A Home at Trail's End (40 page)

“My parents know. And my brother and Jess know. But I haven't told my children. I feel that's too dangerous.”

Georgia nodded.

“You know Martha much better than I do, Georgia. How do you think she would react if I presented her with her grandchildren?”

Georgia pursed her lips. “Martha has a good heart. I am certain she would love her grandchildren.”

“But would she try to take them from Mara?” Elizabeth studied Georgia closely, looking intently into her gray eyes.

“I do not know for sure. I suspect it would depend…”

“Depend on what?”

“Her impressions of Mara. If she felt the girl was a savage or not fit to be a mother—”

“Mara is a wonderful mother. She loves her children dearly. I am certain she would die for them.”

“Hopefully she will not have to.”

“Do you think that if I could present Mara and her children to Martha in a way that would show Martha they are good people…would Martha consider helping them or taking them in? With two of her three grown sons living so nearby, perhaps Mara would be safer. And if they were out in the open, it wouldn't appear as it might now…as if we are hiding refugees.” Elizabeth hated to think of what men like Walters might do if they were all worked up into an indignant rage—not only to Mara and her children, but to Elizabeth's family too.

Georgia grasped Elizabeth's hand. “I think your plan could work. But I will discuss it with Roland first. Do you mind?”

“I want to believe he can be trusted with this confidence, but I do not know him as well as I know you.”

“The reverend can be a bit stern at times, but he is wholly trustworthy, Elizabeth. I promise you.”

Elizabeth knew she could trust Georgia with this dilemma. But as she returned to rejoin her family, she silently prayed that God would help all of them to find a good solution for Mara and her children. Somehow that little family needed to carve a life for themselves in this hostile frontier—a land that had once belonged to their ancestors. However, Elizabeth knew that the odds were probably against this plan. The Indians had been removed, many were dead or dying, and still people like Mr. Walters continued to brim with hatred. It did not bode well for Mara and her children.

Chapter Thirty

O
n Monday morning, as soon as her children were on their way to school, Elizabeth paid a visit to Mara. After she shared a loaf of bread and some venison and played with the children, she turned to Mara with a serious expression. “We need to talk,” she told her.

Mara made a worried frown and Elizabeth looked at Rose. “Can you stay here with Baby Charlie while your mother and I go outside to talk?”

Rose nodded solemnly.

Elizabeth smiled at her, patting her head. “You are a good big sister.”

Now Rose smiled.

Outside, Elizabeth quietly told Mara about the conversation she'd overheard and how Eli and Asa had learned more. “It's possible that some of the men have seen you. Do you ever go far from here?”

“I gather. Along creek.” She looked uncertain.

“You
must
be careful. These men are dangerous.”

“I know.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Of course you know.” She put her hand on Mara's shoulder. “It's just that I worry about you.”

“You good friend.”

She nodded. “I have a plan, Mara. But you will have to help me.”

“Me help you?”

Now Elizabeth explained how she wanted Mara and her children to look and act more like white people, but even as she said this she felt embarrassed. What right did she have to tell Mara how to live? But Mara's life could be in danger if she didn't. “I wish there was another way, Mara. But I'm afraid there is not.”

Mara looked down at her hand-me-down dress. “I wear white-woman clothes.”

“Yes. But we must do more. And we must work on your English. We have to do this to show the white man that you are a good mother.”

“I am good mother.”

“I know you are.” Elizabeth stifled her frustration over the unfairness of this. “Will you do this with me?”

Mara looked confused. “I do not know how.”

“I will help you. And my mother will help you too.”

Mara agreed, and so for the next few days, Elizabeth and Clara took turns helping Mara and her children to fit in better with white society. They altered one of Elizabeth's dresses, a pretty blue calico, to fit Mara. They taught Mara how to comb and pin up her hair. They gave her shoes and a shawl and a new bonnet to wear. They altered one of Ruth's dresses as well—a red-and-white gingham that Ruth had outgrown. All the time they spent with Mara and her children, they insisted that Mara practice her English skills, speaking full sentences and practicing good grammar. Sometimes Mara complained, but all it took was one reminder that her efforts could very well save her children's lives, and she would comply.

By the end of the week, Mara had made good progress, and Elizabeth felt hopeful. After church on Sunday, she consulted briefly with Georgia. Encouraged that her plan was sound, Elizabeth then invited Georgia and Martha to come for tea on Thursday. She wished she could take more time, but seeing Mr. Walters and his cronies clustered together again warned Elizabeth that time might be of the essence.

Elizabeth and Clara had three more days to work on refining Mara. On Wednesday morning, they had a mock tea party. By now Mara was well aware that she would be meeting Charles' mother tomorrow. And she was trying her best to cooperate. By the time they finished, Mara not only poured tea and folded her napkin properly, she managed to converse a bit about the weather as well.

“I am so proud of you,” Elizabeth told Mara as she walked her back to her cabin.

“Thank you,” Mara said quietly.

“You will do just fine tomorrow,” Elizabeth assured Mara before she left. “Just be sure to be ready before my mother comes to fetch you in the morning. Just like today.”

“I will be ready,” she promised.

