Laura Abbot

by Into the Wilderness

They had reached the front hall. “What happens now?”

  “You do whatever thinking you need to do to come up with an answer.”

  “How will I get in touch with you?” There was a frantic edge to her voice.

  He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. “This is a letter for you from my sister, Sophie. You will find our address enclosed.” Just as he handed it to her, he sensed another presence. Looking up the stairs, he saw Lavinia Dupree standing on the landing.

  “Who is this gentleman, Lily?” She began her descent. “I hope you have not been entertaining him without my permission.”

  Caleb bit his tongue and bowed slightly. “We met on the wharf, Mrs. Dupree. I am Caleb Montgomery, retired captain of the United States Army.”

  “I remember now. You escorted Lily on her trip to St. Louis.” She looked from Caleb to Lily. “But what on earth are you doing here now, young man?”

  “I have come in the expectation that Lily might agree to become my wife.”

  If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Caleb would have laughed aloud at the way Lavinia drew back in horror, her bosom heaving. “Lily!” was all she could manage.

  “The captain was just taking his leave, Aunt Lavinia. You and I will talk later. Right now, I am walking him out to his cab.” Without a backward glance, Lily sailed defiantly out the door.

  At the cab, he held her once more, shielding her from the cold. “Please, Lily, give us a chance.” He uttered a silent prayer, then said, “I asked you this question months ago, and I ask it now for the final time, because after today, you will see me again only if it is your choice. Here is that question.” He stepped back to plumb the depths of her eyes. “Can you say in all honesty that you don’t love me?”

  She drew a gentle hand across his cheek. “Dear Caleb. It is a valid question. And you will have an answer.”

  He hoisted himself into the cab. Unable to say goodbye, he simply said, “Until we meet again.”

  * * *

  Clutching Sophie’s letter, Lily dashed by her aunt with a curt “Not now,” and headed for the privacy of her bedroom. In the past hour she had run the emotional gamut from surprise to delight to confusion and loss. It was hard even now to believe Caleb had actually been here, that he had made a difficult journey simply to see her, that he had persevered in his proposal and then left as unexpectedly as he had arrived. His appearance seemed incongruous, his simple clothes and unaffected air at odds with the grandeur of the place. Oddly, he had seemed more at home, more comfortable than the preening Lionel ever had. Caleb displayed a confidence that went far beyond others’ opinions of him.

  Why hadn’t she let him sweep her off her feet, rescue her once again? It would’ve been so easy to tell him she loved him, to say “yes,” but she had decided long ago that she would never promise herself to a man, to Caleb, unless she could do so without reservations. He deserved that. If she were to join him in the Flint Hills, she would have to embrace his world rather than criticize it. Both the wilderness of Fort Larned and the alien wilderness of St. Louis society had been difficult. Was she brave enough to face yet another on the prairies of Kansas?

  She also had Aunt Lavinia and Uncle Henry to consider. They had been more than generous to her and, indeed, had fulfilled all her dreams of city life. If she accepted Caleb’s proposal, would that be a slap in the face to them? Their world was far different from anything she had experienced before, and she didn’t want to hurt them, but the fact was, this was not her world.

  Then there was Caleb. So steadfast, so true. She could never doubt his love. He had demonstrated it again and again. Yet in his final words to her, she recognized he was losing patience. She would not have another chance. Sitting by the window, she picked up Sophie’s letter. Caleb had always told her she would like Sophie, and as she read her words, Lily knew he had been right.

  Dear Lily,

  I know this is an irregular way to introduce myself, but I want to offer you some food for thought. It is not my intention to meddle in your business, though perhaps I am. My brother is very dear to me, and when he suffers, I suffer. And he is suffering. From love of you. I don’t suppose I need to catalog for you his fine qualities, though I will mention one. Devotion. If you should accept his proposal, you would never have cause for distrust. He will cherish you beyond measure.

  As for Pa, Seth and me, we would welcome you warmly and embrace you as sister and daughter. Personally, I long for the kind of friendship we two women might enjoy on the prairie.

