Truly Yours Historical Collection December 2014

by Susan Page Davis, Paige Winship Dooly, Connie Stevens

  Pax was still holding Pepper near the water trough, and Zeke stood with him, anxiously watching Harry approach.

  “Mr. Harry, everythin’ all right?” Zeke asked. Harry thought his grin was a little strained.

  “Bring my saddle, please.” Harry clipped out the words, and he could tell by the way Zeke’s face fell that he knew the ruse was over.

  “Yes, suh. Right away.” Zeke hurried into the barn, and Pax stood staring at Harry with wide eyes.

  “You leavin’ us now, Mr. Harry?”

  “Yes, Pax.”

  They stood in uneasy silence until Zeke came from the barn carrying Pepper’s tack.

  Zeke kept his eyes lowered. “Please don’t go off in a tear, Mr. Harry. It started out all innocent. We didn’t mean to—”

  “Zeke, I’ve lived with you for more than a fortnight. We’re as close as brothers, or so I thought. But you still don’t trust me.” Harry seized the saddle blanket and tossed it onto Pepper’s back. Pepper snorted and sidestepped, and Harry placed his hand on the gelding’s shoulder. “Easy now.” If he didn’t calm himself, Pepper would fidget all morning. He smoothed the blanket then gently settled the saddle over the withers.

  “Just tell me, who buried Oliver?”

  Zeke sniffed and kicked at a pebble. “I did, suh. I dug the grave. Then we all. . . It was hard for Miss Sadie, suh, but I made a box in the barn here, and we. . .we said some words and sung the doxology.”

  “You couldn’t have got a few neighbors together to give him a respectful funeral?” Harry made himself stand still and breathe deeply. His anger was resurfacing.

  Zeke glanced at Pax then said quietly, “We was afraid what would happen to Miss Sadie if people found out he was gone, suh.”

  “So Sadie told me. Did you expect to hide it forever?”

  Zeke had no answer. He and Pax watched in silence as Harry tightened the cinch strap. He took the halter off Pepper and handed it to Pax then slipped the bridle over Pepper’s ears. The bit slid into the horse’s mouth, and Harry worked at the buckle. Pax stood twisting the lead rope in his hands.

  “Mr. Harry, don’t leave like this,” Zeke pleaded.

  “Oh, sure. I ought to go into the kitchen and have breakfast first with you all.” Harry’s laugh was bitter.

  Zeke shook his head, and his shoulders drooped. “It’s just a pity you came when you did.”

  Harry refused to consider that remark. He needed to get away from this oppressive place. Without another word, he mounted and pushed Pepper into an extended trot.

  ❧

  Sadie stumbled up the path to the dooryard. Zeke stood with his back to her, watching as Harry’s horse trotted down the lane.

  “Zeke,” she called, and he turned toward her.

  “Miss Sadie!”

  “He knows, Zeke. Harry knows everything.”

  “I’m sorry—truly I am.” His shoulders slumped. “I wanted to help you, Miss Sadie. When your pa died, I only wanted to protect you.”

  “I know.” She put her hand to her forehead. “I’m so tired. I’m sure things will look better when we’ve had breakfast.”

  Zeke leaped to her side. “Let me take you inside. You need to sit.”

  She took his arm, and they turned toward the house. She could almost read her faithful servant’s thoughts. Once again he had failed her. All his efforts to shield her from the consequences of her father’s death had come to nothing. Perhaps he’d even hoped that he and Tallie had found a husband for her, a man who would love her and protect her from the legal entanglements brought on by this tragedy, a man they could serve with contentment and pride.

  Suddenly Pax raced up from behind them. “Pa! Mr. Harry done forgot his mares! Let me go after him.” He would have run for the barn, but Zeke grabbed the back of his shirt and held him in place.

  “Pa, we gotta catch him. Let me ride after him.” Pax squirmed out of Zeke’s hold and turned to face him.

  Zeke shook his head. “Let him go, boy. This ain’t over.”

  “But them mares! He paid for ’em.”

  Zeke nodded with a grim smile. “ ’Zactly. Mr. Harry needs to put some distance between us and him for a while, but he’ll be back.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Sadie said.

  “Oh, he’ll be back,” Zeke insisted. “Meanwhile, we’ll be prayin’ that things will turn out right.”

