by Barbara Goss
“See you bright and early tomorrow morning, Caleb,” she said. Julia turned and walked to the front door of the house, then turned back, and waved.
Caleb drove home wondering what was different today from yesterday. His limp hadn’t turned off a woman, and she was attractive. Dare he get his hopes up that he’d finally found someone who wasn’t repulsed by his bad leg?
As soon as Caleb arrived home he walked to his private place. His hobby was woodworking. He learned a lot from the men in the mill. He had a workshop built on the back of his barn. He made furniture, mostly for himself or for Jonas or his father. He checked to see if the glue was dry on the table he was making for Jonas and Ivy. He’d hoped to have it finished by their wedding, but then they changed their wedding date from February to New Year’s Eve. That didn’t leave him enough time to finish the table.
He also worked on a dog with wheels for his niece, Zoe. Not that she needed more toys, because she was currently being spoiled by two sets of doting grandparents.
He worked in his shop for several hours before shutting down for the night and heading inside to eat the meal Elsie had left for him, and go to bed.
In bed that night, every time he shut his eyes he saw Julia Croft smiling at him with her big green eyes that went well with her auburn hair. She was lovely. Dare he even hope?
The first customer to walk into the lumber mill in the morning was Julia, wearing one of her provocative smiles, and a striped walking dress that hugged her slim figure perfectly, and a large hat to match her outfit.
“Good morning, Caleb. I have the money.” She handed him an envelope, while displaying another heartwarming smile.
“Good morning,” Caleb replied, admiring her new hairdo. She’d let her auburn hair down, held back from her face with ivory combs. Previously she’d worn it in a bun at the back of her head. Caleb thought her hair was beautiful and longed to touch the tresses. They were shiny brown with strong red highlights. He also noticed she wore less make-up and a more practical dress and shoes.
Caleb counted the money and completed the paperwork necessary for the order. “Well, we’re all set. I’ll have Ben deliver before five today, although it might be pretty close to that time. Will you be there to sign for the lumber?”
“Yes, I will.” She bit her lower lip, and seemed to be deep in thought. Caleb wondered if she was troubled by something.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Oh!” she said as if he’d jarred her awake. “I’m sorry. I just thought of another dilemma. Everything with the purchase is fine. I- I just wish—”
Caleb raised his eyebrow waiting for her to finish.
“I wish I knew how to get to Grace Church. I wanted to talk to the minister there.”
“It’s not here on Main Street,” Caleb said. “You have to go down to Buckeye Road and Broadway, it’s right on the corner. It’s my church. You’ll like it. Reverend Jeffries is a fantastic minister.”
“You know him?” she asked.
“We’re practically related. His daughter just married my brother, Jonas.”
“Really?” She dug into her reticule. “My brother wrote out the directions to the church, and I thought I put them in my—”
“Jeffries doesn’t usually have office hours at the church until eleven. If you would like, I could drive you there. I’ll take an early lunch break.”
“Your boss won’t mind?” she asked.
Caleb laughed. “You might say I am the boss. My father and I are joint owners.”
“How impressive,” she said. “I would be ever so grateful if you could. In fact, if I might impose a bit further, I’ll buy you lunch at the restaurant over there,” she pointed to Sam’s Eatery.
Caleb hesitated. He’d want nothing more than to spend more time with Julia, but how would she feel walking in public with him? He had to accept her offer, just on the chance that it might be his miracle.
“I’d love to,” he said.
“Good, I’ll be back at eleven, Caleb.”
Sitting across the table from Julia, he’d surely thought this must be what heaven was like. Every man in the place had turned to look at her when they walked in.
She must have gone home and changed because now she wore a practical outfit, a red and white-checkered dress with a lace hem and collar under her red woolen cape; a suitable attire for visiting a minister.
“It’s very kind of you to help me, Caleb,” she said. “Do you know you are the first person I’ve met since moving to Abilene?” She smiled. “My first friend.”
