Pearl of Promise (A Sweet Mail Order Bride Western) (The Brides of Carville) (5 page)

Chapter 7

The festival was fast approaching, but Nora never raised the subject again.  She couldn’t even bring herself to speak to her husband.  She was so devastated by his attitude, and by her dashed hopes—she had lowered her guard, and not only had he rejected her request, but he’d been cruel about it, as well. 

She resigned herself to the fact that she was married to an uncaring man who wanted nothing more than to take every bit of happiness from her life.  She no longer even knew who she was anymore—only fourteen months before, she’d been a naïve, single girl who had dreamed of excitement and adventure.  Now she was a haggard housewife who never left home, who did nothing more than wash and cook and clean.  She didn’t even touch the journal Arlen had bought for her.  It sat gathering dust on a shelf.

If it weren’t for Gwen, Nora thought she might have lost her mind.  It wasn’t the same thing as adult conversation, but at least she could hold the little child in her arms and see the love radiating from her eyes. 

But one day, Nora took a break from the laundry to bring Gwen inside and nurse her.  When she looked into Gwen’s eyes, she didn’t see the innocent mirth of a happy baby—her eyes were clouded over and drowsy-looking.  She was reluctant to nurse. 

“Is your nose stuffed-up, you poor thing?”  A few weeks before, Gwen had caught a little cold, and had a difficult time nursing because she couldn’t breathe through her nose.  She tried to rouse Gwen and entice her to eat, to no avail.  “Maybe if you sleep a while, you’ll feel better when you wake.” 

She kissed the top of Gwen’s head and tucked her into the cradle, which she was already too big for.  “My, how the time flies,” she murmured. 

Nora returned to the laundry outside.  By the time she had all the clothing and then the diapers washed, wrung out, and hung to dry, she was starving.  Eager to make herself a meal, she hesitated as she went inside. 
No, I should check on Gwen.  If she’s ready to eat, I should feed her first.

When she checked on Gwen, the baby was still sound asleep, but her breathing was labored.  Nora felt her forehead, and it was much warmer than it had been before.  She tried not to panic—after all, children got sick all the time.  But she knew they lived in the mountains, and though Carville had a doctor, he wasn’t always in his office.  There were no other alternatives.

Don’t be foolish,
she scolded herself. 
You can’t lose your wits every time a child catches a cold.  Why, she just had one a few weeks ago, and she was fine!

She shook off the feeling that this time was different, and made herself go get something to eat.  She hoped that a little more sleep would help Gwen heal faster, and when she woke, Nora would try to feed her again.

An hour later Nora checked on the baby.  Her breathing was even more labored, and her forehead warmer.  Something in her gut told her this was no summer cold.

She rushed to the barn to saddle up the horse, but when she looked on the wall, none of the tack was hanging where it should be. 

No!  He couldn’t have!
  Fear washed over her as she realized she was stranded.  Alone, she might have tried to ride bareback, but she couldn’t possibly mount a bareback horse unaided with a baby in her arms.  After a moment of frozen horror, she tore through the barn, digging in the straw, looking inside wooden boxes, climbing up into the hayloft…but the reins, bridles, and other tack was nowhere to be found. 

She collapsed in the middle of the barn floor in tears. 
How could he do this?  How could he leave his wife alone on the side of a mountain with a young infant, and no way to get into town in case of an emergency?  What if he got hurt at work?  What if he never came home? 
After a minute, the tears subsided, replaced with fury. 
It’s one thing to keep me trapped at home, but how dare he endanger our child?

She let her anger propel her—she couldn’t afford to waste any more time on self-pity.  She had a sick child to take care of, with or without her husband’s aid. 

Louise!
  She thought.  Louise normally kept remedies in her pantry for her children.  Perhaps she’d have something that could ease Gwen’s illness.  If not, she could ask Louise to bring her and Gwen into town.

She hurried inside, putting on her bonnet, taking her reticule, and lifting Gwen from the cradle to wrap her in a light blanket.  Though she was still furious with her husband, she left him a quick note, letting him know she took Gwen to Louise’s, then she hurried out the door.

**

“None?  Are you sure?”

Louise nodded. “I’m so sorry, Nora.  Mary caught a cold at the summer social, and then Robert and Amelia caught it in succession.  I used up every remedy in the house, and haven’t replaced them yet.”

Nora bit her lip
, looking down at her daughter.  “I’m worried.  She doesn’t sound good.”

Louise leaned over Gwen.  “No.  She doesn’t.  I’m sure she’ll be alright, but you should have the doctor check her out.”

“I…I can’t,” Nora looked down, embarrassed.  “I have no way to get into town.”

“Arlen couldn’t have taken your wagon—I saw him ride up today on horseback.  He and Stanley rode to work together.”

“Uh…no…not exactly.   He…uh…I can’t find the tack to harness the horses.”

“You can’t find it?  How do you lose…?”  Louise’s jaw went slack when she realized the truth.  “Nora, how long has this been going on?”

