River of Time

by Zoe Matthews

  “I’m here to see Victoria,” Golin announced with a smile, hoping to ease any reservation the woman might have in giving him some information.

  “She isn’t here at the moment. May I help you?” the woman asked, holding the door open wider.

  “Can you tell me when she will return? I must talk to her. I have something important to tell her.”

  The woman shook her head. “I’m not sure when she will be home. You may leave a note if you wish, and I will make sure she gets it when she returns.”

  “Can you tell me where she went?”

  “No.” The woman spoke, as she was shutting the door. “Leave a note or come back in a few days.” The door shut in his face.

  Golin was livid, because he was not able to get information from the woman, but he did his best to calm down. After all, in his time period, there was always a neighbor that liked to talk and would tell anyone anything they wanted to know about someone else. Surely there was someone like that in this time period. And he knew the best place to find someone like that was the nearest market.

  Leaving his belongings hidden in the bushes, he walked down the road. Soon he found himself on a street with many stores. He opened the door to the nearest one and held it open for a mother with two young children to enter.

  “Hello, Mrs. Nelson,” an older woman called to the young mother. “What can I help you with?”

  Golin followed the young woman inside and stood strategically off to the side, listening to the conversation while pretending to look at the merchandise.

  “I need to purchase the items on this list, Mrs. Powell.” Mrs. Nelson handed the older woman a sheet of paper. “I also need to look at some material. Mary needs a new dress.” Mrs. Nelson pointed to one of her children.

  “Ma says I’m growing like a weed,” the young girl said excitedly. “I might get two, new dresses.”

  “Well, that sounds like a fine idea. Why don’t you go pick out some material, while Jimmy fills your order?” Mrs. Powell turned to a young man who was stocking shelves nearby. “Jimmy, please stop what you’re doing for a moment, and gather up the items on this list.”

  Golin watched as Jimmy started to do as requested. As the young man walked by him, he glanced at Golin, who scowled at him until he looked away.

  “What can I help you with?” Golin heard Mrs. Powell ask. As he turned, he realized she was addressing him.

  “I’m from out of town visiting your beautiful city. I am looking for information about Victoria Hilton. I went by her house, but she isn’t there. The housekeeper said she would be gone for a few days.”

  Mrs. Powell nodded, as she stepped behind a long table. “Why do you want information about her?”

  “I guess you could say I’m a relative of hers. I’m her husband’s nephew from back east,” Golin easily lied, telling the story he had made up, as he walked from Victoria’s home to this shop.

  “Oh, well that makes sense, dressed the way you are. I heard they went to visit the Callaghan's in the mountains. I guess you might not know she remarried. Now, it’s not my place to say, but marrying at her age is appalling. But to each his own, I guess. She has been living in that large home by herself. Most likely she was lonely. Why else would someone marry at her age?”

  “Do you know who she married?” Golin asked, ignoring the woman’s question about Victoria’s age. In his opinion, the fact that Victoria was now married would make her more valuable as a hostage. She now had a husband who would do anything to free her.

  “Sure I do. She married her butler, Collins. That’s why I think she was just lonely. Who would marry a man who was working for her for any reason other than loneliness? Although, she did have that young man living with her all winter.”

  “Another relative?” Golin asked, when the woman didn’t volunteer any more information.

  “No. He is from that ranch that she went to visit for a few days. He had been going to school here in Denver, but, now that classes are over, my guess is that Victoria and Collins decided to go with him to make sure he got home alright.”

  “Do you know where this ranch is located?”

  Mrs. Powell shook her head. “No, sir, I don’t. All I know is that it’s deep in the mountains. But if you want to know that information, I’d try the saloon. Surely there is someone who knows where the Callaghan's ranch is located.”

  Golin stepped back as Mary put a large bolt of cloth on the counter, her mother coming behind with another bolt of cloth. He saw this as his time to leave. “Thank you for your time.”

  Mrs. Powell looked at him. “Sure, it’s not a problem. Oh, I guess I should get your name. I can let Victoria know you came by looking for her.”

  Golin quickly tried to think of another lie to tell, but Mary interrupted. “Do you like this fabric, Mrs. Powell? Ma says the blue flowers match my eyes.”

  Mrs. Powell directed her attention to her customers, and Golin was able to slip out of the store unnoticed. He decided the quickest way to get to Victoria would be to find the ranch. He hoped that, even though Victoria might not have the keys with her, he would be able to convince her to give them to him. Maybe she would be willing to let him purchase them.

  One of the things he did when he visited different time periods was to steal money. He would find a likely place, most likely a store or a bank. Then at night, when no one was around, he would use his key, and transport himself into the building. He would find money and other things that were worth something and take them, then quickly he would transport himself out of the building. No one ever saw him, except once when he transported himself into a store that he thought was empty, but he was able to disappear as soon as he was seen. He had brought some money that he had stolen a few years prior from the 1890’s, and he knew he could use that money to pay someone to take him to the ranch. Surely he would be able to find someone who needed to make some, extra cash.

