Winter Promise
Page 2
Cleaning up didn’t take long, and when he’d finished, Elliot went to the desk to fill out a report for Cyrus Fuller’s medical file. The image of Abigail Monroe swam before his eyes. Porterfield sadly lacked young women of marrying age, so Elliot had no trouble staying away from what social life existed in town. He’d left Ohio with the vow that he’d never become involved with a young woman again. Everything had been fine until today when that little spark had jumped in his chest.
“I hear Cyrus Fuller had an accident. Get him all taken care of?”
Elliot jumped and dropped his pen. He greeted his uncle. “When did you come in? Yes, he’s fine. How did things go at the Blalocks?”
His uncle grinned and set his bag on the desk. “Just like it should. This little boy decided to take longer than necessary, but he’s good and healthy.” He removed his hat and hung it on a hook then removed his coat. “I saw Daniel Monroe with a pretty young woman down at Mae’s. Must be his sister from back east.”
“It is. Kate was here to help with Cyrus, and then she left to go meet them.”
“She’s a pretty little thing from what I remember of last spring. It’ll be nice to have a young woman like her around her for a change. You, Cory, and Philip Dawes are about the most eligible young men in town, and one of you ought to set your sights on her.”
“There’s a lot of men over at the sawmill, and many more on the ranches. That’s why Frank Cahoon and Allen Dawes sent off for those brides. Remember?” So many other men in town would take an interest in Abigail and keep her busy. He’d managed to stay clear of any kind of relationship so far, and that was just the way he wanted it. Never again did he want to feel the pain he’d experienced in Cleveland.
CHAPTER TWO
DANIEL DROVE THE buggy down Main Street and pointed out the new businesses that had sprung up in town since it was named the county seat. That growth was what had sparked Abigail’s idea for the library. A growing town like Porterfield needed one. Already the school had been divided into upper and lower grades, and that meant more children to check out books for reading and research.
They had already passed the building he’d picked for the library, the old land office building across from the infirmary. Daniel had pointed out the young doctor, Elliot Jensen, a most handsome young man. For a strange moment his gaze had locked with hers, and heat rushed through her body. Almost as tall as her brother, but not as broad, his face became embedded in her memory. How nice it would be to encounter him again. Getting sick or injured may not be such an unpleasant experience with him to treat her.
Then she turned her attention back to Daniel. She had not come to Porterfield to find a husband. No need to even let her thoughts wander off in that direction. Despite the handsome doctor and deputy, all her concentration would be on serving the town with the library.
They rolled down the street, and the boardinghouse came into view. Kate ran toward the buggy waving and calling Abigail’s name. Kate’s beautiful red hair gleamed in the sun with the bright rays creating a halo about her head. Envy crept into Abigail’s soul. If only her mousy brown hair glowed with such beauty. The halo effect certainly suited Kate too. Everyone at the wedding had called her an angel because of her way with patients at the infirmary.
Abigail waved back at Daniel’s wife and hopped down from the buggy as soon as it stopped. Kate wrapped her arms around Abigail, and Mrs. Sullivan ran out onto the porch to greet her. Such a warm welcome sent goose bumps to Abigail’s arms. She already loved this town even after this short time.
Nathan and Rachel Reed pulled up in their buggy with Aunt Mabel seated in the back. Nathan helped Aunt Mabel down from her perch, and she headed straight for her daughter, Sarah, who had come out onto the porch with her husband, Donavan, holding their toddler son, Jeremy.
Kate hooked her arm into Abigail’s and walked her up the sidewalk to the porch. “I’m so glad you’re finally here. Daniel’s been telling people about your library. Everyone’s excited, especially Miss Perth and Miss Miller. Now they can have their students reading more. They’re anxious to discuss a reading list with you.”
The words rang like music to Abigail’s ears. That’s just the type of reception she’d hoped from the teachers. “The first load of books should be arriving next week, which should give us plenty of time to fix up the building Daniel found. I can’t wait to see it.”
Kate shaded her eyes from the sun and peered out to the buggy where Daniel unloaded the bags. “Daniel, when you get through with Abigail’s belongings, take her down and show her the inside of the building you have in mind. I know she’d like to see it.”
Abigail rocked on her tiptoes then back to her heels. “Oh, could you, Daniel? Please? I just saw the outside when we came through town, and I do want to see it better.”
Nathan laughed and pounded Daniel on the back. “Got your work cut out for you. Guess we won’t make it back to our offices this afternoon.” He headed back to his buggy and called to Aunt Mabel, “I’ll load these things onto Donavan’s wagon so you can visit with them and play with your grandson before you head to their place. Daniel and I will bring the others out to the ranch and be there in time for supper.”
Abigail drank in all the talk among the family members. The connections among them both amazed and delighted her. Three families, two from Connecticut and one from Texas, had blended together to form this noisy, happy group, and there were still more to come for supper. She needed to sit down later and sort through it all to get the relationships straight before then.
Daniel finished taking Abigail’s belongings to Kate’s old room in the boardinghouse. Then he helped her into the buggy and headed back to town and the old land office building.
