A Pony Express Christmas

“I can’t stay here and not work for my keep,” Leah protested, handing her the bowl.

The older woman wiped her palms on her apron. “So, your intentions are to stay here?”

Leah nodded. She felt like a schoolgirl under Mrs. Frontz’s steady gaze. It was if the older woman tried to read her mind, learn her plans and then judge her based on what she’d learned.

“For how long?”

Jake hadn’t mentioned when they would be married and Leah wasn’t sure if he’d want her to work, once they were. It just hadn’t come up but she didn’t think he’d care. “I’m not sure but I’m willing to work and pay you back.”

Mrs. Frontz nodded and returned to the kitchen. Leah hesitated, uncertain if she should follow her or not. She knew there were still plates to set out and coffee to pour. After several moments, Leah followed her.

As soon as she entered the kitchen Mrs. Frontz asked, “So what are you willing to do?”

Leah walked over and picked up plates to take back to the table. “Whatever you need done. Although, I must admit I don’t know how to cook. Growing up in an orphanage I didn’t learn. But, I can clean, make beds and fetch whatever you may need.”

The older woman smiled at her. “That sounds lovely. These old bones seem to get stiffer and more tired every year. I could use the help and I’d also be willing to teach you how to cook. Someday, you’ll get married and we don’t want your man to starve now, do we?” A teasing glint filled her eyes.

Leah thought of Jake and how hard he worked with the horses. The last thing she wanted was for him to starve. “No, ma’am, we don’t.”

“Well, now that that’s settled, you have got to stop calling me ma’am and Mrs. Frontz. My name is Agnes and all my friends call me by my name.” She scooped up clean coffee mugs and the coffeepot and headed back to the dining table.

Leah’s confidence spiraled upward. How quickly things could change. She’d woken this morning uncertain of her future. Now she was to get married and had made a new friend, both events taking place before breakfast. That had to be a good sign. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Jake entered the house and inhaled the wonderful fragrance of breakfast. Mrs. Frontz was the best cook in the small town and he realized he would miss her meals once he and Leah were married. All morning he’d been thinking about what married life would be like and just couldn’t fathom it. Neither did he understand the feeling of elation that took him through chores and remained with him at this very moment. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by romantic notions. He rejected such ideas as absurd.

Everyone took their places at the table and Mr. Frontz said grace. As soon as the amen was spoken, he looked about the table and announced, “We’re going to do things a little different today, boys.”

That got their attention. Forks no longer clattered against serving bowls and plates. Jake’s heart jumped in his chest. Surely Leah hadn’t told anyone of their engagement. His gaze sought out hers. Her eyes met his with a quizzical gleam in their depths, as if she wondered the same thing as he.

“Mrs. Frontz and I decided this morning that we want Jake to have the old homestead as his and Molly’s new home. The girl needs a strong roof over her head and room to grow. You men will be helping me and Jake clean the place up for them today instead of whatever you had planned.”

All eyes turned to Jake. He had expected them to be angry, but instead, smiles filled their faces. Now was as good a time as any to announce to everyone that he intended to marry Leah and supply a mother for Molly. “I want to let everyone know that I asked Leah to marry me this morning and she’s agreed.”

Everyone turned to look at Leah. A light pink filled her cheeks as she nodded. He smiled at her as the men began hooting and slapping him on the back. Mrs. Frontz laid her hand on Leah’s and smiled.

Mr. Frontz’s deep voice broke through all the noise. “Well, that’s an even better reason for us to get started on cleaning up the old homestead.” He nodded in Leah’s direction.

Jake marveled at the joy his friends expressed. They ate and chatted about the upcoming wedding. Leah didn’t say much. She simply smiled. Molly hugged Leah and he watched as Leah whispered something in the little girl’s ear. Molly smiled happily and then began eating her breakfast.

Half an hour later, Mr. Frontz pushed back his chair. “Come on, boys. Let’s see if the fireplace still works at the homestead.”

Will, Cole and Ike followed him to the front door where they gathered coats and gloves and left.

Mrs. Frontz excused herself and asked Molly to carry her plate into the kitchen. Jake appreciated the fact that everyone gave him and Leah a few moments alone.

