Season Of Hope

by Cox, Carol

  The kittens ate their fill and settled down for the night after mewing and fidgeting a bit. She rocked and watched the fire burn down, a thousand thoughts tumbling through her mind. What could she have done differently? Could she have worked harder, accomplished more? She shook her head, despair seeping into every fiber of her being. She had done all she could, but she hadn’t raised enough to meet the loan amount, let alone pay Daniel for all his labor.

  One kitten, as wakeful as she, stood on his sleeping siblings and clawed his way to the top of the box. Hanging precariously from its edge, he teetered a moment, then dropped to the floor. The kitten crouched and looked about warily, then began exploring his surroundings.

  “Better not,” Rachel said and scooped up the little mite. She bent to return him to his bed, then paused and sat back in her chair, settling the tiny creature in her lap.

  “Can’t you sleep, either?” She traced the length of his body with her index finger and was rewarded by a soft purr. The kitten looked at her with unblinking eyes.

  Rachel resumed her stroking. “What’s keeping you awake, young fellow? You don’t have a load of problems weighing you down.” She ruffled his silky fur. “It’s a good thing your food is taken care of by your mother, you know. You and your brothers and sisters may be the only ones around here who’ll be eating before long.”

  The truth of her words struck home, and she swallowed hard. “It’s hopeless.” She forced the words past the unshed tears that clogged her throat. “Absolutely hopeless.”

  One tear, then another traced a slow trail down her cheeks. Folding her arms across her stomach, she leaned over and wept, the tears flowing freely. The kitten patted at her face with his velvet paw.

  “I’d better put you back before you get soaked,” Rachel sniffled. She returned the kitten to his bed, where he immediately curled into a ball and closed his eyes, the picture of contentment.

  Rachel watched his even breathing, her shoulders slumped with fatigue. All well and good for the cats and Violet to slumber peacefully. They could rest without worrying about what tomorrow might bring, as in the passage Daniel had read. They didn’t carry the responsibility of meeting anyone’s needs like she did.

  She had to go on, but how? And how could she rely on God to provide when He hadn’t supplied the money they needed?

  What had gone wrong? She remembered a time when she felt as carefree as the kittens, trusting in her pa to meet all her needs. Now she was the one who had to provide, and she knew her inadequacy for the task. She caught her breath in a ragged sob. It seemed she had all of life’s heartaches and none of its joys.

  ❧

  Icy wind whipped through the pines and stung Daniel’s face. He hunched his shoulders inside his sheepskin coat, glad for its protection against the elements. November in the mountains didn’t show compassion to anyone.

  He passed through the valley of Lynx Creek. Only a few more miles to go. Then he could get inside his cabin and build a fire to warm himself before he ventured outside again.

  After all the weeks of endless labor, it went against the grain to take a couple of days off to check things on his mining claim, but he had to do it. If he didn’t keep showing significant improvements, he couldn’t prove up on it, and he’d ignored it far too long already. All the same, taking the time to do something strictly for himself struck him as self-indulgent.

  The look on Rachel’s face when he told her about his plans let him know she shared his thoughts. That surprised expression of hurt, quickly replaced by a mask of indifference, told him she wanted to protest, but her pride wouldn’t let her.

  Daniel knew he had no reason to feel guilty. He tallied up the work he’d done. Fifty acres of land had already been turned under, and split wood lay stacked in neat piles, enough to last them through the next three months. He’d worked hard, he reminded himself, and planned to work even harder.

  He just needed to take this day to make sure of his claim. The gold he’d taken from the waters of the creek had provided him with a tidy income, most of which he’d managed to save by virtue of frugal living. If things went as he hoped, a steady yield would assume even greater importance. . .if he could persuade Rachel to marry him.

  Had he made any progress toward that goal? At times he thought he detected a tenderness in her attitude toward him, but he couldn’t be sure. Even ever-optimistic Violet didn’t know what to make of her sister’s frequent changes in mood.

