“No, I don’t.” Laurie chewed her thumbnail. “Maybe I do.”
“Well, then.” Georgia abandoned her book and sat Laurie down at her dressing table. “Let’s fix your hair.” Side-by-side in the mirror, they almost looked like twins. Georgia fussed with Laurie’s dark red curls, a near copy of her own. “Are you going to wear this?” She picked at the upper sleeve of Laurie’s white shirtwaist. “What about your blue calico?” She went to the wardrobe and rummaged through Laurie’s dresses.
Letting her sister fuss over her gave Laurie time to think. She didn’t know for certain why Tolley had come, but she did know she needed to apologize to him. After pouring her heart out to her parents, they’d advised her to give him a chance to explain what he’d said to Mrs. Foster. They reminded her she’d always worked hard to please them, so shouldn’t Tolley be permitted to please his father? Even so, she wouldn’t agree to marry him—if he still wanted to marry her—unless she could be certain he loved her as much as she loved him.
Georgia stood back and surveyed her work. “You’re quite beautiful, if I do say so myself.”
It was a joke among the sisters, who all bore a striking resemblance to each other. “Why, thank you.”
Georgia gave her a little shove toward the door. “So go, silly.”
Laurie felt a ripple of nervous excitement inside her chest. This could end up being the best day of her life...or the worst.
* * *
Hat in hand, Tolley stood in the Eberlys’ parlor, too nervous to sit while he waited for Laurie. The moment she descended the staircase in the hall, he forgot every word he’d practiced to say to her. She was so beautiful. That blue dress lit up her bright blue eyes and made them sparkle. Her ivory cheeks bore a hint of pink. Behind her, Georgia grinned like a monkey.
“Afternoon, Laurie.”
“Afternoon, Tolley.” Laurie waved a hand toward the settee. “Won’t you be seated?” She cast a dark look over her shoulder. “You can go, sister.”
With a giggle, Georgia sauntered down the hall toward the kitchen. When her footfalls ceased, Tolley had a suspicion she’d stopped to listen to this conversation, but he couldn’t be sure. Despite Laurie’s instructions, he remained standing until she sat.
“Pa told me you’re going to supper at Four Stones. Don’t you need to be there before the Colonel’s bedtime?”
He shrugged. “Seeing you is more important.”
That brought a smile.
“Laurie, I—”
“Tolley, I—”
They both laughed softly.
“You first,” he said.
“All right.” She appeared to gather her thoughts. “I should’ve let you explain what you said to Mrs. Foster. After all, we’ve always joked about it.”
“A joke with some truth to it.” Tolley wouldn’t deny it. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I do. I’m just clumsy figuring out how to say it.” He gulped before continuing. “And if you’ll have me, I’ll do everything in my power to see your dreams come true. We’ll go to Denver, and while you teach and give concerts, I’ll set up a law practice.”
Her jaw dropped, and she batted those dark red eyelashes at him. “Tolley, you want to be a rancher. How can you give up your dream?’
“Laurie, I love you with all of my heart. Without you, there isn’t any dream worth having.”
Tears shone in her eyes. “That’s the sweetest thing you ever said to me.” She sniffed into a handkerchief. “What about your family? Your father?”
“What about a man leaving his parents and cleaving to his wife, as the Bible tells us to do?” He waggled his eyebrows at her, which brought the desired laugh. “So, will you marry me?” He reached into his pocket for the box holding the ruby ring.
“Not until three things transpire.”
His heart hiccoughed. “Which are?”
“You hurry over to see your father and get that all settled.”
Somehow he’d make it through the ordeal. “And?”
“We have a serious discussion about what determines men’s work and women’s work.”
He grimaced. That would be tough to work out, but he’d make the effort. “And?”
Her smile had never been sweeter. “You stay here in the San Luis Valley with me so I can teach music to my wonderful students.”
A riot of emotions clogged his throat, and he could only nod. Finally, he managed, “Sounds good to me.” He slid off the settee onto one knee and held out the ring. “Laurie Eberly, will you marry me?”
She offered her left hand. “Tolley Northam, I will.”
