Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 2: 5 Romantic Sporting Novellas

by Cynthia Hickey

  “You talk like you think life has passed you by, like you’re too old to change.”

  “I can be like Jo March, married to a pen, with stories for children.”

  Jay’s heart ached. Did the lovely, kind-hearted Laura truly believe she was too old for love? He placed the quote—Little Women, which his younger sister had insisted he read. An apt quote came to mind. “I disagree. ‘You don’t need scores of suitors. You only need one … if he’s the right one.’” Like me. Where had that thought come from? He had decided years ago he would never marry. No women should have to share the burden he carried.

  But Laura understood his pain. She had experienced it herself.

  “You’ve read Little Women?”

  Laura’s question drew Jay away from his ridiculous thoughts. “My sister—younger than I am by a year and happily married—insisted I read it. Told me it would let me know what the war was like for the women who had to stay behind.” He didn’t share how the books gave him hope and courage.

  Laura laughed. “Good for your sister.”

  “You must have been young during the war?” Jay wondered her age. Eliza was twenty-three, according to her records. She looked older than Laura, but the opposite was probably true.

  She shook her head. “Not that young. We lost young men a few years ahead of me in school, as well as others, of course.” She stopped again, staring at the hills. “My father died at Antietam.”

  “I’m sorry.” Simple words, but nothing could remove the pain. “You have suffered more than most.” He waited another few seconds. “Is your mother alive?”

  “Pneumonia took her a few years later. Aunt Minnie invited us to live with her then, but Eliza wasn’t able to move across the country for several years after her accident.”

  “So why did you move to Plymouth now?”

  She looked as flummoxed as he had felt a moment ago. Her eyes darted in his direction, and then glanced away. “She told me a brilliant young doctor had arrived in Plymouth who could wonders for Emily.”

  At that answer, she stood and headed for home. Jay stayed a few steps behind her, joy building up in him. He couldn’t wait for the outing on Saturday.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Excitement about the hayride awoke both the Evans sisters before dawn on Saturday. Their new dresses hung in sartorial splendor on wall pegs.

  “Since we’ll be covered with coats, the dresses might be a waste of time and money.” Laura studied the gowns, her heart dancing at the lacework that made them so beautiful.

  “Oh, but you won’t put on your coat until after Jay arrives to pick you up. He will see you in all your beauty.”

  Laura bit her lip. During their walk, when he mentioned the right suitor, she had given fleeting thought that Jay might court her himself. But when he mentioned Eliza, she decided he was more interested in her sister. It didn’t matter, though. Today held the promise of the beginning of something beautiful.

  “We’d best get started, so we can be the belles of the party. You first.” Eliza made the transition from her bed to her chair and finished dressing. After they moved to the vanity, Eliza reached for her brush.

  Laura put her hand over Eliza’s. “Not today. For two reasons. One is that I intend to make you the prettiest lady at the party. The second is that the trip will be long and taxing, for both of us. Allow yourself to take it easy.”

  Eliza went rigid for a moment, and Laura feared she would rebel. She relaxed her hold on the brush. “I am at your mercy. I want to see you make this plain Jane beautiful.”

  In preparation for today, they had each taken a bath and washed their hair with rose soap. The scent lifted to Laura’s nose as she brushed Eliza’s air, which shone with light brown highlights among its darker strands. Her brown eyes were perfectly centered over her pert nose on her heart-shaped face. In her claret wool dress, she was absolutely beautiful. Why couldn’t some nice man look past the wheel chair to the beautiful woman who rode in it?

  So she’s suitor-worthy, and I’m not? Laura knew that kind of thinking was illogical, but she shook the worry away. Today was a time for fun.

  “Now it’s your turn.” Eliza wouldn’t take no for an answer. After brushing Laura’s hair to remove any nighttime tangles, Eliza fixed her hair in two braids that reached halfway down her back. Laura’s heart fluttered as her sister fixed the braids in two loops at the back of her head and held them in place with a dark green snood. When they arrived in the kitchen, breakfast was waiting, and their aunt had already dressed herself with care and pulled back with a mother-of-pearl comb.

