by G. S. Carr
Deena fisted and released the fabric of her skirt several times. There'd be yet another heap of embarrassment.
"I agree with Deena, but I know you won't take no for an answer, so I'll say thank you instead. You treat me too good, Mrs. Paty."
"There's no such thing. If you two don't mind, I'd like to get going. I'd like to be back home before the sun is completely gone."
"Of course not," Deena said. She climbed into the wagon, taking a seat next to Mrs. Paty.
"Good night, ladies. Stay safe."
"We will," Mrs. Paty replied. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Deena said to Asa.
Mrs. Paty snapped the reigns, setting the horse off at a moderate pace. Deena waved at Asa, already doing something she hadn't in a long time.
Missing someone.
***
With the bucket of feed in her hand, Deena walked into the hencoop as she'd done every day for nearly a week. She hummed quietly to herself, enjoying the stillness of the early morning. It was so different out here. So much more peaceful than the crowded streets of New York City. The air smelled fresh and clean, not polluted with waste and disease.
The quiet lull of nature was much more delightful than shouting people, the grind of factory machines, and all the other city noises. If Deena had to define utopia, this would be it.
The back door of the house flew open, expelling a sprightly SaraGrace. The little girl ran towards her at full speed, the two braids Deena had put in her hair this morning flapping behind her.
SaraGrace bounded into the chicken pen, not stopping until she slammed into Deena's legs. She hugged them tightly, burying her face in Deena's skirt.
"Good morning, Mama."
She'd taken to calling Deena that ever since the night they’d prayed together. It still unnerved Deena every time SaraGrace did so, but she never corrected her. The poor child would be yet another casualty of the devastation left in the wake of her lie.
"Good morning, bug. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes, ma'am. Did you?"
"I sure did. Me and Mrs. Paty sat up talking for a little while before we went to bed."
"I wish I could have been there." SaraGrace poked out her bottom lip and crossed her arms. "I can't wait till you come and live with me and Papa. I'm so happy that I have a new mama. I don't remember my old one."
Deena's heart broke anew. Asa had done an amazing job raising his daughter so far, even without the presence of a mother. SaraGrace was full of life and love. Deena hoped she wouldn't be the cause of that falling to pieces when she left.
"Will you come play with me?" SaraGrace asked, her voice hopeful.
"I need to finish up my chores, but afterward, I will."
"I'll help you."
With the burst of energy that only young children possess, SaraGrace sprinted back into the house, reappearing a few minutes later with a small basket. She dipped into the hen house and collected the eggs while Deena finished feeding the chickens.
Taking care of the chickens was done faster with SaraGrace than Deena had ever done on her own. She might have to employ SaraGrace's help more often in the future. They walked back to the house to put the eggs away.
"What do we have to do next?" SaraGrace asked.
Deena bent down, so they were eye to eye, a genuine smile on her face. She had a feeling no matter how laborious the task, SaraGrace would be more than happy to help her complete it if it meant they'd be able to play once it was done.
"How about we..."
"If I can be rude enough to interrupt," Asa's smooth voice said, coming up behind them. "I thought we could take a break today." He looked at Deena. "This place will be partly yours soon. I can show you what you'll be getting. We can bring a picnic, too."
"I love picnics," SaraGrace exclaimed.
Deena nodded, absorbing some of SaraGrace's enthusiasm. "I'd like that."
"Good, because I already made one up. The buggy is ready, so let's go."
Deena untied her apron and tossed it onto the counter. One hand on her hip, she swept the other out in front of her. "Please lead the way, sir."
Asa extended his winged elbow, which Deena accepted. SaraGrace held her free hand, and together they left for their outing, feeling to Deena an awful lot like a family.
CHAPTER TWELVE
"Look over there," Asa said, pointing to a herd of animals grazing in the distance.
"What are those, Papa?"
Deena squinted at the beasts. "They look like deer."
