Laura Abbot (18 page)

“Would it be ironic to say I need time to think?”

He tried to keep bitterness from his laugh. “I expected as much.” He rose to his feet.

“Must you leave so soon?”

“I have accomplished what I came to do. I’m needed at the ranch and must hasten home. Walk me to the door?”

She gripped his arm and suddenly she seemed frail to him. “You really came all this way just for me?”

“I’d walk the world for you, Lily.”

They had reached the front hall. “What happens now?”

“You do whatever thinking you need to do to come up with an answer.”

“How will I get in touch with you?” There was a frantic edge to her voice.

He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. “This is a letter for you from my sister, Sophie. You will find our address enclosed.” Just as he handed it to her, he sensed another presence. Looking up the stairs, he saw Lavinia Dupree standing on the landing.

“Who is this gentleman, Lily?” She began her descent. “I hope you have not been entertaining him without my permission.”

Caleb bit his tongue and bowed slightly. “We met on the wharf, Mrs. Dupree. I am Caleb Montgomery, retired captain of the United States Army.”

“I remember now. You escorted Lily on her trip to St. Louis.” She looked from Caleb to Lily. “But what on earth are you doing here now, young man?”

“I have come in the expectation that Lily might agree to become my wife.”

If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Caleb would have laughed aloud at the way Lavinia drew back in horror, her bosom heaving. “Lily!” was all she could manage.

“The captain was just taking his leave, Aunt Lavinia. You and I will talk later. Right now, I am walking him out to his cab.” Without a backward glance, Lily sailed defiantly out the door.

At the cab, he held her once more, shielding her from the cold. “Please, Lily, give us a chance.” He uttered a silent prayer, then said, “I asked you this question months ago, and I ask it now for the final time, because after today, you will see me again only if it is your choice. Here is that question.” He stepped back to plumb the depths of her eyes. “Can you say in all honesty that you don’t love me?”

She drew a gentle hand across his cheek. “Dear Caleb. It is a valid question. And you will have an answer.”

He hoisted himself into the cab. Unable to say goodbye, he simply said, “Until we meet again.”

* * *

Clutching Sophie’s letter, Lily dashed by her aunt with a curt “Not now,” and headed for the privacy of her bedroom. In the past hour she had run the emotional gamut from surprise to delight to confusion and loss. It was hard even now to believe Caleb had actually been here, that he had made a difficult journey simply to see her, that he had persevered in his proposal and then left as unexpectedly as he had arrived. His appearance seemed incongruous, his simple clothes and unaffected air at odds with the grandeur of the place. Oddly, he had seemed more at home, more comfortable than the preening Lionel ever had. Caleb displayed a confidence that went far beyond others’ opinions of him.

Why hadn’t she let him sweep her off her feet, rescue her once again? It would’ve been so easy to tell him she loved him, to say “yes,” but she had decided long ago that she would never promise herself to a man, to Caleb, unless she could do so without reservations. He deserved that. If she were to join him in the Flint Hills, she would have to embrace his world rather than criticize it. Both the wilderness of Fort Larned and the alien wilderness of St. Louis society had been difficult. Was she brave enough to face yet another on the prairies of Kansas?

She also had Aunt Lavinia and Uncle Henry to consider. They had been more than generous to her and, indeed, had fulfilled all her dreams of city life. If she accepted Caleb’s proposal, would that be a slap in the face to them? Their world was far different from anything she had experienced before, and she didn’t want to hurt them, but the fact was, this was not her world.

Then there was Caleb. So steadfast, so true. She could never doubt his love. He had demonstrated it again and again. Yet in his final words to her, she recognized he was losing patience. She would not have another chance. Sitting by the window, she picked up Sophie’s letter. Caleb had always told her she would like Sophie, and as she read her words, Lily knew he had been right.

Dear Lily,

I know this is an irregular way to introduce myself, but I want to offer you some food for thought. It is not my intention to meddle in your business, though perhaps I am. My brother is very dear to me, and when he suffers, I suffer. And he is suffering. From love of you. I don’t suppose I need to catalog for you his fine qualities, though I will mention one. Devotion. If you should accept his proposal, you would never have cause for distrust. He will cherish you beyond measure.

As for Pa, Seth and me, we would welcome you warmly and embrace you as sister and daughter. Personally, I long for the kind of friendship we two women might enjoy on the prairie.

