The two ladies fell silent for a moment until Jenny leaned toward Sallie and whispered, “Look at our older children. They act as though they’ve been together all these years instead of across the state line.” A grin played about her lips. “Wouldn’t it be nice if Molly and Stefan became close? That’s one reason I was delighted he decided to come with us.”
Sallie pondered the idea. They did make a striking couple. “Let’s see how they get on these two weeks. They may not be compatible at all.” She did not think it likely that Molly would want to marry a military man, but she could be wrong.
Stefan listened with a smile as his sister and Molly chatted about the people they’d meet today. A few had come by the doctor’s house last evening to pay their respects, and many more would greet them at church. His gaze landed on the steeple of the church and moved down to the building itself. This was no ordinary country building. The original wood frame structure sat off to the side with a smaller steeple and single front door. The new one stood tall and stately with white columns, double doors, and colorful stained glass windows. It reminded him of some of the churches he’d seen in Maryland when he attended West Point.
God had been good to him, and Stefan had made sure he’d attended church no matter where he might be. Even at the fort, the chaplain held services each week. He looked forward to church today, especially in the company of a pretty young woman like Molly.
He stopped the buggy and climbed down to tether the horse then limped over to help his sister and Molly step down. He released his sister’s hand quickly to grasp Molly’s. “Watch your step, Miss Whiteman.”
She grinned. “Now, Stefan, we settled that yesterday. If I’m to call you Stefan, you are to call me Molly. Remember?”
“Yes, I know, but—never mind. Molly it is.”
The two young women, one with dark hair, the other with sun-kissed red-gold, leaned on each other with their arms interlocked as they climbed the few steps to the church doorway. They made a pretty sight, and one he wouldn’t tire of seeing the next few weeks.
A voice at his side made him turn, and he spotted the young doctor he had met last night. “Oh, good morning, Dr. Delmont. I’m sorry, what was that you said?”
Red tinged the doctor’s cheeks. “I was commenting on how pretty your sister is. Her eyes are a most unusual color.”
Stefan tilted his head. “Do I detect a spark of interest in my sister?”
Andrew Delmont’s cheeks burned brighter. “After our visit last evening, yes, I would like to become better acquainted.”
“Then I’ll see what I can do to make that happen.” As long as the young doctor’s interests didn’t lie in Molly, he’d help the attraction along with pleasure.
“Thank you, Stefan. I do appreciate that.”
“Then let’s go inside and see if we can find seats with them.” Stefan grinned and climbed the steps with Andrew close behind. Having another young man near his own age, and who was not interested in Molly, would make for an even better visit. However, he’d have to find out more about Andrew Delmont before actually helping him in his pursuit of Clarissa. After all, she was his only sister, and nothing but the best would be good enough for her. Two weeks with the attention of the doctor would make her time more enjoyable, too, as long as it didn’t go beyond that.
Inside the church Stefan spotted Molly’s green beribboned hat and noted the space beside her. He winked at Andrew then nodded toward the two young women. “Looks like we’re in luck.”
He headed down the aisle to the pew where Molly and Clarissa sat. “Are these places taken?”
Molly’s smile sent his heart reeling. She glanced at the empty space beside her then back at him. “Well we were saving them for someone special, but I suppose you two will do.”
Stefan laughed and stepped over to claim a seat next to Molly while Andrew sat beside Clarissa. That had worked perfectly. Now if the rest of the day went as well, he’d consider it to be a very good day indeed.
CHAPTER 5
AFTER CHURCH TOM drove the team leading the two-seated surrey out to the Gordon ranch. Molly sat beside Stefan and searched for a topic of conversation that would not bore him to pieces. They’d talked about his medal and injury last night, and the idea he’d been in a fight with Indians didn’t sit well with her anyway.
Stories about the war from her pa and his brothers always left a bitter taste in her mouth. Stefan may be a handsome hero, but she couldn’t bring herself to admire his killing anyone, Indians or robbers. While Pa and Mr. Elliot went on about what the army was doing to keep peace in the land, Molly could think only of the deaths of young men in the last war.
“What, may I ask, is going on in that pretty head of yours, Molly Whiteman?” Stefan grinned, and the dimple in his left cheek winked at her.
Oh, he was handsome all right, and her heart jumped when he smiled at her like that. She swallowed hard to compose her mind before speaking. She didn’t dare tell him she’d been thinking of war and death. “Nothing really. It’s such a glorious day for June. We’re still getting a few cooling breezes to keep our temperatures from being unbearable.”
Gracious, talking about the weather. Now nothing could be more boring than that. “I hope you aren’t overwhelmed by all the family you’re about to meet. We only had time for a scant few introductions at the church, but you’ll see the whole lot today. Mrs. Gordon, Uncle Micah’s ma, does the cooking for them all still, and she’s one of the best around. I love to come out here on Sundays when it’s her turn for the family. I hope she has a couple of her apple pies for dessert.” She stopped short. First the weather and then rambling on like Stoney Creek after a good rain. Stefan must think her to be a complete ninny with no conversation ability at all.
