Sleigh Bells

by Miller, Judith Mccoy

  “I’m sorry, Father,” Teddi replied with a note of contrition in her voice.

  “I don’t want to be any trouble. . . .”

  “You’ll be no trouble at all, and tomorrow we can get you settled in your own place, Phillip,” Isabelle interrupted as she gave her daughter a sidelong glance.

  “Take your bags and follow Isabelle upstairs. She’ll show you to your room,” Clayton said as he rose from his chair and gave Phillip a smile. “Teddi, why don’t you join me in the kitchen?”

  ❧

  At the very least, Teddi knew that she owed her father respect and obedience—and she was sure that she was going to be told those very words once she was alone with him. Clayton Yorke wouldn’t consider the fact that Teddi disliked the comparison of Phillip Hamilton and her brother Jonathan. There were certain behaviors the Yorkes would not tolerate, and one of them was rudeness—especially from one of their children. It was obvious that she had provoked her parents, and the meager apology she had offered would do little to salve her father’s displeasure. She should apologize to Phillip, but she wasn’t up to making amends just now. Besides, any excuse she could make would ring false. No apology is better than a contrived one, isn’t that true? she rationalized.

  Her father wasn’t about to waste time dealing with her boorish behavior. His jaw was firmly set and his shoulders squared as he led the way through the parlor and back toward the kitchen. Teddi had barely set foot in the room when her father pivoted on his heel and faced her. His normally ruddy complexion had turned the purplish red shade of a freshly picked beet, and his dark brown eyes shone with anger.

  “Would you like to explain what has gotten into you? I can’t believe that a child of mine would treat another human being so impolitely. Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “I’m sorry, Father. You’re right, of course, but your comparison of Phillip and Jonathan caught me off guard—I lost my sense of good judgment. My behavior was terribly rude. I’m sorry; I totally forgot my manners. Please accept my apology,” she implored.

  “It’s Phillip to whom you owe an apology. Can you imagine how embarrassing that whole scene must have been for him? Just put yourself in his place for a moment. And it’s not merely that insult you threw in his direction—you’ve been ungracious to him ever since he set foot in the train station. He asked me earlier what he’d done to offend you.”

  “What did you tell him?” Teddi pleaded.

  “I told him that I didn’t see how he could have done anything—especially since he hasn’t seen you for all these years.”

  “Is that all you said?”

  “No,” Clayton hesitated a moment. “I told him that I thought your attitude had more to do with Captain Albright than with him.”

  “You didn’t!”

  “I did. At that particular moment, I thought I was making a true statement. Now I’m not so sure.”

  “How could you, Father?”

  “How could I what? Tell him that I thought he was blameless? Because that’s what I believe,” Clayton replied.

  “No! How could you tell a complete stranger that Herbert had broken our engagement? It’s none of Phillip’s business. It’s nobody’s business.”

  “I didn’t tell him about your broken engagement. Your mother did that!”

  Teddi fell onto one of the wooden kitchen chairs with a plop. Everything was swirling about. None of this made any sense. She felt her cheeks grow warm and glanced toward the hearth, where flames licked upward and radiated heat throughout the room. It took a moment for Teddi to gain her composure. But then the full impact of her father’s words struck home.

  “What? Mother wouldn’t—she couldn’t have done anything as thoughtless and cruel as to tell that, that. . .”

  “Old friend?”

  “That stranger. . .”

  “Thou doth protest too much, my dear. I think there’s more here than meets the eye.”

  “I don’t care to discuss anything except why Mother felt inclined to betray my confidence.”

  “She felt no such inclination. She thought that I had already told Phillip about your broken engagement. Your mother was in the process of reprimanding me for what she considered a violation of your privacy. Little did she realize that she was providing Phillip with information he’d not heard from my lips. Unfortunately, we made a mistake. Quite frankly, I don’t think Phillip is going to use the information to do you any harm,” her father replied in an obvious attempt to make light of the situation.

