Dorothy Garlock - [Wabash River] (5 page)

*   *   *

A blizzard blew in toward evening and intensified during the night. Amy lay in her bed and listened to the wind tormenting the frozen branches of the oak tree beside the house. Another Christmas Eve had come and gone and Rain had not returned.

She flopped over on her back and stared into the darkness. Through the open gateway through which her imagination rushed, she could see his lean, dark face, straight black brows and deep-set eyes so blue they seemed at first to be black. His hair was black and thick and slightly curled on the ends. He walked with his head up, his back straight, assuming an air of utter indifference. Yet his eyes bored into everything with an intensity wholly at variance with his relaxed stance.

Amy’s eyes became slightly damp as her mind swung back, remembering the last time they were together, remembering his softly spoken words.

“Don’t cry, little Amy. You’re married to Juicy. He’ll keep you safe until I come back.”

“But I don’t want you to go. I’ll . . . miss you . . .”

“I’ve got to go. I’ve got to find out what kind of man I am.”

“You’re a good man. Rain. The best man I know. Farr and Juicy think you’re a good man and I . . . I love you.”

“Ah . . . Amy. You’re just a kid. You’re not ready for grown-up love.”

“How do you know I’m not, Mr. Smarty?”

“Because I’m not ready, and I’m older than you are.”

“Please don’t go—”

“I’ve got to.”

“But why?”

“You know why. I’ll be back—”

“I’ll think about you every day, Rain.”

Amy turned restlessly in the bed. “I’m not waiting much longer, Rain Tallman,” she whispered aloud. “I don’t want to live the rest of my life in my sister’s house. I want a home of my own.” She flopped over on her side. “You . . . mule’s ass. If you’ve gotten married and have a parcel of kids I’ll shoot you! Damned if I won’t!”

*   *   *

The storm blew itself out in the night, and when morning came the sun shone on bright new snow.

Amy awakened to find Mercy’s bed empty. She should have known, she thought with a bemused smile when she heard voices downstairs. Mercy had awakened Daniel and Zack so they could eat an early breakfast, something Liberty insisted they do before they open their presents. Amy threw back the covers and shivered as a blast of cold air hit her warm body. Her feet found the fur slippers on the floor beside her bed and snuggled into them. She slipped her dress on over her nightgown, threw a shawl about her shoulders and hurried down the stairs.

“Hurry up, Amy. We’re waiting for you.” Mercy stood beside the table gazing at the wrapped packages. “Mama said this is mine.” Her fingertips caressed the paper-wrapped bundle tied with a yarn string. “Mama opened hers already. Looky, Amy. Embroidered silk. Papa sent all the way to Philadelphia for it.” The blue silk Mercy held up for her to see shimmered in the lamplight.

“All the way to Philadelphia?” Amy’s fingertips brushed the material. “I’ve never seen anything so pretty.”

“Mama gave Papa the pipe she had Uncle Colby send—”

“Why don’t you hush up, Mercy, and let Zack tell something?” Daniel stood back from the table of gifts as if he were too old to get excited over presents, but his dark eyes strayed often to the package with his name on it.

“I don’t have to hush up till Papa tells me to. So there!” Mercy wrinkled her nose in an attempt to make an ugly face at Daniel.

“We’d better look at the calendar again, Liberty.” Farr had a serious look on his face. “Is Christmas today, or is it tomorrow? We might open the presents on the wrong day.”

Zack looked from his father to his mother, waiting anxiously for her reply.

“Of course it’s Christmas,” Liberty said quickly. “Shame on you for teasing.”

“If you’re sure it’s Christmas, we’d better get started.” Farr sat down in the chair beside the fireplace, reached up and pulled Liberty down on his lap. They watched as the children opened their gifts.

Mercy was first. She squealed with delight when she saw a hand mirror, brush and comb set. Also tucked into the package were store-bought stockings and a length of ribbon. Daniel had a new skinning knife and a scabbard. In Zack’s package was a sack of marbles, a ball made of leather and a storybook.

Amy waited until the children’s excitement waned, then opened her package and lifted out a pair of soft, leather gloves. She slipped her hand inside and made a fist.

“They’re lovely! And, oh, so soft—”

“They came from Philadelphia too,” Liberty said.

From where she was seated on Farr’s lap, Liberty watched her sister and noted her forced gaiety. Lately she had often seen a look of despair on Amy’s face. If only she could see Rain Tallman once again, Liberty thought. He would be either the person Amy remembered and loved or a stranger made hard by the life he had led. If that were the case, the ties would be broken and Amy would be free to find happiness with someone else.

