"And everything was fine. Right up until Lynn woke us up screaming. I swear, Victoria, if it were a hundred years ago, I would have thought we'd been overrun by Indians. She scared the life right out of all of us.
"Colleen and I got her to calm down, but only a bit. Then she sobbed uncontrollably. She kept muttering that 'Sir' was coming for her, and when he got her, he would beat her to death just as he did to Lori.
"I tried to tell her she'd had a nightmare that Harding was in jail and would never get out again. But nothing comforted her.
“She fell asleep just after dawn. And even then, I think it was from sheer exhaustion.”
"And is she still sleeping?"
"Yes. We keep checking on her. I've asked Neil to build another bed for down here where we can keep a closer watch over her. Perhaps, if we'd noticed she was restless, we could have prevented her nightmare."
"Miranda, it's freezing out here. Let's go inside." the doctor suggested.
Miranda gave a stricken look, "Oh, Victoria, I'm so sorry. I guess I've been watching for you and thinking about everything for so long, I didn't even realize I was keeping you out in the cold."
Then, she added, "Although, with the cook stove and the sitting room stove blazing, you might be out here voluntarily in a very short time."
Smiling, Victoria agreed, "You might be right. Now, let's go inside. And, I'll check on Lynn first."
"All right. I'll finish making breakfast."
Kit was waiting just inside the door. "Here, Miss, let me take your coat. Lynn's been asleep for a while now. But, she's not sleeping very soundly. I'm sure she'll wake up as soon as she smells food."
Then, in her unwavering frankness and practicality, she added, "Although, I don't think it will be because she's hungry. But, don't worry I've put chamber pots around the house. I figure it'd be much easier to empty them, than it is to clean up the floors or furniture."
"Kit, please go see if Kathy is awake. If she is, ask if she thinks she could manage a few sips of milk. If not, see if you can convince her to drink tea with honey or, perhaps, honey on a piece of light toast."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now," Victoria began, looking at Miranda, "did Lynn say why she believed Harding was coming for her?"
"I asked. But she either couldn't remember, or wouldn't tell me."
"I'd hoped she would just have to deal with the opium addiction, and not..." the doctor said, pausing before she continued, "not the sexual abuse. She isn't listed in Mr. Lee's book."
"Mr. Lee's book?" Miranda repeated.
"Yes, he kept records regarding everything: the patrons' names, who they visited, and how much they paid. I'd hoped that he'd also kept the dates when the girls couldn't work." Then, when she noticed Miranda's puzzled expression, she explained, "I thought if he made note of when they were unavailable, it might help us figure when Kathy had her last monthly. And we could get a better idea of when the baby is due."
"And did he... keep track of their times?"
"Yes, at least for Kathy, so I think we're correct about her due date. And, he kept notes on Jeannine and Lisa, until they were no longer listed at all. But what I don't understand is why there was nothing about Lynn. I went through the entire ledger twice, but she's not listed at all.
"And while we're speaking about Lee's ledger, Mr. Stuart, Judge Preston's clerk, is making me a copy of the ledger, or as much as he's able. After all, it is evidence against Harding and his cohorts and might be taken and stored away when someone remembers it."
"Misses..." Colleen spoke from the bottom of the stairs, "I think I know why Lynn's not in the book." She'd spoken in a low, sad voice, and looked distressed.
"Yes, Colleen."
"When I first woke up in that closet—after they'd taken me from the saloon—it was Lynn who brought me tea. She also warned me not to drink it. And later, she brought me a pitcher of water to wash with. And, when I went to dry my face, I found the key she'd hidden in the towel she'd brought with the water."
"But, I don't see what that has—."
"Please, ma'am, let me finish. When she brought the tea and later the water, she was dressed—completely dressed. It wasn't fancy, but it was a good, warm dress. But later, when I used the key, and began looking for a way out, I found her, in what was clearly Harding's bedroom. She was in his bed, naked."
Miranda gasped, but Victoria asked, "So, you're saying he was keeping her for himself?"
"Yes, ma'am, that's the only thing I could think."