  Yet Caleb has told me about your reservations. Leaving all that is familiar for a strange place which, like Fort Larned, is subject to the extremes of weather and climate might prove difficult. That we cannot change. But I can assure you that we will do our utmost to make you comfortable. And think of the garden you and I could create! Oh, and I promise to take care of any menacing snakes.

  Lily stopped reading, picturing in her mind Caleb’s family and his irrepressible sister. Already Lily felt a bond of sympathy with this plucky young woman who seemed to make the best of life and cared so deeply. Sophie’s next words bowled her over.

  Here is my proposal. Seeing is believing, they say. Why don’t you come try us out? Caleb will send money for you to take the train to Kansas City where I will meet you and accompany you on to Cottonwood Falls and the ranch. Spend time with us, with the Flint Hills and, above all, with my darling brother. Then make your decision. Because I warn you—unless you want to experience the wrath of Sophie, don’t marry my brother unless you love him unconditionally. Here’s what I think: How could you not?

  With high hopes,

  Sophie

  The generosity and enormity of Sophie’s offer stunned Lily. Yet it made perfect sense. She didn’t have to commit to the unknown. She would have the chance to experience the Flint Hills wilderness. And the lure of Caleb was intense. When he had driven off in the cab, a wave of loneliness had engulfed her.

  She reread the letter, smiling at the exuberant, no-nonsense tone. Lily knew she would treasure Sophie’s friendship, particularly after the affectations of the young ladies she had met in St. Louis. She sat a bit longer pondering the events of the day and praying for guidance. Then, knowing she could delay no further, she made her way to her aunt’s room.

  Lavinia sat at her dressing table, trying on and then discarding jewelry. Holding two necklaces, she turned to Lily. “Which do you think? The topaz or the amethyst?”

  “They’re both exquisite.”

  “The amethyst, I think.” Lavinia fastened the gem around her neck and then said with asperity, “What exactly was that about this afternoon?”

  Lily sat down on a nearby slipper sofa, clasping her icy hands in her lap. “You heard him. Caleb Montgomery has asked me to marry him.”

  “What kind of prospects does he have, pray tell?”

  “He owns a ranch in Kansas, along with his father and brother.”

  “A ranch!” Lavinia couldn’t have sounded more shocked if Lily had told her Caleb was a pirate. “Lily, dear, that will never do.”

  “Perhaps it will.”

  “Are you out of your mind, child?”

  “I love him, Aunt Lavinia. He’s been the only one ever since I met him. I admit that, like you, I am hesitant about what life on a ranch would be like, but his family has kindly invited me to visit so that I can make my own determination.”

  “It’s out of the question.” Lavinia’s jowls quivered.

  “His sister will accompany me on the journey from Kansas City, and Caleb is paying for my travel.”

  “This is crazy talk. I forbid you to go.”

  “I am of age, Aunt Lavinia, and not a captive here. I am going.”

  Lavinia threw up her hands. “You’re just like your mother.”

  “Whatever do you mean?”

  “No matter how I tried, there was no talking her out of marrying Ezra, nor dissuading her from traipsing about the country with him. She would have followed that man in
to the jaws of hell.”

  “That’s the kind of love I hope to find. Why is following my heart wrong when it feels so right?”

  “There is much more to what you call love, my dear, than feelings.”

  “What, for instance?”

  “Knowing your situation is secure. Never wanting for fine things. Moving among the best people.”

  “Forgive me, but that sounds more like a business relationship than a marriage.”

  Lily noticed her aunt’s fingers trembling. “You are so naive,” she rasped. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Your parents were the exception to the rule.”

  “Rule?”

  “That few marriages are made in heaven.” Lavinia lowered her head, pleating and repleating the folds of her skirt.

  Lily waited, not knowing what to say but sensing a kind of cataclysm within her aunt.

  Then Lavinia leaned back in her chair and fixed her eyes on Lily. “You’re determined?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I will not argue further.” She seemed to wilt with that concession and sat wordless for a time. “I only hope you know what you’re giving up.”

