Laura Abbot by Into the Wilderness

Author:Into the Wilderness
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“My post is Fort Sill in Injun Territory. It’s hot, missy. Like burning coal cinders. Officers keep us busy, but they a good lot, by and large. I hope you safe. I don’t forget how nice you be to me.”

Lily folded the letter and returned it to her pocket. “It’s signed ‘Your true friend, Moses.’”

“Your kindness and generosity of spirit obviously meant a lot to him.”

“As his bravery and selflessness did to me.” She shook her head sadly. “If God created all of us in His image, why can’t we get along?”

“I pray unity is God’s ultimate plan. Until then, we fight the devil within us, I guess.”

Rather than continue with so deep a subject, she attempted to lighten the mood. “Clever, Captain. Now you’ve brought us right back to Paradise Lost and Satan’s starring role.” She rose and in a mock maternal tone said, “No more, sir, of serpents. This Eve has duties to perform, and they don’t include apples.”

When she turned to leave, he grasped her by the wrist. “Before you go...Milton also said that we can make a hell of Heaven or a heaven of Hell.” His eyes sought hers. “Lily, you have helped make a heaven of my hell.” He dropped her wrist, yet she remained rooted to the spot, speechless. “You have restored my trust.”

The remainder of the day, she replayed their final exchange, reveling in his compliment, yet feeling both the full weight of the responsibility he had placed in her and her anxiety about fulfilling whatever it was he wanted from her. What had started as friendship and simple attraction had escalated into something else, something she wasn’t sure she could handle, at least not without hurting Caleb, who was already so vulnerable. Or was she fooling herself?

* * *

A week later, Fannie stood admiring herself in Effie’s full-length mirror while Lily, on hands and knees, measured the hem of the wedding dress. “You are a wiggle worm. Hold still.”

“I’m so excited. Lily, I never dared dream of such a splendid gown.”

Effie bustled into the room, bearing a small notebook and pencil. “I am off to the sutler’s to buy ingredients for the cake. I pray the man has vanilla in stock.”

Fannie laughed. “No matter. The wedding will be perfect regardless of what happens.”

“How can you say that?” Lily mumbled with pins in her mouth.

“Because I am marrying my Will. All the rest is just, oh, dear, I’m afraid I’m about to make a joke, icing on the cake.” Effie hooted and Lily spat pins all over the floor, reflecting that since Fannie’s arrival she’d laughed more than she had in a great long while.

After Effie departed, Lily helped Fannie out of the nearly completed gown and folded it carefully. While Fannie dressed, Lily poured two glasses of the lemonade Effie had left for them. They carried the drinks onto the porch where, thankfully, a breeze made the heat bearable. Fannie turned her big brown eyes on Lily. “I know we haven’t been acquainted long, but I am so very fond of you.

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