Twenty-three

Addy wiped the frost off the parlor window and peered out at the deep drifts piled high against the house and outbuildings. Would he show up? He’d said snow wouldn’t stop him, but surely he hadn’t realized how much would fall in the night. The only way he’d get through this was by horse or sleigh. When the snow stopped earlier this morning,Rafe had brought a bundled-up Betty home in his sleigh.

She was almost beside herself with nerves. Now that she’d come to her senses, what if he didn’t ask her to marry him and leave Branson with him? After all, he couldn’t know that all she wanted now was to be with him, even if he took her to the other side of the world. Would she dare bring up the subject?

“I hear sleigh bells.” Betty ran to the window and looked out.

“Are you sure, Bets? I don’t hear them.” Addy squinted and peered again through the frosty pane.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Betty said. “Maybe your ears don’t work as good as mine.”

“Maybe they don’t work as well as yours, sweetheart.”

Betty hunched her shoulders and grinned. “That’s what I said, silly.”

Wait, maybe Betty was right. Addy ran to the door and flung it open. She heard the jingling of bells just before the single-horse sleigh came around the bend of the lane. Quickly she shut the door before Jim could see her. After all, it wouldn’t do to appear too eager.

Betty gave an impatient little stomp. “Why’d you close the door, sister? He’s almost here.”

“Well. . .umm. . .I didn’t want to let cold air in.”

“Oh.” She wrinkled her brow and gave Addy a suspicious stare.

At the knock on the door, Betty flung it open. “Hi, Mr. Jim.”

“Well hello, Miss Betty,” Jim said with a bow. “It’s mighty cold out here. Is it all right if I come in?”

Addy blushed. “Please come in, of course. May I take your hat?”

“I’d better take care of it myself. I dropped it in a snow bank a few minutes ago, and it’s wet.” He hung it on the hat rack.

Pa stepped out into the hall. “Come in and sit by the fire, Jim. I think Lexie just took cinnamon rolls out of the stove.”

“Thank you, sir, but if you don’t mind, I’ll wait until Addy and I get back from our ride.” He gave her a questioning look. “That is if you’d still like to go. I have a pile of warm blankets for you.”

“Yes, a sleigh ride will be fun. Let me get my coat and gloves.”

“And a hat,” Betty piped up. “Don’t forget your hat, Addy.”

“Oh, thanks, Bets, but will a wool scarf do?” She smiled and gave her sister a kiss on the cheek before she and Jim walked to the sleigh.

He helped her in then tucked blankets around her before getting in himself.

The sleigh glided smoothly across the snow, and Addy leaned back against the seat in satisfaction. “Are we going any place in particular?” she asked.

“I thought we’d go down by the river or maybe over to the churchyard so we can sit and talk,” he said. “Unless there’s someplace else you’d like to go.”

“No, that would be fine.” She licked her lips, suddenly nervous again.

Snow began to fall in soft white flakes as they pulled into the churchyard.

“Oh, dear.” Addy pulled her collar closer around her neck. “I hope it doesn’t get any harder.”

“I can take you back home if you’d like. I suppose we can talk another time.” The disappointment in Jim’s voice would have made up her mind, if she’d needed it.

“No, that won’t be necessary. It’s not snowing that hard. And look how beautiful it is.” Addy took a deep breath as she glanced around. Snow draped the trees that surrounded the church and yard, and drifts billowed up against the weathered logs.

“It almost looks like a picture, doesn’t it?” she said.

“Yes, it does. I feel like singing ‘Jingle Bells.’ ” He grinned.

She giggled. “Me, too.”

He reached over and wiped snow off the red wool scarf she’d placed over her hair. Then he paused and looked deeply into her eyes. Her breath caught, and she lowered her lashes.

“Addy, look at me.” He lifted her chin. “I love you. That was the first thing I wanted to say.”

