Ellen: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides

by Rachel Wesson

  “So what were you doing when I walked in?” Ellen asked hoping to distract her sister.

  “Ella knocked a basket of eggs over. They all broke except one.” Katie wiped her forehead leaving a trail of dirt on her face. She got back down on the floor to resume scrubbing. “Let me finish this and then we will have tea and a chat.”

  “Where’s Ella now?” Ellen said, her mind frantically trying to think of a way out of chatting to her sister. She wasn’t ready to answer any questions.

  “I sent her to her room.”

  “Surely it was an accident. She didn’t do it on purpose.”

  Katie’s eyes rose at the questioning tone Ellen used but she didn’t care. She hated seeing children punished.

  “It was no accident Ellen. The child wanted candy and when I wouldn’t give it to her, she knocked over the eggs. Deliberately.”

  “Oh.” Ellen looked everywhere but at her sister, biting her lip trying hard not to laugh.

  Katie sat back on her knees with her hands on her hips.

  “What does oh mean?”

  “Sorry Katie but don’t you remember doing something similar when Mammy wouldn’t let you wear your Sunday dress to school? I remember eggs being involved then too.”

  Katie rolled her eyes to heaven. “Trust you to remember that one time I misbehaved.”

  “One time? Your temper got you into trouble at least once a day. Looks like the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.”

  Ellen knew Katie was trying to maintain a stern face but after a couple of seconds her sister gave in and started laughing.

  Ellen picked up the mop bucket. “I’ll go get some more hot water and mop that floor for you, Katie. Why don’t you go and make friends with your daughter. It’s not her fault her mammy’s Irish temper runs in her veins.”

  “Ah, go away you.” Katie smiled to show she was joking. Then she surprised Ellen by pulling her into a hug. “I am so glad you came back from Boulder. I missed you.”

  Katie was gone before Ellen could choke down the lump in her throat. I missed you too big sister.

  It didn’t take long for Katie to come back with Ella in tow.

  “Auntie Ellen, you came home.”

  “Haven’t you grown up?”

  “I am bigger now. I am nearly four.” Ella held five fingers out to Ellen to illustrate her point, causing Ellen to hide a smile. “Are you staying for dinner?”

  “Yes Ella, of course she is.” Katie answered before Ellen got the chance to say anything.

  “Why don’t you go down to the store and I will cook. Ella can help me.” Ellen said almost pushing Katie in the direction of the store.

  “If you are sure? But wear my apron. You don’t want to get those fancy clothes all messed up.”

  Ellen nodded before turning to Ella and engaging her niece in conversation. As she hoped, Katie left them to it as she went to help Daniel in the store.

  The inquisition started again once they had eaten.

  “So why did you come home, Ellen?”

  “I wanted to see my new nephew and check up on my young niece. I missed everyone. Its Easter and I thought it would be a good time to be with family.”

  Katie didn’t look convinced. Ellen tried her best to distract her.

  “So what's been happening around here?”

  “Everyone's had babies.” Ella said throwing her eyes up to heaven making the adults laugh.

  “Everyone, Ella?” Ellen said to her niece.

  “Ma had Danny. Then, Mrs. Shipley had two, a boy and a girl. She called the girl Grace. I like that name don’t you, Auntie Ellen.”

  “It’s a lovely name but I prefer Ella. What did Emer call her son?” Ellen said making the young girl smile.

  “The boy's called Louis. Mrs. Petersen had a boy too. They are cousins. His name is Brian Junior but everyone calls him BJ.”

  “Does Meggie like her younger brother? Sorcha must have her hands full with three children.” Ellen looked at Katie but Ella answered.

  “Meggie likes BJ but I like Danny.”

  The adults laughed at the little girls antics.

  “Come on young lady, it’s time you went to bed.” Daniel went to lift Ella and take her to bed. But the little girl had other ideas.

  “Okay, Daddy but only if Auntie Ellen tells me a story.”

  “Not tonight, sweetheart. Ellen and Ma want to talk.”

  Ellen seized the chance to avoid discussing her future with Katie.

