Oliver

by Christine Sterling

  “Ellie and Owen went to talk to Reverend O’Brien. Her friend Polly is supposed to arrive before the wedding. All Ellie can talk about is this cake she wants Polly to make.”

  “A cake?”

  Marmee took an apron from the peg. “A special cake with fruit and cream. It sounds delightful.” She held out an apron to Willow. “I’m going into the garden before it gets too hot. Would you like to join me?”

  Willow nodded and put the apron over her dress. It was a simple everyday dress. Plain blue poplin with eyelet trim. Willow liked it because it had long sleeves and hid her bruises.

  Even though her bruises were fading, she was still conscious of them. She tugged on her shirt sleeves and followed Marmee into the garden.

  “Where do you need me to help?”

  “Grab a basket from the fence, over there,” Marmee said, pointing with a small trowel. “We need to weed this bed and then we’ll pick peas for dinner.”

  Willow grabbed the basket. It was the same one she had used to steal the items from the garden a few days prior. The guilt churned in her belly.

  “Come on, child. We don’t have all day.” Marmee was already kneeling on some type of pillow and pulling weeds from the beds.

  Willow put the basket down and knelt on the other side of the bed. “What do I do?”

  “See these small things coming up?” She pointed to a green plant no more than two inches high. “Those are weeds. They grow like the dickens and I swear I spend half my time just getting rid of them. You’ll want to grab at the dirt level.” She demonstrated for Willow, pulling the plant with a turn of her wrist. “Once it is out, make sure you got the root. That is what the trowel is for. In case you need it.” Marmee tossed the weed in the basket. “Make sure everything gets in the basket, or weeding is for naught. It can root again if it is just left on top of the soil.”

  Willow started to pull weeds, flicking her wrist like Marmee did to make sure she got most, if not all the root. It didn’t take long for the bed to be clear, apart from the carrots that were growing in between the weeds.

  “We are having a guest for supper tonight. I’ll probably need a dozen carrots.”

  “What are you making?” Willow asked.

  “Pot roast and vegetables. I’ll add potatoes, carrots, and turnips to the dish.” Marmee rolled back on her heels. “I’ll need to get some herbs from the garden. Rosemary and thyme. Oh, I’ll need mint for the peas.”

  “Mint?”

  Marmee nodded. “My mother was English. It was how she served her peas. A spoonful of butter, a bit of sugar, and fresh mint. It was my favorite dish when I was growing up.”

  “Did you grow up in England?”

  Marmee pulled a carrot from the soil and brushed off the dirt before placing it in a clean basket. “Oh no. I grew up in Boston.”

  “How did you meet Mr. Chapman?”

  “I ran away to marry him.”

  “Ran away?”

  “He was the most handsome man I had ever met. His parents didn’t like me because I was Swedish and English. My parents didn’t like him because he was German. So, when he told me he was leaving on a wagon train bound for Oregon, I didn’t hesitate to marry him and travel west.”

  “Without even knowing him?”

  “I didn’t hesitate. Don’t pull so hard, child, the tops will come out but not the root. You need to wiggle it free.” Marmee demonstrated pulling the carrot, her curls bouncing under the day cap as she tugged the carrot free. “Then brush the dirt off and place it in the basket.” Marmee looked up at the sky. “Where was I? Oh yes, I didn’t hesitate. Not for one moment. And I wouldn’t hesitate to marry him again.”

  “You didn’t make it to Oregon, did you?”

  Marmee laughed. “Not hardly. By the time we reached Flat River, I was very heavy with child. So, Weston and another man on the train went to stake a claim. Two plots of land next to each other. I gave birth to Owen and Oliver right there in that great room.” She gave a little chuckle. “It was the only room. We lived in that house with our best friends until they could build their cabin. For four months we were tripping over each other.”

  “I don’t know if I’d be able to live with anyone else.”

  “It can be difficult, especially when one of us was in a cross mood, or the babies were fussy.”

