Rocky Mountain Sister Read online

  Cassandra didn’t sleep well at all. Visions of people ran through her mind all night. She wondered if she had brothers and sisters, if her parents were still alive, or grandparents to meet. When morning finally came, Cassandra didn’t think she slept at all. Lighting the small lamp on her table, she looked at the small clock that sat beside lamp. 5 a.m.

  Another three hours before Christian would be taking her and Rosa to Jefferson City. Cassandra lay back down for a moment to say a pray. “Dear Lord, please let me find the parents I never knew. Let them be happy to see me if they are my family. Please Lord, let me handle this all in a lady like manner. Please keep Rosa and me safe. I know you will answer my prayers Lord. Please take care of my brother while I am gone. Give him the strength to know that I will love him. Amen”

  She got up and looked out at the stables. Maybe she could go for a ride to keep herself busy. Horses had always been a passion of Cassandras. She didn’t know how she knew so much about horses, it just seemed to be in her being about how to ride and care for a horse.

  No since in laying here any longer, I might as well get up and do something. Thornton, the family’s care taker for the stables was still asleep. I might as well start breakfast. Cassandra thought to herself. She didn’t even get dressed, just slipped on her housecoat and slippers, headed down the stairs.

  Cassandra was sitting at the kitchen table when Rosa came in the room.

  “Well, aren’t we the early bird today?” Rosa said as she walked over and pulled a cup from out of the cabinet. She stirred in creamer and sugar, then walked to the table and sat down.

  “You sure you want to take this trip? It is not too late to back out.” Rosa smiled at Cassandra, knowing she had her bags packed a week ago.

  “Rosa, I have to go, something inside me tells me this is the right thing.” Cassandra took a drink of her coffee. “Even if things turn out not to be any useful information, we can always go see some of the sights. We will just have to make the best of it.”

  “Alright child, I am praying that this trip is what you hope it to be.” Rosa got up and started frying bacon and poured more coffee in her cup.

  Christian didn’t get up until six thirty, when he came into the kitchen. He took a long whiff of the biscuits and bacon. Though breakfast was already made and on the table it was still warm. He timed this morning just right. It was going to be a long day with the trip to Jefferson City and back and then to shipyard for the rest of day and most of the evening.

  “What is that delicious smell?” Christian asked as he poured his coffee. “It smells so wonderful, I think I could eat everything you made.”

  “Well Cassandra and I better get our plates ready then before you eat it all. Rosa said with a laugh. “I made plenty, some to take on the trip with us if you don’t eat it all.”

  “Rosa, you know he has a bottomless pit in there,” laughed Cassandra.

  Cassandra looked at scenery along the road to Jefferson City. Looking at the countryside was one of her favorite past time. Sometimes she would just go for a horse ride for hours and watch the animals or relax along the bank of the Missouri river.

  Jefferson City came into view to quick. Soon they would be heading west to a new chapter in Cassandra’s life. Was she ready for all this, Cassandra didn’t know. This is her life though and she was going to make the best of it. Cassandra thought to herself, Lord, if I have a family in Colorado, please let them like me.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Thomas Delaney, Cassandra and Rosa got off the train in Denver. The place was buzzing with people everywhere. Cassandra looked around the train depot.

  “Mr. Delaney, do you know where we will be staying?” Cassandra asked the detective.

  “Yes, I wired ahead and made reservations at the best Hotel in Denver. The Rose Garden, you won’t find a nicer place or people. I reserved a suite for you and Rose with a small parlor and separate bedrooms. I will have a room next to your suite ladies.” Thomas told the women about the hotel as he whistled for a train boy to deliver their trunks to the Hotel.

  The rest of the day Cassandra and Rosa went shopping. Things was much different than back East. The women even dressed different. Some of the women walked around town with pants on instead of dresses. Cassandra liked being here. She felt comfortable among these people even though she knew none of them.

  They walked into a place called Millers Mercantile. The store was filled with a lot of things for the outdoors. There were rows of barrels with different tags on them describing what was inside. Shelves filled bolts of material, some of the material Cassandra had never seen before. It was heavy cloth. Cassandra saw the dresses hanging on the rack in the back of the store. They were different from what she was used to.

  Cassandra thought that there was no way a person could get all the petty coats under the dress. They were so pretty though, she wanted to purchase one.

  “Rosa, look at this dress, how does one wear it and fit all these underthings under it?” Cassandra talked to Rosa in a low voice so that the other customers didn’t hear her.

  “Cassandra girl, women out here don’t wear all those crazy things. Women prefer to be comfortable over being all bundled up so that they can’t breathe. A lot of the women out West have to help work for a living. They help with all the chores and they wouldn’t be able to do a thing with all those layers of clothing.”

  “How lucky they are, to be able to breathe. Hum, Rosa, I think I might try wearing one or two these while I am here. I like this one, what do you think Rosa. Would I look good in this one?”

  Cassandra chose a light green dress, it was fitted at the top with a lower neck line than she had ever worn. The sleeves were long and the bottom was straight. No ruffles or lace, just a plain bottom large enough to walk comfortably. Next Cassandra picked out a new pair of boots. The woman who was helping her showed her the ways of the west and how women dressed.