  “Was he right about us lying, Pa? You said it wasn’t lying.”

  Zeke sighed. “I been wrong about things before, son. Now you go and put Mr. Harry’s mares out to grass for today then come for breakfast. I’ll see Miss Sadie inside.”

  Sadie knew Zeke would catch it from Tallie as soon as she found out what had happened. She was certain he would rather stay down at the barn with Pax and let her break the news to his wife. But he held on to her firmly and squared his shoulders as they approached the lean-to.

  “It’s gonna be all right, Miss Sadie,” he said just before opening the kitchen door for her.

  “God will help us through this.” She brushed away a tear, wondering if she could face Tallie without weeping.

  Zeke nodded. “I’m powerful sorry I caused all this.”

  “It wasn’t you. It was all of us. I should have known better. That first day, I should have told him everything and let whatever happened happen.” She gulped for air and wiped her eyes again.

  “I expect my wife will be hoppin’ mad when Mr. Harry don’t come to eat her special breakfast.”

  “I’m not sure I can eat, Zeke. Perhaps I’ll go in the front door and up to my room.”

  Zeke sniffed. “I be very, very sorry, Miss Sadie.”

  She knew she couldn’t leave him alone to broach the subject with Tallie.

  Twelve

  By the time the farm was a mile behind him, Harry’s blood had cooled to a simmer. It was early, and the day spread before him, empty and bleak. He rode automatically, letting Pepper choose his footing. Then, as the gelding clopped over a wooden bridge that spanned a placid stream, it struck him: He’d left his brood mares behind.

  He pulled up for a moment and looked back. It was downright idiotic of him to forget them, but it had completely slipped his mind. Maybe he should turn around and ride back for them. He could be forty miles on the road by nightfall.

  No, best go on to the little town ahead. He wasn’t ready to face Sadie again, and he had a feeling he wasn’t up to seeing Tallie just now either. Zeke might cringe and humble himself before Harry, but Tallie would do no such thing. She would do anything to protect her mistress; she’d proven that. She’d rake him over the coals but good, and somehow the whole calamity would wind up being Harry’s fault. And maybe, in some way, it was.

  He decided to take a room for the night in Winchester and see how things looked in the morning. After all, he did pay a large sum of money for those mares. He’d better go back and collect them or have his money back. He knew Sadie needed the money, and he did want the mares, so he’d have to go back. He couldn’t see any other solution.

  He rode on, ruminating on the events of the morning. Why had they lied to him? While Zeke’s explanation made some sense, he still couldn’t believe Sadie would go along with the deception. Had she truly been afraid of him?

  Harry shook his head. The anger still glowed inside him. He’d have done anything for her. Anything! He’d been starting to dream of relocating his horse breeding operation to the Shenandoah Valley. There was no chance of that now. His heart cried, I love you, Sadie! How could you not trust me?

  He took Pepper to the livery stable and ambled about the town. His wrath still stewed inside him, but it was less urgent now. By noon he didn’t feel angry at all, unless he was angry with himself. He had handled the entire situation badly. His wrath dissipated and was replaced by a painful wound that throbbed every time his thoughts came near it.

  As he wandered aimlessly down the dusty streets, he remembered that he’d missed breakfast and set about to find a place to eat. He didn’
t care if it was a late breakfast or an early dinner; he just wanted something filling. He found a boardinghouse that served meals to travelers, but they wouldn’t serve luncheon for two hours yet. His stomach was growling by then, and he gave up and walked back to the inn on the main street. The hurt Sadie had inflicted on him had eased to a mournful sadness so long as he didn’t think about her. When he did, it flared up and stabbed his heart once more.

  Two men in tattered uniforms were leaving the inn. Their faces were hard, and the taller one glanced warily at him. Harry stepped aside to let them come down the steps and watched them as they started down the road on foot, the way he had come.

  A wagon rumbled past, and Harry recognized the driver as the McEwans’ neighbor, Mr. Kauffman. He raised his hand in greeting, but Mr. Kauffman didn’t see him. Just as well, Harry thought. He didn’t feel like having a neighborly visit and explaining why he was in town today.