  “I guess four months wasn’t very long.”

  “I’d give anything to have those days back. I think they were some of the happiest of my life.”

  “Do your friends still live around here?”

  “They do, but I’ve not seen them in a while.”

  “Why’s that.”

  “A stupid misunderstanding.”

  “Normally those can be fixed.”

  “Not always. My best friend, Verna traveled with us. She was engaged to Weston’s best friend, but they didn’t marry on the train. He refused.” Marmee dropped another carrot in the basket. “That man was the worst kind of cad. She found herself in a delicate way. The Wagon Master was going to force her off the train, and just leave her in the middle of nowhere. Can you imagine that? But a man named Randall stepped up and married her immediately.”

  “He took a woman that was carrying another man’s child?”

  “I believe he grew to love her. They have a beautiful family and live right over there.”

  Willow followed Marmee’s finger to a distant pasture. Willow didn’t see anything, just a bunch of trees.

  “If they live so close, I don’t understand why you don’t see them.”

  “It appears that Verna kept a diary from her days on the train. In the diary, she mentions that the child should be called Chapman. Randall read the diary and assumed my husband was the father. He confronted my husband a few days later. I guess Randall had been drinking.”

  “Nothing good comes from drinking,” Willow whispered.

  “You are exactly right.” Marmee stood and shook the loose dirt from her apron. “That is why I forbid my sons to go anywhere near a drinking establishment. It makes people say wicked things. Things that will even destroy a lifelong friendship.” She picked up the basket of carrots. “If you can take that basket and put it back by the gate, I’ll wash it later.”

  “Couldn’t everything have been fixed if Mr. Chapman said something?” Willow asked, placing her basket by the gate.

  She returned to where Marmee stood next to some plants growing on a trellis. The vines were taller than she was, and Willow noticed plump green pods hanging from the vine.

  “I’ll show you how to pick peas, so it doesn’t destroy the vine.”

  “How’s that?”

  Marmee pulled a pair of scissors from her pocket. “Hold the basket and I’ll cut.” Once Willow put the basket underneath a cluster of peas, Marmee cut the vegetables where the stem met the vine.

  Willow moved the basket where Marmee pointed and watched the peas fall on top of the carrots.

  “What did you ask me?” Marmee asked. “I’m afraid I completely forgot.”

  “I asked why Mr. Chapman didn’t say anything.”

  “Oh. I think he was so mad; he couldn’t speak, and Randall took that as the confirmation he was seeking. We haven’t talked since. It probably didn’t help that the Hartman’s daughter had just broken Owen’s heart.”

  “But he has Ellie now.”

  Marmee smiled. “Yes. He has Ellie.”

  “Can I help you with dinner?”

  “Well, once we are done picking the peas, I’ll show you the root cellar where I keep the vegetables and then we can shell the peas.”

  Willow wanted to wear the dress that Oliver had purchased for her, but she wasn’t ready to accept it. Purchases like that usually came with strings.

  Her father would buy her things and then beat her for it on Sundays. It was almost as if he was trying to soothe his guilt using small gifts.

  At least Mr. Blackman didn’t try to buy her things. He kept saying he was waiting for a large enough pot where he could us
e Willow instead of money.

  Willow was glad she managed to escape.

  She finally decided on a burgundy dress with pinstriping in dark blue. She coiffed her hair, but several strands still escaped the pins. She was helpless about fixing her hair.

  Since Ellie and Alice still weren’t to be found, she did the best she could and then went to meet everyone for dinner.

  The guest had arrived earlier, but Willow wasn’t ready. She had a wonderful afternoon talking and laughing with Marmee. Marmee even made tea and told Willow it was alright to sneak two cookies before supper.

  She heard the murmur of voices as she approached the green room. The man was sitting at the end of the table. He turned to look at her and Willow froze. It was the lawman from Flat River.

  What was he doing here?

  She glanced at Oliver who had a frown on his face. He stood and gently took her hand, guiding her to the table. As he tucked the chair underneath her he leaned so close, she could feel his breath against her ear.

