Chapter 139
Several hours later, they crossed a stream to reach a clearing. Two lean-tos, the wood still unweathered, propped up a rickety old cabin, with an outhouse crouched a few steps away. The drying pelts of different animals were nailed to the eaves of a shed to stretch and dry out. Harriet averted her eyes, glancing over to where a straggly vegetable garden sprouted on one side of the house.
A gaggle of barefoot girls poured out the door, all dressed in faded, too-small frocks and patched ap.r.o.ns. But their faces shone with cleanliness, and all had their fair hair neatly braided in two long tails. Their blue eyes showed eager curiosity, although they remained silent. The oldest carried a toddler on her hip. "Ma," she shrilled. "Comp'ny."
Harriet counted five stair-stepping daughters plus the little one. Three of them looked old enough to attend school.
A woman appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her ap.r.o.n. Like her children, she had blond hair, although her braid wrapped around her head several times. She glanced warily at Ant, then Harriet. The sight of another woman must have rea.s.sured her, for she relaxed and smiled, showing a trace of prettiness in her careworn face.
Harriet leaned forward. "I'm Miss Stanton, the school teacher." She waved a hand at Ant. "This is Mr. Anthony Gordon. He's looking for his nephew, David."
The woman looked amused. "As you can see, we have only girls here. I'm Mrs. Swensen."
Ant s.h.i.+fted in his saddle. "Have you seen a nine-year old boy around?" He pulled out the photograph and held it out.
The next oldest girl darted forward and looked at it. "No, sir." She stepped back.
Mrs. Swensen waved at her daughter. "Inga's my rambler. Can't keep her inside unless it's raining or snowing. The rest of us stay close to home. My man might know, but he's hunting."
Ant returned the photograph to his pocket. "Thank you."
Inga scrunched her face, obviously thinking. "I'll keep a lookout for ya."
"Have a care," he warned.
The girl frowned, clearly uncertain of his meaning.
"If you do see David, don't approach him or, especially, his Pa. He's not...fond of little girls. You come find me, instead. They'll know at the livery stable where I am."
Ant looked at Harriet, one eyebrow peaked in inquiry.
She answered his unspoken question. "Yes, that's a good idea. Mack Taylor usually knows everyone's business. Everyone with a horse. that is."
Ant touched his hat. "Thank you, Miss Inga." He fished in his pocket and tossed her a silver coin, which she caught. "That's for your trouble." He snuck a quick look at Mrs. Swensen. "I'm hiring her, if that's all right with you?"
The girl giggled, glanced at the coin, then at her mother, who smiled back at her, nodding in approval.
Although Harriet would have liked to dismount so she looked less imposing, she didn't dare put weight on her ankle unless she had to. Not after her fib to Ant about being able to walk. "Mrs. Swensen, the other reason I'm here is to invite your daughters to attend school."
The woman's face lost her smile, and she rubbed her hands down her ap.r.o.n. "My man, he's Swedish. He..."
I'll bet he doesn't believe in education for women. Harriet felt anger burn in her stomach at the thought.
Mrs. Swensen glanced at her daughters. "He's proud. Thinks they shouldn't go to school unless they have shoes. Nice dresses, too. I teach them their letters, though. Inga, she's nine and can read and cipher."
Harriet thought rapidly. She knew Pamela Carter and Samantha Thompson would be willing to donate their girls' out grown clothes. "I know some mothers whose daughters have outgrown their dresses and shoes. We could bring them to you."
The woman twisted her hands in her ap.r.o.n. "We don't like to be beholden." She shook her head. "My man, he won't stand for it."
Harriet understood how some people had difficulty with taking charity, yet she wanted these girls in her schoolroom come autumn.
The older girls didn't say anything, but Harriet could see the pleading in their eyes as they glanced from their mother to her.
Somehow, she had to make the woman think she wasn't accepting charity. "Actually, Mrs. Swensen, if your husband could see his way through to send the girls to school, I would appreciate it. Most of my pupils are boys. Must be something about our spring water in the valley that makes for more boys being born. You know how girls," she smiled at the children, "especially pretty ones, have a civilizing influence on boys. Having your girls in my cla.s.sroom would make my job a whole lot easier. So you can see, I'd be beholden to you."
Ant sent her a sardonic glance; his eyebrow crooked, and a corner of his mouth pulled up.
Mrs. Swensen didn't appear convinced.
What else can I come up with? "I think Pamela Carter would be downright grateful to you. Her five-year-old, Lizzy, almost died a year ago. She's very frail. And there's no other girl her age. Lizzy starts school next term." True. "I know Mrs. Carter worries about her not having friends." Not true. Everyone adores Lizzy. "She can't always play the more boisterous games." Partly true. "Someone she could play quietly with would be a blessing and would ease Mrs. Carter's mind."
