The Pursuit

by Elliee Atkinson

  “Yes, yes,” she whispered into the dark. “It’s sleepy time. Let’s all go to sleep.”

  She drifted off just after saying those words, enjoying the heat emanating from the fireplace.

  When she woke the second time, the fire was blazing as if she had just made it. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking around the room. She was still alone but she could smell the scent of coffee brewing along with the smell of freshly baking biscuits. Her mouth began to water as soon as she breathed it in. She stretched her arms out over her head, thinking the couch was probably not the best idea for a woman her age.

  She swung her legs over the edge and quickly pulled on a pair of stockings. She pulled on the robe she’d left sitting next to her on a chair. It was warm and cozy, as if someone had just held it in front of the fire for a time. She suspected Alice might actually have done that and went to the kitchen to confirm it was her cousin who had started the breakfast meal.

  Alice smiled at her as she came into the kitchen. “Good morning, cousin. How did you sleep?”

  Molly abruptly yawned and covered her mouth quickly. “Oh dear, I am so sorry. Not as well as I would have liked, I’m afraid. I think, if you will drive me, I will go in town and see if there are any rooms available at the Inn or the hotel. Or perhaps there is a boarding house. If I plan to stay indefinitely, I need a place to live, don’t I? A place of my own.”

  “You don’t have to do that. We can make room for you here,” Alice responded, setting down the large wooden spoon she had been using to stir the gravy, which they would sop up with biscuits. “You don’t have to spend money on a hotel room or boarding house.”

  Molly shook her head. “No, I need to get out of your hair. You and your family are already busting out of the seams in this house. You should not be cramped up with yet another addition to the family.”

  “I must insist that you stay, Molly.”

  “I have enough money, Alice, and never planned to stay for long. I insist that you accompany me to town to let me talk to Mr. Campbell. I would probably rather live in the hotel than in some strange environment where I have no family or friends. I consider both of them my friends – at least for the time being. Things might change later on.”

  “I doubt that. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have a solid marriage and are devoted to each other. They are good people to everyone who travels through and those who live here, too. I wouldn’t worry about the two of them. They are always friendly.”

  “Mr. Campbell seems like an easily excitable individual,” Molly smiled. “Loud and eccentric. Telling jokes, playing around. My goodness, I suppose he might get on some people’s nerves. Mark didn’t seem too pleased with yesterday.”

  Alice looked surprised. “Mark wasn’t pleased? That’s surprising. He’s one of the calmest men I’ve ever met. How did you know he wasn’t pleased?”

  “It was the look on his face. He looked… embarrassed.”

  Alice nodded slowly. “I suppose he might have been. I think he wants to impress you.”

  “Why in heaven’s name would he want to do that?”

  “He’s a single man, Molly. Has been for a long time. It seems to me that meeting a beautiful woman like you, with your vibrant personality and charm, he would be helpless but to fall in love with you.”

  Molly laughed. “Oh, don’t say things like that. You know that’s just preposterous.”

  “It most certainly is not. You are beautiful and charming and witty. You know these things already. I don’t have to tell you. You’re confident and some men like that.”

  “He did say yesterday that he likes a woman who knows what she wants and goes for whatever that might be.”

  Alice lifted her eyebrows. “Maybe that was a hint. You should think about it.”

  Molly shook her head. “I don’t have time for that right now. The last thing I need to do is get involved with a man.”

  Alice had to laugh. “Whatever do you mean? Why the last thing we talked about last night was you wanting a family. You can’t have a baby without a man. You can’t without being married. Well, I suppose you could if you weren’t married but I don’t think that’s the kind of relationship you want, is it?”

  “Absolutely not. It’s unheard of! I want my child to have his mother and father there to protect him at every corner.”

  “Of course,” Alice nodded in agreement. “I never had any trouble with little Carrie, but she has two much older siblings and they help me with her quite a lot.”

  “That’s a very good thing.”

  “Yes, it is. I was blessed. It came from tragedy – when Holly died – “

  Molly nodded, a sad look crossing her face. “But had she not died, Carrie wouldn’t be here.”

  “Barring some malfeasance and deceit.”

  Alice gasped. “You can’t possibly think such a thing about me!”

  Molly shook her head. “Of course not. I would never. It’s just that things like that have happened in the past, even in the royal family in England.”

  “Oh, I’m quite certain the Kings and Queens of Europe had their fun. But this is my life here in Wickenburg and I never would have done such a thing to my sister.”

  Molly leaned toward Alice. “I apologize if I offended you, cousin. I truly didn’t mean to. I was only teasing you.”

  Alice nodded but did not smile. “I know, my dear. I just hate to think that anyone might have thought something like that about me. I did marry Adam within a year of her death. There were people talking about it. But I just hope none of them thought that I was… before Holly’s...”

  Molly felt bad. It looked like she had upset her cousin quite a lot. She felt a pain in her chest and lowered her head. She didn’t know what to say to comfort her. “I’m sure no one thought that of you, Alice. You’ve lived here all your life. Your sister did, too. Everyone knows you well, I’m sure.”

