A Veiled Reflection Read online

  a Veiled Reflection

  A Veiled Reflection

  Copyright © 2000

  Tracie Peterson

  Cover photo: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing

  Company Collection.

  Cover design by Melinda Schumacher

  Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN 978-0-7642-0050-2 (2005 edition)

  * * *

  Library of Congress has catalogued the original edition as follows:

  Peterson, Tracie.

  A veiled reflection / Tracie Peterson.

  p. cm.—(Westward chronicles ; 3)

  ISBN 0-7642-2114-0

  1. Fred Harvey (Firm)—History—Fiction. I. Title.

  PS3566.E7717 V45 2000

  813′.54—dc21 99–006884

  CIP

  * * *

  With thanks to my editors at Bethany House,

  Sarah Long and Barb Lilland,

  who have helped to see me through

  some rough spots in the road.

  May God richly bless you.

  Books by Tracie Peterson

  www.traciepeterson.com

  A Slender Thread • What She Left for Me

  Where My Heart Belongs

  SONG OF ALASKA

  Dawn’s Prelude

  ALASKAN QUEST

  Summer of the Midnight Sun

  Under the Northern Lights • Whispers of Winter

  Alaskan Quest (3 in 1)

  BRIDES OF GALLATIN COUNTY

  A Promise to Believe In • A Love to Last Forever

  A Dream to Call My Own

  THE BROADMOOR LEGACY*

  A Daughter’s Inheritance • An Unexpected Love

  A Surrendered Heart

  BELLS OF LOWELL*

  Daughter of the Loom • A Fragile Design • These Tangled Threads

  Bells of Lowell (3 in 1)

  LIGHTS OF LOWELL*

  A Tapestry of Hope • A Love Woven True • The Pattern of Her Heart

  DESERT ROSES

  Shadows of the Canyon • Across the Years • Beneath a Harvest Sky

  HEIRS OF MONTANA

  Land of My Heart • The Coming Storm

  To Dream Anew • The Hope Within

  LADIES OF LIBERTY

  A Lady of High Regard • A Lady of Hidden Intent

  A Lady of Secret Devotion

  RIBBONS OF STEEL**

  Distant Dreams • A Hope Beyond

  WESTWARD CHRONICLES

  A Shelter of Hope • Hidden in a Whisper • A Veiled Reflection

  YUKON QUEST

  Treasures of the North • Ashes and Ice • Rivers of Gold

  *with Judith Miller **with Judith Pella

  TRACIE PETERSON is a popular speaker and bestselling author who has written more than seventy books, both historical and contemporary fiction. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

  A Word from the Author

  PINTAN, ARIZONA, is a fictional town; however, there were many Harvey House locations along the Santa Fe line throughout Arizona. Today, La Posada, a Harvey hotel resort in Winslow, Arizona, remains a tourist attraction, giving visitors a flavor of Mr. Harvey’s standards of gracious living.

  Many people see Fred Harvey as having been the father of “fastfood service.” His desire to provide affordable quality meals along the Santa Fe line did much to settle the southwest. His growing interest in native-made crafts and goods also brought widespread awareness of the cultures and traditions of the various Native American tribes on the Santa Fe rail line.

  The “Harvey way” became a well-known phrase and stood for the integrity and quality of service that Fred Harvey had known would keep customers coming back for more. It is quoted that upon his deathbed, Fred Harvey’s dying words to his sons were “Don’t cut the ham too thin, boys.”

  I want to thank a couple of people for their helpfulness during this series. First of all, thanks to Brenda Thowe, who heads up the modern-day Harvey Girl organization for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Thanks also to Janice Griffith with the Winslow Historical Society, for providing much detail and information on Arizona, as well as historical research related to the Winslow Harvey House.

  Contents

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  ONE

  Kansas City, March 1895

  “YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THIS for me, Jillian.”

  Jillian eyed her twin sister with suspicious curiosity. “Oh, really? I just have to?”

  The exasperated blonde plopped down on the bed to plead her case. Jillian steadied herself for anything—from an onslaught of tears to a beautifully illustrated story of intrigue and romance. Judith was a master with detailed expression. Some people painted on canvases, but Judith created entire landscapes with words.

  “I’m in love, Jillian.”

  Jillian smiled at her sister tolerantly, gazing sympathetically into blue eyes identical to her own. “I understand that part.” Her sister had long ago attached her affections to a shopkeeper’s son named Martin Schein, much to their parents’ dismay. “What I don’t understand is why I need to pose as you and go west to the Arizona Territory.”

  “It’s that silly job with the Harvey Company,” Judith explained, her eyes pleading with Jillian to understand. “Mr. Harvey made me sign a contract to work for his restaurant for one year. My year won’t be up until June.”

  “So wait until June to be married.”

