Daughters of Harwood House Trilogy : Three Romances Tell the Saga of Sisters Sold into Indentured Service (9781630586140)

by Crawford, Dianna; Laity, Sally

  Rose smiled sadly and gave a negative wag of her head.

  At that, the older Indian looked herself over then scanned her young companion. Surely she didn’t covet the spectacles so much she’d offer to trade the mother for them! But the squaw nudged the mother around and grabbed hold of the cradleboard instead.

  Rose’s mouth gaped in surprise. No one would offer a baby in trade!

  Just then, Nate and Robert entered the store, their faces glowing from the cold. Rose was vastly relieved to have an interpreter. She looked up at Robert. “Is this woman hoping to trade the baby for a pair of eyeglasses?”

  Robert spoke to the squaw in her language, and she laughed and shook her head vigorously. Her answer set Robert, Star, and the young mother all snickering.

  Chagrined, Rose knew the joke was on her.

  Still chuckling, Robert let her in on it. “Bird Woman wants to trade the cradleboard for the eyeglasses.”

  With a surge of relief, Rose sought Nate’s advice. “Do you consider this a good trade, Nate? I’m not accustomed to trading in anything but furs.”

  He winked at her, a spark of devilment glinting in his eyes. “Honey-pie, a trade’s always good if both parties’re satisfied. Are you satisfied?”

  In no mood for his antics, she ignored his playful tone and stuck to business. “Yes, of course. But we’re partners, you and I. What profit would there be for you if I were to accept a cradleboard in trade? The fur company pays only for furs.”

  He grunted. “I know one thing for sure. My poor arms would profit. I must’a toted Jenny around half the day yesterday. What’ve you been feedin’ her, anyway?”

  With a good-natured glare, Rose relented. “Oh, very well.” She turned to the squaw with a smile. “Oui-saw.”

  When the last customers finally left the store, Star took Jenny to the wigwam to change her diaper and lace her into the cradleboard.

  Watching after the Indian maiden, Rose caught Robert observing his young charge’s departure with longing and gave his arm a pat. “She’s such a dear girl and so helpful. I do hope she comes to know the Lord. I’d be very disappointed if we had to leave her here.”

  He tilted his dark head at Rose, his expression serious. “That’s somethin’ I pray about all the time. But if I can’t marry her myself, I should be checkin’ out some of the unmarried Shawnee braves. I wouldn’t want her with a man who already has another wife to lord it over her.”

  Warming himself at the nearby hearth, Nate swung around. “You ain’t still thinkin’ about leavin’ that gal here, are you?”

  His friend turned somber eyes on Nate. “I ain’t mentioned anything about it to her yet, ’cause I’m afraid she’ll pretend to become a Christian just to please me. I want her to become a true believer. It should come from her heart.”

  “But how could you just hand her over to some brave?” Nate tucked his chin. “You love her. Any fool can see that.”

  A long braid fell forward as Bob hung his head. “Aye. I love her. But it was wrong to let myself grow so fond of her. The Bible makes it plain that a Christian shouldn’t be unequally yoked. I’m thankful I got Rose around here to keep me thinkin’ straight.” He narrowed his gaze and turned to her. “‘Cept you’re doin’ a better job with me than I done with you over that playactin’.”

  Humbled by her own guilt, Rose nodded. “I’m so sorry. You’re quite right. I now realize things would’ve turned out the same with those company men had I not resorted to lies. I shall do my best not to weaken again, no matter what.” Her gaze gravitated to Nate. No matter how hard it might be.

  Nate’s eyes flashed with anger as he took her by the shoulders. “Are you tellin’ me that unless I toe that holier-than-thou line of yours you won’t ever marry me?”

  Rose yearned to inch back from his accusation, but his strong hands clamped her to the spot. She inhaled a calming breath. Then the full meaning of his words dawned on her. She raised her lashes and peered up into his eyes. “You’ve never asked me to marry you.”

  His mouth opened with a confused sputter, and his expression became gentle. “Well, I am now.” Releasing her from his grip, he lowered his arms to his sides and gazed into her soul. “Marry me, Rose.”

