An Improper Derailment Chapter Thirty Five

Where Marshall goes shopping…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catch up with chapter 34…

Start the adventure from the beginning.

Mary crossed her arms and twisted in the dirt giving Marshall her back
with one more loud, “Fine to I can handle this on my own.”

Marshall and the captain entered the very small main street where there was a tavern, what appeared to be a dry goods store.

He cast his gaze up and down the street, looking up and saw a small church at the end of the street.

He ran his hand through his hair. “Well, I dare say Mary is correct. I don’t know how to go about buying women’s clothing.”

“I’m no assistance, young man,” Captain Forsyth blustered. “I’m going to go into that tavern and see what kind of provisions I can find. I don’t see a bakery in this town. Do you think I can find some bread to the tavern?”

“I bet you could find yourself some food there. They might be able to set you up.”

Marshall watched several young women walk into the dry goods store as he spoke. He witnessed several other young women walk out of the store carrying packages. They saw him and giggled before scurrying away.

“I think I’ll start.” He tipped his head toward the shop.

Wit a hurumph, the captain headed toward the tavern.

Marshall dusted off the front of his shirt, it didn’t help the cleanliness, before he crossed the dusty road and pushed through the front door.

“How can I help you today, sir?” asked the clerk. His white front shirt was tucked into a clean apron, and he wore a stiff colar.

“Howdy,” Marshall said in response. “Where could I get a woman’s skirt?”

Hours later, Marshall sat in the cozy living room of the small rectory next to the small church. In his hands he balanced a fine boone chine tea cup.

“…and you just left your wife there?” the Rector’s wife asked as she cast her gaze over his shoulder and outside.

“Yes, ma’am. My wife would die of mortification is anyone from polite society saw the damage those saurans did to her clothing. I can’t thank you enough for having for having one of your skirts fixed up for her.”

“It’s not as if we have a fashionable dressmaker in this town, let alone one who sells ready to wear clothing. You’re really traveling in that construction we saw floating?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s an airship and the captain is an old old family friend of my wife’s. She has been without a proper skirt for days. Well, it’s not as if she is completely immodest, ma’am,he legs are properly covered. But she is used to being a proper lady from Chicago. Her grandfather lives in San Francisco, so the fact that she had to throw her prettiest travel frock over board… I don’t know if she’ll ever recover.”

“I should come and pay her visit,” the pastor’s wife said.

“Oh no, ma’am. I think my poor Mary might expire embarrassment. I’ve had to come out here to get a skirt for her. She’s the kind of woman who would be afraid to let her face be seen in this town if anybody knew of her circumstances.”

 

And what has Mary been up to while Marshall is sipping tea? Tune in next time…

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