Liberty’s hand caressed the back of her husband’s neck absently as she wished fervently that her sister might someday have the love and contentment she had found.

*   *   *

A sleigh pulled by two prancing, steaming horses came up the lane from the road about mid-morning and stopped at the front of the house. Maude and Elija Carroll got out, baskets on their arms, their cheerful greetings on the cold air. Maude’s two sons remained in the sleigh to take it and the horses to the barn.

Liberty was holding open the door when they reached it, and Maude’s chatter preceded her into the room.

“My, what a fine ride it was. When the storm blew in last night I was afraid we’d not get to come. Smells pretty in here, Libby. I’ll just bet it tastes pretty too.” She pecked Liberty on the cheek. “Come on in, Elija. She can’t hold the door open all day. How’s the baby? My but I can’t wait to see how much she’s grown.”

“She’s fine. Hello, Papa. Hang your things there on the pegs. Give me the basket, Maude, so you can shed your coat.”

Liberty genuinely liked her father’s wife. Maude was pleasant, if snoopy at times. Best of all, she ruled Elija with a strong but gentle hand. Although Amy refused to have anything to do with Maude, she seemed not to mind. She and Mercy, however, had a special relationship. She liked to sew and Mercy liked pretty things.

Tally and Walter came in followed by Farr, who winked at Liberty when he saw Tally’s mouth drop open at the sight of Amy in spite of the fact that she had refused to put on a dress and had braided her hair into a long plait that hung down her back to her waist. She wore her usual clothes—a shirt that came down to her knees and was belted about her narrow waist, fringed leather pants, and warm, fur-lined moccasins that were elaborately fringed and beaded.

Amy helped Maude and Liberty prepare the Christmas dinner. They chatted about the amount of food Maude had brought and speculated as to which moment the turkey would be done just right. Maude passed on what news she had.

“Florence Thompson didn’t last long after Harriet ran off with that peddler man. He was a Jew fellow and real smart, so George says.”

“He couldn’t be
too
smart if he took up with Harriet,” Amy murmured.

“Harriet wasn’t really so fat and lazy after George clamped down on her,” Maude said. “Florence didn’t change. She was a bigot until the day she died. I’ve heard that George is courting a widow in Vincennes.”

“I hope he can be happy. I believe he was embarrassed when Florence acted as if she was so much better than the rest of us. Do I have enough places set at the table?” Liberty asked. “I’d better count again.”

“There’ll be ten of us,” Maude said. “Have you heard from Willa and Colby Carroll lately?”

“They’re still at Carrolltown. Farr thinks Colby wants to come back to Quill’s Station and build a gristmill.”

“A gristmill? Wouldn’t that be grand? My my, when I think how fast time has gone by. Only a few years ago there was nothing here but a small house and a storage shed. Now you’ve got five rooms with real glass windows and a town growing up around you.”

Liberty laughed. “Farr couldn’t wait to tear down that stockade. He hated being fenced in. The town just seemed to sprout after he built the merchandise store. Now we have the sawmill and the inn. Farr could run the sawmill twenty-four hours a day if there was daylight. Everyone wants sawed boards.”

“Have you ever counted the people who have moved in here since the war?”

“Over one hundred and fifty. I have eleven children in school not counting our own. But at times I think it’s getting to be too crowded here for Farr. I’ve seen him standing on the porch looking off toward the west.”

“Heavens! He wouldn’t pull out and leave you here. He thinks you’re the sun and the moon.”

“Of course he wouldn’t. If he should decide to go, I’d go with him.”

“You couldn’t do that, Libby,” Maude scoffed. “You’ve got the school to think of.”

“I’ve got my husband to think of, Maude. He comes first, last and always with me.”

Maude passed out gaily wrapped packages before they sat down to Christmas dinner. Elija had carved an elaborate whistle with two finger holes for different sounds for Zack and a turkey-calling whistle for Daniel. Maude had made a bonnet for Mercy, the brim edged with lace and ribbons. Mercy put it on and danced over to Amy so she could tie ribbons beneath her chin. There was a bean bag for Mary Elizabeth, handkerchiefs for Liberty and Amy and knitted socks for Farr.

Whenever Amy glanced over at Tally Perkins, he was staring at her as if he could not believe, draw breath, move or speak. His mouth was agape as if he were catching flies. Amy could scarcely suppress the desire to stick out her tongue, put her thumbs in her ears and wiggle her fingers at him. Compared to Rain Tallman, Tally Perkins was a milksop. She wouldn’t have him if he were served up on a silver platter with a silver ring in his nose, she thought angrily. He was the most boring person she had ever known.

