Cherished Mercy

by Tracie Peterson

  Adam fought off exhaustion the next morning. He’d hardly been able to close his eyes the night before without seeing Mercy Flanagan’s image. He thought of her as he dressed for the day and again when he retrieved water from the creek. She was all he could think about, and it grieved him to no end.

  He entered the house, where the inviting aroma of coffee and bacon filled the air. The table was set for breakfast, and bowls of oatmeal awaited. Mercy wasn’t in the room, so Adam quickly deposited the water and decided to escape before her return. He didn’t like the idea of missing out on a hot breakfast, but he wasn’t sure he could endure Mercy’s company without saying the wrong thing. He knew he could make some excuse to join one of the Tututni families for breakfast. He turned to go, but he was too late. Faith and Mercy came into the house, caught up in conversation about the chickens and eggs.

  “We have to keep them safe from the Indian dogs as well as other animals,” Faith was telling Mercy. “That’s why we don’t let them just roam around.”

  Mercy glanced up and caught sight of him. Her beautiful eyes grew wide, and she smiled. “Why, good morning.” She motioned to her gathered apron. “We were collecting eggs.”

  Faith dashed across the room to Adam, threw her arms around his waist, and hugged him. “Good morning and God bless you!”

  “Good morning and God bless you!” Adam couldn’t help but smile. This was their standard greeting at school. He looked over Faith’s head and found Mercy watching them. “God bless you too, Miss Flanagan.” He felt silly adding that and knew it was only nerves that made him do it. Not that he wouldn’t have wanted God to bless her. After all, she’d given up her easier life in Oregon City to come here.

  Faith pulled back. “Well, are you?”

  Adam shook his head. “I’m sorry. Am I what?”

  His niece giggled. “Miss Mercy asked if you were hungry.”

  He realized his thoughts had overridden his hearing. He looked up at Mercy and nodded. “I am hungry, and it smells wonderful in here.”

  “Well, have a seat. I’ve already seen to Eletta, and Isaac has come and gone. He said he had some business to attend to with one of the leaders.”

  Adam glanced toward the door. “Perhaps I should see if he needs me.”

  “He doesn’t,” Faith interjected. “He said to tell you to stay here and explain to Miss Mercy how to handle school so that Mama can sleep.”

  Adam swallowed the lump in his throat. “I . . . uh . . . very well. That shouldn’t be too hard.” He let Faith lead him to the table. He helped her with her chair and then took his own.

  Mercy deposited the eggs she’d had in her apron on the counter, then brought the coffeepot to the table. “Would you like some?”

  He held out his cup. “Yes, please. I find it one of the best ways to warm up.”

  “I agree.” Mercy poured his coffee and then her own. “I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker. It’s so bitter that unless I can sweeten it considerably, I don’t drink it. I really prefer tea.”

  “I’m sure Eletta has some.”

  She returned the pot to the stove and came back to the table with a plate of bacon. “I brought some of my own, but it seemed silly to brew it up with the pot of coffee hot and ready.” She put the plate on the table, then took her chair before Adam could offer to assist her. “Would you ask the blessing?”

  Adam nodded and bowed his head. “For what we are about to receive may we be truly thankful. Bless this food and day, we pray, amen.”

  “Amen.” Mercy met his gaze with her infectious smile. “I thought perhaps, if you don’t mind, we could discuss the school while we ate. For instance, what time do we start?”

  “Eight.” Adam helped himself to the bacon. “We have class until noon, then break for lunch. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we come back at one o’clock and have class for another two hours. Usually I teach some science and history.”

  “And on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?”

  He shook his head. “The children go to one of the village houses to work on their own crafts and skills.”

  She nodded. “I understand most of the students read at a beginner’s level.”

  He stirred his oatmeal. “Yes. It’s hard for them, but they try. Eletta was using cards with pictures and the word written out. It seemed to really help.”

  “The McGuffey Readers will also be of tremendous help.”

  He nodded but kept his eyes on his oatmeal. “Eletta has wanted some for a very long time.”

  “Perhaps you could teach this morning, and I could watch you,” Mercy suggested. “That way you can introduce me to the children and put them at ease, and I can see how you manage the class.”

  Adam didn’t want to spend any more time with Mercy than was necessary, but he knew her suggestion was the best way to manage the situation.

  “Very well.”

