“I have to trust your people will not harm a child.” The child behind Sorcha bristled. “You must go. Now.”
Chapter 50
Little Beaver didn’t say much at they rode into town. She was grateful. She arrived at Clover Springs but was puzzled to find it was almost deserted. “Where is everyone?’
Little Beaver pulled the horse to a stop. “Go now. I go back to Nandita.”
“No, wait.” Sorcha didn’t want to be alone.
“It is best they do not see me. I do not share Nandita’s belief that they will not harm me. She does not consider me a man. I do not want to prove her wrong by fighting in your village.” He looked at her for a couple of seconds as if waiting for an answer. When she didn’t say anything, he turned to go.
His legs clenched into the side of his horse as he looked over his shoulder. “Your people will take you home.”
Sorcha stated at the cloud of dust in his trail. Maybe he was right. She didn’t know many of the Clover Springs residents but the stories Nandita had told her were sufficient to make his actions seem reasonable.
Picking up her skirt, she hurried to the store but was surprised to find it shut. She tried looking through the window but couldn’t see anyone. Knocking on the door didn’t work either.
She couldn’t give up. Jenny and Meggie needed her. The doctor would help. She didn’t know where he was but Reverend Timmons would. She ran towards the church but stopped short as she stumbled into the middle of a funeral procession.
“I’m so sorry.” Sorcha apologized to a man whose foot she trod on.
The man gave her a dirty look. “Who are you? I don’t recognize you. We have enough problems without strangers bringing more danger to the town.”
“I came for help. I need the doctor.”
The man made an ugly sound. “Doc is busy right now. With our own folk. We got us an epidemic. The whole town is sick.”
Katie. Ella. Was that why the store was shut? Cold shivers of fear ran down her back. “What type of epidemic?”
“Doc says it’s measles but I don’t know. I ain’t caught nothing and that’s the way I want it to stay.” He hobbled away so quickly Sorcha could have laughed if the situation wasn’t so dire. Measles. Was that what the girls had?
Chapter 51
Staring around at the small crowd exiting the church, she tried to find a face she recognized.
“What are you doing here?” She jumped as the woman’s voice came from right behind her. “You’re that Irish girl, aren’t you? The one Petersen married to give a new Ma to his girls.”
“I’m Sorcha Petersen. I need help. Brian is away on business and his girls are sick.”
“How sick?” The woman stood with her hands on her hips looking Sorcha up and down. By her expression, Sorcha saw she’d been found wanting. She didn’t care. Nobody’s opinion of her mattered. She had to get help for the girls.
“They have a fever and shivers. They’re coughing and won’t eat. Nandita thinks Jenny will die. She sent me to town to get help. I need to find the doctor.” Sorcha’s tone was shrill. She struggled to regain her composure. It wouldn’t do to antagonize someone who could help. She looked at the woman again to see the red flush creep up her neck into her face.
“Nandita? Do you mean to say you left those Petersen girls with a…savage? Of all the…”
“Nandita isn’t a savage. She’s my friend. Excuse me. I need to find the doctor.” Sorcha couldn’t move as the woman grabbed her arm.
“They are all like that. Murder you in your bed as soon as look at ye. Is that what you want? To get rid of those poor girls?”
“What? No, of course not. Let me go. I need to get back.” Sorcha pulled at her arm but the lady was stronger than she looked.
The woman didn’t seem to hear her but continued ranting. “Those Petersen girls are mighty pretty. By the time you get home, there won’t be a sign of them.”
Sorcha swayed, seeing three of the woman in front of her. Her hate-filled face was moving in triplicate. She reached out wildly for something to hold onto as the ground moved beneath her.
“You’re wrong.” Sorcha blinked rapidly. The woman was wrong. Nandita was her friend, she had worked herself into the ground trying to save Brian’s daughters. Her own children had been at risk too.
“Mrs. Petersen, what is wrong with the girls?” Sorcha heard a new voice questioning her but she couldn’t focus to respond. A stinging clap across the cheek got her attention. “Come on, out with it, girl. What’s happened to Jenny and Meggie?”
“They are sick, really sick. I think they may have measles.”
