by Lilah Rivers
“Anyway, what about you and Miss Clementine?” Hank asked.
“Is it that obvious that I’m thinking about her?” David asked.
“Yep,” Hank replied, shortly.
“Well, I’m still figuring if it’s the right time to try and pursue her. Sometimes I will have a desperate moment where I think I just have to find her right that instant and propose. But other times, I realize that there’s a whole lot more going on than that,” David said.
“Like right now,” Hank said.
“Exactly. How can I try to court her when we’re all frightened and worried about this stuff going on?” he asked.
“Something tells me that it hasn’t stopped you from thinking about her anyway…” Hank said.
“Fair enough. I haven’t stopped. I have fallen in love with her, even though that’s something that I didn’t expect to do. Especially not after what happened before I came here. I never thought I could love again, but Clementine is like no other woman I’ve ever met,” he said.
“I can see that when she looks at you, she thinks the sun and moon hang from your fingertips,” Hank said.
David smiled at the imagery. He wondered if that was true. Did she really think so highly of him as that? Was he so fortunate that he could enjoy knowing that she cared for him as much as he cared for her?
“Do you really think so?” he asked Hank.
“Oh, I think so. It’s obvious. It’s sweet and kind of romantic, but it’s painfully obvious,” Hank replied.
“So what should I do?” he asked.
“You should stop finding excuses to put it off. You need to tell her what you feel. Today,” Hank said.
David took in a deep breath, convincing himself of the importance of what Hank was saying.
He really needed to do it. He had to. It was time.
“Well, all right then. Today. I will find her today. Maybe after lunch I can talk with Mrs. Roberta and get her final word on the matter and then I will go and speak with Clementine,” he said.
“That sounds like a good idea. And you know, without a doubt, that Mrs. Roberta is going to be thrilled. I never did meet a woman more in love with the idea of marriage than she is,” Hank said.
“Why do you say that?” David asked.
“Oh, she had a great marriage to her husband. She loved him so much and she wants everybody to have that sort of love,” Hank replied.
It made David smile to think about Mrs. Roberta with her husband. A happy, married woman, who had help in running the ranch. Of course, he was certain that she was bold in her marriage and had an equal say in the ranch, but he still imagined that she was the sort of woman who would swoon when she was with her husband.
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Still, although she has already spoken to me about it, I think it would be best that I confirm her approval and let her know that I’m finally going to speak with Clementine about my intentions,” he said.
“That sounds like a perfect plan. I hope it all goes well for you. You and Clementine will make a mighty fine couple,” Hank said.
David was glad that he was finally going to move forward. It was about time. He only wished that the day would move along faster so that he could go in for lunch and have that conversation with Mrs. Roberta.
He was continuing to going about his work on the barn when he saw Clementine coming towards the building. She looked lovely in one of her old dresses and he realized that there was nothing that could ever stop him from finding her beautiful.
Hank was off, gathering some other supplies, and David was glad that it meant he would have a few moments alone with her.
“Miss Clementine,” he greeted.
“Good morning again,” she said. “How’s the barn coming along?”
“Very well,” David said, wishing that he had already gotten his confirmation from Mrs. Roberta so that he could profess his love to her. He was certain that Clementine could see his pulse pounding beneath his skin.
“I am glad to hear it. I was wondering if you might be able to get me a horse saddled up?” she requested. “If you’re too busy, I can do it.”
“No, that’s not a problem in the least, Miss Clementine,” David replied.
He led her into the barn where the horses were back in their stalls.
“How about Mr. Longshanks today?” he offered.
“That sounds perfectly fine by me,” Clementine said.
David noted the beauty of her smile and made every effort to be friendly right back to her, showing her that he could also be carefree and joyful.
“Do you feel safe enough to ride alone?” he asked, suddenly anxious about her going out like this. But Clementine nodded, confidently.
“Yes, I do. I will be meeting Chelsea and I am a good rider. Whoever it was that we had seen was on foot. I’m not worried about them. Even if they did happen to find a decent mount, with the help of Mr. Longshanks I’m confident that I could get away easily enough,” Clementine said.
