“I must have lost that part of the memory.” He frowned to hide the fact that he did indeed remember the teasing. He’d done it all to get Molly’s attention and see if he could rouse the anger that was supposed to go along with having red hair. It had worked, and she had been even prettier with her anger riled up.
“I just bet you have.” Clarissa’s laughter burst forth and caused his parents to turn their heads toward him. A few of the other passengers also looked in their direction with curiosity written across their faces.
Stefan frowned at his sister. “Quiet down. You have everyone staring at us.”
“And since when did you not want all the attention? I’ve seen you showing off your uniform and telling tall tales enough to know you enjoy it.”
“This is different. Now sit back like a young lady and be quiet.” What she said had an element of truth, but could he help it if he attracted young ladies with his uniform and stories, most of which were actually true?
Clarissa shook her head and clicked her tongue against her teeth. She gazed out the window a few minutes before turning back to face him. “I can’t wait to see Molly again. It’s been so long.” A sly grin turned up the corners of her lips. “She’s not the same little girl she was ten years ago.”
“I should hope not. You aren’t the same either.” He grinned, but made no further comment. Under no circumstances would he admit his anticipation of seeing Molly again, but to express disinterest would be a lie. He may embellish the truth, but telling an outright lie was not his way. He’d have to be careful with his comments and reactions around Clarissa. The hours until their arrival in Stoney Creek couldn’t pass quickly enough.
CHAPTER 2
STEFAN CHECKED HIS pocket watch for the time. They should be arriving in Stoney Creek within the next hour. The pine woods of East Texas had given way to green, rolling hills. He’d spotted farms as well as ranches dotting the countryside. What a versatile state this Texas had turned out to be. Although he’d traveled farther West with the army, he had not been through Texas before now.
The closer they came to the heart of the state, the more his desire to see Molly rose. If she had grown into a likeness of her mother she’d be most attractive, and that he could always enjoy. A smiled tilted his lips at the anticipation of her surprise at his arrival. As it had been a last-minute decision, there had been no time to inform Mrs. Whiteman that he was coming too.
Something tugged at his coat sleeve. Stefan glanced down into the eyes of a little boy. “Hey there, sonny, how are you?”
His round blue eyes opened wide. “Are you a soldier?”
“Yes, I am. I’m a lieutenant with the United States Cavalry, and normally I’m stationed at Fort Apache, Arizona.” He turned so the boy could see the insignias on the dark blue jacket. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Billy and I’m almost seven years old. Have you ever killed any injuns?” His little hand still gripped Stefan’s sleeve.
What to say to this boy? Stefan didn’t want to glorify killing, but he also wanted to be truthful. A child this age shouldn’t see killing as a good thing, even though Stefan himself had no problems with pulling the trigger against an enemy. He reached down and pulled the boy up onto his lap.
“Well, soldiers do kill others, but only when it’s absolutely necessary to avoid being killed themselves, or to keep others from being killed.”
A woman hurried their way. “I’m so sorry. Billy got away from me when I tended to his sister. He’s been asking about you ever since we got on the train yesterday afternoon.” She reached for the boy. “Billy, you know you shouldn’t bother other people on the train. Let’s go back to our seats and have a cookie.” She held the boy close to her to still his squirming. “Again, I’m sorry he bothered you.”
Stefan shook his head. “It’s all right. He’s just curious.”
She nodded and turned to head back for her seat.
Clarissa leaned toward him. “That was a very good answer you gave that little boy.”
“It’s the truth, but boys that young don’t need to be thinking about things like that yet.” Wars and killing should never be taken lightly, but he understood the appeal of the military life since he’d fallen under the spell of it himself.
“That reminds me, did I tell you Molly is a schoolteacher now? She has the lower grades and another lady, who is married to one of Molly’s uncles, teaches upper grades. I think that’s exciting. If those children over there are going to Stoney Brook, Billy and his sister will most likely go to Molly’s school. I wish I could learn some skills so I could work. Molly’s aunt Hannah is a nurse even though she’s married to a rancher, and she helps Dr. Whiteman when he needs her for surgeries and things like that. I want to be useful like that. Maybe I should go to college.”
Stefan shook his head at his sister’s ramblings. She could talk longer without saying much of anything than any woman he’d met so far. Her dissertation just now proved it. Who cared whose uncle or cousin or aunt or whatever taught school or ran a ranch? Clarissa and her ideas about wanting to work like Molly or Hannah would get nowhere with their father. He and Mother had brought up Clarissa to be a lady of the manor and expected her to marry well and carry out her role as hostess of a large home and family. No such plans filled his dreams of the future. He’d stay in the military and become a colonel or perhaps a general, and the woman he married must be content to live on army posts.
