by Rita Hestand
"N-not exactly. But I am on the run…and I'm putting you and your son in danger by being here. That wasn't my intention. I just needed to get out of the rain and rest my leg. That's why I stopped when I saw your barn the other night. I think I bumped by head too…"
"Want me to check it?"
"No, there's no blood, just a lump but it blocked my memory for a while."
"You were concussed then…" She added.
"Yeah, I guess."
She leaned back in her chair, the news didn't seem to bother her.
"You said you are putting me and my son in danger. Well, I'm used to being in danger Mr. Harper." She sighed heavily.
His expression hardened. "Not like this, I'm sure. Look, as soon as I can walk, I’ll be out of here. I don't want to cause you any problems. I thank you for your help, but I've got to move on."
"No, I don't suppose you do want to cause us problems. But trouble seems to find people, whether they are looking for it or not, doesn't it?"
"I suppose it does, ma'am. Ma'am, where's your husband? I mean I sorta assumed you have one since you have a child."
"Out there," she nodded out the window. He turned and peeked out, there was a cemetery.
"Oh, I'm sorry…" He stared at her again. She had pretty eyes, brown and warm.
"He's been gone four years now…"
"Again, I’m sorry."
She sipped her coffee now and leaned back to relax in her chair. She studied him openly now.
"Where are you from Mr. Harper?" She asked curiously.
"Waco, Ma'am." He answered.
"You're a ways from home then."
"A ways, I suppose."
"Got business in these parts?"
"Look, I don't mean to be ill-mannered ma'am, but the less you know about me the better…"
"Have you broken the law, Mr. Harper?" She seemed to wait for that answer.
"No ma'am. Not exactly."
"Not exactly. How do you not exactly break the law?" She asked with a chuckle. She started to leave but turned back around and stared at him, as though sizing him up.
The man was pleasant, friendly even. It created a strange bond between them. "Do you know a Mr. John Ledbetter?" She asked out of the blue.
"Never heard of him, no…who is he?"
She sighed heavily, then explained. "I guess that's not your concern. Since you don't know who he is. That tells me you aren't a local man for sure. Everyone in these parts knows Ledbetter."
"Is he important to you?"
She almost laughed. "In a way. Most people around here know him, or of him at least. He's the richest man in this territory."
When he showed no reaction she went on. "He's a rancher, and he wants my land." She looked around the room with a heavy sigh. "When my husband died, he started trying to run me off this land. There's a spring that runs through my property that is invaluable to the community. My husband left no will. The land is in his name only. Mr. Ledbetter has taken me to court and is trying to legally take my land from me. So that's what I mean when I say I'm used to trouble. And I wanted to warn you of what might come. If they put me out, they'll put you out too."
"Can he do that?" Les raised up further, now listening intently.
"With a crooked judge, maybe. But my boy and I are not leaving. Not willingly at least. As you can see, I can't function any where but here. They think because I'm an invalid that they can force me off the land saying I am unable to take care of it."
"I can't see you incapable of anything." Les remarked, his eyes going over her in a more personal way. She hadn't had a man look at her like that in years. It startled her at first, and then she smiled. It was kind of nice.
She smiled again and his reaction to it shook him. Why did that smile do things to him? He'd never reacted to a woman quite like this before. It made no sense. Of course the kind of women he indulged in came from saloons, not houses with doilies and lace curtains. He especially never acquainted himself with a crippled one. He wished he could overlook that fact, but it stared at him, reminding him of the barrier between them. Truth was he didn't know any crippled women. It shocked him. Maybe he was just feeling sorry for her. Sure, that's probably what it was.
But that wasn't the case. She was quite capable, that much he knew about her already.
"I've learned to cope with my physical problems, Mr. Harper. I've had to. I learned for myself that you can either lay down and give into it, or you can take up your bed. I chose to take up my bed, after I faced that fact. I've learned to take care of myself, mostly. At least here, in my home. That's why this place is so important to me. It's my haven. In this house, I can move and do just like any other woman. But only here. And I know that."
He glanced at the low counters in the kitchen and he remembered seeing a ramp as he struggled to come into the house. He nodded. "I can see why. Who made all the adjustments?"
"A neighbor. You see, my husband and I were in a buggy, coming home from town four years ago. My husband wanted to show me a beautiful ridge where I could look out over our land, and he took a curve around the ridge too close. The buggy rolled down the cliff. It left him dead, and me paralyzed. That was four years ago. I spent nearly a year not talking to anyone, not taking care of anything. Just laying in a bed and feeling sorry for myself. I was a complete mess. A whole year wasted. Then my neighbor talked some sense into me. He's much older, much wiser. He told me I couldn't live life like that forever, or I could get up and live. He also told me I should heal my inner self or die. He said I had a son to take care of, a place to care for. So he helped me. He built the ramp, he built the counters for me. And now, I can manage completely here in this house. So…moving is out of the question for me. Any where else, I would be just a cripple. Here, I'm capable. They'll have to physically remove me from my home. And there is another reason, it lies out there in the cemetery. Frankie's folks. Neither one of us could leave them, to be trampled by cattlemen. Can you understand that?"