Mrs. Swensen's tight expression eased. "I'd like to think we could help her. My Krista is about her age."
"That's settled then. Sometime this summer, we'll pay you a visit again and bring clothes and shoes."
Ant nodded farewell and turned Shadow toward the path that led up the mountain.
Harriet waved goodbye at everyone and had to smile at the enthusiastic way the girls echoed her. A surge of optimism flooded through her. Somehow, she knew the older children would be sitting in her schoolhouse when the next term began.
As Ant pa.s.sed her, his face impa.s.sive, Harriet caught a look of sadness in his eyes, and her good spirits dimmed. She'd gotten what she'd wanted--new pupils. But Ant hadn't found his nephew.
CHAPTER FIVE.
Ant rode up the path, his senses alert. He listened to the breeze through the trees, the sounds of birds, and an occasional chittering
That smile always tugged at him, but Ant tried not to let his thoughts dwell on her, instead focusing on his need to find his nephew. Were Lewis and David in this area, as he'd heard months ago?
Ant had to contain the impatience urging him to go faster. Speed would only tire the horses, and perhaps stress his little schoolteacher. He took a deep breath of the pine-scented air. They'd get to the next place when they got there. Another hour, more or less, wouldn't make a difference.
After a while, they reached a clearing, where a snug log cabin with a narrow front porch nestled among the trees. Two hens pecked at the ground in front of the house. A boy looked out an open window, then pelted through the front door, scattering the chickens, and heading straight toward them.
Reining in, Ant placed a steadying hand on Shadow's neck. Miss Stanton pulled up next to him.
The boy didn't stop. Running to them, he grabbed Ant's leg, a pleading expression on his face. "My Ma and Pa are real sick! So are some of the young uns. Will ya help us? Please!" Still holding on, anguish on his face, he looked back and forth between them.
Harriet leaned over to touch the boy's forehead, apparently to check for fever. "Of course we will. What's your name?"
"Jimmy, ma'am. Jimmy Crooks."
Ant studied the boy. Dirty brown hair, green eyes, freckles, a painfully thin body in worn out clothes. He'd be about David's age, around nine or so. The thought of his nephew in such circ.u.mstances made his stomach clench, although something in his gut told him they'd not find David here.
"Back up a bit, son, so we can get down." He shot a look at Miss Stanton. "Don't move until I can help you."
Ant swung down, handed the reins to Jimmy, and then reached up for the schoolteacher, spanning his hands around her waist. He helped her down, careful to lower her gently to the ground, where she landed on her good foot. He made sure she was steady before he released her.
He dropped his hand on Jimmy's shoulder. "You think you can water the horses, son? We'll go on in the house."
Jimmy straightened his thin shoulders. "Yes, sir."
Ant crooked his arm for Miss Stanton. No matter what she'd said, he suspected that ankle wasn't as sound as she claimed.
She hesitated, then slipped her arm through his, leaning on him as she took her first tentative steps, slowly. "I'm a bit stiff," she murmured.
She probably didn't have much chance to get out on a horse. "Take it slow," he said.
They climbed the steps to the porch. A long plank bench for sitting was propped against the house.
"Mr. Crooks, Mrs. Crooks," Harriet called. "We've come to help."
Ant stepped into the dim room lit only by the open door and a window. Harriet followed. Two beds were set against the far wall. One held the parents, and the other several children. All seemed to be sleeping. Even the open window and door couldn't cut the stench of feces and vomit. "Oh, my," Harriet whispered.
Ant held his breath and ventured near the children's bed. A quick scan told him that his nephew wasn't there. He didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.
A little girl about hip high jumped down from the table where she'd been sitting, playing with a worn rag doll. She, too, was scrawny and dirty, but her big green eyes lit up, and she threw herself across the room and into Miss Stanton's arms. "h.e.l.lo, I'm Martha. Who are you?"
Miss Stanton smoothed back the child's tangled hair. "I'm Miss Stanton, the school teacher. And this is Mr. Gordon."
"Everyone's sick but Jimmy and me. I'm hungry."
Miss Stanton gave him a glance that told him to go get the food out of the saddlebags.
Ant nodded his understanding, thankful to escape the foul-smelling cabin into the fresh air. Once he'd moved away from the house, he took a deep breath, feeling compa.s.sion for the people inside and grat.i.tude he was healthy. He'd had food poisoning a couple of times, and had been sicker than a dog. Made you just want to die and be out of your misery. Nope, wouldn't want to be in their position. The family definitely needed a helping hand, though. Good thing he'd brought Miss Stanton along.
