Victoria and Rocky spoke in unison.
“Oh, we’re not taking them to the orphanage—”
“—Hannah has no room. We’re going to care for them at Victoria’s place.”
Victoria was warmed by Rocky’s inclusion of himself in the care of the children. But by the look on Julia’s face a small puff of wind could have knocked her over had it gusted through the depot at that moment. “Oh! My! You two aren’t… you’re not married are you?” She stumbled backwards and plunked herself down on the edge of the platform, once again furiously fanning her face, her worried gaze fixed directly on Rocky.
Moistening her lips, Victoria looked over at the children. All three huddled together in the middle of the stage now, looking down at her and Rocky.
Rocky cleared his throat. “We aren’t married. I just drove Victoria here today and plan to help her as she needs it.”
Julia narrowed her eyes. “Then why did she say, ‘We will take them?’”
“I reckon because we are here to get them.” Rocky’s tone teetered on the edge of impertinence.
Julia stood and jerked her waistcoat into place. “It’s just not right, a young woman planning to care for three orphan children on her own. And one of them a boy at that. I just don’t know.”
Victoria shifted her feet and bit her tongue to suppress the retort that sprang to mind.
Rocky’s voice vibrated with a low timbre of danger as he said, “You know that Hannah is a single woman and she does a remarkable job of taking care of the orphans. All Victoria wants to do is give these children a shot at happiness. And I just said I would be helping her, so she won’t be doing it alone.”
“I realize that,” Julia simpered, “but I know Victoria won’t have a way to support herself, especially now that her mother has married. Anything could happen. You could decide that you no longer want to help her and then she would once again be on her own, and I don’t know that my conscience will let me give those poor children to you under those circumstances.”
Victoria’s nails bit into her palm. Just a moment ago she was saying what a relief it would be to have the children off her hands.
“We have regulations, you know.” Julia nodded firmly and dabbed the hanky at her milk white throat. “It is our Christian duty to see that the children in our care are placed in good homes. Many of them come from homes where there was only one parent. Why would I want to put them back into a situation like that? Especially when I know you don’t have proper income, Victoria. I mean, if you two were married, that would be one thing, I wouldn’t hesitate to allow you to take the children then. But in this circumstance…” She lifted her hands to her shoulders indicating there was nothing she could do.
Victoria’s eyes narrowed. Poor children, indeed. They’d had to travel across the whole country with this vixen.
“Julia, I can assure you that Miss Victoria will not lack for funds.” There was a hard edge to Rocky’s words.
Thankfulness welled through her. She hadn’t thought about the money it would cost to take care of the children, but Julia was right on that count. She probably didn’t have enough. Still they would get by. She had the garden, and the canning from last year. And she could use the little she received from selling her baked goods to buy some cloth to sew clothes for them before school started up. They would be fine. Rocky wouldn’t have to give them a red cent.
Julia pinned Rocky with a look. “So you’re planning to finance her little endeavor to save the world one child at a time? What will your future wife have to say about that, hmmmm?” Julia actually had the nerve to step close to him and caress his chin with one finger.
Rocky leapt back and folded his arms even as Victoria’s jaw dropped. The woman was practically throwing herself at Rocky’s feet! She snapped her mouth closed before the string of most indelicate words parading through her brain popped out and sealed the children’s fate with finality. Lord, I really need a little help here. Those little children just need a home where someone can love on them. If they are meant to stay here, please work it out. A sudden thought flashed to her mind and it was so audacious that she gasped and took a step back.
“Ria?” Rocky touched her arm.
The outer doors of the depot banged open with a clatter. Mr. V stormed towards the startled group. “My mind, I haf changed! The girl, I vill take! Respect, she vill learn! And to listen!” He held aloft one fleshy finger to emphasize his last point.