“How did you like church this morning?” Maybe that would be a safer topic.
“It was very nice. Your pastor is quite capable and seems to know his Bible well. He preached a timely topic of caring for your Christian brothers and sisters in time of need.”
That hadn’t been exactly what Reverend Weatherby had said. He’d indicated caring about all mankind, not just our Christian brothers and sisters, but no sense in getting into an argument with Stefan over semantics. “Yes, he was very good. He’s been here ever since we came. A new doctor and a new reverend at the same time created quite a stir.”
Tom turned his head toward Stefan. “And that’s what allows our father to enjoy a day like today. With Andrew in town to take care of emergencies, Pa can come with us. Before, he stayed in town so people wouldn’t have to hunt him down if needed.”
Molly noted the slight blush on Clarissa’s cheeks. She and Andrew had met last evening and a spark of interest developed right away. Now that would be a fun match, especially if it meant Clarissa living in Stoney Creek. Mercy sakes, here she was having them married and they’d barely even met. She’d best gain control of her thoughts or no telling what might pop out of her mouth.
To Molly’s relief, Tom continued his dialogue. “Aunt Hannah’s cooking has improved a lot, but Uncle Micah’s ma still does most of the cooking. Pa even looks forward to these dinners and Aunt Hannah’s desserts. I remember her first attempts. She’s a much better nurse than cook.”
That may have bee
n true ten years ago, but not now. Despite her handicap of one leg shorter than the other, Aunt Hannah had done a remarkable job as a wife of a rancher and a mother of two children.
Stefan touched her arm. “I do believe you left us there for a minute, Molly.”
Heat filled her cheeks. “I’m sorry, I was thinking about Aunt Hannah and how much she has accomplished in her life.”
“I don’t remember her that well since she’s older, but every time she visited Mother before moving here, she was very nice. It was good to see her again at church.”
Tom pulled the wagon into the Gordon yard, and Molly leaned toward Stefan. “Get ready for the onslaught of Gordon relatives. There’s a bunch of them.”
Stefan laughed. “I’m looking forward to it. I enjoy big families. Besides, I will have you with me to help with names through the afternoon.”
When Tom pulled to a stop, Stefan stepped down then offered his hand to Molly. When he grasped hers, the warmth of his palm spread through her like butter melting on a biscuit. “Yes, I will keep everyone sorted out for you. I look forward to our afternoon.”
Aunt Hannah stood on the porch with Uncle Micah. Grace and Joel, her cousins, ran out to grab Molly around the waist. Molly laughed and disentangled herself. “Whoa, that’s quite a greeting. I just saw you at church.”
Grace stepped back and planted her hands at her hips. “Yes, but it’s been a while since you came out to the ranch. I want to show you my new horse. She’s still too young to ride, but Pa says she’s mine to train. He brought her home a few weeks ago.”
From the corner of her eye, Molly watched Joel stare in awe at Stefan’s uniform. Stefan shook hands with the boy, and from the look on his face, Stefan had a friend for life in her seven-year-old cousin. She turned her attention to Grace.
“I’m looking forward to meeting your horse, but first I’m looking forward to your grandma and ma’s dinner.” She locked arms with Grace and headed to the house. Mama and Papa had already gone in with Mr. and Mrs. Elliot. Joel and Stefan trailed behind with Joel bombarding Stefan with questions about the army.
Stefan smiled down at the young boy at his side. “Being in the cavalry isn’t always exciting. We have lots of things we have to do to make sure we’re ready when duty calls.”
Joel scrunched his eyebrows together. “You mean you’re not out fighting injuns and bad men all the time?”
“No, son. We have to take care of our horses and our equipment as well as keep things in order around the fort. We have reveille in the mornings and then we have drills until noon.”
“But you do chase bad people and shoot at ’em, don’t you?”
“Yes, but only when it’s necessary to protect a town, a shipment, or the fort.”
Joel seemed to ponder that a moment before his eyes lit up again. “I bets you know how to shoot better than anyone else, even my uncle Levi, and he’s the best shooter in these parts, exceptin’ for my pa.”
Micah Gordon stepped forward and extended his hand in greeting. “Welcome to the ranch, Stefan. I hope our little chatterbox here hasn’t bored you.”
“No, he hasn’t. He’s quite the talker for his age.”
Micah patted Joel’s shoulder. “Go on into the house and find your cousins.” When the boy disappeared inside, Micah grinned. “Yes, he is quite the talker. Just ask Molly about what he does at school. She says he asks more questions than any other student.”
“An inquisitive mind is a good thing to have. As he gets older, he should do well in school.”
“That’s our hope. Now, let’s go inside where you can meet the rest of the family.”
Stefan followed Micah into the house and marveled at the amount of room inside. A large parlor with a fireplace opened out from the doorway, and a stairway ascended to the second floor. It separated the parlor from a large dining area. He noted two tables were set with dishes and linens. Not the fancy crystal and china his family used at home, but perfect in this setting.
