Extended Epilogue

Three Years Later

“Mama! Mama, watch me!”

Henry ran across the yard with his stick horse made of yarn and fabric, throwing an imaginary lasso over his head. His little feet traveled as fast as they could carry him, as though he imagined that he rode across the plains astride a real horse.

“Look at you, Henry,” Nina called from the porch, watching him with a soft smile. “Wait for your brother! He wants to play too.”

A younger child, just over two years old, scurried along behind Henry. Since he was a toddler, he wasn’t as sure-footed as his older brother, but he made up for it with pure determination. He a familiar sparkle lit his eyes as he tried to keep up with his older brother. Nina saw it in her own reflection sometimes.

“Mama, do I have to? He’s slow.” Henry protested as he circled back with his stick horse so that he could fall into step with the younger child.

“Matthew, tell your brother ‘thank you’ for waiting,” Nina called.

“Tank you,” Matthew said, not quite getting word out right, reaching up for Henry’s hand.

Nina watched him erupt into giggles as they skipped together across the yard, Henry slowing his pace just enough so that he wouldn’t make his younger brother topple face first into the dirt.

“Come on,” Henry urged Matthew as he pretended to be a cowboy or a ranch hand, Nina wasn’t sure which. “These horses need to be trained by Friday.”

Nina stifled her laughter when she realized that Henry emulated his father. It was something he started doing recently. At night, when Sam would make note of his business expenses, Henry would pretend to write his in a book of his own. The child was always observant and filled with wonder. She knew Sam’s heart would swell when she told him about it later.

It was almost amusing to think about how Sam had initially been terrified at the thought of raising Henry. He called for a governess because he didn’t think he could manage it. They’d come a long way since then.

A family of four.

Nina didn’t think her life could feel more complete once she accepted Sam’s proposal. Shortly after they married, she found out she carried Sam’s child, and she discovered her heart had even more room for love.

Named for Sam’s father, Matthew Colt was the final piece of their family. Where Henry was blond with pale blue eyes, Matthew had Nina’s shock of brown hair and hazel eyes. The child really was an ode to the family they both lost to fire. Nina recalled how Hamish said she looked like her mother. Now, her looks would live on in Matthew as well.

Life felt sweet; the new ranch flourished, and Sam really did have horses to breed and train by certain deadlines because people came from near and far to do business with him. He became a bit of legend, fighting the Central Pacific Railroad and nearly winning.

Jack, Amos, and Jim came back to work as they promised. With a ranch in better condition than the old one, they were able to focus on new ventures instead of constantly maintaining old ones. It was the second year they were able to grow crops and a thriving garden. Now that Henry and Matthew were a little bigger, Nina could help tend the vegetables without worrying about them running off or getting into trouble. Henry even used the watering can to help; anything to please his father and emulate Sam at the same time. It made Nina’s heart sing as much as it made her laugh.

There was always something to do. Nina was just about to call the boys in so she could make lunch for everyone when she noticed someone walking down the path from the main road. She had to squint and put her hands over her eyes to attempt to make out who they were. When they got closer and she didn’t recognize the person’s face, Nina felt perplexed.

“We’re not expecting any visitors,” Nina said aloud.

The visitor was a woman dressed in a pale pink calico dress, her hair covered in a maroon-colored sunbonnet. As she approached, Nina saw that she held a scrap of paper in her hands. Nina watched her glance over at Henry and Matthew as she made her way toward the house. Nina furrowed her brow as she took in the visitor. Now that she lived in Carson City for three years, she knew many of the woman in town, but she still couldn’t place the one approaching her.

“Hello,” Nina finally called when she was close enough to be heard. When the woman waved in reply, Nina asked, “Can I help you with something, Miss?”

“Does Samuel Colt live here?” the woman asked when she reached the porch. “He once lived on a different farm, but the railroad cuts through it now.”

More perplexed than ever, Nina gazed at the woman. She really wasn’t much of a woman at all; she was so young, maybe eighteen years old at the most. Her blue eyes were as piercing as the blue sky above them and her hair a pale blonde that seemed familiar, though Nina struggled to place it.

