So Many Roads to Choose

by Kathleen Ball

  “Warm your feet. I have plenty of dry wool socks. Put on a couple pair. We’re leaving as soon as I can get everything together. You can sleep in the back of the wagon then relieve me for a bit of shuteye, and by then we should be there. I’m such a fool. I was so angry Lynn already had a plan to leave me.” He sighed then grabbed his coat and jammed his hat on his head and left.

  The wind whipped hard but at least it wasn’t snowing. His first stop was to see Mike and let him know what was going on. The surprise on Mike’s face made Smitty feel even worse.

  “Don’t worry about a thing, Smitty. Go get your woman and kids. We’ll take care of everything here. Godspeed.” Mike gave Smitty a quick hug.

  Smitty was too choked up for words. He just nodded and went to get the horses and wagon. He piled the supplies they would need and Eli came out with extra oilcloths to help keep everyone dry.

  The night sky was clear when they left, and Smitty hoped it was a good omen.

  Chapter Seven

  Lynn’s whole body tensed when she heard Edgar enter the bedroom. He’d left her alone all night. She lay on her stomach and she turned her head away from him.

  He lifted the sheet off her. She was in so much pain she didn’t care what he saw of her. It was all a bloody mess.

  “This still ailing you?” His voice was gruff.

  “Yes, it’s incredibly painful. And the bleeding hasn’t stopped yet. Did you need me to make you coffee?” She didn’t want him to think he incapacitated her. He’d do it again if he thought it brought her low. She needed to get out of bed to be sure he wasn’t abusing her children.

  “No, I’ll have Scarlett deal with the morning meal. I’ll send Cindy in to tend to you. I do expect you up and around for the noon meal.”

  Rage swamped her, and she had to concentrate on keeping her hands from forming fists. It wouldn’t do for Edgar to catch her angry . “Fine.”

  He left and Cindy came in.

  “Cindy, tell Scarlett to make enough biscuits for the noon meal too. Edgar expects me to do it but I don’t think I’ll be able to knead the dough. I can hardly move with my back this way. Also, make sure she only gives everyone one biscuit. We don’t want him mad. Then I’m going to need hot water, a cloth, and some willow bark tea. The willow bark is—”

  “I know Ma, it’s in your blue chest.” She stroked Lynn’s face. “It’ll be fine.”

  Lynn watched her leave, knowing in her heart that it wasn’t going to be fine. How could she have been so stupid? Edgar sure knew how to write a good letter.

  She dozed in and out while the girls made breakfast and everyone ate. She heard the boys leave to do their chores. Shortly afterward, Scarlett and Cindy came in with the blue chest and a cup of tea.

  Scarlett pushed Lynn’s hair back away from her face. “We need to sit you up so you can drink the tea, then we’ll clean and bandage you. Moving around is bound to make the bleeding start all over again. As soon as the meal is over, we’ll take the bandages off so they don’t get stuck to you. Clean you again and put other bandages on. I’ll wash the dirty ones and hang then by the fire so we can rotate them.”

  Lynn gave her a slight smile. “Where did you learn all this?”

  “From you, Ma. You’ve bandaged up more than your share since I’ve been with you.”

  Lynn took a deep breath and steeled herself against the pain. She swung her legs over the side of the bed while Scarlett gently lifted her into a sitting position. Cindy arranged the sheet for modesty and then handed Lynn the tea.

  Lynn was nauseated and dizzy, but she sipped the tea, and then Cindy scurried to get her more. When that cup was emptied, the girls started cleaning the wounds. Then they put some salve on them and finally they circled her upper body in bandages. Then they wrapped each thigh. They left the rest without bandages in case she needed to use the necessary.

  They drew warm wool stockings over her feet and legs and gently put her dress on. Lynn was actually grateful she’d lost weight; the dress hung loosely on her. They combed her hair and then they slowly allowed her to take her first step. It was pure agony.

  Lynn had pain powders in her bag but they sometimes made a person not right in the head and she needed her wits about her at all times. They barely made it to the kitchen in time. Cindy put the biscuits in the oven to warm them.