  Aching at his vulnerability, Rose moistened her lips and shot a helpless look to Robert but found no help there. She lifted a silent plea to heaven for the right words, words that she had to utter, even though she knew they’d wound Nate deeply. She tried to delay the inevitable. “I had no idea you actually wanted me for a wife.”

  He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “What do you think we been dancin’ around all this time?”

  “I was of the opinion you cherished your wanderlust too much to settle down in one place. You told me as much, if you recall.”

  Averting his gaze for a second, he shrugged. “I know, but I’m sure we could work somethin’ out that’d make both of us happy.”

  “Possibly.” Her pulse throbbed in her ears. He wanted to marry her! It was the deepest desire of her heart! Only…the time had come to lay out the truth. “But there’s still the matter of my obeying the Lord’s instructions not to be yoked to someone who hasn’t put God first in his life. Expecting that standard from Robert but not myself would be unpardonably hypocritical, would it not? I must be true to my faith.”

  He took a backward step…inches that felt like a mile to Rose as he glowered at her through pained eyes. “You have the nerve to say that to me? After all the lyin’ we done yesterday?” He let out an exasperated huff. “I gotta get outta here.” Wheeling around, he stormed out of the trading post. The flap closed with a resounding slap.

  The clog that formed in Rose’s throat made it hard to breathe, hard to talk. Her first impulse was to sink to the floor and weep. But gathering all her strength, she turned to Robert. “He’s right. I’ve been such a hypocrite. May God forgive me.”

  He came closer and wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close. “Ain’t none of us gets it right all the time. I’m real glad Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, or we’d never get to heaven on our own.”

  The tears Rose struggled so hard to suppress spilled over her lashes and down her face, and it was all she could do to utter a reply. “But what I did was worse than mere lies. I became a stumbling block to someone who desperately needs the Lord. I made it even harder for Nate to seek after God.”

  Robert didn’t respond for a few seconds. He tipped his head with a soft smile. “Well, missy, I reckon the two of us’ll have to pray that the Lord’ll keep after both Nate and Star, while we try harder to stay outta God’s way. The Bible does say nothin’s too hard for God.”

  Waking up again, Nate gritted his teeth. It wasn’t bad enough lying wide awake on his sleeping pallet for hours, jumping at every night sound, before finally nodding off. Now he was fully conscious again. And it was all that blasted woman’s fault. Staring into the pitch darkness, he gave a disgusted huff. Dawn was nowhere near coming.

  If it was light out, at least he could get up and go chop wood—or better yet, wring Rose’s neck. Anything to work off the rage churning inside him. Funny, he’d actually expected her to loosen up from her judging ways after living out here without all the stuffiness of the rigid do’s and don’ts from back east. He snorted in scorn. Sure, he was good enough to come to her rescue and save her skin now and again, but not good enough to be her husband. She was nothin’ but a user. A useless, mealymouthed user. That woman could give the worst hypocrite a few lessons.

  He smirked. And wasn’t she nice as pie at supper, smiling that timid little smile as she served him first, givin’ him the biggest chunk of corn bread. Oh yeah, she wouldn’t think of marryin’ him, but she still wanted to keep him on her leash. She—

  A scraping sound interrupted his musings. Scraping and crunching…ice crunching from the direction of the river. Like canoes coming ashore!

  Lunging to his feet, Nate sprang to the wigwam’s opening and peeked out.

  The fa
intest silhouettes of several large canoes were gliding to shore, canoes holding a good twenty men each. Two had already come in, and the disembarked men were sneaking onto the beach.

  Why hadn’t the village dogs announced the arrival of strangers?

  Moving away from the opening, Nate turned around and knelt beside Bob, placing a hand over his partner’s mouth. “We’re bein’ attacked!” he rasped under his breath. “They’re comin’ ashore now!”

  Chapter 32

  Bob shot to his feet, fully alert. “Attacked! Who is it? French or Indians?”

  “Can’t tell.”

  Both men grabbed their moccasins and fur robes in one hand and their weapons with the other. Crouching low in the darkness, they bolted from their wigwam to the one housing the girls.

  “Don’t make a sound,” Nate cautioned under his breath as he slipped inside.

