by Lori Wick
Marcail nodded.
“Marshall is his name and he happens to be my stepson. Rigg, as we all call him, lost his father before he was three. I married his mother the next year, the woman you’ll meet Sunday. Actually I hadn’t thought of it before, but if your brother is staying with Rigg then you can just all come to church with him. I’ll ask him about it. Either way someone will be at your house that morning.”
“I’m not sure how to tell you where our house is.”
“We just saw Greg Carson,” Bill assured her. “He told us where you’re living.”
“Oh, well, thank you, Mr. Taylor. We’ll be looking forward to Sunday then.”
“Anytime and if you need anything, I run the shipping office where the stage came in. Just come down and if I’m not there, someone will know where to find me.”
Kate once again thanked him and then decided she’d best get to the house and get settled. She wondered, as she and Marcail walked to find Sean, if he was getting along.
fifteen
“Two evenings a week and Saturdays.”
“Thanks, Mr. Riggs!” Sean felt overwhelmed as he answered. He couldn’t believe he was actually being offered a job, something he’d never had before, and by the man with whom he would be staying.
“I think, Sean, that if you’re going to be living in my house, you should call me Rigg. Everyone does.”
Sean nodded and took a bit of bread. He had a strange look on his face and Rigg noticed.
“Is anything wrong with the food?”
“No, it’s fine. I just feel funny eating without Kaitlin and Marcail.”
“I’ve got plenty here. When you’re done, we’ll take the rest over.”
The young man thanked him in awe, finding it hard to believe how generous he was. Sean, quite frankly, had been terrified at the thought of going to live with this stranger, but he hadn’t wanted Kate to know. She was a good teacher and even though things were going to be tight, Sean believed they could make it.
He’d come to this house with Mr. Carson expecting the worst, and before he knew what was happening, he was being shown a nice bedroom and given a plate of food.
And Marshall Riggs, well, Sean couldn’t stop watching him. He was as tall as Father but Sean didn’t think he’d ever seen such a powerful chest and upper arms on a man. Maybe he wasn’t a very good judge, but Sean thought Rigg could break a man in two if he wanted.
But even as he thought of it he knew it would never happen. Marshall Riggs’ powerful build was not from fighting, not with those beautiful white teeth that flashed at you when he smiled. And his eyes, they spoke of a deep kindness whenever he looked at you or when he offered a couple of strange girls the rest of his lunch. No, Rigg was not the fighting type.
When Rigg spent the next few minutes explaining to Sean what his duties would be, it wasn’t hard to figure out how he’d built up his body.
“I get shipments of goods from all over, just about every day of the week. Anything that comes in on Sunday stays at the shipping office until Monday, but everything else I like unloaded right away. How much can you lift?”
“I’m not really sure.” Sean was afraid he’d take the job away, but he had to be honest.
“Well, the important thing is that you don’t overdo. Whoa, look at the time! I’ve got to get back to the store. Here, gather all of this up and take it to your family. I’ll meet them some other time. Oh, and Sean, can you start this Saturday?”
“Sure!” Sean’s expression showed all the enthusiasm he felt. Rigg put his hand out and Sean’s smile nearly split his face as they shook.
Sean watched Rigg head out the door and move in a long-legged stride down the street. Watching until Rigg was out of sight, he bolted out the door to find his sisters, the bundle of food in his arms.
“You really got a job?” Kate asked around a mouthful of cheese. Sean laughed. It wasn’t like his sister to be unladylike, but he knew how hungry she was.
“I start Saturday.”
“That’s wonderful. What’s Mr. Riggs like?”
“He likes to be called Rigg.”
“You don’t call him Rigg, do you?”
“He told me to.”
Kaitlin’s brow furrowed with disapproval and Sean shrugged. Nothing more was said on the subject but it continued to bother Kate. She was a bit leery of such familiarity with strangers.