  Edgar stomped in, and his beady eyes homed in on Lynn. “Good to see you’ve learned to obey me.” He took his coat off and sat at the table.

  Lynn bit her lip as she bent to take the biscuits out of the oven. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand back up. It took everything she had but she did it without crying out. She then put one on each plate and watched as the all sat down at the table.

  Edgar took his three biscuits and eyed Lynn. Then he laughed. “I guess you can’t sit down on your whipped bottom. Let this be a lesson to the rest of you.” He smiled wide as he ate his food.

  The rest of the children looked as though they were ready to cry. Lynn’s heart went out to them. They’d all had hard things happen in their lives And she’d gone and made it worse. “Eat up. It looks like a bright day today. The sun sparkling on the snow looks like diamonds.”

  She got half smiles from them.

  “Don’t be filling these youngsters with fairy tales. There is nothing but hard work out there.” Edgar shook his head in disgust.

  Lynn nodded. “There sure is a lot of work. Edgar, how have you managed to get it all done? It seems like too much even for a strong man like you.”

  Edgar smiled at the compliment. “I can get most things done, but my sons and my wife made things easier.” His eyes widened as though he’d just let a secret slip.

  Lynn poured herself more willow bark tea. It was hard to keep her hands from shaking. She was already distraught from her beating and feeling fragile and now he mentioned a family? Should she pretend she didn’t hear him? No, he’d be suspicious.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you had such a loss. You never mentioned it before. How did they die?”

  Edgar looked startled and his brows rose. “They, um, there was a sickness.”

  The sickness was probably Edgar. Had his family run off or… She couldn’t think about it now. “I’m sorry. I lost my husband and a son and it’s a hard thing to get through.”

  He shrugged. “Hard enough.” He drank his coffee while he stared at her every move. “Lynn, I want you to clear the snow from the front. I need a clear path from the barn to the house.”

  Scarlett gasped and her eyes opened wide. “It’ll kill her.”

  “Be silent, girl, if you know what’s good for you. The fresh air will do her good, and I don’t want you and your sister helping either.”

  “Yes, Mr. Page,” Scarlett said sadly, staring down at her plate.

  The boys stared at Edgar as though they planned to take him down. Lynn caught Greg’s eye and shook her head.

  “Well, if we’re all done, we’d best get to out chores,” she said trying to sound cheerful. She shooed the boys out of the door.

  She kissed Brian, who was in Cindy’s arms, and grabbed her cape and gloves. After she stepped out into the sun, she pulled on her hood and picked up the shovel by the front door. She’d never noticed before how far away the barn was. There was no use feeling sorry for herself. It had to be done.

  The shovel was heavy, and with the frozen snow on it, Lynn could hardly lift it. Her back screamed at her to stop, but she couldn’t. She made sure the path was wide enough. Edgar was the type that would make her do it all over again. Bending, scooping up the snow, and then straightening up to throw the snow off the path, again and again.

  Whiskey wasn’t something she had ever craved before, but it was something she deeply desired. It would dull the agony. What happened to Edgar’s first family? There wasn’t a sign of anyone other than him living there. Had they run off or had he killed them. It was a horrible thing to think someone capable of killing his family, but she could imagine it.

 
She prayed for the children and for Juan. If anything happened to him, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. She already felt like an unfit mother. What woman in her right mind would move her children in with a man she didn’t know?

  “Wider!” Edgar yelled from inside the house. “Widen it on your way back.”

  She just nodded. She didn’t trust her voice to sound steady enough. Afraid her tears would freeze on her face, she kept them at bay. At long last, the barn was within reach. Somehow, she got her second wind and finished shoveling the path to the barn. Now to enlarge it on her return trip to the cabin.

  Thinking back, she couldn’t think of anyone as cruel as Edgar. She’d been lucky in life. When she turned around and looked at the path she’d shoveled, crimson drops of blood colored the snow. They began as small drops midway and grew to small pools where she stood. Wetness coated her back as blood poured off her. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and found her inner strength. A few times, she thought she’d faint. In fact, the thought of lying on the snow seemed like a good idea, but she had to continue on. If anything happened to her, the children would be helpless.