“Dear God. Where is Mr. Petersen? Is he sick too?”
Sorcha shook her head so hard it made her dizzier. “No, well, I don’t think so. He went away. To Denver.” Sorcha turned away. “I have to go get the Doctor. The girls need me.”
“No chance of the doctor going with you. Too many patients need him here in town.”
Sorcha moved her hand over her stomach afraid she would empty it right there in front of the ladies. “Please. Someone has to come. The girls could die. I can’t let that happen.” Sorcha held out her hand to the older woman. “Please help me. Nandita’s medicine isn’t working. I don’t know what to do.” Sorcha stood wringing her hands together.
“See, I told you. Stupid girl has let injuns loose on those lovely girls. They’ll be ruined.”
“They’ll be dead unless I get them help.” Sorcha stood straighter, ignoring the bad tempered woman who still had a hold on her arm. Nobody was going to stop her getting help for her girls. “You may consider Nandita a savage but at least she helped me. Which is more than can be said for either of you.”
Sorcha pulled away and turned on her heel so fast it caught in her skirt. She would have fallen head first if the nicer woman hadn’t made a grab for her.
“You have spirit. Have you a wagon?”
“No Little... I got a ride here.”
“Go to Frank and get him to hitch up a wagon. I am too old to go to your home by horseback. I need some supplies. Meet me at the store. Hurry.”
“The store is shut.”
“Not for me. Katie will let me in.”
Realization dawned on Sorcha. “Are you Mrs. Grey?”
The woman nodded before saying. “Don’t stand there gawping at me, girl. Go get the wagon.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Gathering her skirts, Sorcha ran in the direction of Frank’s stables. She knew all about Mrs. Grey from Mary’s letters. She saved Katie, maybe she can save the girls too. Thank you Lord.
Chapter 52
Sorcha pulled up the wagon outside the store. She’d had a job convincing Frank not to come with her. She didn’t want to expose him to whatever illness was in her home. He seemed concerned Nandita was at the house. She didn’t think he saw the Indian as a threat but seemed worried about her. She didn’t have time to dwell on that now.
She didn’t go into the store for fear of infecting Katie or baby Ella but sat counting backwards in Irish. Just as Granny had told her to do when her troubles threatened to overcome her. She wished Granny was here now. She moved over as Mrs. Grey insisted on driving back to the house. The old woman rode the wagon hard with Sorcha holding onto the sides for dear life. There wasn’t time for conversation.
They had barely stopped when Mrs. Grey started issuing orders. “Get some hot water going and plenty of clean rags. Tell that boy to go get as many berries as he can. Nandita, boil up some of that brew you use for fevers. Now where are the girls?”
Sorcha didn’t answer. She was too busy staring after Nandita and Little Beaver who had jumped to do Mrs. Grey’s bidding. “The girls, Mrs. Petersen. Are you sure you are not sick too? You seem to be ailing.”
Sorcha pulled herself together. She wasn’t going to fall apart on the girls now. She showed Mrs. Grey into her bedroom where the two girls were sharing a bed. She studied the woman’s face as she examined the girls.
“Is it measles? A
re you not afraid?”
“You can’t get it again. I must have had it as a child as I didn’t catch it off our soldiers. We need to separate these girls.”
“Meggie cries if she can’t see Jenny.” Sorcha protested.
“Do you want her dead or upset?”
Sorcha then knew what the phrase your blood ran cold meant. Dead. She couldn’t lose either of the girls.
“Listen, child. Meggie isn’t as ill as Jenny. She has a very good chance of survival but only if we separate them.” For some reason, Mrs. Grey being nice was more worrying than her issuing orders. Sorcha dreaded what was to come. The older woman paused for a moment staring down at Jenny. She pushed the hair back from her eyes.
“Jenny, well frankly, you should prepare yourself for the worst. She is a very sick little girl.”
No. YOU can’t have her too. You took Granny and Luke. Everyone who loved me. Sorcha railed at God before turning on Mrs. Grey.
“I am not losing her, Mrs. Grey. God just gave me a family and I’m darn well not going to hand it back to him on a plate.” Sorcha stood still. Would Mrs. Grey leave? She had just sworn. Typical of her to let her tongue run away with her. Instead of scolding her, the woman smiled.
