The Secret Promise

Chapter Six

Lucas and his friend Arthur stepped down off the train and took a good look around. Everything looked exactly the same to Lucas, but Arthur took a deep breath of fresh air.

"This is actually a very pretty little town!" he said. "It's bigger than I imagined, from how you described it to me. Shall we hire a buggy?"

"I don't think that's even possible," Lucas said, immediately noticing that there were a few new businesses and plenty of new houses nearby. "This isn't London. And it still feels small." He picked up his heavy pack and slung it over his shoulder. "Home's this way. It's within walking distance."

Arthur quickly grabbed his own pack and followed along behind him, taking everything in as they walked down the street. "You never mentioned what pretty young ladies you had in town,"

"Hm?" Lucas glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Arthur was staring across the street. "I don't know if I'd go that far," he said, recognizing her. "That's just Susan Lewis."

"She's lovely!" Arthur grinned. "Perhaps after we've settled ourselves, you'd do me the honor of a proper introduction?"

"Sure. I guess." Lucas shrugged. "I didn't realize you liked red heads."

"Oh, I didn't either!" Arthur said, glancing back one more time. "But she's absolutely divine!"

"If you say so."

"Well, what's your ideal, Lucas?" Arthur asked, catching up to him.

"I don't know. I never really thought about it."

"Never?"

"I've been busy,"

"Well, so have I!" Arthur chuckled. "But I still know what I like. And I think I just may have found her. You don't suppose she's already courting someone in town, do you?"

"I couldn't say," Lucas replied. "I haven't really been in contact with anyone except for my pa. She could be married by now, for all I know."

"Oh, that would be downright disappointing, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, just horrible."

"Why are you suddenly so grumpy?" Arthur asked. Then he smiled. "I suppose you have a special someone you're hoping hasn't gotten married in your absence, eh?" he elbowed him.

"No."

"Nobody?" Arthur was surprised. For being such a handsome fellow, Lucas certainly didn't have much of a social life. "I would have thought the young ladies would be lining up to be on your arm."

Lucas snorted. "Not since Allie outed me at school."

"She what?"

"I was courting Beverly and Annabeth at the same time and Allie ruined it all."

"Well, even if women threw themselves at me, I wouldn't actually court more than one at a time. That's just crazy! How long did you get away with that for?"

"About a month." Lucas said. He glanced over his shoulder before crossing the street and nearly missed a step when he caught sight of her.

Arthur ran into his back. "What? What's wrong?" he looked up the street to see what his friend was staring at and a smile spread across his face. "Well, she's mighty fine looking too!" he slapped him on the shoulder. "Maybe not as fine as Miss Lewis, but I'm already a bit biased."

Something like a growl escaped Lucas' lips and he turned back down the street where he'd been heading in the first place. He just wanted to get home and have a decent meal and a good night's sleep. He didn't want to be bothered by the fact that Allie was no longer the undersized, freckle faced girl with pigtails she was when he'd left town. He didn't have time to be distracted by a young woman with shiny brown hair and a perfect nose with twenty-six freckles that no longer disgusted him. There was no point in him thinking about such things, and yet, as he stormed off towards home, that was the one thing he suddenly couldn't get out of his head. She was surprisingly more beautiful that he ever would have imagined but he was certain that she still hated his guts.

"Is there a reason you're in such a hurry?" Arthur panted as he sprinted to catch up with him.

"I just want to get home."

"You seem to be in a bit of a sour mood. Was it something I said? Perhaps you also like Miss Lewis and I've offended you by showing interest?"

"I'm not interested in Miss Lewis." he said shortly.

"The other young lady, perhaps?" he cleared his throat.

"It doesn't matter." Lucas snapped. "I am not attached to anyone in town, if that's what you're asking."

"Well, I suppose there's still time." Arthur chuckled.

"Hm." Lucas grunted and kept walking.

They reached his house and Mr. Dillan welcomed them inside. There was stew keeping warm on the back of the stove and fresh baked cornbread wrapped in a towel. "Eat up!" Mr. Dillan said. "I've got the third bedroom all set up for you Arthur,"

"Thank you sir!" he replied. 

Lucas turned in early. He was exhausted from the long train ride and wanted to be up early the next day. He knew there would be chores to do first thing in the morning.

Arthur, however, wasn't a bit sleepy and stayed up getting to know Mr. Dillan.

"So, Lucas seemed a bit put out after seeing a young lady in town," Arthur said. "Is there something I should know? A jilted lover, perhaps?"

Mr. Dillan laughed. "Lucas? No, I'm afraid not! He left town just after he turned eighteen. The only ones jilted around here were Beverly and Annabeth, who he decided to court at the same time when he was fourteen."

"Yes. He mentioned that. Someone outed him, I hear."

Mr. Dillan nodded. "Yes. Allie Warner." he chuckled remembering the visit he'd received from the teacher. "I can't imagine Lucas really thought Allie would lie for him, but when Beverly asked where he was, she told him he was around behind the school house, kissing Annabeth. So Beverly took things into her own hands. I got a visit from Mr. Anderson that very afternoon and he told me Beverly likely had a broken nose, badly bruised if not, and Annabeth had a bald spot where Beverly had pulled out a handful of hair." he motioned right above his forehead. "Right in the middle!"

"Oh dear!" Arthur exclaimed. "I suppose Lucas wasn't very happy!"

"He was livid. Come to find out he'd been bullying Allie for some time by the time all of this played out, so it was only fair that she outed him. He deserved it!"

"So, this Allie? What does she look like?"

"Pretty little thing." Mr. Dillan said. "Petite. Brown hair and freckles. Reminds me of her Ma. But she's feisty. Probably had to be to put up with Lucas all those years."

"And she lives in town?"

"Actually she lives just up the road. Right around the bend. But she does spend a lot of time in town with her friend Susan."

"Susan Lewis?"

"You've met her?"

"I saw her when we got off the train!" Arthur brightened at the mention of her. "She's quite stunning!"

"Well, if you spend much time getting to know Susan, you'll meet Allie fairly soon."

"I can't wait!" Arthur grinned rubbing his palms together in anticipation.