With sunlight dappling the windowpane beside her, Josie leaned back against the upholstered seat of the first-class train car and stared unseeingly straight ahead. One finger absently stroked the frayed cuff of her sleeve—she’d changed this morning back into her reliable gingham gown—but she was unaware of the gesture. Beside her was her valise, and within it, still, were her treasures, along with the scrap of letter that was more precious to her than gold. But everything else was different. Her life, her future... so different than it had been yesterday this time. Yesterday her only thought had been to scrabble together enough money to purchase a second-class train ticket east, and eventually to try to raise enough for passage to England. And to try to stay two steps ahead of Snake while she did it. Today... Today she was married to a stranger, traveling in a luxurious first-class railroad car to New York and then on to England. She shook her head a little, dazed by how quickly her circumstances had changed and how, last night, after that unorthodox marriage ceremony, the efficient little Mr.