  “It’s fine Daniel, we can talk tomorrow. Come on, Ella, let's go see what new story I have.” Ellen walked toward the child's bedroom holding her hand. Ella chattered away but Ellen paid little heed to what she was saying. Her mind was in turmoil. How was she going to explain to Katie that she had made a mistake? Boulder and university life weren’t for her. She wanted to stay in Clover Springs and not return. She didn’t want to disappoint Katie.

  “Auntie Ellen, you are not listening to me.” Ella pouted.

  “Sorry, Ella. What did you say?”

  “I asked you what story you were going to tell me. Are you going to read me a book or tell me one of your own stories.” Ella said.

  “Which would you prefer?”

  “I want a story about Ireland. I miss my grandpa.” Ella's eyes filled with tears.

  “Don't cry, sweetie.” Ellen struggled to hold a smile while tears pricked her eyes. Her niece had never met her grandpa but always mentioned him if she was looking for sympathy. Her father would have adored Ella. Despite her being a little bit precocious.

  “Will you tell me about my uncle Liam as well. Ma won't talk about him. It makes her cry.”

  “Yes, sweetheart. She misses him a lot. If Danny went away you would miss him wouldn’t you?”

  Ella lay quietly on the bed for a couple of minutes. “I guess so. But if he wasn’t here, Ma would tell me more stories. Like she used to. Before he came.”

  “Your ma is busy because Danny is so little. She needs your help to look after him. She told me you were good with babies.”

  “I am, Auntie Ellen, I am a good big sister.” Ella snuggled closer to her favorite crocheted blanket. “Can you tell me a story now?”

  “I will tell you about the time your uncle Liam stole your mam's best dress. He pretended he was a girl.”

  Ella giggled. “I bet he looked funny.”

  The image of six foot Liam dressed in a pink gown filled her head. “To be sure, he did.”

  Ellen told the story about her big brother's antics. “Your grandpa had to leave the house for fear he would burst into laughter.” Ella didn't react having already fallen asleep.

  She heard a sniffle and turned to find Katie standing there, tears streaming down her face.

  “Katie, what's wrong? Is Danny alright?”

  “Danny is fine. Oh Ellen, I miss Daddy and Liam something dreadful. I wish we knew where Liam was.”

  Ellen stood up to give her big sister a hug. “He can't be kept in prison for much longer. He was innocent.”

  “I wish he would come here to Clover Springs. He could get a job with Davy or maybe Brian Petersen. He was excellent with horses. Do you remember?”

  Ellen nodded thinking of her brother's handsome face lit by his perpetual smile. She sent up a silent prayer praying that wherever he was now, he was still smiling. But deep inside she knew it was unlikely. Liam had always been a free sprit. Being locked up in a prison would kill him if it hadn't already.

  “Are you coming down now? I put the kettle on so we can have a cuppa in peace.”

  “Sorry, Katie, but do you mind if I go back to the boarding house. I am so tired from travelling, I nearly fell asleep before Ella did.” At the stricken look on her sister’s face, Ellen said. “We will have plenty of time to talk over the next few days.”

  “Yes of course, don’t mind me. I was being selfish. I remember how tired we were after traveling from Boston. Daniel will walk you back. I'll see you tomorrow?”

  Ellen nodded, gave her
sister a quick hug and went down into the store where Daniel was working on some accounts. She suggested walking back alone but he wouldn’t hear of it. “Been some trouble at the saloon lately. Katie would kill me if I let you walk back alone.”

  Ellen waited for him to put the account books away and then together they walked to the boarding house. Daniel didn’t ask any questions about her surprise arrival. Instead, he made her laugh, telling her different stories about the townspeople. It was good to be home.

  Chapter 5

  Katie watched her younger sister Ellen as she sat in front of the piano at the boarding house. Why won’t she talk to me? We used to be so close yet she’s hardly said a word since she stepped off the stagecoach almost three days previously. It’s almost as if she’s avoiding me.

  “You seem to spend hours rubbing that cream into your hands.” Katie said hoping to make her sister smile but it didn’t work.

