A Changed Agent (9 page)

Feeling quite pleased with this turn of events, Elsie pushed away from the table. She cleared the dirty dishes and filled the sink with water, washing and setting them in the dish rack to dry. The day turned brighter as sunlight filled the nooks and crannies of the house. She made her way into the foyer, gathering their coats off the hooks.

She called out to the children. “Harry and Minnie, come put your coats on! The air is still cool.”

Harry kept trying to squirm out of her reach.

“Goodness, Harry. Stand still.”

“I need to get outside.”

“We’ll be out there in a minute.” After buttoning him up to under his chin, she turned to help Minnie. “You look so pretty this morning.”

Elsie wasn’t certain, but she thought she saw Minnie’s mouth curl upward just a tiny bit. “Go join your brother on the porch.”

Minnie moved past her. Elsie stood. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Will as he came down the staircase. He’d brushed his dark chestnut hair back off his forehead, and a few stubborn locks curled against his white shirt collar. Dark pants and a black vest with a string tie completed his church attire. He wore a smug expression, like he knew just how appealing he looked. Truth be told, she thought he looked perfect—except for the gun belt hanging from his hip.

She knew she’d be pushing her luck if she asked him to leave the gun behind. Even so, the question worked its way out of her mouth before she could stop it. “Can’t you leave your weapon here?” She knew the men all wore those guns, but still you’d think on the Lord’s Day they could leave them at home.

Reaching around her, he took his hat from the rack. Then, leaning so close she could see the golden specks in his brown eyes, he said, “I’ve made all the compromises I’m going to for today. Don’t push your luck, Miss Elsie.” Winking at her, he settled his hat on his head.

Grabbing her gloves from her coat pocket, Elsie pulled them over her fingers and went out to join the children. Will pulled the door closed behind them. They walked side by side to the main road, looking for all the world like a normal family. But she knew it would be dangerous to start to think they were any sort of family.

All around them birds were singing and newly formed sprigs of green grass poked through the sun-soaked soil. Up in the distance she could see her neighbors and friends gathering in front of the simple, whitewashed clapboard church. The single spire rose up from the roofline to meet the robin’s-egg-blue sky.

Her best friend Amy stood on the bottom step talking to Elsie’s parents. She saw Elsie and waved. Elsie waved back. Hurrying along, she met up with them. Slightly out of breath, she bid everyone a good morning. Her mother pulled her into an embrace. “Elsie! I’ve missed you.”

“Oh, Mama, I’ve missed you, too. Remember I’m only a short wagon ride away. Papa can bring you into town anytime for a visit.”

“I know. We should plan for regular Sunday dinners.”

“I’d like that. And I think it would be good for the children.”

The church bell rang, signaling the service was about to begin. They filed in, entering the third row from the back on the right-hand side of the sanctuary. This was the same pew Elsie’s family had sat in for as long as she could remember. Taking his hat off, Will sat on the outside of the pew. The minute he settled, he began to fidget.

He fussed with his burned hand, opening and closing it. He adjusted the hem of his coat. He set his hat on one knee, then picked it up again moments later to hang it on the hook under the hymnal stand. Picking up one of the hymnals, he thumbed through the pages. At first Elsie thought he might be looking for something in particular, but the way he kept flipping the pages told her he was still fidgeting.

She tapped him on the shoulder and gave a slight shake of her head, hoping he would understand he should stop acting like a schoolboy. Pulling his mouth in a firm line, he placed the hymnal back in the stand. Which, of course, was a silly thing to do because the Reverend Finley came to the pulpit instructing the congregation to open to page fourteen to sing the opening hymn, “My Lord, What a Morning,” one of Elsie’s favorites. Collectively they rose to their feet for the singing. Afterward, Reverend Finley led the congregation in the opening prayer. He closed with amen, and everyone sat.

No sooner had Will settled than Harry started squirming. Wiggling back and forth like a caterpillar, he bumped into first Elsie and then Minnie.

“Harry. Sit still,” Elsie whispered.

His body stilled. In the next instant his hand shot out. Plucking a hymnal from its stand, he proceeded to mimic Will’s earlier actions. Except Harry’s fingers crinkled every page he touched, causing several of the parishioners to give Elsie chastising looks. Taking the book from him, she picked him up and sat him on her lap. Wrapping her arms about him in a loose hug, she stilled him against her.

Today’s sermon concentrated on opening one’s heart to those in need. It spoke of forgiveness and tolerance for those less fortunate. Elsie listened as the reverend quoted from the scripture, Mark 11:25.

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

The words made Elsie think about Virgil. Though his betrayal had hurt her deeply, she was working at finding it in her heart to give him full forgiveness.

“I beseech each and every one of you to look around you, to find those who have wronged you, and to forgive them. Because only then will you find the power to live your life freely. Only then can you open your hearts to help those in need. Heartston is a small but loving community. We are so blessed to have people who are willing to open their arms, to offer comfort and support for the less fortunate.”

She glanced at Will out of the corner of her eye to see if he was listening. He sat tall against the seat back. His eyes were narrowed in concentration. She wondered what he was thinking about. Could there be someone in his life he needed to forgive?

She felt uplifted by the sermon, as if the words were meant for her and this small family she now lived with. Minnie’s head rested against her side, and Harry had finally quieted in her arms. With Will by their side, she found herself wishing for more. Elsie took some comfort in knowing that for now having Harry and Minnie to care for would have to suffice.

The sermon ended and the congregation sang the closing hymn. They walked out into the brilliant sunshine. Harry tugged at her skirt.

“Miss Mitchell, we behaved, didn’t we?”

With the exception of all the fussing and fidgeting he’d done, she thought they had behaved.

Looking down at Harry and Minnie, she answered, “Yes. You and your sister can go join the other children for refreshments.”