"Close. They're mule deer. See their big ears and the black fur on the tip of their tail? And watch this." Asa handed Deena the reins for a moment, then cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered as loud as he could.
The deer lifted their heads and turned, focusing on the small buggy and its occupants. SaraGrace mimicked her father and began yodeling through her cupped hands. The deer took off, bounding away with a stiff-legged gait that made them appear to be bouncing up and down.
Asa watched his girls, entranced by the delight and amusement alighting their faces. He took the reins back from Deena. She leaned forward, trying to get a better view of the spectacle nature performed solely for them. They watched until the deer became specks in the distance.
"That was amazing, Papa!" SaraGrace clapped her tiny hands as if she were in the audience of a grand opera giving a standing ovation.
Deena hugged SaraGrace closer to her side, laughing and grinning just as hard. "Yes, that was a moment I will never forget."
"I'm glad you both liked that. Being surrounded by nature is my favorite part of living out here. It makes me marvel at how it all works. How every single plant, animal, and insect has a role to play in the grand design of this wilderness."
"I like living out here too, Papa. Do you like living out here, Mama?"
Deena stroked SaraGrace's cheek, smiling down at the little girl. "I do." She gazed at Asa. "Your father is right. This place is magnificent in so many ways."
His eyes never leaving Deena's, Asa reached in the breast pocket on his vest and withdrew a hunk of wood. He kept it hidden, his fist blocking her view. "I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of making you something. Just a small token of my appreciation for all that you've been doing."
"Aww, Asa. You didn't have to do that."
"I know. I wanted to. Hold out your hand."
He waited for Deena to do as he said. He touched his fist to her palm, then slowly opened his fingers, releasing the gift. A crackle of exhilaration shot up his arm, making him shudder at the contact. They looked at each other, their attention riveted. Did she feel it too?
Why would she? For a moment, Asa had forgotten himself. Forgotten what he looked like. He snatched back his hand, lest he did something else foolish, like try to hold hers.
Asa focused back on the landscape before them. "Carved it myself. I hope you like it."
Catching him off guard, Deena touched his scarred cheek, guiding his attention back to her and smiled. She glanced between the bear figurine and him. "It's perfect. Like the man who made it."
Roots sprouted from the seed of hope that had planted in his heart the day he’d picked her up from the train depot. As much as he tried to deny it, deep down Asa yearned for a woman to love him. Maybe he could have that with Deena.
He cleared his throat to remove the emotion clogging his voice. "Yes, well. I'm glad it pleases you."
"Thank you. No one has ever given me something so special. I will cherish it until the day I breathe my last breath."
Asa looked down and caught sight of SaraGrace sitting between them, her grin so broad that it pushed up her cheeks, making her eyes squint. Excitement, and an understanding beyond her years, shone in her perceptive blue eyes. She almost looked ready to spring out of her seat as high as the mule deer. It seemed he wasn't the only one with secret hopes and dreams about having a real family filled with love.
They traveled on a bit farther, talking and laughing as they went. Thankfully,
Asa spotted his intended destination not much later.
"This looks like good as spot as any for our picnic." He parked the wagon next to a large white willow tree planted by a river.
"Is this part of your land as well?" Deena asked, amazement in her voice as she took in the scene before them.
"It is. We haven't left my plot yet."
Deena's mouth gaped. She surveyed their surroundings, nodding her head slowly. "I'm impressed. We've been riding for some time. I must admit you own a lot more than I realized. Not that it matters," she quickly amended. "I'm not here to take from you. I'm not after what you own."
"I'm not worried about that."
He wasn't. She'd barely allowed him to purchase a few dresses for her. And either way, once they married, he was more than happy to share all that he had with her. The entire point of him building this place up was for his family. The one she'd soon be his partner in creating.
"Papa, it's hot," SaraGrace whined. She threw a hand over her forehead and slumped to the side, emphasizing her distress. "Can we dip our feet in the water to cool off?"
Asa pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at her dramatic antics. Being a father came with some of the most entertaining moments of his life.
