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Love Never Fails (The Homeward Journey)

By Martha Rogers

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Stoney Creek, Texas
June 1888
Chapter 1
Molly waved good-bye to her last student and plopped down at the top of the school steps. The last day always left her with mixed emotions. She loved the idea of three months without her students, but she hated to see the semester end. Just when everyone had truly begun to understand and make so much progress, summer came along. How much would they forget over the summer?
Ellie Gordon, the upper grades teacher, joined her on the steps. “Well, another year gone by. I’m always amazed how much the boys in my classes grow in height during the year, and how quickly the girls grow into young ladies.”
“I know what you mean. When I look at the first graders and then the fifth graders, I can’t believe how much they change. You’ll be getting a good group from those fifth graders next year.” Molly stood and swiped at the dust on her skirt. “It’s time for me to get my things and get home.”
Old friends of her parents would arrive on the train tomorrow for a visit, and Molly had to help her mother get the house ready. Of course, Mama had been working all week, but she wanted things to be perfect, so Molly had work to do.
She turned to hug Ellie, who now stood on the porch. “I’m so glad you’re my teaching partner. If they hadn’t decided that married ladies could teach as well as unmarried ones, no telling who I may have ended up with.”
Ellie’s laughter floated on the warm afternoon air. “Well, since I was the teacher before I married Levi, and our twin boys and Timothy are here in school, they figured I would be able to do as decent a job as any other. I’m happy you were here to take Miss Crabtree’s place two years ago when she left. We were getting more students and she didn’t want to handle that many.”
“It’s a good thing Levi and Micah and Mr. Hudson were concerned about our future and decided to enlarge the building and divide into two levels last summer.” Molly turned to gaze at the expanded building that had opened in the fall. Two larger classrooms were joined by a coatroom. New maps, chalkboards, and pictures adorned the walls along with new desks, making for a good learning environment this past school year.
Ellie headed back to her classroom. “I’m going to gather my things and go down to Margaret’s to collect my young’uns. They do love to play together, although, being cousins, they can create a lot of mischief, too.”
Molly laughed and shook her head. How well she understood that since those same cousins occupied her classroom. After Ellie entered her side of the building, Molly stood on the porch a few minutes longer. How she loved this town where she’d lived since early childhood. It had grown and prospered in those years and now had two doctors to take care of the growing population. Her father had been delighted when one of Stoney Creek’s own boys, Andrew Delmont, had returned as a doctor to partner in the practice.
One other thing that had changed happened to be the female population. Many more girls had been born than boys, and now the female population of Stoney Creek had begun to overtake the males. And that now meant very few men single men her age were available. Besides that, younger families made up most of the new people coming into town. At least that trend bode well for the school.
Molly sighed, went back inside to collect her belongings, and gazed around her classroom once more before heading for the door. Silence surrounded her, and she ran her fingers along the desks as she walked up the center aisle. She’d miss the children this summer, and the months loomed ahead without much activity going on. At least July would be here before she knew it. She loved the celebration for the birthday of the United States of America.
Once outside, Molly realized she now had to rush to get home and help her mother with the final preparations for the Elliot family’s arrival. The last time she’d seen them was back in Louisiana at her uncle’s wedding, and that was over ten years ago. Stefan Elliot was only a few months older, and at the age of twelve, he and a few friends had teased and played jokes on Molly and Clarissa, Stefan’s sister.
Clarissa would be with her parents, but Stefan had followed his father’s footsteps and chosen the military as his career, so he most likely wouldn’t be with his family. It would be interesting to have him around though. Andrew Delmont was too much like an older brother to be of interest other than as a friend.
Molly bounded up the steps to the clinic run by her father and Andrew. She darted through the waiting area and wiggled her fingers in her father’s direction. The examination room’s closed door meant Andrew was with a patient. She’d never be able to call him Dr. Delmont.
Mama’s singing echoed from the kitchen where she made last-minute preparations for her guests. The doctor before them had a large family and had built a big house adjoining the area that served as an infirmary for the town, with room for six patients if they needed to stay overnight.
After depositing her box of things from school at the bottom of the stairs, Molly joined her mother in the kitchen. “Hi, Mama, I’m sorry I’m late, but it took me longer than I planned to close up for the summer.”
Mama continued to roll out the pastry for a pie. “I understand. The last day of school is even more exciting than the first day of a new semester.”
“Hmm, maybe, but I will miss the children.” She swiped a few berries from the bowl on the counter then grabbed an apron. “What can I do to help?”
“What I need most right now is to see that Alice and Juliet have their things moved into Clara’s room so we’ll have their room for Mr. and Mrs. Elliot.”
“It’s nice to have five bedrooms for when we have company. I remember when Aunt Hannah lived with us, and how much fun it was. I’ll go up now and check on Alice and Juliet.” If Mama’s other two babies had lived, the house would be much more crowded, but it suited a family with six children just fine. She and Clarissa would share a room, and what fun they would have catching up with each other.
At the top of the stairs the voices of her younger sisters reached the hallway. Their giggles meant they were either sharing a funny moment or up to a prank on Clara. Molly opened the door to find the two girls trying on some of Clara’s clothes. “What’s going on here?”
