The Final Vow (Hearts of Hays Series #2)

by Barbara Goss

  “If I could borrow something simple, I would love to wear it—until my habit can be cleaned and mended that is.”

  Cassie smiled and dashed out the door only to return several minutes later with a dainty light blue cotton dress. “You’re a lot smaller than I am, but this dress is two years old and might fit you.” She handed it to Laura. “I’ve grown since then, and you probably will too when you taste my Ma’s cooking.”

  “It’s lovely,” Laura smiled. Cassie appeared a delightful young woman. Laura guessed she must be about her age. Of course, the blonde braids made her look younger, as did the rosy cheeks and almond-shaped green eyes. Cassie appeared large-boned and tall, not overweight, but solid, like her mother.

  Cassie seemed nervous, like she wanted to ask something and seemed hesitant. Laura decided she’d put her at ease. “Go ahead and ask, Cassie, I don’t mind at all. I realize you’ve probably never seen a nun before.”

  Cassie blushed and pointed to her head, “Do you have hair under that thing?”

  Laura laughed, and vividly remembered asking that very same question of Sister Mary Sarah when she lived at the orphanage. “Yes, I do. I’ll need a comb or brush and this head-wear is called a wimple.”

  Cassie nodded, opening the top drawer of the dresser. “There’s a brush, comb and soap in here. If there is anything you aren’t allowed to do or have, please let us know.”

  “Relax,” Laura said. “I haven’t taken my final vows yet, and these circumstances are unusual. I feel as though I, too, can relax.”

  Laura carefully removed her wimple and let her hair loose. Her tresses only reached her shoulders since the nuns kept their hair short so it would fit better in the wimple.

  Cassie stared at her, wide-eyed. “The color! It’s beautiful! What a shame to hide it! It’s the color of gold. Not blonde nor red, but both.”

  Laura stood speechless, as no one had ever complimented her before or noticed her unusual hair color. She ran her fingers through it. “Do you really think it’s beautiful?”

  “Oh, Sister Laura… um, or Clare… or, well, you are beautiful, not just your hair but all of you. It seems such a waste of God’s gift to keep it all hidden.”

  “In the convent, we learn to be humble before God, and because I’m to become a bride of God’s, not to appear brazen or attract attention.”

  “I’m sure God doesn’t want ugly wives,” Cassie stated with serious concern.

  Laura simply smiled; she’d thought much the same way once. “I’ll need to bathe now.”

  “Of course. I’ll come back for you in an hour and walk you down to supper.” Beneath her breath, Laura heard her say, “Wait until Jesse sees this!”

  2

  Jesse stopped in the doorway and gaped at Laura with an open mouth. Cassie tried to stifle a giggle, while Meg shushed her with finger to her lips. Jesse’s first glimpse of Laura without her habit stunned him. Here at his supper table, sat the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Her hair shined like spun gold. Somewhere he’d heard the term strawberry-blonde. Her eyes were blue, but not ordinary blue, but the lightest blue, lighter than the sky’s blue. The combination of strawberry-blonde hair and those eyes were breath taking. This could not possibly be the dusty nun he’d brought home.

  Jesse washed at the kitchen sink, and scolded himself for staring. He’d try to act indifferent as not to embarrass her, and he’d remind himself constantly, even though she didn’t wear a habit, she was still a nun.

  Once seated at the table, Jesse picked up his fork poised to begin eating, but his mother signaled to him by tapping her plate with her fork. “We’ll bow in prayer,” she said.

  Jesse and Cassie exchanged looks. They only prayed before meals on special occasions.

  “Would you do the honors, Sister Mary Clare?”

  “I’d love to,” she replied, “and it’s all right to call me Laura. I feel more like a Laura right now anyway.” She smiled and led them in a short prayer. “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.”

  Laura wasn’t sure how the food would get on her plate from the dishes set in the middle of the table, but Jesse helped. He picked up each dish and held it out to her with a nod, and she helped herself to a spoonful of everything. After she spooned her portion out, he scooped out his own. The dinner, a delightful stew with buttered biscuits, tasted delightful. Laura said, “This is delicious, Meg.”

