Shadow of Hope: Book 4 - Shadow Series (9 page)

Finally, Violet said, “Yes, it does bother me.  A lot.  I try to act like I don’t care, but it hurts, right here,” she pointed to her heart.  “Remember when we were young, and I had that doll I thought was ugly and wouldn’t play with it?”  Rose nodded.  “As soon as you started playing with her then I wanted it back.  I guess I’m just a mixed up person.”

“I think we’re all like that, somewhat,” Rose said.

“So, let me understand; you broke off with Miles because you wanted to experience more from life?” Rose asked.  “I was seventeen when I married, and I experienced less from life than you, yet I don’t regret one moment of being married to Quinn.”  Rose hugged herself.  “I love being married to him.  He’s the first sight I see in morning, and the last sight I see at night before falling asleep. Not only that, but together, our love made a miracle, a precious baby, who brings us even closer.  It’s a feeling I could never even try to explain.”  She looked at Violet sympathetically, “That’s all the life experience I need.”

“I love teaching,” Violet said.  “I even felt an attraction to Gavin, but you know what?  I think the attraction was just that he reminded me of our father.  I miss Father so much, Rose.”  She wiped away a few tears, and continued,  “Gavin has the same mannerisms, and expressions, but now, after what happened, I don't know how I ever thought he could have resembled our father.”

“I saw him, and he looks nothing like our father.  I think you were trying to replace someone in your life that can never be replaced, and shouldn’t be replaced. “

Violet looked at her baby sister.  “And I’m supposed to be the older sister, but you’re definitely the wiser one.”  She laughed and hugged her.  “I think you’re right about that, Rose.”

“I have one more question,” Rose said.

“Okay,” Violet said with a teary smile.

“Would you consider taking over the employment office I started?  Grace Wilcox from church is running it, but it’s only temporary as she’s expecting a baby next month.  I’m desperate.  I’d train you, of course,” Rose said.  When Violet started to answer, Rose held up her hand.  “Wait, before you answer, let me tell you how rewarding the job is.  You’d be helping out both the employer and the employee. Everyone wins, so there are no complaints, no dissatisfied customers, and you get to stay here, in Abilene, and maybe get married and start a family.  You’d also be making your own money, which is another plus.”

“Can I think about it?” Violet asked.  “I’ve so much on my plate right now.”

“I can live with a maybe.  It’s better than a no.”

Rose mounted her horse for the first time since she’d given birth.  It felt good to be astride again.  She pranced around the yard and then headed to the Iversons’ to see Peggy. 

When she arrived, Pearl and Peggy were sitting on the porch, drinking lemonade and fanning themselves. 

“Rose!  How nice to see you,” Pearl said.  “Come up and join us.”

Rose slid off her horse, tied him, and climbed the steps to the porch.  “This is my first outing alone since having Josh.  It feels good to get out a bit.”

“How is the little darling?” Pearl asked.

“He’s such a good baby.  I just fed him and put him down for a nap,” Rose said.

“Let me get you some lemonade,” Pearl said, getting up. 

“Oh, I’d love some, thank you, Mother,” Rose said.

Pearl smiled, and patted Rose’s shoulder as she passed her to go into the house.

“Peggy, how are you?” Rose asked.

“I’m doing well, thank you.”

“I wondered if you’d like to go to town with me and help pick out a christening dress for Josh.”

“I’d love to,” Peggy said.

“As soon as I have my lemonade, we’ll leave.”

They decided to take a buggy with a canopy, rather than sit in the hot sun on horseback.  When they reached town, Peggy parked the buggy in front of the mercantile store. When Peggy went to disembark, Rose touched her arm. 

“Wait a minute, Peggy.  There’s something we need to talk about,” Rose said.

“Sure.  What?”

“It’s personal, but your brother and I need to know what’s going on with you and Miles,” Rose said.

“You’re right, Rose. It
is
personal.”

“We’re asking because we care about you.”  Rose patted her shoulder.  “We don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Why would I get hurt?  Do you know something that I don’t?”

“We think Miles might be still in love with Violet.”

“He’ll get over it.  I’m helping him to do that.  She didn’t want him—”

“I know, but Quinn’s worried about you, and us, too, for that matter.  If there’s a problem between you and Violet, then we’re in the middle—and we don’t want to be.”

Peggy sighed.  “Did it ever occur to either of you that I might be in love with Miles, too?”

“Oh, no.”  Rose gave her a sympathetic look. 

“Just because Violet is
your
sister, you don’t want me to have Miles—well, don’t forget
I’m
your husband’s sister, and I want Miles too.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Peggy.  We don’t want to see anyone hurt.”

“Well, there is sure to be someone hurt.  Now, are we shopping or did you bring me here just to meddle in my love life?”

Jonas was training a horse in the corral when he saw Samson walking down the lane.   He ran into the house, grabbed his gun and holster, and yelled to Ivy to keep Zoe in the house.