He walked to her side of the table and knelt down beside her chair. She turned to face him. “I hope you don’t mind that I announced our upcoming wedding like that.”

She gave him a smile. Her hand came up and she brushed the hair off his forehead. “No. We were going to have to tell them later, anyway.”

He enjoyed the sensation of her warm fingers on his brow, almost too much, and pulled away. Jake stood. “Good, I’m glad.”

Leah rose and began gathering dirty dishes from the table. “I have offered to help Agnes out around here. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t. She needs the help. It was nice of you to offer.” Jake walked to the front door and pulled on his own coat and gloves. “I’ll see you later.” He stopped and looked at her.

Cheeks flaming now, Leah said, “Have a good day.” She didn’t make eye contact with him but simply continued gathering the dishes. He wondered if she’d embarrassed herself by sweeping the hair out of his eyes.

“You, too.” Jake felt the blast of cold as he opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. Storm clouds hung low in the sky, promising snow.

He reached up and touched the spot where Leah’s fingers had grazed his forehead. Had he made a mistake asking someone he’d just met to marry him? What if she expected to someday fall in love? Jake dropped his hand. He ducked his head against the cold wind and walked toward the old homestead.

As he went, Jake silently prayed. Please Lord, don’t let her fall in love with me or try to make me fall in love with her. You and I both know that can never happen. I can’t allow my heart to be broken again.

Chapter Four

“Have you set a date yet as to when the wedding will take place?” Agnes asked as Leah walked into the kitchen carrying the breakfast dishes. She handed Leah an apron to wear.

Leah tied the apron around her waist and shook her head. “No, we haven’t really talked much about it.”

“A spring wedding would be nice.” Agnes began grating slivers of soap into the tub of hot water.

“I would kind of like to have a Christmas wedding. When I was ten years old, a couple got snowed in and had to stay at the orphanage. They wanted to get married at Christmas and the headmistress let them have the wedding there. The bride wore a white dress and had red flowers with big petals. We got to decorate the dining hall with strings of cranberries and popcorn. I thought it was the most beautiful wedding I’d ever seen.” Leah felt heat fill her face.

Agnes tsked as she placed coffee cups in the now-soapy water. “That does sound lovely but I’m not sure that’s possible. Parson John isn’t due to come back this way until the early part of the year.”

Leah picked up a dish cloth and began drying the cups as Agnes handed them to her. “Parson John?”

“He’s our traveling preacher. We see him about every three months or so.”

“Oh.” Disappointment squeezed Leah’s chest. If the preacher wasn’t due to return for several months, then she wouldn’t be having a Christmas wedding.

Agnes handed her a plate. “Don’t fret, child. It’s not that long, and that will give us plenty of time to plan the wedding.”

Leah nodded. “Are there any other preachers in the area?”

“Nope.”

“Normally Parson John would be here during the holidays, but his sister is sick and he wanted to spend time with her and her family, so he left town last week to be with them.”

The two women continued cleaning the kitchen. Agnes showed Leah where to place the plates, silverware, pots and pans. Just as they finished, the sound of the stagecoach pulling into the front yard drew their attention.

A beautiful rosewood mantel clock that sat on a shelf above the sink gonged out the time. Leah realized it was already ten o’clock.

Agnes set the coffeepot back on the stove and grabbed several cups. “Leah, look out the front window and see how many passengers are on the stage.”

Leah hurried to do as she was told. The stagecoach driver was already down and placing a small stool in front of the door. She felt a stirring of excitement. The stool could only mean a woman would embark. The men never used a stool to step down on. The driver didn’t look like the same man who had delivered her a week earlier. Expecting to see a woman descend the steps, Leah was surprised when the door to the stage opened and a small man stepped out, a bowler hat perched on his head. He wore a business suit and shiny black boots. She waited a minute longer to see who else might disembark. Seeing no one, she hurried back to the kitchen. “Looks like just one gentleman,” she said.

Agnes pulled an apple pie from the pie safe and sliced two pieces. She poured steaming hot coffee into two mugs.

Leah watched her work with the skill of a practiced hand. “Do you think they will stay for pie and coffee?”

“The stagecoach driver, Mr. Porter, hardly ever leaves without a slice and a hot drink.”

