“In the house?” Daniel had a moment of panic that he had misunderstood, and held back from believing this was real.
“Yes.” Miss Cochrane broke into a broad smile. “You’re family now, Daniel Flynn, and you deserve a little of the life that goes with it.”
Daniel felt a choke as he went to reply and no words would come. He stood noiselessly, opening and closing his mouth and shaking his head. He fought to stop the tear that had begun to form at the corner of his eye.
Miss Cochrane’s face took on the softness of a mother and she gently guided him into the room so he could sit down. “You find your way back down to us when you’re good and ready.” Then she went out and closed the door.
Chapter 30
Daniel put his heart and soul into the farm and was soon as well muscled as he had been before his incarceration. Each evening he worked just as hard at his learning, and with Molly and Miss Ellie for teachers he was soon helping Miss Ellie with the farm management, while Molly took charge of all the affairs of the dairy.
He had grown to love the outdoors over the years, but now he could enjoy his work as well. With the war just come to an end, there was no fear of him being called away to fight and he was happy at the prospect of staying right here in Pierceton.
“As I was a walking one morning in May,
I saw a sweet couple together at play…”
Molly sidled up to him. “And what are you so happy about, Daniel Flynn?”
Her smile lit up his world and he caught her round the waist and spun her around as he continued to sing.
“O, the one was a fair maid so sweet and so fair,
And the other was a soldier and a brave grenadier…”
Molly’s face fell and she pulled away.
“Oh, Molly, I’m sorry. I never meant to…”
“No, I know you didn’t, Daniel. Now don’t you mind me. I’m just being a silly girl. I saw Sarah and little Henry yesterday and it got me to thinking, that’s all. She and Joe are expecting again. This time, if it’s a boy, Sarah says they plan to call him Lincoln, which seems rather fitting with all that’s occurred. Don’t let me stop you singing. I love the sound of your voice. When I hear you singing the songs of home I feel as though I belong somewhere.”
“You do belong somewhere, Molly. You belong right here in Pierceton…” He hesitated. “You belong right here with me. I may only have lived here a little over a year, but with you by my side it feels like home and the only place I want to be. Molly…” He hesitated, twisting his hat awkwardly in his hands. Then he took a deep breath and looked her full in the face. “Molly…” he started again, then sank onto his knee in the dried mud in front of her. “I know I’m no Henry Spencer. I’m not a brave man and I’ve little in the way of money or prospects, but…” He thought maybe he was being too bold. Why ever would someone like Molly consider spending their life with a man as scarred as he was and with so little to offer? She could have the best. He carried on quickly before he lost the courage. “Would you do me the very great honour of being my wife?”
Molly gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh, Daniel, I wasn’t hinting that you should say something.”
“Oh no,” he said, suddenly flustered and scrambling to his feet. “I didn’t ask because of what you said.” He kicked the dirt, sending a cloud of dust into the air. “I asked because I love you, Molly Reilly. I’ve loved you since I saw your smile on my first day in New York. Thinking of you was the only thing that got me through all my days in Iowa. I hoped one day I might come to look for you, though I didn’t know how I was going to do it. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have supposed…” He looked at her, searching her face. “…But when you sent me the rosary, a part of me hoped that maybe you felt the same.”
“Daniel Flynn…” Her voice was the same commanding tone as the young girl he’d first met. “Get back down on your knee and let a girl get a word in edgeways.”
Daniel sank back onto the ground. He was grinning now as he looked up at her and then reached to take her hand. Silently he looked into her tear-filled eyes.
“Nothing, nothing in this world would give me greater pleasure.”
Then he was on his feet and swinging her round. He held her tightly in his arms and thought that he never wanted to let her go.
Eventually they stopped, breathless. They sank down together, holding hands and grinning widely. He leaned toward her and hesitantly his lips met hers. In that moment, all the pain was gone and nothing in the world mattered to Daniel, except to live his life for this one soul.
Miss Ellie came up beside them. “Now if I didn’t know any better I’d say there was something you hadn’t told me.”
Molly jumped up and went to Miss Ellie. “Oh, indeed there is, ma’am. I hope it will be all right with you, but Daniel here has just asked me to be his wife and I know I should have asked you first, but I’ve said ‘yes’.”
The celebrations began immediately. Work was abandoned for the day so they could all sit down together and plan for the wedding to take place.
“Where shall we live?” Molly asked, looking anxious. “The judge said that Daniel was to live here for two years, but we can’t expect you to want us to stay here forever.”
“Why ever not?” Miss Ellie said, as matter-of-fact as if they’d been discussing the price of cheese. “You stay there, my girl.”
With that she got up and left the room, and in answer to Molly’s look of enquiry, Daniel simply shrugged. He’d little idea what went on in the heads of women and wasn’t about to start guessing.
It was about fifteen minutes later, after some bangs and crashes had been heard from other rooms in the house, that Miss Ellie returned, reverently holding a large parcel wrapped in brown paper. “This is for you, if you’ll take it,” she said, placing the package on the table next to Molly.