  Lily admitted she’d disappointed her aunt, but there was no turning back. “Thank you for all you and Uncle Henry have done for me. I shall always be grateful.”

  “You have made us very happy.” The older woman fiddled with the amethyst, and Lily was shocked to see her eyes glaze with tears. “It isn’t always so with Henry and me.”

  “But you are adored, Aunt Lavinia.”

  “Oh, yes. ‘Adored.’ But am I loved?” She shook her head sadly, and Lily heard bitterness tinge her aunt’s voice. “There is a gulf between being adored and being loved. I have been pampered and appreciated, but loved? I think not.”

  Lily was appalled by both her aunt’s confession and by the forlorn look on her face. Gone was the confident woman in control. “I had no idea.”

  “I don’t intend to shock you, but marriage is a complicated arrangement. I settled, Lily, and to all outsiders, it must look as if Henry and I are devoted and content.” She leaned forward and grasped Lily by the shoulders, her words falling with the force of a hammer. “Don’t settle, Lily, whatever you do. Don’t settle, as I did. Go.” She waved her hands in dismissal. “Go find your Caleb.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Excited by the novelty of railroad travel, Lily watched the countryside roll by at astonishing speeds, green trees and fences blurring with the expanse of the Missouri River. The staccato rhythm of the wheels on the railroad track sang an insistent song: Ca-leb, Ca-leb, Calebcalebcaleb. Following his St. Louis visit, a flurry of correspondence had ended in the arrangements for this day. With the recent advances in rail transportation, he had not wanted to wait for her to make the slower river voyage. This very evening she would alight in Kansas City to be greeted by Sophie. In mere hours she would be lifted from Aunt Lavinia’s world into Caleb’s. She gazed at the distant riverbank. Could his world become hers?

  Pondering that question, she recalled Aunt Lavinia’s final words to her on the train station platform. “Be open to all the possibilities, Lily. As I know all too well, no joy is to be found in stubbornness, nor, as your mother proved, is there any hardship love cannot overcome.”

  The acrid cinder odor and the swaying motion of the train did nothing to ease the nervousness that had settled in her stomach. Yet it was a good kind of edginess, born out of anticipation and hope. She reached in her pocket and withdrew an oft folded and refolded letter from Caleb, the first after he received word she would come visit.

  My dearest Lily,

  You cannot know with what elation I received your recent letter. You are coming! My family thinks I’ve gone daft with the excitement of it. Although I harbor high expectations, let me assure you that I know the visit in no way entails a promise of any kind on your part. Yet I long to share with you the special nature of my home and pray that you will be able to see it through my eyes. Once again, let us be honest with one another, for we cannot go forward with secrets or reservations.

  I am counting the days until I see you, beloved.

  Yours devotedly,

  Caleb

  During the train trip Lily prayed for the openness Lavinia had urged. If only she could embrace the Flint Hills wilderness the way she longed to embrace the man she loved... She was realistic enough to know that happiness would result only from a shared vision of their future. She laid her head back and, rocked by the motion of the train, allowed her eyes to drift shut.

  She was awakened by the soft voice of a porter. “Ma’am, Kansas City be the next stop.”

  Every nerve in her body came alive as she fumbled with her hat pin in her haste to ready herself for meeting Sophie, who also had been corresponding with her. The train slowed, snorting and puffing its way to the depot, then hissed to a stop, throwing Lily forward in her seat. A small crowd waited on the platform, and as Lily scanned those greeting the passengers, she saw her—Sophie! Tousled red curls, just as Caleb had described, a trim, shapely body clad in a simple dress and a smiling face dusted with freckles.

  No sooner had Lily stepped off the train than Sophie came running toward her and engulfed her in a hug. “You have to be Lily! I’d have known you anywhere. Welcome, welcome! We are all so delighted that you agreed to come.”

  “I am grateful for the invitation.”

