The Pursuit Read online

  “I’ve allowed this emptiness to complete me, I think,” Molly said. “I don’t know how to pull away, as you say, and start living again.”

  “Travel.”

  Molly looked at her niece closely. “Travel?”

  Rebecca nodded. “Bill left you with enough money to live on for the rest of your life, if you spend wisely. But you need to get away from Allentown. You’ve been here your whole life, almost, and I can’t imagine there’s anywhere you can go that doesn’t remind you of Bill in some way. It’s not the biggest city in Virginia, is it?”

  “It’s not the biggest city in any state.”

  This made both women giggle.

  “If you blink your eyes as you go through it, you might miss it.”

  The giggles continued.

  “I don’t know,” Molly pondered the idea. “Where would I go? What is there to see?”

  “You have relatives on the West coast, don’t you? Maybe you should go see them. Spend some time somewhere other than here.”

  Molly thought about it. “I do have a cousin in Utah. And one in Arizona.”

  “I bet they would be happy to see you! Either one of them. When was the last time you actually got to see them?”

  Molly shook her head. “It’s been quite a long time, I must say.”

  “Well, there ya go!” Rebecca lifted her hands into the air. “You have the perfect excuse to travel! You haven’t seen your relatives in a long time and you need to get away from Allentown.”

  Molly felt a spark being lit inside her chest. The idea brought chills to her body. She hadn’t been excited for anything in quite a long time. Would she see Anna and Laurence or Alice and Adam? The last time she saw Alice and Adam had been at her cousin Holly’s funeral some years ago. She and Bill had traveled across the country to attend the funeral. Holly was Alice’s sister and Adam’s first wife. Alice and Adam had married after Holly’s death. They were raising Adam and Holly’s two children and had one of their own now.

  Molly smiled at Rebecca. “I think that’s a good idea, Becky. Thank you.”

  Rebecca returned her smile. “You’re welcome, Auntie. I’m glad I could do something for you. You have been so unhappy for so long. You need to get back to your old self.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her aunt. “I miss your smile. The way you used to smile. It’s nice to think you’ll smile like that again.”

  Molly hugged her back, enjoying the warmth the woman provided. There was a short gust of wind that blew over them when they separated, giving them both chills.

  “Let’s go inside. It’s getting late. We’ll make some hot cocoa and sit in the den before bed. What do you think?” Rebecca sounded excited, as if she had just proposed that they all go to the county fair. Molly sighed contentedly and nodded.

  “Yes, let’s do that.”

  Molly pulled out of her memory when the stage jostled from side to side. She grasped the small window sill beside her and gazed out at the scenery. It was dusty and brown, not what she was used to at all. The mountains in the distance were covered with spots of green, where cacti and other foliage grew, along with the largest boulders and stones Molly had ever seen.

  “Have you been to the West coast before?”

  Molly’s attention was drawn to the older woman sitting across from her. She smiled and nodded. “Only to visit. I’ll be staying longer this time. I had forgotten how… how brown it is out here.” She looked back out the window.

  “It is brown, isn’t it?” the older woman laughed. “I am returning home to Louisville, where my son and his wife live. Are you staying with anyone or are you all alone?”

  Molly thought about the question. She was all alone. However, in another way, she wasn’t. She didn’t know Adam or Alice well and could only hope they would get along. She knew Alice was a friendly girl; at least she had been when she was very young. Her letters were very cordial, as well.

  “I am alone right now. I lost my husband five years ago and have been… in mourning since then.”

  “I’m so sorry, my dear. You have my condolences.” Molly recognized the look of sympathy on the woman’s face and nodded.

  “Thank you. It’s been five years and the family I had in Virginia thought it was about time I changed my location so I can get away from the memories.”

  “I have to agree with them, my dear.” The woman leaned forward and patted Molly’s hands, which were clenched in her lap. “That will do you some good. I am a widow, too. But I lost my husband some fifteen years ago.”