  “It will be alright, Kitten. I promise.” His lips grazed her ear and she tried to contain the shiver racing over her skin. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  Willow nodded slightly. Oliver returned to his seat next to her, his fingertips scraping over her shoulders as he moved.

  The Marshal was sitting where Everett normally ate. The ranch hired a half-dozen new hands to help once the cattle arrived, and Everett was putting them through their paces.

  He would be spending the night in the field with a few of the hands and wasn’t expected back before breakfast, Owen explained.

  Willow could feel the Marshal staring at her. He didn’t ask her anything inappropriate, but Willow just wished the meal would be over and she could leave.

  “Where did you say you were from, Miss?”

  “Stephens.”

  “Miss Stephens. You must be new around these parts. I don’t recall seeing you.”

  Willow fidgeted with her silverware. “I guess I am new.”

  “Three months at least,” Ellie volunteered.

  The marshal cut a piece of steak and ran it through the gravy pooling on his plate. “Three months, you say?”

  “She was on the same stage I was on when I came into town. I remember seeing you there. Didn’t I?” Ellie nodded, answering her own question.

  “Uhm, yes… I mean no.” Willow looked at her plate. “I honestly don’t remember who was on the stage.”

  “Three months is quite a while. Normally I run into everyone once. But I’ve not run into you.”

  “I don’t know why.”

  “Where were you staying? With a relative?”

  “I don’t remember,” she whispered. She placed both of her hands in her lap. She felt Oliver’s hand squeeze her fingers. She looked at him, and he gave her a quick wink.”

  “Why don’t we talk about all these cowboys that are coming into town?”

  The Marshal looked at Oliver. Willow knew he was trying to change the subject, and finally, the Marshal gave Willow one more glance before placing his fork on his plate. He took a sip of coffee and wiped his mouth.

  “Alright, what do you want to know?”

  Willow tuned them out, the words sounding like clanging in her ears. She remained silent and pushed the vegetables around her plate. Even Marmee’s peas weren’t appealing.

  Just as they were finishing up dinner, the door opened, and Everett came in. He was covered with mud.

  “For land’s sake, Everett, don’t drop all that mud on the floor,” Marmee scolded.

  “Sorry, Ma,” he replied. “I came to see if Owen and Ollie still have their pup tents.”

  “What’s wrong with the ones in the barn.”

  “Two of them were moth-eaten. We’ll get them patched, but just not tonight. It looks like rain.”

  There was the sound of footsteps on the porch.

  “Do you have someone with you?” Marmee asked.

  “Just one of the new hands.”

  “Well, invite him in for a moment. No need to stand outside if it is getting ready to rain.”

  The man stood at the corner of the room, just out of Willow’s line of sight.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” Marmee offered.

  “No ma’am. I’m just here to help Mr. Chapman carry the tents.

  “I’ll go get them,” Owen said, pushing back from the table.

  “Thank you,” the man said.

  Willow froze. She wouldn’t forget that voice until the day she died. What was her brother doing on the Chapman’s porch?

  Chapter Ten

  One week later

  Willow managed to avoid Oliver for most of the week. He questioned her that night after Everett and the new cowhand came for the tent. As soon as the pair left, Willow complained of a headache and retired to her room.

  The only time she did see him was at the main meal. She learned that during the winter and early spring, there was a large meal at noon. Now, with the harvesting and chores, the main meal occurred just as the sun was setting.

  She was extremely busy, however. Marmee made sure of it.

  She was learning how to sew and tat. Marmee even showed Willow how to put up pickles and jams. Her favorite time was spent in the vegetable garden learning how Marmee grew vegetables to feed her family all winter.

  She decided that if she ever had a home, she wanted a vegetable garden just like that. With rows upon rows of colorful food and plenty of apple trees. She sobered at the thought of never having her own home. She knew she was on borrowed time living with the Chapmans. She couldn’t stay forever, and it was just a matter of time before Thomas found her and gambled her off to someone else.