Amy regarded her sister and Farr. Farr had paused behind Liberty and was nuzzling her ear with his nose. He wasn’t ashamed to show love for his wife. He never passed her without touching her. It was as if he couldn’t help himself. Liberty turned to look at him and between them passed a unity of thought, a rapport cemented in love and friendship. Amy looked away quickly, afraid she would cry. When a man looked at a woman the way Farr looked at Liberty, she had everything, Amy thought.

Suddenly Amy was swamped with despair, and dark thoughts vied for possession of her mind. Oh, God! What if it was her lot to spend the rest of her life with someone like Tally Perkins? She wouldn’t do it! She wanted a love like Liberty and Farr shared. She could have it with Rain. She knew he would be changed when he came back for her, but she knew what he’d be like. He’d be hard, tough and lonely—and he’d want her, as much as she wanted him.

The day passed slowly for Amy. Somehow she managed not to be cornered by Tally, but late in the afternoon she was cornered by her father.

“It’s time ya took a man, Amy. Come on home with me ’n Maude, get to know Tally, start ya up a family. Tally’s a good, strong man. He’d be good to ya—”

“Start a family of what? Dumb-heads? I’d sooner bed down with a warthog.”

“Hush up that talk! It ain’t fittin’. Ya ain’t got no cause ta be a burden on Libby when ya got a pa and a ma and a man willin’ to wed ya.”

“Ha! Burden on Libby? You rode her back all the way from Middlecrossing! Maude isn’t my ma and Tally’s not a man to my way of thinking. I suppose he’s got the parts, but that’s all he’s got. He’s got no backbone or he’d be doing his own talking.”

“Ya’ve got to where ya talk plumb bawdy!”

“It’s no concern of yours how I talk.”

“I can order ya ta do as I say! Yo’re a unwed daughter—”

“You just try ordering me to do anything! I’m not a child of twelve—”

“Yo’re still carryin’ that grudge, ain’t ya? We didn’t have us no home, no nothin’. I’d knowed Stith back home ’n I was tryin’ to make a place fer us.”

“For yourself you mean. I’ll never forgive you for trying to sell me off to a mean, low-down bastard like Stith Lenning. And I’ll not forget that Farr and Juicy stepped in and saved me. I’ll tell you, Papa, although it’s no business of yours, I’m not a burden here. Juicy left me with enough money to pay my way. Is that what you’re after? Do you want my money for yourself, or for Tally?”

“It’d give ya and Tally a fine start. Tally’s a good hand, a settled man—”

“Tally’s a stupid dolt who does whatever you and Maude tell him to do. Now stop pushing him at me!”

“Yo’re hard, Amy. Yo’re makin’ talk of yorself ramin’ ’round in britches ahuntin’ like a man. Folks’ll think ya ain’t had no bringin’ up a’tall.”

Only by closing her eyes for a moment was Amy able to keep her temper under control. What angered her the most was her father’s total lack of regard for her feelings. He hadn’t cared a flitter for her when she was young, and he didn’t care for her now. It was Maude he was trying to please. She was pressuring him to get her to marry Tally. These were her thoughts as she stood before him, fists on her hips.

“I’d not have had any bringing up at all if not for Libby. You were too busy complaining about your back and trying to get out of work,” she said cruelly.

“Yo’re hard,” he said again. “Ya ain’t ort a talk like that to yore pa.”

“Does the truth hurt, Papa?”

Elija snorted through his nose. “I know what yo’re up to. Yo’re thinkin’ that kid what was raised by the Injuns’ll come back. Yo’re just lollygaggin’ ’round waitin’ fer a man what’s got the wanderin’s. He jist up ’n pulled foot—”

“Hush up! Don’t say another word or I’ll never speak to you again even if you are my papa!”

Amy’s head was up, her shoulders rigid. She met his gaze squarely, looking at him as if he were something beneath her contempt. The change in her manner was even a shock to Elija. Her body was as stiff as a board, her eyes hard as stones and glowing fiercely. She snarled her words as if she hated him.

“Elija, it’ll be dark soon. We’d better be going.” Maude had heard enough of the conversation to know Elija was pushing too hard. She took his arm and gently pulled him toward the coats hanging beside the door. “Come see us, Amy. I’m making a dress for Mercy. Maybe you can bring her for a fitting and spend a day or two.”