  He wished he could use his key and transport himself to the ranch, but, since he didn’t know exactly where it was located, and he didn’t want to try and end up wandering around the mountains looking for it, he figured it would be better to have someone take him there. He spent the afternoon in the saloon talking to some of the local men. After a few false starts, he finally found a man who seemed to be short on cash and was willing, for a price, to take him to the Callaghan's ranch. After making arrangements to meet the man early the next morning, Golin found his way back to the bushes to spend the rest of the day out of sight.

  Chapter 14

  The day after Kimberly had her babies, Nicky prepared to go with Shaun and Colleen to see her Indian family. Bridget was fine with helping Kimberly that day, so Nicky had the day off. Kimberly was also pleased with the idea, saying Nicky deserved to have some fun, since she was so busy the day before.

  Nicky knew the family was expecting Keegan to return home that day, having spent the winter with Victoria and Collins while going to school. She also knew that Victoria and Collins were going to come with him and spend a few days visiting. Kimberly had explained in one of her letters that Victoria and Collins had become more of parent figures to the Callaghan family, almost like grandparents. Everyone was excited to have Keegan back home for the summer. Even Kimberly talked about how much she had missed him.

  Shaun had informed Nicky that he would meet her by the barn when breakfast was over, so, after she washed the dishes, she went to the barn. When she arrived, Colleen was already on her horse, and Shaun was standing nearby with two, saddled horses. Nicky was excited to try riding again, although something told her she would get significantly more sore than she had the last time Shaun had taken her riding.

  She swung her leg up and over Honey eagerly, and then she watched, as Shaun made sure his saddlebag was secure on his own horse and then swung himself on its back. She couldn't help but admire the way Shaun held himself on his horse. Clearly, he was in his element, and he thrived, while he was in the saddle. She admired the way the muscles in his arms moved, as he adju
sted the reigns and patted his horse's neck.

  Shaun took the lead, with Colleen following. Nicky’s horse started walking after Colleen’s horse without any direction from Nicky. She hadn't realized she had been so caught up in watching Shaun. She remembered Shaun saying this horse would follow the other horses without commands, and she was a little relieved. She wanted a challenge, but she knew today would be long, and she felt comfort in the fact that her horse wouldn't be hard to keep in line.

  They left the ranch and slowly followed a thin trail along the river, which led deeper into the mountains. As they rode, the trail got thinner, and the foliage around her got even thicker. More than a few times she saw different wildlife jump into the trees at the sound of them approaching. Both Colleen and she got particularly excited about a baby deer that was grazing with its mother. The trail eventually veered away from the river, and soon even the trail became faint. Colleen chattered away, mainly about the two, new babies. She was fascinated with the babies and talked about what she planned to do to help care for them. She wondered if a woman could have more than two babies. Nicky wondered what the child would say if she told her that, in her time, it wasn’t uncommon to hear about women who had three or four children at once.

  After they had been riding for over an hour, Shaun stopped his horse. Colleen expertly guided her horse next to her father’s. Nicky, however, couldn’t remember how to stop her horse for a moment, but the animal stopped on her own, right before she ran into Shaun’s horse. Nicky’s cheeks burned for a moment; she wasn’t normally so distracted.

  Nicky composed herself and was about to ask why they had stopped, but she kept quiet, when Shaun made what sounded like a crow calling. After a moment, she heard another crow sound, and then an Indian appeared from the trees.

  The Indian looked at her curiously and greeted Colleen with a nod, but he only talked to Shaun. He turned and disappeared back into the trees, and Shaun moved his horse forward.

  “What was that all about?” Nicky asked, as she nudged her horse forward.

  “That was Running Deer, Colleen’s uncle. I made the crow call to let him know we were coming, and he answered, letting us know we are welcome.”

  “Why a crow call?”

  Shaun turned around in his saddle and looked at her sheepishly. “It’s the only bird call I have been able to learn how to make.”

  She wanted to tease Shaun, but she just grinned and kept silent, as they continued into the forest. The trees became even denser, and they started to climb a sharp hill. At the top, Nicky gasped in amazement at what she saw. Down below was a beautiful, little valley filled with teepees. She could see the entire village from her horse. The valley was completely surrounded by mountains, and a small river ran along the edge of the valley. She saw many people walking around.

  As they moved their horses down the mountain, she could see children playing some game that reminded her of tag. Women were cooking food over fires or working on other tasks. In the middle of the village was a large fire where some men sat around. When they arrived at the edge of the village Colleen’s uncle appeared from the trees and walked in front of Shaun’s horse. He led them through the village and stopped about midway at a teepee.