  “This isn’t amusing. My personal life is none of Phillip Hamilton’s business. He’s the last person I would ever trust.”

  “Why don’t you tell me what this is really about, Teddi?”

  Her voice was no more than a whisper as she croaked out a tearful reply. “It’s about betrayal, Father. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have nothing further to say.” She turned and ran up the back stairway that led from the kitchen to the rear hallway of the second floor.

  She knew that she was overreacting, allowing her behavior to be clouded by the anger and frustration of her broken engagement to Herbert. But the wound was still fresh, an embarrassment inflicted upon her in front of both the military and civilian communities. Tongues had wagged incessantly when her engagement to Herbert had been announced. Herbert Albright, the strikingly handsome, young captain, interested in marrying the homely Teddi Yorke? She knew the stories that had circulated soon after the announcement—tales of Herbert’s desire to enhance his chances of being promoted through the ranks of the military by marrying the general’s daughter. After all, they surmised, why else would he be interested in marrying unattractive Teddi?

  Only months later, the rumormongers had new grist for their gossip mill. Herbert had broken his engagement to Teddi, pledged his undying love to a young debutante in Junction City, and planned to marry her in December. The marriage, however, had been hastened when Herbert received military orders sending him to Fort Brown. It had given Teddi some sense of relief to know that she wouldn’t be forced to socialize with Herbert and his fiancОe. And although Herbert’s departure had helped to subdue the gossip, Teddi still received more than a few pitying looks as she entered a room or walked about town.

  Reaching the top of the stairway in record time, she rounded the corner and, with a resounding thud, collided headlong into Phillip Hamilton’s broad chest. Teddi watched the satchels drop from his hands and hit the floor. In one fluid movement, his arms raised and he grasped her by the shoulders.

  “I can’t seem to stay out of your way,” he whispered, their eyes only inches apart.

  “It’s my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going. I’m sorry for my rude behavior. Please accept my apology.”

  “Apology accepted,” Phillip replied.

  His voice was barely audible, and Teddi leaned closer as he spoke. She heard him accept her apology, but it sounded as though he had added something else. She looked at his mouth, but it wasn’t moving. Perhaps she was hearing things. Allowing herself another glimpse, she stared at his unmoving lips and then permitted her eyes to travel upward until she met Phillip’s questioning gaze. Startled, she jumped back, freeing herself from his grasp.

  “Any chance that we could start over and become friends again?” Phillip ventured.

  “I don’t know. I really don’t know, Phillip,” she stammered.

  Making her way around him, she hastily proceeded down the hall and into her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she clutched the doorknob in her hand and leaned her forehead against the dark, cool wood. What was happening to her? She had vowed never to have feelings for another man, especially a handsome man who was bound to cause her nothing but heartache.

  five

  December 1870

  “Hurry, Mother! They’re here.”

  Isabelle Yorke pulled off the muslin apron that had carefully protected her green, lace-trimmed dress throughout the last-minute preparations for her children. Her face was flushed with exc
itement, and the rigors of assuring that the house was in perfect order had added a becoming blush to her already pink cheeks. Rushing to the front door, she came to a halt just as Jonathan and George, the youngest of her four sons, bounded onto the front porch, immediately followed by their father.

  “Stomp that snow off your feet before you come in here,” she ordered.

  “Listen to her, George! We haven’t even received a welcoming hug, and she’s reminding us about the house rules.” Jonathan stomped his feet wildly and watched as his mother shook her finger in mock indignation. “Come here, Mother,” he ordered, playfully grabbing Isabelle and twirling her around before setting her back on her feet. “You look grand! And you,” he said while pulling his sister into an embrace, “look magnificent. Doesn’t she, George?”

  “You both need to get inside so I can close the front door, or I’m going to be in your mother’s bad graces for the rest of the day,” Clayton said as he pushed the boys forward. “Surely you both remember. . .”

  “We don’t live in a barn,” they both chimed in unison.