"But, she's only twelve! She's just a child!" Miranda cried out. Colleen crossed the room to her and led her over to a chair and pressed her down into it.
"Miranda, dear," the doctor said in a gentle voice, "there are men who prefer young girls. I don't know why. But that's just the way of things."
"But," Miranda sobbed, "she's just a baby."
Victoria felt herself flush. She had waited to discuss Lynn's pregnancy until she was sure Miranda had a chance to get used to the girls and the upcoming birth of Kathy's child. But, as she'd discovered over the years, things rarely worked out like she planned.
"Colleen, could you get us some coffee... or tea... whatever is made? And, make some of each, if there isn't any, please."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now, Miranda, dear, I'd hoped I was mistaken, but since this has come up, I think there is a very good chance that Lynn is pregnant, too."
"What..."
"Lynn is most probably pregnant, too," she reiterated. "I'd hoped the lack of her monthly was because she was so young, her courses hadn't really gotten established into a regular rhythm. But, when I examined her the other day, she did seem a bit thick in her waist for one so slight, and her breasts, such as they are, were tender.
"If you’d come to me with the same symptoms, I'd say you were expecting. And, even though I tried to tell myself I was wrong, I don't think it's fair to lie to you any longer.
"I know you said you always wanted children, but I'm not at all sure this was what you had in mind when you said it."
Miranda slumped down in her chair. Colleen brought a pot of tea over to the table, poured her a cup, and set it down in front of her.
Then the young woman poured a cup for the doctor, who now sat at the table across from her. "Would you like me to leave you all alone?"
Miranda just stared into her tea cup, but the doctor answered, "No, I don't think so." Then she looked over at the girl and asked, "You knew, didn't you?"
"Well, I wasn't at all sure," Colleen said. "But, I thought there was a good chance of it. I mean, it was clear he'd... he'd used her only a short time before we escaped. However, I don't think she has any idea about it."
"I agree," Victoria answered. "I don't think she's had enough monthlies to recognize the symptoms. She also told me she had severe cramps the few times she did. So, she probably feels better, in that respect, pregnant.
"But what about you, Miranda? You thought you were getting two well-grown young ladies. And, while you've adjusted to Kathy's pregnancy, two infants, and the two girls might be more than you were ready to take on."
Miranda just sat, staring down into her tea, looking stunned. After several minutes, during which Colleen brought over her own cup of tea, and both she and the doctor had drunk them down, Miranda cleared her throat. Then she spoke, "Well, I always wanted a houseful of children. And, while I didn't expect two teenagers and two infants, I suppose we are often presented with things we didn't expect. How many times has Rev. Cleary said no matter how carefully we plan, God often has different plans for us? I guess this is just one of those times."
"It's going to be a lot of work, extra work, for you," Victoria told her. "But, I hope you know we all meant what we told the judge. We won’t let you go through this by yourself. You won't be alone through any of this."
"I know," she insisted. "Believe me, I know. You wouldn't let me." Then giving out a little giggle, finished with, "Even if I wanted to."
*****
&nb
sp; "Gus," Meg began, taking a sip of coffee, "are you sure about our—"
"Don't even bother to finish! We are getting married after church on Sunday. We are not even going to discuss it."
"But, Gus."
"No buts."
Meg looked up from her coffee, and smiling asked, "Are you always going to be like this?"
"You mean 'assertive'?"
"Oh, is that what you call it?"
"You know I value your opinion about most things, but sometimes, a man has to take the lead. However, you don't need to worry; I have no intention of being like your father. You didn't expect me to be, did you?”
"No, of course not."
"Good! Because I have to confess, I don't think I like the man. Which does distress me. I always thought I'd respect the father of the woman I loved and married."
"Please, Gus. I don't want to discuss my father. I wrote him a letter a while back telling him about us planning to get married... and... and you wouldn't believe the awful things he accused us of."
"It's all right, Meg. I knew about the letter. And, I know..."
"You knew? But, how?"