Yet Caleb has told me about your reservations. Leaving all that is familiar for a strange place which, like Fort Larned, is subject to the extremes of weather and climate might prove difficult. That we cannot change. But I can assure you that we will do our utmost to make you comfortable. And think of the garden you and I could create! Oh, and I promise to take care of any menacing snakes.

Lily stopped reading, picturing in her mind Caleb’s family and his irrepressible sister. Already Lily felt a bond of sympathy with this plucky young woman who seemed to make the best of life and cared so deeply. Sophie’s next words bowled her over.

Here is my proposal. Seeing is believing, they say. Why don’t you come try us out? Caleb will send money for you to take the train to Kansas City where I will meet you and accompany you on to Cottonwood Falls and the ranch. Spend time with us, with the Flint Hills and, above all, with my darling brother. Then make your decision. Because I warn you—unless you want to experience the wrath of Sophie, don’t marry my brother unless you love him unconditionally. Here’s what I think: How could you not?

With high hopes,

Sophie

The generosity and enormity of Sophie’s offer stunned Lily. Yet it made perfect sense. She didn’t have to commit to the unknown. She would have the chance to experience the Flint Hills wilderness. And the lure of Caleb was intense. When he had driven off in the cab, a wave of loneliness had engulfed her.

She reread the letter, smiling at the exuberant, no-nonsense tone. Lily knew she would treasure Sophie’s friendship, particularly after the affectations of the young ladies she had met in St. Louis. She sat a bit longer pondering the events of the day and praying for guidance. Then, knowing she could delay no further, she made her way to her aunt’s room.

Lavinia sat at her dressing table, trying on and then discarding jewelry. Holding two necklaces, she turned to Lily. “Which do you think? The topaz or the amethyst?”

“They’re both exquisite.”

“The amethyst, I think.” Lavinia fastened the gem around her neck and then said with asperity, “What exactly was that about this afternoon?”

Lily sat down on a nearby slipper sofa, clasping her icy hands in her lap. “You heard him. Caleb Montgomery has asked me to marry him.”

“What kind of prospects does he have, pray tell?”

“He owns a ranch in Kansas, along with his father and brother.”

“A ranch!” Lavinia couldn’t have sounded more shocked if Lily had told her Caleb was a pirate. “Lily, dear, that will never do.”

“Perhaps it will.”

“Are you out of your mind, child?”

“I love him, Aunt Lavinia. He’s been the only one ever since I met him. I admit that, like you, I am hesitant about what life on a ranch would be like, but his family has kindly invited me to visit so that I can make my own determination.”

“It’s out of the question.” Lavinia’s jowls quivered.

“His sister will accompany me on the journey from Kansas City, and Caleb is paying for my travel.”

“This is crazy talk. I forbid you to go.”

“I am of age, Aunt Lavinia, and not a captive here. I am going.”

Lavinia threw up her hands. “You’re just like your mother.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“No matter how I tried, there was no talking her out of marrying Ezra, nor dissuading her from traipsing about the country with him. She would have followed that man into the jaws of hell.”

“That’s the kind of love I hope to find. Why is following my heart wrong when it feels so right?”

“There is much more to what you call love, my dear, than feelings.”

“What, for instance?”

“Knowing your situation is secure. Never wanting for fine things. Moving among the best people.”

“Forgive me, but that sounds more like a business relationship than a marriage.”

Lily noticed her aunt’s fingers trembling. “You are so naive,” she rasped. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Your parents were the exception to the rule.”

“Rule?”

“That few marriages are made in heaven.” Lavinia lowered her head, pleating and repleating the folds of her skirt.

Lily waited, not knowing what to say but sensing a kind of cataclysm within her aunt.

Then Lavinia leaned back in her chair and fixed her eyes on Lily. “You’re determined?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will not argue further.” She seemed to wilt with that concession and sat wordless for a time. “I only hope you know what you’re giving up.”

Lily admitted she’d disappointed her aunt, but there was no turning back. “Thank you for all you and Uncle Henry have done for me. I shall always be grateful.”

“You have made us very happy.” The older woman fiddled with the amethyst, and Lily was shocked to see her eyes glaze with tears. “It isn’t always so with Henry and me.”

“But you are adored, Aunt Lavinia.”

