The Visions of Ransom Lake (3 page)

Vaden watched a large maple leaf float gently through the air, landing quietly on the surface of the water. It traveled away from her as the water babbled on, and she smiled, knowing autumn was nearly upon this blessed part of the world. Oh, how she loved autumn! To Vaden Valmont, there was nothing so beautiful as the earth in autumn. Reds, yellows, oranges, greens, and even purples captured the leaves of trees, bushes, and vines. The air was crisp and cool and fresh, and apples and pears abounded. She inhaled deeply of the fresh country air and thought of what it must be like to watch harvest erupt in a small western town such as this. Certainly the aroma of baking apples with cinnamon and sugar or pumpkin laced with nutmeg would sweeten the air nearly every evening as women set their pies to cooling on windowsills. No doubt wagons laden heavy with pumpkins would ramble down the road through town when whoever owned the monstrous pumpkin patch began to harvest it. She envisioned a wagon overflowing with ripe, refreshing watermelon ambling awkwardly down the road, an ill-placed melon falling from the wagon and breaking open as it hit the ground. She smiled to herself as she thought of small boys dressed in tattered trousers and dusty shirts rushing to the ruined fruit to snatch up sections of it, dirty or not, and delightedly devouring it without any thought to the sticky juice dripping from their chins and elbows.

Sighing contentedly and glancing at the sun hanging low in the sky, Vaden let her feet carry her from the celestial view of the bridge and its brook and back toward town. She hated to leave the brook and the bridge, the watermelons ripe for snitching, and the marvelous fields of pumpkin. Still, as she turned the corner and saw her Uncle Dan standing on the porch of the mercantile looking down the street in her direction, her heart leapt, and she waved to him.

“
Vaden!” he hollered as he hurried to meet her.

Vaden’s smile only widened as she watched him lumber happily toward her, his charmingly bowed legs giving him a funny, awkward appearance. His hair was nearly white where it once was dark, and the wrinkles around his merry eyes were plentiful from many years of smiles and laughter.

“
Uncle Dan!” she exclaimed as he reached her, at once taking her in his strong and merciless embrace.

He chuckled, his husky voice wonderfully familiar. “Vaden! You’ve grown up, girl! Just take a look at ya.” Dan held Vaden away from him for a moment as he studied her carefully. “Dang! You can’t be that same little girl who used to sneak in on me when I was sleepin’ at night and stick beans up my nose.”

Vaden laughed and shook her head. “Uncle Dan, you know I was so small then.”

“
Yeah, I know. But it just weren’t too comfortable a way to wake up—them hard ol’ lima beans in my nose.” They both laughed.

“
It just always seemed to me when I was little that people’s nostrils were made for more than breathing in and out of,” Vaden explained, giggling at the memory of her Uncle Dan shouting as he sat up from a deep sleep and tried to pry the beans out of his nose.

“
Oh, child,” Dan Valmont sighed as he cupped her face in his roughened hand. His skin was like tough leather, and Vaden liked it that way. “How you’ve grown. Makes a man feel old, I’ll tell ya.”

“
You’ll never grow old, Uncle Dan. You’re as handsome as you ever were, same as Daddy.”

Dan chuckled and put his arm around Vaden’s shoulder. “Let’s get on home. Your Aunt Myra will tan our hides if we’re late for dinner. She’s got apple pie coolin’ on the back porch.”

Vaden smiled and sighed contentedly. “I’ve missed you.”

“
I’ve missed you too, sweet pea.”



That night after dinner, Vaden and Yvonne sat in the parlor with their aunt and uncle. The day had cooled into a comfortable evening, and the early dusk breezes breathed through the kitchen.

“
Aaaahhh,” Dan sighed, patting his stomach dramatically. “That was the best pie ya ever done baked, Myra.”

Myra smiled and shook her head at the girls. “He says that every time I make a pie.”

“
Well, I guess ya just get better and better at it, honey,” he explained.

Vaden looked over at her sister, who sat busily working on her needlepoint. “It’s coming out truly beautiful, Vonnie,” she complimented.

“
Oh, I don’t know. I had to pick a patch out earlier today while you were off wherever you were off to,” Vonnie explained, winking teasingly at her sister.