Leah searched her memory for the name of the stagecoach driver that had dropped her off and came away empty. “Why didn’t the man who dropped me here stay for pie and coffee?” she asked.

Agnes pulled a tin of dried beans down and carried them to the table where Molly sat. She dumped them out in front of the child before answering Leah. “I suppose Mr. Edwards didn’t want to get trapped by the snow. But, to be honest, he hardly ever comes inside. He drinks something stronger than my hot coffee or tea. Mr. Edwards just drops folks off and hightails it back to Julesburg.” She walked to the cupboard and found a big pot. “He’s probably at the Beni ranch now enjoying the wilder side of life.”

Leah remembered Julesburg. They’d passed through the town without stopping but what she’d seen out the stagecoach window hadn’t impressed her much. It was small and dirty, and loud music and shouts could be heard coming from the large sod house that sat beside a small trading post. She was thankful Thomas had told her to come to South Platte and wait for him here.

Agnes placed the pot next to Molly. “Think you can go through those beans and put the good ones in my pot?” she asked the little girl.

Molly smiled and nodded. She stood up on her stool and began sorting beans.

“That’s a good girl,” Agnes said, grinning at the child. “We’ll make a fine cook out of you in no time.”

Leah didn’t recall a ranch being in or near Julesburg. “The Beni ranch?”

Agnes turned to Leah. “That’s Jules Beni’s place. He’s the pony express station master in Julesburg.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize that there could be two home stations so close together.” Then again, Leah realized she knew very little about the pony express.

“Julesburg is the main pony express home station in these parts. We’re considered the swing station. Jake and some of the boys didn’t care for the rowdy town, so when Mr. Slade, the division superintendent for the pony express, asked if we’d be willing to house some of the boys and a stock tender, we agreed. And here we are.” Agnes took a wet cloth and returned to the dining area. She vigorously wiped the table clean.

A few moments later she called out to Leah. “Would you mind bringing those plates and coffee cups to the dinner table?”

Leah did as she was asked, happy to feel as if she was contributing a little toward her keep. She watched the men enter the house and take seats at the table. Agnes placed a cup and plate in front of the passenger and gave each man a fork. Leah served Mr. Porter his pie and coffee.

“Thank you, Mrs. Frontz,” Mr. Porter said, picking up his fork and digging into his pie. Around a mouth full of crust and fruit he asked, “And who might this lovely lady be?”

Agnes put her hands on her hips. “Now, you behave yourself, Porter. That’s Miss Hollister, soon to be Jake’s bride.”

Mr. Porter gulped down his pie and smiled. Both his front teeth were missing. “I’ll see that I do, Mrs. Frontz.” He turned to the gentleman who sat across the table from him. “Ladies, I’d like for you to meet Mr. Isaac Dalton.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Agnes and Leah spoke in unison.

“The pleasure is mine.”

Mr. Dalton wasn’t a tall man. As a matter of fact, in comparison to Jake, Leah found him to be short. He was small boned and looked like he belonged in an office out East rather than here in rugged Colorado. Leah checked her thoughts. What was she doing, comparing a complete stranger to her future husband?

Agnes slipped into one of the chairs. “Are you staying the night, Mr. Porter, or heading to Denver?”

“Mr. Dalton and I have discussed it and with the storm coming in, we’ve decided to head on out. I take it you have no other passengers staying right now?”

She shook her head. “No, Miss Hollister and sweet little Molly are our only boarders at the moment.”

Leah felt an anxious tension shiver down her spine. She turned to find Mr. Dalton studying her. She felt uncomfortable under his green gaze. “Speaking of Molly, I should go check on her. If you gentlemen will excuse me.” Leah didn’t wait for their answer. She hurried into the kitchen.

Standing on the other side of the door, she heard Mr. Dalton say, “She seems awfully young to have a daughter.”

Agnes ignored his statement and asked a question of her own, “What do you do, Mr. Dalton?”

“I am taking a position at the bank in Denver,” he replied.

Leah thought she heard a great deal of pride in his voice. Everything about Mr. Dalton screamed “businessman.” She pushed away from the door and went to help Molly sort beans. There was something about the man that made her feel uneasy. He was nothing like Jake.