“Oh, yes. ‘Adored.’ But am I loved?” She shook her head sadly, and Lily heard bitterness tinge her aunt’s voice. “There is a gulf between being adored and being loved. I have been pampered and appreciated, but loved? I think not.”

Lily was appalled by both her aunt’s confession and by the forlorn look on her face. Gone was the confident woman in control. “I had no idea.”

“I don’t intend to shock you, but marriage is a complicated arrangement. I settled, Lily, and to all outsiders, it must look as if Henry and I are devoted and content.” She leaned forward and grasped Lily by the shoulders, her words falling with the force of a hammer. “Don’t settle, Lily, whatever you do. Don’t settle, as I did. Go.” She waved her hands in dismissal. “Go find your Caleb.”

Chapter Eighteen

E
xcited by the novelty of railroad travel,
Lily watched the countryside roll by at astonishing speeds, green trees and
fences blurring with the expanse of the Missouri River. The staccato rhythm of
the wheels on the railroad track sang an insistent song:
Ca-leb, Ca-leb, Calebcalebcaleb.
Following his St. Louis visit, a
flurry of correspondence had ended in the arrangements for this day. With the
recent advances in rail transportation, he had not wanted to wait for her to
make the slower river voyage. This very evening she would alight in Kansas City
to be greeted by Sophie. In mere hours she would be lifted from Aunt Lavinia’s
world into Caleb’s. She gazed at the distant riverbank. Could his world become
hers?

Pondering that question, she recalled Aunt Lavinia’s final
words to her on the train station platform. “Be open to all the possibilities,
Lily. As I know all too well, no joy is to be found in stubbornness, nor, as
your mother proved, is there any hardship love cannot overcome.”

The acrid cinder odor and the swaying motion of the train did
nothing to ease the nervousness that had settled in her stomach. Yet it was a
good kind of edginess, born out of anticipation and hope. She reached in her
pocket and withdrew an oft folded and refolded letter from Caleb, the first
after he received word she would come visit.

My dearest Lily,

You cannot know with what elation I received your recent letter.
You are coming! My family thinks I’ve gone daft with the excitement of it.
Although I harbor high expectations, let me assure you that I know the visit in
no way entails a promise of any kind on your part. Yet I long to share with you
the special nature of my home and pray that you will be able to see it through
my eyes. Once again, let us be honest with one another, for we cannot go forward
with secrets or reservations.

I am counting the days until I see you, beloved.

Yours devotedly,

Caleb

During the train trip Lily prayed for the openness Lavinia had
urged. If only she could embrace the Flint Hills wilderness the way she longed
to embrace the man she loved... She was realistic enough to know that happiness
would result only from a shared vision of their future. She laid her head back
and, rocked by the motion of the train, allowed her eyes to drift shut.

She was awakened by the soft voice of a porter. “Ma’am, Kansas
City be the next stop.”

Every nerve in her body came alive as she fumbled with her hat
pin in her haste to ready herself for meeting Sophie, who also had been
corresponding with her. The train slowed, snorting and puffing its way to the
depot, then hissed to a stop, throwing Lily forward in her seat. A small crowd
waited on the platform, and as Lily scanned those greeting the passengers, she
saw her—Sophie! Tousled red curls, just as Caleb had described, a trim, shapely
body clad in a simple dress and a smiling face dusted with freckles.

No sooner had Lily stepped off the train than Sophie came
running toward her and engulfed her in a hug. “You have to be Lily! I’d have
known you anywhere. Welcome, welcome! We are all so delighted that you agreed to
come.”

“I am grateful for the invitation.”

Sophie pulled away and stood beaming at her. “How I wish Caleb
were here to share this moment, but very soon I shall witness your grand
reunion.” She clasped Lily around the waist. “Now then, let’s gather your bags
and catch a cab to the hotel. We’ll spend the night and then tomorrow get on the
stage and then...”

Lily couldn’t help smiling, pulled along into the future by
Sophie’s chattering account of their plans.

* * *

Clutching a bouquet of lilacs, Caleb paced the boardwalk
outside the general store in Council Grove, willing the arrival of the
stagecoach from Kansas City. Nearby loomed the towering oak tree that gave the
town its name. Under its shade the Osage Indians had signed a treaty granting
right-of-way for the Santa Fe Trail. The town bustled with Saturday business.
Loafers gathered on corners to jaw and spit tobacco, while children darted in
and out among the men and women intent on their shopping. Caleb thanked God for
this mild, sunny May day to welcome Lily. Now that his and Sophie’s plan was in
full swing, he was questioning it. So long as Lily hadn’t yet rejected the Flint
Hills, he could live in his dream, but if she did...?

