“What happened in there?” he asked.
Floyd shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know; the girl had a nightmare, I guess. She just started screaming. I think my heart almost gave out! And Hattie wakes up fightin’ when she’s startled. Between the screams and punches, I’m lucky you aren’t digging my grave right now!” Floyd rubbed his chest and blew an exaggerated puff of air.
“We might as well start a fire,” Ira said with a shiver. “I don’t think we’ll be leaving in the morning. We need to figure this out; we can’t take these kids into Clackton if the girl is going to scream like that every night.”
Returning the gun to Ira, Jed tucked the knife into the back of his pants. He gathered kindling and started a fire as Ira put his rifle away. Ira rejoined them just as Tony was helping Mae out of their vardo and into a chair.
“Those poor children,” the elderly woman said as she gazed toward Floyd’s wagon. “You’re right to want to help them, Jed. Nightmares like that don’t happen unless there’s a reason.” He nodded, waiting for her to continue. She shook her head and sighed. “I’ve seen it before, in full-grown men who’ve experienced a lot of violence. That kind of dream only comes to people when they witness something dreadful.”
Jed placed a hand on the knife tucked under his jacket and wondered what dreadful thing could have been done to these kids? For several minutes, the small group sat around the fire, lost in their own thoughts. Goldie, who had been consoling her children, came outside. She walked over to the fire and stood by Ira.
“The children fell back to sleep,” she told him. “What happened?” As Ira filled her in, he put his arms around her, and they warmed each other in the fire’s glow.
Soon, Hattie came outside and joined them. “She’s doing better. Rosa is sitting with them at the table.” She took in a deep breath. “That boy really knows how to calm her down. Maybe he’s right, Jed. Perhaps we shouldn’t separate them. I don’t know—this might be too big for us. Do you think we should get a sheriff involved?”
Jed shook his head, remembering the old man Rake who had been chasing the young couple in the last town. He didn’t trust that man, and considering how friendly Rake had been with the town’s local law, Jed wondered if any of the sheriffs or deputies in these parts could be trusted.
“Not yet,” he said. “I’d like to find out what happened first. I wish we could convince those kids that we only want to help.”
“Well now,” Mae piped in, “we could let them get married.” Everyone stared at the woman; the crackle of the fire filled the silence. “Why not?” she said. “He’s determined to look after her as if they already are. You all must have seen that as clearly as I did!” She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders. “We don’t know how long they’ve been running—or from what. They’re scared, Jed. Really scared. They aren’t going to trust us unless we give them a reason to. If they get married, we won’t have to keep them apart, and that might go a long way toward getting their trust. Then, if she is able to stay quiet through the night, we can go to Clackton without worrying about the attention those nightmares would bring.” Her eyes moved around the circle and finally landed on Jed. “I’ve been around for a while. Trust me; those two will be married eventually. What does it matter if it’s today or next year? At least we can help them do it right.”
“You’re a pastor, Ira. You could do it!” Hattie said.
Jed was not convinced. “They’re still young, Mae. I don’t know if that’s the right answer.”
Mae waved a dismissive hand at him. “They wouldn’t be the youngest people to get married,” she replied. “In the old country, couples were married even earlier. And they’re not much younger than I was when I married my Hanzi. If you’re serious about protecting them, you need to find a way to make them want to stay with us. That just might do it.”
Jed could feel her watching him as he mulled over her words. He turned to Ira, who was studying the ground, and nudged him. “Why don’t you and I go have a talk with those kids,” he suggested.
Ira looked up, nodded with a sigh, and followed him to the vardo. As the men entered the small home, Rosa and the two young people looked up from where they were sitting at the table by the window. Jed motioned for Rosa to give them her spot. She stood and walked to the other end of the vardo. As the men slid into the seat, Jed set the knife on the table. The boy reached for it, but Jed placed his hand on top of it.
“We’re going to have a talk first,” he said. “This is a decent knife. I guess it is yours.” There was a subtle tone of accusation in his voice.
“It’s for hunting,” the boy replied.