  Alice shook her head. “It’s okay, Molly. Really. To be honest with you, when Adam and I got married, most of the people we know came to the wedding and wished us well. I didn’t see anyone who gave me the evil eye.”

  Molly giggled. This brought out a smile on Alice’s face, which made Molly feel much better.

  “Is Adam already gone?” Molly asked, noting how quiet the house was. She couldn’t even hear the sound of the children sleeping.

  “Yes, he and the children are gone.”

  “Is Carrie old enough to attend the schoolhouse?”

  Alice shook her head. “No, Adam takes her to see my parents on occasion. They love the little girl.”

  “I should think so. How could they not?”

  “I know. She’s precious.”

  “When will she be three?”

  “In a few months. She’s a precocious little thing, isn’t she? I just love her little moods. They are always swinging all over the place.”

  Molly and Alice both laughed. “I am quite sure you were like that as a child.” Molly said.

  Alice raised her eyebrows. “And so were you! I do believe we are two peas in a pod, my dear.”

  Molly grinned. “We do have similar personalities, don’t we?”

  “Yes, we are fireflies. That’s what Adam says. Fireflies.”

  “Hmmm. I don’t think I’ve ever been compared to a firefly.” Molly thought about it for a moment. She couldn’t recall anyone else thinking of that.

  “Have you ever seen a firefly up close?” Alice brought two cups of coffee to the table and sat down across from Molly, setting down one of the cups in front of her cousin.

  “Thank you,” Molly took a drink before responding to the question. “I can’t recall ever really seeing one up close.”

  Alice smiled. “It’s their behind that lights up. Their backsides.”

  Molly shifted in her seat subconsciously, thinking about her own rear end and unwillingly picturing it lighting up. Suddenly, she burst out in laughter and Alice quickly joined her.

  “I wonder if Adam thought of that when he said it,” Molly
said through her laughter. Alice waved one hand in the air, fanning her face as she laughed.

  “I think… I think he knew exactly what he was saying!” she replied. They both burst out laughing again.

  “I must do my best to get that picture out of my head!” Molly exclaimed. “And I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep from laughing the next time I see your husband. I will remember this forever!”

  When their laughter died down, they sat in comfortable silence for a moment, drinking their coffee.

  “So, you truly don’t want to stay with us, Molly?”

  Molly set her coffee down and wrapped one hand around it, though the day was quickly becoming a warm one. “It’s not that I don’t want to stay here, Molly. There just isn’t enough room. The couch was not meant to sleep on, I don’t think. I fit it all right, being a short woman. But it is my back that can’t handle it.”

  “You aren’t old. I wish you would realize that.”

  “I didn’t say I was old,” Molly protested. “I said my back can’t handle it.”

  “You might as well be saying you’re nothing but an old woman. I won’t let you get away with thinking things like that. You have plenty of life ahead of you. You’re only 34. You need to live for a little while. It seems to me you haven’t been alive since Bill passed away. I don’t want to sound harsh but you really need to think about Molly Beatrice Thorn from now on. What is going to make you happy? What is going to make the rest of your life pleasant and something you will look forward to?”

  Molly thought about it for a moment. “Well… I suppose a good man, a home, and children. That’s what will make me happy.”

  “You are the only one that can make that happen.”

  “I need to start with a home. The other things will have to come in the future. Hopefully not too far in the future.”

  “That will depend entirely on you.”

  Molly shook her head. “No, getting a home might depend on me, but finding a good man and having children won’t. That is the Lord’s doing, not mine. If He wishes for me to have a family, I will have one.”

  “You will have one,” Alice sounded very confident. “I can feel it. It may be late coming in your life, but it will happen.”

  “There’s no way to know that.”

  “Of course not. But I have a feeling and my feelings are very rarely wrong.”

  “Well, I suppose I can take you on your word for that. It is what I want after all. No sense in not thinking positively.”

  “It’s going to be a warm day. You can throw on your wrap and you will be fine. I’ll take you to the hotel and you can talk to them. I do want you to be comfortable, though I wish you would stay here and just take Max’s bed. Plus, if you were to stay with us, you’ll surely see Mark more often.”

  “What makes you think I need to see Mark more often?”

  “I think you know what I’m talking about.”

  “You’re being a matchmaker, aren’t you?”

  Alice laughed. “Maybe I am and maybe I’m not. We’ll just have to wait and see if my efforts pay off.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE LUNCH

  THE LUNCH

  Mark wiped his brow and stepped away from the bench. The day had grown exceedingly hot and the work was making him sweat. He turned and grabbed a cloth from the bench behind him and wiped his face. It was hot outside, but if there was any kind of breeze, he would welcome it. He went to the door of the workshop and stepped out onto the landing outside. There wasn’t an awning or a roof over the landing, but thankfully the sun was behind him and it was shady where he stood.

  It wasn’t much cooler out there but there was a slight breeze. He breathed in slowly, closing his eyes. The sound of horses’ hooves made him open them again and he smiled, seeing Alice and Molly in the carriage heading toward him.

  He resisted the urge to run his dirty hand through his hair to smooth it down and try to look presentable. It was already too late and he had been working hard that morning. He smiled at them as Alice pulled the carriage in front of him and stopped.

