New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set

by Hope Sinclair

  True to Hunter’s concerns, many people around town had voiced interest or concern when they learned that the young Mrs. Oakley had plans on becoming a teacher. The most probable explanation, many of them deduced, was that the new Mrs. Oakley was incapable of producing children. Why else would she charge herself with the care of a classroom full of pupils, when her duty was first to be a wife and mother for her husband?

  Haley tried to ignore these rumors. In truth, she longed to be a mother… perhaps that was what attracted her most to the teaching position. It was hard to stare at her pupils all day and resist the longing deep inside of her to have a child of her own. But that wasn’t a wish she had any intention of sharing with Mr. Oakley, especially not since Ethel had fallen pregnant.

  The relationship between Ethel and Haley continued to be strained, even more so since Ethel became with child. The pregnancy was a troubled one, and after a series of fainting spells, a doctor finally ordered Ethel to bedrest. With the other Mrs. Oakley confined to her bed, that left many of the household chores to Haley, in addition to her work at the school.

  She didn’t mind, though; much like her teaching position, she found that cooking and cleaning provided a sense of purpose. As long as she was kept busy, moving from one task to the next, she was content. It was only when everything stopped and she found herself sitting still that she began to question the life she was living.

  “Wait, Annabelle,” Haley called after her youngest student, just as the girl was stepping through the schoolhouse door and out onto the snowy pathway leading away from town. The little girl turned around to face Haley, her big eyes staring up at the teacher expectantly.

  Mrs. Oakley felt soft spot for all of her pupils, but the felt the greatest sense of affection for young Annabelle Forrest. The girl had curly waves of hair and giant glassy eyes that belonged on a porcelain doll, and when Haley looked at the young girl, she couldn’t help but imagine what her own daughter would look like, should she and Mr. Oakley ever bear children.

  “I’ll walk you home,” Haley insisted. “It’s too long a walk for you in this weather.”

  Since the snow had been coming in thicker and heavier, Haley had insisted on walking Annabelle home. The thought of the young girl navigating the wilderness and the elements on her own made Haley’s heart pang, and she felt a duty to protect the young child.

  She quickly pulled on her heavy coat -- a wedding gift from Claire -- and bustled after the child. They stepped out into the cold, a staggering difference from the warmth of the small schoolhouse, and Haley bolted the door behind them. Then they proceeded to walk in the direction of the Forrest family farm.

  “What was he like?” Annabelle asked gleefully as they walked, her eyes glittering with excitement.

  “What was who like?” Haley asked.

  “Father Christmas!”

  “Oh,” Haley smiled, remembering the story she had told the students about the peppermints. Young Annabelle had obviously taken it to heart.

  “He was kind and gentle,” Haley said, “Very jolly, and his hair was as white as the snow around us.”

  “Oooh I knew it!” Annabelle cheered excitedly, her little voice sounding as merry as sleigh-bells on the whistling winter wind.

  They climbed a snow-covered hill, trudging carefully so as not to lose their balance, and then they stepped into a forest of trees. The woods would have been too dense to walk through in the summer, when the branches would have been thick with green foliage and the path would have been impossible to navigate. But besides the thick evergreens, many of the trees had gone dormant with winter and shed their leaves, allowing a clear path for Haley and Annabelle to navigate as an alternative to the main road, which would have doubled the length of their journey.

  “Was he old?” Annabelle asked.

  Haley was just about to answer, when suddenly she felt something grasp around her waist.

  It all happened so quickly: the feeling of her body being tugged effortlessly off the ground, the horrible sound of Annabelle screaming, the feeling of something being shoved over her head, the sound of a male voice uttering something she couldn’t quite understand, besides the urgency in his voice...

  And then the world went black...

  NINE

  Haley cracked open her eyes. At first she was confused… she felt the horrible pounding pain through her skull, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized that was completely unfamiliar with her surroundings.

  Then all at once the realization hit her, and her sense of confusion turned to overwhelming dread.

  She was in a teepee. Her hands were bound behind her back, and in the dim light she could see Annabelle beside her, hands and feet bound as well.

  Haley was still trying to make sense of it all when the wall of the teepee was pulled open and a man crouched down to enter.

  He was tall, lean, and even in the dark Haley could tell that his skin was red as blood. His face was sharp and intricate, like something chiseled out of stone, and his eyes were black and intense. He wore an outfit of skinned animal hide and his long black hair was worn in two braids, ornamented with feathers and beads.

  Haley had heard stories of the Crow Tribe that was native to the land long before the settlers had arrived, but she had never seen them for herself. After several months of living in Montana, she had practically discounted the stories as legends… the sort of tales that parents told their children to keep them from wandering too far out into the woods on their own.

  But now, face to face with a Crow man, Haley realized how real the stories had been all along.

  Annabelle whimpered, and Haley realized the girl had awoken at her side. She felt a pang of guilt, wishing she had done something -- anything -- differently, to prevent this fate from befalling the young child.

  Whatever happened to them now… it would be her fault. It was all he fault. She was supposed to keep Annabelle safe, and yet… here they were. She felt more powerless and more fearful than she ever had in her life, and the paralyzed look of dread on young Annabelle’s face only made it that much worse.