From the edge of town, came the excited cry, “Stage is
a’comin’!” Heeding the announcement, small boys ran to greet the coach, now
visible and rumbling toward its stop in front of Caleb. First out was a large,
stern-faced woman, taking her sweet time. Then he saw his Lily—her bonnet
slightly askew—her eyes searching the onlookers. He stepped forward just at the
moment she spotted him. He would never forget her gasp of pleasure nor the
sunshine of her smile as he handed her the bouquet and drew her into his
embrace. Their simultaneous “Lily” and “Caleb” mingled in his ears as he held
her, still trying to convince himself she was actually here.

“Hey, brother. What about me? Do I count?” Sophie’s teasing
giggle caused him to reach out and gather her into the hug.

After retrieving their baggage, Caleb led them down the street
to the hotel he had booked for the night. “You two freshen up and then we’ll
have dinner. We need to get a good night’s sleep before we set out for
home.”

“How far is it?” Lily asked.

“About nineteen miles. The ranch is just this side of
Cottonwood Falls. We’ll have a long day.”

“With our chatting, it will pass in a flash,” Sophie said,
linking her arm through her brother’s. “We’ll give Lily a regular tour.”

“I’ll look forward to that.” Lily beamed up at him, her eyes
dancing. “I’m so happy to be here.” Then under her breath so only he could hear,
she added, “With you.”

* * *

Caleb had not exaggerated. It had been a long day riding
through the rolling hills, but he and Sophie had entertained her nearly the
entire route with amusing stories of their childhoods, recitals of their
neighbors’ backgrounds and a botany lesson concerning the area flora. Finally,
they started up the road to the Montgomery Ranch. Sophie raised her arm and
pointed. “There,” she said with a contented sigh. “That’s home.” The last rays
of the setting sun slanted across the meadow highlighting a two-story stone
house sheltered by a hill and overlooking a prairie panorama. Beyond it was a
huge stone barn and corral.

Lily sensed Caleb studying her for a reaction. She touched his
arm. “It’s far grander than I had imagined.” Knowing they were nearing the barn,
the wagon team broke into a trot. As they approached the yard, Lily noticed the
colorful flower garden bordering the front porch and the large vegetable patch a
few steps from the kitchen door. The Montgomerys had obviously worked hard to
create such a welcoming home. The last of the day’s sunlight reflecting off the
tall, narrow windows was like a whispered blessing.

Seth and a tall, weathered man came outside the barn, both
waving their arms aloft while two dogs danced around them. Lily was seized with
momentary jitters. She had met Seth, but she so wanted to make a good impression
on Caleb’s father. Caleb handed the two women down from the wagon bench, setting
Lily down gently. “You know my brother, but this is my father, Andrew
Montgomery.”

Lily felt her hands grasped in Mr. Montgomery’s large, worn
ones. “My dear, we have awaited your arrival with much happiness.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Caleb’s father chuckled, then winked at his son. “What could we
do? He held a gun to our heads.”

Momentarily disconcerted, Lily wondered what to say, but then
when all three Montgomerys laughed, she realized Caleb’s father was teasing.

That was by no means the end of the joshing. This family was
such a departure from the formal Dupree household that it took Lily a while to
relax and relish the give-and-take of an affectionate, happy family. The first
time she managed to make a joke, they acted as if she had won a blue ribbon at
the county fair. In the first few days, she and Caleb walked or rode horseback
around the countryside, lush with blue-green grasses undulating in the wind.

Awakening one morning late into the second week of her visit,
she was charmed by the melodies of a variety of birds, all trying to outdo one
another. She had attended several concerts in St. Louis, but none had brought
her the pleasure of this natural symphony. Gathering the blanket around her, she
went to the bedroom window and opened it to a breeze fragrant with dewy grass,
honeysuckle and wood smoke. Caleb had been gentle with her, giving her time and
space to adapt to this new environment. She was grateful to Aunt Lavinia for
once again calling in the dressmaker, this time to equip her with a wardrobe
more suitable for the frontier. Already she and Sophie had spent hours together,
weeding and planting in the garden and cooking. To her surprise, Lily found she
enjoyed the food preparation Rose had customarily done. If she did say so
herself, she was turning out light, feathery biscuits the menfolk seemed to
enjoy.