“He does. Are you looking for a horse?” Nina asked. “I can go fetch him for you.” Nina thought it odd that if she was here on business, she traveled alone. Perhaps the horse was to be a gift for her father or husband.

The girl suddenly looked apprehensive and dropped her eyes to the ground. “I’m not here on business. I wanted to thank Mr. Colt, and I suppose you as well.” She bit her lip before she continued. “I wanted to thank you both for looking after my son.”

Suddenly, Nina realized where she recognized the shade of bright blonde hair. It was the same color as Henry’s.

Nina’s heart spasmed with worry. Had Henry’s mother finally come back to take him home?

“Let me get Mr. Colt,” Nina said at last, her eyes bouncing between the girl and Henry, who still played ranch hands with Matthew, totally unaware what was happening over on the porch.

Nina wanted to prepare her husband for their impromptu guest as quickly and graciously as possible.

***

A short while later, Sam was washed up from working outside, and sat on the porch in a rocking chair he brought out from the living room. Nina made lemonade and offered the girl a plate of biscuits and jam.

“I’m sorry I don’t have anything fancier prepared,” Nina apologized. “I do most of my baking on Saturdays for church.”

The girl shook her head. “Oh, it’s no problem. And please, I can tell from your faces that you are worried that I’m here to reclaim the boy. That is not my intention.”

Nina hadn’t realized the tension tightening her chest until she finally let out the large exhale she held in. Her whole body slumped with relief and when she looked over at Sam, she saw him visibly relax in his chair as well.

“Oh, I’m so happy to hear that,” Nina said, placing a hand over her heart. “We’ve raised him as our own this whole time. It would be so hard to let him go.”

“Honestly,” Sam added, “you leaving him with me is what joined us all together. We should be the ones thanking you.”

The young woman smiled. “I haven’t come through this way in a while. I just wanted to make sure he was all right. When I went to your old property, I was shocked to see that the house was gone.”

Nina shared a glance with Sam. They didn’t often talk about the night they almost lost Henry. That night she had been so close to dying as well, but just like Henry being left on Sam’s doorstep, they wouldn’t be where they were today if Donald Henderson’s greed hadn’t escalated to uncontrollable levels.

“It was a shock for us as well,” Nina finally answered. “But we are all stronger for it.”

The woman seemed satisfied with that answer. “What did you end up naming him? I’ll be honest, I was so unprepared for motherhood, I didn’t give him one.”

“We named him Henry, after my father,” Nina replied. “Each of our boys are named after someone we lost when we were young.”

“What a lovely tribute,” she replied. “What is Henry like?”

“He’s inquisitive,” Sam answered this time. “Strong willed and energetic.”

“His father is his world,” Nina added, thinking of how just a bit earlier he pretended to be a ranch hand training horses for a client.

The lull in the conversation caused the trio of adults to stop and watch the young boys playing together for a moment. Henry abandoned his stick pony and instead tried to lasso the closet rock while Matthew looked on with interest.

“I’m going to get that bronco back where he belongs,” Henry announced before he asked Matthew, “You going to help me a saddle him up?”

“My, he has quite the imagination,” the woman observed. “I’m so glad to see him thriving.”

“If I might ask, what happened to make you not ready to be a mother?” Nina asked as she refilled everyone’s glasses with lemonade. Nina felt ready for children the minute Nathaniel stated his intentions all those years ago, before she knew about his secret affair with Jane. Perhaps it was her own sad upbringing, but she wanted nothing more than a family to shower with love and affection.

“I was fifteen when I found out I was expecting him,” the young woman confessed. “A sweetheart of mine at the time and I got into a bit of trouble. His father was the sheriff in town, and it was going to look bad if he had a grandchild born out of wedlock. I worried what my parents would think so too, so I ran away.”

Nina’s heart broke at the thought of feeling so alone that running away to have the baby seemed to be the best option. She looked at the young woman sympathetically as she continued with her tale.