  The Crow man said some words that Haley couldn’t understand. His voice was stern and angry, and though Haley didn’t know what he was saying, the manner in which he articulated each word was enough to convey his intent… and that alone sent a shiver down her spine.

  Then, in English, he said:

  “Prisoner.”

  He turned to leave, pushing out of the teepee and letting a brisk wind rattle in before the wall sunk closed behind him.

  Haley turned to Annabelle.

  “Everything is going to be alright,” she promised the child, willing herself to sound strong and confident for the girl’s benefit. The truth was, she didn’t believe the words herself. She had no idea what would happen to them, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be good.

  The stories that she had heard about Indians portrayed the people as merciless warriors seeking retribution for the wrongs committed against them. Haley had always hoped the stories were exaggerations or mistruths, but now… now she would learn for herself.

  ***

  Many hours passed, and in the darkness of the teepee Haley lost all track of time. There was nothing but silence on the other side of the wall, and from the deep pangs of hunger and drowsy tug on her heavy eyelids, she got the sense that night must have fallen some time ago.

  Though they were shielded from the wind, the bitter cold of a winter night had managed to permeate the teepee walls, and Haley felt her body begin to stiffen from the cold.

  She might have drifted to sleep if it hadn’t been for a small hand nudging her back. She nearly gasped, then stopped herself and turned silently.

  Annabelle was propped up beside her, holding out her hand with the little peppermint ribbon candy.

  “For supper,” Annabelle whispered.

  Haley was so touched by the child’s gesture that she felt tears sting her eyes, followed by another wave of guilt. It was only when she
instinctively reached up to brush the tears from her eyes that she was reminded of the rope binding that held her wrists together, and then…

  “Annabelle!” she hissed in the darkness, making sense of what had happened: the child had managed to break free from the bindings that held her wrists together; she had to in order to reach the ribbon candy in her coat pocket.

  “How did you free your hands?” Haley whispered.

  “I’ve played this game before,” Annabelle whispered. “With my brothers. We always play Cowboys and Indians.”

  “And I always win,” she added proudly.

  Haley was about to correct the child and remind her that this was not at all a game, but then she stopped herself.

  “That’s very good, Annabelle,” she said. “Do you think you can help us win today?”

  Annabelle nodded enthusiastically, then she held her finger to her lips to hush Haley. At first Haley was surprised by this gesture, then she reminded herself that in the child’s eyes, this was all part of the game.

  Annabelle returned the candy to her pocket for safe keeping, then she began to work at the binds that held Haley’s ankles. Despite her age, her fingers were nimble and skilled, and she worked at the knots with a sort of expertise that suggested she had indeed played this game many times before.

  After the knots were undone, the rope fell from Haley’s ankles and dropped to the ground silently. The child quickly moved on to working at the binding behind Haley’s back. This one proved to be slightly more challenging for the child, and since the knots were out of view, Haley had no choice but to stare ahead and pray to God that the Annabelle would be able to manage.

  Haley nearly shed tears of relief when she felt the bindings slip off of her wrists, freeing her hands. It was only then that she realized how long her arms had been tied, and just how stiff her shoulders had gone.

  Annabelle held a finger to her lips again to remind Haley to be silent, then the child crawled expertly towards the mouth of the teepee. Haley felt a sense of awe as she watched the child exhibit such a sense of bravery and cunning. Should they survive this ordeal, it would be entirely to the credit of this small child.

  Annabelle peaked out of the tent, then immediately retracted her head. She pointed a finger furiously outside, and whispered: “There’s one out there!”

  Haley felt a chill tremble through her already frozen body and she nodded, reminding herself that in the child’s eyes, this was still a game.

  “His back is facing us,” Annabelle said. “We need to be quiet, and then we need to run.”

  Haley’s heart was hammering impossibly hard in her body and she wasn’t sure she could maintain her composure much longer. If they went ahead with Annabelle’s plan, there was a good chance they’d both end up captured again… and then, there was no telling what would happen. Perhaps the safest plan was to wait… to wait and see what the Crow people intended to do with them.

  Besides the bindings of their hands and feet, they hadn’t been mistreated yet. Perhaps…

  But Annabelle didn’t give Haley a moment longer to ponder the possibilities or the rationale behind their course of action.

  “Follow me!” she hissed, and then before Haley could fully grasp what was happening, the child had pushed her way through the teepee and flung her tiny body soundlessly out into the clearing.

  TEN

  As soon as the teepee wall rose, Haley saw the back of the Crow man sitting guard outside. His form was illuminated by the roaring fire in front of him, illuminating the elaborate feather headdress he wore, and making his skin appear all the more crimson in the flickering fire light.

  Annabelle had already taken off through the clearing, and somehow her footsteps made no sound -- it was as though she was running without ever touching the ground.

  Without thinking, Haley leapt out of the teepee and took off after the child, hoisting her skirts up so her legs could move freely over the fields.

  She was able to match the child’s speed, but her footsteps were not nearly as silent as Annabelle’s. The sound of her feet striking the hardened winter earth roused the attention of the man by the fire, and Haley could hear him shouting after her.