“
Well, you’re the one who told me to go for a walk, Vonnie,” Vaden defended. “And I’m so glad you did. What a pumpkin patch just outside of town, Uncle Dan! Whoever in the world owns it?”

“
I figured ya might have found that already, Vaden,” Dan chuckled. “That monstrosity belongs to none other than Vaughn Wimber. How he keeps after it, I’ll never know. But he’s had it out there every year since…well, since we been here, ain’t that right, Myra?”

“
Goodness, yes! It’s quite a sight when he starts in to harvestin’ those fields.” Myra added.

“
I can imagine,” Vaden agreed.

“
What else did you find on your travels, Vaden?” Yvonne asked. “Any handsome young man that might do for a beau for your spinsterly sister? You didn’t run into that frightening, hairy recluse man, did you?”

“
No. On both accounts,” Vaden sighed, disappointment obvious in her tone.

“
What frightenin’, hairy recluse?” Dan inquired.

“
Oh, Ransom Lake rode through town just after the girls arrived today, Danny,” Myra explained. “He gave Yvonne quite a fright…but I think our little Vaden found him somewhat of an interest.”

“
He’s a good man, that Ransom Lake. I spoke with him just today, in fact. And you’ll never believe it, Myra.” Dan dropped his voice at his next utterance. “He’s movin’ into town for the winter.”

“
No!” Myra exclaimed in a whisper. Her brow wrinkled, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

“
True as blue! He’s bringin’ down his stock and everything this year. Says he has his reasons and that he feels like he’s neglected the farm here near town for too long.”

“
Glory be!” Myra whispered, shaking her head, still obviously astounded.

“
Where does he usually stay in winter, Uncle Dan?” Yvonne asked. Vaden smiled, for she could see her sister had laid her needlework aside, indicating her attention was truly arrested by the conversation at hand.

“
In the mountains. We usually don’t see hide nor hair of the man from October to early May. Not that we can expect to see any more of him when he’s here anyway. He’s to himself. Likes it that way.”

“
Why?” Vaden asked simply.

Dan shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know. Could be he’s afraid some little character of a girl will be shovin’ lima beans up his nose when he’s not lookin’.” He laughed heartily as Vaden rolled her eyes and sighed, pleased by his memories of her.

“
Well, now,” Myra began, “you girls keep your mind off ol’ Ransom Lake. I got other boys in mind for the two of you.”

“
Oh, help us all now,” Dan mumbled, shaking his head.

“
Quit that,” Myra scolded, teasingly slapping the man on one thigh. Turning to the girls, she said, “I think any number of our young men hereabouts would make wonderful husbands for you two girls.”

“
Like who?” Dan asked, unconvinced.

“
Like Nathaniel Wimber or Toby Bridges. And that nice Jerome Clayton. Now he’s one that’ll catch your eye, Yvonne.”

“
Yvonne and I have quite high expectations when it comes to beaus, Aunt Myra,” Vaden mentioned, smiling lovingly at her aunt.

“
Yes. Incredibly high,” Yvonne affirmed. “Lofty, in fact.”

Myra chuckled and sat back in her chair, smiling as if she held some great secret. “Believe me, I wouldn’t let just anybody come acourtin’ my nieces.”

“
Are there nice girls here as well, Auntie?” Vaden asked.

“
Yes. We have some very nice young ladies in town. A couple of real cats too. But for the most part, they’re all darlin’ girls. I’m certain you girls will find some friends hereabouts.”

Vaden stared into the fire in the hearth, wondering what kind of friends she would find. All too quickly, however, her thoughts returned to their musing over the oddity of Ransom Lake. He intrigued her. She had seen him only once, but something about him kept bringing her thoughts back to him.

Even as she lay in bed that night looking out through the bedroom window at the bright, shining stars set in the darkened western sky, she thought of him. She wondered again what turned the eccentric Ransom Lake to the life of a hermit. What had squelched the bright star in his soul?

CHAPTER TWO

After a nourishing breakfast of griddlecakes and bacon the next morning, Myra set about teaching Yvonne and Vaden how to tend to the store. There were so many things to be explained—which customers were allowed credit, which weren’t, where things were kept, how to work the cash register holding the money, and so forth. Numerous townsfolk came into the mercantile that morning as well. Vaden began to wonder how many of them were visiting just to gawk at Myra Valmont’s nieces, for very few purchased any merchandise.

