Free Learning to Love by Catherine Harper Page A

torn apart, she thought it strange that she found the silence after the crash the worst part. Left alone with both her parents silent beside her she remembered the relief she'd felt as she heard the rescuers clambering over the wreckage looking for survivors. Now fighting the urge to run off the platform, she clenched the handle of her suitcase as the train rumbled in and came to a stop.
     
    "You want a hand with that, Miss?"
    Jumping as the train piped it whistle, Mary turned to find an attendant offer her a hand.
    "What? Oh yes, yes please."
    Giving him the bag and following him to a carriage she was glad that he taken it off her. Now giving her no excuse to turn back, she knew she'd need to fight her fear if she was to get to Woodvale. Comparing a few days traveling by horse to a few hours by train, she'd decided to go by train. Standing at the stairs of her carriage she now wondered if that was a wise choice. Seeing the man put on her bag and return to help her aboard, she found her legs refuse to move.
    "Are you OK, Ma'am?"
    Mary forced a smile on her face. "I'm just a little nervous."
    "Don't like trains?"
    "It's not that," Mary started. "Let's just say the last time I was on a train it didn't end well."
    Climbing down from the carriage, he held out his hand. "I see—you want a little help?"
    "Would you? I know if I could get on I'd be OK. Do you mind?"
    Scooping her up in his arms, he asked, "How does on the count of three sound?"
    "OK, on the count of three."
    "One…"
    Expecting him to go on three, Mary found him count no further. Climbing the steps two at a time, he put her down and stepped back.
    "Something I learned off my mother. Better to do it when you're not expecting it," he smiled. "Will you be OK now?"
    "Thank you," Mary said, reaching for her purse. Opening it up and on the verge of giving him a tip, she found him refuse it.
    "Think nothing of it," he beamed, climbing down to the platform. "It's not every day I have a beautiful woman as yourself in my arms."
    Mary blushed as he tipped his hat.
    "And you have a good trip-"
    Drowned out by the steam whistle she smiled back and promised that she would. Feeling the train lurch forward, she thought it best if she found her seat. Smiling to him one more time, Mary knew there was no going back now. 
     
    Taking a seat at the window, Mary was relieved to see the outskirts of Oak Grove disappear out of sight. Seven weeks ago, she thought she's always live there and now, now she knew she'd never go back. Glad that the lie hadn't broken about her and Albert, she knew it would only be a matter of time. But that didn't matter now, opening her purse and retrieving the letter she'd received the week before, she read through it once more.
     
    My dearest Mary,
    I hope I find you well. When I heard the news that you'd agreed to become my wife I knew that that day was one of the greatest of my life. But now that it's coming closer I have to pinch myself that I'm not dreaming. Robert, my brother, finds me talking of you all the time. Sometimes he tells me that a woman as you can't be as good as the picture I painted of you. But I know you're more than that. I find myself looking at the clock and wondering if it's even moving, the days are going by so slowly. I hope you feel the same. I've made all the necessary preparations for our wedding and picked a spot where we can build our new home. I won't spoil the surprise by telling you here, but I know you'll love it. I can't wait to finally meet you.
     
    Lovingly yours
    James.
     
    Mary read through the letter one more time and felt her heart lift. Never one to have ever considered becoming a mail order bride, the last six weeks of correspondence had been the one thing that had kept her going. Opening her purse, she placed the letter with the others and closed it. Holding her purse on her lap and looking out the window, Mary found the train had lost its grip of her. Worried that she'd never be able to overcome her fear, she