Their eyes widened and their cheeks burned red. Alice jumped up from the floor and nearly fell over trying to balance in Clara’s best shoes. “Molly, we didn’t know you were home.”
Molly crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot on the hardwood floor. “Obviously. I don’t think Clara would be happy with you or what you’re doing with her things. Now get out of those clothes and put them back where they belong. You’re lucky I found you and not Clara.”
“Yes, ma’am, and please don’t tell her.” Alice pulled off the shoes and put them back in the wardrobe with the others.
Juliet slipped one of Clara’s skirts down to her feet and stepped out of it. “Clara has pretty things, and we just wanted to see how they looked.”
“I understand, but it’s not nice to pry into someone else’s belongings.” Molly had to hide the smile that threatened to surface at the sight of the two younger girls scrambling to get things back in order. Alice had promoted to Ellie’s class for next year, but Juliet would still be in Molly’s. The two had been fairly well behaved in school, but Alice was one to be watched. Like most eleven year olds, she always had fun on her mind.
“Have you moved your clothes and things so Mr. and Mrs. Elliot will have plenty of room?”
Juliet bobbed her head. “Yes, we did. Clara was nice and made a space for us in the wardrobe and in the chest.”
“And this is how you repay her kindness?” At the remorse in Juliet’s big brown eyes, Molly stern voice turned gentle. “I won’t tell on you this time, but Mama and I both expect you two to be on your best behavior while the Elliot family is here.”
At their firm nods, Molly wrapped her arms around them and kissed their heads. “I love you girls. Now play with your dolls or something else for a while.”
Molly closed the door to their room and made her way to the one to be used by Mr. and Mrs. Elliot. Everything looked in order even to the empty drawers in the chest and the extra space in the wardrobe. Next she checked on her brothers’ rooms. Now twelve and nineteen, they kept their room fairly neat, but Daniel’s clothes discarded after school lay scattered on the floor.
Molly grinned and shook her head. Mama would have him clean it up later, or Tom would force him to. No telling where they were now, but they’d be back soon for supper. Tom should be off work by now and had probably taken Danny for a ride. Her youngest brother loved horses and wanted to work on his Uncle Micah’s ranch some day.
By this time tomorrow the house would be full of people. She anticipated seeing Clarissa, but she wished Stefan could join them. He would certainly make for a more interesting visit. With everything in shape upstairs, she headed back to the kitchen.
+++
Stefan rubbed his thumb along the handle of his cane. Two more weeks and he’d be rid of this thing and able to get back to his regiment. At least his injury had not been severe enough to prevent his return, but being off for these past weeks had been boring to say the least. He glanced through the train window as it clacked its way across East Texas and the piney woods. Not a whole lot different from the part of Louisiana they’d just come through. Still, it was Texas, and that made the difference.
Tomorrow morning they’d arrive in Stoney Creek to visit old friends of his family. His parents had talked of little else for weeks and then insisted that he join them. After much persuasion and pleading from Clarissa, he consented. Why, he wasn’t sure, except that he did remember back ten years ago when Molly Whiteman visited for her uncle’s wedding. If she was as pretty now as she was then, the visit just might prove to be worth the time and effort.
He fingered the brass buttons on his uniform. The army blue and gold had attracted more than one young lady, so it shouldn’t be any different with Molly. She’d be impressed by the medals he earned for marksmanship as well as the one from the skirmish with outlaws that had caused his injury. Ever since childhood he’d planned to follow his father’s footsteps and be a high-ranking officer in the United States Army. Now he was well on his way to that goal.
“Are you thinking about when you’ll return to your regiment?” Clarissa leaned forward and pressed Stefan’s arm.
He patted his sister’s hand. “Yes and no. I’ll be glad to get rid of this cane and get back to duty, but I was also thinking of our visit with the Whiteman family. Did I understand Mother to say they have six children?”
“Yes, they do. You remember Molly, don’t you?”
Heat rose in his face. “Hmm, yes, and I …uh…I was wondering about her. If I remember correctly, she has red hair like her mother.”
Clarissa sat back, a smirk filling her face. “You remember correctly, and well you should with as much grief as you gave us when they were in Louisiana. I was ready to have Father string you up to dry.”
“I must have lost that part of the memory.” He frowned to hide the fact that he did indeed remember the teasing. He’d done it all to get Molly’s attention and see if he could rouse the anger that was supposed to go along with having red hair. It had worked, and she had been even prettier with her anger riled up.
“I just bet you have.” Clarissa’s laughter burst forth and caused his parents to turn their heads toward him. A few of the other passengers also looked in their direction with curiosity written across their faces.
Stefan frowned at his sister. “Quiet down. You have everyone staring at us.”
“And since when did you not want all the attention? I’ve seen you showing off your uniform and telling tall tales enough to know you enjoy it.”
“This is different. Now sit back like a young lady and be quiet.” What she said had an element of truth, but could he help it if he attracted young ladies with his uniform and stories, most of which were actually true?
Clarissa shook her head and clicked her tongue against her teeth. She gazed out the window a few minutes before turning back to face him. “I can’t wait to see Molly again. It’s been so long.” A sly grin turned up the corners of her lips. “She’s not the same little girl she was ten years ago.”
“I should hope not. You aren’t the same either.” He grinned, but made no further comment. Under no circumstances would he admit his anticipation of seeing Molly again, but to express disinterest would be a lie. He may embellish the truth, but telling an outright lie was not his way. He’d have to be careful with his comments and reactions around Clarissa. The hours until their arrival in Stoney Creek couldn’t pass quickly enough.

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