Of course, she told herself, you agreed to have a meal at a home when you’d never before laid eyes on the man who’d asked you. Kate took time right then to pray for God’s protection and not to listen to fears that were groundless.
Some hours later the house was settled and clean but Kaitlin’s battle with the stove had been a losing one. After an hour of trying she could not get it lit and Kaitlin looked like she’d been in a war. Her face was smudged with soot and her hair was coming out of it’s bun and hanging around her face. The front door stood open for air because she could only get one of the windows open. The family was sitting down to a cold supper.
Kate had found two cans of beans on the shelf which she’d opened and put into the one pot the house sported. There were no dishes or bowls. She’d discovered two spoons and a knife in a drawer. Sean had moved the table up to the bed to provide a third seat. Marcail sat on the bed and Sean and Kate took the chairs.
The pot was passed around and the girls shared one of the spoons. There had been a bit of bread left from lunch but that had been devoured earlier and now the pot was passed from person to person in an attempt to satisfy the appetites they’d built up cleaning the cabin.
This was the scene Rigg came upon. As the afternoon wore on, he realized he didn’t know if Sean was coming back to the house for supper, so he’d gotten the address from Greg Carson to the schoolmarm’s house. The picture before him was one he would not forget.
Rigg’s frame, stealing all the light from the doorway, was the first indication to the Donovans that they were not alone. Sean immediately recognized their visitor and got up to welcome him.
“Hello, Rigg, come on in.”
“Thanks, Sean. I don’t want to take you from your supper.” Rigg had spoken to Sean but he hadn’t taken his eyes off Kaitlin. Kate was acutely aware of his scrutiny and equally aware of the way she must look. She came out of her chair in one graceful movement that belied what she was feeling inside, to meet their guest. Her hands fluttered around her face and hair before she forced them down to her sides.
For some reason she was overcome with uncharacteristic anger at being caught by this man in such disarray. Unfortunately, Rigg was to suffer the brunt of it. It didn’t help that Sean was looking at his sister strangely as he made the introductions.
“Rigg, these are my sisters, Kaitlin and Marcail.”
“Katie, this is Rigg.”
“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Riggs. We certainly appreciate your letting Sean stay with you.” She had to mentally stop herself from flying off into Hawaiian.
“It’s my pleasure, and please call me Rigg.”
“Thank you, Mr. Riggs, but I’m afraid I don’t approve of such informality. Sean, Marcail and I will call you Mr. Riggs.” Kate knew she sounded like a terrible snob, even Marcail was staring at her.
Rigg was not the least bit offended, only fascinated by this beautiful, if disheveled woman. That she wasn’t normally so snippy was obvious in the looks her siblings were casting her. That she was exhausted and embarrassed would have been evident to a blind man. Rigg also knew that his staring at her didn’t help in the least, but he was finding it hard to look away.
Rigg nodded in her direction and then turned to his housemate. “I just stopped Sean, to check on you. I’m headed home now and I’ll see you when you get there.” Rigg turned toward the door.
“Thanks, I’ll see you later.”
Rigg was not ten steps away from the house before he heard Sean’s voice raised in anger. “Kaitlin, what is the matter with you?” It confirmed his suspicions about Kaitlin Donovan’s act
ions of the last few minutes.
He had no desire to eavesdrop so he picked up his pace and was quickly out of earshot. Back at the house Kate was trying to make amends.
“I’m sorry, Sean.”
“Why, Katie?” Sean’s faced showed his keen disappointment. “I thought you would like him.”
“I don’t even know him.” Kate began to feel defensive all over again as her mind pictured those beautiful gray eyes leveled so intently on her. “But you’re right, my actions were inexcusable and I’m sorry.”
Sean forgave her and helped her clean up the few dishes. He told his sisters he would see them in the morning and then took himself off to Rigg’s.
sixteen
Sean let himself quietly into the house and when he would have gone straight into his room, Rigg hailed him from the kitchen. Sean came only as far as the doorway and leaned against it with his hands in his pockets.