  Meg smiled proudly. “The rabbit’s fresh too; Jesse killed it this morning.”

  Laura gulped. Rabbit! She dropped her fork. All she could picture was a cute, fuzzy bunny when she looked at the stew.

  Jesse seemed to take pity on her after seeing her reaction to the stew. “It wasn’t a white fluffy one, but a nasty brown ugly one.”

  It didn’t help. She slid the meat aside and just ate the gravy and vegetables.

  For dessert, Meg placed a rectangular cake pan on the table and served everyone a square. After dessert, coffee and tea were served on the front porch.

  The women sat in the three rocking chairs and Jesse sat on the porch railing.

  “We’re anxious to hear the story of how Laura came to be here today,” Meg said.

  Jesse told the story, embellishing on his role a bit.

  “Oh, Laura!” Cassie cried, “I’d have been frightened too!”

  “So would I,” Meg said. “I’m glad Jesse brought you home. I am going to love another to fuss over.”

  “If she is to live in Texas, then she needs to learn how to ride a horse,” Cassie said.

  “Yes,” agreed Meg. “Jesse taught Cassie; I’m sure he wouldn’t mind teaching you.”

  Laura admitted, “I’m very much afraid of horses.”

  “We’ll get you over the fear, won’t we, Jesse?” coaxed Cassie.

  Jesse kept silent, wondering how he would cope with being subjected to daily riding lessons with Laura dressed like she was today.

  “Won’t you, Jesse?” his mother urged.

  What could he do but agree? “Certainly.”

  “What I really need,” Laura said, setting down her teacup, “is to get to Texas.”

  Jesse had been thinking about her dilemma while he was checking on his cattle earlier. “We could ride out to my brother’s place in San Antonio. Surely there can’t be too many missions in Texas and maybe Bert will know where some of them are located.”

  “Yes, Bert and Nancy would love a visit, but it’s a long ride.” Meg collected the cups.

  “Can I help with the dishes?” Laura asked.

  “No, you are a guest. Cassie’s my dishwasher. Come along Cassie.”

  Jesse, left alone to entertain Laura, suggested a walk and was shocked when she agreed, even if hesitantly.

  “I’ll show you the barn and introduce you to all the horses.”

  Laura grimaced.

  “Give them a chance, won’t you?”

  She nodded and followed along to the big red barn just a few hundred feet from the house.

  It was dark inside, so Jesse lit a lamp and carried it down the row of stalls. He pointed to a black and white spotted horse. “That’s Moses, Cassie’s horse.” He gently stroked the horse’s nose. “Would you like to pet him?”

  Laura shook her head.

  “C’mon. He took her hand and lightly touched it to the horse’s soft nose.”

  “It feels like velvet!” She continued to stroke the horse’s nose. Jesse hoped Moses wouldn’t snort or do anything that might scare Laura.

  As he introduced her to all the horses, she became a bit more at ease with them.

  “What’s this one’s name?” She pointed to a taffy-colored horse.

  “Don’t touch that one!” Jesse warned.

  Laura backed away. “Why?”

  “He hasn’t been broken yet.”

  “Broken?”

  “No one has ridden him yet. He is a new acquisition. He’s wild yet.”

  “How do you tame him?”

  “Pat
ience and perseverance.”

  “Is this the horse we rode together?” she pointed to the shiny black horse.

  “Yes, that’s my horse, Pedro. I ride him most of the time, and I use him and Cassie’s horse to pull our wagon when we go to town for supplies.”

  In her room that night, Laura dropped to her knees and said her evening prayers. Then she hopped up on the bed and felt the thrill of privacy! Yet another thing she’d never had before.

  As she curled up to fall asleep, she replayed all the day’s events in her mind. So much had happened in one day. When she’d been sent to Texas, she had dreaded it. Deep inside she had felt resentment for having to travel to a land of Indians and wild gun fighters while still a novice. Could this be some type of test to see if she had what it took to become a bona fide nun? If so, she doubted she would have passed it. Since she boarded the train in Boston, she’d felt doubts about her vocation, perhaps she needed to taste real life first. Going from the Catholic orphanage to the convent had never given her a chance to experience life. Would this rural ranch give her that chance? Could this be God’s Will? Could she use this time to experience secular life before committing herself?