“You had it out. Were you planning on going hunting in the middle of the night?” Jed locked eyes with the boy. “Look, I know you were sitting outside that door before she started screaming. Why was your knife out?”
“It’s also for protection.”
“Who are you trying to protect yourself from? We have kids; we have families. We’re not like the man who was chasing you.”
“The knife was in its sheath,” the boy said. “I wasn’t going to use it on anyone. I only had it out in case you wouldn’t let me take—in case you wouldn’t let us leave.”
“You’re making it hard for us to help you,” Jed stated.
“Then don’t! Just give me back my knife and let us go,” the boy pleaded.
Ira piped in. “We’re not keeping you here against your will.”
“But if we leave,” the boy said, turning to him, “you’re dooming us to starvation if he won’t give me back my knife.” Silence stretched out before them.
“How long have you been running?” Jed finally asked.
“I don’t know; what day is it?” the boy said. Jed was about to answer, but the girl cut him off.
“April sixth…” she whispered.
“No,” Jed corrected. “It’s June eighth—actually, it’s the ninth now.”
“April sixth is when this all started.” Her voice was low, making it difficult to hear. She looked at the boy; he shook his head so slightly that Jed almost missed it.
“Why won’t you tell us what happened?” he asked. The boy, still holding the canvas bag, shifted in his seat. He avoided the men’s eyes. Jed looked at Ira and decided to change the direction of the conversation. “So, if she’s not your sister, who is she?” he asked, nodding toward the girl. The boy kept his mouth clamped shut and took her hand in his, as if to answer. Jed continued to question them. “How old are you, fifteen?”
The boy sat up straighter and lifted his chin. “I’m sixteen.”
“Fine. And her?” Jed asked, not impressed.
“Fifteen,” the boy answered, lowering his eyes again.
“Did you run away so you could be together?” They both shook their heads in unison. “And your parents aren’t looking for you?”
“No, they aren’t! We didn’t run away…” The boy’s voice trailed off.
Jed looked at their intertwined hands. Dirty, frayed fabric strips were wrapped around the boy’s arm, peeking out from under his sleeve. Jed recalled the girl having something similar. Still holding the girl’s hand, the boy moved their arms off the table and out of view.
Jed sighed and rubbed his temples. “Okay, listen,” he said. “We want to make a deal with you. Stay with us; we’ll protect you. But if you think you need to be together to be safe, then you’ll have to get married. Otherwise, you’re going to have to sleep in different vardos. I promise you can trust us.”
“Married?” the boy asked, looking up.
Jed nodded. “Ira is a minister; he can do it. But before I’ll agree to that, you have to tell us your real names. And you have to promise to stay for at least a month—long enough to get some meat on your bones.” Jed hoped the extra time would give him a chance to piece together what had happened to them.
“If we get married, you won’t separate us?” the boy asked.
“Yeah, kid, but this is
for real. Don’t do it unless you’re absolutely sure. I’m not convinced this is a good idea, but if that’s what will make you stay, then that’s the deal.”
The boy’s eyes darted to the window and then down at the knife. “Can we have a minute to talk about it?”
Jed considered the request for a moment and then nodded. He pushed the knife toward the boy. Rosa, who was standing with her arms crossed, shook her head at him. She thought this was just as risky as he did. As the three adults left the vardo, Jed slipped his arm around Rosa’s shoulders.
Once outside, Jed pointed to Floyd and motioned for him to go to the other side of the wagon where the window was located. Floyd nodded and went behind the vardo to stand guard. Jed moved closer to the fire.
“What do you think?” Ira asked in a low voice.
“I think those kids are going to make a run for it,” Jed stated.
As they stood around the fire and waited, the minutes passed. Eventually, Floyd peeked out from the side of the vardo and shook his head. At that moment, the door opened and the boy stepped out, the girl following close behind. He looked at the merchants as Floyd moved toward the fire and joined the others.
“I’m Eli,” he finally said, “and this is Ada. If you promise to do what you said, we’ll stay.”