  “Ma! You’re bleeding something awful!” Aaron shouted as he ran toward her. He tried to take the shovel from her, but she held on to it.

  “It’ll just bring more trouble raining down on us. Let me do this. I’ll be done before supper.”

  He looked doubtful.

  “Please, Aaron. Go back to work.”

  He stared into her eyes and winced. “If you fall I’ll be near to catch you.” He turned and walked past the barn.

  Any momentum she’d had faded, and she could hardly lift the shovel anymore. She saw a pail near the front door and slowly walked to get it. It meant more bending, but she was able to push snow into the bucket, lift it, and dump it. She kept her mind focused on filling the bucket and nothing else.

  It was beginning to grow dark, and Edgar made all the boys walk past her and into the house. She almost crumpled, but they needed her. She filled another bucketful and dumped it, continuing on for at least another hour or more. Only the lamp from the house lit her way. At one point, she turned to check the path and it seemed all she could see was blood. Shock stole her breath. How was it that she was still standing?

  A few more bucketfuls to go and she could rest. Finally, she finished, but then she realized she had left the shovel back toward the barn. She put one foot in front of the other and painstakingly made it back to where it stood upright in the snow. Dragging the shovel behind her to the front door, she plodded, one agonizing step at a time. She opened the door and fainted into the room.

  “There it is!” Juan said excitedly as he pointed to a farm.

  Dusk was already turning to full-on darkness, but Smitty made his way onto the farm and stopped near the house. The door stood open and a body was slumped just outside on the ground in the snow. He recognized Lynn’s cape instantly. With a gasp of horror, Smitty jumped off the wagon and sprinted toward her.

  “Let that be a lesson to all o’ ya!” a harsh male voice said. “No, leave her.” That must be Edgar, Smitty guessed.

  Anger filled him to overflowing as Smitty scooped Lynn into his arms. Juan joined him, a blanket in his hands that he had carried from the wagon. Together, the two of them wrapped Lynn’s limp body.

  Fueled by his fury, Smitty stormed over the threshold and into the house.

  A tall, gaunt man in simple homespun clothing jumped to his feet, glaring through dark, beady eyes. His right hand clutched a Holy Bible to his chest. This had to be Edgar Page.

  “What was Lynn doing lying in the snow?” growled Smitty.

  “Pa,” murmured Juan, nodding to the place where they’d found Lynn. Light from the cabin spilled across blood-soaked snow.

  “What the hell is going on here?” Smitty roared. Edgar Page was lucky Smitty still had Lynn in his arms. “I’m asking again why was Lynn left out in the snow bleeding?” Smitty wanted nothing more than to beat Edgar to the ground. Edgar was a mean one. Smitty felt sick to his stomach. He should have come after Lynn as soon as she left.

  Brian yelled, “Pa!”

  Edgar set the Bible on the table and quickly stepped between Smitty and the children. “I suggest you leave my wife and family alone.”

  Smitty glared and then skirted by him and went into the bedroom, where he gently laid Lynn down on her stomach. He shut the door and locked it, ignoring Edgar’s threats.

  The children would be safe. Juan was carrying a gun, and he knew how to use it.

  Slowly and carefully, he undressed her. His anger built as he uncovered more and more whip marks. He’s seen plenty in his days, and these marks were exceeding cruel. There would be scarring. The amount of blood scared him. He’d never seen lashes so deep. What had she been doing outside?

  She stirred. “Lynn, honey, it’s me, Smitty.” He continued to undress her, and his rage knew no bounds, but he had to push it back down inside of him for her sake. There was a pitcher full of water next to the basin with plenty of cloths on the table. He poured the water and wet a cloth and as gently as he could he washed each opening in her back down to her legs. She needed stitching in many places.

  He weighed his options. Should he put her in the wagon and stitch her later or did he need to do it right now? His instinct told him to get her out of there as fast as possible.