  “Miss Rippon says it will keep them supple to help me play better.”

  “You play the piano beautifully now, Ellen. You don’t need to play better.

  “You can always improve. Anyway you wouldn’t understand.” Ellen turned back toward the piano.

  Katie swallowed to hide her hurt. Her sister wasn’t known for being tactful but since she came back from Boulder she was worse. It was as if she found something lacking about Clover Springs and everyone in it.

  Some of it Katie could understand. It must be a big change coming back to a small town after spending nearly a year with people who had travelled all over Europe. But she couldn’t help feeling there was more to it than that. Ellen didn’t look happy for a start and before she left Ellen had been quick to smile.

  Now she seemed to find herself wanting most of all. Every time someone praised her for something, she answered in the negative. She had laughed the other night when Martha Sullivan commented on the fact she was working too hard. Katie could still hear her saying Only the best succeed, it’s no use being second best.

  Ellen didn’t have time for anyone, not even Ella or baby Danny. That hurt. Before she went away, Ellen had always made time for her niece even when the little girl hadn’t always been appreciative. Ellen had been like a second mother to Ella when she was born. She could count on one hand the number of times she had seen her sister holding Danny.

  It seemed Ellen’s life revolved around two things, Miss Rippon and Boulder. Katie was beginning to wish she had never heard of either of them.

  On impulse, she said.

  “Ellen, you know you don’t have to go back to Boulder don’t you? You can take over teaching at the school. Laura wants to be at home more, and she will quit all together when the baby comes.”

  “I aspire to greater things than to live in Clover Springs, sister dearest.” Ellen dismissed her with a look causing Katie to explode.

  “Listen girl, I’ve had enough. If you can’t keep a civil tongue in your head, what’s the point in all that expensive education.” Katie grabbed her shawl and basket and stormed out of the boarding house. All the way back to the store, she tried to get a grip on her temper. There was no point in falling out with her little sister. It was her duty to look after Ellen. Great job you are making of that.

  Ellen sat at the piano as Katie left. She didn’t follow her. Years of dealing with her sister’s temper meant she had to let her cool off.

  Cool down? That’s not what you are doing. You’re hiding as you are too scared to tell her what’s wrong. She’ll be so disappointed.

  Standing, Ellen replaced the piano cover before making her way to the store. She had to apologize for being a witch. Katie had only ever looked out for her and didn’t deserve her bad humor. Thankful she hadn’t bumped into anyone she knew on the street, she took a deep breath and pushed the door open hoping to catch Katie alone.

  Her prayers were answered as her sister looked up from behind the counter.

  Ellen waved her white handkerchief. “Is it safe to come in?”

  Katie burst out laughing before coming out from behind the counter to give Ellen a hug.

  “Ellen, all I want is for you to be happy. If that means staying in Boulder then so be it. But I would love you to come back and make your home here. It’s bad enough with Daddy, Liam and the rest of them miles away. I love you and will support whatever decisions you make.”

  Ellen tried hard not to cry. She didn’t want to alarm her sister any further.

  “Thank you Katie, you have no idea what that means to me.”

  Before she could say anything, the bell above the door rang as it opened and he walked in.

  “Mrs. Sullivan, Ma sent me to …” Samuel Higgins stopped suddenly. “Excuse m-me.” He stammered, his ears going as red as his cheeks as he whipped the hat from his head. “I didn’t m-mean to interrupt.”

  “Afternoon Samuel. Don’t mind us. We were having a sisterly moment.” Katie brushed her hair back out of her eyes and moved back behind the counter leaving Ellen standing there.

  Say hello, good afternoon, anything at all. Her mouth was too dry to speak even if she could get her brain to work. Her gaze travelled from his dusty boots to his head. His wide shoulders filled his blue shirt nicely. He had filled out some since she’d left.

  Gazing into his sapphire blue eyes, she waited for him to say or do something. His eyes sparkled with laughter. Was he laughing at her?

  “So what did your ma want?” Katie’s question broke through the fog in Ellen’s brain.

