After Ivan dropped her off and driven out of the farmyard, MaryLouise let herself into the darkened cabin. She tiptoed quietly through the sitting room and down the hallway to the room that she shared with Lucinda. MaryLouise closed the door behind her, then lit the lamp on top of the bureau. As soon as the room was filled with light, MaryLouise crossed to the wardrobe and removed a worn valise from inside. When she had finished packing the few belongings she was taking with her, MaryLouise sat down at the desk in one corner of the room to write a letter for Lucinda to give to the Cines.
MaryLouise had just finished writing her letter to the Cines and was starting one to Lucinda, when the bedroom door opened and Lucinda walked in. Lucinda's eyes filled with tears as she took in the packed valise on the bed and MaryLouise's guilty expression.
"Where.where are you going?" she asked tearfully.
"Ivan has business in Boston and wants me to go with him. We're leaving tonight and will be married on the way. Please be happy for me 'Cinda. I really love him." MaryLouise told her, pleading with her twin to understand.
"I'm never going to see you again." Lucinda sobbed into her hands.
MaryLouise hurried forward to embrace her sister. "That's not true! As soon as Ivan and I are settled in Boston, we'll send for you! You can live with us until you get married and start your own family."
"You promise?" Lucinda asked.
"I pinkie promise." MaryLouise vowed solemnly, sticking out her pinkie for Lucinda to shake.
Lucinda grasped MaryLouise's pinkie with her own and gave it a hearty shake. Both girls fell onto the bed in a fit of muffled giggles over their foolishness. For as long as either girl could remember, they had used the childish gesture to seal an agreement or end an argument between them.
When both girls had gained control over their laughter Lucinda said, "what do you want me to tell the Cines?"
MaryLouise rose from the bed, went over to the desk and retrieved the letter she had written to the Cines and returned to the bed with it.
"You won't have to tell them anything 'Cinda. I wrote them a note explaining everything."
"Can't you wait until morning to leave so that you can tell them goodbye in person?" Lucinda asked hopefully.
"I wish I could 'Cinda., but Ivan's set on leaving tonight. There's a lot of ground that we need to travel if we're to make it to Boston in time to meet his new partners." MaryLouise replied.
"When is that?" Lucinda inquired.
Before MaryLouise could answer Lucinda's question, the sound of hoof beats in the yard outside reached their ears. The twins exchanged saddened expressions, before MaryLouise rose from the bed, picked up her valise and moved toward the door. She paused before opening the door and swept the room with one last look, as if committing the room and its contents to memory.
Her eyes swam with tears and her voice shook tremulously as she said, "Will you walk me out 'Cinda"
Lucinda nodded, not trusting herself to speak for fear of breaking down and begging MaryLouise not to go. As much as she wanted MaryLouise to stay, what Lucinda wanted even more was for MaryLouise to be happy. If eloping with Ivan was what was going to make MaryLouise happy, then Lucinda couldn't stand in her way. Lucinda rose from the bed and joined MaryLouise at the door, slipping an arm through her twin's as MaryLouise opened the door and they stepped out into the doorway.
Ivan was pacing back and forth beside a pair of matched chestnut geldings when MaryLouise and Lucinda reached the yard. He turned toward the porch at the sound of the door opening. He rushed toward them with a mixture of love and relief written on his handsome face. He swept MaryLouise off of the porch and into his arms, kissing her lightly on the lips before lowering her to the ground. Lucinda watched the brief, but tender, exchanged with mixed emotions. It was obvious to her that Ivan loved MaryLouise and for that Lucinda was thankful, but knowing that her sister was loved didn't make it any easier for her to say goodbye to MaryLouise.
Surprise filled Lucinda a moment later when she felt herself being swept off of the porch and lowered to the ground alongside MaryLouise. Ivan bent over and planted a gentle kiss upon her cheek and smiled down at her.
"Now that we're going to be family Lucinda do you think you could call me Ivan, instead of Mr. Boggs?" he questioned teasingly.
Lucinda blushed. When she and MaryLouise had first met Ivan they had been gathering wildflowers down by the river. Ivan had come riding up on a beautiful chestnut gelding, Lucinda imagined it was one of the horses that now stood in the yard, and struck up a conversation with them. When Ivan's questions became flirtatious and personal, Lucinda's sense of propriety had flared up. Much to MaryLouise's embarrassment, Lucinda had quietly, but firmly, informed Ivan that his flirtatious questioning was not only insulting to her and MaryLouise, but to himself as well. Furthermore, she had told him, that if he dared to approach her or her sister in such an uncouth manner again, that he would leave her no choice but to inform the sheriff of his bothering them. Ivan had profusely apologized for any offense he had made and quickly left.
That had been the first time in their entire lives that MaryLouise had stayed furious at her for longer than a week's time, Lucinda recalled. When the two girls had finally made up, MaryLouise had revealed to Lucinda that she had grown interested in the flirtatious young man they had met beside the riverbank. Sensing how much it meant to MaryLouise that she and Ivan get along, Lucinda had reluctantly agreed. Whenever they met at social gatherings or in town, Lucinda would curtly, but civilly address Ivan as Mr. Boggs and continue on her way.
Lucinda realized suddenly how important it was to her, and to MaryLouise too, that Ivan like her. Still, she couldn't help teasing him back. "I reckon I'll have to think some on it, Mr. Boggs. "
Ivan grinned down at her and said, " Guess I'm going to have to be satisfied with that. MaryLouise we really need to be going if we're to make Grain Valley by morning. I'll see to your valise while you and Lucinda say your goodbyes."
"Alright Ivan." MaryLouise told him quietly.
Ivan took the valise from her hand and walked over to the geldings. Marylouise watched him for a moment, before turning back to Lucinda. Sadness, followed closely by guilt, rushed through at finding Lucinda sobbing quietly into her hands. MaryLouise threw her arms around her sister's trembling shoulders and held her as they both wept over their imminent separation.
"I'm going to miss you so much." MaryLouise cried.
"Not as much as I'm going to miss you." Lucinda responded.
"I'm going to write you so many letters, you'll never even know I'm gone." MaryLouise declared fiercely.
"No amount of letters is going to make up for not having you here, MaryLouise, but you write anyways." Lucinda said.
"I will." MaryLouise vowed, hugging Lucinda even tighter.
Ivan rejoined them a moment later and briefly embraced the sobbing girls. Gently he pulled MaryLouise out of Lucinda's embrace and led her over to the geldings. Ivan helped MaryLouise into the saddle on one of the horses and then mounted the other. After mounting his horse, Ivan picked up the reins of both horses and quickly turned his mount facing out of the yard. With a slight wave in Lucinda's direction, Ivan kicked his horse into a canter and started out of the yard with MaryLouise's horse in tow. Lucinda stood in the yard and watched until Ivan and MaryLouise had disappeared from sight before turning toward the cabin.
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