Jed let out a slow sigh and glanced at Ira. He figured those kids would run off sooner or later, but for now they would move forward with the wedding. He prayed they were doing the right thing.
GRACE
The early summer air was perfect for an afternoon walk. The Duncans strolled hand-in-hand along the road leading to the Gardner home. Grace carried a casserole dish while Marcus held a basket of kitchen items and table linens. The Gardners didn’t own much. Since Grace had a generous heart and more than enough to share, she had assembled this care package, grateful for an excuse to visit the young couple.
Being married to the town’s pastor gave her ample opportunity to indulge the giving side of her personality. Marcus often received donations of furniture and household items from his parishioners. The Duncans stored them in their house or attic until they discovered a need in town. Then they would pass them along. Their sitting room was feeling cluttered, so Grace intended to ask Ada if she would like a small sofa and two parlor chairs. They were in good condition and would match the large area rug rolled up in the rectory attic.
Yesterday during church, the Gardners received their first introduction to the townsfolk of East Haven. The young couple arrived as the singing began. Even though they slipped into a back pew, their appearance didn’t go unnoticed. A few turned heads grew into many, and curious whispers traveled down each row. After the service, townsfolk lined up to greet the new couple. However, some noticed Eli’s tattoos peeking out from under his cuffs, and those introductions became cool and formal. The young couple didn’t seem to notice; although, Grace wondered if they might be overlooking it on purpose.
Well, if the town wouldn’t accept them, she was even more determined to make Eli and Ada Gardner feel welcome. Marcus was a good judge of character and was impressed with Eli. Grace looked forward to getting to know them better.
As they passed Evelyn’s house, the elderly woman opened her door and waved to them. She held a stack of recipe cards tied with ribbon. “Are you calling on the Gardners?” she asked. “I’ll come with you.” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders as she descended the steps. “I wrote down recipes for Ada. Most new brides only know two or three good meals, and they desperately need help coming up with more.” She tucked a stray hair back into place. “It is my obligation to pass on an assortment of meal plans to that poor young wife. And I dare say, her husband will appreciate the variety as well.” Evelyn giggled to herself, and together they continued down the road.
As the trio approached the house, Eli met them on the porch. Holding a hammer and nails, he worked to secure the loose railing. After shaking hands, Marcus handed the basket to Grace, and Eli motioned for the women to enter the house. They found Ada at her kitchen sink, suds up to her elbows as she washed dishes in a tub of soapy water. She smiled at her guests, grabbed a towel, and turned to welcome them.
“Grace. Mrs. Russell. Good afternoon! Please sit down.” Ada nodded toward the kitchen table, and Grace placed the basket and casserole dish on the counter.
“Ada, I noticed you didn’t have many utensils or tablecloths, so I brought some things for your kitchen. I hope you don’t mind. And I also brought supper.”
Ada continued to dry her hands as she peeked into the basket. “Thank you, Grace. That’s so sweet,” she said with genuine gratitude.
Evelyn seemed anxious to obtain a similar reaction as she held out the recipe cards. “I thought you might like these,” she said. “They are modest meals, inexpensive and easy to prepare. But I assure you, Eli will find them quite tasty.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Russell. I’m sure he will. He always enjoys what is set before him and has never complained about any of the food he’s had to try.”
Grace noticed a meaningful look in the young woman’s eyes and wondered what memory might have caused it. Ada put her towel down and reached for the recipe cards, but Evelyn yanked back her hand.
“Oh my goodness, Ada!” she cried out in shock. “What have you done to yourself? Please tell me that isn’t real!”
Ada looked bewildered by Evelyn’s outburst. She raised her left arm and turned it. “Do you mean my tattoo?” she asked. “Yes, Mrs. Russell, it’s real.” On the inside of her forearm, there was a silhouette of three flowers, two large and one small. The flowers were surrounded by leaves and delicate vines that twisted around each other. The pattern was feminine but reminded Grace of the description Marcus had given of Eli’s arms.