Once he placed the ring on her finger, he pulled her up into a warm embrace, kissing her for all he was worth. He heard some female giggles and a manly chuckle coming from the hallway, but right now, he surrendered to the happiness exploding like fireworks in his heart.
* * *
The ride to Four Stones Ranch was both too short and too long. Tolley had been in Esperanza for almost two months, but it seemed every bit as long as the two years he’d spent in Boston. He’d asked Laurie to come with him, but she’d insisted he needed to do this alone. She was right, of course, as she was about everything. How he loved her. But now he must concentrate on resolving his lifelong problems with his father—if the Colonel was up to it, of course.
Tying Thor to the hitching post behind the house, he walked past Mother’s kitchen garden, where an abundance of vegetables flourished. While the aroma of roast beef wafted on the air and stirred a mighty growl in his stomach, his heart hunger roared the loudest.
“Tolley!” Mother met him in the kitchen and reached up to hug him, while his niece and nephews wound themselves around his legs.
“Hey, hold on a minute. Gramma first.” After embracing Mother for several moments and kissing her cheek, he gazed into her eyes, seeing only love there. How he’d missed her loving warmth, which had gone a long way to balancing the Colonel’s coldness while he grew up. “Now you little rascals.” He squeezed Lizzie, Natty and Randy in turn.
Once the little ones seemed satisfied with his hugs, they dashed back to their games. Tolley heard a hubbub in the front of the house, but he couldn’t barge into it without preparation.
“How’s the Colonel?” Did Mother understand the meaning behind his question?
She reached up and caressed his cheek. “Well enough to sit in his favorite chair in the front parlor. But before you see him, I must tell you something.”
His insides quivered. “Yes, ma’am?”
Her eyes misty, she sat him at the kitchen table. “I was wrong about the cause of your father’s stroke. When you arrived, it had just happened, and even Doc still needed to make his diagnosis. I was the one who thought it was you, and I was afraid he’d get worse if he saw or even heard you. Doc honored my wishes, but he explained later that he’d been warning your father to slow down. He said overwork was the likely cause of the stroke, not your homecoming.”
Tolley swallowed a lump in his throat. He hadn’t expected this.
“Do you want to see him?” Mother stood and moved toward the door.
“Yes, ma’am.” On shaky legs, he walked through the swinging door and the long dining room to the front hall, stopping in the double doorway into the parlor. Looking gaunt but with good color, one side of his face sagging slightly, the Colonel held court as he had through the years. Tolley’s brothers and their families sat around talking. Voices ceased when they saw him.
For a moment, the Colonel looked bewildered, perhaps by the silence. Then his gaze fell on Tolley. For what seemed like an eternity, the old man looked at him as though trying to figure out who he was. Then a tiny smile lifted one side of his lips.
“Tolley.” He garbled the word, but not as a drunk man would. “When did you get home?”
Tolley glanced at Moth
er, who stood beside him.
“We didn’t tell him you were here,” she whispered. “And I’m sure he’s forgotten you were coming.”
“So he doesn’t know...”
“He knows nothing that’s happened since you returned.”
“C-come over here, son.” The Colonel raised one shaking hand.
Desperately swallowing his violent emotions, Tolley stepped across the room and shook hands with the man who’d never before called him “son.” The man whose eyes now glowed with the love and acceptance Tolley longed for all his life. He hadn’t done anything to deserve it, but there it was nonetheless. What amazing work of God had happened here?
With surprising strength, the Colonel tugged on Tolley’s hand, bringing him down onto the chair Rand vacated. “T-tell me about Boston.”
With the room still quiet and all eyes on him, Tolley knew what he must say...and not say. He briefly recounted his years at Harvard, his friendship with old Reverend Harris, his receiving a law degree and admittance to the Colorado judicial system. The Colonel nodded through it all, his eyes filled with interest. After twenty minutes, he seemed to grow weary, and Mother announced it was time for him to retire. Nate and Rand started to lift him to carry him upstairs, but he asked them to pause.
