“Why, yes. I understand you have the next ranch over from the Tri Brands spread?”
“That’s right. I don’t suppose Suzanne mentioned that your little girl shares my name?”
Barbara’s eyes rounded like saucers. “You are named Emilene?”
Ma nodded proudly. “I’m named after my grandmother and she, after hers. Been in the family for generations, but Suzanne didn’t have any girls. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to know the name is carried on.”
Barbara smiled at Mrs. Kenner, but did feel she needed to set the record straight.
“My sister Emily named her daughter, and had her baptized, before she died. My niece Emilene is an orphan, just like me.”
“Oh, bless you my child. I am so sorry for your loss. But would you do me the honor of allowing me to become her grandmother? In spirit, if not in fact.”
Touched to the core, Barbara just nodded.
The Supper Dance
“I can hear the musicians getting ready to start the dinner dance. And I see you have your escort awaiting you, so you and I can chat later.” Ma Kenner made shooing motions with her hands.
Barbara smiled, bowing slightly, and turned back toward Billy, who escorted her to the dance floor. Again, a comfortable silence lingered between them and Billy cleared his throat.
“You know,” he said, “I am as taken with you in person as I was by your letters and your picture. I would like to ask your permission to court you formally. Do I need to talk with your matron?”
Barbara had found herself drawn to the cowboy from his first letter, and closer acquaintance had not put her off, but there was so much going on in her life that she needed to process, including the grief she was carefully tamping down. Biting her lip she took a deep breath, expelling it slowly and then looked up into his eyes as they continued their stately steps around the floor.
“While I am much inclined to accept your offer, I don't want to be hasty, and we have in fact only just arrived. Before I make any decisions, there is so much we need to talk about. I understand the two churches are putting on a big picnic for everyone after services. Perhaps we will have a few minutes then to chat.”
“Then may I sit with you at Mass?” he queried.
To that she smiled and nodded. They hadn’t talked about faith in their letters, but she found reassurance in his casual assumption.
CHAPTER 27 – The Picnic St. Mary’s on the Hill
Efforts had been made at the orphanage to ensure those children who already had a place of worship would be able to continue in the faith with which they were familiar. So those ladies who were not Catholics joined the Barnetts and the other Protestants and set off to Green River Church, while Mother Evangeline and the remaining young women were escorted by Billy and Sam and the other Catholic ranch hands, as well as a few of no particular belief system, except that these were might pretty women.
Billy was at the ready to assist Mother and then Barbara from the buggy in which they were riding, and favorably impressed Mother Evangeline when he offered her his arm before extending his other to Barbara.
“My brothers made a point of teaching me to be sure I was always escorting the best looking woman in the room,” commented Billy, “and look at me, I’ve been blessed with two!”
For a moment Mother Evangeline wished she still had a fan with which she might rap his wrist before flashing it open and flirting over the top. Ah, but her debutante days were far behind her. Somehow this young cowboy, who did, she admitted, clean up quite nicely, had a polish one wouldn’t quite expect in a ranch hand.
Father Flanagan had begun his sermon welcoming the town’s newest inhabitants and praising them for their courage in coming to a place not only unknown to them but completely different from what they’d always known.
“The journey of these ladies is clearly an act of faith and trust in the Lord to deliver them safely.”
Then he went on to talk about faith.
“The particular church at which one worships is far less important than that one recognize and know God for all His blessings upon us. Keep in mind that Christ taught the parable of the Good Samaritan to show a pure heart and soul was not limited to Jews. Jesus looked beyond the label to the person.
“I feel blessed to live in Green River where it seems most people have taken His strictures to heart and offer fellowship and aid to each other when it is needed, out of their own goodness, disregarding the minor differences that make us each unique.
“St. Mary on the Hill parishioners have traditionally shared a Christmas pageant with Green River Church. Today we are joining together for a picnic to further welcome our new guests. While I hope this, too, becomes a regular event, I have to warn you newcomers that this is a working community. Tomorrow everyone goes back to work.”
This last was greeted with laughter from his hard-working parishioners, most of whom kept livestock and never really got a day off.
“Those of you helping set up, please meet Mrs. Henderson at the parish hall. Even knowing the good Reverend Johnson is somewhat more long-winded than I, we will be hard pressed to be ready by the time he and his flock arrive, so any additional volunteers are welcome.”
Father Flanagan stepped down from the pulpit to continue the service, after which, instead of having the usual receiving line, he led the way to the hall and plunged into those remaining preparations that had awaited the weather’s input.
Green River Church