“I’m sorry about the way my sister acted tonight. I don’t know if it helps, but I’ve never seen her like that and I know she feels bad.”
“Moving is hard work; I’m sure she’s tired. How about some supper?” Rigg asked kindly and Sean was rather glad for the change in topics.
“I’ve eaten, thanks.”
“I remember being hungry all the time at your age. Are you sure you wouldn’t like something?” Rigg’s mother had brought over a large kettle of stew and the aroma was floating from the stove straight in Sean’s direction.
“Maybe I’ll have a little.”
Rigg turned away to hide his smile and filled two large bowls. There was fresh bread and butter on the table and a bowl of fruit. Rigg prayed for the food and the men ate without conversation for quite a spell.
“I normally stay out of my employees personal lives Sean, but would you mind if I asked you a question?”
“No, not at all.” Sean seemed genuinely surprised and Rigg wondered at his first impression that all was not well for this new family in town.
“What brings you to Santa Rosa?”
“We saw the ad for the job and came, hoping that Kate would get it.”
“Where are your folks?”
There was no mistaking the pain in those young eyes and Rigg waited in silence as Sean took a moment to answer.
“My mother just died and my father is in Hawaii.”
Rigg didn’t know what to say to this but he didn’t have to speak because Sean was ready to talk. He came close to telling Rigg his entire life story—how he had been born and raised in Hawaii, when he’d made a decision for Christ, and right up to the trip to San Francisco, including his mother’s death. He ended by explaining why his father left and that he was coming back soon.
“Did your aunt change her mind about your staying with her?”
Rigg considered the question a mild one in the light of all that Sean had shared but the change that came over the boy was startling. Tension radiated from Sean and again Rigg waited. He watched Sean move from the table to the window. He thought he might be calming down but when he turned from the window, his eyes showed deep anger and pain.
“I don’t think it’s right that a man forces a woman to do something against her will.”
The hair stood straight up on the back of Rigg’s neck over the image Sean’s words created. One woman’s face stood out in his mind, a woman he’d seen for so brief a time that it was unusual he would even remember her. But remember her he did, and he was surprised at the emotions flooding through him at the thought of someone hurting her. He worked at keeping his voice level.
“I certainly agree with you, Sean. Did you want to tell me about it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want you to think badly of her. That is, I don’t know why you would but it’s just been so hard here. No one in Hawaii ever looked at my sister the way they look at her here. She told me that she even had to wear her cloak all the time on the ship because the sailors stared at her. And then our cousin grabbed her and . . .”
Sean could not go on, but then, he didn’t need to. The picture was now quite clear to Rigg as to why they were no longer living with their aunt. He didn’t think it had gone as far as rape but then it didn’t need to, evidently, to leave lifelong scars.
Rigg chose his next words carefully. “Sean, is your sister all right?”
“I think so. She hasn’t talked about it so maybe it didn’t bother her as much as it bothered me.”
Rigg didn’t believe that for an instant, but kept the thought to himself.
“I’m glad I came into the library when I did or I don’t like to think what would have happened.” Rigg knew great relief with those words but also realized that even though the worst didn’t happen, this was very serious.
“Sean,” he finally spoke. “Are you afraid that your cousin will show up here?”
“I’ve thought of that but no, I think he’s a coward. He won’t come here.”
“Then I’ll tell you what you probably already know. You’ve got to forgive this man.” Sean clearly did not want to hear those words and he sat back down in his chair with a dejected thud.
“Don’t be discouraged by my words, Sean. God can help you to that end. I believe that with all of my heart.”
“I believe it too,” Sean admitted quietly.
Rigg could see that he’d said enough. Silently he decided to look up some verses on forgiveness in his Bible and share them with Sean when the time was right. The life of Joseph came to mind, as recorded in Genesis in the Bible. Joseph was a man persecuted by his family and yet, when he was given the chance, he forgave them.