  “I can see this is going to be one of those make-fun-of-Mother’s-rules days. That’s perfectly fine with me. It’s those rules that have turned both of you into fine, upstanding young men who will one day be commendable husbands. And, I might add, I would like to think that a marriage might occur within the near future? Grandchildren would be lovely,” she merrily gibed in return.

  “You can’t make us feel guilty about our bachelorhood, Mother. You already have four grandchildren. William and Martin have taken care of that request,” George quickly replied.

  “That’s true, but one can never have enough grandchildren. Besides, I seldom get to see any of them.”

  “It would seem that if you want grandchildren close at hand, you should be pushing Teddi toward the altar, not us,” Jonathan retorted while giving his sister a wink.

  Teddi cringed at the remark, but said nothing.

  “Speaking of which, I can’t understand how you’ve escaped marriage while living among all the lonely men on a military post,” George added.

  “Remaining single hasn’t been so difficult. Men can be afflicted by a wandering eye, even when there’s a shortage of women,” Teddi responded with a weak smile. “Anyway, things aren’t as bleak as you might suspect. We have more social activities than you might expect, and there are quite a number of single, young ladies in Junction City who are included in our gatherings. So, you see, these men aren’t overly deprived.”

  “No single young men live in Junction City?” Jonathan inquired.

  “Of course. And they’re included also, but I didn’t want George thinking that there were no women to be found in Kansas. In fact, I’d be pleased to introduce both of you to several young ladies. I’m sure the holiday festivities will be greatly enhanced with a suitable lady on your arm.”

  “That’s most kind of you, Teddi. I may take you up on the offer,” George replied. “Speaking of festivities, I was hoping for some of your delicious molasses cookies before waiting much longer, Mother.”

  “Only the molasses cookies?” Isabelle called from the kitchen. “As I recall, you never had a preference, as long as they were sweet and piled high on the plate.”

  George laughed as he rose from the velvet-cushioned rocking chair. “That would be correct, Mother. Would you like me to help you? I can fix a plate for myself out there in the kitchen. That would save you from running back and forth to replenish the supply for everyone else.”

  “Some things never change,” Isabelle remarked as she entered the dining room carrying a two-tiered silver serving tray laden with an appealing array of cookies. Florence followed close behind, balancing the tea service and a platter heaped with thick slices of fruitcake, while George rubbed his hands together and circled the table for a better view.

  “Now this is what I call hospitality,” George announced after completing his inspection of the pastries. “I do miss home cooking. Perhaps Florence would like to come live back East and become my housekeeper?”

  “You know better than that, Mister George. I like working for your mama and papa just fine. You single boys are just too messy,” Florence joked as she scurried back to the kitchen.

  Wagging her finger at George, Isabelle furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a frown.

  “What? It was worth a try, wasn’t it?” George questioned.

  “I’ve worked my fingers to the bone, baking and cleaning for you boys, hoping for the best holiday in years. And what are my thanks? You come into the house and try to steal away the best cook this side of the Mississippi!” Isabelle replied, feigning indignation.

  “Now, Mother, you know I would never take Florence away from you,” George answered as he continued piling cookies on his plate.

  “You can go back for seconds, George. You don’t need to pile those so high that they end up on the floor. We’re going to think you haven’t had anything to eat since you left Washington,” Clayton said with a laugh.

  “We’ve eaten, Father. It’s just that growing boys are hard to keep full,” George answered.

  “Speak for yourself, George. I consider myself a man,” Jonathan called out, his comment causing the room to fill with laughter.

  “You folks sit still; I’ll get it,” Florence instructed as she rushed through the dining room in response to a sharp knock at the front door.

  “I hope that’s not Sergeant Luckert wanting to pull me away from my family,” Clayton commented while carefully choosing several cookies.

  “Look what the wind blew in,” Florence announced. She was holding onto Phillip’s arm while pulling him forward into the dining room. Meanwhile, Phillip was glancing back behind himself, obviously unsure whether he was tracking snow into the house.

