She felt certain Norman’s brother gave her a disapproving look for wearing a white dress, but no one else took note of her appearance. Like Victoria, she’d worn a dark veil and hat, but Victoria had done so to hide her puffy cheeks and splotchy complexion.
Agnes did it to protect her skin from the sun.A man in naval uniform approached. “Are you Mrs. Balmoral? Please come with me.” They followed him to the upper track level where, she could see, six uniformed men awaited the train. Agnes shook their hands and thanked them for granting her special request that the Pennsylvania Guard serve as Norman’s pallbearers.
Norman’s train crawled into the station at eleven o’clock on the dot. Agnes could hear her heart beating to the rhythm of the final approach. Passengers disembarked by routine from each car, going about their business without noticing the officers and mourners in black – or the new widow in white.
It seemed an eternity before the last passengers left the station. The lead officer called the others to attention and they marched to the caboose. Five minutes later, with three officers on either side, they emerged with Norman’s dark wood coffin on their shoulders. It was draped with the American flag.
No comments:
Post a Comment