held you to it after all these years?"
"If I tell you something do you promise not to tell anyone?"
"Yes."
"Well, let's get off the street and get me into my room."
"Lou? Aren't you missing that thing for the riders?"
"That boring thing. The only reason these boys go are because of the free food and the girls from all over the place that come and do "special" things at the intermission parts after all the speeches by the station masters."
"Oh, nothing we would like." She smiled.
"Something we used to do." Lou grabbed Lynn's arm and directed her into the lobby. "Oh by the way." She said as they waited to get up to the front desk. "I invited Kid to come out here tomorrow. He doesn't now if he can, but he's gonna try. I barely got out here. I promised Teaspoon I would listen to the speech he's gonna make when I get back."
"Teaspoon? Kid?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Teaspoon is my stationmaster. Teaspoon Hunter. He's really nice you would like him. Kid is, well, my, um…"
"Sweetheart! Oh, this is gonna be great. I'm going to meet the man that stole little Louise's heart. You know, I thought you was never gonna find love. You seemed so determined to not let men control your life." They had finally reached the front desk.
"My brother had Horace from Rock Creek wire you about a room." Lou told the women behind the desk. She was pretty. A little taller than Lou with hazel eyes and auburn hair.
"Yes, Ms. McCloud. Well, you see I don't think we were able to save that room. I think we had to give it to an Express Rider who wired today. They do get superiority you know since the thing, whatever it is they call, is going on today." Lou had a suspicion she knew who it was.
"Are you allowed to tell me the name of that rider. I may know him or it may even be my brother."
"Kid, that's the only name they gave. Odd name if you ask me. He's going to be here late tonight so they told me there was no point in letting you have the room since you we're going to be moving out before you even had a chance to sleep."
"Give me that room."
"I'm sorry I can't do that."
"No, you don't understand. I know Kid, he's my, uh." Lou thought what to say. Then it hit her. She knew Kid would like this when he heard it. "He's my fiancée"
"Oh, I see. Well do you want me to tell him you're up there?"
"No, that's okay I want to surprise him."
"I see, okay. Your room is room eleven, up the stairs and to the left. It's the last door on the right. The bathroom is right next door."
"Thank you."
"Do you need help with your bags?"
"No, I have them."
"It's five cents a night since we're charging lower rates for the Express thing."
"Sure, here's fifteen cents and I'll give you more if I'm staying longer."
"Thank you Miss McCloud." Lynn helped Lou with one of the bags and they headed up the stairs.
"My rooms right across from yours. I'm room twelve. What do you think Kid's gonna say when he comes in tonight?"
"Here it is. I don't know, but it sure is gonna surprise him."
"I bet."
"Let's go out and get some dresses for the next couple of days. Teaspoon gave me and advance and I picked up the money all the boys owe me so it's burning a hole in my pocket."
"I don't have any money, though."
"I think we could have those dresses altered to look nice, and I'll even pay."
"Lou?"
"Yup." She set the bags on the bed, and began to unload.
"I thought you were coming with Mr. Cody?"
"Oh, well Cody wanted to stay and go to the reunion, you know that's what they're calling it. We haven't even been apart, and they're calling it a reunion. Anyway, he wanted to stay and see Teaspoon talk, or so he said. Well, he traded his ride and then no one came this morning so I just changed into my dress, told Teaspoon I was taking some time off, and caught the coach."
"So, you didn't ask Teaspoon for time out, you told him."
"That's right. I said Teaspoon I'm not going to the reunion thing. What would I do there if some girl came up to me? He said fine with him as long as when I came back that I would listen to his speech and tell him how I thought it was."
"You have those boys wrapped around your finger."
"And proud of it." They laughed as Lou finished unpacking.

An unmarked coach pulled into Seneca. Inside sat Sanes and Wicks.
"Are you sure she's here Mr. Sanes?"
"Absolutely positive. A Jacob Gaines, bounty hunter, saw her get off the coach this morning and go with a red headed, green eyed girl, sir."
"Lynn. I told you one of those girls were friends with Louise. I forgot it was Lynn. It's been so long."
"I know sir. Um, Mr.Wicks sir?"
"Yes?"
"What did this girl do that makes you want to find her so bad?"
"When you catch her then she will tell you. Until then it will stay a mystery."

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