Alfie

by Margaret Tanner

  “Good morning, ladies.” He gave a slight bow to cover the turmoil that likely showed in his face.

  “Good morning, you old sleepy head.”

  Alfie tickled her belly and Daisy laughed

  “She’s enjoying her bath,” he said.

  “Yes.” Alfie stared him straight in the face. “I can get her to laugh now, but not talk.”

  Her beautiful eyes clouded over. It was easy to see Alfie was a caring person.

  “I’ll get her dried and dressed, then I’ll cook you the eggs I promised.”

  “This is a nice thing you’ve done for Daisy. She looks happy for the first time since I found her.”

  “Do you think a doctor would help?”

  “I don’t know. Once I get her to my friends place maybe.”

  “I wish I could keep her.” She sighed. “I’d love to have her live here with me but I can barely look after myself at the moment, and if….”

  “And if what?”

  “It doesn’t matter. Come on Daisy, time to get you out of that tub. I’m so hungry I could eat a grizzly bear right here and now. I’d eat Eli but he’s too old and tough, besides, men don’t taste good.” Alfie crinkled her face causing Daisy to smile.

  “I might be old,” Eli grinned. I’m still young enough to put you across my knee and give you a spanking.”

  “Don’t try it, cowboy.”

  He turned his head away and stared off into the distance as Daisy climbed out of the bath tub.

  “I don’t suppose you carry a towel?”

  “No, I have to travel light.”

  “Well, I’ll just have to use these flour bags to dry her off. No clean clothes for her?”

  “Nope. I’ll get along to the outhouse.” He strode off.

  Alfie patted Daisy dry on the flour bags, which she had used for herself. Florence had given them to her and she had washed them so they weren’t too scratchy. The old lady had been good to her. It was sad her being banished from her family for marrying outside her culture.

  Daisy was fully clothed and Alfie was brushing her hair when Eli strode back. “Don’t empty the tub.”

  “You want a bath?”

  He laughed, and it was a nice sound. “Not now, unless you’re offering to scrub my back?”

  “You’re an extremely annoying man. Did any woman ever tell you that?”

  “No. Women as a rule like me.”

  “I don’t know why,” she said. He threw back his head and roared with laughter.

  She could understand women liking such a handsome man. What was wrong with her, that she could forget Toby so easily? “Because you weren’t really in love with him,” a little voice inside her head whispered.

  “I was,” she mumbled. Deep down she feared she hadn’t been, and hated herself for it. She had liked him a lot and not realized there was a difference between the two emotions.

  After brushing Daisy’s hair, she decided to let it hang loose until it dried, then she would plait it and tie it back. Her hair, once it dried, would be blonde, going by her skin and eyes. Eli would have to be careful because she could get badly burned. Her bonnet would offer little protection.

  “I’ll wash up a bit,” he said.

  She let out a gasp when he unbuttoned his shirt. He was lean and strong, his arms well-muscled. He was certainly a fine specimen of manhood.

  She watched him lean down and splash water over his face and upper body. He straightened, shaking the excess water off like a shaggy dog.

  What’s wrong with you? You’ve been married, you’ve seen a man’s chest before, so get about your business and stop staring at him. The vain devil probably knew what effect he had on women.

  Stomping off, she got to the door and turned around. Eli was putting on his shirt with Daisy standing close by staring up at him. He leaned down and patted her on the head. Alfie knew she’d miss them when they left. Could she talk Eli into staying a little while longer?

  She had a few chickens thanks to Florence, so there were eggs and a few strips of dried beef. It would be a feast but would just about clean her out of food. She felt obliged to cook them a decent breakfast to see them on their way. What she needed was a cow of her own.

  Daisy skipped through the door followed by Eli. “What can I smell?”

  “Eggs and fried beef. Help yourself to coffee.”

  “Smells good,” he said, pouring out a coffee then lowering himself to the floor.