Caleb warmed to hear that she considered him a friend. He said nothing, but returned her smile.
Caleb had hobbled to the restaurant with her on his arm and she hadn’t seemed a bit embarrassed. He’d finally accepted the fact that his limp didn’t faze her at all. This gave him the confidence he needed to further the friendship.
“Since we are friends,” he said, “I will offer my services to show you around the area. How about on Sunday, after church?”
“I’d love that!” she said with enthusiasm.
After lunch Caleb drove her to the church. Before she alighted his buggy she asked, “Since you know the minister, do you suppose you could introduce me?”
“Of course,” he said. He then proceeded to walk her into the church and around the foyer to the minister’s office.
“Caleb!” Hiram Jeffries greeted. “Come in.”
“Reverend Jeffries, I’d like you to meet Miss Julia Croft. Julia is new to Abilene and I offered to escort her to meet you.”
Hiram stood. “I’m pleased to meet you Miss Croft. Won’t you have a seat?”
Caleb said, “I have to get back to work,” he waved and ducked out.
Julia wasn’t much of a cook, but she threw together a salad and a stew. She sat down to eat with Miles.
“What no biscuits?” Miles asked.
“I don’t do biscuits,” she said. “You’re lucky to get a stew that you can eat with a fork and not a spoon.”
“So,” Miles said, “how are you making out with Caleb Armstrong?”
“Your information about Grace Church was accurate. I got him to drive me there today, and he took me to lunch as well.”
“Good. Be gentle with him, he’s well-liked around town and he comes from a good family.” Miles said. “When the time comes, please let him down gently.”
“I’m just hoping he’ll help me financially so I don’t have to actually marry him to get the money.” She played with her stew. “It certainly isn’t his looks. He’s surely handsome. When we were sitting in the restaurant, and I forgot about his limp, I actually felt something for him. I guess it’s just the romantic in me, but he is handsome and his gray eyes seem to sparkle when he smiles. I promise to let him down gently—if I can.”
“So are you going to attend his church?” Miles asked.
“I’ll try it. It will put me closer to Caleb. The minister is a personable man. I liked him,” she said. “Have you ever gone to Grace Church?”
“I go every week, at least I have since I saw Violet Jeffries. I am trying to attract his daughter’s attention. As yet, she hasn’t given me more than a nod though.” Miles pushed his plate away. “Not bad, Jewels, thank you. It would have been better with biscuits, though.”
“You haven’t called me Jewels in years,” she said as she collected the dishes. “How long have you worked at the bank?”
“Since I was eighteen, when I first came to Abilene, they were hiring. That was almost six years ago. In fact, my first week there, is when Mr. George Armstrong came in and deposited all that money. He divided it between himself and his two sons. I don’t know where he got so much money, but we were all told if we revealed this to anyone we’d be fired. My boss, Mr. Lebold, said if word got out Armstrong would probably move that money to another bank.”
“Interesting,” Julia said. “Well, then we’ll go to church together. It will be a first for me. I’ve never been to a church service
in my life.”
“I never did either. I went because I noticed this gorgeous woman at the bank one day, and my new friend Quinn, told me who she was.” Miles said. “Quinn told me they all went to Grace, so I started going. The sermons are good and sometimes I think about the minister’s words all week. But I mostly go to catch a glimpse of Violet.”
“Violet, is it? Well, I wish you luck. I’d like to see you settle down and start a family,” she said.
“I just worry that she may be too young for me. She’s only seventeen, but Quinn said she’ll be eighteen in a few weeks.” Miles smiled, “Then, maybe I’ll ask her to take a buggy ride or something.”
“Well, I better get these dishes washed,” Julia said.
“Wait! I need to know one thing,” Miles said, “is Billy safe?”
“For now, yes,” Julia answered.
Chapter 3
Julia and Miles sat near the front of the church. Miles had led them to a seat with the best view of Violet Jeffries, who sat in the front row with her mother and younger sister.
