Love Never Fails

by Martha Rogers

  “So the women are left on the fort alone?”

  “No, of course not. We don’t all go on patrol at one time. We always leave a group behind to man the fort.” He grinned and reached for her hand. “Now that’s plenty about me. I want to know more about you. You told me about your students and school, but do you plan to teach the rest of your life?”

  Her smile warmed his heart even as she withdrew her hand from his. Her cheeks once more turned a delightful shade of pink. She embarrassed easily, but that only endeared her to him more than ever. He sat back in his chair, trying to remind himself that under the present circumstances they most likely would never be more than friends.

  She tilted her head, but the grin had disappeared and she pursed her lips. After a moment she said, “No, I don’t intend to teach all my life. I want to find someone like Aunt Hannah and Ellie did and settle down here in Stoney Creek with a home and family.”

  Exactly what he’d figured she’d say and more reason than ever to keep their relationship strictly on the friendship level. “They both married ranchers. Is that what you want to do?”

  “Not really. I love the ranch and going out there to visit, but I’d much rather live here in town and be where there are more people and activities. What about you? You said you want a large home with a porch like this one. Would that be in town or out in the country?”

  “You know our plantation is outside of town, but close enough that Clarissa and my mother can go into St. Francisville frequently for social visits with friends and to shop. I rather like the plantation myself. It’s quiet and secluded. That’s why I’m considering raising horses after the military.” Nothing like the hustle and bustle of the fort where he could hardly have a moment of privacy.

  “So the home and family you want won’t be at the fort?”

  “Only at first. I’d like to stay long enough to reach the rank of major.”

  “How long does that take?”

  “Several years at least since I’m now a first lieutenant. It depends on the opportunities that come my way.”

  A cloud passed over her face and dimmed her eyes for a moment. Then her old sparkle returned. “With your skills and bravery, I’m sure you will be promoted quickly.”

  “Why, thank you. I’m not sure you’ve seen either of those traits exhibited, but I’m gratified that you think so highly of me.” He changed the subject. “I’m curious. With all the ranches hereabouts, what do you think of life on a ranch?”

  “Ellie and Hannah don’t seem to mind, but I think it’d be rather lonely. When the men are out on the range they are sometimes gone for days. If Ellie didn’t come into town to teach, she’d have only her children to keep her company all day.”

  Stefan had to chuckle at that. After meeting the Gordon twins he doubted Ellie had much time to be lonely. Caring for four children would be a full-time job for any woman. “So, couldn’t you do the same as Ellie and come into town and teach if you married a rancher?”

  “Perhaps, but right now there’s not an eligible rancher near my age so I don’t have to worry about that.”

  If town living was her preference, he had one more hurdle added to the list of reasons he shouldn’t think of Molly in his future. “So what do you do with your time in town?”

  “I do volunteer work with our church ladies’ group, visit our new library, and of course I help Mama around our house. She and I visit different friends for tea, and then there’s the new theater.”

  The enthusiasm in her voice and the gleam in her eyes told the truth of her love for living in town. She had to love people or she wouldn’t be a very good teacher and the students wouldn’t like her either. His gaze came to rest on her lips. The urge to lean over and kiss them flooded through him.

  Molly stopped talking and knit her brows together, and her fingers went to her cheek. “What is it? You’re looking at me strangely. Do I have something on my face?”

  Stefan blinked his eyes and shook his head. “No, nothing like that.” He had to think fast to get his mind away from where it was headed. “I was enjoying listening to you talk. You’re really passionate about so many things.”

  “Oh, I guess I am.” She leaned back with her hands on her cheeks. “Dear me, I’m not boring you then?”

  “No, you’re doing anything but. If you care about people with as much passion as you put into your music earlier, then you’re a young woman after God’s own heart.”

  Again her cheeks turned pink. “That’s beautiful. No one ever said anything like that to me before. I do love people and I love my Lord even more.”

  Under any other circumstances, this beautiful young woman before him would be the perfect one for his wife, but with her negative feelings about the military and ranch living, such a relationship could never be. The one thing they did have in common and one that would bind their friendship was their love for the Lord. God had protected him so many times in the past that he couldn’t imagine not trusting God and relying on Him for strength.

  He reached over and grasped her hands again. “Molly, you are truly a remarkable young woman. May you never lose your love for God and people. Without Him and without love, we are nothing but sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”

  “That’s from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, isn’t it? I’ve learned that God’s love never fails us no matter how many times we fail Him. I don’t know about you, but it gives me great hope for the future. With God as our guide, we can’t go wrong.”

  He smiled and nodded. God was in control, but he was afraid that if he didn’t forget about loving Molly everything could go wrong.