  Sophie pulled away and stood beaming at her. “How I wish Caleb were here to share this moment, but very soon I shall witness your grand reunion.” She clasped Lily around the waist. “Now then, let’s gather your bags and catch a cab to the hotel. We’ll spend the night and then tomorrow get on the stage and then...”

  Lily couldn’t help smiling, pulled along into the future by Sophie’s chattering account of their plans.

  * * *

  Clutching a bouquet of lilacs, Caleb paced the boardwalk outside the general store in Council Grove, willing the arrival of the stagecoach from Kansas City. Nearby loomed the towering oak tree that gave the town its name. Under its shade the Osage Indians had signed a treaty granting right-of-way for the Santa Fe Trail. The town bustled with Saturday business. Loafers gathered on corners to jaw and spit tobacco, while children darted in and out among the men and women intent on their shopping. Caleb thanked God for this mild, sunny May day to welcome Lily. Now that his and Sophie’s plan was in full swing, he was questioning it. So long as Lily hadn’t yet rejected the Flint Hills, he could live in his dream, but if she did...?

  From the edge of town, came the excited cry, “Stage is a’comin’!” Heeding the announcement, small boys ran to greet the coach, now visible and rumbling toward its stop in front of Caleb. First out was a large, stern-faced woman, taking her sweet time. Then he saw his Lily—her bonnet slightly askew—her eyes searching the onlookers. He stepped forward just at the moment she spotted him. He would never forget her gasp of pleasure nor the sunshine of her smile as he handed her the bouquet and drew her into his embrace. Their simultaneous “Lily” and “Caleb” mingled in his ears as he held her, still trying to convince himself she was actually here.

  “Hey, brother. What about me? Do I count?” Sophie’s teasing giggle caused him to reach out and gather her into the hug.

  After retrieving their baggage, Caleb led them down the street to the hotel he had booked for the night. “You two freshen up and then we’ll have dinner. We need to get a good night’s sleep before we set out for home.”

  “How far is it?” Lily asked.

  “About nineteen miles. The ranch is just this side of Cottonwood Falls. We’ll have a long day.”

  “With our chatting, it will pass in a flash,” Sophie said, linking her arm through her brother’s. “We’ll give Lily a regular tour.”

  “I’ll look forward to that.” Lily beamed up at him, her eyes dancing. “I’m so happy to be here.” Then under her breath so only he could hear, she added, “With you.”

  * * *

  Caleb had not exaggerated. It ha
d been a long day riding through the rolling hills, but he and Sophie had entertained her nearly the entire route with amusing stories of their childhoods, recitals of their neighbors’ backgrounds and a botany lesson concerning the area flora. Finally, they started up the road to the Montgomery Ranch. Sophie raised her arm and pointed. “There,” she said with a contented sigh. “That’s home.” The last rays of the setting sun slanted across the meadow highlighting a two-story stone house sheltered by a hill and overlooking a prairie panorama. Beyond it was a huge stone barn and corral.

  Lily sensed Caleb studying her for a reaction. She touched his arm. “It’s far grander than I had imagined.” Knowing they were nearing the barn, the wagon team broke into a trot. As they approached the yard, Lily noticed the colorful flower garden bordering the front porch and the large vegetable patch a few steps from the kitchen door. The Montgomerys had obviously worked hard to create such a welcoming home. The last of the day’s sunlight reflecting off the tall, narrow windows was like a whispered blessing.

  Seth and a tall, weathered man came outside the barn, both waving their arms aloft while two dogs danced around them. Lily was seized with momentary jitters. She had met Seth, but she so wanted to make a good impression on Caleb’s father. Caleb handed the two women down from the wagon bench, setting Lily down gently. “You know my brother, but this is my father, Andrew Montgomery.”

  Lily felt her hands grasped in Mr. Montgomery’s large, worn ones. “My dear, we have awaited your arrival with much happiness.”

  “Thank you for inviting me.”

  Caleb’s father chuckled, then winked at his son. “What could we do? He held a gun to our heads.”