  They must have looked shocked, because Aunt Minnie curtsied. “I couldn’t let the two of you have all the fun.” She preened, turning her head from side to side. “I have to look my best in case a gentleman caller stops by.” She fluttered her eyelashes, sending the sisters into giggles.

  The sparkle remained in Aunt Minnie’s eye, but doubt crept into Laura’s heart as she ate breakfast. Was she looking at her own future, elderly, alone, full of life and fun, but with no husband or children? Not even nieces and nephews, unless by some miracle Eliza had a family.

  “Time to go, girls, or else you might miss the wagon.”

  The door opened as she finished the sentence. “Not when I’m the driver,” Jay said. “No one answered my knock. When I cracked the door, I heard you laughing and figured you hadn’t heard me.”

  Jay held Laura’s coat for her, and she slipped into it. She couldn’t help smiling, and when she looked up, he smiled back. He moved to where he could fasten the buttons. When he reached the collar, their faces were only inches apart. Laura imagined those thick lips coming closer, a kiss … Her hand flew to her mouth and she stepped back.

  Jay leaned in, closing the distance between them again, and whispered, “Maybe later.”

  Her face grew hot, and she stepped outside before Eliza and Aunt Minnie caught on. The hay wagon was half full, an equal number of men and women, some older than Laura, some younger.

  Moments later, Jay secured Eliza’s chair to the backboard so that she would be safe. With a wink at her, he took Laura’s hands in his. “Are you willing to forego a ride on the hay to assist me with guiding the horses?”

  Envious looks dotted the faces of several young women on the wagon, and Laura’s face warmed. Eliza pinned her with a look that said go.

  For a moment, Laura flashed back to that mountain in Maine, to Eliza encouraging her to ride with the handsome boy, then taking off by herself. But this wasn’t that, and her sister was in good hands, safe in the wagon. Leaving her sister alone meant giving Eliza independence as much as it meant spending time with Jay. She managed a brave smile. “Yes.”

  When he joined her on the seat, he smiled at her like he had won a prize at the fair. In the sunshine of his smile, she felt free to forget her worries, to enjoy life, and even, perhaps, to love.

  ~

  Jay knew the moment when the vibrant young woman who hid inside Laura peeked out. His hopes for the outing grew brighter. He couldn’t stop smiling.

  Behind them, conversation swirled and an occasional song burst out. My Grandfather’s Clock followed Carry Me Back to Old Virginy. Laura sang loudly, her voice slightly flat. He liked that about her, her willingness to do something that might embarrass her. He had never seen her this carefree.

  Had Laura once been this lighthearted before the accident? Perhaps she was relaxing because Eliza sat behind them, safe and happy. Letting go of watching her sister’s every move suited Laura well. This outing marked the start of something new, and he was part of it.

  Jay took advantage of the time with Laura to learn more about her. “I’ve never been to Maine. What is it like?” He felt like a lad with a girl for the first time, which was ridiculous for a man his age.

  “Maine?”

  He smiled at the surprise in her voice.

  “I could give you a list of facts. It’s the only state in the country which only borders on one other state. It’s the far
thest north, I think—although I think some folks claim Michigan has a tiny bit further north. We produce a lot of potatoes. And blueberries. You seemed to like them.”

  Jay rolled his eyes. He didn’t need a geography lesson. “What would it be like at this time of year? A lot different from this meadow, I’m sure. Would the leaves be changing or would they have fallen already?”

  Her eyes focused on the distance. “You could still catch a few good splashes of color, although by now, in the middle of October, it’s mostly past. Before my father died, he took us on a trip to Bar Harbor. Mt. Desert Island must be gorgeous at any time of year. I loved to collect leaves, yellow, orange, scarlet, and press them between books.” Her eyes saddened. “I left the leaves behind. They were too fragile for the journey.”