Les thought about what she'd said. The woman had no choice. This was the only place she could ever call home. She was right, she couldn't leave. It might destroy her. And that would be a real sin, he decided, because he knew he liked Mrs. Prescott.
"Is there no hope of ever getting out of that chair?" He asked, his gaze narrowing in on her.
She shrugged. "If I had money, maybe. But I don't. And I probably never will. We barely manage to hang on to this place."
"How much money do you need?" He asked.
"More than I'll ever have. The operation would cost over a $1000. I don't have that kind of money. Not many do."
"How aggressive is this Ledbetter character?" Les asked already having a distaste for the the man.
"I'll lose the case in court, probably. But I've got a couple of weeks before the circuit judge comes to hear it. I've coped with a lot of things Mr. Harper, but losing this ranch…I don't know. I see it as a death warrant. You see, I'm the second Mrs. Prescott. And unfortunately my husband never had the will changed. His first wife died, of consumption. So, legally, this land doesn't belong to me."
Les brow went up. "And is…Frankie your son?"
"No…not by birth at least, in all other ways, he is. I've cared for him since he was a baby. His mother got sick a few weeks after he was born. Mark, my husband needed a wife badly, because of Frankie. He found a lady to feed Frankie, but she didn't take care of him all the time and he had to work the farm. It was a difficult situation. He managed for a short while, and then he met me. For your information, I'm Jewish, you should know that. We are as shunned as a Negro, if you must know. When I came to town, it wasn't appreciated. So Mark and I met and mutually agreed it would be a good bargain for us both, and a week later we married.
"Mark realized what a bind I was in, as they were about to boot me out of the town and send me off in a stagecoach. Mark saw the opportunity. We struck a bargain, he'd marry me, give me a home, and in exchange I would take care of his child, like my own. I agreed."
"Because I'm different."
"Because you were crippled?"
"No, I wasn't crippled at the time. They knew…" She said quite finally. Then she saw the puzzled look on his face. "Jews have been persecuted since biblical times Mr. Harper."
Les's head turned in question. "Like in the bible, Jewish?"
"Yes, like in the bible."
"And…did you love your husband?"
Les had no idea why he asked that question, but he sure did want to know the answer.
Anna smiled, and turned her head as though questioning him. "You learn to love anyone who helps you. He helped me. I was here to marry another man, but the man I was to marry took off for parts unknown before I arrived. We were both very young and our families had pledged us from birth. He was Jewish too, and I figure they didn't want him any more than they wanted me, here. I have often thought maybe they ran him out of town. I hope he's still alive, somewhere."
Les studied on this.
"I've met a few Jewish people, but I don't know much about them…You'll pardon me ma'am, but you don't look much different than anyone else."
"It doesn't matter. We aren't much different than anyone else except our religion, but since I married I've been attending the little church in the valley. I'm an American first. I was born in America, unlike my parents. And I try to live as anyone else. Once I married Mark, no one judged me again, at least not here, and until now. With my husband dead, I've suddenly become a Jew again, at least to Mr. Ledbetter."
"So they want to run you off this land, so they can have the water, and to heck with you and the boy? They never offered any kind of settlement?" Les asked, probing into her affairs.
"No, as far as they were concerned the land was not mine and they would take it to court and prove it. There was no settlement price discussed."
Les nodded slowly. The unfairness of it hit him right in the heart. God, he didn't need to care about these people he had a job to do, and he couldn't do it laying in this bed, either. But the reality was, he was stuck here for a while, and maybe he could help, somehow.
"What's wrong with being Jewish?" He asked innocently.
She smirked, "People are always afraid of things they don't understand. My people have been persecuted for many centuries. By many different people. But no one has ever answered that question to my satisfaction."
"But you are white, just like me. It's not like you are a woman of color or something." Les remarked.
"And if I was black or Mexican would that make me more acceptable? No…it would not. The one thing people never understand is that we are all made by one God. We are brothers and sisters, no matter the color of our skin."
Les stared at her long and hard. "I guess…you are right. One of my best friends is a black man."
She smiled, "I bet that doesn't make you very popular."
"In my line of work, no one cares." Les sighed.
"Exactly what is your line of work?" She asked gently.
"I don't know you very well, Anna Prescott, but I think it's best not to go into that, at the moment. The less you know, the better."
"You keep saying that, but it makes me feel at such a disadvantage. You don't trust me?" She asked, almost in a hurt voice. "I've sit here an shared everything with you, and you've shared nothing."
"No…it's not that. I just don't know you. And the less you know, the less trouble you'll be in." He remarked casually. "So how long before I can use this leg."
"Give it a few days. You'll be hoping around the place by then…" She assured him and started to go into the other room.
"Where are you going?" He asked, putting a hand over hers on the arm of her chair.
She looked down at his big hand. "I have work to do."
There was a blush on her face that fascinated him. How long had it been since he'd known a woman who blushed?
"Would…you leave the door open, then?" He asked.
"Of course…" She looked at him curiously. "If you need anything, just holler."
"Thank you…for everything…" He said.