David admired her bravery.
“You are pretty confident, aren’t you?” he asked.
“In some things…” she replied, vaguely.
David went sheepish at that and noted that she was suddenly shy as well. He could see it in her eyes, the same searching that he was always doing. The two of them both wanted desperately to hear from the other as to whether or not their love was mutual.
David was certain in that moment that it was. He believed, with his whole heart, that Clementine wanted a future with him every bit as much as he wanted one with her.
“Miss Clementine, do you think we might be able to talk this evening?” he asked, unable to hold off any longer.
Her eyes lit up and it made David wish that evening could come already.
“I should like that a great deal,” she replied.
“Very well. I’m glad to hear it. I hope you have a nice time in town with Miss Chelsea. You be safe now. And if you feel, even for a moment, that there is risk, please turn right back around and come home,” he urged her.
Clementine nodded.
“I will. If anything is amiss, I will come back. But you don’t need to worry. I’m only going into town,” she reassured him.
David got Mr. Longshanks saddled and helped Clementine mount. As he watched her ride off, he wished that he could call her back, that he could ask her to marry him right then and there. Someone could call the Reverend to come and officiate.
It was a silly thought.
He realized, however, that lunch was coming soon and that it would probably be Mrs. Roberta doing the cooking. He would be able to speak with her without worry that Clementine might overhear the conversation.
It would be an ideal opportunity.
“Hey!” called a voice from a little ways behind him.
David turned and saw Hank watching Clementine go.
“Where’s she going?” Hank asked, loudly enough that David could hear at the distance.
“Into town,” he yelled back.
“On her own?” Hank asked.
“She’s meeting Chelsea. She promised to be careful and to be safe,” David said.
But he saw that Hank looked worried and that caused him to feel more worried all over again.
Whoever was out there, he prayed they would stay away from Clementine.
Chapter 23
Clementine’s ride into town was easy enough and she breathed a sigh of relief that there were no strange happenings as she rode along. For all of her bravado, she could not deny that she had been anxious.
It was hardly a secret that someone was out there, looking for them, waiting to come after them. So going on her own really had been a risk, although she didn’t want to admit that to David. She wanted him to see her strength and courage.
But she had made it and that was all that mattered. Clementine found Chelsea just outside the church and she tied up Mr. Longshanks so that the two of them could walk around the town together.
“How have you been fe
eling about everything?” Chelsea asked.
“Well, I can’t pretend that I’m perfectly comfortable. We know that there is some kind of danger and it is even more frightening not knowing what that is,” Clementine said.
“I know what you mean. I have been terribly anxious, nearly all the time,” Chelsea said.
“You have? I am very sorry to hear that. I hadn’t thought you would be. I mean, who is going to touch the Reverend’s daughter?” Clementine asked.
“Oh, you would be surprised how many people have no respect for my father’s position. It may seem like they would have a care, but many don’t. You know, it’s a bit tough sometimes when everyone assumes that I’m untouchable,” Chelsea said.
Clementine was worried then for her friend. She was worried for them all.
“Do you think that there is more to fear than we realize?” Clementine asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. But what I can say is that I don’t like talking about all of this and I should much prefer it if we move on to a happier topic,” Chelsea said.
“Agreed. I shouldn’t like to think any further on this either,” Clementine said.
“Well, then, please tell me how things are going with David,” Chelsea said, jumping right into the conversation that Clementine had fully anticipated having.
“I wish that I had something to share with you, but unfortunately, there is nothing new to be said. He is utterly lovely. And we are planning to speak this evening, he asked for an audience-”
“What?” Chelsea interrupted with great enthusiasm.
“Y-yes. He asked for an audience,” Clementine said, as if unsure why her friend was so excited.
The truth was that Clementine absolutely suspected that the conversation that evening might be the one in which she and David finally declared their affections for one another. But it was quite a bold assumption to make and she did not wish to express that she was anticipating it.
It was far better to allow Chelsea to make the assumption and go off that.