Miles sighed. “There she is, Julia, isn’t she beautiful?”
“Which one?” Julia asked trying to follow her brother’s eyes.
“In the front row wearing the blue coat.” Miles sighed again.
“She has lovely hair, I think you call that strawberry blonde. She’s stunning—from the back.” Julia stifled a laugh. “I’ll pass judgment until I see her from the front.”
“Wow,” exclaimed Julia. “The pianist looks a lot like Caleb.”
“That’s his brother, Jonas. He’s married to Violet’s sister Ivy. She’s sitting in the front row on the left, over by the piano. Their daughter is sitting with her. When the sermon starts, he leaves the piano and sits with them,” Miles explained.
“Wait, they just married and they have a child already?” Julia asked.
“This is his second marriage. His first wife died. I don’t remember all the details, but the little girl is colored. So, one of her parents must have been also,” Miles said. “When I first moved here, there were rumors about the situation, but I was too busy learning a new job to pay much attention. I never was one for gossip anyway.”
“Oh, let me guess what Violet’s younger sister’s name—Iris? Pansy? Petunia?” Julia whispered.
“Very funny, Julia. I don’t know her name.”
“Jonas is very talented on the piano,” Julia said.
“You should hear him sing. Every so often he does a solo,” he whispered.
“Oh,” Julia whispered. “There’s Caleb. Whose with him?”
“That’s his father, George.”
Julia started to say something else but Miles shushed her. “Sh-h, the service is starting.”
After the congregation sang a song, the minister came out and they prayed. Then, he read a few verses from the Bible and said that would be the theme of his sermon.
Several people walked up to the front of the church and stood at the altar facing the congregation. Julia gave Miles a questioning look.
He bent down and whispered, “The choir.”
They sang a beautiful song, Julia found herself tapping her toe. Then the choir took seats somewhere in the back and the minister came out and stood in the pulpit.
His sermon was about Jesus raising a man named Lazarus from the dead. Julia found it interesting that someone could actually bring a dead person back to life. She may never have been to church, but she knew who God and Jesus were.
Her mother had told her children all about God and Jesus, but at the time she was too ill to take them to church. The family moved from Topeka to Hays when their father had been bitten by the Gold Rush bug, and left them. A bed-ridden mother had raised them in a run-down cabin. It was all she could afford as she awaited her husband to return a rich man. He never did return. After she passed, they were all on their own. Julia was fifteen, when she took care of her brothers Miles, who was two years younger, and Billy who was four years younger, the best she could.
Miles left home at eighteen and followed a friend to Abilene. That left Julia and Billy in an old cabin on the outskirts of Hays. She did her best. She wasn’t much of a cook, but she kept a clean house. Billy was the brother who always managed to get into trouble.
After the service, as they were walking out, Caleb caught up with them. Julia gifted him with one of her best smiles.
“You remember my brother Miles,” she said.
Caleb nodded. “I haven’t met him formally.”
“Nice to meet you Caleb. I want to thank you for the kindness you’ve shown my sister,” Miles said.
“My pleasure,” Caleb said, winking at Julia.
“Are we still on for our tour of Abilene today, Julia?” Caleb asked.
Julia touched Caleb’s arm, “I’m looking forward to it.”
He gazed down at her hand on his arm and she quickly removed it. He thought perhaps he should have pretended he hadn’t noticed, but her constant flirting continued to build his confidence.
“I’ll pick you up at one, if that’s a good time for you,” Caleb said.
“That’s perfect,” she said and again graced him with a flirting smile.
Miles said, “Well, that leaves me starting the project to rebuild my front porch.”
Having been invited to his father’s for lunch, Caleb followed George home. Once inside, and sitting at the table. George asked, “So who is the lovely woman you were talking to after church?”