Victoria’s heart hammered like a jack rabbit on the run from a fox. Her idea was now the only way to insure that those girls would be able to stay together. If she and Rocky married, Julia had said there wouldn’t be any problem with them having the children. She glanced over at Rocky, but she couldn’t bring herself to form the words. He stared at her for a long moment, and then something changed. His features softened and the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Rocky never took his gaze from hers as he said, “Julia, you said if we were married you wouldn’t hesitate to give us the children, right?”
“That’s right. But under the circumstanc—”
“And you want to know what my future wife will have to say? Well, let’s find out.” He lowered his voice and stepped closer. “Victoria, will you be my wife? Marry me, right here, right now.”
Victoria’s jaw went slack, but she snapped it shut again so quickly that she hoped no one had noticed. Had she heard him right? Or were her own thoughts jumbling with his words and making her hear things? She glanced over at the children, at Mr. V, at Julia, then to Rocky’s shoulder, and finally back to his face.
Rocky swallowed, and raised his eyebrows, questioning if she was going to answer.
If she thought her heart was beating fast before, right now she was in danger of it flopping right out of her chest. She gave a firm nod. “Yes, I will marry you, Rocky.”
Julia gasped and set her hanky to flapping again. Victoria suppressed a smile. Somehow she didn’t think Julia had seen that coming.
ChristyAnne clutched Mera’s arm so tightly that she looked up and tried to pull away. “Ow,” she whispered softly.
“Sorry,” ChristyAnne mumbled and let go of her arm, but she never took her attention off the pretty red-headed lady and the dark-haired man.
Waiting for Miss Nickerson to say the man and woman could have them now, she felt like she might throw up. But if she did that, maybe nobody would want her. She swallowed hard and pressed one hand to her tummy.
The man next to the red-head looked like he might fall over in surprise, but then he’d looked a little piqued since they first walked in the door. Kinda pale and tense. The way Daddy had looked after he lost his leg.
The fat man with the mustache glowered at the pretty lady, like she was standing between him and a dream come true. “The help of that girl, I need on my dairy.” He jabbed a fleshy finger in ChristyAnne’s direction.
Her insides churned.
The dark haired man glanced up at them, then turned to look at the dairy man. “What about the boy?”
Beside her, Jimmy clutched his hat and shuffled his feet.
“Rocky, no,” the lady said.
Mean Mr. Mustache clenched his fist. “The boy is too old, a new vay to learn. Trouble I vant not. But the girl, she is young enough to learn, and strong enough to vork hard.”
Miss Nickerson huffed. “Well, I won’t accept some sham of a marriage. You are obviously doing this just to force me to give you these children. Mr. V has been married for several years already and would provide a good, stable home for the girl.”
The dark haired man’s jaw bunched up like he’d stuffed a wad of candy in his cheek. “Yes, but Victoria and I would provide a good, stable home for all three children. Wouldn’t it be in their best interest to keep them all together?”
Miss Nickerson blinked and glanced over at the three of them. She looked at the dairy farmer long and hard, then turned her focus back to the man with the pretty lady.
“I can assure y
ou, Julia,” the dark haired man said, “that if you witness Victoria and I say our vows, the marriage will not be a sham. Both of us are God-fearing, truth-speaking people and once we make a vow, we keep it. What about you?”
There was an unmistakable challenge in his last question. ChristyAnne swallowed hard and turned to study Miss Nickerson. Would she keep her word?
“I suppose it would be in their best interest to keep them together, but….”
A trickle of hope spilled into ChristyAnne’s heart.
The redheaded lady pressed her lips together like she was trying to hold back a smile.
ChristyAnne held her breath. The lady looked as if she’d won. Oh, I hope she won! Still, ChristyAnne wasn’t sure. She bit the inside of her lip and focused on Miss Nickerson.