“
Oh, some days I guess folks just want to visit, and others we sell a lot of things. Today I think folks are in the visitin’ mood,” Myra explained.

“
I’ll never remember everyone’s names,” Yvonne sighed. There had been so many people in and out of the store in such a very short time even the ever-positive Vaden felt a bit rattled.

“
It’ll be easier at the social tonight, Yvonne. Faces and names will come together easier then. They always do at get-togethers,” Myra said.

“
When will we ever find time to successfully stock a dress shop, Auntie?” Vaden asked, for she was indeed quite overwhelmed by all the new faces, new names, and new tasks at hand.

“
We’ll get to the dress shop eventually.” Myra smiled at her niece with understanding. She knew Vaden only longed to be out exploring. She understood how madly Vaden pined for the outdoors and its beauty.

“
Sable,” Myra greeted as a woman of about her own age approached, accompanied by a handsome young man. “Jerome! How wonderful to see the two of you out today. This is Mrs. Sable Clayton and her son, Jerome, girls.”

“
How do you do?” Yvonne greeted, taking Mrs. Clayton’s offered hand. “I’m Yvonne Valmont, and this is my sister, Vaden.” Mrs. Clayton smiled and offered her hand then to Vaden, who shook it, smiling pleasantly.

“
I’m Jerome Clayton,” the young man informed them. He grinned at Vaden, tipping his hat in a friendly manner before turning and repeating the gesture to Yvonne. Vaden smiled at the charming looking young man. His hair was blond and his eyes a deep brown. His grin was rather boyish and delightsome, and he was handsome, tall, and well formed. Obviously, he was polite as well. Vaden remembered her aunt mentioning this particular young man the night before, and she could see why she had felt inclined to do so.

“
Myra has been so excited about your comin’,” Mrs. Clayton confessed. “We thought she was gonna burst at the seams yesterday mornin’ at the town meetin’ when she announced you two were comin’ to stay with her and Dan. It’s nice to have some lovely new young ladies in town. This should please all the young bucks hereabouts, shouldn’t it, Jerome?”

Jerome nodded in agreement, winking flirtatiously at Yvonne.

Yvonne blushed appropriately and humbly mumbled, “Thank you, Mrs. Clayton.”

“
Why?” Vaden blurted in forthright honesty. “Aren’t there any other girls in town? I truly hope you didn’t ask us here just to marry us off, Aunt Myra.”

“
Vaden!” Yvonne snapped, turning scarlet with embarrassment.

Myra and Mrs. Clayton only chuckled as Myra replied, “No. We didn’t ask ya here to marry ya off, Vaden. But…if that’s what should come of your visit…I’d only be too happy to have ya livin’ nearby all the time.”

Yvonne rolled her eyes, horrified at her sister’s behavior as Myra and Mrs. Clayton continued to look amused.

Jerome, however, seemed to sense the unsettled emotions arising between the two sisters. “Well, on behalf of all us ‘young bucks’ in town…I’m just plain delighted to have two such lovely ladies to help beauty up the place.”

Though his eyes were firmly set on Vaden, it was Yvonne who responded to his compliment. “Why, you’re too charming, Mr. Clayton. If everyone in town is as nice and complimentary as you and your mother, we’ll be spoiled rotten before our first day is done.”

Jerome continued to stare at Vaden. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and looked to Mrs. Clayton. “May we help you with anything in the mercantile today, Mrs. Clayton? We’re only just getting our feet wet, but Yvonne and I like to jump right into new responsibilities and challenges.”

Mrs. Clayton opened her small handbag and withdrew a piece of paper. “As a matter of fact, Miss…Vaden, is it? There are a few things I’ve been intendin’ to pick up the next time I was in.” She handed the paper to Vaden, who smiled, relieved to have a task to remove her from beneath the unnerving stare of Jerome Clayton. He was quite handsome, and it always made Vaden uncomfortable when a handsome man noticed her.

“
Leave it to me, Auntie,” Vaden chirped, and she went about the store gathering the items on the list.