  He knew Rachel hadn’t expected him to stay on once they’d completed the harvest, but she hadn’t voiced any objection yet. He listed the jobs he’d outlined for himself. When he had cut enough wood for this winter, he’d start on next year’s supply. Another thirty acres remained to be plowed and prepared for spring. Maybe he would have won Rachel’s heart by then.

  Failing that, he’d already made note of a number of things around the house and barn that needed maintenance and repair, things that Ike would have busied himself doing throughout the winter months. Rachel, though, might not have the time or the skills to take care of them. He had plenty of time to wear down her resistance, he assured himself smugly.

  He topped a rise and looked down across the swale. Buck-brush and manzanita dotted the slope. In the spring, the whole meadow would be filled with lupine and Indian paintbrush. The scene never failed to fill him with a sense of wonder. The familiar feelings took hold now as he wended his way down through the trees. He glanced downstream. Abner and Seth Watson would be loading their sluice box, despite the bitter weather. He’d stop by their place first and see if they had any news to share.

  Daniel pulled his gelding to a stop in front of the log-and-canvas shack, a crease forming between his eyebrows when he saw the sluice box sitting empty and no sign of activity. Normally, the two would have been hard at work since dawn. He scanned the area, a prickle of apprehension raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

  It just didn’t look right. Something had happened, he felt sure of it, but what? Unwilling to dismount and make himself vulnerable, he urged his horse forward and investigated more thoroughly. The only tracks he saw appeared to be days old and nothing gave any indication of foul play. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had gone wrong.

  “Abner?” he called softly. “Seth?”

  Bushes rustled behind him, and he jerked his horse around, grabbing for his pistol.

  “Daniel? That you?” Branches parted, and Abner Watson emerged from the brush, followed by his brother. Both looked as though they’d been holed up for days without sleep. “Man, I’m sure glad to see you and not some painted Yavapai warrior.”

  Daniel stiffened. “What are you talking about?”

  Abner bit off a chew of tobacco and rolled it in his cheek. “Apaches. We’ve been sitting tight for three days now, ever since Bill Stevens rode over to tell us they were running wild. Don’t know whether they’ll head this way or not, but a body can’t be too careful.”

  Daniel’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe they’d risk taking on Colonel Kautz.”

  Abner nodded and spat into the bushes. “Surprised us too. We didn’t expect any trouble, leastways not until spring. Kautz and his troops went off on some foray to the east, though, and this bunch of renegades decided to stir up trouble while they were gone. They’ve been going after some of the farms and ranches. Raided Zeke Johnson’s place over near the Dells, Bill said.”

  Daniel thought sure his heart had dropped into his stomach. Its wild beating the next instant assured him it hadn’t. He dug his spurs into the gelding’s ribs and headed him back the way they had come.

  “Ain’t you going to check your claim before you go running off?” Abner’s voice faded away behind him.

  The claim would have to take care of itself. Getting back to Rachel was the important thing.

  thirteen

  Two hours later, he pulled his lathered horse to a stop in the Canfield yard. Rachel and Violet huddled over the washtub, scrubbing clothes vigorously.

>   Daniel turned his horse into the corral without bothering to unsaddle him and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Get to the house!” They looked at him, startled, and Rachel raised both hands in question. “Now!” he roared. His tone and actions would brook no argument, and they hurried to obey, dropping their laundry to the ground.

  Daniel raced up the porch steps and slammed the door, dropping the heavy bar into place.

  “What’s this about?” Rachel bent double, panting after her headlong dash.

  “Indians. What do you have in the way of guns besides the Henry? And where do you keep the ammunition?” He watched her lips form an O and saw Violet turn pale and press her hand to her chest. Given other circumstances, he would have broken the news more gently, but today he didn’t have time to mince words.

  Rachel didn’t waste time asking questions but hurried to produce a shotgun and two pistols, along with boxes of shells. She lined them up on the table. “How long do we have, and what do you want us to do?”