  He pointed to the trees growing along the incline that would lead them to the top of the hill. “The leaves are changing here. Why don’t you bring a few home to start a new collection.”

  “That’s a good idea, but I only see yellow.” She scanned trees in all directions. “No maple trees. Aunt Minnie warned me. But I’m sure I’ll come to love Nebraska in time. It’s home now.”

  Storm clouds gathered behind the hills. If it were spring, tornadoes could be a problem. They were uncommon in the fall. Still, the party could get caught in a downpour. He twisted around to Louis, the pastor’s son, who was sitting next to Eliza. “What do you think about the weather?”

  Louis looked up. “I hate to postpone the hayride again. If we don’t do it today, we might not be able too.”

  The two of them studied the sky. Jay said, “So far the clouds aren’t moving. At the first hint of trouble, we head back.”

  Louis agreed and returned to his conversation with Eliza.

  “Could it rain—or even snow?” Laura shivered.

  “Rain’s a possibility. I’ve never seen it snow here this early, but I haven’t lived in Nebraska that long. I grew up in Kansas. Since Maine is the northernmost state, as you were careful to point out to me, I expect you get more snow than I do.”

  “Aunt Minnie has told me about some bad snowstorms here in Nebraska.” She looked overhead again and he followed her gaze. Had the clouds moved toward them? The temperature had dropped since they left town. She loved snow, but didn’t think they belonged on a hayride. “I’m sure the wild ones come later in the winter.”

  “We’ll keep our eyes on the clouds,” he assured him. They had almost reached the clearing that was their goal, and he doubted they could stay long. He clicked the reins over the horses and picked up speed.

  They reached the top of the mountain fifteen minutes later, storm clouds mounting in the sky. Jay brought the wagon to a stop and helped Laura down. The first ones off the wagon were already building a fire in the pit they had ringed with rocks during previous visits. He wanted to warn them they couldn’t stay long.

  Laura started to make her way to Eliza’s side of the wagon, but Louis had already helped her down. Something to the right caught her attention, and she froze and then pointed her arm straight ahead.

  Jay slowly turned, knowing what he would see: a rack of toboggans, left behind after last year’s winter party, held in January.

  A fat snowflake hit him on the cheek. Laura needed him, but he had to prepare the others to leave first.

  ~

  Laura didn’t care about the snow, not with toboggans staring her in the face. And what about Eliza? She must see them from where she was seated, but she was laughing at something Louis said.

  If Eliza didn’t need her, Laura would take a few minutes to find a quiet place and calm down. A couple of yards away, she hesitated. As shocked as she was to see the toboggans, she didn’t need to be rude, and Eliza might need her.

  Only her sister wasn’t paying any attention to her. Louis, the pastor’s son whom they’d met at church, was talking with Eliza as if she were the only lady at the party. Jay was chatting with a group of men. Others were laughing, catching snowflakes, and generally the surprising twist on their hayride.

  No one would miss her if she looked for a safe spot a short distance away, close enough to keep an eye on the fire. Among the trees, she could gather a few leaves before the snow fell heavily. She picked up freshly-fallen leaves, mostly yellow elms like she had seen in town, amidst a lot of pine trees. The forest felt so like home, she was drawn deeper into it until the sounds of their small party died away.

  After a few minutes, she realized she had lost sight of the group. She backtracked until the toboggan stand came into view. She shuddered again, not ready to face it. She’d walk parallel to the clearing and rejoin them soon. For now, she enjoyed the walk among the trees. She stopped now and then when she spotted a new tree or caught sight of a doe only a few yards away. This was a lot more fun than talking with a group of strangers.

  She came to the edge of a small clearing and wondered if she had circled back to her starting point. Snow filled the air, making it difficult to distinguish any shapes more than a few feet away. But she heard no voices and saw no human-shaped outlines or a wagon in the flurries.

  Perhaps she had mistaken this clearing for the other, getting farther away from them with each step. For all she knew, she had walked to the opposite side of the hill. They must have noticed her absence by now. She should head back—if she could find her way. The snow had already obscured her footsteps, and one tree looked much like another.

