Sorcha: Clover Springs Mail Order Brides

by Rachel Wesson

  “Sorra, is Jenny coming to eat breakfast too?” Meggie’s voice intruded on her thoughts.

  She looked at her little girl, the thumb back in her mouth as she waited for an answer. “No, love. Mrs. Grey wants Jenny to have a bath.”

  “Meggie no want a bath.”

  Sorcha took the child up into her arms and gave her a big cuddle. “You don’t need a bath, love. Not today. Little Beaver will take you girls outside to play. Nandita and I are going to help give Jenny a bath.”

  A quick glance at Nandita was enough to tell the Indian girl the situation was serious. Meggie didn’t need to see or hear what would transpire over the next few hours.

  “Meggie, why don’t you see if you can find flowers for Jenny? She can see them when she wakes up.”

  Sorcha could hear the tremor in Nandita’s voice. Meggie’s clap of approval at the Indian’s suggestion made her wish she was an innocent child too, completely unaware of the hardships life had to offer.

  Chapter 55

  Brian walked slowly with the horse following behind. Typical, he had to go lame just a couple of miles from the house. He was looking forward to seeing his girls again. Jenny, Meggie and Sorcha. Sorcha. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her when he was away. She wasn’t fragile or delicate as he had first thought. She had shown fire and spirit not to mention strength of character.

  He knew of her friendship with Nandita. While not thrilled his young wife had deceived him, Frank had made him see that preventing her from having company was wrong. Nandita was a nice girl. For an Indian.

  Coming over the rise, he could see the house in the distance. Tempting as it was to walk faster, he couldn’t do that to Jackson. The poor animal had been a faithful servant. With a little rest and a couple of healing hot compresses, his leg should be fine but only if he didn’t push him.

  Looking at the house, his stomach pitched. Something was wrong. He couldn’t see any movement and there was a strange wagon parked outside. A high pitched scream carried in the wind.

  Dropping his bags, he ran faster than he ever did before. Jenny. His little girl was in trouble. Her screams made him run even faster. He burst into the house to find three women drowning the child in water. He pulled the Indian away first before turning his full fury on his wife.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Mr. Petersen, please control yourself. You are scaring Jenny.”

  Jenny wasn’t screaming anymore but moaning. It took a few minutes for his brain to account for her glazed eyes and mottled skin.

  “Brian, Jenny has measles. We need to get her temperature down. We tried everything else but this is our last chance.” Sorcha pulled at his arm. He looked toward her but couldn’t take in what she was saying. Measles. How did his daughter have measles?

  “Move out of my way. You will kill her.” He pushed Sorcha away to his side and then scooped Jenny from the water. His little girl clung to him. “Pa.” That one word told him he was doing the right thing. He cuddled her shivering body closer.

  “Lay her on the bed, Mr. Petersen. We need to get her dry before she gets too chilled.” Jenny’s teeth were chattering so hard, the vibrations moved up his arms. Mrs. Grey led the way to his bedroom, lying some towels on the bed before looking at him pointedly. “Let us try to save your child.”

  He looked from the old woman to his daughter and back again. Something on her face told him to do as he was bid. He laid Jenny gently on the bed covering her quickly with a towel.

  “I will call you in as soon as she is decent.”

  The dismissal was pointed and didn’t brook an argument. Shoulders slumping as the fight left him, he walked back into the main room. Nandita and his wife were emptying the tub. He stared at them for a few minutes, taking in the fear in Nandita’s eyes and the fact his wife wouldn’t look at him.

  “Nandita, please leave us.”

  Nandita looked to Sorcha, who nodded slightly. With one last glance at him, she obeyed his request. He clenched and unclenched his hands trying to calm his temper.

  “Sorcha, what were you doing to Jenny? I heard her screaming.”

  “She didn’t want to get into the bath. The water was very cold. But it was the only way, I swear to you.”

  He walked slowly around the tub not wanting to scare her.