Miss Nickerson’s voice trembled when she said, “So, I suppose if you and Victoria are willing—”
“Yes! Please?” ChristyAnne jumped off the platform. She hadn’t meant to talk but now that she was talking, she’d better make it count. “We’ll be good, I promise. I’m a hard worker and Damera is little but she’s real smart. I’m not sure about Jimmy.” She waved her hand in Jimmy’s direction, then paused. Probably shouldn’t have said that. Quickly, she added, “He’s been pretty mean the whole trip, but,” she took in the muscles bulging under the dark haired man’s shirt, “I’m sure you could handle ol’ Jimmy. He’ll probably polish up real nice, like an apple that’s been rolling in the dirt, but when you pick it up and rub it off, it’s pretty and shiny underneath.” She gave an assertive nod. There, that should fix her blunder. She glanced back and forth between the man and woman expectantly. They just had to get married and take them home! Please, please, please want to take us all home with you.
“I ain’t no dirty apple!” Jimmy kicked at the platform with one toe. “I’ll be good too. But if we’re comparin’ I’d say ChristyAnne is a lot like a magpie – always chatterin’!”
ChristyAnne plunked her hands on her hips and tossed a glare over her shoulder at Jimmy, before she straightened back around towards the adults. She would deal with his magpie comment later; right now, she wanted to know what the adults would say.
The man shuffled his feet and studied the pointy toes of his boots. The pretty lady pressed the back of her hand to her mouth and stared over the top of ChristyAnne’s head at nothing in particular. She knew, because she turned around to see what seemed to be so interesting, and there was nothing there. Both of them wore strange, pinched-lip looks.
She frowned, wondering what she’d said. Her eyes narrowed. Probably Jimmy’s comment about the magpie! Now they had to decide if they wanted a dirty apple and a noisy bird living with them. Leave it to Jimmy to mess things up!
“If you are willing to have the ceremony here and now, I will agree to let the children go home with you temporarily. But I still have my reservations. You can be sure I’ll be checking up on you.” Miss Nickerson sounded a little defeated.
“Vel! A mistake you are making!” Mean Mr. Mustache shook a fat finger in Miss Nickerson’s face. “Sorry you vill be for not giving that girl to me for my dairy! My vife and I vithdraw our invitation for you to come to dinner!” Spinning on his heel the fat man stormed out of the building.
Miss Nickerson paled and her mouth gaped open as she watched his thunderous retreat. “Well! I never!”
ChristyAnne didn’t know why Miss Nickerson looked so shocked. The man was meaner than Jackson Campbell’s ol’ donkey back home. It was obvious that he wouldn’t treat her nice.
The man and lady hadn’t noticed Mr. Meany’s outburst. They looked at each other, their faces real serious-like.
ChristyAnne held her breath. They hadn’t really said for sure that they’d take all of them yet. Please, please, please.
The lady swallowed. “Rocky, there’s so much you don’t know about me.”
He shook his head. “I’m sure there’s not a man or woman alive who didn’t have a few things to learn about each other after the ceremony.”
The pretty red head’s face looked a little scared when she said, “I don’t want you to feel pressured to—”
At the same time the man said, “I’ll go fetch the minister.”
Then they just stood there again and stared at each other, like they were real thirsty and the other one was a nice cool fountain.
Her lungs were about to burst but she didn’t dare take a breath lest she miss a word they said.
Finally the man reached out and touched the lady’s cheek ever so softly. Like papa used to do to mama, before….
“It’ll be fine, Ria. I’ll go get Pastor Harding.” And with that he headed for the door.
ChristyAnne gasped for air, plunked down onto the cold hard floor of the station, wrapped her arms around herself, and cried. Finally, she and Mera had a home together!
“Good gracious, child! Young women do not sit on the floors in public places!” Miss Nickerson’s voice was strident. “And you can count on that visit from me, Victoria. I mean it when I say I still have reservations about allowing you to take these children! I won’t accept some sham of a marriage just so you can have three little slaves living with you!”