  CHAPTER 10

  ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON Sallie sat with Jenny in the kitchen. She had observed her daughter and Stefan during the week, and as delighted as she was to see Stefan’s interest in Molly, knowing he would soon return to his regiment disturbed her.

  After discussing the dresses they’d be wearing to the theater that evening and the party coming up next Friday, Sallie switched the topic to their children. “So, is Stefan set on a military career?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid so. I really didn’t want him to enlist at all, but Ben loved the military and taught Stefan to do the same. From the time he was a little boy and learned to ride, all he talked about was riding in the cavalry. I had hoped this injury would make him think twice about going back, but he seems more determined than ever to prove he’s as brave as his father.”

  “What about your plantation?”

  Jenny toyed with the handle of her cup. “Things aren’t what they used to be. The plantation flourished when Ben’s father had a full crew of slaves to take care of it, but now that’s not the case. Only a few of them stayed behind after being given their freedom. We can’t raise as large a crop as the land once produced. In fact, Ben’s father sold some of it after the war in order to keep the place going.” She raised somber eyes to Sallie.

  “Stefan has never really liked working on the plantation. It grieved Ben at first, but then he realized if he forced Stefan to farm, he might lose him altogether. So, it’s the military for our son right now.”

  “I know how worried you must be about him.” Sallie refilled her cup and Jenny’s with minted tea.

 
After the months she’d spent waiting on Manfred to return home from the war, Sallie had no desire for Molly to experience the same. Sallie hated war as much as Molly, and she had to admit to herself that it had been a bit disturbing to have a soldier like Stefan around, stirring up old memories.

  Jenny added a bit of honey to her tea. “I’m not worried so much now that the Indians have quit attacking. They mostly go out on patrols and ride along as protection for certain army or other government shipments. Once in a while they’ll assist the local law in apprehending those who break the law. I’m thankful there is no war. No one should have to experience what we did.”

  Sallie couldn’t agree more. The memory of the day her father brought Jenny to Grandma Woodruff’s home in St. Francisville still produced a chill in Sallie’s bones, and the memory of shooting that young soldier in her mama’s kitchen would never be erased. Fighting and killing did strange things to people, and she didn’t want Molly to experience any of it.

  “Perhaps it’s best that you won’t be here for a long period of time. Stefan and Molly are growing close, but there’s no time for it to develop. If she falls in love with him, she’ll end up worrying and waiting just like I did for Manfred.”

  Jenny reached over and grasped Sallie’s hand. “But look how wonderful that turned out.”

  “I know, but I wish she could find someone here. Andrew is only a few years older than she, but he’s been like a brother to her since he went away to school.” Short of the cowboys out at the ranches, few eligible young men lived in the area. She’d hoped for an attraction between Andrew and Molly, but that hadn’t happened, and from the look on his face when he was around Clarissa, it wouldn’t.

  Jenny said, “Speaking of Andrew, I’ve noticed how much attention he’s paying to Clarissa, and she seems to be enjoying the attention. He’s a fine young man, but I don’t imagine there’s any hope of his coming to Louisiana to practice medicine.”

  Sallie laughed and shook her head. “I think Manfred would hog-tie the boy to the fence out back before he’d let him run off somewhere else. He really does relieve the load for Manfred.” With Manfred’s kind heart, he’d probably support Andrew wherever he wanted to go, but no need to tell Jenny that fact.

  She sat back to enjoy the last few minutes with Jenny before they needed to get ready for their evening at the theater. She’d planned to speak with Molly about her feelings for Stefan, but that would have to wait another day. Tonight she’d keep a close eye on them to see if her suspicions were justified.

  Stefan strolled down Main Street in the direction of the Whiteman home. The theater sat in its regal splendor all prepared for the opening performance that evening. Molly would be resting with Clarissa in preparation for the full evening of entertainment ahead, but perhaps he could catch Andrew in a lull and talk with him. If what he’d seen meant anything, romance was brewing between the doctor and Clarissa and that would never do. He’d said at first he’d help Andrew, but after consideration in the past week, he decided against it. His sister belonged in Louisiana with her parents where she could marry some local young man and take her place in society.

  Not that he didn’t like Andrew, but he lived in Texas and that was too far away for Clarissa to move. Besides, she wouldn’t have the social standing that she had at home. She’d be taking their mother and grandmother’s place in entertaining and keeping their status in the town intact. That had been important to Grandmother Elliot and seemed to be so for his mother as well.