  “M-ma? Oh sorry, she gave me a list. I have it here somewhere.” Samuel routed in his pockets as his face grew hotter. She saw him glance at her again but this time she pretended to be looking elsewhere.

  “Here it is. Sorry. M-ma says I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached to my neck.”

  Katie laughed but Ellen didn’t. She knew Mrs. H didn’t mean to be nasty but she could see Samuel was embarrassed.

  “How’s things up at the Sullivan’s?”

  “Good thank you Ellen, sorry Miss O’Callaghan”

  “Since when did you call me Miss? I’m still Ellen.” Did you have to be so sharp? Was it her imagination or did he turn redder?

  “I didn’t know you were in town. Are you back for good or just a short break?”

  Ellen looked at the door willing it to open, hoping for a distraction so she wouldn’t have to answer that question. She caught Katie giving her a thoughtful look. She threw back an unspoken plea for help.

  “Ellen only got back a few days ago and all everyone seems to be asking her is when she’s leaving. I’m not in any hurry to see her go back to Boulder.”

  “M-me neither.” Samuel colored again. “What I me-meant to say was it is very nice having you around town again. Is that the time? I best go or M-ma will give me an earful. Thank you, ladies.”

  Chapter 6

  She was back. Ellen O’Callaghan, the girl who had stolen his heart over a year ago. And you had to struggle to get the words out when you spoke to her. It frustrated him no end. He could go for days speaking perfectly but the one time when he needed to make a good impression, he stumbled over the words.

  She hadn’t moved a muscle either, her big blue eyes gazing up at him.

  She looked so grown up dressed like a city girl. He smiled as he remembered what she looked like the first time they met. She’d been running, her long braids swinging in the wind as she played with one of the dogs on the ranch. He hadn’t seen her as anything other than a sad kid back then. She’d had the palest skin he’d ever seen and quite possibly the saddest expression.

  Mary had insisted on giving her one of the puppies despite Davy’s misgivings. He said they were working dogs not playthings. Mary retorted Ellen had needed a friend, she’d had such a rotten time of it.

  He smiled as he remembered showing Ellen how to train her puppy. He’d treated her like a younger sister and she saw him as an older brother. It took a while for her to trust people. Over that first summer, she’d told him about losing her mam. Her brother being sen
t to prison and then having to leave her daddy. Seemed like everyone she loved went away apart from Katie. Then she’d nearly lost Katie too, until Mrs. Grey had saved her.

  Ma had encouraged him to be Ellen’s friend. He heard Ma’s voice in his head. That child has seen more sorrow than is good for any young’un.

  What would Ma think now? Was it wrong for him to have developed feelings for her? She wasn’t a child anymore. She was a grown woman. But did she still see him in the same light as Davy and Aaron?

  He mounted his horse and headed home. Closing his eyes, he went over every detail of their encounter. People said she wasn’t as beautiful as her sister, Katie but he couldn’t understand that. She was everything you could want in a woman. Pretty, kind and really smart. Way too intelligent for a ranch hand without a piece of mud to call his own. Maybe he could ask Ma to lend him the money to file the claim. Even if you do, she isn’t going to want to farm land is she? Not a girl with her education.

  Chapter 7

  “Such a nice man isn’t he?” Katie said as she dusted the shelves around the counter.

  Ellen stared at the door willing him to come back in. What did he see when he looked at her? A woman or a kid wearing braids?

  “Ellen? Are you alright?”

  “Sorry Katie, what did you say? I was miles away.”

  Ellen walked over to the rolls of material fingering different fabrics. Her sister was looking at her but she wasn’t about to admit her feelings for Samuel. They were her fantasy. As far as she knew, he could be courting someone else.

  It wasn’t the type of question you could ask in a letter. She had devoured every letter she’d gotten from Clover Springs but nobody even mentioned the Higgins boys. It was as if they didn’t exist. Katie or Mrs. Grey is hardly going to write about some ranch hands are they? They wouldn’t think you would be interested. But she was. Miss Rippon insinuated Ellen spent too much time daydreaming.

  A baby’s wail cut through her thoughts.

  “Let me go Katie, it’s time I got to know my new nephew.”