  The entire family rose to greet Phillip, with each voice attempting to rise above the other in a hearty welcome to their newly arrived guest. The entire family with the exception of Teddi, that is. She alone remained seated and mute, observing the familial scene as though she were no longer a member of the group. However, no one seemed to notice. No one except Phillip, who met her glance and gave her what appeared to be a questioning expression in return.

  “Sit down, sit down,” Jonathan urged his friend, pulling a chair up beside his own and patting the seat. “I must tell you, Phillip, the fact that you’re here at Fort Riley made it impossible for me to stay away this Christmas. The opportunity to see both my family and my closest friend all at the same time—how could I possibly turn down such an occasion? How have you been? Is Father making your life unbearable? No, I’d wager it’s my sister who’s truly making life unbearable. I can’t imagine how you put up with our little Teddi all day long at the hospital. Tell me, what’s your secret for getting along with our little sister?”

  Phillip squirmed in his chair for a moment as all eyes rested upon him, mischievous smiles lurking upon their lips in anticipation of his forthcoming answer. Teddi merely stared at him, her eyes void of expression. There wasn’t a hint of amusement on her face as she waited along with the others to hear what he might say.

  “Actually, she makes it quite easy. Whenever I enter a room, she finds an excuse to leave,” Phillip finally replied.

  “But that can’t work for long. How do you take care of patients without talking to her?” Jonathan persisted.

  “Your sister prefers written instructions rather than verbal,” Phillip answered. “So tell me, Jonathan, how are you enjoying your assignment?”

  “He’s trying to change the subject and thinks I won’t notice,” Jonathan told his family. “I’m enjoying it immensely, though probably not as much as you’re enjoying Fort Riley. Teddi tells me there are flocks of beautiful young women in these parts and numerous social activities. Have you found yourself someone special—aside from our Teddi, that is?”

  “No, no one. Aside from Teddi, as you put it.”

  “And what of the social happenings? Are they as exciting as our sister boas
ts?”

  “I couldn’t answer that. I’ve attended only a few,” Phillip responded.

  “But he’s taking part in the theater production, which will debut next week,” Isabelle offered.

  “So you’re putting your thespian abilities to good use. I’m glad to hear that. He was quite the actor while we were in school. Several of the instructors encouraged him to consider studying abroad and make acting his career choice,” Jonathan told his family.

  “Well, I, for one, am glad he didn’t. He’s a remarkable asset to the army,” Clayton replied.

  “I never gave acting any serious consideration. My father would have throttled me,” Phillip remarked.

  “I must say I’m surprised to hear there’s a theater out here in the Wild West. Are you hoping to completely civilize your troops, Father?” George joked.

  “Now, don’t you start looking down your nose at the military, young man. We’re every bit as cultured as you Easterners,” Isabelle warned.

  “Watch out, George. You’re going to get Mother on her soapbox if you keep it up,” Jonathan teased.

  “I’ll have you both know that we have a grand theatrical hall. It’s been completed only this past year, and you two will be privileged to see the first major production,” Isabelle replied as she began clearing dishes from the table. “Why don’t you go into the parlor, and I’ll join you shortly.”

  “I’ll help, Mother,” Teddi offered, but Isabelle shook her head and waved the group away from the table and into the adjoining room.

  Teddi remained at the table a few moments, hoping that perhaps she could escape up the back stairway to her room. After spending the past month anticipating her brothers’ arrival, she now disliked the idea of sharing them with Phillip. It was obvious her mother had invited him, and just as obvious that her mother had intentionally failed to include Teddi in that decision. As far as Teddi was concerned, Isabelle had been Phillip’s strongest supporter since his arrival. She included him for Sunday dinners, seated him beside Teddi at the military ball, assured his name was included on invitation lists for the Junction City social gatherings, and even took warm meals to him when she knew he was working late at the hospital. However, when Teddi complained to her father, he laughed and said Isabelle was merely enjoying having a boy around to take care of once again.