Lone Pine Bride (The Brides Of Lone Pine Book 1)

by Sylvia Damsell

  “Is there another road back to Lower Pine?” she asked. “We went along one on the other side of the gully but now the gully is blocked.”

  “Yes,” Jamie replied. “But it takes longer.”

  “You can’t use the one we came on because it’s too dangerous going through the gully. In fact, there probably isn’t a way anymore. We had to run at one point and Seth carried me a little way because I wasn’t going fast enough.”

  “You were fast,” Seth said. “But I was terrified you’d be hurt.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re strong. I’m no light weight.”

  “You’re not at all fat,” he said.

  “I’m tall so there’s more of me to be a weight. One thing you cannot call me is petite.”

  Who wanted petite, Seth thought, and remembered. Rachel was petite and sounded beautiful. But he didn’t want to think about that and they must be on their way. There was still one farm to check and they needed to wash up and get back to Lower Pine.

  Though that wouldn’t be possible tonight because it was getting late. What would their bridegroom and bride to be think? Maybe Seth would come out and demand to see Hannah. He would want to know why she went with Seth in the first place.

  But Rachel couldn’t do that because she didn’t have the transport. Maybe the Reverend would bring her and marry the two couples at the same time. Which was what had probably happened to the other five couples already who didn’t have the problems Seth felt he had at the moment. There was nothing to be done about it and he was glad they had been of help here. It gave him a good feeling.

  “We need to go,” he said to Hannah. “I want to check the next farm.”

  “How many more farms are there?” she asked.

  “Two between here and mine. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll check farms beyond me.”

  “You could stay the night,” Pamela said.

  “Thank you, but no.” Seth looked at Hannah. “Unless you would like to stay. You must be tired.”

  “I’m not. I want to check the farms.”

  “I could come with you,” Jamie said.

  Seth shook his head. “No. You stay here with Pamela and get settled in. You also need to keep an eye on the foals and other animals. They are bound to be a bit disturbed by the earthquake. I don’t know how animals react but I did notice just before the earthquake that the birds had stopped singing. I didn’t think about it until later.”

  “The animals started to make sounds before the earthquake,” Pamela said. “The horses were whinnying and rearing up on their back legs.”

  “I never thought of that,” Jamie said. He looked at Seth. “At least take something to eat. We’ve got plenty now we’ve brought everything out.”

  “Just a bit of bread and cheese then,” Seth said. “Though we did eat not that long ago. Enid kindly gave us some food.”

  They took the bread and cheese which Hannah said she would put in her large pocket and made for the barn door. “I’ll check on you soon,” Seth said. “Maybe it would be a good thing if you go to Independence for supplies but they are possibly affected by the earthquake also. The outpost buildings are made mostly from adobe there.”

  “Yes. Take our horses. You’ve got a little way to walk.”

  “No. We’ll be alright.” Seth looked at Hannah again. “Unless you would prefer to go on a horse.”

  “I’m happy to walk,” she said.

  She really was so brave and resilient, he thought, and Seth was a fortunate man. He was better off than him, of course, and Hannah would have everything she wanted. She was probably glad of that because she was used to such things. His farm was bigger. His house was made of wood and it had all the things a woman would ever need in life.

  Which Hannah deserved because she was a nice lady. She was a brave lady. She was everything any man could want. She was.... He took her hand as they walked away and muttered.

  “We have to play the part.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I know we ate not long ago but I’m looking forward to the bread and cheese.”

  “Me too. We’ll stop when we’re out of sight.”

  They walked away with their arms round each other and it was not until they were out of sight that they moved apart to walk separately. Soon after that they sat on some rocks to eat the bread and cheese.

  Chapter 7

  The expression on Seth’s face was a bit tortured as he looked at the house in front of them. A large house and once again made of adobe. Part of it was standing but part had fallen and in front of it a couple of dogs were running up and down whining.

  If it had been traditional brick it might have survived, Hannah thought, but it was tipped sideways with the wall on the left as they faced it concertinaed and the one on the right at an angle. The front door had collapsed which brought down part of the wall. Some of the bricks were tilting outwards and sideways. The roof was still on but at the angle at which the house stood. The glass in the windows was smashed where the frames had concertinaed, leaving behind only a slit.

  Hannah ran forward and Seth was close behind her. “There must be people trapped in there,” she said, reaching down to stroke the dogs as they drew parallel.

  “Yes.” Seth bent to call through. “Is anyone there?”

  There was silence for a few moments which meant they were dead, both Seth and Hannah thought. Both realised they were holding their breath when a man’s voice came from inside. “We’re all alright so far but we can’t get out. I’m frightened to try to move the bricks in case the wall collapses. I’ve put Monica and the children under the stairs because that should hold. I can’t really see the damage. Can you?”

  Seth stepped back a bit. “To a degree. What we need to do is make an opening wide enough for you to crawl through.”

  “Have you got anyone with you to help you?”

  Seth looked at Hannah. “Yes. I have someone who is very able. I’m going to your barn to find some tools.”

  “Is it still standing?”