“It’s nothing, really, I just need—”

“But it’s not right.  He can’t keep you locked up like that.  I don’t understand.  Why would he—”

“Please, I can’t talk about that right now,” Nora pleaded, blinking back tears of humiliation and pain, “could you just give me a ride into town?  I know it’s a lot to ask, but I have no choice.”

“Oh, Nora…I feel just awful.  You know I’d help you in any way I could, but our wagon wheel broke at church on Sunday.  We had to leave it in town to be fixed, and ask the Lathums to give us a ride home in their wagon.”

“Did you bring the horses back with you, at least?”

Louise shook her head.  “Left them at the livery.  All we have are the two paint horses, and Stanley too
k one of them to work with him.  But you could leave Gwen here with me, and ride into town.”

“Could I?”  Nora sighed with rel
ief.  “That would be wonderful.”

“There’s just one problem—it’s Wednesday.  Dr. Townsend always travels to Verdant Springs on Wednesdays.  They don’t have a doctor there.”

“What am I going to do?”  Nora hugged Gwen to her chest, trying not to give in to panic.

Louise thought a moment.  “
Go see Mrs. Lathum.  She told me on Sunday that her father was an apothecary.  He taught her a lot of remedies.  If she has nothing prepared, at least try to get a recipe from her.”

“Where does she live?”

Louise shook her head.  “I’m not sure.  I know she’s in town—on the north side, I think, but I’ve never been to her house.  I know someone pointed it out to me once, but I can’t for the life of me remember it.”  She snapped her fingers.  “I know!  Her husband works at the train depot.  Ask him, he’ll direct you to their house.  Now you stay here and take care of Gwen—and make sure my children don’t murder each other—and I’ll go saddle the horse for you.”

“You’re an angel, Louise.”

“Nonsense, you’d do the same for me.”  Louise flashed her a smile before disappearing out the door.

**

Although he’d taken to staying late at the mine again, ever since his argument with Nora, he was eager to get home for once.  Not to see Nora—he still planned to avoid her—but to get some work done on his own claim.  He had a feeling he was close to a good vein of silver, and he wanted to move some rock before the sun set. 

When he got home, he was shocked to find the disarray in the barn.  It had been hastily torn apart. 
By Nora?  Had she tried to go to that blasted festival? 
No, that’s not for a few more days,
he thought.  He glanced through the barn door at the horses, still safe in their corral.

She didn’t find it, then.  Good.
The tack was hidden in the smoke house.  He’d been worried she might find it, if she got desperate enough. 
You’d think she’d have tried to hide her search by cleaning it all up.
Hope she doesn’t think I’m going to do it.
  Seemed like it was time to have a talk with his wife.

He strode into the house,
throwing open the door, and braced for an argument. 

The house was silent.

There was nothing cooking on the stove, no plates set out for dinner, not a sound.  He didn’t bother to check the bedroom—he could see through the door she wasn’t in bed, and the cradle by the woodstove was empty. 

Walking outside, he saw the laundry flapping in the breeze.  He scanned the meadow, and the
tree line beyond.  “Nora!” he called. 

Where could she have gone?  With no tack, there was no way for her to leave, but on foot.  And the only place nearby was…

Louise!

Chapter 8

The ride into town seemed to take forever.  Gwen had gotten noticeably worse as Nora had waited for Louise to saddle the horse.  It pained her to leave her child behind.  What if she takes a turn for the worse.  What if she dies, and I’m not there?

Her stomach churned, and she spurred the horse on. 
Is God punishing me?  Is this my fault, for not being a better wife?  You’re supposed to obey your husband—and I suppose I did, in a way.  But in my heart, I didn’t. 

Such thoughts plagued her as she rode—the fantasies she had entertained of leaving her husband and moving back east, her resentment at having her books taken away, her anger over not being allowed to go to the festival. 

It all seemed so childish.  She’d been ready to break up her family, and over what?  Silly books?  A stupid festival?  It wasn’t that she thought Arlen was right.  He wasn’t.  Whatever his issues were about her socializing or reading books might be, she knew it wasn’t right for him to keep her so isolated.  But maybe she should have spoken up, and told him how she felt, instead of just yelling at him and then giving him the silent treatment.

I’ve been so wrapped up in my own pain that I didn’t even see my baby’s.
  How long had Gwen’s symptoms been coming on?  Could it have been hours?  Days?  Why didn’t she see it sooner?  Surely there were other symptoms before Gwen stopped wanting to eat.  Nora felt nauseous at the thought.

She hoped she could find Mr. Lathum in time.

**

“Is she here?” Arlen demanded when Louise opened the door.

Louise fixed him with a hard look.  “No she’s not,” she hissed, “and keep it down.  Mary is napping, and I just got Gwen to fall asleep, finally.”

Why would Gwen be there, but not Nora?  She never left Gwen’s side.  “Where is she?”