  A step behind him, Bob went immediately to Shining Star’s pallet and murmured quiet words to wake her.

  Nate knelt by Rose and gently shook her shoulder.

  “What?” came her groggy voice.

  “Shh. Get up!” he whispered. “Grab your shoes an’ cloak. We gotta get out of here. Now.” Stuffing his hatchet and knife in his belt, he gingerly lifted the sleeping baby and her coverings.

  “But we’re not dressed,” Rose protested softly.

  Nate tried not to lose patience. “Shoes, cloak, an’ follow me. Now!”

  Peering out the opening while the women grabbed what they could, he saw that the invaders onshore were waiting for the other canoes. He was thankful that the trading post’s location, near the edge of the forest a good hundred yards from the beach, gave them the precious time needed to slip into the woods.

  There was no moon to give away their presence, but that meant there was no light to guide their way either. Still in his bare feet, Nate handed the baby to Rose and tugged her along by the shoulder. “Keep low,” he whispered, leading her behind the wigwam.

  Hastening after him, Rose emitted a grunt of pain, and Nate regretted none of them had shoes on as yet. The ground was bitterly cold and damp from recent snow flurries, not the best for undetected flight.

  They passed the chicken pen and skirted the corral.

  Rose stopped. “Are we not taking horses?” she hissed.

  “No. No time. Come on.”

  “But—we could go faster.”

  “And noisier. Anyway, they’ll serve a better purpose right now.”

  He nodded to Bob and his friend opened the gate of the corral, shooing the horses out so they’d scatter and cover any trail they left behind. Feeling his way through the snagging brush and trees, Nate wished he had the luxury of a torch to light their way, but that was out of the question until they were sure they weren’t being followed.

  In back of him a twig snapped. “Try to step softly,” he muttered to Rose without bothering to slow down.

  From off in the distance they heard triumphant shouts and bloodcurdling Indian yips.

  Nate raised an arm to stop his small group. “Don’t make a sound.” As they halted, he craned his ears to the ominous melee echoing from their camp. The glow from several fires began to flicker through the forest growth.

  “Our wigwams,” Bob muttered. “Just ours, from the look of it. Has to be the French an’ some of their Seneca buddies.”

  “Aye. And wasn’t it nice of ’em to send us a beacon to keep us goin’ straight,” Nate grumbled bitterly.

  “Well, let’s get our shoes on whilst they’re busy an’ lace the baby in the cradleboard,” Bob suggested.

  “You brung the cradleboard?”

  “Shining Star thought to grab it. That an’ some extra blankets.”

  “Bless her,” Rose said on a breathless whisper. “Someone take Jenny while I put on my shoes. Then Star can strap the carrier onto me.”

  Nate took the baby and hugged the sweet darling close. “I can’t believe how quiet she’s bein’.”

  “She’s always been a sound sleeper. But somehow,” Rose mused, “I think she knows our lives depend on her silence.”

  In the gradual lightening of a misty predawn, Rose could see the ground in front of her a bit easier as she followed Nate. And having her stockings and shoes on did much to save her feet from further stubbed toes, scratches, and bruised heels. They’d crossed a couple of streams that were mostly frozen over, but enough water had gotten through the soft leather to keep her feet icy cold. Her toes felt numb and her shoulders ached from the unfamiliar weight of the cradleboard straps, but no one else had voiced a complaint, and she refused to be the first. The Lord and Nate were seeing them to safety. They hadn’t detected sounds of anyone following…so far.

  Fatigue was quickly overtaking her. Rose took a deep breath. How much farther must they go before Nate considered it safe for a few moments’ rest?

  As if reading her mind, the frontiersman stopped. He turned around and peered over her head at Robert. “There’s a good-size stream up ahead. It’s mostly frozen, but out in the center the ice looks thin. I’m goin’ upstream a little ways. There’s bound to be some boulders or a fallen log we can use to get across. Stay with the women. I won’t be long.”

  Watching him go, Rose unhooked the straps from her shoulders and brought the baby around to face her.

  Jenny Ann showed all four of her little white teeth in a big smile. Apparently the little imp was enjoying the ride. “Thank You, Lord,” Rose said in a bright voice to the baby, “for bringing us this cradleboard yesterday.” Yesterday! The Lord provided the item exactly when He knew I’d need it. The amazing thought awed her.