  Cassandra couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel room and try on her new outfit. She had planned on wearing it the following day. They paid for all their purchases and ask for them to be delivered to the Rose Garden Hotel. The woman assured her that they would be delivered within the hour.

  The three met at the Rose Garden for dinner that evening. Rosa looked about the place. She had been many places with Cassandra, but the Rose Garden Hotel what absolutely beautiful. The patio was decorated with many different flowers. Most were Roses though. They chose to eat their dinner on the patio even though it was a bit chilly.

  She travelled all over the East with Cassandra, even to Europe, but they had never travelled West. Denver was nothing of what they expected.

  Delaney looked at Cassandra “Well my dear, I think that tomorrow I will be heading out to a little town called Forest Heights, a family there has been looking for a young lady who fits your description. She has been missing for ten years.”

  “Oh Mr. Delaney, we will be ready a day light, Rosa and I haven’t even unpacked much. We have been out looking around town.” Cassandra told Delaney with much excitement.

  “Not so fast young lady, we don’t know for sure, anyway, the accommodations are nothing like Rose Garden. The best we could stay at is a boarding house. I don’t think you would be comfortable at all. Let me go and check out my leads and then I can always send for you.”

  Delaney wasn’t for sure he wanted the ladies traveling out in the middle of nowhere. The West wasn’t like the place Cassandra was used to visiting.

  Cassandra gave him a big smile, “Mr. Delaney, we will be fine. I just have a good feeling that I must go with you. I don’t want to waste one moment if I am the girl they are looking for. You do understand, don’t you?”

  “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you, it is rough country here and not like what you are used to.” Delaney smiled at the girl, he had to admit she had grit. Cassandra hadn’t complained one time the whole trip.

  Cassandra was so excited about the news, she could barely eat her meal. Rosa had to remind her that
they most likely wouldn’t get such fine food where they were going.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Bright and early the next morning Cassandra was up and ready before Rosa got out of bed. She had tried on the new dress the night before and couldn’t believe how comfortable she was. She was going to buy some more dresses but now she would not have time. She was sure there would be a mercantile in Forest Heights where she could pick up a few more things. The riding boots she bought for her and Rosa would be perfect for the trip. Much sturdier than the ones she had.

  Cassandra couldn’t believe how much more sensible people were in the West. They didn’t dress for looks, she liked that idea.

  Rosa woke to Cassandra packing the few things she had unpacked. “How long have you been up girl, did you sleep at all? You are dressed and ready to go. You shouldn’t have yourself thinking that this is the right family.”

  “Rosa, I feel it, I just feel something inside that tells me this is right, I am so excited. Come on, get up and get ready so we can be on our way. Mr. Delaney will soon be ready, I am sure. We can’t make him wait.” Cassandra finished getting her things ready. They were not taking everything, only a few things for a couple days.

  Both women were ready to leave by seven a.m. Delaney walked through the door of the hotel dining room when the ladies were just finishing up their breakfast.

  “I bought a buckboard for you ladies to travel in. I didn’t think we needed a wagon. I am not taking everything. Just enough for a couple days. You ladies all packed?” Delaney sat down at the table and ordered a cup of coffee.

  Rosa looked at Mr. Delaney with a scornful look. “We have been ready for hour. Cassandra had us up hours ago, I can’t believe she didn’t go get you to leave in the middle of the night.”

  Delaney gave a laugh, “We can be on our way as soon as I finish this coffee.”

  “I don’t think I slept a wink last night.” Cassandra’s excitement showed all over her face.

  Three hours later they stopped for lunch. Cassandra looked around the area. She had been a lot of places. Nothing was like the Mountains. The peace of the valley below them calmed Cassandra’s excitement for the moment.

  “Rosa, I wished Christian was here with us, he would enjoy the scenery. He never takes time to stop and enjoy things,” Cassandra said as she looked about her. The clouds rolled over the sky casting shadows among the valley. Cassandra felt at home here.

  “Cassandra, your brother has done many things and seen many places. He has talked of the mountains. These very mountains, he would love to be here with you if he could.”

  To soon it was time to pack up their lunch and travel the road again. Cassandra and Rosa passed the time by talking of things around them. Cassandra hoped that if this was where she came from, maybe something she saw would bring her memory back. So far nothing looked familiar.

  Forest Heights came into view. Cassandra stopped the team of horses pulling the buckboard. The place didn’t look anything like she thought it would. Buildings stood around in various places. It looked like the buildings were falling down. At least most of them. There were a few nice houses.

  “Mr. Delaney, are you sure we are in the place, I can’t believe how run down this town looks.

  “I am not for sure Cassandra, I can ride ahead and check it out. It doesn’t look like a safe place for you ladies.” Delaney got off his horse, took off his hat and rubbed his head. “Why don’t you ladies take a break and stretch your legs, rest in the shade while I go down and see if we are in Forest Heights.”

  Both ladies watched Mr. Delaney ride back up road from the place they hoped was not Forest Heights. The look on his face told them otherwise.