  The uniformed men hailed Mr. Kauffman as his wagon came abreast of them, and he pulled his team up. They talked for a few moments. Kauffman was nodding and gesturing toward the road up the valley. To Harry’s surprise the two vagrants climbed into the back of the wagon and rode off with Mr. Kauffman.

  Guess they prefer bouncing around in a wagon box to wearing out their shoe leather, Harry thought. He hoped Mr. Kauffman arrived home with his pocketbook intact.

  He didn’t relish the thought of eating the landlady’s nondescript stew again, but by this time he was ravenous, so he turned resolutely toward the door of the inn.

  ❧

  “Sadie, baby, you got to eat somethin’.” Tallie sighed when she got no response. She set the tray down on the small table beside her mistress’s bed. “I brung you a good chicken soup now and fresh bread and apple tart. You need to nourish yourself, child. You gonna make yourself ill.”

  All morning Sadie had lain in bed. Occasionally Tallie had heard her weeping, but mostly there was a heavy silence throughout the house.

  Tallie left the room in defeat and shuffled across the hall to open the door of Mr. Oliver’s bedchamber. Time to get the room aired out and go through the master’s things. She would begin cleaning in there this afternoon, and perhaps she could interest Sadie in sorting her father’s papers and clothing.

  She threw the windows open then went downstairs. When she entered the kitchen, Zeke and Pax peered at her silently.

  Tallie shook her head. “She still won’t eat.”

  Zeke sighed. “Maybe she’ll perk up tomorrow.”

  “Mr. Harry will come back tomorrow, won’t he, Pa?” Pax’s earnest question demanded an answer, but Zeke only shrugged so the boy turned to Tallie. “Ma? Won’t he?”

  “I don’t know, son. I didn’t see Mr. Harry when he left, so I don’t know how overset he was.” She sent her husband an icy glare. “I wasn’t there when the arsenal exploded, so to speak, unlike some people. I wasn’t the one who let Mr. Harry gallop off in a fine pucker.”

  “He wasn’t gallopin’,” Zeke protested, “and he wasn’t red-hot mad.”

  “Oh, you tellin’ me he’s not upset? Sure. That’s why he wouldn’t come in and eat my flapjacks.” She picked up a big wooden spoon and began to stir the chicken broth.

  “Well, he wasn’t rantin’.” Zeke avoided her scathing gaze.

  “So Mr. Harry wasn’t put out with you?”

  Zeke shrugged. “I didn’t say that. He just. . .well, he let me know I went down a notch or three in his respect.”

  Tallie frowned and shook the wooden spoon at him. “One more hour. One more hour, husband, and he would have rode out of here happy.”

  Zeke put his fists to his forehead. “I know. I know.”

  “If you ever tell a lie again, I’ll. . .I’ll. . .”

  Zeke shot a sideways look at Pax and hissed, “Hush now, Tallie. The boy!”

  “Is Miss Sadie gonna be all right?” Pax blinked at his mother, and she thought he was holding back tears.

  “I don’t know. Right now she’s feelin’ so guilty, she’s just crushed. If she don’t come out of this soon, she gonna get sick.” Tallie set a bowl of hot soup before her husband and dipped up another for Pax.

  “He’ll come back, and when he does, we’ll straighten everythin’ out,” Zeke said, but Tallie thought he lacked confidence.

  When they had eaten and she had cleaned up the kitchen, she left Pax drying the dishes and went back upstairs. Sadie was sitting up in bed, sipping a spoonful of broth.

  Relief flooded Tallie’s heart, and she hurried to the bedside.

  “There now! That’s a good girl!”

  “I knew you’d keep fussing at me if I didn’t touch it.” The listlessness in her voice still troubled Tallie, but they had made a beginning, and she felt sure Sadie would recover from her crisis.

  Tallie pulled the rocking chair over and sat down. “Miss Sadie, you know the Lawd will forgive us if we ask Him to.”

  Sadie’s face screwed up into a grimace. “I’ve asked Him and asked Him, Tallie, but I still feel guilty.”

  “There, there.” Tallie patted the smooth skin of her forearm. “You got to stop blamin’ yourself, child. It was me and Zeke more than you, especially Zeke. And we’re all sorry. The Lawd knows it, and when we truly repent He stops rememberin’ our foolishness, and we got to, too.”