  “Good morning, Mark,” Alice said. Molly leaned forward to see him around Alice, smiling.

  “Hello, Mark. Looks like you’ve been working hard today.”

  “Yep,” Mark lifted one hand to block the sun from his eyes. “I sure have. What are you ladies doing this afternoon?”

  “We’re heading up to the hotel. Molly is going to ask the Campbell's if they have a room for her.”

  “Oh? I thought she was going to stay with you.”

  Alice shook her head, looking at Molly. Molly smiled at her and leaned forward again. “I feel it is a burden for me to be there. The house is not large enough for another adult. I need my privacy, too. So I figured I would come out here and talk to the Campbell's. They seem like nice people. I’m sure they have a room for me.”

  “Well,” Mark said, pulling the hat from his head and wiping his brow with the back of his hand. “They do usually have a room and they are friendly people. But…” he looked up and down the street as if seeing it for the first time. Alice thought it strange that he seemed to be avoiding their eyes.

  “What is it, Mark?” she prompted. “You’ve got something on your mind.”

  Mark smiled at her. “You can read me like a book, Alice. Stop it.”

  The three of them laughed.

  “It’s just that I have a house on my property. I’m sure at one time it was used as a guest cottage. I’ve had a girl go in there every week to clean and make sure everything looks nice. You’re welcome to rent it from me. I won’t charge a lot.” He resisted the urge to let her stay there for free. He wanted to, but it didn’t seem appropriate. It should be a business deal. Nothing more.

  Molly beamed at him. “You have a house you will rent to me? Thank you so much!”

  “Don’t you want to see it first?”

  “I trust your judgment, Mark.” Molly giggled.

  Mark shook his head. “No, I want you to see it first. We’ll discuss a price when you see what it looks like. It’s just a small cottage. Just right for a single woman like yourself.”

  “And I’ll be on your property?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “How close to your house is it? Walking distance?”

  Mark laughed. “Of course, it’s walking distance. You can ride a horse if you want to, but that sounds like a lot of trouble to go through just to get somewhere a few minutes faster. Plus, you have to put on the saddle, not to mention the stables are in between the main house and the little house so you’d be wasting your time with that.”

  They all laughed again. “I only ask because it will make me feel safer if I know you are nearby.”

  “I think you’ll like it. It’s a cozy little place.”

  “Have you ever lived there yourself?”

  Mark shook his head. “No need. I’ve got the main house.”

  “Do you have much work left to do this morning? Would you like to come to lunch with us?” Alice looked at Molly. “Do you still want to go to the Campbell's hotel? They have a lunch special for anyone who wants to come. Helen creates these fine vegetable dishes, soups, stews, and other delicious meals. She puts them all out in large pots and you can walk through the line and get whatever catches your eye.”

  Molly raised her eyebrows. “What a novel idea! I’d like to try it.”

  Alice turned back to Mark. “Would you like to have lunch with us?”

  Thoughts were racing through Mark’s mind. He wanted to finish his work because he was against a deadline and he always met his deadlines. On the other hand, he wanted to have lunch with Molly and Alice more than he cared to admit.

  “I’ll clean up and have lunch with you. Just give me a moment.”

  He smiled, turning to go back in the workshop. Once he was facing away from them, he lost his smile. He was going to pay for this, meaning his work would be doubled and he would have to work fast. He felt that kind of thing lowered the quality
of the work he produced, which did not make him proud of his accomplishment.

  He shook his head. He wasn’t going to worry about it. He knew when he needed to buckle down, he could. He’d finish the project on time. The table was going to the bank, which was always expanding. Their business was an account he couldn’t afford to lose.

  He switched into a clean shirt he kept in the back office of the workshop after washing his hands and face. He pushed his hands through his hair and put his hat back on.

  It had taken all of five minutes and he was back out in the bright sunlight, smiling at the two women in the carriage. As he approached, he heard them chatting in high-pitched laughter-filled voices, as if they had been friends all their lives.

  Molly was the first to see him. “Here he is. Alice was just telling me…”

  Alice jostled her with her elbow. “Hush you; he doesn’t need to know I’ve been talking about him.” She gave Mark an amused grin. “I’ve been talking about you.”

  Mark had to laugh. “Good things, I hope.”

  “She was telling me about the time you and Adam went out during that rainstorm and you both kept slipping until you were covered in mud!” Molly laughed. “That must have been absolutely traumatic for the two of you!”

  Mark rolled his eyes and gave Alice a narrow look. “There must be better stories you can tell about me than that, Alice.”

  “Oh, there are,” Alice nodded in confirmation. “But that’s the funniest. And Adam fared no better than you did.” She turned to Molly. “He had mud in his nose! I laugh now but I wasn’t laughing then.”

  “Fibber!” Mark exclaimed. “She was laughing the entire time, holding her belly like she was going to pop that little girl out right then and there.”

  Alice laughed. “I was, wasn’t I? How terrible of me. I am sorry, Mark.”

  Mark shrugged. “Why be sorry now? You laughed then and you’re still laughing. And if you recall, I was laughing, too.”

  “After a fair amount of cussing and swearing.” Alice added. Mark’s face flushed for a moment.