He gazed at Tolley with unconditional love, love like the Lord’s. Or so it seemed. “Welcome home, son.”
“Thank you, sir.” Tolley couldn’t manage more. He hurried outside to lean against Thor. He hadn’t wept for years, but the tears felt mighty close right now. He gazed upward where the first stars began to twinkle against the pale evening sky. “Thank You, Lord.”
“Tolley?”
He hadn’t heard Laurie arrive until he felt her comforting hand on his shoulder. He tugged her close, and she snuggled comfortably in his arms.
“I couldn’t stay away.” She smiled in her beautiful way. “Is everything all right?”
Talking around the clog in his throat, he told her what had transpired. She did him the favor of releasing happy tears he couldn’t permit himself to shed.
“Oh, Tolley, I’m so happy for you. It seems the Lord was working all this time. I only hope your father’s changes stick.”
“Me, too.” He brushed away a stray tear still on her cheek. “Even if they don’t, I’m beginning to realize who I am and what I’m supposed to do.”
“And that is?”
He gently kissed her sweet lips. “Marry you. Love you. Take care of you.” He thought for a moment. “You know, Esperanza still doesn’t have a lawyer, and Four Stones Ranch seems to be getting along fine without me. What would you say to us buying Mrs. Foster’s house and living in town?”
“I was going to suggest we buy Mrs. Foster’s house and live in town.”
“Were you now?”
“Sure was.”
“I like your idea best of all.” He pulled her close for another kiss...until he felt something tugging on his sleeve.
“Uncle Tolley.” Lizzie stood beside them, an adorable grin on her sweet face. “Gramma says it’s time for you to quit kissing and come eat supper.”
Dining with the family felt like old times, only better. Lots of laughter. Lots of reminiscing. Lots of hope for the future. After clearing the dishes from the dining room table, Rand, Nate and Garrick instructed the womenfolk and children to leave the kitchen.
“We’ll take care of washing the dishes.” Rand pumped well water into the dishpan.
“You ladies have been busy here in the kitchen all day.” Nate carried a pot from the stove to the sink and poured boiling water over the dishes.
Garrick scraped and stacked plates. “I’m sure you ladies have some wedding plans to make.”
Laurie caught Tolley’s eye and gave him a saucy grin, and he knew he was in trouble. If after a long day of working on the ranch, his strong, tough older brothers didn’t think dishwashing was women’s work, he wouldn’t have any excuses for not helping her in the kitchen. And if his dandy brother-in-law Garrick, a wealthy hotelier who’d been raised with servants doing all of the work, didn’t mind scraping dishes, Tolley couldn’t refuse to join them. He snatched a tea towel from the rack on the cabinet door.
“I’ll dry,” he said, as though he’d done this every day of his life. From Laurie’s pleased smile, he could see she understood.
Chapter Eighteen
August 1, 1885
At the sound of Marybeth’s organ music, maid of honor Georgia proceeded down the aisle of the overflowing sanctuary. One arm looped in Pa’s, Laurie followed her sister, wearing the white satin and lace wedding dress Maisie and Grace had worn for their weddings. Down front, Tolley awaited her, looking more handsome than she’d ever seen him in his black suit, white shirt and silver-and-turquoise string tie. Seated beside him in a wheelchair, Colonel Northam served as best man.
Laurie shed a few happy tears, not only because she would soon be married to the man she loved but also because of the new relationship between Tolley and his father. Whatever caused the Colonel to be so hard on his youngest son seemed to have vanished like smoke in the wind. Perhaps during his convalescence from his stroke, he’d sorted out the matter and chosen to let bygones be bygones. Tolley still couldn’t talk to her about it without choking up.
Once Laurie and Pa reached the front, Pa handed her over to Tolley, and they both faced Micah. From the moment her minister brother-in-law said, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the sight of God and these witnesses,” to the moment he said, “I now pronounce you man and wife,” Laurie was in a daze. Finally, she heard Micah say, “You may kiss your bride.” Tolley pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she was dizzy. And until the congregation laughed and applauded. Even proper Mrs. Foster, seated on the front row with Laurie’s family, smiled her approval.