  “Aye,” Robert added, “an’ thanks for Nate’s keen ears last night.”

  Rose sank down on a decaying log then looked up at Star and patted the spot beside her. As the girl took a seat, Rose turned her gaze toward Robert and saw him retracing their footsteps.

  Several feet into the brush, he went still, musket in hand, and swiveled around to check the rear, like the intrepid frontiersmen she’d heard stories about all the way back in England.

  “Surely not even Indians could follow our trail in the dark,” she ventured. “I could barely see my hand before my face.”

  “No, they couldn’t,” he answered over his shoulder. “Not without a torch. The horses probably did much to obliterate our footprints—at least in the beginning. But now that it’s gettin’ light, they’ll pick up our trail soon enough. Then they’ll track us. That’s why we gotta keep movin’.” He glanced in the direction his partner had taken.

  His answer puzzled Rose, and she couldn’t keep her emotion from creeping into her voice. “But why would they follow us? They’ve got the store. Is that not enough?”

  He came back to join her and Star. “True, they have the store. But they ain’t fixin’ on lettin’ us go tattle to the English. Leastways not till they finish sewin’ up the rest of the Ohio Valley.”

  Shining Star made a comment to Robert and unhooked a bag from her belt that Rose hadn’t noticed before.

  Robert strode over to the girl with a smile and lifted her to her feet. He gave her a long hug—the kind Rose wished she’d get from Nate about now. But she knew better than to expect one after the way she’d offended him and the way he’d avoided her all yester’s eve.

  Releasing Star at last, Bob took the sack and handed it to Rose. “She brought along a bag of cornmeal.”

  Tears Rose had managed to keep banked throughout the hard night sprang into her eyes, and she gave Shining Star a grateful smile. “Thank you, thank you. Oui-saw.” When it came to surviving in the wild, the lass knew ever so much more than she. “We’ll be able to feed Jenny a bit of mush, albeit very cold mush.”

  Leaning the cradleboard against the log, she stood to search around. “What can I use to mix it in?”

  “Here.” Bob opened the flap of a pack he had strapped across his chest and pulled out a gourd cup.

  Deeply appreciative, Rose felt even more inadequate as she took hold of the ru
stic handle. All of the others had possessed the foresight to bring necessities along, while she’d been so frightened when they’d fled the wigwam, she’d been grateful to discover she’d left her stockings from yesterday stuffed in her shoes.

  Nate trotted back downstream along an animal trace shortly after leaving the others. Spotting them up ahead, a rush of relief shot through him to see they were still there and still safe. He slowed to a walk. Unwonted tenderness for Rose crimped his chest as he watched her feeding the baby from a gourd. Drawing closer, he saw mush smeared over half of Jenny’s face. Thank goodness someone had thought to bring food for her.

  Bob swung from guarding the rear as Nate approached, his expression easing noticeably. “Ain’t heard nothin’ so far.”

  All three girls turned their heads toward Nate, and the baby gave him a big smile. Rose and Star sprang to their feet.

  “Finish feedin’ the little one. I found a crossin’ not too far from here.” He motioned with his head for Bob to follow him a few feet away from the females, where he spoke in low tones. “How long do you think it’ll take them boys to catch up to us?” He eyed the path they’d trodden through the woods…more than obvious in the moist ground.

  Bob tipped his head. “Three, four hours at most.”

  “That’s what I reckon. When we get up to the log I found, I don’t think we’ll be able to fool ’em no matter what we do. We can’t keep from breakin’ up the ice shroudin’ it. They’ll know we crossed there.”

  “Then we gotta get these women movin’ a whole lot faster.” Bob tossed a glance back at them.

  “I think our best chance is to make it down to the Ohio as soon as we can.”

  “Aye. Once we’re across, we can do some backtrackin’, try to fool ’em then.”

  “In the meantime, keep on prayin’ to that God of yours that we do.”

  “You, too.”

  Nate smirked. “I reckon your prayers’ll carry a lot more weight than mine.”

  Bob shrugged. “Do it anyway.”