After her pappa and stepbrothers left to join the War of Secession, her sisters-in-law had made it quite clear they saw her and Astrid as a burden on their limited resources. They encouraged her to get married and take Astrid with her. They even brought her mail-order bride ads in the newspaper and suggested she accept an offer.

She’d come west so she wouldn’t need to encumber anyone. And she didn’t want to burden a new friend on her first day in town. But it seemed no matter where Greta went or what she tried to do, she ended up being an unwanted responsibility to those around her.

With heavy steps, she started back toward Simpkin’s General Store, where Astrid had been playing checkers. The moment Astrid had walked into the establishment and noticed the board set up on top of a barrel, she’d challenged the store owner to a game.

When Greta had checked on Astrid a short while ago in between job hunting, the two had been on their fourth game, with Astrid having won each round. The store owner’s placating smile had long since vanished, replaced by a brow furrowed with determination. Greta should have warned the man, but she hadn’t wanted to ruin Astrid’s fun, especially because the game was keeping the girl occupied.

The traffic on the street had steadily increased, and as Greta retraced her steps to the store, she could feel the stares of the men coming and going from the hotels and taverns. She garnered a whistle or two along with a few calls. But she chose to ignore such vulgar behavior, hoping the men would eventually choose to ignore her too.

She supposed the only thing to be done for the night was to take up Mr. Steele’s offer and stay with him. She had no other option, unless she and Astrid camped out under the stars. Of course, Astrid would love every minute of camping.

But Greta had heard too many stories during their journey—and some even before leaving—that had opened her eyes to the perils of the West. She’d clung to the hope that the danger, risks, and hardships they encountered would be worth it if the Colorado climate helped to heal Astrid’s consumption.

She’d first heard about the clean mountain air being medicine for the lungs from a physician who’d passed through her small Illinois farming town. After that, she’d done more investigating and learned the West was considered an Eden, that the open air was life-giving, and that it could cure those with the white death.