How could she think such a thing? Leah realized she knew very little about Jake. She tried to picture him in business attire. A smile touched her lips. She’d soon see him in both, Leah thought. At their wedding surely he would dress in a suit and shiny boots. Or would he? Truth be told, she had no idea what her future husband might or might not wear to their wedding. She just prayed he’d take off the gun belt for their special day.

Leah picked at the beans. Maybe it was a good thing the preacher was out of town. She knew nothing about Jake Bridges, other than he was a stock tender for the pony express.

A flicker of uneasiness swept through her. Did anyone really know him? How long had the Frontzs known him? Hadn’t Thomas said in one of his letters that the pony express had just started up in April?

She looked to Molly who seemed focused on picking rocks and blackened beans from the pile. Had her feelings for the little girl gotten her into a bigger mess than she’d already been in? A tiny flicker of panic began to take root in her thoughts.

Leah bowed her head and silently prayed. Lord, if I’ve made a mistake, please help me to get out of my promise to marry Jake. And if it’s not a mistake, please help me feel your assurance and help me to get to know him better. Amen.

* * *

Jake dug into lunch with a feeling of accomplishment. He and the others had worked on the cabin all morning. So far, they had cleaned out the chimney, reinforced the windows and the door, swept the floors and removed cobwebs that had developed in what seemed like every corner of the house. Then they’d mixed hay, dirt, water and rocks to pack the cracks in the log walls.

His gaze moved to the stagecoach passenger, Mr. Dalton. The man’s eyes followed Leah’s every move, much the way a hungry cat watches a sparrow hop from branch to branch. At the moment she was carefully cutting Molly’s meat into tiny pieces. Jake wondered if he should start sitting closer to her and the little girl. After all, they would soon be a family.

Mr. Frontz took a sip of hot coffee and then said, “Mr. Dalton, Agnes tells me you’re a banker.”

Mr. Dalton wiped his mouth. “Yes, sir. I’m looking forward to beginning work at Clark, Gruber and Co.” He, too, pushed his plate back and picked up his mug.

Jake thought of the money he had stashed in his room. He’d considered putting it in the bank, but in all honesty, he just didn’t trust them. He’d heard of banks being robbed and folks losing everything.

“That’s that two-story building they built back in July, right?” Will asked from his position at the table.

“I don’t rightly know what it looks like. This will be my first trip to Denver,” Mr. Dalton confessed as his gaze slid back across the table to land on Leah, who gently wiped Molly’s face.

Jake cleared his throat. “Leah, if you and Molly are finished eating maybe you’d like to come down to the stables with me and check on the horses.” He hadn’t planned on taking them, but he also didn’t want her in the same room with a wealthy banker, either.

Leah looked up at Jake and grinned. “I think we’re about done, aren’t we, Molly?”

Molly nodded and pushed out of her chair.

Leah looked to Agnes. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to help clean up the kitchen and this mess.”

Agnes waved her away. “Don’t worry about the dishes, they’ll be here when you come back.”

Leah offered Jake a small, shy smile. “We’ll go get our coats and be right back.” She pushed Molly along in front of her toward the stairs.

“Would you like a slice of pie while you wait?” Mrs. Frontz asked Jake.

“No, thanks.” Jake pushed away from the table. “Lunch was wonderful. Thank you, Mrs. Frontz.”

Agnes smiled. “It was my pleasure.”

“I’d like another slice of that pie, Mrs. Frontz, and then Mr. Dalton and I will need to be on our way. I’d like to beat the storm into Denver.” Mr. Porter held out his plate for her to put the pie on.

She took his plate. “You’re welcome to stay overnight,” Agnes said, cutting out a large section of the apple pie.

Jake silently prayed the stagecoach would be on its way. He didn’t much care for Mr. Dalton, even though he’d just met the man. He moved to the door and pulled on his own coat and gloves.

“Thank you, but I’m sure Mr. Dalton is in a hurry to get to work. Besides, with the storm coming in I really don’t want to get snowed in here.”

Mr. Dalton’s eyes moved to the top of the stairs, where Leah had disappeared. For a moment, Jake thought he’d argue with the stagecoach driver. He turned back to the table and said, “He’s right. I appreciate the hospitality, but the sooner I get to Denver the sooner I start my new job.”