  “I’m sorry I don’t have any chairs.”

  “You don’t seem to have much of anything.”

  “You don’t need to sneer at me.” She banged the frypan on the makeshift stove.

  “I’m not sneering. Why would a pretty gal like you, live like this?” He waved his hand about.

  “I’ve got my reasons.”

  “Tell me, I might be able to help.”

  “No-one can help me.” She turned back to cooking. If only she could turn back the hands of time. Why had she been so hell bent on defying Pa that she rushed into marriage with Toby before they really knew each other? Having made her bed she had to now lie on it, only she didn’t even have a bed, just a mattress on the floor.

  She cooked eggs and two pieces of beef in the pan and lifted them onto her two plates. Two eggs for Eli, one for Daisy. Then she would eat out of what? The pan?

  “You’ve only got two plates, I’ve got one in my saddlebags.” He jumped to his feet, stepped over to his saddle and rummaged around. “Here.” He handed it over.

  “Thank you. I don’t have any more beef, but I can do you a couple more eggs if you like.”

  “No, this will be fine, we’ve eaten enough of your food. You’ve got a couple of missing boards on your barn roof. I’ll patch it up before we go.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “Yes, I do. I’ll chop wood for you as well.”

  “I can do it.”

  “No, a little slip of a gal like you shouldn’t be doing men’s chores.”

  Alfie’s laugh had a brittle ring to it. “My Pa thought the opposite. He made my sisters and I do the work of men….” Here I go again with my big mouth.

  “What do you mean?”

  He was all attention now and she cursed her wayward tongue.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “What did your Pa teach you to do?”

  She sighed. Better to tell him a half-truth than have him delving more deeply. “Pa taught us to ride and shoot like men. To load and unload a wagon and drive it.”

  “That isn’t women’s work.”

  “It was for us.” She shoved a portion of beef into her mouth so she wouldn’t need to speak.

  He stared at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, speculative, as if he was trying to see inside her head.

  Chapter Eleven

  Daisy suddenly rushed outside.

  “What’s wrong, little darlin’?” Eli climbed to his feet.

  Alfie was quicker, lighter on her feet, allowing her to reach the door first. She charged outside and skidded to a halt. Daisy was kneeling on the ground vomiting.

  Eli nearly cannoned into Alfie’s back. “What’s wrong with her,” he asked frantically.

  “Go and get the piece of cloth I used to wash her with,” Alfie ordered, glad that she had at least tied the child’s hair back. “Don’t get upset, I can easily wash your dress.”

  Shuddering sobs now racked Daisy’s body. “It’s all right I can clean you up. I’ll have you as good as new in no time.”

  Eli raced back with the wet cloth. Alfie snatched it out of his hand and wiped Daisy’s face and hands.

  “What’s wrong with her?”

  “Maybe she ate too quickly. I’ll have to take her dress off, it’s covered in vomit; it will need washing, too.”

  “What!”

  “I have to wash the vomit off her dress, she can’t wear it like this.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “It will only take a few minutes to wash it. How long it takes to
dry depends on how hot the sun is.”

  “Damnation, I wanted….”

  “Shut up, you’re upsetting Daisy. What’s the big hurry, Eli, an extra day shouldn’t matter.”

  “It does.”

  “You selfish sonofabitch.”

  His mouth dropped open. “I don’t like to hear that kind of language from women.”

  “Too bad. I told you Pa brought us up like men. I can cuss with the best of them.”

  She removed Daisy’s dress, leaving her only wearing drawers. The child was shivering now, even though her cheeks were flushed. “I think she’s got a fever.”

  Alfie picked her up. “Now, don’t be getting upset, we don’t care about a bit of vomit. Take her back inside, I’ll rinse her dress out in the tub, I haven’t got around to emptying it yet. Lay her on my bed,” she ordered. “I’ll bring you one of those flour sacks. I don’t want her vomiting on my mattress. Stay with her so she won’t get frightened.”