“She’s at the train station.  And I’ve got a few things to say to you, Arlen Hunt—”

“The train station?”  His gut clenched.  Surely she couldn’t be abandoning Gwen, as well?  Even Sylvie wouldn’t have done such a thing!

“How long ago?”

“I’m not done,” Louise snapped.

“Yes you are,” he growled, spinning on his heel and swinging himself up into the saddle.  He wasn’t going to waste time letting Louise nag at him because Nora had cried on her shoulder.  If he wanted to stop his wife, there was no time to lose.

“Arlen, wait
,” Louise lifted her skirts, hurrying out the door after him. 

“I’ll be back for Gwen,” he called over his shoulder as he dug his heels into his horse’s flanks.

“Wait!  You don’t—” the rest of Louise’s words were lost in the thudding of the horse’s hooves against the dry dirt. 

He charged down the mountain road, spurring his horse on.  How could she do this?  Bad enough for her to leave me, but to leave her own daughter?  And without so much as a note to tell me that she’d left Gwen with Louise? 

It didn’t seem right.  What kind of woman did such a thing?  He deserved better. 
Gwen
deserved better!

He pulled his horse up short. 
Should I even try to bring her back?  What if she just tries to leave again?  What if she takes Gwen with her, next time?  Or what if she stays for now, but tries to leave again, years from now?  Gwen would be devastated.  She’d feel abandoned, just as he did now.  Maybe it’s best if I let Nora go.  At least Gwen will have forgotten about her after a month or two.  Maybe it’s for the best.

He sat astride his horse, listening to the poor beast panting in the heat.  Around him, insects buzzed, and the sun beat down on Arlen’s hat.  He took off his hat swiping sweat from his brow.  Then he looked up at the cloudless sky.

What should I do, Lord?  I know you and me haven’t been on good terms since I lost Sylvie.  Well…I guess I haven’t been on good terms with you, anyway.  But I’ve been going to church anyway, and I still believe.  So why does this keep happening to me?  Am I that terrible of a husband?  I know Colorado is a hard place, but I haven’t seen any other man have two wives flee from them!  I don’t even know if I want Nora back…but I don’t want Gwen to grow up without a Mama.  So tell me what the right thing is.  Show me, and I’ll do it.

Arlen waited.   And he listened.

God didn’t respond.

After five minutes without a sign, Arlen turned his horse around and made his way slowly back up the mountain road toward home.

**

“Mr. Lathum!”  Nora hurried across the platform.  A dozen feet ahead of her, a man with greying hair turned.

“Oh!  Mrs. Hunt, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said, gasping for breath as she caught up to him.  “I thought I had missed you.  The man at the station window sai
d you’d gone home for lunch, and I—”

She cried out in pain as the heel of her boot caught on a loose board, sending Nora tumbling to the platform.

Mr. Lathum rushed to help her, kneeling at her side.  “Are you alright?”

Nora only groaned, clutching her wrenched ankle. 

“I’m so sorry—I told Herbert that we needed to fix that loose board.  This was bound to happen.”

“It’s not important,” she said through gritted teeth.  “I need…my little girl…she’s sick, and I need to get her help.”

“The doctor isn’t in on Wednesdays.  I’m not sure—”

“Your wife.  She has herbal remedies?”

“Oh!” he exclaimed, “yes, she does.  Our pantry is loaded with all kinds of things—tinctures, salves, poultices…”

“Wonderful,” she interrupted.  “Please, can you take me to her?”

“I’m sorry, my dear, I don’t see how I can do that—”

“I’ll gladly pay for anything I use.  Please.”

“No, that’s not necessary.  I’m sure Bessie will be glad to give you anything you need.  But I don’t see how I can get you there, unless you brought a wagon.  I don’t have mine, only my horse.”

Nora shook her head.  “I rode by horseback.”

“Oh dear.  That’s your left ankle—there’s no way you can get up into a sidesaddle using that ankle.  I’m assuming your saddle is the standard—”

“Yes, yes,” she mumbled.  “I mount on the usual side.” She pounded a fist on the platform, holding back the tears that wanted to come.  “Gwen
needs
that medicine.  She’s getting worse, quickly.  What am I going to do?”

“How about this: you tell me what’s wrong with your daughter, and I’ll tell Bessie.  She’ll be able to pick out what you need.”

Mr. Lathum helped her up, and she hobbled over to the nearest bench.  Then Nora relayed any information she had, and her observations about Gwen’s condition, and answered the few questions that Mr. Lathum asked. 

“Now, you sit here, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.  Don’t go anywhere.”  He gave her a kindly smile, then turned and hurried—in a shuffling, older-man-fashion—down the platform.

As if I have a choice,
Nora thought, regretting that she’d had to leave Gwen behind. 
If Arlen hadn’t hidden the tack, I could have driven into town with Gwen, she thought bitterly.  If she dies, I’ll never forgive him…