  He could deal with Andrew, but what could he do about his own growing feelings for Molly? Hard as he tried to keep their relationship strictly on a friendship basis, his heart refused to cooperate. So as to not be around her so much he’d spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the Gordon ranch with the excuse of learning more about the horses his father planned to buy. He’d even picked out one for himself to take back to Arizona to replace the one he’d lost.

  The only times he’d seen Molly had been at the supper table. They’d laughed and talked of anything and everything with their families, but then he’d headed back to the hotel as soon as he could politely leave. Avoiding being alone hadn’t helped matters, though. Her red-gold hair and dancing green eyes invaded his thoughts no matter where he took himself.

  He’d deliberately stayed in town today, but the time had dragged. Molly deserved an explanation for his neglect, but what could he tell her? He couldn’t deny the anticipation and excitement rising in his heart as he approached the Whiteman house.

  After their discussion on the porch Monday night, he had grown even more attracted to her, and that wasn’t wise. They were too different in their hopes for the future. The main thing they both had in common was their love for the Lord, but was that enough to sustain a lifetime together?

  While at the ranch, he’d discovered he truly enjoyed riding with the cowboys. Micah had complimented him more than once on his horsemanship. That shouldn’t have been a surprise, since Stefan served as a cavalry officer. He did miss being around horses, and he looked forward to training his new mount.

  Andrew stood on the porch at the entrance to the infirmary and waited as Stefan approached. “What brings you out on such a warm afternoon, or should I say hot?”

  Stefan stopped at the bottom of the steps and leaned on his cane. “I came to see you, actually. If you’re busy, we can talk this evening after the theater.”

  “It’s slow today. Unless it’s life threatening, people come early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Come on up here where it’s somewhat cooler. I’ll let Mrs. Whiteman know you’re here and she’ll have us a cool drink in a few minutes.”

  Andrew disappeared into the house, and Stefan climbed the steps to sit in one of the wicker chairs he and Molly had occupied a few evenings ago.

  Andrew reappeared. “She’ll be out shortly with lemonade.” He sat across from Stefan. “What’s on your mind? Would it have something to do with your sister?”

  Stefan nodded and searched for words to convey his thoughts without angering Andrew or insulting him.

  A grin spread across Andrew’s face. “I figured as much. I spoke with your father last evening. I wanted his approval to escort her while you all are in town. I must admit I’m quite taken with her, but I realize the distance between our homes would make it difficult to pursue a relationship. I know I’d have the same concerns if it involved my sister Faith.”

  This young man had more common sense than Stefan had given him credit for. Mrs. Whiteman’s appearance with a tray and two glasses of lemonade and a small plate of sugar cookies saved him from having to respond to Andrew.

  Stefan stood and greeted her. “Thank you, but you didn’t need to go to the trouble for us.”

  “It was no trouble at all. Your mother and I were having tea and cookies in the kitchen just now, so it was easy to fix you a tray.” She set the tray on the table then stepped back with her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side. “I’m surprised to see you out walking in this heat. The girls are upstairs napping to prepare for the long evening ahead. I suppose you men don’t need such rest.” She laughed then waved her hand before entering the house.

  The song of the cicadas rang through the air and reminded Stefan of those he heard at home in the trees surrounding Oakwood, the family plantat
ion. Although Stoney Creek had plenty of trees, he missed the moss that hung in clumps from the oaks and elms of home.

  The streets of town shimmered in the heat, and most folks chose to stay indoors at this time of day. Yet here he sat enjoying a glass of lemonade and Mrs. Whiteman’s delicious cookies. All because of two young women now upstairs in this very house resting for their big evening. He sipped the drink and let the cool liquid soothe his throat. At times like this he could very well forget any need for army regiments and drills.

  “We discussed my relationship with your sister, but if I may be so bold, I’ve seen the look of admiration you hold for Molly. The two of us grew up together and she’s a special young woman.”

  “Yes, I’ve come to realize that in more ways than one.” He set his glass back on the table. “The problem is that we have such different points of view on many matters. The one thing we do agree on is our faith, but her ideas about the military and future way of life are directly opposite of mine.” He’d spent the better part of the past three days trying to convince his heart to forget a future with Molly and to simply bask in the pleasure of her company.

  “I know how Molly feels. She’s told me often enough, but then you must remember how hard it was on her father. He spent all those months in a horrific prison camp where many men died every day.”

  “Yes, I understand that. My mother suffered terribly at the hands of the enemy. If her father had been alive, he’d have killed any man who touched her, and my father would do the same now for Clarissa or Mother. I guess it’s hard for Molly to see and come to terms with that.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. War she doesn’t like at all, but defending oneself against an enemy may be different. I’m sure you’ve heard the story about her mother killing a Yankee soldier who had come into their house during a battle near their home.”