She couldn’t escape the happy sigh that escaped. He loved her. Her heart beat rapidly. Could she say it? Should she? Casting caution aside, she whispered, “I love you, too.”

Joy slid over his face, but immediately he sobered. “I tried to find work, so we could be together without your leaving the home and family you love.”

“I know. Abby told me.” She raised her eyes and met his. “Jim, I didn’t understand. I’ve been behaving like a child hoping everything would work out the way I wanted it. But life doesn’t always work out the way we have it planned.”

“Does that mean. . . ?”

“It means I’ve realized sometimes God’s plan is different than ours, but His is always the right one.” She trembled as she allowed her love for him to shine from her eyes. “I want to go wherever you go. If you still want me.”

“Still want you? Oh my darling girl. . .” he said. “And we can visit often now that the railroad is complete. Who knows? Now that those Wright brothers have had a successful flight, we might even fly here someday.”

Addy giggled at the ridiculous remark. “I think I’d rather stick to the train.”

She gasped as snow began to come down heavily. “Jim, this isn’t light snow anymore.”

“You’re right. I need to get you home. But first, I have a very important question to ask, and I don’t want to wait any longer. Addy, will you please marry me?”

“Yes,” she whispered, “I will.”

As a curtain of snow fell, Jim bent his head and kissed her waiting lips.

❧

Addy stood on the top step of the train and waved, feeling the comfort of Jim’s chest behind her.

Ma wiped the corner of her eye with her handkerchief but managed to throw a tremulous smile Addy’s way.

Little Betty clung to her mother, sniveling and waving. “ ’Bye, Addy,” she said for about the umpteenth time. “Don’t forget to write me a letter.”

“I won’t forget, Bets. I promise. Good-bye.” Addy’s voice cracked, and tears rushed up, threatening to overflow. She averted her eyes from her little sister just for a moment, then forced a big smile and turned her gaze back on her family.

Pa appeared stern, but Addy knew he was fighting back tears. Funny how men thought they had to be so brave. He cleared his throat. “Take care of my little girl, Jim.”

“I will, sir. I promise.” Jim’s voice was deep with emotion.

Rafe and Abby stood to one side. Worry rose up in Addy as she looked at her sister. Abby stood stock still, a smile frozen on her face. Grief filled her eyes.

Addy touched her hand to her lips and blew her a kiss.

Jim pressed gently on her waist. “We need to find our seats, sweetheart.”

Addy waved again then walked down the narrow aisle at her husband’s side. She scooted into her seat next to the window while Jim put her hatbox in the space above. Waving to her family, she examined each face.

The train lurched and began to roll slowly forward.

Addy hung on to the arm of her seat and continued to wave.

Suddenly Abby broke loose from Rafe’s protective arm and took a step after the train. “Addy! Good-bye. I love you so much!” She continued to wave as the train crept slowly forward.

“I love you, too, Abby. I love you, too. Don’t worry, we’ll visit!” She blew another kiss.

“I know. I. . .” The rest of her sentence was drowned out as the train whistled loudly and the wheels picked up speed. Abby grinned and blew a kiss back then buried her face in Rafe’s shoulder. The train picked up more speed, and Abby leaned back against Rafe.

Addy put her hand to her throat. Her sister would be all right. She had her husband, and they both had God. Peace flowed through her as she turned around. She looked at Jim and met love in his eyes.

“I love you, Mrs. Castle,” he said.

Suddenly amazement washed over her. It was just like her dream, from the moment she stood on the train step then walked with her husband up the aisle and sat beside him as the train left Branson. “I love you, too, Jim Castle.”

A ripple of delighted laughter escaped her throat. Life would be one grand adventure with her handsome, dashing Jim. And she didn’t need to worry about leaving home. She’d heard the phrase “Home is where the heart is.” And her heart was right here where it belonged.

Jim eyes crinkled as he smiled down at her. A lock of almost-black hair fell across his forehead as he bent and kissed her tenderly on the cheek.