  She recalled the expression on Jesse’s face when he walked into the kitchen and saw her without her habit. She smiled in the dark. The thought of being pretty secretly thrilled her.

  In the morning, Meg piled stacks of toast on the breakfast table. Everyone simply grabbed a slice. After watching, she did the same. Then Meg put out a platter of bacon, and everyone took two slices; she did the same. Meg then dropped two fried eggs on each person’s plate, and that was how the Collins family ate meals.

  As Jesse took a second helping of toast, he said, “When would you like me to take you to Texas, Laura?”

  All eyes were on her. What should she answer? She “should” go to Texas, but did she want to? No. But for how long could she impose on this family? What should she say to Jesse? “There’s no hurry,” she finally said. “I still have to launder and mend my habit.”

  “It’s fine,” Jesse said with a grin. “While I look forward to seeing my brother again, I do have to finish the fence I’m working on.

  “I’m in no hurry,” she assured him.

  “How about your first riding lesson then? Before I start my work today.”

  Laura had to think before answering this question, too. While she wanted to delay going to Texas, she didn’t really want to learn to ride. Mentally, she balanced the two.

  “All right,” she said finally.

  While Laura and Jesse left for the barn for the first lesson, Cassie and Meg cleaned up the breakfast dishes. As Cassie dried the dishes, Meg elbowed her and whispered, “She’s perfect for our Jesse.”

  “Mother, she’s a nun!” Cassie cried, unable to believe her mother’s comment.

  “Not officially…”

  “No, but she will be,” Cassie countered.

  “I could tell the minute Jesse saw her without the habit that he was attracted to her. I can also tell when he is trying to hide his feelings.” She smiled, knowingly, “She’s perfect.”

  “You aren’t planning anything, are you?” Cassie asked, suspicious of the way her mother smiled. “As soon as her habit is washed and mended, she’ll be good as gone.”

  “I’ll take care of washing and mending her habit,” Meg said with a mischievous smile.

  Leading the brown horse, previously belonging to the bandit, out of the stall, Jesse said, “I paced this chestnut fellow yesterday around the yard, and he is fairly well-trained and docile. First, I’ll show you how to saddle a horse. We’ll borrow Cassie’s saddle, it will fit you better.”

  Once the horse was saddled, Jesse led the horse out of the barn and to a round fenced-in area covered in loose dirt. “This is the riding pen. I break wild horses here and test out new ones; this is a perfect area for you to learn.”

  The horse towered over Laura, and she kept stepping away from it.

  “We won’t mount today, let’s just get used to the horse. Pat him on the nose a bit and make friends.”

  Laura loved the feel of the horse’s nose, and the horse seemed to like the attention. “What’s his name?”

  “If he has one I don’t know it. This is the bandit’s horse. You can name him, he’s now yours.”

  “How about ‘Bandit’?”

  As Laura sat reading her Bible in her room, Meg rang the bell for Jesse even though it wasn’t dinnertime. Laura came down to see why the bell would be rung when it wasn’t mealtime. She looked at Meg expectantly. A man wearing a uniform with a badge stood next to Meg.

  She smiled at Laura. “It’s all right, Laura. This is Sheriff Higgins; he’s here to see Jesse.”

  Just then Jesse stormed in. “Higgins!” he said with a questioning nod.

  “I’d like a word with you about yesterday’s train robbery, if I may?”

  “Sure. I stopped by your office yesterday, but you weren’t in, so I gave the report to your deputy.” He looked at Laura. “Shouldn’t Laura be included, as well?”

  Higgins looked at Laura. “I’d heard it was a nun who had been kidnapped.”

  “Laura is the nun; her habit became destroyed in the mishap.”

  Higgins nodded, and they invited him into the living room.

  Not fancy, the living room appeared warm and comfortable— a soft maroon sofa, and a few over-stuffed brown chairs highlighted the room. A floral area rug covered most of the wooden floor. Laura chose the sofa, Jesse sat next to her and the sheriff sat in one of the chairs.