Seemed the whole town had forgiven Tolley’s youthful missteps. After Pa pronounced his will written to his satisfaction, many other folks enlisted Tolley’s services. He now had more legal work to do than he could keep up with. It’d all have to wait until they returned from their honeymoon.
Tomorrow, Laurie and Tolley would accompany Mrs. Foster to Philadelphia and then proceed on to Boston to enjoy the historical sights and to visit the pastor who’d made such a difference in Tolley’s life. Laurie wasn’t eager to say goodbye to Mrs. Foster, but she looked forward to returning to Esperanza and making her friend’s former boardinghouse her own home. In the meantime, Effie and May Bean would care for Tolley’s new best friend, Pepper the cat.
The wedding party moved from the sanctuary to the reception hall, where a beautiful cake, a masterpiece created by the hotel’s Chef Henrique, graced the refreshment table along with strawberry punch and coffee. Fred Brody made preparations to take the wedding pictures, and Laurie and Tolley moved to their places in front of his camera. After the first flash of magnesium powder in the lighting pan illuminated the scene and the click of the lens caught their images, Mrs. Runyan and Mr. Parsley arrived at the hall in a flourish and hurried to congratulate them.
Mr. Parsley sidled up to Laurie and Tolley. “You don’t mind if we share your reception, do you?”
“Share it?” Tolley looked as confused as Laurie felt.
“You see, Bridget agreed to be my bride. We just now returned from Alamosa, where we became man and wife.”
The milliner gazed at the watchmaker with nothing short of adoration. “It’s true. I am now Mrs. Griffin Parsley. Surely you won’t mind if your photographer takes our picture, too?”
Laurie and Tolley traded one of their special looks, and then burst into laughter. As always, the former boarders wanted the best services without paying the price.
Shaking his head, Tolley said, “I don’t think—”
Laurie nudged him in the ribs. “Of course we don’t mind.” After all, with so
much happiness awaiting them, they could afford to be generous, even to freeloaders like the Parsleys.
His eyes filled with love and good humor, Tolley gave her a quick kiss. “Of course we don’t mind.”
October 1885
The light, powdery snow falling on La Veta Pass dissipated as the Denver and Rio Grande train descended into the San Luis Valley. Although Tolley had never known such happiness as he’d enjoyed on his honeymoon these past two months, he couldn’t stop the fluttering in his stomach over returning to Esperanza.
Beside him, Laurie gasped softly as the panoramic view of the Valley came into sight. “It’s so beautiful.”
An old fear crept into Tolley’s thoughts. “Do you wish we were going to Denver instead?”
She gazed up at him, shaking her head. “Not at all. I was thinking how wonderful it was to be coming home. I don’t know why I ever thought I wanted to live in Denver. Everything I’ve ever truly wanted is right here and always has been.” She leaned against his arm in her delightful way, causing her fancy hat, purchased in Boston, to go askew. Which made her look all the more adorable. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the blue-green of her traveling dress and the silver and turquoise necklace he’d given her for a wedding gift.
You think anyone will be there to greet us? He couldn’t bring himself to ask her the question, not after his shattering disappointment last June when he’d stepped down onto an empty platform at the train depot. Instead, he bolstered his fragile emotions with the reminder that, once the train had departed, Laurie had greeted him that day, and she’d been his dear companion almost from that moment on.
They didn’t speak for the rest of the journey, not even when the train stopped in Alamosa to unload and load passengers and cargo. From the way Laurie clung to him, he had a feeling she understood his trepidation, as she always had. He should tell her he had no expectations of his family, despite a joyous wedding celebration and warm send-off for the honeymoon. The send-off could have been as much for Mrs. Foster’s departure as for Tolley and Laurie’s.
The train chugged into Esperanza, hissing out white steam from the engine’s undercarriage. From their seat near the front of the Pullman car, Tolley couldn’t see the platform. Wanting to hold off disappointment, he lingered while the other passengers disembarked. Finally, he could wait no longer, especially since his beautiful bride kept nudging him toward the door.
Cowboy Homecoming Page 23