At the building he stopped and jumped down to help her. “Well, here we are. I have the key, so we can go in. If you like it, the papers are drawn up and ready to sign. Mayor Tate will be glad to get that building out of the town’s responsibility and into yours.”
Abigail merely grinned. She already liked what she had seen on the outside. Two plate glass windows flanked the double doors. They’d be perfect for displays of new books.
Daniel unlocked the door and stepped aside for her to enter. She gasped at the size. It was much larger than she anticipated, but already she envisioned the walls lined with shelves filled with books. She clapped her hands then whirled around in a circle, spreading her arms out wide.
“Oh, I love it. It’s absolutely perfect.” She ran her hands over the counter toward the front. “This can be the checkout area for the library, and the tables and chairs for studying can be over there.” She pointed toward a corner. “And back over here is a perfect place for a reading corner.”
If Andrew Carnegie set up libraries all over the United States, she could certainly contribute to having one here. The very idea of having her own library tingled her toes, and she pirouetted once again with her arms stretched out and her eyes closed.
Daniel laughed and caught her hand. “I’m glad to see you so happy about a bunch of books. I have my fill of them with all the new laws being made and the old ones to study.”
“This is different. School children will be able to do research, and they’ll be able to read for fun too.”
“All right then. We’ll get the papers signed tomorrow, and you’ll have the keys to your own building.” He dangled a ring of his own keys before her.
How good that sounded. She’d finally be doing something productive with her life. As the daughter of a wealthy investor, she’d had little to do except serve on committees in town and at church as well as help her mother with the endless number of luncheons and dinners she held. Once the library was opened and established, she could really contribute something of her own making to the town.
She followed Daniel from the building, still making plans in her head when she spotted movement across the street. The infirmary doors closed behind the same young man she had seen earlier, but this time an older man accompanied him.
Elliot’s knees shook as he followed his uncle across the street. He’d rather turn and head on down to their destination, but good manners meant they must stop and greet Daniel and his sister. He searched his brain for the name Kate had mentioned earlier. Oh, yes, Abigail.
They stopped at the edge of the boardwalk, and Elliot removed his hat, as did his uncle. He remained silent and let his uncle take the lead for conversation.
“I’m Doc Jensen, and you must be the sister Daniel has talked about so much in the past few months. I remember seeing you at the wedding, but didn’t meet you then.” He turned to Elliot. “This is my nephew, Elliot, and he’s in practice with me.”
Elliot’s throat moved up and down as he swallowed hard. “Yes, I believe I saw you this afternoon when you first arrived in town. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He’d been out of town when Kate and Daniel married. He would never have forgotten seeing a girl as pretty as this.
Her smile lit up her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you too. I hope I don’t need your services anytime soon.”
His uncle laughed at that and shook his head. “Just as long as you don’t get into trouble like your brother here, you’ll be fine.”
“Only because he kidnapped a young girl to save her from the saloon owner. That’s my brother, always willing to risk himself for others.” She hugged his arm. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Elliot blinked and looked away from Abigail and toward the Graysons’ store. He would not let himself be distracted by a pretty girl. He’d managed to escape both Kate and Erin Muldoon’s charms, and now both of those ladies were safely married to fine young men. The other single women in town were much older, and that suited him just fine.
His uncle nudged him. “Isn’t that right, Elliot?”
“I’m sorry, Doc, I didn’t catch what you said.”
His uncle chuckled. “I said I was glad we’re going to have a library in town so I can read something other than medical journals.”
“Oh, yes, that might broaden your horizons,” Elliot teased.
Abigail smiled at him, and it flew straight into his heart.
“Good, then I expect to see the two of you among my first patrons, especially since I’m right across the street.”
Elliot stepped back. “Doc, it’s best we get on down to Graysons’ and pick up that shipment of medicine he ordered for us.” He nodded to Abigail. “It was nice meeting you, Miss Monroe. I’m sure we’ll see you quite often.”
Doc placed his hat back on his head. “Yes, we must be going, and it’s a pleasure to finally have you in Porterfield. You’re just what this town needs.” An impish grin crossed his face. “And I don’t mean just the library.”
Elliot shook his head. His uncle would be at it again. He and Aunt Maggie were of the same mind that it was time he found a girl and married. Every time a single girl came around, they got their hopes up. They’d never understood his reluctance to have a relationship.
Doc nudged him. “I say, you have a faraway look in your eyes. Does it have anything to do with that young lady we just met?”
Elliot shook his head. “No, it didn’t.” Well, in a way it did, but not in the way his uncle thought.
His uncle stopped and grasped Elliot’s arm. “You’re not thinking about Cleveland again, are you?” His blue eyes grew serious, as did his words. “Son, you have to put that behind you.”
“That’s what you say, but you didn’t go through what I went through.”
“I know, my boy. But did you ever read the psalm I told you about?”
“No, I haven’t.” To be honest, Elliot would have to admit he hadn’t opened his Bible in many months. The Bible couldn’t take away the hurt, so the words in it seemed pointless.