  “I know that now.” He put his hand on her arm, causing her to wince. “Did I hurt you?” A vision of him pushing her aside hit him.

  “Tis nothing more than I deserve.”

  At his wife’s whisper, he sat on the nearest chair and buried his head in his hands. Dear Lord, don’t punish me again. Don’t take Jenny away from me. Please.

  “Mr. Petersen, wake up.” Brian woke with a start to face Mrs. Grey. He shot out of the chair.

  “Jenny.”

  “Jenny is fine, thanks in no small part to your wife and her Indian friend. She is sleeping now. The fever has broken. Your little girl will be soon back at school where she belongs.”

  Brian rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “School? No, Mrs. Grey you must be mistaken. Jenny doesn’t attend school.”

  “I am not often wrong, Mr. Petersen. Now you can take that look off your face. Your child needs to attend school, not just for an education, but also for her social development. Before you go blaming school for your child being sick, the majority of people who fell ill in town weren’t children. They say some ill people came in by train some days ago.” Mrs. Grey made a point of dusting down her skirts, allowing him some thinking time. “Your wife is an educated lady. Exactly the type of woman Clover Springs needs.”

  My wife is amazing. She also defied you and went against your wishes. Brian dismissed the voice. He’d been wrong. He couldn’t protect Jenny by keeping her here on the homestead. Any one of his customers could have carried measles with them.

  God hadn’t taken his Jenny but he had sent him a wonderful gift. Now if he could only find a way to tell his wife he loved her.

  Chapter 56

  “You look sad, my friend. Jenny, she is alright now. I think she go back to school?”

  “Yes, Jenny is great. You wouldn’t know she’s been sick.”

  “And you? You are sick in here, yes?” Nandita pointed at her heart.

  Sorcha looked into the distance. She didn’t want to have this discussion.

  “I am fine.”

  “Really?” Nandita held her head to one side as she always did when thinking. “You seem to get smaller every time I see you. Are you not eating?”

  “Stop fussing.” Sorcha picked at her skirt. “I eat enough.”

  “So why you look so miserable? You sing sad songs too. Make everyone cry.”

  “Do I?”

  Nandita just stared back at her.

  “That’s the Irish in me. All our songs speak of going home.”

  “Home? This is your home now, no?”

  “Yes.”

  “But it is not enough. You want to make a home with your husband. Maybe when you have a baby?”

  “Nandita.” Sorcha’s cheeks flamed. “Don’t.”

  “I do not understand you, white women. You don’t speak about babies or what happens between a husband and wife. Why?”

  “It’s private, I guess.” Sorcha’s burning cheeks and the shivers going up and down her spine made it impossible for her to look at Nandita. Never mind, sit still, and ladylike.

  “Don’t you want a baby? I know you love the girls but one of your own. It’s different, yes?”

  “Yes.” Sorcha whispered. Not because she thought the girls would hear her. They were too far away. She was afraid to put her thoughts into words for fear they would sound stupid. “I would like a real marriage.”

  “You mean you would like your husband to share your blanket.”

  Sorcha giggled. “Yes, my dear blunt friend. I would like that.”

  “Why not ask him?”

  Sorcha shook her head violently. “I can’t do that. It would be too forward.”

  “You are marr
ied. You say words in front of your medicine man. It is not right he sleep in the barn. He cannot give you a baby with him out there.”

  “Stop, please.”

  “Do you not want him as your husband? He seems like a kind man.”

  “How can you of all people say that? He’s never been nice to you.”

  “I see how he is with the horses and other sick animals. A man who is gentle and caring. He has many sorrows in his heart.”

  “The loss of his wife and his son.”

  “Yes, they are recent sorrows but he has much more. From when he was a child. I look in his eyes and I see much sadness.” Nandita took Sorcha’s hand, rubbing it gently. “I see much pain in your eyes too, my friend. You spend too much time thinking of the past. You must live for the future. What has gone on before cannot be changed. But what happens tomorrow. That is up to you.”

  Sorcha took her hand back. She stared into the distance.