“If he wishes to have an audience with you, surely you must know why. Certainly he is hoping to discuss matters with you regarding his affections!” Chelsea exclaimed.
“You think?” Clementine asked with hope.
“I have no doubt,” Chelsea replied.
Clementine’s heart soared all over again. Chelsea was confirming the exact thing that she had hoped for.
“Well, I will make sure that I report to you once I know,” Clementine said.
They entered one of the small shops where Chelsea was hoping to find a new pair of shoes as her favorite pair had a broken heel. Almost at once, they bumped into Tabitha.
“Hello,” she said, her face expressionless.
“Tabitha, nice to see you,” Chelsea said in her friendly way.
“Yes, it is good to see you,” Clementine added, almost echoing her friend. She accidentally bumped into a display in the window and had to bend down to pick up the shoes that had fallen. It took only a moment, but she was distracted until she shot back upright and joined Chelsea in the conversation.
Tabitha looked between the two of them and for a moment, then to the floor where Clementine had knocked the shoes. Clementine wondered if she ever felt left out because of her strange behavior. She decided then and there that she was going to make a stronger effort to befriend Tabitha.
“How are you?” she asked.
“Fine,” Tabitha replied, looking from them to a pair of shoes and back.
It grew quiet as Clementine wondered if she could get any more words out of Tabitha, even something small and friendly. But it appeared as though she might be out of luck.
“Tabitha, I wanted to mention that your dress on Sunday was lovely,” Chelsea said.
“Thank you. It is the nicest one that I have,” Tabitha said.
“It really becomes you,” Chelsea continued.
Clementine nodded along, although she could not recall what it had been that Tabitha had worn the previous Sunday.
“Well, it was really expensive,” Tabitha said, apparently not realizing that it was not the sort of thing that ought to have been mentioned.
“Well, that’s just great,” Clementine said, unsure how else she could reply.
Clementine and Chelsea looked at one another and Tabitha simply walked between them and began asking the store clerk a question.
“Sorry,” Chelsea whispered.
“It’s all right. But I do wish to be kinder and friendlier to her. Perhaps she just needs people who are willing to reach out more,” Clementine said.
“Yes, that could be the case. I have often wondered how she came to be the way that she is. You know, she grew up here, but then she went away for a few years,” Chelsea said, still whispering so that Tabitha did not hear them.
“Really? Was she always this way or did it happen when she returned?” Clementine asked.
Chelsea paused, as if to think.
“She was always a bit strange. That was nothing new. But she had never been so rude or openly mean to people until she came back,” Chelsea said.
Clementine was sad for Tabitha, wondering what must have happened to her in those years to cause her to become so rude to people.
“That is very strange,” Clementine said.
“Yes, it is. But I hope that one day she finds the peace of Christ. I know it is not my place to say the state of her soul, but I fear that she is dreadfully wounded and in need of the Lord’s healing,” Chelsea said.
Clementine nodded in agreement. That sounded about right.
Tabitha left without making a purchase and without saying farewell. Chelsea found a pair of shoes that she was rather fond of and they made their way out of the shop and on to their next adventure.
“You know, my father has really been changing quite a lot,” Chelsea said.
“Oh? How so?” Clementine asked.
“He has been a good deal more open-minded about the possibility of Hank and me having a future. He said that he is learning to see how hard-working Hank is and that maybe he doesn’t need to have the full use of both legs in order to provide for me,” Chelsea said.
“I’m sorry. I know that he is a very important man in town, and a man of God at that. But I don’t like the way your father perceives Hank as lesser than just because of an injury that left him with a disability,” Clementine said.
“Oh, I know. I don’t take offense to it and I think it’s wrong as well. But I know my father. If Hank were in love with any other woman in town, my father wouldn’t mind a bit. He would think the world of Hank. It’s only because Hank is in love with me that my father takes an issue with him,” Chelsea explained.
“I understand. He wants what is best for you. But he shouldn’t go using a bum leg as an excuse,” Clementine said.
Chelsea nodded in understanding.