Doc shook his head and blew out his breath in a huff. “It would teach you something about life.” He jerked his head toward the store. “C’mon, let’s pick up our order.”
Elliot didn’t need the Scriptures to tell him about life. He was a doctor, after all, and had seen both life and death. Medicine was a science with truths he could rely on. Everything else was chaos and uncertainty.
CHAPTER THREE
ABIGAIL HUNG HER dresses in the wardrobe left behind by Kate. Such a nice room, and it was large and airy, a real necessity in the August heat. At least Daniel had warned her that the weather in Texas could be blazingly hot. She sat down at the desk by the window and drew a sheet of paper from her files listing the names of all the Muldoon and Winston families. Before going out to the Muldoon ranch for supper, she wanted to go over their relationships one more time.
Her brother had certainly married into a large family. She’d already met Cory again this afternoon, but Kate had three more brothers—Donavan, Brody, and Ian—along with their wives and children. Abigail barely remembered anyone from the wedding except for Donavan and Sarah. She knew them through their visits to Connecticut last year.
She studied the list. Since Kate married Daniel, that made her Abigail’s sister by marriage, and thus, as Kate told her, a member of the Muldoon family. Her friend Rachel Reed’s brother, Reverend Seth Winston, also married a Muldoon, the youngest daughter, Erin. So that made her best friend a part of the Muldoons also by marriage. Sarah was Rachel’s and Seth’s cousin, so they were related in two ways. Aunt Mae was Kate’s aunt and insisted Abigail call her that too.
Abigail shook her head. The names and kinship were simply too confusing to try to straighten it all out. As many times as she’d tried, she still mixed them up. Forget the list. She’d enjoy the evening and learn names as she went.
She shoved the paper back into her satchel and changed into a simple skirt and shirtwaist for the ride out to the ranch for supper. All but a few of the dresses she usually wore still hung in her wardrobe back in Connecticut. The dressmaker in Briar Ridge had made up more suitable garments for the climate as well as the lifestyle. She much preferred the new, more comfortable clothing over the old.
After brushing out her hair, she pulled it back and fastened it at the crown with a tortoise shell comb. Kate had said not to worry with a fancy hat and had given her a plain straw one to wear. The wide brim would protect her face from the sun without the extra burden of a parasol. Satisfied with her appearance, Abigail followed the sound of voices coming from the parlor.
“There you are.” Kate greeted her with a hug. “Daniel has the buggy all ready for us. Aunt Mae made arrangements with Annie’s Kitchen to have supper for her other boarders tonight since this is a special occasion and she doesn’t want to miss it.”
“I wondered what they were going to do if she went with us. It’s nice she has someone she can depend on to provide when she’s not here.”
Kate hooked her arm with Abigail’s. “Yes, it is. Annie’s hasn’t been open long, and the cooking isn’t quite as good as Aunt Mae’s, but none of them complained because this is such a special occasion for her.”
They strolled outside to where Aunt Mae already sat waiting for them. She wore a navy blue hat with a blue bird attached among a few flowers. When Aunt Mae shook her head at them, the bird almost appeared to take flight. “It’s about time. Ada will be pacing the floor wondering where we are. Sarah and her mother have already gone ahead with Donavan, and so have Rachel and Nathan.”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Mae, I didn’t realize I was taking so much time.” Abigail climbed up into the seat beside the older woman. “I was trying to get all the names straight.”
Aunt Mae’s laugh floated in the breeze as Daniel clicked the reins and moved the surrey forward. “Honey, it’ll take a lot more time than you ever thought to get all these people straightened out. The main thing to remember is that we’re all family n
ow, and you’ll get to know everyone soon enough.”
Aunt Mae chattered away about her nieces and nephews and their offspring all through the three miles to the ranch. Although already six in the evening, the sun still bore a great amount of heat as it pressed on overhead. The slight breeze from earlier no longer tickled the leaves and made them dance. At least the stillness kept the dust kicked up by the horses’ hooves near the ground and not in their faces.
Such wide open spaces here in Texas! As she gazed at her new surroundings, pleasure spread through Abigail from head to toe. Cattle dotted the fields on one side of the road, and farmland graced the other side, giving life to the landscape. Porterfield was now her home, and she would love every minute of it.
Nathan and Rachel Reed’s buggy appeared not far ahead, so they’d be arriving about the same time. Abigail braced herself for all the hugs and greetings that would be forthcoming.
The Muldoon ranch came into view, and Abigail remembered it from her previous trip. The wraparound porch with its rocking chairs and swing offered a peaceful place for visiting and catching up on news. Children played in the yard with several adults sitting or standing on the porch. They all waved as the surrey rolled to a stop.
The ladies came out to greet them, and the men handled the horses. Sarah hugged Abigail first. “Welcome to the ranch. I’ll stick close by and help you with all the names. It can be quite overwhelming at first, but you’ll love them all.”
“I can believe that since I already love everyone I’ve met.” She stepped back from Sarah and into the embrace of Ada Muldoon, matriarch of the clan.
“Welcome to the Circle M, Abigail. I’m so glad you decided to come out here to live and give us that new library. It’s something the town has sorely needed.”