  “You care deeply for him, don’t you?”

  Sorcha couldn’t answer, her throat closing as the emotions welled up inside her.

  “Show him how you feel. Together you can heal the pain.”

  “I don’t know how.” Sorcha’s temper rose with her voice. “I try to cook him the food he likes, wash his clothes, sew his socks but nothing gets his attention.” Surprised, she stopped as Nandita laughed loudly.

  “Sew his socks. I mean you should get his attention as a lover not as his mother. You need to touch him.”

  “I couldn’t. Could I?” Sorcha closed her eyes, barely peeping at Nandita from under her lashes. “How?”

  “It is very easy.” Nandita’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Stand very near when you are speaking to him. Touch him. On the arm or leg – you can pretend it is an accident. Let your hair free. I do not understand why white women always bunch their hair up on top of their heads. It make them look like an upside down bush.”

  Sorcha giggled. Nandita did too, as she pulled her long dark hair into a funny shaped bun. “See, I look like I am wearing a bush.”

  “Did you use these tricks on your hus… I am so sorry, Nandita.” Sorcha’s stomach twisted at the hurt and pain in her friend’s face. She was so stupid.

  “It is ok. No. With Sleeping Bear, I did not wish to use any tricks. He needed no help taking what he thought was his.” A fierce glow lit up her brown eyes. Sorcha could have bitten though her own tongue. Why did she mention him? She held her hand out to her friend wanting to take away those horrible memories.

  “Do your hands always look like that after you wash clothes?

  Sorcha rubbed self consciously at her hands, although she knew this was Nandita’s way of changing the subject.

  “They look painful.”

  “Granny told me it was the soap but sure what choice do I have? You can’t wash clothes with just water.”

  Nandita walked over to her things. Bending down, she retrieved a small bowl.

  “Try rubbing this on them. It won’t hurt and it may help a little. I too have same problem.” Nandita gave her the bowl. “I made some this morning. It will keep for a few days. If it helps, I will show you how to make it.”’

  “Thank you.” Sorcha eyed her friend. “Have you heard any more about Sleeping Bear?”

  Nandita eyes darkened. “He is recovering from his injuries. They say he will be well enough to travel in a few days. He will come for us soon.”

  “Oh, Nandita. Do you have to go with him? Can you not stay here?”

  “I don’t think your husband would like that.”

  “Well, not here, but with the other Indians? Would they not take you in?

  “Some of them would but the majority are too worried about their own families. There isn’t enough food to go around. They have too many women and children and not enough men. They know they will soon be forced to live on the reservation in Montana. They have tried running once but now they have accepted defeat.”

  “But they can’t expect you to live with a man who beats you? Next time he might kill you.”

  “He will, he has said so.” Nandita’s brown eyes widened. Before Sorcha could ask why, he spoke.

  “Who will kill you?”

  “Brian, I’m sorry. I know you said Nandita was not to come again.” Sorcha stopped speaking.

  “Who?”

  “My husband, Sleeping Bear. He…he hates me and wants me dead. “

  “Why doesn’t your family protect you?”

  “I have no family. My father was killed years ago. The tribe let my mother and me stay with them. When I left Sleeping Bear, I left the tribe too.”

  “She can’t go back to him, Brian, please tell her she doesn’t have to.” Sorcha went to put a hand on her husband’s arm but at the last second, let it fall away.

  He looked at her hand first, before his eyes travelled up to meet hers. She saw what she thought was regret in his face. But his tone was hard. “We cannot get involved in Indian business, Sorcha. You know that.”

  “It’s not Indian business. She’s my friend. She saved your child.” She didn’t stamp her foot but she wanted to.

  “Sorcha, your husband speaks true. Sleeping Bear is a bad enemy. The sprits will protect me. Maybe it is my time to join my parents.