  Jesse told his story, Laura told hers and then the sheriff had questions for them.

  “Any reason,” he addressed Laura, “why the bandit chose you to kidnap?”

  “Not really,” Laura replied. “When we hit the floor I happened to land closest to the aisle, and I happened to be the smallest. Maybe that was the reason. ”

  “You didn’t know these men?”

  “I don’t know anyone in these parts.”

  Higgins scratched his head and addressed Jesse, “So, you shot and killed the bandit and left him where he landed? Correct?”

  “Correct,” Jesse replied. “I thought it best to take care of the hostage.”

  Higgins nodded. “Right choice.” He smiled at Laura. “What happened to the bandit’s horse?”

  “I have it,” Jesse volunteered. “Is that a problem?”

  “It might be.” Higgins cleared his throat. “I’m afraid I have bad news; Jed is dead…”

  “What?” Jesse said. “How?”

  “The second bandit shot him. We found him about a mile east of where we found your dead bandit.”

  Jesse stood and said, “You’ll have to give me a moment Jed happened to be a good friend.” His voice cracked with emotion. He paced the room for several moments, and then added, “He was a good man.” He slammed his fist onto the end table by the sofa making Laura and the oil lamp jump.

  “I’m sorry to bring you this news, but there’s more,” the sheriff played with his hat as he spoke.

  Jesse sat down. “What more can there be? Some derelict bandit killed my best friend!”

  “Have you searched the saddlebags of the man you shot?” When Jesse shook his head, Higgins added, “May I inspect them? Then, I’ll continue.”

  “Sure, this way…” Jesse led him out to the barn, Laura followed. Jesse took the saddle off the stall separator and handed it to Higgins.

  Higgins opened the side pocket and drew out a handful of jewelry, and money.

  Laura and Jesse both gasped.

  Higgins transferred the stolen goods into his hat. “My problem now is this: the bandit is still alive, and he will be looking for this,” he held up his hat. “This is not just from the one train robbery; this is from several train robberies.”

  Jesse, silent for several seconds, finally said, “He wouldn’t know who has the horse and saddle.”

  “He might,” the sheriff said. “Would the bandit be able to connec
t you with Jed in any way? The man who shot Jed took his gun and emptied his pockets.”

  “I don’t think so.” Jesse’s voice sounded doubtful.

  “Well, I’d keep it quiet about your keeping the nun here. That fact would point right to you. Who else knows she’s here?”

  “No one outside this house. But we sat at the Lucy’s restaurant together.”

  “I’ll let them know to keep it quiet. Who was in there at the time?”

  Jesse looked at Laura for help, shrugging.

  Laura said, “The waitress and a man sitting in the far corner. I remember he spilled his coffee, and the waitress had to give him a fresh cup.”

  “Yes, I remember.” Jesse rubbed his temples in thought. “I’ve seen him there before but can’t remember his name; I think he might be the man who bought the Simpson place.”

  Sheriff Higgins nodded. “I’ll stop and see both, and make sure neither mentions he saw you with the nun. It’s probably a good thing she isn’t wearing her habit. Oh, and by the way, we searched the dead body of the bandit who kidnapped this young lady, and he carried nothing but ammunition. We don’t even know his identity.”

  After the sheriff had gone, Jesse said, “I never thought to look in the saddle bag. I’d forgotten about it. When I saddled Bandit, I put Cassie’s saddle on him. It was a much better fit should you have agreed to ride.”

  “Should we be afraid, Jesse?” she asked.

  He cuffed her chin lightly. “No, there’s not much chance he’d know who has the horse and saddle bag. We didn’t pass anyone else on the way here.”

  When they went inside, naturally Meg and Cassie wanted to hear all about it. Jesse explained, and they were both sad about Jed.

  “Did he have a family?” Laura asked.

  “Thank goodness, no. His wife died years ago. They had no children.” Meg said. “We have to keep Laura a secret. Who shall we say she is if we’re asked?”

  Everyone remained silent, thinking—then Jesse’s eyes lit up with an idea. “My fiancée!”