The plan was to have Mara and the children at Elizabeth's before the ladies arrived. Mara would wait in the bedroom while Elizabeth and Clara had the children in the main room. As she walked back home, Elizabeth prayed that the plan would work.

“Welcome,” Elizabeth said as she opened the door to let the ladies inside. “My mother and two young friends are joining us today.” She led Georgia and Martha inside, and Clara greeted them from where she was sitting in the rocker, holding Baby Charlie.

“This is Rose,” Elizabeth told Georgia and Martha. Rose looked very sweet in the red gingham dress. Her hair was in two neat braids, each tied with a red ribbon. On her feet were the moccasins Mara had made, but even that did not seem too unusual since many of the settlers' children went barefoot. And Ruth often wore her moccasins. “Rose, this is Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Levine.”

“Hello, Mrs. Holmes. Hello, Mrs. Levine.” Rose repeated her lines just as she'd been instructed, even adding the curtsy Clara had taught her to do.

“Hello, Rose,” Georgia said. “A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Hello, young Rose,” Martha said with a curious expression. “Where did you come—”

“Now you must come meet my little one,” Clara called out. “Come and say hello.”

“Oh, my,” Georgia gushed as she went to see him. “What a beautiful baby!”

“Goodness,” Martha exclaimed. “This cannot be your grandbaby, Clara. He is much too big.”

“You're right, the young lad is not my grandchild,” Clara confirmed. “But isn't he adorable?”

“May I hold him?” Georgia asked eagerly.

“Certainly.” Clara stood and passed the cherub to her. “He is a most good-tempered baby.”

“Where did these children come from?” Martha asked. “Are their parents new to the settlement? I haven't heard of any newcomers lately.”

“They are not new to the settlement,” Elizabeth told her.

“What's your name, little one?” Georgia cooed to the baby.

“This is Baby Charlie.” Elizabeth watched Martha as she said this, but the woman did not seem to register any recognition at all. “He is four months old.”

“He is a doll,” Georgia gushed. “A sweet little doll.”

“I'm confused,” Martha told Elizabeth. “You say their parents aren't new. But I don't recall these children. They didn't come with the wagon train families last fall.”

“Would you like to meet their mother?” Elizabeth asked, trying not to feel too nervous.

“Certainly.” Martha nodded.

Elizabeth went to the bedroom door, slowly opening it and giving Mara an encouraging smile, but she could see a look of pure terror in her eyes. “Come and meet some friends.” She linked her arm in Mara's, leading her out into the room. Once again, Martha didn't seem to understand.

“Georgia and Martha, I want to present Mara to you. Mara, this is Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Levine.”

Mara stepped forward just as she'd been taught, extending her hand to Georgia first. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Holmes,” she said in a shaky voice.

Georgia clasped her hand and smiled warmly. “I am pleased to meet you too, Mara. You have lovely children.”

“Thank you.” Now Mara extended her hand to her mother-in-law. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Levine.”

“Pleased to meet you too.” Martha's brow creased. “But I did not catch your last name.”

“I'm sorry,” Elizabeth said. “I forgot to mention it. This is Mara Levine.”

Martha's face visibly paled, and Clara hurried over to ease her into a chair by the table. “We did not wish to shock you,” she said kindly. “But we felt it was time for you to become acquainted with your grandchildren and your daughter-in-law.”

“I…I…don't know what to say.” Martha's eyes were wide as she first stared at Mara and then Rose and finally the baby. “
Charlie
,” she whispered. “For Charles.” She looked back at Mara. “Where is Charles?”

“Charles went to find gold,” Mara said simply.

“He left last summer,” Elizabeth explained. “He wanted to get gold in order to care for his family. But Mara has not heard from him since then.”

Martha looked at Charlie again. “The baby looks like his father.”

“Mara and her children have been staying on my property,” Elizabeth explained as she poured Martha a cup of tea. She glanced at Mara. “Perhaps you'd like to take Rose to see the chickens now.” They had already worked this out. Elizabeth didn't want Rose to be exposed to all of their conversation. As soon as the two were out of earshot, Elizabeth told Martha about how settlers had burned Mara and Rose out of their home last fall.

“Naturally, Charles wouldn't know that his little family was homeless. I doubt that he even knew that Mara was with child. I'm sure if he did know, he would return to care properly for them.”

“Yes,” Martha said quickly. “I'm sure he would. Charles was always a good boy.”

“I haven't minded having Mara here with me,” Elizabeth said. “I consider her a friend, and her children are delightful.”

“You have lovely grandchildren,” Georgia told Martha. “Look at this little fellow.”

“May I?” Martha asked.

Georgia handed over the baby, and soon Martha was talking and cooing to him. The other women exchanged hopeful glances.

“As you can see, Mara is a fine woman,” Elizabeth told her. “A daughter-in-law that anyone could be proud of.”

“I certainly would be,” Clara said.

“She is an Indian,” Martha said stubbornly.

“That's true,” Elizabeth agreed. “And her people have been driven off their land by the white man. If men like Mr. Walters have their way, Mara and Rose and Charlie will be driven off as well. Or worse.” She locked eyes with Martha. “It's possible that if they are discovered they will be burned out of their home again. And they might not survive this time.”