  “No. I don’t believe that. You are young. Frank will help you. I know he will.” Sorcha put her hand to her mouth. She had promised herself to say nothing of the visits that took place between Frank and her friend. Nandita didn’t speak of them and neither had Frank. But she had seen the way he looked at the Indian girl. A look of love that was returned every time Nandita saw him but thought nobody else was watching.

  “Leave Frank out of this.”

  “But Nandita…”

  “Sorcha, I said no. It is too much risk to everyone.”

  Chapter 57

  Brian stood watching silently. The girl was very brave. Frank too. He’d suspected his friend had more personal feelings than he had let on. Sorcha’s comments had confirmed the suspicions. They, Nandita and Frank, had each suffered enough already. He should try to help them. Frank was his friend. Nandita had tried her best to save Jenny. Mrs. Grey had given the Indian girl the highest praise.

  “Nandita, can you take me to see Chief Running Buffalo?”

  “The chief? But why?”

  “If you could provide for yourself and your children, would he give you shelter?”

  “Well yes, but I have no way to do that. My beadwork is good but not good enough to sell.”

  “You can make those teas you made when my girls were sick. I heard you tell Sorcha you could help her hands.”

  How long had he been listening? Oh, please don’t let him have heard Nandita telling her how to seduce him. Sorcha concentrated hard on not giving into the impulse to run as far away from him as possible. Instead she listened.

  “Do you think enough people would buy them?” The hope in Nandita’s voice brought tears to Sorcha’s eyes. Angrily, she brushed them away. Her friend wasn’t crying and she wasn’t about to start now.

  “I do not need much, but the children? They are always hungry.”

  “Sorcha, please pack up some food.” Sorcha’s heart missed a beat when he called her name. “Nandita, you and the children are welcome to stay here tonight. Tomorrow, you will go see Chief Running Buffalo and arrange a meeting.”

  “You are going to the Indian camp? I thought well… that is…” Sorcha closed her mouth at the determined look he gave her.

  “It is time to finish this. Nandita is right. We cannot live in the past. I was wrong.” Brian reached out a hand as if to caress her face. But he let it fall short. “Wrong about a lot of things. We will talk once Nandita is settled.”

  Sorcha hugged Nandita close before her friend went to speak to the Chief. She walked back to the house alone. What did his last comment mean? Was he going to send her back to Boston? He didn’t mean for her to stay. Did he?

  Much as she wanted Nandita to be safe, and the children of course, she wan
ted Brian to explain right now what he meant. Briefly, she considered asking him but soon realized that was selfish. Her friend needed their help.

  “I am going with you.” Sorcha said, surprising everyone as she turned back to where they were standing, not least herself. “Mary will take the girls. I have to see Nandita settled for myself.”

  Brian opened his mouth but closed it again quickly at a look from Nandita.

  “It is right you both come. There is much to be settled.”

  Sorcha got the feeling Nandita was talking about more than just her situation but she wasn’t getting into that now. There wasn’t time. She had to pack up her things as well as the girls. She hurried to complete her chores grateful for Nandita’s help. Brian was in the barn with Frank, who had agreed to look after the horses in their absence.

  Sorcha hurried out to the barn to ask her husband something. The two men were arguing but quieted down as soon as they saw her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, Mrs. Petersen. Your husband was just giving me orders. You’d think I didn’t know one end of the horse from another.”

  Sorcha looked to Brian for an explanation but there was none forthcoming. His stony expression warned her to leave it. Turning about heel, she marched back to the house.

  Surely he wasn’t discussing me with Frank? Was he?

  Chapter 58

  They headed to the Sullivan ranch shortly after midday. The girls were excited to be spending a few nights with Ben, so they didn’t create too much of a fuss when they found out they weren’t going to see their Indian friends.

  On arrival, they found Mary shelling peas. She was delighted to take the girls for a spell but refused to let the adults leave on an empty stomach. Davy took Brian out to see some of his foals while Nandita helped Mrs. H prepare lunch. Mrs. H had been baking so they ate their fill of delicious pastries, followed by cakes.

  “Thank you for taking the girls. You will look after them should something happen?’