  “Yes. It seems to be alright. I’ll check when I go in. I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  “Who is with you?”

  But Seth had already gone and Hannah did not reply. They would see her in the end but not yet, and how could they make an opening big enough for the family to get out? What they needed to do was take out a few bricks but if they did that the whole building might collapse. Maybe the door which still stood? But with that gone the lintel would come down. She walked round the house slowly, inspecting every inch of it.

  It was collapsed in many places but not totally in ruins and it must stay that way until the family could get out. There was a cellar, she noticed, because there was a window below ground level which, although it had caved in to some degree, still had an opening which would be large enough for a thin person to slide through. Could they get out that way?

  She heard footsteps and walked to the front of the house. Beckoning Seth, she pointed.

  “If they’re able to get to the cellar they could come through there,” she said.

  “I’ll tell Wilfred. It depends on the state of the house inside.”

  “Yes.” She followed him to the front and he called through the small opening where the window had been. As he did so there was a rumble below them and a bit of wall in the front bulged ominously.

  “Can you get down to the cellar?” Seth asked.

  “I’ll have a look.” There was movement as if someone was sliding across the floor and it was a few minutes before Wilfred returned. “Some of the floor has collapsed but I think I can get Monica and the children through the house and down there.”

  “I’ll go to the back,” Seth said.

  “Have you hurt yourself?” Hannah asked.

  “I’ve broken my leg but my arms are alright so I can lower the children one by one and also Monica.”

  They heard sliding once again but nothing further. Running round to the back they reached the window and Hannah put her head thro
ugh it.

  “I’ll go,” Seth said, grabbing her.

  “Your shoulders will never get through and we need you outside to pull them through.” She squeezed with difficulty through the opening. “Give me a little push.”

  He didn’t want to do that because he might hurt her, he thought, but what else could he do in the circumstances? He put his hands on her hips and thought irrelevantly that women weren’t soft the way they portrayed them in a romantic novel he had seen of his mother’s. They just felt different. Hannah wriggled through, put her hands on the floor and fell in an ungainly sprawl.

  “I’m here,” she said.

  “Hurry. A few more bricks have just fallen and the wall looks ready to collapse.”

  “That is a really cheering remark,” she said, standing and dusting herself down.

  “Are you near the steps to the first floor?”

  “Yes, but they’re broken totally and the floor above is sagging a bit.”

  “I’ll have to jump,” said a female voice from above. “Then you can lower the children.”

  “I should jump,” Wilfred replied. “I’ve already broken one leg. What more damage can there be?”

  “Two broken legs?”

  Hannah looked round and there were two bales of straw stacked in the corner. “Wait,” she called up. “I’ll put the straw underneath.”

  “Good idea though they’re heavy. Tell me when you’re ready.”

  Hannah pushed the bales with a bit of difficulty and tipped them. She could do with Seth’s muscles but hers weren’t that weak, she knew. She put them in place and called up. “Lower yourself and I’ll catch you.”

  “I can let you down,” Wilfred said.

  “No,” his wife replied. “I’ll hang on the edge.”

  Two legs appeared and the woman above paused to push down her skirt. Hannah smiled. “It’s only me here. You needn’t worry. Just let go and drop. What’s your name?”

  “Monica, and yours?”

  “Hannah.”

  “One of the new ladies from New York?”

  “Yes. Drop and I’ll guide you.”

  “I’m dropping.” Monica dropped, Hannah caught her and she rolled off the straw, a slim woman, Hannah was relieved to see, because a big one would never get through the slit of a window. Monica looked up to call to the children above who were peering through the hole.

  “Lucille, Lucas, Aaron. Put your hands on the edge like I did, drop and we’ll catch you. It’s a little way down but you’ll be alright. Let Lucille come first, boys.”

  “Must we?” said a boy’s voice from above. Hannah grinned as Monica muttered.

  “Little pests.” She called up. “Yes, you must. Come on, Lucille. Show the men how to do it.”

  “They’ll never be gentlemen,” said a female voice and a girl Hannah judged to be about nine or ten lowered herself gracefully through the opening. She dropped, the two women caught her and two smaller boys pushed their way down to drop behind her. Hannah caught one, Monica the other and Hannah pointed to the window.

  “Squeeze through there and Seth will catch you,” she said. “Go now. We’ll follow you in a minute.” She looked up to where Wilfred was peering through the opening. “Come on. I don’t trust this place.”

  He pushed through his injured leg, dropped and landed on one leg with the other foot totally out of place where it had turned sideways. Much like Esmé’s, Hannah thought, and there was no doctor to deal with it. The two women held him from either side and guided him onto the hay as the children went through the little opening.

  “Now hop to the window,” Hannah said. “But you go through first, Monica.”

  “You should,” Monica replied.

  “We haven’t time to argue. Please go.”

  Monica squeezed through and Hannah turned to Wilfred. “Now you.”

  “I cannot leave a lady,” he said, swaying precariously.

  “Go,” she said. “Because I’m not going until you do. Put your hand on my shoulder and hop.”