  Shaun got off of his horse, and Colleen followed on her own. Nicky started to swing her leg over her own horse, when Shaun came up to her.

  “Let me help you,” he offered, as he put his hands around her waist and helped her slide to the ground. Her muscles ached, and she was grateful he moved his hands to her arms, as if making sure she could stand on her own before taking them away.

  Colleen’s uncle took the reins of all three horses and then stood still. Shaun quickly introduced her to Running Deer, who nodded solemnly at her. Colleen ran to her uncle and gave him a hug, which he allowed for a brief moment before he stepped away. Although he acted stiff, Nicky could tell he felt an affection for Colleen, as he gazed at her with softness in his eyes.

  As Running Deer led the three horses away, a woman came out of the teepee, and Colleen ran to her.

  “Hello, Little Fawn,” the woman greeted her with a thick accent and a hug. “It has been a long time. You have grown much. Soon we will need to give you a new name. You are no longer so little.”

  Colleen nodded her head vigorously. “I’m ten-years old.”

  “I know, little one. I remember when you came into this world.”

  Nicky turned to Shaun wondering who this woman was. She was an older woman with more gray than black hair. She wore tan leggings, with a shirt the same color that went down to her knees. It had a wide neck with a thick strip of animal skin that ended at her shoulders.

  “This is Colleen’s grandmother. She is known as Laughing Brook,” Shaun explained. He turned to the woman and introduced Nicky to her, explaining that she was Kimberly’s friend.

  “Kimberly had two babies yesterday, a boy baby and a girl baby,” Colleen informed her grandmother, who kept a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

  “Is that right?” Laughing Brook responded with a kind smile. “Then your family received two blessings.”

  Colleen continued to nod, her black braids bouncing across her back. “Kimberly said I can help take care of them. She let me hold them last night.”

  “Come, child,” Laughing Brook took Colleen’s hand. “I have some things I need to do. I would love your company.” She led the child away as Colleen continued to chatter excitedly.

  “Colleen seems close to her grandmother,” Nicky commented.

  “Yes, Laughing Brook is very good to her,” Shaun agreed, as he watched them walk away. “I know it was hard for her to give Colleen up, when her own daughter died, but she did what she felt was best for her. This tribe would not have accepted her as their own.”

  “Because she had a white father,” Nicky said. She was glad Colleen had so many people who loved and cared for her, but she was also sad that ignorance and bigotry made it so people had to make such hard choices.

  “Colleen will spend most of the day with her grandmother. I’ll show you around the village.”

  “Tell me about her Indian name,” Nicky invited, as they walked. “Did I hear right that Laughing Brook called her Little Fawn?”

  “Yes,” Shaun confirmed, as he took her hand in his. “All Indian children are given a name, when they are born. Laughing Brook saw twin fawns just outside their teepee right after Colleen was born, so she was given the name Little Fawn. When she is about twelve, she will be given another name. When she is grown, she might be given another one. Some Indians receive five or six names in their lifetime. If the current name they have doesn’t fit them anymore, they receive a new one.”

  “Who gives them their names?”

  “Usually their family does, but sometimes they choose their own. One of Running Deer’s friends is named Red Thunder. He gave that to himself, because when he killed his first deer, a storm was coming in. There was thunder, and the sky was the color red, because it was dusk, and the sun was setting. So he chose that name.”

  As they walked, Nicky looked around. She was very curious about how the Indians lived. She could see some women working together tanning a hide. There was another group of what looked like teenage girls who were digging in the dirt at the edge of the forest. Shaun explained that they were looking for edible roots and bulbs. Some of the people who saw them greeted Shaun in their Native tongue, which he responded in the same language. Most of the tribe looked at her curiously, but some just ignored them.

  After they had walked around the entire village, Running Deer approached them. “Laughing Brook has asked that you and your woman join her for a meal.”

  Nicky blushed at Running Deer’s words. Did he think that she had married Shaun? She waited to see what Shaun would do, but he just nodded. “Please thank her, and tell her we will be along shortly.”

  When Running Deer disappeared again, Nicky looked at Shaun curiously. Why hadn’t he explained that she wasn’t his woman? He seemed to understand
her unspoken question.

  “In Running Deer’s eyes, because I brought you, you are my woman. I’ve… I’ve never brought a woman here before, except my sister and Kimberly.”

  Nicky was silent, processing Shaun’s words. What was he trying to say? Shaun stopped walking and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. “It is better that Colleen’s family think we are together. Otherwise, some Indian man might decide to take you as his wife,” he said, his eyes twinkling, as he talked.

  She couldn’t tell if he was teasing or being truthful. She wondered why an Indian man would want a white woman, when they couldn’t accept Colleen as their own. She had to admit to herself that she liked being thought of as Shaun’s woman, so she decided she would play along.