Jake felt himself exhale. The sound of little feet pounding down the stairs alerted him to Molly’s return. He looked to the little girl and grinned. She ran to him and jumped. Instinctively Jake caught her up and swung her around. He marveled that she didn’t squeal with joy.

“She sure is a lively kid, isn’t she?” Disapproval dripped from Mr. Dalton’s voice.

Jake turned to glare at the man only to find him staring up at the stairs and watching Leah descend. Her skirt swished as she crossed to him.

“She is very lively, but we love that about her, don’t we?” Leah replied, looking Jake in the eye. Or was she looking at Molly?

He lowered Molly to the floor. “Yes, we do.” He tweaked Molly’s nose but held Leah’s gaze.

Leah turned and opened the door. Molly ran past her and bounded off the end of the porch.

Jake placed his hand on the small of Leah’s back as she crossed the threshold. He hoped that Mr. Dalton would notice and realize that Leah wasn’t available, to him or any other man. He didn’t understand his possessive feelings and told himself that, if she was to be his wife, he wasn’t sharing her with anyone but Molly. He closed the door behind them.

“Mr. Porter is an interesting man, isn’t he?” Leah asked as she followed Molly off the edge of the porch.

“How so?” Jake hadn’t ever really thought about him.

She glanced at him. “His life seems very adventurous.”

Again Jake felt at a loss. “Really?”

“Well, he was telling Mr. Dalton and me about the time the Indians chased him to Denver. They seemed to think he had something they wanted, but since he didn’t stop and ask them what, he said he’ll probably never know why they were chasing him. And, when I asked if that happened a lot, he said yes, and that he’s even been held up by new settlers, too.” Her eyes shone with excitement.

Jake nodded and tucked his hands deep into his coat pockets. He noticed that Leah shivered in her thin coat. Would she object to him buying her a new one? Maybe he’d surprise her with an early Christmas present. She couldn’t object to that, could she?

“But he told me if I thought that was exciting, I should have some of the boys tell me about their adventures as pony express riders. Do you think the boys would share their stories with me about their rides?” She looked up and saw Molly try to pull the doors to the barn open. “Molly! Wait for us,” Leah said.

The little girl turned to face them. She waved her mitten-covered hand in a way that said, come on!

“We’re coming,” Leah called back to her.

Jake smiled at the way she could seem so young one moment and yet act so motherly the next. “I’m sure the boys would be happy to share their adventures.” He pulled the barn door open and grabbed Molly’s hand before allowing her to run inside. “Molly, no running in the barn and remember to watch where you step.”

From the corner of his eye he caught the smile that trembled on Leah’s lips. Jake turned to face her, took one of her hands in his and teased, “Leah, no running in the barn and watch where you step.” He glanced down at her scuffed boots. “We wouldn’t want to soil those lovely slippers, now, would we?”

She laughed and gave him a gentle push. “I’m freezing. Let us in. We’ll remember the rules.” Leah looked down at Molly who was smiling from ear to ear. “Won’t we, Miss Molly?”

The little girl bobbed her head.

Behind them, Jake heard the front door of the cabin open. He hurriedly ushered them inside the barn. Just before he closed the door, he glanced over his shoulder to see who had left the house. Mr. Porter and Mr. Dalton stomped down the front steps and hurried to the stagecoach.

Good. With Dalton leaving, Leah could go back to moving about the house without a stranger gawking at her. What did he care? He didn’t. Did he?

* * *

Exhaustion filled every bone in her body. Leah slipped into the dining room chair and sighed. How did Mrs. Frontz, a woman twice her age, do this every day? Cook, clean, cook some more, clean some more, it was an endless cycle. Leah had helped out at the orphanage but she hadn’t cleaned up after four pony express riders and visitors who arrived on the stagecoach.

The highlight of her day had been when she’d been in the warm barn with Molly and Jake. Molly had been beside herself with excitement. Jake seemed to relish the child’s enthusiasm and lifted her up so she could pet the horses. Not once had Molly acted afraid; in fact, Leah could see they would have to teach Molly the dangers of getting under the horses’ hooves. She needed to have a bit of fear if she was going to be around the big animals. Leah enjoyed the brief tour of the barn and seeing the various mustangs.

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