  “Did you ever remarry?”

  The woman shook her head. “Oh no. I didn’t need to. I had my children and my sons have always taken good care of me.”

  “That is wonderful.”

  “You have no children?”

  Molly shook her head. “It was not a gift we were given, no. I… I am looking to remarry so that I will have a chance to start a family. Time is… running out on me.”

  The look of understanding on the woman’s face touched Molly’s heart. “I do wish you the best, my dear. Try not to stress about it too much or put yourself under a lot of pressure. It will only make things harder for you. I’m Mrs. Margaret Singer. And you are?”

  “Molly Beatrice Thorn. It’s good to meet you.”

  “You, too.”

  They nodded at each other.

  For the rest of the ride, they chatted about various subjects. By the time the stage pulled up in front of the Inn at Wickenburg, Molly felt calm and comfortable.

  “I will send you a letter when I get settled in,” Molly said, holding up the piece of paper the woman had written her address on. “It was wonderful to meet you.”

  “I’ll be watching for that letter. Take care, my dear.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  MOLLY COMES TO WICKENBURG

  MOLLY COMES TO WICKENBURG

  Molly stood with her bags in front of the Inn, looking to the left and to the right. She didn’t see anyone resembling Alice or Adam there waiting for her. She looked at the large clock on top of the church across the street. She was on time.

  She leaned over and grabbed the handle of two of her bags, moving them from the walkway so they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way as they walked past. She did the same with the other two bags and sat on the bench just outside the doors of the building. She didn’t mind waiting a bit. She was enjoying the warm sun on her face. She wondered how long it would be before she thought it was too hot and wanted to return to Virginia.

  The thought brought a smile to her upturned face.

  “Hello, there.” She heard the sound of a man’s voice beside her and lowered her head, opening her eyes to see if it was Adam. It wasn’t. The man who stood in front of her was broad-shouldered, at least six feet tall and built like a giant. “Are you waiting for someone?”

  Molly looked down at her bags and then back up at the man. “It would appear so,” she responded in a light-hearted tone. He responded with a smile.

  “I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I’m Ben. Ben Campbell. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand and she took it. He pulled it up to his lips, bending down at the waist and kissed it. She had to smile.

  “Aren’t you a gentleman?” she asked. “I am Molly Thorn. I’ve come from the East coast to stay with my cousin and her husband.”

  “I might know them. What are their names?”

  “I’m sure you know them. Adam and Alice Collins.”

  He nodded. “Yes, of course! I am surprised they are not here to pick you up.”

  “I’m sure Adam is at work.”

  “Yes, of course. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait? This is my hotel here,” he lifted his hand and gestured at the building behind them. “I have fresh coffee and my wife has just made some fresh jelly filled pastries. You must be hungry after your long trip.”

  Molly hadn’t noticed before that she was, in fact, very hungry and thirsty.

  “I would love to try out your wife’s pastries.
But I’ll say no to the coffee. I’m parched but it’s warm out here and coffee will make me so hot.” She smiled at him. “I don’t think hot and sweaty would be a good first impression to make.”

  He laughed and held out his hand to her. “Come, I’ll get you a refreshing drink and you can eat pastries while you wait for your ride.”

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Campbell.” She took his hand and stood up. She leaned to gather her bags but he stopped her.

  “Don’t worry about those. They aren’t going anywhere. If you are afraid to leave them out here, I will bring them in. But I’m sure they are safe here.”

  “All right.”

  “And you can call me Ben. No one calls me Mr. Campbell.”

  “All right. You can call me Molly.”

  They walked into the hotel front room. Molly looked around in surprise. It was a lavish interior, contrasting the outside almost completely. “Oh, how beautiful!” she exclaimed. He looked at her with pride on his large face.

  “Thank you. We like to bring the city to our small town and it attracts visitors from all over. We’ve had British diplomats here.”