But Minnie didn’t go with him. Instead, she stayed by Elsie’s side. Elsie shielded her eyes from the sun as she watched Harry run off to the backyard, where a long table had been assembled and filled with homemade cookies and pitchers of fresh lemonade. Harry jostled his way into the line of children. Elsie looked at Minnie, who stood with Hazel in one arm and seemed a bit bereft without her brother near her.

“Would you like a cookie and drink, Minnie?” Elsie asked, gently taking hold of her free hand.

Minnie shook her head.

“All right then, we’ll wait here for your brother.”

Will came up beside them. “Nice service.”

Elsie smiled up at him. “Thank you for accompanying us.”

“All part of our agreement, Elsie.”

“We agreed to address each other properly when in public, Mr. Benton.”

“You’re correct, Miss Mitchell. I forgot.”

She looked around to make sure no one had heard him address her in such familiar terms. It wouldn’t do for any more rumors to be started about their arrangement.

John Oliver approached them. Tipping his hat, he said, “Good day, Elsie and Will.”

“Hello, Mr. Oliver. Isn’t it a fine spring day?”

“Indeed. I hate to interrupt, but I need to speak to Will.”

Elsie watched the two men saunter off to the edge of the churchyard. They bent their heads together, speaking in hushed tones.
What could that be about?
It seemed she wouldn’t have to wait long to find out because Will was making his way toward her.

“I have to go to work.”

“On the Lord’s Day?”

“It can’t be put off any longer, Miss Mitchell. I believe I told you this morning that I had work to attend to on behalf of the Oliver Lumber Company. Besides which, I just held up my end of the church part of our bargain.”

“Yes, you did.” Peering up at him, she added, “I sincerely hope you came away with some good thoughts from the service.”

He grinned. “What I came away with is the thought that not a lot has changed about sitting through a preacher man’s long-winded sermon since I was boy.”

Elsie just felt thankful that he’d joined them at all. “Will you be home in time for supper?”

“I’m not sure how long this will take.”

Hiding her disappointment, she said, “We’ll see you later, then.”

Tipping his hat to her, Will set out in the direction of the Oliver Lumber Company office. As soon as he was out of sight of Elsie, he veered to the right down an alleyway. Moving into the shadows of a row of stacked, empty shipping crates, he kept close to the outside wall of the saloon, looking for a back entrance. Finding it situated between some beer kegs and yesterday’s trash, he opened the door and entered a dark hallway. He passed by a closed door through which the sounds of muffled female laughter could be heard, followed by the deep rumblings of a male voice.

Will pulled his long duster coat closer, hiding his sidearm. A smoky haze filled the barroom. He could smell stale beer and whatever the day’s meat special was. Empty peanut shells crunched under the heels of his boots as he made his way to the last vacant spot at the long pine bar. Looking at the reflections in the dingy mirror, he studied the raucous crowd of lumberjacks and saloon girls. Three bearded men were lined up at the opposite end of the bar, doing shots of whiskey.

A pair of saloon girls sidled up to them. He caught the eye of the redheaded one. Lily came up to him and wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Hey, stranger. You want to dance?”

Will bit back a laugh. Lily was certainly getting into her role. “Not today.”

“How about you buy me a drink instead?”

“All right.” He ordered two beers.

Picking up a mug, Lily tapped the rim of his. “Cheers!”

Will continued to scan the room. Where was the thief hiding? When would he trip up and leave them a clue?

“He isn’t here.” Lily commented.

“I know.” He wrapped his hand around the mug. Rolling his shoulders back, he tried to relieve some of the knots at the base of his neck.

Keeping up their ruse, Lily pressed her body against his. “You seem to be on edge, Will.”

“I’m fine, Lily.”

“I think you’re a bit off your game.”

His gaze hardened. “I’m
fine
.”

She backed away from him. “All right.”

He took hold of her hand, pulling her back. “I’m sorry.”

“We need to work together, Will. There’s an abandoned farm a few miles north of town. Go out there and take a look around.”

She pushed the beer mug away from her. The bartender came over.

“I think you got a customer looking for a dance partner.” He nodded in the direction of a short bald man who stumbled toward them.

Lily looked at Will, rolled her eyes, and then let the man sweep her off onto the dance floor.

Laying a coin down on the bar next to the untouched beer, Will paid his bill and left. He stood at the edge of the walkway, waiting for two wagons to pass. He walked through the wake of their dust to the stables. Once there, he hired a mount and left town.

Will headed in the direction Lily had indicated, up the hillside that curved along the back edge of the village. The innocent sound of children’s laughter faded away behind him as he and the horse climbed toward the base of one of the mountains.

The horse picked its way through small patches of lingering snow. A cold draft surrounded them as the sun darted behind a cloud. Will burrowed into his duster, wishing he had on his heavier shearling coat instead. He nudged his knee against the horse’s flank, urging the mount to the left. There wasn’t enough daylight left to explore farther up the mountain.

Up ahead he spotted a flock of sparrows diving and darting along the path of the spring winds. The horse tugged against the bit, and Will loosened his hold on the reins, letting the horse wander to the south. Here the earth gave way from rocky outcroppings to hard-packed, half-frozen muddy pathways. Will turned the horse downwind, following what looked to be an old cattle path.

They came to a group of farm buildings surrounded by an overgrown pasture and a crumbling split-rail fence. He could see a two-story house. Some of the siding had fallen off, and boards covered the broken windows flanking the front door. The shutters on one of the windows dangled in the breeze, held on by a single surviving hinge. The place looked abandoned.

The base of Will’s neck tingled. He rubbed the spot. Pulling the reins in, he brought the horse up short. The mare pawed lightly at the ground. Dipping her head to the earth, she found a few sprigs of new spring grass to munch on.