“Good girl. That’s the spirit we need. Have you had measles?”
Sorcha shrugged. “I guess so. I don’t know.”
“No use worrying about that now. We’ll know soon enough. You tell me if you feel ill. You hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You nurse Meggie in the girls’ room. I will tend to Jenny in here.”
“Please let me tend Jenny.” Sorcha begged.
“You, girl, need some rest. You are exhausted. As is Nandita. Go to bed and you can take over in the morning.”
“I won’t sleep.” Sorcha protested despite every bone in her body screaming with tiredness.
“Oh, but you will. Hasn’t your friend Mary told you? I don’t expect any disobedience. I just won’t tolerate it.”
Sorcha thought she saw a twinkle in the other woman’s eye but it was gone as quick as it came. She pushed herself to her feet. Making up a pallet on the floor of the girls room, she returned to take Meggie. “Can’t I just sleep beside her?”
“And risk her fever increasing? Not to mention the risk of infecting you. Absolutely not. Do as you are told.”
Instinctively Sorcha moved to argue but Mrs. Grey spoke over her. “Save your strength to fight the disease not my orders.”
Sorcha fought the urge to salute. She must be crazy. She moved Meggie quickly before coming back into the room to give Jenny a kiss. Stumbling out of the room, her vision blurred with tears. Mrs. Grey caught her arm. “Sorcha, I will do my best. Pray for God’s mercy, dear.”
Sorcha didn’t trust her voice to work. She squeezed the other woman’s arm gratefully before moving out of the room. She checked on Nandita and her children but they were all fast asleep.
Taking a large glass of water, she went back to Meggie. The child was restless, tossing and turning on the pallet. Sorcha put her hand on the little one’s forehead. It felt cooler than before. She sponged her down again with the concoction Nandita had boiled first then cooled. She barely noticed the smell as she prayed for God’s mercy.
Dear Father above, save my children. Don’t let their deaths be the price I pay for my foolishness. Brian was right. I shouldn’t have insisted on taking Jenny to school. She’d be happy and healthy now if only I had listened. Sorcha remained on her knees until Mrs. Grey came into the room.
“Get into bed with you. This isn’t the time to be making yourself ill. I have enough to do without nursing you as well.”
“It’s my fault the girls are sick. I took them to school. Their Pa didn’t want them in town.”
“Children belong in school. You weren’t to know there were measles around. Nobody was.” Mrs. Grey examined Meggie. She smoothed down the sheet covering the little girl before turning her attention back to Sorcha. “Don’t know what it is about you Catholics. You are always looking for something to feel guilty about.”
Sorcha frowned. Why was Mrs. Grey not telling her how worthless she was? Maybe she needed to speak plainly. “If they stayed here, they wouldn’t have gotten sick.”
“God is all powerful. He’s the one who makes the decisions over who gets what, who dies, who lives. The sooner you accept that, the better. Make life easier for all of us, especially these girls. They’ve been through enough.”
Sorcha couldn’t reply. Mrs. Grey left taking the lamp with her. Sorcha lay in the darkness. Was Mrs. Grey right? Would God have sent this epidemic to their little house anyway? She tossed and turned, images of the girls mixed with Mother Superior and Brian. She sat up in a cold sweat. When would he be home? What was he going to do when he found out she had put their girls at risk?
Chapter 53
Bright light hit her eyeballs. Pain seared through her head. She was so tired. The last two days had been a continuous round of nursing and cleaning. She did everything Mrs. Grey asked. Nandita worked just as hard but they couldn’t see a difference in the girls. Mrs. Grey had insisted Sorcha rest. She had gone to bed, protesting she didn’t need sleep and here she was trying not to wake up.
She tried to close her eyes but small fingers prevented her. “Sorra, wake up. Meggie hungry.”
Sorcha twisted trying to find the darkness. She didn’t want to face the world today. She tried to clench her eyes shut.
“Sorra.” The tone was more insistent as she shook her. Meggie!