  Molly raised her eyebrows. “Really? Why in heaven’s name would they want to come here?” She blushed furiously and lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to say…”

  He shook his head. “No, no, dear Miss Molly, you don’t have to apologize.” He laughed. “I can understand why you would think that. Yes, Wickenburg is but a spot on the map but we have frequent travelers because business is coming to our little town and it attracts investors. Investors give money so that a business can be started up.”

  She tried not to grin too wide. “I understand.”

  “Ah, here is my wife!” Ben’s voice rose a notch in volume when a slender, pretty woman with long blond hair and bright green eyes came from another room. “Helen, this is Molly Thorn. She has come to stay with the Collins family for a while.” He looked down at Molly and lowered his voice again. “She is a little deaf. She can hear, just not very well. You have to speak up.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Campbell.” Molly did as she was told and spoke loudly.

  The woman held out her hand to shake. “Call me Helen. It’s good to meet you. How do you know the Collins’s?”

  “Alice is my cousin,” Molly responded.

  “How lovely.” Helen smiled and turned her eyes to Ben. “Did you offer her some refreshments?”

  Ben nodded, beaming at his wife. “I did! And she would like some!”

  “Wonderful! I have just pulled a fresh batch of pastries from the oven. Would you like one?”

  “I’m sure she will want more than one, Helen. She has come all the way from the East coast!”

  “I did eat along the way,” Molly laughed. “But I would very much like to eat again, thank you!”

  Both the Campbell's laughed with her. “Please follow me.” Helen gestured and turned back to the door she had just come through. Molly lifted her nose into the air, breathing in the scent of the freshly baked pastries. It made her stomach growl. She put a hand on it, wondering if Ben had heard it. When she glanced up at him, he was smiling at her but she couldn’t tell if he’d heard it or not.

  “I’ll get you some tea. It’s been cooled off in the icebox so it should be very refreshing for you.”

  “That sounds wonderful!” Molly was ready to eat the pastries and drink the tea before she even sat at the long kitchen table. She felt like a child on Christmas morning, waiting anxiously for presents. Ben went to the icebox while his wife went to the counter by the brick oven. She took a plate from a stack by the water basin and placed three pastries on it.

  By the time she came back to the table, Ben was already there with a tall glass of cold tea. Molly tried to be polite but found herself stuffing the pastries in her mouth and taking a long drink of tea. She covered her mouth with a cloth napkin Helen put next to her and chewed, smiling gratefully at the two. After she swallowed, she took another long drink, reveling in the taste of the sweetened tea as it slid down her throat. She dabbed at the corners of her mouth and smiled at them.

  “This is so delicious. What do I owe you?”

  Ben shook his head. “It’s on the house.”

  “I don’t want to take from you. I should pay you something.”

  Helen tapped her hand and shook her head, too. “Consider it a welcome to Wickenburg gift. We are always glad to see new faces in our town. Do you know anyone here besides Adam and Alice?”

  Molly shook her head, resisting the urge to gobble up another pastry. She forced herself to wait, so that she wouldn’t look like she was starving to death. “I am afraid not.”

  “Now you do!” Ben announced loudly. Molly grinned at him.

  “Yes, that’s true.”

  The front door opened and the bell above rang out loudly, making Molly jump. She hadn’t noticed that when she had come in. Ben looked at her sympathetically.

  “Sorry, Miss Molly, I had to set the bell.”

  She looked at him in confusion as Helen stood up and went out into the other room.

  “The bell above the door,” Ben explained. “I move it into the proper position when we are in another room so that Helen can hear when someone comes in.”

  Realization made Molly nod. “Oh, of course, I understand.”

  A few moments later, the door to the kitchen opened again and Helen came through with a man who looked about Molly’s age.

  “Mark is here for some pastries and coffee, Ben.”

  “Mark! How are you! Come on in and sit down.”