"Victoria told me." He saw her face, and added, "Don't panic. She didn't tell me what he said. She only said he'd upset you, so she took the letter away from you and later burned it."
"Well, she took it from me. It was very harsh and insulting. But I didn't realize she destroyed it. I'm not sure I would have gone to such lengths. He is my father; I should keep all his letters. Although, I don't think they'd give his grandchildren a good impression of him." She drank more of her coffee, before she said, "Let's forget about Papa. He's a thousand miles away and has no influence over us."
"I'm so glad you said that, because we will be extremely happy with or without his approval." He reached over and squeezed her hand and smiled.
"Yes, Gus." Margaret smiled back, resigned to the fact they were indeed getting married, in only three days.
*****
"How are you feeling, Lynn, dear?" Dr. Thorne asked the young girl, as she perched on the end of her bed.
"Better, doctor. I know I got everyone upset last night. I now know it was a dream. But, last night, it was all so real. And, I know if he gets free, he'll come after all of us."
"Yes, Lynn. But, he won't get free. He's done too many awful things. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison. He may even get hanged for all he's done."
"I hope you're right. Because, when I said he'd come after all of us, it's what I meant. He won't come after just Kathy and me. He'll come after every one of you all, as well."
"Now, Lynn, do you really think he could get the better of the sheriff, Mr. Gunderson, Mr. Stratton, and Jake, and the judge and his clerk? And, that's not even counting all of us women. Together, with you and Kathy, we're a force to be reckoned with."
Lynn seemed to relax as she let out a little sigh and smiled. "Yes, I suppose when you say it like that, Kathy and I are pretty well protected." She thrust out a small hand and grabbed hold of Victoria's wrist, and added, "I don't know how we can ever repay you, any of you, all of you."
"None of us expects to be repaid, Lynn. That's not why any of us worked so hard to find you. The best way you can repay us is to shed your opium dependency and grow to be healthy, happy, productive young women."
"Yes, ma'am. Kathy and I have already promised each other we wouldn't let what happened keep us from being good people. They might have tried to make us like them, but they didn't do that, did they? Although..."
"Yes?" Dr. Thorne asked.
"They took Lori and Lisa from me, and Jeannine from Kathy. I suppose they took them all, from both of us."
"No, they took them from all of us. And, unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to change that. But, the best way to honor their memories is to be the best people you two can be."
"Yes, ma'am." Lynn swallowed hard, and then asked, "I know they're dead. We both know that. But, we were talking the other day and wondering if we can visit their graves."
"Ah..." Victoria said, with a frown. "Well, yes. But, not right away."
"Why?"
"Well, the entire town knew we'd found Lori's body. So, we buried her in the church cemetery, although we only had her first name, and that's misspelled. But we found Lisa dead from a miscarriage, very early one morning, outside of Meg's house. And, after some discussion, we kept her death quiet. Our thought was that whoever was holding you all wouldn't know what had happened to her and might make a mistake that would reveal themselves to the authorities.
"Jeannine's body was hidden with the bodies of the people who died in the scarlet fever epidemic. So, we told no one about her, either."
"But, you buried them, didn't you?"
"Yes, of course we did. Both Lisa and Jeannine are buried on Mr. Gunderson's property. However, now that we know who they are, and the sheriff has Harding in custody, we'll re-inter them."
"Re-inter... ma'am?"
"Yes, we'll rebury them in the church yard and have services for them, as well as correcting Lori's marker. But, we'll need to wait until spring."
"We won't be well until spring?" Lynn asked in a disheartened voice.
"Oh my, no! You should be free from the hold of the opium long before that. But, the ground is frozen solid. Besides," she added, hoping it would soothe the young girl, "it will be lovely in the spring. And, although funeral services are usually sad, these services should be looked at as the close of a horrible time, and setting your sisters to a peaceful rest."
"A peaceful rest..." Lynn repeated.
"Yes, your sisters will be laid to a peaceful rest, so you and Kathy are free to begin your new lives."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Don't dwell on this, dear. Just concentrate on getting well. You and Kathy have your whole lives ahead of you. And, you can do anything you want to. You can be anything you want to.
