A Pony Express Christmas. Rhonda Gibson

shoulder. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Bridges, to have to bring you this sad news.” She didn’t know what else to say. His shoulder felt warm under her hand. The muscles tensed beneath her touch.

      “Jake.”

      What did he mean? Leah dropped her hand from his shoulder. “Excuse me?”

      He raised his head. Warm, brown, tear-filled eyes looked into hers. “Please call me Jake.”

      Shock at seeing the raw pain in his gaze took Leah’s breath away but she managed to nod.

      He squared his shoulders. “Thank you for bringing me the letter,” he said. He looked over her head and across the room to where Molly sat at the table playing with her doll. “And for bringing her to me.”

      Again Leah nodded, not trusting her voice to escape around the knot in her throat.

      “I hate to ask but...” His voice trailed off.

      Leah swallowed. “You may ask me anything, Mr.—” she paused as she remembered his request “—Jake.” She kept her voice low, not sure she wanted Mrs. Frontz to hear her using his Christian name.

      “Can the child stay with you until she gets to know me better and I can figure out a place for her to stay?” Sorrow filled his deep voice. His eyes returned to her face and pleaded with her to give him this time.

      “I need to let Mr. Harris know I’m here,” Leah answered. “But, until he comes for me, I will take care of Molly.”

      He nodded his acceptance of her terms. “Thank you.” With those words, Jake took one last look at Molly and left the house.

      Leah watched him go. She felt his sorrow deeply. The door had shut behind him before she turned her attention back to the other two people in the room. Leah didn’t want to speak with Mrs. Frontz right now. Human nature would have the woman questioning her and it wasn’t her place to tell Mrs. Frontz about Jake’s loss.

      “Why don’t you drink your coffee?” Mrs. Frontz offered, indicating with her hand that Leah should return to the table.

      Leah looked to Molly. The little girl had finished her apple cider and simply sat watching the adults. If she could talk, Leah wondered what she’d say.

      Not wanting to reveal Molly’s true identity until Jake was ready, Leah declined Mrs. Frontz’s invitation with a shake of her head. “Thank you for the coffee, Mrs. Frontz, but if Molly is finished, I’d like to rest for a little while.”

      Molly hurried to her side. The little girl placed her hand within Leah’s as if offering her support.

      Mrs. Frontz nodded but the disappointment in her face remained. Was she disappointed because she wanted to get to know Leah better? Or that Leah wouldn’t be sticking around to answer her questions regarding Jake?

      “Will placed your bags in the first room to your left at the top of the stairs.” Mrs. Frontz pushed her chair back and gathered up the cups.

      Leah smiled. “Thank you.” At the other woman’s nod, she took Molly’s hand and climbed the stairs. What would she and the little girl do once they were behind closed doors? Leah sighed as she opened the door to their room. It was chilly and the quilt looked warm and cozy on the top of the bed. A nap sounded good to Leah but she didn’t think she could sleep, knowing that Jake was somewhere hurting over the loss of his brother.

      Molly entered the bed chamber, laid her doll on the quilt and crossed to the window. She clapped her little hands and pointed past the frost-covered glass. Snow drifted lazily to the ground. The little girl dug in her pockets and pulled out her hat and gloves. She ran toward the door and waited.

      A quick glance about the room told Leah it was clean and had been well tended, but she’d look more closely later. “And where do you think you are going, young lady?” Leah asked, reaching for her coat.

      Molly pointed back to the window.

      “I see.” Leah crossed the room to help the little girl get the hat and gloves on her head and hands. A smile graced the child’s face as she tried to see out the window. It was as if Molly was afraid the snow would stop falling and she’d miss her chance to play in it.

      Once she had Molly dressed and her own coat, gloves and hat on, Leah laid a finger over her lips. “Let’s be real quiet as we go outside. We don’t want to disturb Mrs. Frontz, do we?”

      Molly nodded her head in agreement. Leah knew it was cowardly to sneak out of the house but she just wasn’t ready to face the woman’s questions again. Also, she wanted to spend a little more time with Molly, alone, having fun and not facing the future. Cowardly, maybe, but at least for a little while she’d be happy.

      The little girl tugged on her arm, drawing her attention. Leah scooped the child up and opened the door. She looked both right and left. Not seeing anyone she closed the door behind them and hurried to the stairs. The main rooms were empty and they managed to escape out the front without Mrs. Frontz seeing them.

      Leah sighed as she lowered the child to the ground. Now what? They couldn’t stand in the front yard, because who knew when one of those pony express riders would come swooping in. She grabbed Molly’s hand and headed to the side of the house, away from the barn and the possibility of being seen from the kitchen.

      It was quiet on this side of the house. Apple trees formed a small orchard and Leah smiled. Snow was already piling up against the house and Molly danced around trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue.

      “How about we build a snowman?”

      Molly rushed back to her and nodded.

      They worked together as the snow fell swiftly. The call of “Rider coming in fast!” carried to them but neither paid any mind.

      Leah knew they were far enough away from the front of the house that they didn’t need to worry about the rider. The snow was a wet snow and packed well. It continued to come down and both she and Molly were wet. They stepped back to study their snowman. Molly pointed to the smallest snowball on top of the other two. She then pointed to her eyes, nose and mouth. Her small head cocked sideways as she looked up at Leah.

      “Yes, he needs a face,” Leah agreed.

      The little girl nodded and then pointed to her own hat-covered head. Now where would she find a hat? Leah wondered. “I agree. He needs a hat.”

      Leah recognized Jake’s voice before she turned around to see him leaning against the house.

      “That’s a nice-looking snowman you have there, Molly.”

      She nodded and pointed again at the place where its face should be. As if she thought that wasn’t enough, Molly also pointed at her face.

      Jake’s chuckle warmed Leah’s insides. How long had he been standing there? His eyes still held a hint of sorrow but she saw affection for Molly in them, too. That was good. Leah had been afraid he’d tell her he couldn’t or wouldn’t take his niece.

      She watched as he walked forward with two stones and placed them where the snowman’s eyes should be. Molly tapped her nose with a gloved finger.

      He nodded. “Yep, still needs a nose.” He took Molly’s gloved hand and walked over to the trees where he broke off a small stick and returned. Jake held it out for Molly to take and then lifted her to put it into place.

      When he returned her to the ground, Molly looked up at him and grinned. Did she realize that Jake was her uncle? Did he resemble her father enough for the little girl to put the two together? Leah didn’t know.

      Molly’s brown eyes turned on her and she pointed to her lips.

      “I’m not sure what we can use for his mouth,” Leah confessed, looking about. The ground was covered in snow. Maybe they could dig and find a few stones to create the lips.

      The little girl frowned. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she ran for the house.

      Leah started