  Her best choice was to stay put and hope they would find her. She headed toward a cabin she had spotted in the center of the clearing, praying to find safe shelter.

  There it was, a welcome sight in spite of its abandoned appearance. She knocked tentatively, then tried the handle

  The door opened on an abandoned room, snow swirling around the steps and floor. She decided it was safe to enter. A chair beckoned to her, and she collapsed on it.

  Beneath her heavy coat and the woolen dress, she was shivering from cold. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten anything since the little she had consumed at breakfast, too excited to eat.

  What a fool she’d been, to allow herself to become lost. Before she could start a fire, she had to clear the chimney. Maybe someone would see the smoke from the chimney. Or she might be alone until the storm ended and the sun came out. Perhaps with clear skies she could find her way home.

  When she’d finished cleaning the chimney, she found a flint and, using a pile of kindling that had been left alongside five small logs, got a small flame started. It didn’t produce much heat with one log, but she had to conserve the fuel. A quick search confirmed no food remained in the cabin. She pulled the chair close to the fire, hunched over, and prayed out loud.

  “Oh, Lord, I’ve messed things up, haven’t I? Getting myself lost on a mountaintop in the middle of a snowstorm. Please keep me safe and warm until help comes.”

  She inched closer to the fire. “I was too busy thinking about Eliza and how much fun she was having. I’ve been jealous. I haven’t trusted Jay, though I know You sent him into our lives to help. I’m foolish to want more.” To want love. She didn’t say the word, but God read it in her heart. “Foolish to be mad that a snowstorm interrupted our time together.”

  Laura hadn’t prayed out loud except at church meetings for ages. But in this cabin, the exercise reminded her God was with her. She could almost picture Him sitting next to her in front of the fireplace.

  “But here I am, knowing You’ll take care of me, hoping it comes in the form of Jay riding to my rescue.” He must have gone down the hill with the others. They wouldn’t endanger everyone else because of her foolishness. “Even if it’s tomorrow morning, Lord, let me be rescued. Give me a chance to make things up to Eliza, to Jay, to Aunt Minnie.”

  The light had gone from the sky, and the sky had cleared enough to see a few stars. The fire cast only a puddle of light. She needed a second log. She was so cold and hungry and lonely. As she dragged it over, she started crying. “Oh, Jay.”

  The door bl
ew open with a gust of wind. “Did someone call my name?”

  Jay had arrived, after all.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Laura is here. Joy filled Jay’s heart when he found her, sitting alone, shivering violently in front of a tiny fire. None of his questions mattered more than getting her warm and home, in that order. Later he would ask her why she’d wandered away.

  “You came for me.” Laura’s warm breath blew steam into the air.

  “Of course.” Jay stacked two more logs in the fireplace, making a bright blaze. They wouldn’t stay long enough to worry about running out. He took off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders.

  “You shouldn’t. You’ll get cold.” The words came through her chattering teeth. “Is Eliza all right?”

  “She’s fine, warm and safe at home. But you must know I would rather catch a cold than see you suffer.” Jay dug in his knapsack and handed Laura a thick ham sandwich. He stuck his head outside. The snow had slowed to a gentle shower, clearing the sky just enough to see. They should have a full moon soon, which was good news. He dug some clean snow to reduce to water. She drank it without asking any more foolish questions.

  “Are you feeling better?” he asked.

  “Yes.” Her eyes had brightened and her speech had cleared. “How did you find me? And where is everyone else?”

  “Most of them went back down the mountain before the snow got heavy. Louis stayed behind to help me search. We covered about half a mile in every direction from the campfire spot. But when we didn’t find you …”

  Jay couldn’t speak. Fear had choked him with worry about Laura caught, unprepared and alone, in the heavy snow. He coughed and continued. “Louis went back to town to give everyone an update. If we don’t make it down before sunrise, they’ll send a search team to look for us.”

  “I got lost.” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I’m so sorry to cause so much trouble.”