She removed his hand and smiled, "You're welcome…Mr. Harper."
"Can you please call me Les?" He asked softly. "I don't think anyone calls me Mr. Harper."
She looked into his eyes, "Of course…"
She slowly wheeled herself into the kitchen to begin cooking dinner. But she cast him a quick glance as she managed to put a pot of beans on the stove. He was truly one of the most handsome men, she'd ever seen, in a rugged sort of way. Not exactly handsome like Mr. Harvey, but in a manly sort of way.
Chapter Five
"Oh, that was the most beautiful wedding I've seen in my life." Anna smiled at her friend as they watched the bride and groom drive away in a decorated buggy, from the porch of the church.
"She loved those dresses you made Anna." Kate Abernathy said as she pushed Anna out on the church porch.
"I'm glad she was happy with them. She'll look gorgeous. They do make a striking couple, don't they."
"You know Anna you should consider getting married again." her friend told her. "You're still young and I'm sure Frankie would enjoy having a father again."
"Got someone in mind?" Anna looked startled.
"Well," her friend Betsy Parker smiled at her as she joined them on the porch. "I've been told that Mr. Harvey is very interested in you."
So they were back to that. Everyone thought she should marry the man. But no one took into consideration that just because she was an invalid, did not mean she didn't have a heart. She wanted love.
"Oh," Anna rolled her eyes. She pressed her hands into her lap and spread the skirt of her dress until it was smooth. Her nerves were frayed, and she got up grumpy, she should never have come today, but she so loved weddings. "Yes well. The problem is, I'm not interested in him. He's a good friend, a great neighbor, but I'm not sure I'll ever marry again or even want to."
"Oh, I would think you'd jump at the chance." Cora Martin blurted as she spotted them and walked over. Then she grabbed her mouth and looked apologetic at Anna.
"Cora, why would I jump at the chance. Is it because I'm crippled and in a wheelchair and should fall over any man that wanted to do me the honor?"
"Well no, but…" Cora stood there with her mouth hanging open.
"Look, when I married Mark it wasn't exactly for love, and the next time, if there is a next time, it will be. But in my condition, I doubt there will be a next time. I've faced that fact, but if I can't have what everyone else has, why bother?"
"But…you're in a wheel chair…how can…" Betsy colored. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"Betsy for goodness sake, quit apologizing, will you? Being in love is not always physical."
"Oh, of course it isn't…" Cora cried and moved to get away. "That's why Mr. Harvey is perfect for you. At his age, holding hands and kissing would be all he'd expect."
"Thank you, thank you all, for pointing out that because I'm a cripple I can't possibly have a normal relationship with a man." She colored and wished she could suddenly escape but everyone crowded around her to console her.
Anna reached out and grabbed Cora's hand, "I'm sorry, I got up on the wrong side of the bed today." She swallowed hard to keep from bursting into tears.
Kate grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry I brought it up. It's just that you are the sweetest little thing, and we all want you to be happy, hon. And it's been four years."
"I know that. I thank you all for your good intentions. But let's drop this discussion…"
Anna had engaged in many conversations about marriage but no one seemed to understand that just because she was crippled, didn't mean she stopped feeling. She knew her friends meant well, but they just didn't understand.
"You'll be at church tomorrow?" Betsy asked her.
"Of course,
but I better get home, Frankie and Mr. Harvey are going to haul those tree limbs off today." She explained.
"What did I tell you, Mr. Harvey is sweet on you."
This time Anna turned the chair around herself and glared at Betsy. "But, I'm not sweet on him."
"I'm sorry…" Betsy grabbed her mouth. "Sometimes my good intention get me in a world of trouble."
"See you soon then…"
"Yes. Of course."
She hadn't been in a hurry because of Mr. Harvey, but it was an excuse. She was angry again. She had to learn to control her anger at people who couldn't possibly understand.
She let Mr. Abernathy help her into the wagon and she smiled and nodded to all of them, he also brought her chair and put it in the back of the wagon for her, then she whipped the horses around and headed for home.
When she got there, Frankie and Mr. Harvey were just about to leave. But when he saw her he stopped and got down to come help her down. "Good day, you're looking very nice."
He grabbed the wheelchair from the back of the wagon and set it up for her.
"Thank you." She said as he helped her down from the wagon, holding her a bit longer than was necessary.
He looked into her eyes and smiled. "You went to the wedding this morning?"
"Yes, I did. You can put me down now, Mr. Harvey."
"Oh yes, I'm sorry. Well, I guess we'll be on our way," He waved and smiled at her.
"Be back soon, Ma." Frankie called to her.
She waved and nodded. "Thank you!" She hollered to Mr. Harvey.
He waved.
She went inside and Les was trying to get around but his leg was still giving him a lot of trouble. He was limping heavily.
"Well, at least you are up and about." She murmured as she went into her kitchen. She didn't realize she was slamming things around until she turned to look at his puzzled face.
"How was the wedding?" he asked as his mouth fell open with surprise.
"Just dandy!" She answered curtly, slamming a cabinet so hard the dishes rattled.
His head twisted to look at her.
"Something wrong?"