Ivy came running with Joanna in her arms.  “What’s going on?” 

“Just do as I say and keep Zoe up in her room.”

“All right.”

Jonas walked outside and met Samson halfway down the lane. 

Ivy nervously watched from the window.

“Samson, you’re wanted by the constable.  I’m taking you in,” Jonas said, taking his gun from the holster and pointing it at Samson.

“I’m an unarmed man, Jonas.  No need to point a gun at me.  I’ll turn myself in.  I just need to talk to you first, is all,” he said, with hat in hand.

Jonas holstered his gun.  “In my office then.” He nodded toward the stable. 

Jonas’s largest stable, the one nearest the house, had an office the whole length of the back.  It was large enough to house a large desk, two cabinets, and several chairs.  Jonas pointed to a chair for Samson to sit in, and then he sat behind his desk.  “I’ll give you five minutes.”

“I want to apologize for taking Zoe like that.”

“Sure, you do—but only because she got away and you’re caught,” Jonas said.

“No, I could have gone back to my family in Nicodemus.  That’s a city here in Kansas that’s mainly colored folk.  I wanted to see my daughter, is all.   And once I saw her, I fell in love with her.  I thought maybe I could take her back with me where she’d be more comfortable,” he said.

“Why would she be more comfortable with you?  She loves us.  We’re the only family she’s ever known.”

“I wasn’t sure how she was treated by you, her being colored and you being white.  I thought she’d be happier with her own kind.”

“Own kind?” Jonas asked.  “Her skin is a bit darker than mine, but she’s my daughter, and Ivy and I love her as much as we love the daughter we had together.  The color of her skin makes no difference.”

“It does once she leaves this ranch,” Samson said.  “People don’t like us coloreds.  They throw things at us, we get thrown out of some places, and called names.  I don’t want that for her.  Back in Nicodemus we’re all colored and there’s no discrimination.  She belongs with me.”

Samson continued, “I have parents and two brothers there.”

“So when Minnie Kreider got pregnant with Zoe, why did you leave her and run away?” Jonas asked. 

“Because even though she knew the baby was probably mine—she picked you because she knew you had money.  Everyone knew you were building a new house and all,” Samson said. “I loved Minnie, and I begged her to marry me, but she refused—because I’m colored.  She liked the roll in the hay well enough, but didn’t like me well enough to even be seen in public with me.  Then I discovered that there was a law in effect at that time prohibiting whites and coloreds to marry, anyway.”

“I’m sorry, Samson,” Jonas said.  “I feel bad about that, but you can’t take her from me.  My name is on her birth certificate and I love her.  I won’t let anyone treat her badly because of her color.  Folks here in Abilene love Zoe.”

“She’s got plenty of years to go, and if what you say is true, I hope to God she stays here in Abilene, because otherwise, it’s a cruel, harsh world out there for coloreds.”

Samson stood.  “I’ll turn myself in now.  Thank you for listening.”

“Wait!” Jonas said.  “What if I gave you a job here?  Would you accept it and live here peacefully, and not try to steal my daughter?”

“What?” Samson said.

“You could work here in the stables and be able to see Zoe, and spent time with her, but I have a few stipulations,” Jonas said.  “You’d not be able to tell her you’re her father until she’s eighteen, and you’ll apologize to her for the kidnapping.  You can be Uncle Sam.  Agreed?”

“I do, if I could spend the winters with my family in Nicodemus,” he said.

“I’d allow that.  I don’t need as much help around here in the winter anyway.”

“Thank you, sir,” Samson said. 

“It might take a while for Zoe to come near you, though—you really scared her.  So think about creative ways to make friends with her.  When she’s eighteen she can make up her mind where she wants to live.  That’s ten years.  Agreed?”

“I agree.”

“And the pay is good,” Jonas winked.

Ivy cringed when Jonas told her he’d hired on Samson.  “What were you thinking?  Zoe will be terrified.”

“She’s his daughter, Ivy.  I might have the legal right to her, but not the moral right.  He’s her father, and as such, I have to treat him with respect,” he said.  “I’d hoped you would agree, although I should have run it by you first.  I’m sorry, but after I heard his story, the offer just tumbled from my mouth.”

Ivy sighed, and put her arms around him, and laid her head on his shoulders.  “You’re a good man, Jonas, and a far better person than I am.  I want to shield her from everything, but of course, you’re right.  Maybe this will work, but are you sure he won’t steal her?”

“He won’t.  He knows now how strong-willed she is.   He’s happy for the job and being able to see her grow up,” he said.  “God forgives, we have to forgive, too. Besides,” he laughed, “Alfie will guard her like a bear with cubs.”

Ivy smiled.  “Have you seen him lately?  It's like he's her shadow.” Ivy shook her head.  “You know, I always wanted a big brother, and I’m glad that Zoe has one.”

