The Work and the Glory (181 page)

The message struck a strong, responsive chord in some of the Saints. Many of the dissenters had come from Kirtland and were trying to stir up trouble in Missouri. But the situation in Missouri was much more precarious than it had been in Kirtland. The old settlers were becoming increasingly alarmed by the swelling population of Mormons. Anti-Mormon sentiment was strong, and there was considerable fear among the Church members that those who were disaffected from the Church might go into league with the Missourians. There was already talk in some of the communities to the south about the need for another “Mormon solution.” The horror of Jackson County was still vividly fresh in the minds of many, and such rumors brought near hysteria.

Nathan was not sure Sidney had intended to suggest that those who opposed the Church should be trodden under foot, but that was how many had interpreted it. A short time later, a printed notice started to circulate—the one Oliver now held in his hand. It was addressed to five of the apostates—Oliver Cowdery, David and John Whitmer, W. W. Phelps, and Lyman Johnson. It was signed by more than eighty Latter-day Saints, including several of prominence. The message of the circular was blunt and plainly stated. The apostates would be wise to flee the state immediately or face the threat of bodily harm.

Nathan took the paper from his friend’s hand and smoothed it out against his leg. “You don’t see Joseph’s signature on this, do you? He had no part in this. He has already condemned it, said it was not authorized.” He jabbed a finger at the top name on the signers list. “Sampson Avard, a hothead if ever there was one, he’s behind this.”

From out in front of the house there was a laugh. Someone was passing by out in the street. Oliver shrank back into the shadows of the house, his face suddenly pale. Nathan was shocked to see the naked fear that twisted his face. When the sounds died again, Oliver spoke from the darkness. “I ask you again, if your name was on this paper would you take it seriously?”

Nathan finally sighed wearily. “Probably.”

Oliver stepped out of the shadows and snatched the paper out of Nathan’s hand. “Well, so are we. We’re riding out tonight.”

“All of you?” Nathan was reeling a little.

“Yes.” His eyes half closed for a moment. “We dare not even wait to get our families out. You’re the only one I can trust, Nathan. Will you see to Elizabeth and the two girls?”

“Of course. I—”

There was another noise from out in the street. Oliver’s hand shot out and gripped Nathan’s arm. “Thank you. I’ll send word where we are.” And then before Nathan could say another thing, he was gone.

* * *

Lydia looked up as a knock sounded at the front door. Joshua started to get up again, but Lydia raised her hand quickly. “No, Joshua, I’ll get it.”

Her son looked disappointed, but then shrugged.

“Just wait a moment, Emily, and we’ll go on,” Lydia said. She stood and walked quickly to the door and opened it.

“Good evening.”

Lydia’s eyes took several things in at once. The woman was well dressed and very attractive. She had a little girl in her arms, a girl with the reddest hair Lydia had ever seen on a child that young. On one side of her stood a handsome young man, almost as tall as the woman. On the other side was a girl, about ten, Lydia guessed, and obviously the woman’s daughter, for she had the same wide green eyes and long auburn hair. “Good evening,” Lydia said, recovering from her surprise quickly.

“Are you Mrs. Steed?” the woman asked.

“Yes,” Lydia said, noting that it was
Mrs.
Steed and not
Sister
Steed.

“Is your husband Nathan Steed?”

“Yes.”

“Is he here?”

Though the woman spoke calmly, Lydia sensed an underlying tension in her that was puzzling. “Yes, he’s out back for a moment. Let me get him.” She stepped back, opening the door more widely. “Won’t you come in?”

“Thank you.” She gave her daughter a gentle push, and they all came into the room. Since the cabin had only one main room, the family was now in clear view of Joshua and Emily, who were eyeing them with unabashed curiosity. Lydia motioned toward the bench. “Won’t you sit down while I get my husband?”

The woman smiled briefly but shook her head. “We’ll wait here.”

When Lydia opened the back door, she was surprised to see Nathan just standing there all by himself. As she opened the door, he turned. “It was Oliver,” he said. “He’s gone. He’s leaving. I can’t—”

She stepped out and half closed the door. “There’s a woman here.”

He stopped, surprised. “Who?”