"I'm not saying all paths are easy. My fighting to become a doctor was anything but easy. And, I had the support of my grandfather, who was a very prominent Philadelphia physician. But, all the work was worth it."
"Well, I don't think I want to be a doctor, Miss. But, I understand what you're saying. And, I promise not to let my imagination get away from me again. Them that hurt us are in jail, and once they're tried and put in prison, we'll be safe forever."
"Yes." Victoria looked at the young girl and considered speaking to Lynn about her possible pregnancy. But decided against it. There would be time for that later. After all, she might not actually be pregnant.
Chapter Ten
The next couple of days went well. Lynn remained in the stifling parlor, but stayed calm. She ate a little every day. But she had no more nightmares.
Colleen seemed to have a talent for getting the girls to eat. She'd scramble an egg and divide it between them, dividing it into two tiny tea cups. Or, she would make herself some toast whenever they agreed to have some tea. Then she would slather it with honey, cut in into little triangles, and encourage them to have some with her.
Miranda would make little cups of custard. Both girls seemed to like the sweet, rich concoction. So, she could usually get them to split one. And, so far, as long as they ate slowly, they kept the food down.
But, Victoria noticed that Kathy had progressed from constantly rubbing her hands together, to rubbing her arms. The doctor heard people suffering from opium withdrawal sometimes scratched themselves to the point of drawing blood.
When she next visited Meg, she asked, "When you're in Chicago, could you buy half a dozen pairs of evening gloves? They don't need to be kid, or even silk. Inexpensive cotton gloves will be just fine if you can find them. They just need to be big enough for the girls to pull on easily and cover most of their arms. They don't even need to fit."
"Yes, I suppose," Meg replied. "Why? Wouldn't it be better to at least measure them for the gloves first?"
"No," the doctor answered. "They aren't to wear, exactly. We'll buy them fine, fitted kid gloves for my wedding.
These are to help prevent them from scratching themselves."
"Why would they do that?"
"I've read of people suffering from hallucinations while fighting the opium habit. They sometimes believe there are bugs crawling over them, and they can scratch themselves raw trying to get them off. And, Kathy has begun to rub her arms. I want to be prepared.
"That's why I said cotton will be just fine. But, they need to be long, evening gloves to protect the better part of their arms."
"Yes. I'll make Gus promise to take me somewhere to get them for you. I won't forget."
"I'm sure you won't," Victoria told her. "Now, what can I do to help you get ready for Sunday? Even if it's just help packing your trunks."
"Trunks? I wasn't planning on taking one trunk, let alone more than one."
"But, you'll need your blue silk gown and the petticoats that go with it," Victoria said. "I suppose you can get by with just the one trunk since you’ll only be away four or five days.
"Let's see," she continued, "you'll be wearing your best walking suit. So, you can take two or three more shirtwaists. And, you'll need your under things, and shoes."
"Shoes..."
"Well, of course. I assume you’ll wear your boots. You can wear your cloak to travel. But, I have an evening cape and matching bag you can borrow. And, I suppose you'll need a pair of evening gloves. Unless you already have some?"
"I'm assuming you aren't talking about knitted gloves."
"No, I'm not referring to woolen gloves. I mean nice long, evening gloves. But, you don't, do you?"
"No, I don't. There was never a need for evening gloves in North Brookfield."
"So, you'll need the gloves, and another skirt, at least. And, your bridal peignoir." When Meg stared back in shock, Victoria added, "It's just a fancy name for a matching nightgown and robe. Although, they are usually more elaborate and sheer than everyday nightdresses." She laughed and said, "Or, perhaps that should be every night nightdresses."
Blushing, Meg answered, "I don't have a new nightgown. I planned on making myself one. But now I don't have time.” She flushed scarlet, and asked, “What am I to do?"
Victoria patted her friend's hand and said, "Stop worrying. I have a lovely nightgown and robe I've not worn. It was a gift from one of my aunts, in the hope it would make me want to find a husband.
Miranda Takes a Stand Page 7