Next to him his sister sighed and picked up her book to continue reading, but the conductor came through to warn them that they’d be arriving in Stoney Creek in the next half hour. She laid her book aside and reached for the floral bag on the floor instead.
Stefan stood to stretch his muscles which had grown tight from prolonged sitting. He leaned on his cane with one hand and pulled out his brown leather satchel from under the seat. After setting it on an empty space across the aisle, he spotted Billy peering over the back of his seat. Stefan winked at the boy. Billy giggled and slid back down out of sight.
If their stop was also Stoney Creek, maybe he’d have the chance to see the boy in town. He enjoyed children, but he didn’t let that be known among his mates in the regiment. They might consider that trait to be too soft for a soldier trained to fight and kill when necessary.
However, he’d bet his last dime that if it came down to it, they’d all fight to the death for the safety of a child. As a matter of fact, wasn’t that part of his duty? He’d been trained for battle, yes, but that training meant willingness to risk his life to ensure the safety of the citizens of the United States.
The cane now in his left hand proved that willingness, but he hoped such testing would not be necessary in the days ahead. A shudder passed through his body, and he shook his head. Time to get away from those thoughts and concentrate on enjoying the last weeks of his medical leave.
Molly rushed through morning chores and raced back to her room to get ready to meet the train. Less than half an hour remained until she’d see her friend once again. All the letters they’d exchanged in the past years had been fun, but seeing her in person and talking face-to-face would be so much better.
Molly’s hair, once a much lighter red, now glowed a rich auburn with red-gold highlights. Thank goodness she no longer had orange-red ha
ir like her brother. She tucked stray tendrils back and refastened the hair clip at the crown. Today she’d opted to let it hang loose from the clip. Besides, summer vacation had started, and she didn’t need to keep her appearance so prim and proper.
With a last pinch to her cheeks, she nodded her head in satisfaction and picked up her handbag. With it hanging from her wrist, Molly hurried down the stairs to meet her sister and mother in the hallway.
Mama pulled on lace gloves and eyed Molly. “You certainly look eager and ready for that train. You and Clarissa have a lot of catching up to do.” She turned to Clara now standing on the bottom stair. “Thank you for offering to stay with Alice and Juliet. We won’t be gone long.”
Clara looked toward the ceiling and sighed. “Of course we’ll be fine. I’m seventeen now and old enough to have a child of my own.”
Mama’s eyebrows raised and she jerked her head back. “Don’t even think a thing like that, Clara Louise Whiteman. You have plenty of time before marriage and children come into your life.” She turned and headed out the door.
Molly exchanged a shrug of shoulders and raised eyebrows with Clara before following Mama outside to the carriage. Papa had gone ahead with the other buggy so there would be room for all to return to the house. She and Clarissa would share the buggy, and Mr. and Mrs. Elliot would ride in the carriage with Mama and Papa. That way she and Clarissa could begin sharing news right away.
The shrill train whistle signaled its arrival at the station at the same time Molly stepped down from the buggy and tethered her horse. Excitement flowed through her body in anticipation of seeing her childhood friend.
The train finally stopped and passengers began disembarking. A mother with three young children stepped down to the platform and was greeted by Mr. Olson, who had only recently moved to town and taken over the wheelwright shop.
Behind Mrs. Olson, Clarissa waved and called to Molly. “Here I am, Molly.” Not a hair of her dark brown hair looked out of place, and the jaunty blue hat matched Clarissa’s traveling dress. If she hadn’t been stepping off the train, Molly would never have believed her friend had been traveling for two days.
As Clarissa descended to the platform, her parents followed her. Molly grabbed Clarissa and hugged her. “I’m so glad you’ve finally arrived. I brought the buggy so we could catch up on our lives on the way to our house.”
“Well, we might have an extra rider with us if there’s room.” Clarissa’s eyes danced with delight.
“An extra rider? Who came with you? One of your servant girls?” Molly furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side.
“No, he’s a surprise.” Clarissa moved to the side and waved her arm toward a young man now descending the steps from the passenger car.
Molly gazed into the blue eyes of Stefan Elliot and her breath caught in her throat. He’d been handsome as a young boy even when he was teasing her, but now in his uniform, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen, especially in Stoney Creek. “Mr. Elliot, this is a surprise.”
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “And you are a delightful surprise as well.”
Heat flooded Molly’s cheeks and she swallowed hard as his lips brushed her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Elliot. Or should I call you by your rank?” She looked doubtfully at the insignias on his uniform, not sure how to translate them.
His laughter rang in the air. “Now, Molly Whiteman, don’t you think we’ve known each other long enough for you to simply call me Stefan?”
Yes, they had been friends for many years, but calling him by his given name now—never mind that. She’d call him whatever he wanted while he was here.
Mama reached out and hugged Stefan. “It’s wonderful that you could join your parents, but we’re sorry about your injuries that have kept you from your duties.”