“It’ll be up to us to prepare Zoe for seeing him and welcoming him.  It won’t be easy, but we can handle it.”

“I love you Jonas!” Ivy said, kissing him passionately.

“Hmm,” Jonas said, when they’d broken the kiss.  “There’s always the chance of getting Zoe and Joanna a
baby
brother.”

On the first day of camp, Violet drove her buggy to the camp alone.  She saw Miles and Peggy riding a ways ahead.  Just what she needed to see all the way to the camp.  When she arrived, Peggy and Miles were standing together by the table that had been set up for registration. 

Parents had already begun to line up with their children.  Peggy’s job was to sign the children up and give them name tags and tent assignments, and Miles’s job was taking the money.

Now that the advertising was finished, the only job Violet had was teaching, and chaperoning a tent full of little girls.  She looked around wondering where Gavin might be, and spotted him talking to the male chaperones.  He waved her over to join him.

“Welcome, Violet.  The female chaperones are over there,” he pointed to a tree where the girls were sitting in the shade.  “Can you give them the rules, duties, and such?”

“Sure, no problem.”  Violet walked over and sat under the tree with the girls—mostly young teenagers—and explained their duties, and that each tent would have at least one chaperone.

Violet dismissed the girls after giving them their tent assignments.  Each tent was numbered, white numbers were tents for females, black numbers for the males. 

Gavin walked up to her.  “Everything is going well.”

“Once the registration is complete, will Miles and Peggy be leaving?” she asked.

“Oh, no,” Gavin said.  “Miles is teaching a class, too, and he’s taking all the boys fishing. He took a week off from the bank to help.  Miles has a tent assignment, too, and so does Peggy.  Peggy will also be helping the cook with the meals.”

Violet felt disappointment flow through her.  She’d have to watch Peggy and Miles together all week!  Then she remembered, Miles had said he’d watch over her at camp, so that must be why he took a week off from the bank, and volunteered to chaperone.  His caring made her feel warm inside.

“What would you like me to do now?” she asked.

“After registration, each child is putting his or her belongings inside their assigned tent, so you and the girls should stand by your tents and welcome them. Then we’re taking them all inside the shelter and Reverend Whitehall will do a short orientation, and prayers.  Each day a different minister will do the service,” he explained.

“Can we sit here beneath the tree for a moment, Gavin.  I need to talk to you,” she said.

“Sure,” he said. He sat down on the grass, and she sat near him, but kept Quinn and Miles’s warning in mind, and didn’t sit too close.

“It’s about your behavior the other day—“

“Can we move on?  I apologized,” he said, frowning.

“Yes, but I think you should see Reverend Martin and talk to him about your problem.  It isn’t normal, Gavin.  Martin studied psychology.  I know he can help you.”

“My only problem is that I’ve been denied physical contact my whole life. I was raised in an orphanage, and when I married, I was fine with my wife—but after Timothy was born, she was too sick, and then she died.  I haven’t been close to a female since. I think that, and the attraction to you, was just too much for me.”

“If you’re sure, because I know Martin could help you,” she said.

“I’m sure.  If you married me the problem would surely be solved,” he said.  “I really want you to marry me, Violet.”

“Gavin, I was attracted to you because I thought you reminded me of my father. He died, and I miss him so much.  Now, I realize I was simply seeing in you what I wanted to see, and that was my father.”

“Come now,” he said with a laugh.  “I’m only thirty.”

“It wasn’t your looks but I thought your expressions, and the way you did things were like him, but now I realize what I was subconsciously doing.  There can never be a replacement for my father.  I’ll just have to learn to live without him,” she said.

“So why can’t you marry me?”

“I don’t love you.”

“That will come when you see how wonderful I treat you, Violet.”

“Let’s just be friends.  Together we can make this the best camp ever for these kids, and then we’ll part ways,” she said.

“Why?  What about your teaching job?”

“I plan to resign. I’ve decided to take over my sister’s business.”

“All those weeks I courted you were for nothing?” he said, as he got to his feet.  “All those dinners!  I thought for sure you’d agree to marry me. I’ve invested a significant amount of time and money in you already. Is it because of what happened the other day?“

Violet shrugged.  “Maybe a bit.  If Miles hadn’t stopped you—I’d have been what my sister calls raped.  How could I possibly marry you after that?”

“I would never have gone that far!  And it was your fault for not saying anything when I accidentally touched your breast.”

“What?  I didn’t say anything because I knew it wasn’t intentional.”

“Not saying anything made me think of it as an invitation.”  He shook his head.  “Good day, Miss Jeffries,” he said and walked away. 

Violet sat there for a while longer. At first she felt angry that he’d turned it around to make it her fault, but then she felt relieved, because she’d finally ended it with him.  The whole relationship had hung over her since the attack, and she now was finally free.