Her shoulders lifted and fell. “I’ve never seen her before.”

Nathan looked perplexed. This was certainly not a typical night at home. Still troubled by his encounter with Oliver, he followed Lydia back inside. He slowed for a moment as he saw the visitors, then walked across the room quickly. “Hello,” he said.

Lydia immediately started for her own children. “Come, Emily and Joshua. We’ll go upstairs.”

The woman turned quickly. “No.” She was embarrassed by her abruptness and smiled to soften it. “Please stay. I’d like you to hear this too.”

Lydia nodded.

The woman turned back to Nathan and took a quick breath. “You are Nathan Steed?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry to come this late. We’ve had a long journey today.” She shifted the child to her other arm and held out her hand. “My name is Caroline Steed.”

Nathan took her hand slowly, peering at her. “Steed?” he echoed. Lydia also was staring.

“Yes. My husband is Joshua Steed. I believe you and he are brothers.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Obadiah Cornwell was waiting for Joshua when he came down the gangplank of the riverboat that had just tied up at the wharf at Westport, Missouri. Joshua slowed his step at the sight of him, then pushed his way through the disembarking crowd. “Didn’t expect to see you here,” he said abruptly.

From the lines in Joshua’s face and the weariness in his eyes, Cornwell could tell it had been a wearing trip. And from the clipped tone of his voice, he knew his partner was in a foul mood.

“Did you bring the wagons?” Joshua asked.

“Yes. Six of them.”

“That should be fine.” He turned and started moving toward the nearest warehouse office. “Let’s get the stevedores and get those bales of cloth goods transferred.”

“I also brought your horse,” Cornwell said.

Joshua stopped and turned around slowly.

“I think you’d better get on to Independence. I’ll see to the shipment.”

There was a quick flash of concern. “Is there something wrong with my family?”

Cornwell took him by the elbow and pulled him to a spot where they had some privacy. And then he told him. He told him about Caroline’s demands for a wagon and her refusal to take no for an answer. He told him where she went and why. He rushed on quickly as he watched the disbelief in Joshua’s eyes slowly turn to fury. “I tried to tell her you wouldn’t like it, Joshua. But you know how she can be sometimes. There was no talking her out of it.”

“Where’s my horse?”

Cornwell pointed. “Tied there, second building down.”

Joshua spun on his heel and stalked away. Cornwell watched him go, shaking his head. The one thing he hadn’t told his partner was that it was Caroline who had sent him to Westport and told him exactly what to say.

* * *

“Caroline!” He stepped inside the door and shut it hard behind him. “
Caroline!
” His voice reverberated through the house. It was past seven o’clock now, and the last rays of the afternoon sunshine were coming through the west windows, leaving the hallway filled with softly muted light.

He flung his hat at the table and went in quick, stiff steps to the stairs. “Will! Olivia!” He thundered it up toward the second floor.

“They’re not home, Joshua. Mrs. Payton has them.”

He whirled. Caroline was standing another five feet down the hallway in the doorway that led to their sitting parlor. She had not been there moments before. “It’s just as well,” he muttered, moving toward her. “Obadiah met me at the dock. He told me you went to Far West.”

“I know,” she said calmly. “I told him to.”

That took him aback some. “You what?”

But she had stepped back inside the room, out of his sight.

“
Caroline!
” In three strides he was at the door. He swung his head. She was standing near the window, her hands at her sides, her face composed. “Caroline, what have you done? What in the name of—”

“I know you’re angry,” she said quickly, “and I understand that. But swearing isn’t going to change anything, Joshua. Neither will yelling at me.”

His mouth opened and closed again. He stepped inside the room and shut the door with a bang, as if there were someone in the house whom he wanted to prevent from overhearing what was about to happen. He planted his feet, fighting to keep his voice under control. “All right,” he demanded, “just what in the world possessed you to go to Far West?”

“I wanted to see your family.”

He whirled. “She wanted to see my family,” he mimicked, speaking to the wall.

“I went because you won’t.”

He spun back around. “You had no right! Do you hear me, Caroline? No right at all. I can’t believe you’ve betrayed me like this.”