Caleb inwardly cringed. He’d hoped his father hadn’t seen that. He wasn’t ready to talk about Julia yet. And his father seemed to time the question just at the right time, in front of his wife, Phoebe. Caleb considered his answer carefully.
“Phoebe, this chicken’s delicious, better than Elsie’s,” Caleb said.
“Don’t change the subject,” his father said. “I’m just curious as to the new people in town. I’ve never seen her before.”
“Her name is Julia,” Caleb tried to sound casual. “She is a customer. Her brother bought some lumber the other day. She and I have become somewhat friendly, that’s all.”
“Oh, I wish I had gone this morning,” Phoebe said. “I woke up with the worse headache.” She looked at George. “What does she look like?”
“She’s very attractive, and she gives our Caleb some pretty inviting smiles. I’ve seen her brother before, at the bank,” George said.
“Yes, he is a bank teller,” Caleb explained. “He’s rebuilding his front porch.”
“Did you ever write to any of the ads in the paper I gave you the other day?” George asked.
“Yes, I wrote to all three. Since the mail is so slow, I doubt I’ll hear anything for weeks.”
“Join us for a light supper tonight, Caleb?” Phoebe asked. “Jonas, Ivy and Zoe—along with the Jeffries family are coming.”
“I’m sorry, I have some work to do in my wood shop. I’m still trying to finish Jonas and Ivy’s wedding gift.”
At precisely one, Caleb pulled up in front of the little gray house, and walked to the door. Julia answered, still wearing the gray dress with red trim, she’d worn to church. After putting on a gray coat, she waved goodbye to her brother, and allowed Caleb to escort her to the buggy.
“It’s a lovely winter day for a ride,” Julia said as she allowed Caleb to help her into the buggy. “A bit chilly, but when the sun shines, it makes it seem warmer.”
“I agree,” Caleb said, picking up the reins and starting the buggy. “First I’ll take you to The Merchant’s Hotel. It’s our oldest hotel. They hold social events in town now, in case you get invited to one, you’ll know where to find it.”
Then he showed her the jailhouse, the constable’s office, the courthouse, the doctor’s residence, and the new market. Then he headed away from town a few miles and stopped.
“See the rutted road on the left, that’s what’s left of the Chisholm Trail. That’s where the cattlemen used to drive their cattle to Abilene to sell. But the cattle drive
s brought a lot of undesirable people to town and—well you wouldn’t have wanted to live here then.” He started the buggy moving.
“Why was it so bad?” she asked.
“Well, there were shootings, killings, drunken cowboys, women of ill-repute,” he paused, “begging your pardon. All sorts went on.”
“And you lived here then?” she asked.
“Yes, but we seldom came to town, and when we did it was in the daytime when it was a bit quieter,” he said.
“Where are we going now?” she asked.
“I thought I’d show you the Smoky Hill River before we head back.”
After a rather short drive, they came to a large body of water.
“This is the river. Did you know Abilene was first named Mud Creek?”
She shook her head, delighted with the view.
“I always liked this spot. Would you like to get out and walk a bit—stretch your legs? I know it was a long and bumpy ride.”
“I’d love to,” she said.
They walked slowly down an embankment and Caleb prayed he wouldn’t stumble or fall over as he sometimes did when going up or down hill. Julia seemed to sense it for she held his arm tighter, which helped him keep his balance.
Once down the embankment, they walked along the shore. Caleb wanted to take her hand in the worse way, but thought it was probably too soon to make that move. However, after a few moments, she slipped her arm through his bent elbow.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she said, “once again I wore the wrong shoes, and I’m hoping if I hold onto you, I’ll not slip and fall.” She looked up at him, and gave him a slow, seductive smile that made his knees so weak that he thought he’d take a tumble, and pull her down with him.
When they reached a slippery spot she pulled him closer and his arm was pressed against her chest, making his insides feel like jam. He thought maybe this walk along the river wasn’t the best idea.
When they came upon a large boulder, Julia said, “Could we stop here and rest for a bit?”