  He walked silently across the room and pulled out his gun. With a yank, he quickly opened the door. And then it was all he could do not to laugh.

  Edgar was tied to a chair, and Freddie was about to shove a towel in his mouth. Smitty put his gun away. “I’m going to have to stitch up your ma in many places. It’s going to hurt, so she’ll be crying out. I think you all saw the blood. I need to get it to stop.” He glared at Edgar. “I’ve never seen anyone whipped so harshly, not even an animal.” He turned to the kids. “If there are any spirits for her to drink, I’ll need them. Scarlett, I’m going to need you. Carlos and Freddie I’ll need you to hold her down. Cindy you have Brian right?” She nodded. “The rest of you, I need Edgar guarded and I need the wagon packed. Put all of your belongings in it. Add some food. We’ll leave as soon as we can. Greg, can you put a bunch of blankets near the fire so we can start out warm?”

  Everyone nodded and then they all got busy.

  “Smitty!” It was a weak cry, but at least she knew he was there. He sat at the edge of the bed.

  “I’m here, darling. I’ll take care of your back, and then I’m taking you all home. You’re going to need a lot of stitching.”

  She nodded.

  Will bounded in with a full bottle of Kentucky whisky. Smitty ruffled his hair, and Will smiled.

  Smitty poured some in a cup and had Lynn drink it. The faces she made with each sip were almost comical. He poured some on the needle and thread. “I’m going to start.”

  It was some of the worst doctoring Smitty’d ever had to do. He loved Lynn, and her cries went straight to his heart. Edgar didn’t deserve to live.

  “Juan! Set all his horses free and scatter them. I don’t want that piece of filth to be able to catch up. Greg! Get those blankets in and throw me one to wrap Lynn in.”

  Juan headed out the door, and Greg threw him a blanket before he, too, headed outside.

  Smitty sat Lynn up and kissed her forehead. “Love, this is going to hurt, but I have to get you and the children out of here now.”

  Her eyes were wide and full of worry as she nodded. She whimpered as he wrapped her.

  “Sit tight. I’m going to get the rest of the young’uns into the wagon. I’ll be right back for you.” He grinned. “Edgar is still tied up.”

  He hustled the rest of the crew outside where Juan and Greg were loading them in, leaving a big space for Lynn.

  When everyone was in place, he lifted her into his arms. His heart hurt for her. He was as gentle as he could be as he carried her out to the wagon. They’d made a nest of blankets for her. He threw two pairs of socks at Cindy. Get these on he
r, can you? Now listen, I need you all to share your body heat with Lynn without touching her. It’ll keep you warmer too. I’m not going to lie, this is going to be one heck of a cold ride. Greg heated rocks and put them toward the front of the wagon, but carefully move them among the blankets. I don’t care if the blankets get holes in them from the rocks, just stay safe. Keep your faces covered too.”

  “You’ll get us home safe, Pa,” Will said confidently.

  Smitty smiled and got up on the front bench with Juan. “I wish I’d thought to bring a canvas cover.”

  “I don’t think it would make much of a difference. I’ve never seen so many blankets.”

  “I suppose you’re right. I’m hoping to drive straight through with your help. Greg can pull a shift too. We’ll have to keep checking feet and fingers for any sign of frostbite. We’ll see how it goes. We might need to stop and make a fire. And these little ones need food.”

  “They have warm beans in their stomachs now,” Juan told him.

  Smitty smiled his approval. “Good work.”

  “It was Aaron. He’s a quiet one but he’s the smartest of us all. It was his idea about the rocks too.”

  “We just might make it after all.” Smitty looked up at the cloud-laden sky and said a quick prayer for their safety and thanked God he’d found them.

  It was hard going with the wagon weighed down, but they finally had their house in view. They’d stopped once just to heat rocks and make tea for Lynn. He’d made a weakened version of willow bark for the children, hoping it would warm their insides. Juan and Greg each took a turn driving, giving Smitty time to check on each child in the back for signs of frostbite and to make sure they were wrapped warmly. Then he carefully settled himself next to Lynn and eased her on top of him so he’d cushion the bumps in the road.