Sorcha jumped up from the pallet bed, grabbing Meggie into a big cuddle. “Meggie, what are you doing out of bed?” Her forehead was cool to the touch.
“Sorra, Meggie hungry.” As if to emphasize the point, the child pointed to her belly. Squealing with laughter, Sorcha swung Meggie around. She was fine. She had survived.
“Come on, love. Let’s go find you something to eat.” She carried the child out to the kitchen where Nandita was cooking. “She’s better. The fever has broken.”
Nandita’s smile reached her eyes for the first time since the girls had gotten sick.
“Where’s Jenny?” Meggie asked her finger curling into her mouth.
Sorcha and Nandita exchanged looks before Sorcha pulled Meggie onto her lap. “Jenny is still sick, love. You sit down here and let Nandita give you breakfast. I will go see how Jenny is.”
“Meggie come too.” The child’s grip tightened uncomfortably around her neck. Sorcha knew she couldn’t risk infecting the toddler again. She peeled the little arms from her all the time saying softy. “You need to be a big girl now, Meggie, and help Sorcha. Sit down and eat. I will be back in a minute.”
At the mutinous expression on the child’s face, Nandita spoke. “Mrs. Grey is looking after Jenny.”
They would have laughed at the speed Meggie took her chair and held up her spoon had they not been so worried about her sister.
Chapter 54
Sorcha knocked on the door of her bedroom. Hearing no response, she pushed it open. Mrs. Grey was slumped over in the chair. The poor lady had fallen asleep. Sorcha took a blanket and put it over her. Turning to Jenny, she put a hand to her mouth at the sight before her. The girl was covered in spots. Her face glistened with sweat. Taking a seat on the other side of the bed, Sorcha bathed her with the evil smelling liquid.
“Ma, is that you?” The child’s weak whisper pierced Sorcha’s heart.
“It’s Sorcha, love.”
“Am I going to die?” Jenny whispered. “I don’t want to. I won’t go to heaven. I’ve been too nasty.”
Sorcha put the cloth down and pulled the child to her. “You are not going to die. I won’t let you.” Jenny’s eyes closed over. “Fight, Jenny. I love you, sweetheart.”
Jenny’s eyes flickered open.
“I’m scared. Will you sing to me?”
Sorcha swallowed but nothing shifted the lump in her throat. “I don’t think I can, love.”
“Please, Sorcha.
“
Sorcha hummed a couple of verses for Jenny as she took back up the cloth and sponged the child all over. She watched the little girl’s face relax slightly as sleep took over. I will not let you die. I just won’t. I don’t care what anyone else says.
Mrs. Grey stirred in her chair. “Sorcha, how is she?”
“She’s burning up.”
“Did she wake up? She was muttering a lot last night but I couldn’t make out what she was trying to say.”
Sorcha wiped Jenny’s face again with the cloth, the tears in her eyes blurring her vision. “She told me she’s scared of dying. She thinks she won’t go to …” Sorcha put her head on the bed beside Jenny’s hand and sobbed her heart out. She loved the child so much. She couldn’t lose her now.
Standing, Mrs. Grey checked Jenny before putting a hand on Sorcha’s shoulders.
“Come on. Pull yourself together. We have to bathe her. Bring the tub in here. We have to try to get that fever down.”
Sorcha wiped her eyes, gave Jenny a quick kiss and moved toward the door. Mrs. Grey looked pale and anxious.
“Mrs. Grey, you should rest.”
“Plenty of time for that when this is over.”
Sorcha gripped the door handle. Had she misheard? Surely Mrs. Grey hadn’t given up.
“Don’t stand there gawping. I’m not done yet. Get that tub and ask Nandita to come in here.”
Sorcha moved but then turned back to the old lady. “Meggie is much better. She is eating breakfast.” The transformation in Mrs. Grey’s face was incredible. Her soft expression hinted at the beauty she must have been in her youth. Then the mask descended once more.
“Don’t let her eat too much. Her system is still weak. Last thing we need is her vomiting everywhere.”
Sorcha reeled. She didn’t know what to make of this woman. One minute she had the heart of an angel, the next she was as fierce as a cornered bear. Thank God she is on our side.
Sorcha: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides Page 12