A Shadow on the Plains

Rachel's News

"Ellie!" At her friend's call, Eliana dropped her scrub brush and hurried to the open kitchen door, wiping her hands on her already-soaking apron. Something was in Rachel's voice that she had never heard before... and she wasn't entirely certain if she was glad to hear it or not.

"Rachel! What is it?"

Rachel Buchanan stood in the doorway, bonnet falling back on her shoulders, cheeks flushed, eyes shining. Usually so quiet and demure, there was an unmistakable note of pure joy in the girl's voice.

"Is... is your mother here?"

"No, she's helping out at Lizzie's today," Eliana answered. "I'll be headin' over there just as soon as I finish gettin' lunch for Pa an' Jacob. You know," she continued, purposely stalling, since she could see Rachel's impatience to tell her news, "She gets more and more worried with each new baby. Every time one of my sisters or sisters-in-law is expecting, she spends more time with them than here at home." She laughed, but then frowned. "She... she really hasn't been the same since Abby and her little one both passed. But... what is it that's got you so flustered?"

"Oh, Ellie, you won't believe it!" Rachel wrapped her arms around her surprised friend, breathless in her excitement.

"Don't tell me," Eliana laughed. "Let me guess."

"Alright, see if you can."

"Your dog... had her puppies?" Eliana teased.

"Much better than that," Rachel mistook Eliana's meaning, believing her to be serious.

"Well then, your rosebush is blooming?"

"Ellie! It's been blooming all summer! Guess again!"

"Then... then it must be..." Eliana paused and looked sideways at her friend with an almost wistful smile. She knew exactly what it was that made Rachel's eyes shine. And she wished... almost... that she had the same kind of news to share.

"Jacob has proposed," she said finally and Rachel beamed.

"Yes! He has! And... oh, Ellie, I'm so happy... I didn't know it was possible to be so happy..."

"Jacob has some explaining to do," Eliana nodded severely. "That old sneak. He never breathed a word! Come on." Taking Rachel's hand, she pulled her along toward the Carter's smithy. But she needn't have pulled. Rachel went willingly enough.

The interior of the smithy was dark, except for the bright orange glow of the flames in the forge. But the black smoke billowing from the forge nearly obscured the light. Jacob was bent over the hoof of a rather flighty paint pony, just hammering in the last of the nails in the shoe. Josiah was helping the owner of the pony to hold it quiet. The pony seemed but green broke and thrashed hard. Jacob was working fast, faster than Eliana had ever seen him work before and before long, he set down the pony's hoof and straightened up, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

"There y'are," Josiah was saying to the young man who stood at the pony's head. "Sorry we couldn't do it any faster."

"That was 'bout as fast as I could expect," he answered as he reached into his saddlebag and began to count out silver dollars. "I sure appreciate it. Bad luck today."

It was then that Eliana noticed the leather mochila hanging over the saddle. This was no mere rancher but the express rider himself! Her heart skipped a beat but she forced herself to remain quiet. Her father was waving away the money with a smile.

"No charge. Thank you for your service."

"God bless you, Sir," the two men shook hands and the express rider turned to lead his horse from the smithy. His eyes met Eliana's then and he smiled. She hardly knew what to say, feeling suddenly shy and awkward at meeting him face to face. She had never really expected his eyes to be so blue... as blue as the prairie sky. Nor did he seem quite so tall from the back of a horse.

"You're the sunshine girl," he laughed. "We meet at last." he swung into the saddle as he spoke. "I'm sorry I can't stay an' get acquainted..." He tipped his hat as he turned the pony toward the west. "Thank ya... for the cookies an' all..."

"I..." Eliana hesitated as she felt the color rush into her cheeks. "You're... you're very welcome..."

He had already spurred his horse on but was half-turned in the saddle, waving back at her. Sunshine Girl. Was that what he had called her? What... what exactly did that mean? It was then that she realized she hadn't even asked his name.