  He hopped beside her and there was creaking above them. A few pieces of wood fell and the floor began to sag. Hannah pushed Wilfred forward for his head to go down. “Go,” she said. “Or we may both be flattened. Seth, can you pull him?”

  “I’m here,” Seth called back.

  “I can’t get my shoulders through,” Wilfred said.

  Hannah went back to the straw and pushed it under the window. It was for Wilfred to lie on his back on it, she told him. “Go legs first,” she said. “Seth, pull him from outside.” Wilfred’s body began to go through the window. “Now put your hands above your head and don’t try to help yourself. Seth will pull you. Scrunch your shoulders a bit because that’s what is the widest. It’s all very well men having broad shoulders but they can be a problem.”

  Seth pulled but Wilfred still could not get through. Hannah took his shoulders and squeezed. “Pull again,” she said and with great relief saw Wilfred disappear. She virtually dived through the window after him as she heard a roar from above and raced after Seth who was carrying Wilfred to where Monica and the children stood some way away. As she reached them the part of the house where they had been collapsed.

  Seth looked at her and wanted desperately to put his arms round her and never let her go. It was a natural reaction because she so easily could have been killed. They all could have been killed. Instead he put his arm round Wilfred to support him as he swayed.

  “Can you hop to the barn?” he asked.

  “Yes.” Wilfred looked ahead of him. “It looks as if it’s undamaged.”

  “It does but I’ll check it over before we go in and we’ll stay near the door when we reach it. Are the horses in there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe we could take everyone to my farm though I don’t know what it’s like. The house is made of wood so hopefully it will still be upright. The ones in Lone Pine and Middle Pine made of wood did and, as you know, those in Lower Pine are wood.”

  “It’s not a very good start for your marriage,” Monica said. “We’re imposing on you.”

  “We’re not....” Seth paused. “No, it isn’t, but at least we’re together and you’re certainly not imposing.”

  “That’s a lovely ring you’ve given Hannah.”

  “She gave me one too,” Seth said without thinking, holding out his hand. They just had to keep pretending they were married because they could not explain in front of the children. Monica opened the door to the barn and the horses whinnied from where they stood a little way in.

  “I’ll hitch the wagon,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t mind us coming? It’s your first night together.”

  “The marriage can go on hold for the moment,” Seth said.

  “It definitely can,” Hannah added and tried not to think of the future. Not married. Not even with the right partner. What would everyone think when they found out? They could take Monica and Wilfred into their confidence but only after the children slept and maybe not even then for a while. If they had difficulty in reaching Seth’s farm so would everyone else so they might not see anyone for a while. How far the other way to Lower Pine was Seth had not said.

  Seth helped Wilfred into the wagon, lifted the children up after him and hitched the horses to it while Monica and Hannah climbed up, Hannah on the front and Monica inside with her family and the dogs.

  “I’m sorry,” Hannah whispered as Seth lifted the reins.

  “For what?”

  “The ring. We should have taken them off.”

  “We’ll sort it out later,” Seth said.”But we’d better keep them on for the moment, if that’s alright with you.”

  “Yes, we’d better. The timing of all this was a real miracle.”

  “I think we’ve had a lot of miracles today. Hold tight. Are you used to driving on the front of wagons?”

  “I do it every day.”

  He grinned, they pulled off and a mile later arrived at Seth’s farm.

  Chap
ter 8

  “My farm,” Seth said as they drove towards some wide gates, an unconscious note of pride in his tone.

  “Impressive.” Hannah jumped from the front of the wagon as he stopped. “I’ll open the gates”

  “I could have done that.” But she was already swinging them back and he liked that. Not demanding to be treated like a lady. No putting on airs. Which, of course, Rachel would be like too even if she wasn’t as strong as Hannah. He had to keep his mind on her because soon he would be married to her. He drove the wagon through the gates and Hannah shut them and climbed up beside him again. A few hundred yards ahead of them was a large barn and a smaller house, all apparently intact.

  Hannah looked at the house with interest. It was attractive, with wooden walls and a slanting roof. It was sizeable and in front were pretty flowers and shrubs, with a path leading to the door. The garden was surrounded by a wooden fence and the gate was painted white, as was the fence round the house. It was not half as big as her Seth said his was but altogether it was a homely and welcoming building.

  “It looks pretty solid,” she said, jumping from the cart.

  “I thought that before. Now I’m not sure of anything.” Seth walked round to stand next to her.

  “And you built it all?”

  “Yes. It took quite a while but I couldn’t afford builders.” He opened the back of the wagon. “I’ll just check everything is alright so hold on for a few minutes. Let the dogs out but keep them in the garden until they get used to the place.”

  “If you give me two sticks I could use them to hold me up and come with you,” Wilfred said.

  “We’ll organise something in a minute. I’ll just have a quick look at everything.”

  He circled the house and there was no obvious damage. His house had two floors which many others did not. That was a good thing, he thought as he examined everywhere, because otherwise people would have been buried deeper. Wilfred and Monica’s house had two floors and if it had collapsed even a few seconds before it did it would have been disastrous, not only for them but also for Hannah.