Molly looked to Daniel once again, but he was certainly no wiser than before. As Molly made no move toward the parcel, Miss Ellie began to unwrap the paper and drew out two lengths of beautifully folded fabric – one of the purest white lace and the other of the finest pale blue muslin. As she passed them to Molly she had tears in her eyes. “My mother gave these to me in the hope I might find myself a man, but that’s not going to happen now. If you’ll take it, I’d like you to have this to make your dress, and maybe we could work on it together.”
It was Molly’s turn to cry and as she flung her arms around Miss Ellie, Daniel thought it a good time to slip out of the room and leave the women for a while.
He went instead to his own room and taking up pen and paper began a letter to William.
I hope that I might have your blessing to marry your sister Molly. It would be my dearest wish that you could be present at the ceremony, and as soon as the date is fixed I will write to you again with the details.
He hoped that William would be happy for them, though he had no idea what life he could give his bride and did worry that she could do an awful lot better than to tie herself to him.
Work began in earnest on the dress each evening and for those times Daniel was shooed from the room. He was happy to humour the women and spent his evenings studying hard in an effort to better himself for Molly’s sake.
The date for the wedding was fixed for some six months hence, which was ample time for the few preparations that were required. It was Miss Ellie who had encouraged them to wait that length of time and Daniel couldn’t help feeling she had something in mind.
When the letter of reply from William arrived, Daniel went out into the yard to sit in the sunshine to read it.
I would be delighted for you to marry Molly and become my brother-in-law as well as my brother by blood. I wish you both every happiness and will write separately to my sister.
Maybe one day I will find a love of my own, though I own I’m the more interested in Jeanie since her father forbade her seeing me. The truth is that I never really loved her and it has taken all that has happened to show me that. She has other s
uitors and I’m sure she will be happy with one of them soon enough. For my own part, I am satisfied to learn the practice of law and may take up a place to study at university later in the year. Ma and Pa Dixon have forgiven me, which is more than I deserve, and I still look forward to taking over the family business in the fullness of time.
William had included other details of life in Dowagiac, but strangely made no mention of whether he would be able to travel to Pierceton for the wedding. Daniel was sad to think that his dearest friend – except Molly, of course – would not be there. He wondered where Ben might be, but had no way to find out.
The days were always busy on the farm in the summer and that seemed reason enough to both Daniel and Molly for their ceremony to be a little later in the year. Their wedding would be a good time to celebrate the harvest as well as their nuptials and everything was ready for the big day.
“You need to be doing the work of four days today,” Miss Ellie said as she prepared to go into town on the Thursday before the wedding.
“But we’ve got tomorrow and the knot won’t be tied until the afternoon on Saturday,” Molly replied as she cleared the table from breakfast.
“That’s as maybe, my girl, but I’ve an errand for you both to run tomorrow and there’ll be no work on this Sabbath after the wedding, with you newly wed, so you had best get moving.”
Molly started to ask about the errand, but if there was one thing that Daniel had learned, Miss Ellie would only tell you something when she was good and ready, and from the set of her face he knew nothing further would be forthcoming.
“I could do the work of an army, the way I feel today.” He jumped up from the table and went to bring the cart around for Miss Ellie to drive.
The weather was fine and Daniel knew that most of the work was done and ready and a break of a few days wouldn’t cause too much of a problem, but he did wonder what Miss Cochrane had in store for them.
She was away at town the whole day and said little upon her return. She had eaten with friends and was tired and would go to her room. She simply said that all was well and that by ten the following morning they were to be ready in their best clothes, though not those saved for the wedding.
“What do you think she’s planning?” Molly asked Daniel as she served his supper late that evening.
“There’d be no surprise if I could guess that one,” he said, ready to tuck into his food after finishing what had to be done.
“Oh, Daniel, won’t you try to guess?”
“Maybe it’s some new stock for the farm, though it would be a mighty fine bull that needed us to be in our best clothes to go to meet him.” He laughed and Molly soon joined in.
With not needing to be ready until well into the morning, they both got an early start on Friday and had worked half a day before washing and changing to go out.
“If you look this beautiful today, Molly Reilly, how am I going to stand to look at you tomorrow?” Daniel took Molly in his arms and looked into her eyes as she blushed a gentle pink.
“Now you keep your flannel to yourself, Daniel Flynn, and spare a poor maiden’s blushes.”
Miss Ellie exchanged little but pleasantries as she drove them into town and stopped the horses outside the lawyer’s office to tie them up.
“You don’t suppose she’s selling the farm, do you?” Molly whispered as Daniel handed her down from the cart.
He shrugged in return and set to follow the two women into the office.
At ten thirty sharp, the clerk ushered them toward a large office where several people were already waiting for them.
“William! Mr Dixon! What are you doing here?” Daniel shook hands with the two of them as Molly hugged her brother.
“We’re your lawyers, don’t you know?” William said, grinning at him.
Daniel stood back, momentarily frozen. “But I haven’t done anything. I’ve abided by the court’s requirements.” He could feel the panic rising and the prospect of the happiness he had envisaged slipping away.
Miss Ellie came to his side and laid a hand on his arm. “I think we’d best get on before you lose your mind. There’s nothing bad in what’s about to happen. It’s just that with a transaction like this both parties should have their own lawyer, and as it was all to be a surprise I took the liberty of contacting your lawyers on your behalf. Now sit you both down and listen to what I’ve got to say.”