“I can sew quite well, so I was able to find work in various towns. I covered my stomach with aprons and larger dresses. I told everyone I had a sick relative and that was why I was working instead of going to school. Eventually, I had to stay holed up at a boarding house because I showed too much. As soon as I gave birth, I knew I had to keep moving. No one could find out how young I was, or that I wasn’t married. I was in Carson City when I heard people talking about a man that didn’t speak on a ranch off the beaten track.” She looked up at Sam with apologetic eyes. “I figured you wouldn’t be able to snitch on me if you caught me. I’m so sorry.”

Sam nodded as if he understood. “I wouldn’t be able to speak today if you hadn’t brought Henry into my life. I hired Nina to care for him. I fell in love with them both. It gave me something to live for.”

The young woman looked so moved that bright tears brimmed in her eyes. “My child is the reason you fell in love? I’m so happy.”

“What are your plans now?” Nina asked. “I feel terrible, we don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Florence,” the young lady answered. “I’m so glad that I finally get to meet you both. As for my plans. I want to go as far west as I can. I’ve heard there are growing communities out in California. Maybe someone needs a seamstress there.”

“Does your family know you’re okay?” As Nina asked the question, she knew that she herself was overdue to write back to Jane in San Antonio. It was simply too easy to get swept in the day to day of taking care of the farm and raising a family.

Florence nodded. “Yes, shortly after I left Henry with you, Mr. Colt, I wrote to them and came clean about what I did. They told me that I could always come home, that we could make up an excuse for why I had been away, but I think I’ve grown accustomed to wandering.”

Nina knew all too well that sometimes it was easier to move on. It made her reflect on where she was today. Perhaps there was an even bigger and brighter future for Florence in California. She and Sam would happily continue to raise Henry as their own child as she discovered what awaited her.

“Would you like to stay the night?” Sam offered. “I could take you into town first thing in the morning.”

Once more Florence looked grateful, but she politely shook her head. “Oh, you are far too kind. It’s quite all right, I plan on taking the last train out of Carson City tonight.” She smiled brightly. “Checking up on the child—Henry—was the last thing I wanted to do before I headed on. My things are still at the boarding house.”

“At least let one of my ranch hands give you a ride back into town to save you some time,” Sam offered.

“That won’t be necessary,” Florence assured. “That’s the great thing about the Central Pacific Railroad. The trains run nearly at all hours now that it’s completed. What a time to be alive with all these wonderful advancements.”

Sam and Nina locked eyes across the porch. The Central Pacific seemed like such a curse when they first met, like something evil looming to breathe down Sam’s neck. Yet Florence had a point. Now that the railroad was complete, more and more people moved west, bringing more people to do business in Carson City. And, as a result, their farm thrived. It seemed like it was less of a burden and more of a blessing every day.

Sam gave Nina a little smirk before he got up and offered Florence his hand to shake.

“Well Florence, I will be indebted to you for the rest of my life. You gave me Henry and Nina; you gave me my family. Thank you.”

Florence shook his hand firmly before she refastened her bonnet over her hair. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Colt, for taking care of my son. May he have a good life.”

Sam and Nina stood on the porch, arms across each other’s backs as they watched Florence walk through the yard and in the direction of the road at the end of the property. Henry and Matthew ran over to see where she was going; they hadn’t gotten to say hello yet.

“Leaving already?” Henry asked. “We didn’t even get to show you our rooms inside the house.”

Florence stopped, stooping down to be on Henry’s level. “That’s okay.” She smiled at the child warmly. “You be good to your mother and father, okay?”

Henry nodded before he nudged Matthew with his shoe, like he was instructing him to do the same. “We will. Don’t worry.”

“Good,” Florence rose and mussed Henry’s blond hair. “Goodbye.”

Florence continued on her way and the Colt family watched her until she reached the road and eventually turned out of sight, never to be seen again.

“Mama, who was that?” Henry asked still watching the road where she had been.

“Someone very special,” Nina replied as she reflected on her fate.

It would seem when a person was at their darkest moment, the light was just around the corner, waiting to be found.

Nina had never felt so lucky or thankful that she went for walk in the woods on that fateful day.