  Willow was sitting in the living room around the fireplace with Marmee and Alice. Marmee was making a christening gown from her wedding dress, as two grandbabies were being born into the Chapman family this winter.

  Willow mourned that she most likely would never have children of her own, placing her hand over a barren belly.

  “Babies are such a blessing,” Marmee said as she carefully deconstructed her dress by ripping out the seams.

  Willow was creating a lace overlay for the christening cap. Marmee taught Willow to tat by using white thread and a wooden shuttlecock. There were a needle and finger method, but Marmee explained that it was more difficult than the shuttlecock method.

  They had been so busy, that Willow didn’t realize where the time had gone.

  “How are your feet this morning?” Alice asked. She was tatting the lace for the skirt portion of the gown.

  Willow stuck out her stocking foot from under her gown and moved it around, wiggling her toes. “Much better. Most of the scratches have healed and several have even gone away.”

  Oliver had carefully tended to her feet every single night. Washing them in a basin of warm soapy water and then applying the pine tar salve to the cuts and scrapes.

  When he would hold her ankle, she would sit still, trying not to let the brush of his fingers over her skin affect her. Even though he was the kindest man she ever knew, there was something dangerous about him.

  “I was thinking of going to the barn for a bit. Do you want to come?” Alice asked. “All this concentrating is giving me a headache. I need to go outside.”

  Willow had been hesitant about leaving the house. The sheer number of men on the ranch frightened her.

  “You go on, dear,” Marmee said. “It will be good for you to get out in the sunshine. Once I get this dress taken apart, we’ll start on a new dress from that lovely fabric Oliver brought back. There is plenty of time to get this gown done.”

  “I need to get changed.” She was still in her morning dress. Willow didn’t know there were different types of dresses for the different parts of the days. She only ever had one dress and her church clothes. She wore the same dress every day apart from services.

  It was so threadbare that one of the women at the brothel gave her one of her castoff dresses to replace Wi
llow’s. It was a little too big and thankfully not covered in black lace and trimmings. But it was clean and functional.

  It was Alice who pointed it out to her one day, not in an unkind way, that it was nearing the main meal and Willow was still in her morning dress. Willow headed back down the hall to the bedroom and closed the door. She heard a light knock and Alice popped her head through the door.

  “May I join you for a minute?” she asked. Willow nodded and waved for Alice to come in. “Have you decided what you are going to wear?”

  “I haven’t thought about it.”

  “May I?” Alice pointed to the wardrobe.

  “Of course,” Willow said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  Alice went to the wardrobe and opened it. Marianne’s clothes had been pushed to one side to make room for Willow’s few things. The dress that Oliver had purchased still hung unworn.

  When he presented her with it, she didn’t know what to say or do. No one had ever given her anything. Least of all new clothes. The gift was so overwhelming, and Willow knew she reacted badly. It wasn’t her intention, she just needed to process her thoughts and feeling.

  Alice pulled out the dark blue dress with the beautiful roses embroidered on it.

  “You could wear this.”

  Willow shook her head. “It is too fine a dress. Besides, I’ll be helping Marmee in the garden this afternoon.”

  “Will you wear it for supper?”

  “I guess I could.”

  “I know Oliver is a lot of things. Insensitive isn’t one of them.”

  “Oliver?”

  Alice nodded. “He saw you needed something, and he just wanted to make sure you had it.”

  Oliver hadn’t apologized for buying her the dress, and Willow had yet to apologize for her behavior. “I guess so.”

  Alice pulled out some more clothing. It was a light blue calico skirt and a white shirt with small ivory-colored buttons. She brought them over to Willow and laid them on the bed. “I have an extra apron you can use so it doesn’t get dirty.”

  “I can’t keep wearing your sister’s clothes.”

  Alice blinked a few times. “What else would you wear?” She pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Willow. Taking Willow’s hands, she held them in her own.