  She handed Daisy over to him and he took her inside.

  Alfie walked after them. This was a strange house, she thought. There was only one door which was wider than normal. Going outside, she washed the dress, wrung it out and hung it on the branch of a tree. Back inside the cabin, Daisy was sitting up on the mattress with Eli holding a cup of water to her lips.

  “Has she been sick again?”

  “No.” He gnawed his lower lip.

  “If you’re planning to leave her here. Don’t. You’re not going anywhere today.”

  His mouth tightened.

  “I don’t like this anymore than you do, Eli, but the child’s sick. Better for her to rest up here for a day or so until she recovers, than for you to be caught in the middle of no-where with her.”

  “It’s sensible, but….”

  “I know you’re in a hurry. What’s so important?”

  “It’s business.”

  “Oh?” She rested the tips of her fingers against Daisy’s forehead.

  “I did that and she’s got a temperature.”

  “There you are. It would be madness to leave here. What if she got really sick?”

  “All right, but I stand to lose a lot of money if I’m held up for too long.”

  “You selfish sonofabitch.”

  The breath hissed from between his teeth.

  “Money means more to you than this child’s health. Men like you make me sick.”

  “Don’t abuse me. You don’t know me or my circumstances.”

  “I don’t want to if you’re so money hungry.”

  “Well, by the look of this place,” he sneered. “You could do with some money.”

  “I do need money, but I’d rather go without than risk a child’s life.”

  The color bleached from his face and she almost felt sorry for him.

  “You don’t think it’s serious?”

  “No, I reckon she caught a chill, or just picked up something in her travels.”

  “Maybe your food was off.”

  “Why aren’t we sick?”

  “We’re adults, so it wouldn’t affect us so badly.”

  “Are you accusing me of poisoning you?” Alfie shot back.

  “No, not on purpose.”

  “Look, you go fix the barn roof like you promised and I’ll stay with her.”

  He hesitated, worry darkening his eyes.

  “I’ll call you if I need you.”

  After he left, she knelt on the mattress and held the hot little hand. “You have a nice rest, Alfie’s here if you need anything. And don’t worry about Eli, he’s going to fix the barn roof, so we’ll hear him hammering in a few minutes.”

  The words were hardly out of her mouth before the banging started. “See, darlin’, he’s not going without you.”

  The child closed her eyes. Poor little soul. She didn’t know what she’d do if her condition worsened. Maybe Florence would have some type of potion that would help. Only as a last resort Alfie thought. She didn’t particularly want her to know there were people staying here in case she told her to go.

  Once Daisy was asleep, Alfie eased her hand away and walked outside. The banging had ceased and Eli had already climbed down from the roof.

  “Is Daisy all right?”

  “She’s asleep.”

  “Good, where’s your axe? I’ll chop some wood for you. If you’d like to make me a coffee I’d appreciate it. I’ve got coffee in my saddlebags. Help yourself to it and anything else. I think there’s still some beef jerky.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Did you know there’s an old vegetable garden here?” he asked.

  “No, I haven’t had much time to explore, it’s only been a….”

  Shut up Alfie, she inwardly admonished herself. You fool. Why not just come out with it and tell him you’re on the run?

  She walked inside and stepped over to his saddlebags. She felt guilty rifling through his belongings, but shouldn’t because he had given her permission to do so. She pulled out a canvas, drawstring bag. It contained coffee, the smell of it alerted her even before she opened it.

  He had already handed over his beans. There was a shaving brush and razor wrapped in a piece of oilskin, a clean shirt and a set of drawers and socks. He certainly travelled light. There were several boxes of ammunition for his hand guns and the Winchester.

  There was nothing belonging to Daisy, although he had said her family’s wagon had been set alight. One saddle bag was almost full of chaff for his horse. It pleased her that he obviously cared for it. Devil was a fine name for such a black beauty. Her horse was crow-bait compared to his. He carried no personal papers.