A young couple joined them. The woman held a little girl on her hip, and the man held the hand of a young boy. Stefan recognized the man as James Hempstead, whom he had met at the general store yesterday in town.
The man extended his hand. “Good to see you again, Stefan. Sorry the store was so busy that we didn’t have time to talk yesterday.” He wrapped his free arm around the woman’s shoulder. “This is my wife, Margaret. She’s Micah Gordon’s sister, and these are our children, Elizabeth and Davy. Our oldest, Jimmy, is with his cousins.”
“I’m pleased to meet you, Mrs. Hempstead. You have a fine-looking family.” He bent down to shake Davy’s hand. “And it’s a pleasure to meet such a handsome young man here.”
The boy stood taller and grinned, exposing the absence of two teeth, one on top and one on bottom. “I’m seven, and Miss Whiteman is my teacher.” His brown eyes sparkled. “And you’re a soldier. Do you fight the bad men?”
“Yes, I do, sometimes when I need to defend myself.” It seemed as though all the boys Jimmy’s age were interested in fighting. He turned his attention back to James, not to ignore the young boy’s interest, but to take the child’s mind elsewhere. “You have a fine store. I didn’t expect to see one so large out here.”
“Thank you. We expanded a year or so ago and carry just about anything you want, and if we don’t have it, we can order it from our catalogs.”
“Now don’t go hogging all the attention, Margaret.” Another man dressed in denim pants and a plaid shirt extended his hand toward Stefan. “I’m Levi Gordon, part owner of the Circle G. We’re glad to have you out visiting today. Give you a real taste of Texas living.”
He turned to the woman with him. “This is my wife, Ellie. She teaches at the school with Molly. The twin boys who just scooted through here are ours, Josiah and Jeremy, and we have another son, Timothy, as well as little Sarah here.”
Stefan absorbed the names and faces as best he could with so many running about. Levi and Micah were brothers and married to Hannah and Ellie. Margaret was their sister married to James, the storekeeper. At least he had the adults right, but he’d have to take it slower with the children with so many of them. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. I’m looking forward to seeing your ranch. Molly tells me it’s quite a spread.”
“Since we added horses to our livestock, it’s grown to be the second largest next to Mr. Hudson’s spread to the west. Micah and I will be happy to take you out to see our land. We’ll fix you up with a horse and saddle after dinner.”
Ellie Gordon tugged at Levi’s sleeve. “Speaking of dinner, I believe your ma has the table ready. You and James need to round up the children and get them cleaned up to eat.” She shifted the sleeping child in her arms. “Molly has looked forward to your visit for weeks. We’re glad you’re here, and welcome to Texas. I hope you enjoy your visit. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put this one down for her nap.”
As she turned to leave, Molly grasped his arm. “Looks like you’ve met them all but Rose. She’s been in the kitchen helping her ma with the meal. Rose is the youngest of the Gordon clan and has just made plans to marry one of the cowboys over at the Hudson place.”
“I think I can keep everyone straight.” He gazed in
to Molly’s green eyes and hoped they’d have some time together this afternoon. “I’m looking forward to getting to know them better.” He placed his hand over Molly’s resting on his arm. “And especially one doctor’s daughter.”
The pink that flooded her face brought a smile to his heart. He led her to the dining area where the older children seated themselves around one table and the adults with the youngest settled at the larger dining table.
Accustomed to only four at the family table for meals, Stefan shook his head in wonder at the happy chatter and bustling about of fifteen adults and who knew how many children finding places to sit. In only a few minutes, quiet fell over the group, and Micah Gordon stood at the head of the table.
“Welcome to our home and to the bountiful blessings of our meal. Let’s join hands and thank our Lord for what He has provided.”
All around hands clasped and heads bowed. Micah’s strong voice called upon the Lord. “Lord, for these and all thy bountiful blessings, we give You thanks this day.
Thank You for the safe journey for Mr. and Mrs. Elliot and their son and daughter. Thank You for the message this morning that nourished our souls in Your house. Now bless the hands that prepared this food today and bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. Amen.”
As Micah finished the prayer, chatter again erupted and hands reached out to pass around the platters of meat, vegetables, and hot, fresh bread. The delightful aroma sent a rumble through Stefan’s belly. It’d been hours since breakfast and he eagerly anticipated the meal.
He glanced down the table toward his sister, who leaned toward a young woman in deep conversation. That must be Rose, the youngest Gordon girl. She and Clarissa had evidently found an interest they shared.
Molly handed him the basket of bread. As their hands touched, a most pleasant, but unusual feeling shot up his arm. Once again he gazed at Molly. The beauty of her smile caused a lump to form in his throat. If he didn’t have to report back to his regiment in two weeks, he’d be sorely tempted to ask his parents to plan for an extended stay. As it stood, he’d have to seize every moment of opportunity he could get to be alone with Molly. How could he have known about her for so many years, but not truly known her? He planned to remedy that as soon as possible.
Love Never Fails Page 4