“Oh, child!” Evelyn said in a disappointed tone. “Why would you do such a thing? Don’t you realize heathens and crude sailors mark themselves up like that? Why would you want to be thrown in with that lot? Have you no concern for what others think of you? How could Eli allow it?”
“Evelyn!” Grace said. “You’re being harsh! Eli has them too. Haven’t you noticed?”
“Apparently not,” Evelyn huffed. “Well, one can almost excuse a coarse working man for doing such a ridiculous thing—but a young lady? Never!” The look on Ada’s face was filled with dismay, as though she were trying to calculate how to respond. Evelyn, however, persisted with her scolding. “What a thoughtless and selfish choice, Ada! Your body should be a temple, one that the Lord would want to dwell in. Well, you have simply ruined yourself! That will never come off, and you will regret it.”
Evelyn put her hand to her chest. “Oh, the disappointment your parents must feel! I suppose you didn’t even think of them. You are so young and naïve, Ada. You can’t possibly know what a mother feels for her children or what she suffers because of them. Your mother would have been better off to never—well, to have never known of this, certainly! And what kind of a parent do you expect to be, parading that thing around so proudly? You’ll teach your children to have no respect for themselves.” Evelyn truly looked as though she might cry, despite her angry tone. “I will pray for you, Ada. I will pray for a change in your heart and for repentance.”
“Evelyn, that’s enough!” Grace said.
Ada’s brows knit together as she lowered her head and peered at the ground. She slowly shook her head and clenched her fists. “You think I’m naïve?” she said, barely controlling her voice. “You, in fact, are the ignorant one, Mrs. Russell. You’ve decided I’m selfish, but you don’t even know my heart or my motives.” Her voice grew louder as she looked squarely into Evelyn’s face. “Nor can you possibly know anything about my parents! You think this tattoo ruins me? You have no concept of what truly ruins someone—or how completely destroyed one person can become by the whims of another! You judge and convict me without even trying to know me or my past. Only God knows my life and my character—better than I know them myself—an
d He is the only Judge I have to face.” She took a step forward. Evelyn stood her ground as Ada continued. “I can see that you think I’m beneath your acquaintance, Mrs. Russell! Well, please don’t feel as though you need to prolong your visit. I will not hold you to your neighborly obligations. You may leave!”
Evelyn’s mouth was drawn tight. She blinked a few times and sniffed as she raised her chin. “I believe I will leave,” she said. “You certainly need time to calm down before you can listen to reason and graciously accept the wisdom others share with you.” She turned and marched out the door, taking her recipe cards with her.
Grace rushed after her, hoping to convince her to come back and apologize. As Evelyn stepped onto the porch, she turned to Eli and glanced at his wrists with a scowl. “I see you’re just as impulsive as your wife,” she said. “I wonder, Mr. Gardner, if you have an unbridled tongue as well!” Having spoken her mind, the self-righteous woman stormed off.
Eli followed her departure with a stunned gaze and then turned toward Grace. “What was that all about?”
“I’m sorry, Eli. Evelyn saw Ada’s arm and scolded her terribly! I might have kicked someone out of my home, too, if I had been spoken to like that.”
“Ada kicked her out?” he asked. “What did Mrs. Russell say?” Grace glanced at Marcus, not wanting to repeat the woman’s cruel words. “It’s all right, Grace,” Eli assured her.
A quick recap of the incident didn’t make it any easier; with each word, the knot in her stomach tightened. She watched Eli’s face move from puzzled to troubled and finally to stern grief. She wanted her husband to step in with his usual ability to smooth over conflict, but Marcus only stood by and watched Eli’s reaction. The young man peered at the ground and sighed.
“Well,” he said in a quiet voice, “Mrs. Russell couldn’t have chosen worse words to say to Ada.” He frowned as though he were remembering something painful. “We both lost our parents several years ago. And last year—” He swallowed hard, unable to continue, and kept his eyes on the ground. Taking in a deep breath, he finally looked up with an aching expression. “Ada knows well enough what a mother feels for her child,” he said and went into the house. Grace glanced at Marcus before they both followed him in.
Painted Vessels Page 6
