Ida's New World
Page 18
Chapter 64
The girls sat outside the peat house, and saw bad weather approaching. Dark clouds full of snow stacked up on the horizon. The changing weather brought Frederik home and he walked up the hill and went to see to the animals. Rose’s moans from inside the house became unbearably loud, and the girls had to cover their ears. Then at last there was silence. Everything held its breath, then came the small sounds of a newborn baby.
“I told you so,” Lisa said. “All of a sudden, everything gets really quiet.”
“Then it is not hurting her anymore?” Ida said and tip toed over to peer through the open door.
Lisa shrugged and looked in as well. They could see the women cleaning a small dark baby with a lot of pitch black hair.
“I think it is an Indian,” Lisa said and nodded.
“Do you really think so?” Ida dropped her jaw. “What did Rose do, when she was gone, and came home in Indian clothing?”
“I think she met an Indian out there,” Lisa said wisely.
“Yes, you are probably right,” Ida walked in through the door. “May we come inside now?”
“Yes, come on in. Here come two curious little girls,” Anna announced.
The girls went to Rose, where she lay in the bed looking quite peaceful now it was all over. She had a little Indian boy in her arms. She hugged him closely.
“What a beautiful little Indian, you have got,” Lisa said.
“Yes, is it a he or a she Indian?” Ida asked
“It is a little boy,” Katrina said. “Now you two, stop it right now. Alright?”
The girls looked at the child for a long time and nodded to each other, before they looked over at Henry who sat at the table and looked happy.
“The baby is not like Henry,” Ida said. “It has very black hair.”
“I think now is the time for you two to keep absolutely quiet!” Katrina said sternly. “Rose needs peace and quiet.”
The girls took each others hands and giggled as they ran outside.
“Yes, it is from children and drunkards one hears the truth,” Anna whispered to Katrina.
“We are not talking about that now, alright? Rose seems to be happy, and that is the most important thing.”
“I wonder what Indian she has been with, or what really happened?” Anna said quietly and they stared sadly at Rose.
“It does not matter now. The child appears to be healthy and well and so does Rose.”
“I wonder what Henry is thinking?” Murmured Anna, in Danish.
“Henry ‘taenker’,” said Henry, “..that Rose is the sweetest, bravest woman on this earth and that she is very lucky to have such kind and supportive friends.” He smiled at Anna as he crossed the room to sit beside Rose and her new baby.
“Anna, I think that now is the time for you to prepare some midwife coffee,” Katrina said.
Anna went to the stove and pulled the kettle onto the hot plate. The girls were outside throwing snow at each other. Frederik had just come in. Henry and Rose exchanged a long look over the baby’s head. Then Henry quietly told everyone the hidden story.
“Rose was attacked on the road by some warring Indians and left for dead. When we went to the new camp looking for her, our neighbour Indians understood from us that she was missing, and a group of braves immediately mobilised and went looking for her. They found her just in time and took her to the medicine man. Bearboy’s mother, Sings-in-the-wind, and some of the women, looked after her and when she was recovered enough to sit on a horse they brought her back under cover of night, dressed as one of their own.”
There was a gasp as Anna and Katrina had crept closer and Frederik rapidly translated. Henry paused, then he continued.
“This is a story Rose wants to keep hidden and not to speak of again. Now we would like to welcome Harry Singing-bear Kennedy into our homestead and hope you will find it in your hearts to love him equally, as a child of nature.”
There was not a dry eye in the room. Katrina first covered her mouth with her hand, then kissed Rose on her forehead, and squeezed her hand. Anna busied herself making coffee. She wiped her eyes with her apron, often.
The weather duly arrived over their heads and the girls banged into the house. They all sat cosily around a blazing fire, while it hailed and snowed outside for hours.
“It is snowing now,” Henry said as he sat beside Rose. He was so happy she was alright, and was much like her old self again. She dozed against him as he put his arm around her.
The next day, the sun was shining again, and later they walked outside and watched the sun dry the house and saw that the snow began to melt.
“Someone is coming,” said Rose, who sat on a blanketed chair Henry had brought out for her, with baby Harry in her arms.
“Who could this be?” Ida said and ran to see. “Well, I never!” She ran off down the hill, and almost slid right into him.
“It is him!” She shouted, so that everyone could hear. “Stephen has come back.”
Stephen walked with a stick. The stick was decorated with animal tails, and he was clad in warm Indian travelling clothes. He had the most beautiful soft leather boots on his feet. His hair was long and plaited in two neat plaits and his head, adorned with shining eagle feathers.
“Stephen!” Ida shouted exuberantly as she hugged him. “I knew you would come back.”
Stephen nodded and walked slowly up the last rise into the yard.
THE AUTHOR
Lise Muusmann, (1946) Elsinore, Denmark.
Muusmann is a trained reference librarian and historian. She writes prolifically about subjects that inspire her: a topic that has caught her eye; throwing light on a little known period of local history; or it may be a new issue of the day that stirs her into investigation. Her research is thorough and fact based.
“I like writing for both kids and adults. And it’s great to write in different genres. I believe it is important to diversify and allow oneself to be inspired by issues in the community that are a very real and present challenge.”