"Go right on ahead. I'll lay out the picnic."
"Yay! Thank you, Papa."
SaraGrace took Deena's hand and sprinted down to the riverbank. In short order, they removed their shoes and stockings, then waded into the water, hiking their skirts a little above their ankles. They frolicked at the edge of the shore, enjoying the coolness of the water on their bare skin.
SaraGrace kicked the water, spraying Deena, who laughed and splashed water back at her. A water fight soon ensued.
After laying out the blanket and food that he'd packed, Asa strolled down to the river. "Looks like you guys are having a lot of..." His face fell, his smile vanishing. "Get out. Get out of the water right now," he bellowed.
Deena and SaraGrace stood frozen for a moment, not understanding the sudden souring of his mood. He didn't have to repeat himself, though. Snapping into action, Deena grabbed SaraGrace's hand and hurried out of the water.
"Come on, bug. You heard your father."
Asa limped past them at a quick clip. Deena watched him go, holding SaraGrace securely to her side. He stopped and bent near the water not far from where they had been playing.
Deena's gasp carried to his ears a few seconds later. Her shock probably matched his ire. Asa stared down at two dead pigs with arrows sticking out of their sides. The carcasses were half in and half out of the water.
He glanced over his shoulder. Deena had turned SaraGrace's head away, pressing the side of her face into her stomach. He sent up a silent plea that his daughter hadn't seen the gruesome scene.
"Come on," Deena said, guiding SaraGrace away. "Let's clean up the picnic while your daddy handles his business."
"What's wrong? What happened?" SaraGrace asked.
"Don't worry about it right now. What we need to do is pick everything up and pack it away."
SaraGrace must have understood the unspoken censure in Deena's voice. She didn't ask any further questions. Satisfied that they would be all right, Asa focused back on the task at hand. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, then gripped the front hooves of one of the pigs and yanked it out of the water. His feet slipped several times on the soft mud along the shore, but eventually, he hauled the heavy corpse onto dry land. He went back in the water and did the same with the other dead animal.
It had been so peaceful for the past week that he'd almost forgotten the trouble they'd been having. Apparently, the trouble hadn't forgotten about him.
Asa trudged to the wagon, the front of his shirt and pants soaked. He raked a frustrated hand through his hair. "This river provides water for a lot of folks around here, especially for the townspeople. Those pigs could have contaminated the water. This is getting dangerous. We gotta get to the bottom of who is causing all this trouble."
Deena rubbed up and down his arm. "We'll figure this out together. I'll go digging for information tomorrow when I go into town to pick up my wedding dress from Alice."
"No. I don't want you to get yourself into any kind of trouble. I'll handle this."
"Wives help their husbands, and as your future wife, that's what I intended to do," Deena said, her voice full of resolution. She squared her shoulders, her gaze unwavering.
Pride welled in Asa's chest. She was a magnificent woman, and he was lucky to have her.
"I appreciate that, but the best way you can help is to stay safe. That way I can concentrate on what I need to do, knowing nothing bad will happen to you. And um..." Asa took hold of Deena's hand. "I think it would be best if we waited until all this is over before getting married. I don't want to leave you a widow right after we get hitched."
Deena winced as if his words physically pained her. Her voice dropped, losing some of its previous vigor. "I understand. That's probably for the best."
Did it make him an awful person, that the look of disappointment on her face lifted his mood? Could Deena's feelings for him be growing as his were for her? He hoped so.
"I'm sorry the picnic was ruined. We need to get back to the house," Asa said to both Deena and SaraGrace.
"I don't mind, Papa. I'm a big girl. I don't need picnics."
Asa smiled at his daughter. He could tell she was putting on a brave face for him. "Thank you both for being so understanding. Let's go."
He helped them back into the wagon, then climbed up in the seat and started them off back the way they'd come. He'd drop Deena off at Mrs. Paty's early today and then head over to Rob's to tell him what happened.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The irony of being a thief was that it tended to give a person a staunch case of paranoia. Making them terrified of becoming the victim. Deena clutched her reticule, both hands pressing it against her stomach.