Chapter 31
Daniel and Molly took seats at the large round table and looked intently at Miss Ellie, who drew in a deep breath and began.
“As you know, my daddy left the farm to me when he died and I’ve been very lucky over the years in adding to it. It’s good land and we’ve always done pretty well, but I ain’t getting any younger. I’ve never found myself a man as I’d want to marry, though several have tried over the years, and I’m not likely to have any children of my own at my time of life.”
Daniel’s mind was racing as he listened. He wondered if she would ask him to be her farm manager. He’d learned a lot in the time he’d been there, but he didn’t rightly know if he was ready for that. His studying was coming on well, but he still had problems with some of the mathematical calculations. He felt his mouth going dry as he listened, and reached to take Molly’s hand in his.
“I took Molly in to fill a void in my life that a woman feels at a certain age. Sarah was her friend and came with her, but it was Molly who’d caught my eye. I can’t rightly tell you why that was.” She smiled at Molly. “I think, perhaps, I saw something that reminded me of me at that age. Anyway, taking some time out with Molly to travel to find you boys set me to thinking. I know very little of this homeland of ours and happen I’d like to know a little more. The farm will always be home, but I’d like to be able to take time away from it now and again to see what I’ve been missing all these years.”
Daniel could see that Molly looked anxious.
“Now don’t you worry, girl. I’ll be safe as can be. Mrs Dixon’s invited me to visit Dowagiac…”
Daniel for the first time noticed the lady sitting quietly in the corner of the office and presumed her to be William’s mother.
Miss Ellie continued. “And I’ll find myself a travelling companion rather than going alone, but that’s for the future and doesn’t need to be thought of for a while.” She paused for breath and sipped at the glass of water the clerk had brought for her.
“Anyways, what I want to say is, I’ve made a small settlement on Sarah and now, as a wedding gift, on condition I can live out my days in a quiet corner of the farmhouse somewhere, I’m making the farm over into Molly’s name.”
Molly gasped.
“Married women can hold property in their own right now, and she’s the closest thing to family I have. I want it to pass to your children in the future so it stays in the family.” Miss Ellie came to the end of her speech and silence fell in the room.
Daniel wondered if he’d heard right and was scared to speak in case he’d misunderstood and made a fool of them both.
Molly was visibly trembling and though she opened her mouth to speak there were no words forthcoming.
It was Mr Dixon who broke the silence. “Madam, I think what my client is trying to say is that she would be delighted to accept.” He grinned broadly at Molly and Daniel and suddenly everyone started laughing and talking at once.
There were tears and hugs and questions and answers and by the time the papers were signed and sealed and the farm belonged to Molly, the atmosphere in the normally formal office was as festive as the harvest dance.
“Miss Ellie…” Molly took her by the hands as they eventually left the office. “If the good Lord blesses Daniel and me with children, you’ll be the best grandmother a child could have.” And she kissed her guardian lightly on the cheek.
The chapel was full to overflowing the following afternoon. There were those who knew Molly well from the years she’d lived in Pierceton and there were others from the town who simply came to watch the
happy spectacle. As well as that, there was more family than Daniel and Molly could have dreamed of sharing it with. With Mr and Mrs Dixon, William, Miss Ellie, and Sarah and Joseph, Daniel felt a greater sense of belonging than he’d felt since his days back in Ireland. He almost expected his uncle Patrick to appear with his fiddle, and smiled at the prospect. He stood fidgeting with his cuffs, with William standing beside him as his Best Man, waiting for Miss Ellie to lead his darling Molly to the front of the chapel so they could be joined in matrimony. If there were ever a day when he had a song in his heart, this was it. He was bursting to sing the songs of home, no longer for the comfort of them but for the celebration of overcoming a struggle that was now done.
When he at last saw Molly, he thought his heart would drown out the sound of the music as it drummed the beat of a new beginning. The muslin and lace had been turned into the most beautiful gown and Molly’s ruddy complexion from life spent outdoors was radiant above it. Around her neck she wore Sarah’s locket, though she’d returned it to her friend on their arrival home.
Daniel felt William gently punch his arm.
“You’re a lucky man, Daniel Flynn, and don’t you forget it.”
There was no risk of that in Daniel’s mind. He knew the measure of the chance he’d been given and the old wooden rosary would be given pride of place in their home.
The harvest dance was a great celebration at any time, particularly when the year had been good and the crops were all safely gathered. The work drew the farms together to help each other, and the success of one was the success of all, and this had been a great year. No one had felt like celebrating the end of the war that spring, followed so closely as it was by Mr Lincoln being shot, but now, six months on, the future looked much brighter for everyone than it had for some years.
“Sing for us, Daniel,” Molly said to her new husband.
“No one here will want to hear me sing.”
“Don’t you believe it,” William said. He moved to the front of the crowd and held a hand to the musicians for quiet. He went to the fiddler and whispered a few words that led to a nod.
New York Orphan (Tales of Flynn and Reilly Book 1) Page 24