For the first time, Molly became aware that Stefan leaned on a cane. Not wanting to be nosy, she blinked her eyes and glanced toward Clarissa. What had happened to cause such an injury? She didn’t recall hearing Mama say anything about it before now.
“I’ll be fine in another few weeks and will rejoin my regiment in Fort Apache at that time. It’s been inconvenient, but I’ve enjoyed my furlough. Besides, it offered the opportunity to come here and visit.”
Mama’s hand went to her lips. “Oh, dear, you may have to bunk with our two boys. Your parents have the girls’ room, and they’ve gone in with Clara.”
Mrs. Elliot shook her head. “Oh, no, that won’t be necessary. We’ll make arrangements for Stefan to stay at the hotel.”
Mama opened her mouth to most likely protest such a thing, but Mrs. Elliot shushed her before she could say a word. “No, don’t say it’ll be fine at the house. We knew it might crowd things a bit, so he’ll register at the hotel and sleep there.”
Clarissa pulled Molly to the side while their parents continued to talk. “Soon as we get our luggage loaded, let’s ride out of here. Stefan may be a little lame still, but he’s strong as an ox, which is why he’s healed so quickly. He’ll help get my things in the buggy.”
Molly glanced over Clarissa’s shoulder to discover that Stefan had already picked up one of Clarissa’s bags and now walked toward them with his own and his sister’s bags held with his free arm and hand. Indeed his strength became evident with his ease in handling the luggage. Molly’s heart began a tap dance that sent a shiver through her veins.
Stefan stopped in front of Mama. “Where shall I stow these, Mrs. Whiteman?”
“Oh, over there in the buggy, I suppose. I’m sure you’d much rather ride with Clarissa and Molly than with us old folks.”
A grin spread across Stefan’s face as he fixed his gaze on Molly. “Yes, ma’am, I certainly would enjoy their company.”
It meant that she and Clarissa wouldn’t be able to share their thoughts, but they could do that later. Right now, riding with Stefan filled her heart with a new excitement.
Clarissa locked arms with Molly and the two set off for the buggy. “This is going to be the most fun two weeks. I heard your mama say they’d planned a party in our honor. That is the most wonderful thing I can imagine.”
Molly laughed and shook her head. “She has arranged for one, but it won’t be anything like the cotillions you have back in St. Francisville. Mama has told me of the grand parties they had at your father’s place there and at your mother’s home in Mississippi.” Those stories of her mother’s birthday and other grand occasions had thrilled Molly more than once, and sometimes she longed to attend such gatherings. Of course the parties and dances held here in Stoney Creek were fun in their own way, and now she could look forward to having Stefan at one.
“Maybe not, but I always like to try new things. It’s exciting to just be here in Texas.” She gazed up and down the street before allowing Stefan to assist her up onto the buggy seat. “I was really expecting to see a lot of cowboys here.”
Molly laughed. “Oh, they’ll be in later tonight. Saturday nights are sometimes a little wild, but they do have fun. Aunt Hannah has already invited us out to their ranch for Sunday dinner. We’ll ride out there after church tomorrow. The Circle G is one of the biggest in these parts and you’ll see lots of cowboys there.”
Stefan helped
Molly into the buggy then pulled himself up. “Do you mind if I drive?”
“Not at all. It’s only about six or so blocks down that way to the infirmary. The stable is in the back, so you can pull around there. This way, I can point out things to you both without trying to keep my mind on the horse.” Molly clasped her hands in her lap to stop their tremble at the nearness of Stefan.
Although the seat was big enough for three they barely fit, and if she relaxed one little bit she’d be almost leaning on Stefan. He glanced down at her with a grin that accented the dimple in his left cheek. That sent Molly’s heart into a tailspin. How wonderful the days ahead would be with him here, especially since she wouldn’t have to be busy teaching school.
Stefan flipped the reins and the buggy started forward with a lurch. Heat throbbed through the layers of her skirt as his thigh brushed against hers.
Papa followed close behind, and even from this distance, Mama and Mrs. Elliot’s voices carried to indicate they were already enjoying their time together. Molly stole a glance at Stefan, who happened to be gazing at her. A smile still curved the corner of his mouth, and heat once again flooded Molly’s cheeks. Yes, this would be a most interesting two weeks with Stefan as their guest.
CHAPTER 3
THAT EVENING, ANDREW Delmont joined the family at dinner to welcome the Elliots to Stoney Creek. Molly bit her lip to hide her grin at Clarissa’s reaction to the young doctor. Molly had known Andrew most of her life, or at least since they’d moved to Texas. He had become a handsome man, but even though he was one of the few men in town her age, Molly had no interest in him except as a good friend.
Love Never Fails Page 2