  There was the sound of rummaging throughout the campsite and Haley imagined the scene unfolding behind her: men emerging from their teepees, perhaps arming themselves or preparing to give chase. She didn’t dare look back to confirm her fears. She just kept putting one foot in front of the other, running as fast as she could and keeping her eyes on Annabelle.

  It’s just a game, she tried to convince herself, it’s just a game…

  The fabric of her dress was heavy in her hands and her lungs felt like they were about to burst in her chest, but she never slowed her pace… never stopped running… and never let Annabelle out of her sight.

  They bolted through the forest until the trees began to thin out, then they were out on an open plain. The moonlight reflected off the snow and cast an eerie red glow in the sky, and in the distance Haley could see the mountains. She studied the peaks, looking for the familiar formation that would give her some sense of direction; that would provide some clue as to where they were, or where they were heading.

  “This way!” Haley hissed, recognizing the soft bend in the mountains… the same bend that she observed from the window in the farmhouse’s kitchen. If she could see the bend, that meant they were facing the same direction as the house… and that also meant that if they ran long enough, they’d reach the ranch. Surely, they’d reach the ranch…

  Annabelle followed the direction and they ran side by side. The night was silent besides the pounding of their feat in the snow; there was no sound of the Crow tribe chasing after them, no sounds of horses or footsteps in the distance. It was just the two of them, but they didn’t dare stop running. There was a sense of urgency in Annabelle’s sprint, as if she wasn’t entirely convinced that this was a game after all… as if she knew just how imperative it was that they kept running.

  But finally their bodies could run no longer. Haley’s legs were the first to fail; she felt her knees buckle under her weight, and she collapsed into a snow drift. Her dress billowed out below her and the fabric stuck under her foot, ripping as she fell. She felt a hot pain burn through her ankle as she went down, the joint twisting in agony as it became tangled in the fabric of her skirt.

  Annabelle tried to stop herself, but she had established such a momentum that her attempt to stop suddenly in her tracks caused her to skid into the snow as well. Unlike Haley, she quickly righted herself and galloped back to the woman down.

  “Don’t stop! You have to keep running,” Haley insisted fearfully, pleading with the child. “They could catch up with us at any moment…”

  “I’m not leaving you behind,” Annabelle insisted. She tugged stubbornly at Haley’s arm, attempting to drag her bag to her feat. Haley attempted to stand in the snow but her ankle screamed out in pain and she collapsed again.

  “I can’t,” she said. “You have to go on without me.”

  “No!” Annabelle protested.

  Haley heard something in the distance and they both went perfectly silent and still. The sound was unmistakable: the trample of hooves in the distance. Someone was coming; the Crows were finally catching up.

  Haley felt tears sting her eyes and she wondered if this was the end.

  “Run!” she pleaded with Annabelle, but the child was too distracted by the source of the noise. Her eyes locked on the horizon, watching as the sounds grew closer and closer.

  “Annabelle, please!” she begged, but it was too late…

  They had arrived.

  ***

  Haley dipped in and out of consciousness as they rode home. The unwavering firmness of Hunter’s chest was her only source of comfort. She was draped over the horse saddle in front of him, her body wrapped in blankets and his rigid arms holding her firmly in place. She had never felt more secure, more safe…

  It had been such a great relief to
see Hunter and Thomas approach on horseback that she had nearly started crying on the spot. She would have done, had she not been so weak.

  The morning sun had emerged fully on the horizon and was shining bright white in the sky by the time they arrived at Oakley Ranch.

  Hunter and Thomas carried Haley and Annabelle into the house. Ethel, despite her state, had risen from bed and wore a look of visible distress on her face as she tried to make sense of the situation Then, perhaps on maternal instinct, she rushed towards Thomas and reached for the child draped over his arms.

  Despite Annabelle’s endurance, the child was in poor shape. Thomas gently placed her on a chair and Ethel took over tending to her.

  “I’ll go fetch her parents,” Thomas said to Ethel, then turned on his heel and running back out of the farmhouse.

  Hunter was still cradling Haley’s body and he carried her up the stairs towards her bedroom.

  “What… what’s happening?” Haley asked, her voice raspy and weak. Her mind was scattered and her eyes were fluttering closed as she felt consciousness begin to escape her yet again. She could still feel the solid warmth of Hunter’s chest, and the strength of his rigid arms as he carried her easily up the stairs. That gave her comfort.

  “You’ll have to tell me that,” Hunter said. “You never came home. I was convinced you’d left me… that perhaps you’d gone home to Maryland.”

  “I would never,” Haley whispered weakly, feeling any lingering remnant strength drain from her body.

  “I prayed you wouldn’t,” Hunter said. “But even if you had, that would have been better than what I learned next.”

  “What?”

  “I got word that there was a Crow campsite found in the forest, not far from your school. A while later, the father of one of your students arrived on horse to tell me that his child had seen you and a young girl walking directly towards the campsite. He said his child watched you walk into the woods and disappear.”

  Though it was true, Haley was too weak to confirm the child’s account. All she could offer her husband was a small nod.