The men cleaned up the kitchen and Rigg, checking on Sean less than 15 minutes after he’d gone to bed, found him sound asleep.
One street away Kate wished for sleep. She’d confessed her actions to the Lord and knew that in the morning she had to make it right with Mr. Riggs.
Outside of that, the only reason sleep wouldn’t come was because she was freezing. After sundown the temperature had plummeted. Now in bed with only the lightest of blankets to cover them, the only warm spot on her was where Marcail was snuggled up against her.
She felt Marcail shiver and pulled her a little closer. She sighed in the darkness. It looked like it was going to be a long night.
seventeen
The next morning Rigg awoke with a start. With everything Sean had told him, he’d completely forgotten to ask about the Donovans’ financial state. It had been greatly on his mind when he left that small house where he’d seen two people sharing a spoon and all three of them eating from the same pot.
The next thing Rigg thought of made him sit up and reach for his pants. Santa Rosa’s nights were very cold and he hadn’t noticed any blankets.
Rigg was glad to see Sean up when he walked into the kitchen from his own room. He came right to the point.
“Good morning, Sean. I wanted to ask you something last night and it completely slipped my mind. Do you and your sisters have enough money?”
Sean felt uncomfortable about the question, as though answering would be hinting that he wanted a higher salary from the mercantile.
“Well, Kate and I really haven’t started to work yet. We’ll be fine as soon as payday comes.”
Rigg began making coffee and thought how nicely he’d evaded the question. But Rigg was not to be put off.
“What about right now, Sean? Do you have enough money for right now?”
“We have a little.”
“How much?” Rigg asked and was thinking, When you break your rule about other people’s business Rigg, you break it good.
Sean could see that he wanted an answer but still he hesitated. Rigg’s chest, just as tan as his face, became the focal point of Sean’s unseeing stare as he tried to think of what to say. Rigg was silent for a full minute.
His hand moved over the hair on his chest and he smiled. “Sean, buddy, what are you staring at?” The amusement in Rigg’s voice brought Sean’s attention back and Rigg tried another tactic.
&nb
sp; “Do you know how much money you have, or does Kaitlin keep track?”
“I know.”
“Is it enough to get you through until one of you is paid?”
“No sir.” The voice was quiet and resigned.
Rigg nodded. “What I’d like you to do, Sean, is run over and ask your sisters to come for breakfast. You don’t need to rush them because I haven’t even shaved. That way your sisters will have a meal and I’ll have some time to think.”
Rigg gave Sean no chance to question him as he put the coffee pot on the stove and returned to his bedroom.
Sean found Kate and Marcail still in bed. He let himself in quietly and called Katie’s name.
“Oh, Sean, we must have overslept. It was cold in here last night.”
It still is cold, Sean thought and knew they would have to do something to make this house a home.
“Hi, Sean,” his little sister spoke up from her place beneath the covers.
“Hi, Marc. Listen you guys, Rigg sent me over to ask you to breakfast.”
Kaitlin hesitated.
“He’s got hot coffee.”
The covers were whipped back and Kate jumped out of bed wearing both nightgowns and her robe. Sean stepped outside so they could dress.
Kate thought Rigg’s house was beautiful. It was a rambling two-story painted a pale yellow. The front door put them directly in the living room, without an entry way or foyer. At the far end of the living room was an archway that showed a large dining table. Off the bottom of the stairs was a door and Sean led his family in to see his room. It was spacious with a full bed and dresser, a washstand and small table with a lamp.
Kate looked with some envy at the lamp. They didn’t have one, so when the sun left the sky and darkness descended, Kate and Marcail were plunged into blackness. Kate had joked with her sister that they would have to wait for a full moon before they could move around without stubbing their toes.
When they again passed the stairway to exit Sean’s room, he told them that the upstairs was closed because Rigg never used it. Back into the living room and through the dining area, Sean took them to the kitchen.