  Molly watched as the two men greeted each other. Helen went back to the counter and made a plate for Mark. Mark was a handsome man, with brown hair and brown eyes. When he turned his smile to Molly, her first thought was how genuine and kind it looked.

  “This here is Miss Molly Thorn from the east coast!” Ben bellowed. “She’s kin to Alice Collins.”

  Mark lifted his eyebrows, turning his gaze toward her. “Oh? I didn’t know you were coming in town.”

  Ben jabbed a thumb in Mark’s direction. “This here is Adam’s best friend.”

  Molly looked at Mark again. “Oh?”

  “Yep.” Mark confirmed the fact. “I was heading to see Adam at work before going on to mine. I could take you to their house, if you like.”

  “How gallant of you, Mark!” Ben laughed. “You can’t pass up a chance like that.” He turned to Molly. “He’s a gentleman, Molly. You don’t need to worry about your safety when it comes to this fella.”

  “I appreciate that.” Molly looked at Mark, sizing him up and down. “I will let you take me to their house. Since you are such a good friend to them.”

  He held up both hands. “I wouldn’t lie, Miss. Especially not to a pretty lady like you.”

  Molly blushed.

  “Well, you wouldn’t be anyway!” Ben exclaimed. “I was the one who said you are Adam’s best friend. Now you got a new friend.”

  “I’m surprised Alice didn’t come and pick you up. That’s kind of odd, don’t you think, Ben? She’s such a precise kind of lady.”

  Ben nodded but it was his wife who replied, coming to the table and setting the plate and the cup down in front of Mark. “She’s got all the kids with her today. They are not in school. I’m sure she was just delayed.”

  “I may have come a bit early,” Molly supplied. “It’s all right, really. I know children can wreak havoc sometimes.”

  “Oh, do you have children?” Helen asked, curiously, taking her seat.

  “No, no. But I allowed my niece and her husband to move into my home with their three children last year and have been living with them since.”

  “No wonder you decided to leave!” Ben roared.

  Molly smiled at him. “It was a spontaneous decision,” she responded. “I needed to get away from Allentown and wanted a completely new change.”

  “It doesn’t get much different than this. You will have to get used to the hot, dry weather,” Mark s
aid. “I do hope you enjoy it here, though. Are you in a hurry? We can leave now.”

  “It doesn’t take that long to get to the Collins house from here,” Helen said, waving her hand at him. “You finish those pastries and your coffee. I’m sure Molly isn’t in a hurry. Are you?” She looked at Molly, who blushed and shook her head.

  “No, I am not in a hurry, really. And I would love to have just one or two more pastries, if that’s all right.”

  Helen beamed at her. “Why, of course!”

  “They are delicious, I have to say. You are a very good baker.”

  “Thank you, dear,” Helen got up and picked up Molly’s plate. She refilled it and brought it back. Molly looked hungrily down at the pastries and hoped they would be enough to fill her grumbling stomach. Even after the three she had already eaten, she was hungry like she hadn’t eaten them at all.

  “You might find that you are thirstier out here than in the East,” Ben said. “It’s dry here. A lot drier than over there. Where are you from?”

  “Virginia.”

  Ben nodded, his eyes moving to Helen and Mark. “She’s gonna find out how different it is here.”

  “You’ve never been to the East coast, Ben,” Mark teased. “How do you know so much about it?”

  Ben’s smile covered his large face, making his eyes squint and sparkle at the same time. “I read a lot.”

  Both men laughed. Molly looked at them and then Helen in confusion. The woman looked back at her, shaking her head. “Ben doesn’t read a lot,” Helen explained. “He has relatives over there and they correspond often.”

  “See, I do read a lot,” Ben stood up for himself. “I read a lot of letters.”

  They all laughed.

  The conversation continued amiably. Molly noticed that the Campbell's and Mark did not single her out for questions but rather included her in their chatting as if she had always been a friend. She listened in comfortable silence, unless she had something to add.