  “I can’t wait until June,” Judith wailed, a hint of desperation in her tone. “I love Martin and I want to marry him now. We have a wonderful future planned.”

  “So send a letter of regret to your Mr. Harvey and explain the situation.”

  “I can’t do that either. One of the stipulations I agreed to was not to marry before my contract was up. If I do, I have to forfeit part of my wages.”

  “So forfeit them,” Jillian flippantly replied.

  “I can’t afford to forfeit anything,” Judith admitted softly. “I gave all my savings to Martin so he could invest in a business. You know Father and Mother will never understand my running off with Martin. Mother has it in her mind that I should marry her aunt Gertrude’s second cousin, who just happens to be a duke in line for some minor principality in only God knows where.”

  Jillian nodded. Her mother had a way of meddling in her daughters’ lives.

  Judith continued. “We’ll be completely on our own once we’re together. Father will certainly never offer a
ny financial support.”

  “No, I don’t suppose he will,” Jillian replied thoughtfully. She tried to imagine herself going west in her sister’s place. A part of her longed to break from her confined environment, but another part was equally terrified. At least here in her confinement she knew safety, even luxury. Out there in the West—well, who knew what dangers might await?

  “You really are asking a great deal, Judith. You know that, don’t you?” Yet Jillian knew what her sister asked of her was really no different than any other time. Judith always expected the impossible from Jillian, and this was no exception.

  “Please, Jillian, I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t so important. Besides, you’ll have the time of your life. Think about the adventure. You were just telling me yesterday how much you longed for a bit of change.”

  “This is considerably more than a bit,” Jillian replied. But even as she answered, her heart began to soften to the idea. Her fears of the unknown were nothing compared to her love for Judith.

  Jillian studied her twin for a moment and sighed. There wasn’t much she wouldn’t do for Judith. She adored her sister and admired her free spirit and adventurous approach to life. Jillian had always longed to be more spontaneous—more willing to take chances and risks—but apparently Judith had received all the ability in those areas. Jillian faithfully remained the tame and quiet one.

  “So will you do it? Please!” Judith begged.

  “But, Judith,” Jillian tried to reason, “I know nothing about Mr. Harvey’s system. You’ve written me enough letters to make me realize how intricate and focused on detail your job as a Harvey Girl can be. How can I hope to understand my duties—much less pull off a believable impersonation of you—when I haven’t a clue what will be expected of me?”

  “I can teach you,” Judith said, getting very excited as she sensed Jillian’s defense slip. “I know I can. There’s really nothing to it once you know the routine.”

  “But you’re expected back there in four days. Your train leaves tomorrow. How can I possibly learn everything that quickly?”

  “It’ll work out,” Judith replied, coming to where Jillian stood. She reached out to take hold of Jillian’s hands and smiled. “I know you can handle this,” she encouraged. “You’ve always been able to deal with the unexpected. Look at how well you handled Grandma coming to live with us, and now her death and funeral.”

  Jillian shuddered involuntarily. Death was not a subject she cared to discuss. Even the mere mention of it caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand taut. “I didn’t handle much of anything connected to Grandmother’s funeral.” She looked away and tried to steady her nerves. It was silly to get so upset simply thinking about such matters. But in truth, Jillian found this to be her Achilles’ heel.

  Judith patted her hand. “Forgive me. I forgot how hard these things are on you. I didn’t mean to cause you grief.”

  Jillian shook her head. “I don’t know why it’s so hard to face up to. I was such a ninny when Grandma took sick. I guess I just kept thinking of all her superstitions about sick and dying people. ‘Don’t look them in the eye or you’ll be next. Don’t kiss a dying person on the mouth or they’ll try to steal your soul.’ I mean, I know it’s all ridiculous, but that old woman had me tossing and turning with nightmares for the past five years! Every time someone opened an umbrella or broke something a certain way, we were all cursed and needed to look for death on the horizon.”

  Judith nodded. “Why do you think I fled to work for Mr. Harvey? I figured at twenty-two, I deserved to put my sights on life, not death. Now a year later, I decided I might as well try married life.”

  “You make it sound as if you’re trying on a new outfit. Marriage is a lifetime commitment,” Jillian told her sister quite seriously.

  “Silly goose, of course it is. I wouldn’t think of it any other way. It’s just that some women go into marriage acting as though their life is over. I plan for it to be just the start of yet another adventure.”

  Jillian shook her head. “I wish I could be like you.” She honestly meant every word. Just thinking about Judith’s proposition caused her heart to beat a little faster. Could she really do it—just go and start a new life?

  “Here’s your chance,” Judith replied, squeezing her sister’s hand. “Go take my place in Arizona. It’s just until June—barely three months. And you can keep the money you earn. Not that you’ll have much need for it. Mr. Harvey houses and feeds you and even has your laundry done for you. It’s a pampered life on some counts.”