“Joshua, I know what—”

He was still raging, not even looking at her now. “And you went deliberately while I was gone because you knew—” His breath exploded in disgust. “You
knew
I would say no.”

“Yes, I did, Joshua, and I know that it was wrong now.”

“Oh,” he mocked, now addressing the nearest chair, “she thinks she did wrong. Ain’t
that
wonderful?”

“Joshua, if you’ll let me explain, I’ll—”

“And did you and my family all get to sit down together?” he hissed. “Did you have a nice warm chat about good old Joshua and what you might do to smooth over all the wicked things he’s done? I’ll bet my father just hooted at that!”

She didn’t even try to answer him, but moved slowly over to the rocking chair and sat down. He started striding around the room, speaking to himself, throwing out his arms as he talked. “And you and Jessica? Did you two get to let your hair down and share horror stories about me? Or maybe you got to bring Lydia in on it too! I’ll bet there were some good laughs out of that, comparing notes about the courting habits of Joshua Steed from the time he was just a boy.”

“Are you through?” she asked quietly.

“Through!” he roared. “I’m just barely beginning.”

“Joshua, I did not see your father.”

“You get something in your mind and think that you can . . . ” He stopped as he realized what she had said.

“I did not see your mother. I did not see Jessica or your daughter.”

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“I didn’t. I had planned on it, but then I realized that I had no right to do this without you.”

“So you just drove by and waved?” he asked sarcastically.

“No. We only went to Nathan’s house. I didn’t—”

“
Only
Nathan?” he asked, feeling suddenly sick. “You
only
went to Nathan’s house?”

“Yes. We stayed overnight. We were going to go to your parents’ the next morning, but I didn’t sleep all night. I knew I was wrong to do it this way, forcing your hand.” She looked down. “So we left first thing in the morning without seeing anyone else.”

His mouth was a tightly compressed line now, and his eyes had gone cold. “And did you ask Nathan if he would show you his scars?” he sneered.

“No, I did not,” she snapped right back at him. “I didn’t have to. I’ve already seen them.”

He was already forming another withering comment, but that stopped him as sharply as if she had shoved a gag down his throat with a ramrod. “You have?” he said.

“Yes.” Her eyes conveyed the sickness she was feeling inside. “I’ve seen them a thousand times in my mind since you told me. I don’t need to see them again to know what you did to your brother.”

“And you’re going to fix all that too, right?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Well, who asked you?”

“No one,” she answered, her chin lifting. “No more than anyone asked you to interfere in my affairs with Berrett and Boswell back in Savannah. But you did anyway because you said you cared for me.”

“Well, I . . .” He stumbled over that one.

She pressed in. “And while we’re at it,” she continued, a touch of asperity hardening her own voice, “who are you to tell me my daughter has no right to meet her own grandparents? You know, Joshua, they aren’t just your family anymore. They’re Savannah’s now too. She has grandparents. She has aunts and uncles and cousins. She has every right to know them.”

Her chest was starting to rise and fall now as the anger began to build inside her. “You’re furious because I tried to interfere in your relationship with your family. Well, what about you? What gives you the right to interfere with Savannah’s relationship to
her
family just because you’re living in your own private little hell?”

His jaw tightened, then jutted out. “Don’t try and twist things, Caroline. I can’t debate you, you know that. But what you did was down-deep wrong. You knew I would be furious, and you still went ahead and did it.”

Suddenly her voice was pleading. “I told you, I know that now. I’m sorry I was so headstrong. But I’m not sorry I got to meet Nathan and Lydia.” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with wonder. “Did you know they named their oldest son Joshua?”

“Yes,” he snapped. “I met him that day on the road, remember?”

“They don’t hate you, Joshua. Do you think they’d call their own son by your name if they still felt bitter towards you?”

“He was born before most of the things happened.”

“He has your father’s name too,” she said, fighting down her impatience. “They could call him Ben if they detested you so much.”

He shook his head stubbornly. “That’s got nothing to do with the issue at hand.”

Caroline looked up at him, her eyes suddenly hopeful, her mouth soft. “They’re having a Fourth of July celebration in Far West on Wednesday. Jessica and her husband will be coming over. Everyone except your sister in Ohio will be there. Nathan suggested that maybe we could come up and meet—”