He took stock of the situation. Jimmy had the horses near a trough, obviously just having watered them. Ant walked over, took their reins, and tied them to a tree that had some gra.s.s growing underneath, then opened his saddlebag. Good thing Miss Stanton had packed so much food. They'd need it all.
Miss Stanton stepped out of the house, carrying a slop bucket with both hands, her face scrunched up. She looked around for the outhouse and then headed toward it, limping.
Not a job he would relish. He took a few steps toward her. "Let me take that, Harriet."
She shook her head, a stubborn look on her face.
He'd already learned to pick his battles when the schoolmarm wore that expression.
Ant looked down at the boy. "Come on, Jimmy. We've brought food. Let's get you and your sister washed up so you can have something to eat."
The worried expression vanished from Jimmy's face, and his eyes got big.
Ant had to laugh at his expression. "Miss Stanton brought sandwiches, lemonade, and cookies." He took the heavy saddlebags off the horses.
"Cookies!" The boy flashed him a big grin, then grabbed Ant's hand and tugged him to the house.
Miss Stanton had already gone back inside for the chamber pot near the parents' bed and hauled it outside. Ant could only be grateful she'd taken care of those tasks right away. He put the food on the porch bench. Better they eat outside.
"You have soap anywhere here, boy?"
Jimmy nodded.
"Fetch your sister then and wash up. Face and hands."
Ant strode inside. Already the place smelled better. Still bad, but better. But he opened the only other window to get more air in.
There was a stir from the bed. The man propped himself up on an elbow and squinted at Ant.
Ant moved a little closer. "I'm Anthony Gordon, Mr. Crooks. The schoolteacher, Miss Stanton, and I are here to help."
The man nodded, then rolled over to check on his wife, who continued to sleep. He felt her forehead, then, apparently satisfied, pushed back the covers and, clad in his union suit, set his feet on the floor. The act seemed to make him dizzy, and he put both hands on the bed to steady himself. "Much obliged," he said in a rusty voice.
Ant held up a hand to stop the man. "How 'bout you stay right there. Maybe sit up in bed for a while."
The man looked mulish, and then shook his head, obviously giving in. "I'm as weak as a babe." He slid his legs back on the bed, plumped the pillow, set it behind him and leaned against the bed. I was so sick I wanted to die. Wife, children, too. But I think the worst has pa.s.sed. Haven't heard no one throw up for a while." He seemed to think. "Yah, a while."
"You need me to ride for Doc Cameron?"
Crooks shook his head. "Got no money for the doctor. He looked over at his children. I think the worst is over. They're all alive, thank the Lord."
Miss Stanton came in, shaking her wet hands, followed by the children. "Soap, but no clean towels." She lowered her voice. "Ant, we can't leave them this way."
"We won't. Checking out the other place can wait."
"Good. Can you pump some water and cut some firewood? I need to start cleaning them up. That is, after I feed Jimmy and Martha."
Thankful to be given the easier task, Ant walked out the door. He sent up a quick prayer that David wasn't ill and neglected somewhere...that Lewis was taking good care of him.
After checking to see the children's faces and hands were clean, Harriet handed them each a sandwich, telling them to take small bites and chew slowly. They bit ravenously into the sandwiches. "You're gulping," she reminded them. She let them take a second bite before asking, "When did you last eat?"
Jimmy tilted his head at the hens in the yard. "Git an egg a day each. Boil it." He took another bite, swallowed, and then looked anxious. "Ma said not to bother with feeding anyone who was sick. Wouldn't keep it down anyway."
"You've just had one egg a day? For how long?"
"Three days, ma'am."
"No wonder you're so hungry. Well, we have plenty of sandwiches." Harriet went into the house to look for gla.s.ses or cups. Three days without food. How awful! What would have happened if we hadn't come here? She gave a quick prayer of thanks that Ant's search had led them here.
In a wooden cupboard nailed to the wall in the kitchen area, she found a stack of tin cups and took several of them outside with her. She poured the children some lemonade, and then watched the delight on their faces as they drank it. I wonder if they've ever had lemonade before. "Not too fast, now," she warned. "I'm only giving you a little. I think we need to save the rest for your family." She went back inside to tackle the next ch.o.r.e.
Ant walked in, carrying the bucket from the pump. He took it to the stove and poured the water in a big pot on the stove. He opened up the stove and looked inside it. "I'll bring wood in. More water, too."
After he left, Harriet leaned out the door to check on the children. They'd both finished their sandwiches and looked longingly at the bag of food. But neither had moved to take any.
She stepped outside. Ant wasn't in sight, but she could hear the sound of the axe splitting wood.