You are Mine

One

**Readers, if you've read my stories before, you know how I enjoy your help. Please, if you see any errors, don't be afraid to point them out to me. Thanks!

1868

For the first time in Jessica Simone's life, she was... free!

The rattle of the train, and the whistle blowing as her transportation slowly pulled into the station, didn't bother her at all. In fact, the noise made her more anxious for the train to stop so that she could begin her new life. In another hour or so, she'd enter the largest hospital in Bennington, Vermont, and start her position as a nurse.

Pride had Jessica puffing her chest and grinning. She'd been attending the Harrow School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, and with her certificate in hand, she was ready to show everyone that she was ready to fulfill her lifelong dream. She especially, wanted her father to see her succeed.

The enthusiasm inside of her waned slightly. She was the second daughter in a family of six children. Her father owned a lumber mill, and they were considered one of the more prominent families in Virginia. Because her father could buy his way in life, he tried to convince Nurse Clara Burton to send Jessica back home to work in one of the hospitals in Jessica's hometown. Thankfully, Clara couldn't be bought, and along with Jessica's plea, the nurse sent her to Vermont.

Jessica couldn't rely on her father any longer. His idea of a daughter who obeys was one who did what he wanted, which was marry a wealthy man in the community. Thankfully, her mother had encouraged her to use the knowledge Jessica had learned from her mother's family about healing people, which was why Jessica went to school. However, she would never convince her father that she'd made the right decision.

The train jerked to a stop, and she sprang from her seat, determined. True, she was an unmarried woman about to embark on something that most young women only dreamed about, but Jessica had confidence everything would work out.

Keeping her hand tightly clutching her satchel, she exited the train. The platform was busy with people leaving, and as she made her way to collect her trunk, several people bumped into her. After apologizing to the first ten strangers without hearing anything in reply, she held her tongue. There was no use wasting her breath on impolite people that only thought of themselves.

A man wearing dirty, and very baggy, clothes headed her way. She knew nobody from the hospital would meet her at the station, so she didn't know why the stranger peered her way with a narrowed gaze. His bushy beard and long hair hid most of his facial features, and of course, his baggy clothes made it impossible to see what he truly looked like.

Just as he neared, she sidestepped him, not wanting to converse with this pathetic man. But, as he passed, he grasped her satchel and tried to yank it from her. She stumbled, almost losing her grip. She didn't think he'd have that much strength, so she fought back. The man, however, wasn't about to let go.

Gasping, she glanced around to see if anyone else was noticing that he was trying to steal from her, but just as before, everyone was busy in their own thoughts to care about anyone else, least of all, a woman who was getting robbed.

Well, she wasn't about to let him win. She'd been raised with four brothers, and this man would be sorry for crossing her.

Using all of her strength, she aimed her foot perfectly, connecting her booted heel to the middle of one of his shins. She knew right where to kick a person to make them crumble. It worked. He lost his footing and tripped. Unfortunately, his hold hasn't loosened on her satchel as she'd wanted. He would learn quickly that she didn't admit defeat very well.