A sheen of sweat coated her palms, but she dared not remove them from her plunder. The piece of paper she'd stolen from Bloodlow made the reticule feel like it weighed as much as a baby elephant. Or perhaps that was a delusion of her guilt and fear.
It had finally dawned on her last night to ask the missionary to read it. As a man of the cloth, honor and honesty was part of his moral creed. He wouldn’t lie to her about what he read or, at the very least, he wouldn't steal it from her.
Once she knew for certain why the paper was so valuable to Bloodlow, she could figure out what she wanted to do with it. Either way, she had a feeling it would be her ticket out of the Dakota Territory. Asa didn’t want her help figuring out what was happening, and he’d postponed the wedding, making now the perfect time to leave.
Deena breathed a little easier when she stepped into Alice’s dress shop. She trusted the woman implicitly. As she’d said the first time that she'd come into the shop, she really could see them being good friends. The only reason she hadn’t asked Alice to read the letter was because she couldn’t be sure if her loyalties lay with Asa. And Alice might start asking questions about why Deena had the paper in the first place, or about other things she didn't want to answer.
“Afternoon, Deena.” Alice greeted her as soon as she walked through the door.
“Hey, Alice. I have some news for you. Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
A man stood on the platform in front of the mirror, his arms out while Alice stuck a few pins in the coat he wore. Deena's guard immediately rose again.
“You’re not intruding. Let me introduce you to Mr. Baile. He owns the livery on the other side of town.”
“Enchanté, mademoiselle. It is a pleasure,” the man said, awkwardly bowing at the waist to avoid being stabbed by the many sharp pins sticking out everywhere.
“Same.” Deena turned to Alice. “I can come back later if you’d like.”
“Nonsense,” Mr. Baile answered. “We are almost finished here. And I am the one who is the intruder. This is a dress shop mea
nt for the creation of apparel for the fairer sex. I just love Alice’s work. Jude does a wonderful job at his tailor shop, but Alice has a true gift. Her work is unparalleled. I trust no one else with my wardrobe.”
“You flatter me, Mr. Baile.”
“No flattery at all. Only the simple truth. Anyhow, Miss Deena, I do believe congratulations are in order. It is a pleasure to meet the woman who has captured the heart of Asa Grantt. I can say with complete confidence that he is one of the best men these parts have to offer.”
“I don't know if I would say I've captured his heart. But I’m glad to be marrying him.”
Deena didn’t have to lie when she said that. If life had given her a different destiny and she could truly marry Asa, she’d be a very happy woman.
“Balderdash! Since you arrived, that man has smiled more than I’ve ever seen him do and relinquished his growly personality.”
“I agree,” Alice chimed in from beneath Mr. Baile’s armpit.
“That’s a nice piece of jewelry,” Deena said, both changing the subject and admiring his beaded necklace. Five strings of beads hung from his neck, the length of each layer increasing. Leather strips draped on either side of the bone-white beads with what appeared to be animal claws dangling from their tips.
“Thank you. It was a gift from Chief Struck by the Ree during my last visit to the reservation.”
“You’ve been to the reservation?” Deena came closer to the platform. “How long ago?”
“Yes. Due to recent events taking place on everyone’s farms, I asked the chief for permission to visit and discuss what was happening.”
Deena waited, but Mr. Baile didn’t say anything else. He looked at himself in the mirror, his expression nonchalant, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to leave a conversation unfinished. The impish gleam in his eyes gave Deena the sneaking suspicion he was enjoying being the only person apprised of such important information.
“What did the two of you talk about?” she finally asked.
“A great many things. The most important is that his people are not responsible for the attacks happening in Ruby Creek. They are simply trying to live and adjust to life on the reservation. They want no trouble from us. The Ihanktonwan people have suffered greatly in the last several years. All they want is to coexist peacefully.”