The red-headed lady’s shoulders jolted back and her chin tipped up. ChristyAnne thought she was about to say something, but then she sat down on the floor right next to her totally ignoring Miss Nickerson. She scooped ChristyAnne into her lap, cradling her head against her chest. “There, now,” she crooned, “everything’s going to be alright. Shhhhh.” Pushing the hair back from her face, the lady dropped a kiss on her forehead.
Mera stepped up next to them, with her thumb planted firmly in her mouth, and the lady reached out one arm and tugged her close, too.
With a shuddering sigh, ChristyAnne closed her eyes and relaxed. Resting her cheek against the silky golden fabric of that lady’s dress while she hugged Mera with her other arm, was simply the best thing she had experienced in a long time.
5
Rocky sighed. The ceremony had been short.
While Victoria gathered up the children and collected their things, the minister pulled Rocky aside. Pastor Harding eyed him with speculative concern. “You going to be alright? You don’t look so good.”
Rocky ran a hand down his face and looked at him. “Got shot a couple weeks back. I was ready for this day to be done several hours ago.”
“I see. Well, remember, ‘What God has put together, let not man tear asunder.’”
Rocky glanced across the room at Victoria. “I meant my vows, Reverend.”
“That’s good son, because starting a marriage off with three half-grown children won’t be a walk in the park.”
“Well, we’re just keeping them until good homes are found for them to go to.”
There was a long silence before the Reverend said, “Sometimes God asks us to do things we wouldn’t expect Him to.”
Rocky thought back to this morning, and chuckled. The thought that he’d started out this day wondering how he could talk Ria into allowing him to come calling, seemed humorous, now. “Yes, that He does, Reverend.”
“But I don’t want to take a bath!”
Victoria sighed and glanced down at the tub of tepid water in the middle of the kitchen floor. The girls had already bathed and were asleep in Mama’s old room and now she was trying to get Jimmy into the tub. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal for Jimmy to get clean tonight. She didn’t know where Rocky had disappeared to, but he’d dropped her and the children off at her house and drove off without a word. Victoria felt tears of exhaustion begging for release. Rocky hadn’t said more than two words to her on the way home. He was probably regretting his hasty decision to marry her.
Realizing that Jimmy still waited for her reply she looked down at him. “Well, okay how about—”
A hand dropped onto her shoulder. With a short squeal she spun around.
Rocky blinked at her.
“Oh! You startled me!” She pressed one hand to her racin
g heart. He must have come in through the front door.
A smile softened the corners of his mouth. “I can see that. Sorry.”
“Whoa! That was great!” Jimmy chortled and imitated her squeal and spin.
Rocky composed his features, giving Jimmy a stern look. Wrapping his hand around her shoulders, he turned her to face the boy. “Jimmy you need a bath to wash off the dirt and grime both from the train and the long drive here in the wagon. From now on when Ri—ah, Mrs. Jordan, asks you to do something, I expect you to listen. Understood?”
Victoria clasped her hands, trying to ignore her cavorting pulse. ‘Mrs. Jordan’ made her feel slightly ill while the fact that Rocky had come to her aide gave a pleasant sensation and the pressure of his hands on her shoulders made her want to lean back into the solid strength of him. I’ve gone addle-pated.
Jimmy folded his arms and scuffed one toe. “Yessir.”
Rocky released her and stepped back. “Good. You like checkers?”
The boy’s eyes glinted interest for a split second before the light in them died and his shoulders sagged. “I don’t know how to play. ’Sides, you didn’t want me anyways.”
Oh, sweet Jesus, that poor child. Victoria held her breath. How would Rocky respond to that? He had said something at the depot about sending Jimmy with Mr. V.
“Well, soon as you are done with your bath, come on out to the front room and I’ll show you how to play checkers.”
“You will?” A portion of the light returned but hesitation still laced his tone.
“Sure. I’ll be waiting.” With that, Rocky disappeared back down the hall.
Well, I suppose that is a start. Still, Rocky could have been a little more reassuring.
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