  Jillian raised a brow and looked at her mirrored image. “Since when is working ten to twelve hours a day serving food and cleaning up afterward a pampered life?” Hard work had never frightened her, but in all honesty, she’d never really been called upon to do such a task. Until now.

  Judith laughed. “It has its moments. Haven’t I made that clear in my letters? I mean, look at me now. I came home on a railroad pass for Grandmother’s funeral. I didn’t have to pay a cent. They gave me two weeks’ leave for the funeral, and they will even provide meals on the trip back to Arizona. Please, Jillian.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I love him so much.”

  “I just don’t see why you can’t wait,” Jillian said, carefully studying her sister’s flushed features. “There’s something more, isn’t there?”

  Judith turned crimson at this. “You always know, don’t you?”

  “I can sense something’s going on. I just don’t know what.”

  Judith looked away. “I . . . let things get out of hand with Martin.” Jillian immediately understood her sister’s meaning. “Oh, Judith.”

  Her twin held up a hand. “Please don’t lecture me. I know it was wrong. But the moon was bright and the air crisp and cold, and . . . well, he was so dashing in his brown wool, and when he took me to show me the place he’s been living . . .” Judith hesitated, her expression forlorn. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

  “So now you may well carry his child, and by June your actions would be evident.”

  Judith nodded slowly. “There’s no way to know for sure—not this soon—but it is a possibility.” She looked genuinely remorseful. “It wasn’t the way I planned it. It just happened. Please, Jillian—do this for me. I know I’ve been foolish, but I do love Martin and there isn’t any sense in putting off our marriage. Not now.”

  Jillian sighed, knowing that she would do whatever Judith asked of her, no matter the cost to herself. But then again, the cost didn’t seem that bad. Arizona did sound like an adventure, and who knew what might await her there. She smiled at the thought of actually taking a chance at something. “Mother and Father will positively rupture an organ,” she said conspiratorially.

  Judith grinned. “Oh, thank you! I just know you’ll love it in Arizona. It’s so warm and dry, and the scenery is so very different from Missouri.”

  “I hardly imagine I’ll have time for sight-seeing. You’d better start filling me in on what I have to do.”

  “Well, if you were paying attention to my letters, you pretty much know the rules.”

  Jillian nodded. “No fraternizing with other Harvey employees. If I wish to date, I must have my housemother’s permission. Change my clothes if they get dirty. Curfew is at ten.” She glanced upward, as if to find the rules written on the ceiling of her bedroom. “Service with a smile, right?” She looked back at Judith, who was staring at her with the most overwhelming look of love and adoration.

  “This means the world to me, Jillian. I can’t thank you enough.” Judith’s voice was husky, and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I honestly didn’t mean for things to happen this way. I know what I did was wrong, but I know this is the only way to make it right. I promise I’ll never ask another thing of you so long as we both live. But even so, please forgive me.”

  Jillian hugged her sister tightly. “You are forgiven as far as I’m concerned. You know very well that my love for you could never be disrupted by your antics.
At least I won’t have to endure Mother’s parade of suitors on a daily basis.”

  “Is she still tormenting you with that?”

  Jillian pulled away and nodded. “It’s as bad as ever. She’s located some distantly related baron who needs a wife. If he won’t do, then there’s a bevy of commoners that she’ll settle for in this country. You know how Mother is about being descended from Bavarian nobility; she won’t be happy until she sees us sitting on thrones or dancing with dukes. I simply haven’t written to tell you about it because I figured why bother? She wants her daughters married well and living as happily as she is.”

  “Given Father’s overbearing nature, I don’t see how she can be so happy. The man is positively impossible!” Judith declared. “He has berated me since I walked in the door. Chiding me for signing a contract without his approval. Admonishing me that I have done irreparable harm to the reputation of this family.”

  Jillian laughed. “If he only knew the half of it. Still, I can hardly see your joining up with the Harvey Company as a harm to our reputation. We’ve managed to maintain the second pew on the right-hand side in church. Mother and I are still invited to tea by the best families, and as far as I know, Father has made more money in his many investments over this last year than he ever made in the past. So if that’s harming us, by all means, Judith, harm away.”

  Judith giggled and looked toward the bedroom door suspiciously. She sobered instantly. “You don’t think we’ve been overheard, do you? If someone tells Mother or Father of our conversation, then our plans will be for naught.” She shook her head and dropped her gaze to her hands. “I should have been more like you, Jillian. I can’t imagine life without Martin, but I couldn’t bear to lose you over this. I thought going away to work would get Martin out of my heart, but if anything, it just planted him there more firmly. I want to spend my life loving this man and raising a family with him.” She looked up, and her expression broke through any final reservations Jillian harbored.