“Your army officer?” Will asked.
Her army officer indeed. I made a mistake back then. More than one mistake. I should have stayed in Pennsylvania. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry. A lot of good men didn’t come home.” Will stated a fact. Yes, her father had been a good man. Thousands upon thousands of men had been killed. And many of those who had come back returned to burned-out farms and missing families. Her story was no different from plenty of others.
She had nothing to say. That both Daniel and Will had survived was, in her eyes, a blessing at the hand of their merciful God. Awash with joy at seeing her old friends, her heart swelled with emotion. She’d been so alone and frightened. Thank You, thank You. She was so happy to see their beloved faces that she moved into Will’s embrace and hugged him. He stiffened, but she didn’t let go. She pressed her cheek against the fabric of his jacket and clung.
“Will is engaged,” Daniel pointed out from beside her.
Leah pulled back and glanced from one man to the other. “Oh, my goodness! Engaged?” She gave Will a delighted smile. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Her name is Dora Edison,” he explained. “She’s the daughter of the owners of the feed and grain store.”
“Why, that’s wonderful. Have you set a date?”
“We were waiting for a preacher,” he replied.
“I want to hear all about her. And I want to learn everything about the two of you since we last saw each other. I’m curious how you both came to be in Kansas.”
“We’ll have plenty of time for that.” Daniel’s familiar mellow baritone calmed Leah’s nerves. “Now that everyone’s together, we’ll continue to move the celebration along. We’re heading over to Eden Street for a welcome gathering. Meanwhile, your bags and trunks will be delivered to the boardinghouse.”
Leah tucked her hand into the crook of Daniel’s arm and they made their way into town. Walking beside him was like a dream come true. She’d been so utterly alone these past months. Feeling at times like a piece of driftwood afloat at sea, she’d known all the while she had to find some way to ground herself and make a new home and a new beginning. As difficult things went, coming to an unknown place didn’t rate at the top, but it hadn’t been easy to get on that train with strangers. The unknown was always frightening. Now she’d found two of her dearest friends. She lifted her gaze and caught Daniel looking at her.
His courteous smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Couldn’t have been more surprised to see you among our brides.”
“I can’t say I ever imagined myself in Kansas,” she answered. “I dare say I’m more fortunate than many, just to be alive and have an opportunity to start over.”
Daniel glanced away. “We’ve all started over.”
“And you, Daniel. Are you married—or engaged like Will?”
“No.” He shook his head and once again met her gaze. “No. Will and I came here to join our friend Noah. He got injured and homesteaded here before the war ended. When we got out of the army, we came to see how he was doing and we liked what we saw. Back then it was land as far as the eye could see, and the Union Pacific hadn’t come this far. We staked claims, bought up sections and we were here when the railroad decided this was the best place for a terminus.” He took a breath then went on. “We saw the future of this as a cattle town and grabbed on to it. After that, men looking for new starts poured in. There aren’t many women yet.”
“But now there are four more.”
He nodded. “This was a trial to see how brides would be accepted. We’re seeing now how much excitement there is at the prospect. So we wait and see what happens.”
“As the women find husbands.”
“Yes.”
“Well, it looks as though there are plenty of men to choose from.”
A muscle in his jaw worked. He looked decidedly uncomfortable about that. “Looks like it.”
“I was hoping to put my experience as a midwife to use.” The wind gusted around them. A strand of her fair hair fell to her shoulder, and his gaze followed as she tried to tuck it back in place. “I want to be useful.”
“You’ll want to meet Mrs. Godwin then,” he said. “Amos and Opal are a young couple who have started a boot shop just up the street and across from the boardinghouse. They’re going to have a baby, so Opal will appreciate a visit from another woman, especially a midwife. We have a doctor, but I think Doc Fletcher’s more suited to fixing up cuts and broken bones.”
“I’ll be sure to go see Mrs. Godwin.”
“This welcome won’t take long, and then you can get settled and rest. Is there anything you need?”
She looked up at him. Security. Safety. A place to raise a family. “Not that I can think of.”
“Well, you only have to ask. You’ll find the boardinghouse comfortable and the proprietress a good cook. If you need something, give Aunt Mae’s lad a message and he will find me.”
“Thank you, Daniel.” Daniel Gardner. It couldn’t be chance that she’d ended up in a town where both Daniel and Will were living. Perhaps this was how her prayers had been answered. Her clothing still hid the mound of the new life growing inside her, but she had no intentions of keeping her baby a secret. She wanted this baby more than anything, and she’d been willing to make this trip to find a new and better life for his sake. She needed a husband, but whomever she married would have to accept her child as his own.
Copyright © 2016