  Daniel felt a surge of pride at her matter-of-fact response. He couldn’t spare a moment to tell her now, but when all of this was over. . .

  “I’ll take the front of the house. You keep watch out the kitchen window, and Violet can cover the back.” He put action to his words, setting out weapons and piles of ammunition at each spot.

  He turned to face the sisters, wanting to impress the seriousness of the situation on them without sending them into a panic. “Keep your eyes open for movement, shadows, anything at all out of the ordinary. Sing out the moment you notice anything unusual, whether you think it’s important or not. I’d rather have a dozen false alarms than miss the real thing when it comes.” He levered a shell into his rifle. “Thank God your pa cut down all the trees around the house when he built this place.”

  Rachel nodded solemnly. “I remember arguing with him when we first arrived, telling him I wanted at least some left near the house for shade.” She flashed him a shaky smile. “I’m glad he didn’t listen to me.”

  He sent them to their posts, repeating his instructions for good measure. They settled in, alert to the peril of their situation. Daniel filled them in on what he’d learned from Abner, as much to keep their minds occupied as to share information. Nerves stretched taut, they scrutinized every inch of ground within their view.

  Hours dragged by and dusk settled like a fleecy blanket. From the bedroom Daniel heard a low rumble and Violet’s embarrassed, “Rachel, I’m hungry.”

  “Why don’t you put together something for us to eat,” he called in a low voice. “Something light. We don’t want the food to make us drowsy.”

  Rachel emerged from the kitchen long enough to hand each of them bread topped with a slab of venison. Daniel had just enough time to squeeze her hand and give her an encouraging wink before she hurried back to her post.

  Daniel watched the shadows of the trees merge with the deeper darkness of night. “Might as well get some rest while you can,” he told them. “I’ll keep watch.”

  Rachel appeared in the kitchen doorway, hands on her hips. “We’ll take turns,” she stated, fixing him with a serious gaze.

  He chuckled in spite of the tension. “Yes, Ma’am. But you go to sleep first. I’ll wake you when it’s time to take your shift.”

  The two women fumbled their way through the shadowy house and curled up side by side on a blanket near the cold hearth. Daniel made his rounds from window to window, thinking how much his life had changed in the past few months. He, who said he’d never wanted anything to do with another woman, now found himself responsible for two of them. And liking it.

  ❧

  Long after Daniel called her to stand watch and lay down to get what rest he could, Rachel recalled the touch of his hand on hers when she handed him his spartan meal. Even while she moved from room to room, the memory of their brief contact gave her courage.

  She blinked heavily. Her eyes felt as though grains of sand had rubbed them raw, and she had to fight to stay upright. The sky lightened by degrees, the inky blackness fading to an ashen gray, then to a pearly hue as the first pink fingers of dawn crept over the horizon.

  She rolled her shoulders and shook her head to clear her mind. Nothing less than wide-awake vigilance would do now. While her gaze probed for movement among the trees and grasses, her thoughts strayed to Daniel again.

  She felt his presence, warm and comforting, although she couldn’t see him from her position by the window and didn’t dare risk turning to get a glimpse of him.

  He didn’t have to be here. The thought echoed through her mind. She marveled, thinking about the ride he’d had. Knowing what time he’d left the day before, she calculated the distance he’d had to cover to reach his claim, then return. He must have pushed his horse to its limit to make it back so quickly. And why? He must really care for them—for Violet—to ride so hard only to risk his life to stand watch with them. That spoke of a courage and integrity that awed her.

  He would make Violet a good husband, she thought, telling the pang of envy that swept through her to leave her alone. With Daniel around, she would never have to worry about her sister’s welfare. That would be one less responsibility on her shoulders. If she did lose the farm, she would only have to concern herself with her own survival.

  She blinked and nearly dozed, then caught herself. A distant drumming came to her ears and she stood erect, her pulse pounding in her ears. “Daniel?” she whispered.

  “I hear it.” He stood beside her in a second. They listened, straining to determine its source. Hoofbeats clattered into the yard.