One day Andrew Montgomery took her aside and walked her out to
a pasture where he explained about cattle breeds and the seasons of ranch life.
As they strolled home, he spoke about Caleb. “He is a fine son, a good man. His
mother’s death was hard on him, and the little I know about his war experiences
sounds like it could do a fellow in. You probably are aware, too, that in the
midst of that conflict, he got his heart broken.”

“I know about Rebecca.”

“Well, I reckon that match wasn’t meant to be.” He stopped
walking and faced her. “Lily, I’m hoping this one is. Whatever you decide,
though, make sure it’s final and forever.” He took off his hat, then
repositioned it on his head. “Caleb can’t take much more sorrow.”

Lily nodded, too moved to speak. She guessed Andrew Montgomery
also had experienced more than his share of heartbreak.

The second Sunday after her arrival, the men harnessed the
buggy for Lily and Sophie and rode alongside them for the two miles to the
community church. The white clapboard building with a small steeple surmounted
by a simple cross was set on a corner near the general store. Horses, buggies
and wagons pulled up to the hitching posts or stopped along the side of the
street disgorging whole families of settlers who greeted each other with happy
voices or claps on the back. In the first five minutes, Sophie had introduced
Lily to several women who clucked over her and smiled their approval. Finally it
was time to settle on the plain wooden benches, so different from the carved,
high-backed pews of her St. Louis church.

Caleb stood aside to let the two women enter the row first
before taking his place next to her. Nestled between the brother and sister,
Lily glowed with a comfortable sense of belonging. When they stood for the first
hymn, Caleb tucked a hand beneath her elbow and leaned closer to share the
hymnal with her. When the congregation began singing and she once again heard
Caleb’s melodious voice, she could hardly squeak out the words, so perfectly did
they pertain to the two of them.

“Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love.

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above.”

With her free hand, Lily slowly withdrew her handkerchief,
knowing she would soon need it. Verse two began and Lily couldn’t sing at all as
her eyes sought Caleb’s while he sang tenderly as if only to her.

“Before our Father’s throne

We pour our ardent prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,

Our comforts and our cares.”

Lily bowed her head and softly blew her nose.
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our
cares.
She thought of her friend Fannie who knew the truth of those
words, of her father and mother who had lived them and of the man beside her who
loved her with all his generous heart. With newfound clarity, she realized she
could not go through life without him. She caught her breath, then looked up to
find him studying her with blinding affection.

* * *

After a picnic lunch on the green beside the church, one
by one, the families began hitching up and leaving. On their way back to the
ranch, Seth commented about the gathering clouds. “Mighty tall ones. Storm’s
a’comin’.”

Sophie shook the reins, urging the horses into a quick trot.
Seth and Caleb rode ahead to check on the stock and get the barn closed. The air
carried the metallic hint of rain, and off in the distance a bolt of lightning
speared the darkening sky. By the time the others reached the barn, secured the
buggy and stabled the horses, rain had started to fall. Sophie and Lily raced
for the house, belted by increasingly powerful gusts of wind. Shivering, Lily
went to retrieve a shawl. When she came back into the kitchen, Sophie had stoked
the fire and put on the kettle for tea.

Caleb was the first of the men to arrive back at the house.
“This is going to be a whopper.” He stood near the stove, drying his hands. Soon
he was followed by Seth and Andrew. When they entered, the fierce wind nearly
ripped the door out of their hands. Somewhere close by, Lily heard a loose gate
whipping back and forth, and peering out the window, she saw bean plants lying
flat, beaten down by the wind and rain.

When the wind died and there was a sudden lull in the rainfall,
Andrew moved into the front room to look out to the southwest. “I don’t like
this,” he said. The others joined him. Outside, the sky had taken on a sickly
mustardlike hue and the distant clouds were roiling and becoming convoluted as
if they were rapidly outgrowing their bounds. Then out of one of the clouds
emerged a wide corkscrewlike tail moving like a ravaging beast toward the ranch,
accompanied by now deafening winds. Andrew pivoted quickly and shouted,
“Cyclone! Get to the storm cellar.”