  Thomas got off his horse and walked over to Rosa and Cassandra. “Ladies, sorry to tell you, we found it. This is Forest Heights.” The frown on both ladies faces, he knew that Cassandra had never witness such shambles before. He kind of hoped this was not where Cassandra came from.

  Riding through town, the place looked better than from a distance. Some of the houses looked quite beautiful. Cassandra couldn’t figure out why someone would build such a beautiful home amongst the shambles of the town. The only thing she figured was that they were hoping to build the town up.

  CHAPTER SIX

  After settling in at the boarding house, which was a beautiful house, Rosa, Cassandra, and Mrs. Edna Middleton, the owner of the boarding house, sat down over tea and talked a little. Mrs. Middleton had only taken over the house a couple months back. She didn’t know very many people around the area. Cassandra didn’t ask very many questions to the older woman since she didn’t know anyone.

  Around the middle of the afternoon, two rambunctious boys charge through the back door. Both stopped short after seeing the guest. “Hello,” Both boys said in unison. Mrs. Middleton gave them milk and cookies and introduced them to Rosa and Cassandra. “Boys, these ladies will be our guest for a short while. I expect your best behavior.” Mrs. Middleton said harshly to the children.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “I am sure they will going be good,” Cassandra said with a smile. “Young boys are always into something though, I have an older brother who couldn’t stay out of trouble.”

  They ate their cookies and drank their milk, then began questioning Cassandra.

  Jefferson, the oldest boy, who was 12, looked at Cassandra and asked her, “Do you like to fish ma’am? Jacob and me know a real good place to fish.”

  “Jacob and I,” his mother corrected him.

  “I have never been fishing Jefferson, “Cassandra said with a smile.

  “Never been fishing? Why not?” Jacob asked after wiping the milk off his mouth.

  “Well, I live in the city, we live on the Missouri River and my father never allowed me to go near the water.”

  “Boys, we have chores to do, you best go on outside and get to it. I have to get supper started.” Mrs. Middleton told her boys. The boys got up and immediately obeyed their mother.

  Rosa was bored and offered to help with the cooking. She wasn’t used to just sitting around doing nothing. Cassandra chose to lie down for a bit before they ate. Hoping that Mr. Delaney would return soon with some kind of news.

  Early the next morning, Cassandra woke to the smell of breakfast cooking. Not really hungry from the huge meal the night before, she still hurried to dress and go down stairs. She wanted to be comfortable, the weather seemed warm this morning. She chose the brown dress she had bought in Denver to wear for the day.

  “Good morning everyone, I am so sorry I am late.” Cassandra sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of coffee.

  “Don’t worry dear, we haven’t eaten yet, the boys are collecting the eggs now. Sometimes we don’t realize how tired we get travelling.” Mrs. Middleton smiled as she sat the stack of pancakes on the table.

  Jefferson and Jacob came rushing through the again, only this time they had a wet, sloppy friend with them. Robber the family dog they somehow inherited on their way to Forest Heights, came running in and on landed on Cassandra’s lap.

  “Well, good morning, you sure are a greeting this morning.” Cassandra laughed as she pet the wet, muddy dog. “Looks like you have been out running somewhere.”

  Mrs. Middleton yelled at Jefferson to get the mangy mutt back outside.

  The room got quiet, everyone looked at Cassandra and Robber with amazement. The dog was sitting at Cassandra’s feet being good.

  “Ma, look, she is minding her manners,” Jacob said with a laugh.

  “Now how did you get her to sit down and be good?” Mrs. Middleton asked her.

  “Cassandra has always had a way with animals.” Rosa spoke up.

  “I wouldn’t mind having her in the house. If you could teach her some manners, I will let the boys keep her inside. Gets kind of scary sometimes. She would be a good watch dog.” Mrs. Middleton finished putting the food on the table. She had already explained that her husband was killed 6 months back and she was left to raise the boys
alone.

  After breakfast, Cassandra had to change into another dress, the dress she had on was smothered in mud. Cassandra didn’t mind the wet muddy mess. It was the fact that now she would have to wear one of the dresses from back east. She didn’t want to wear one, seemed out of place and she would feel overdressed. She had no choice, she had only purchased two dresses at the mercantile in Denver and now both were dirty.

  She looked in the mirror, the blue dress she chose was the one of the less frilly ones. She felt over dressed for these parts of the country. She would just have to drag Rosa down to the little store here and see if they had any dresses.

  Cassandra stood at the rack of dresses in the store. They only had one dress that would fit her. Just a hand spun brown with nothing on it. Oh well, this will have to due until the others are cleaned. Cassandra thought to herself.

  They finished their shopping and was standing at the counter paying for their purchases when the bell on the door rang. Cassandra took her change from the older lady behind the counter turned around. She faced a young man who was staring at her.

  The young man wasn’t much older than her. At least she didn’t think he looked older. He just stared at her like he wanted to say something.

  Cassandra and Rosa said hello and passed by the young man. She could feel his stare upon her as they walked away. There was a man standing behind him who Cassandra just noticed.

  When he turned around their eyes met. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She knew it wasn’t lady like to stare, but she couldn’t seem to turn away. He had dark brown hair and facial features that were beautiful. He must spend a lot of time in the sun she thought. His brown skin enhanced his good looks.