A Pony Express Christmas

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“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.