  She had checked, there was no lawman’s badge. He didn’t have callused hands. Daisy whimpered and Alfie dashed over to her. “It’s all right, darlin’, would you like a drink?” She held a cup to the dry lips. “Not too much, you’ll make yourself ill. Now you go back to sleep and when you wake up again I’m sure you’ll feel better.

  Alfie started humming the hymn ‘Rock of Ages,’ then started singing the words she knew. All three Guilford gals could sing, they’d inherited their voices from Ma. Pa couldn’t sing to save his life and poor Billy, she couldn’t remember whether he could sing before he went off to the war or not. He certainly couldn’t sing after he arrived home with half his brain shot away.

  She didn’t know whether it was coincidence or not, Daisy now seemed to be sleeping easier.

  ****

  Eli paused from chopping the wood to take a swig out of his canteen when he heard Alfie singing. It was so poignant and beautiful it almost brought a tear to his eye. He cursed his growing feelings for her. She was pretty, smart and compassionate, everything he wanted in a wife. If only they had met at a different time he would have liked to have courted her. He had to leave as soon as possible. Time was running out for him to drop Daisy off and track down Alfreda Montague. How could a young woman simply disappear? She wasn’t a local, the Marshal had told him that, but he hadn’t known exactly where she hailed from. He wanted that five hundred dollars. He could buy a ranch, go back to Pastor Heinrich and see if Daisy wanted to live with him.

  Alfie’s words accusing him of being greedy and money hungry had cut deep. He didn’t want her to think badly of him for some strange reason.

  “Coffee’s ready.”

  “Thanks.” He put on his shirt, picked up an armful of longs and carried them to the neat pile near the door of the cabin. It would have originally been a barn he decided, until someone had turned it into a house. With a little work it wouldn’t be such a bad place to live, and the land would easily sustain a few head of cattle.

  He walked inside. “How’s Daisy?”

  “She’s asleep. My singing must have sent her off.” Alfie laughed. “I don’t know whether to be offended or flattered.”

  “Definitely flattered, you have a lovely singing voice.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “Yes.”

  “My two sisters can sing, too, better than me act
ually, except Pa doesn’t encourage it. Female frippery he calls it.”

  “Do you have any brothers?”

  “One, but he isn’t normal.”

  “Oh?”

  “Pa brought him back from the war with half his brain shot away.”

  “I’m sorry. The Confederacy?”

  “Yes. He’s really quite good at some things. Very good with horses, well, all animals really. Were you in the war?”

  “Yes, but I’d prefer not to speak about it around here.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they’d probably lynch me. I fought on the other side.”

  “A Yankee?”

  “Yeah. I was young and idealistic in those days. Fool that I was. I’d have been better off riding into Mexico and staying there until the war was over. Plenty of others did it.”

  “I’m not sure what we can have to eat,” she said. “I might have to see Florence and get supplies from her. I don’t like doing it because she’s old and struggling herself.”

  “How far is it to the nearest town?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure, about four miles from Florence’s place, which is over the first hill.”

  He couldn’t believe a gal like Alfie would live like this, virtually begging for handouts from an old woman. She was definitely hiding from someone. “Who are you hiding from?”

  “Don’t ask me, Eli.” She touched his hand. “It’s better if you don’t know. Leave in the morning if Daisy is better. Ride away and don’t look back. It’s safer that way.”

  She sounded so sad it nearly broke his heart. “How about if I ride into town and get a few supplies. Dev would welcome a chance to stretch his legs.”

  “I don’t have much money.”

  “I’ll pay, it’s the least I can do since you’ve given us board and lodging.”

  “Some flour would be good, I could make pancakes for supper.”

  He laughed. “You must have been reading my mind.”

  “Don’t worry about Daisy while you’re gone, I’ll take good care of her.”

  “I know, otherwise I wouldn’t leave her.”

  Chapter Twelve