  “Hello, the house!”

  Rachel flinched, then sagged with relief at the sound of the stentorian voice. Behind her, she heard Daniel lift the bar and open the door. Then came the scraping of boots on the porch. The next moment, Daniel stood beside her, gripping her shoulder excitedly. “They’re gone,” he told her, relief flooding his voice. “Tell Violet, then we can get something to eat.”

  Rachel rushed to do as she was bidden. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her, but the release from the night’s tension buoyed her. She and Violet returned to find Daniel talking to two men.

  “How do,” the older one said, bobbing his head first to Rachel, then Violet. “Just wanted to let you all know the danger’s passed. Someone got the word to Kautz’s men, and they hotfooted it back here.”

  “So we’re safe?” Rachel asked. With the release came weakness; her knees buckled, and she sank into a chair.

  “Yes’m. They’re going to continue regular patrols until they’re sure things are under control and will stay that way.” The man lifted a hand to the three of them, and he and his companion galloped out of the yard.

  Violet moaned softly and swayed. Fearing she would collapse, Rachel helped her to bed, then returned to the front of the house.

  Nearly dead on her feet, she stumbled into the kitchen where Daniel sat cradling a mug in his hands.

  “I made coffee,” he said, reaching over to pour her a cup. “Figured we both needed it.”

  Rachel dropped into a chair and nodded her thanks. She sipped the rich brew and gasped.

  Daniel chuckled. “I figured I ought to make it plenty strong,” he said.

  “You succeeded.” Rachel caught her breath and took another drink. No fear that she’d keel over now. This stuff would keep her awake the rest of the day. She looked at Daniel over the rim of her mug. “Is it really over?”

  Daniel stared into the bottom of his mug and didn’t answer for a moment. Finally, he nodded. “I think so. We’ll stay close to the house today. We can go out to the barn when we need to, but only to do what’s necessary for the animals. If we don’t hear anything more by tonight, I think we can rest easy. As easy as a body can rest at a time like this,” he added.

  Rachel shook her head slowly. “I’ve taken a rifle with me every time I’ve gone into town alone for years,” she said. “But Colonel Kautz and his troops have kept things so quiet, I never really ex
pected to have a need for it. Up to last night, that is.”

  She rose to fix a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs with bread and jam, not bothering to ration the eggs after their harrowing night. They ate in companionable silence, with Rachel thinking how natural it seemed to be sitting across the table from Daniel.

  He lifted his gaze to her face, concern clouding his eyes. “Do you think Violet’s all right?”

  Rachel brought her wayward thoughts up short. Natural or not, she’d better not get any ideas about Daniel as anything but a future brother-in-law.

  ❧

  In the week that followed, Daniel seldom left the property. After the threatened Indian raid, he’d spent a day putting up a crude shelter on the far side of the barn so he didn’t have to be away, even at night.

  Rachel felt grateful for his concern and slept better knowing he was never far away. She limited her visits to town to egg-selling trips only and kept the rifle close beside her all the way.

  She found that Daniel’s constant presence made for a mixed blessing. On one hand, it meant the opportunity to relax a bit, knowing she and Violet didn’t have to defend their property alone. On the other, it made ignoring her feelings for him doubly difficult.

  With winter coming on and fewer outdoor chores to do, Violet spent much of her time tagging along behind Daniel, talking to him nonstop. Rachel took over more of the cooking duties, resigned to her sister and Daniel forming a twosome.

  She reached for the calendar hanging on the kitchen wall and marked off the day’s date with an X. Another day. One day closer to the dreaded due date. Tears welled in her eyes.

  Violet came through the front door, humming a lively tune. Rachel dashed the moisture from her eyes and busied herself cleaning the counter. She scrubbed the pine boards with an outward appearance of calm, but her thoughts continued to race. Twenty days remained until December 15 would be upon them. Less than three weeks, and she still fell nearly sixty dollars short of her goal.