  Sadie sniffed. “Thank you, Tallie. I know you’re right, but I feel positively filthy. I never did anything like that before. Harry said I lied, and he was right. It was a black, putrid lie.”

  “Hush, hush. It’s all forgiven now.”

  “But what are we going to do, Tallie? Nothing is solved.”

  “The Lawd knows, and that’s what matters. When Mr. Harry comes back for his horses—”

  “I don’t want to see him if he does come back!”

  Sadie’s vehemence sent a wave of apprehension through Tallie. “Why not, child?”

  “I can’t. I can’t look into his big, brown eyes ever again. He trusted us, Tallie, and we deceived him. I let him—” She bit her lip, and the tears started again. “I let him kiss me last night, Tallie, and he said he’d come back in the spring, and I let him go on thinking my father would see him then! It was wicked of me.”

  There was a timid tap on the door, and Tallie turned toward it. “What you want?”

  Pax peeked in at them, his eyes wide in the dim light. “They a man at the door, Ma.”

  Tallie jumped up. “Is it Mr. Harry?”

  Pax shook his head. “No, he all ragged, and he limps. I never saw him before.”

  Tallie took the bowl from Sadie’s hands. “You stay put, and I’ll send him away. Don’t you worry none. I’ll just get rid of this tramp. You rest now.”

  Sadie lay back on the pillow, and Tallie was satisfied. She went down the stairs with Pax close behind her.

  “Where’s your pa?” Tallie whispered to the boy.

  “Yonder at the barn. He’s cleanin’ out.”

  Tallie saw that her son had left the door ajar, but no one was on the porch.

  “Where he go?” Pax whispered.

  Tallie heard a step behind her and whirled toward the parlor door. A man stood in the doorway to the front room, peering at her. He had a thin, wolfish face, and Tallie’s heart began to pound. She noted that his ragged jacket had a military cut, and the tarnished buttons looked official.

  She felt like scolding him and tossing him right out, but a sudden thought stopped her. If he was from the army, he might have some word of Mr. Tenley.

  She looked him up and down. He was sizing her up with the same shrewdness.

  “What you want?” she asked, not bothering to pull out the courteous phrases Sadie’s mother had taught her to use with guests.

  “I’m here to see Mr. Oliver McEwan,” the man replied.

  Tallie looked into his eyes. She didn’t like what she saw, but she didn’t draw back. Her job of protecting Sadie was not done yet, and her caution took over. She straightened her shoulders. Before she had time to think, s
he opened her mouth.

  “Mr. Oliver can’t see you today, suh. He’s been ill, and he’s restin’.”

  Thirteen

  “I appreciate you seeing me.”

  Sadie could smell the filthy man from six feet away. She tried not to let her nose wrinkle. She sat down in one of the parlor chairs and studied him.

  “I’m only seeing you because my maid said you’d been to Mexico City.”

  “That’s right, miss. I was in the battle there a year ago.” He shook his head. “Seems like another life.”

  “You. . .fought under General Scott?”

  “Yes, miss, and a rough time we had of it.”

  Sadie nodded. “I didn’t get your name.”

  “Mitchell.” He paused. “Sergeant Dan Mitchell.”

  Sadie noted he wore the cotton summer uniform of the Dragoons, which had no doubt been white once but was now a grubby gray.

  “And what brings you here, Sergeant Mitchell?”

  “Why, young McEwan, of course.”

  Sadie swallowed hard. “You are speaking of my brother?”

  “If Tenley McEwan was your brother, miss. If you don’t mind my saying so, but I see a resemblance. You must be Sadie.”

  It took her a moment to regain her composure. “You were acquainted with him?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She gestured toward a chair, and he seated himself. “What can you tell me about him?”

  Mitchell leaned forward and frowned. “I know this is a difficult time for you, miss, but I wanted to meet your father. You see, Tenley told me all about him and this place before he. . .passed on.”

  Sadie caught her breath. “You were with him when he died?”

  “Yes, I was. As a matter of fact, without me he might have been left lying on the battlefield and. . .well, he wasn’t. I got him to the field hospital afterward. I made sure the doctor saw him, but. . .well, it wasn’t enough in the end. I’m sorry. He was a fine young fellow.”