  His tone sounded less than enthusiastic, and when he glanced up, he found Mercy frowning. No doubt he’d hurt her feelings or offended her sense of propriety. He started to apologize, then stopped himself. She would just have to get used to the way he was and realize they would not be close friends. He’d tried to be friends with a young woman before, and it had led to him falling in love and making a fool of himself. He wasn’t about to do that again. Even for a woman as beautiful and kind as Mercy Flanagan.

  Chapter

  7

  On her first day of school, Mercy observed Adam and his style of teaching. He was fun, despite her concerns that he’d be a strict taskmaster. The children, mostly girls, were giggly and sweet and adored him. More surprising was that he adored them. Mercy hadn’t been certain Adam had feelings for anyone other than Faith. After class, some older boys came to visit Adam. Mercy learned that they were usually busy with their fathers, learning to be men of the tribe, but on occasion they were allowed to meet with Adam for classes.

  “We can meet tonight after supper,” Adam assured them while Mercy watched. The boys looked between the ages of thirteen and fifteen and obviously held Adam in high esteem.

  The following day, Adam left Mercy to manage on her own. The class was far more subdued, and Mercy prayed she might somehow draw out the same joyful spirit she’d witnessed the day before.

  Hoping to ease the tension, she allowed Faith to reintroduce her to everyone. She knew it would take time to learn all their names. She was grateful they had been given English names that reflected their Tututni names, which were much harder to pronounce.

  As the day wore on, the children began to warm to her, and by the time they ended for lunch, Mercy had managed to win them over. The two women who joined them were more shy. The one called Red Deer looked about Eletta’s age and was more comfortable than the older woman named Bright Star. Red Deer, in fact, came with a gift for her new teacher. It was a small basket.

  “Red Deer, this is beautiful,” Mercy said. “Thank you.”

  The Tututni woman smiled and said something in her native language.

  Faith jumped in before Mercy could ask for a translation. “She said you’re pretty. She especially likes your eyes.”

  Mercy looked at the buckskin-clad woman and smiled. Red Deer was shorter than Mercy and wore her hair in two sections tied on either side of her face. “Thank you again. I shall cherish this gift.”

  “You can use it for almost anything,” Red Deer said, surprising Mercy. “It can even hold water.”

  Mercy looked again at the basket. “I can imagine that. The weave is so tight. You have made me feel most welcome.”

  “You have come to help us—to help Sister Eletta. We thank you for that. She is . . . she is. . . .” Red Deer looked to Faith and spoke in Tututni.

  “Precious,” Faith replied.

  Red Deer nodded. “She is precious to us.”

  “She’s precious to me as well.”

  Red Deer didn’t waste any more time. She excused herself and made her way out of the school. Faith headed back to the house for lunch, leaving Mercy t
o take an account of the day. She felt that things had gone well overall. Adam and Eletta had set things up in such a way that it wasn’t at all difficult for Mercy to step in. She knew it would take time before the Tututni trusted her as they did the Brownings, but she was determined to win them over. She was determined to win Adam over as well. She wasn’t sure why he treated her with such discomfort, but she would find a way to change his mind. It would hardly suit either of them to go on with such a wall between them.

  She put away her things, then headed back to the house for lunch. She was nearly to the door when it opened, and Adam stepped out.

  “Hello,” she offered with a smile.

  “Ah . . . hello.” His gaze didn’t quite meet hers.

  “Did you have something to eat? I left a stew on the stove.”

  He nodded. “I had some.” He started to move past her.

  “Have I offended you?” Mercy hadn’t meant to just blurt out the words, but now that they were said, she was glad.

  Adam stopped and looked at her with a frown. “No. Why would you think that?”

  She shrugged. “It just seems that you’re all smiles and openness with everyone else. I realize I’m a stranger, but I hope we can be friends.”

  He nodded, but his expression remained sober. “Of course we’re friends.” He offered nothing more before making a hasty departure.

  Mercy frowned and shook her head. He was possibly the most vexing man she’d ever met.

  The next day, she felt more confident of her teaching position. She greeted the class warmly and shared a little bit about herself before beginning their devotions.

  “I’m very happy to be here with you. I’ve wanted to teach school for a long time, and I think our class here is just the right size.” She smiled at the students and continued. “I’ve known Brother Isaac and Sister Eletta since coming to this territory. We came west with hundreds of other people. I traveled with my sisters, Grace and Hope.” One of the girls raised her hand, and Mercy nodded. “Yes, you have a question?”

  The little one nodded. “Did your mother and father come too?”

  Mercy shook her head. “No. My mother and father died, leaving just us three girls.”

  Another hand shot up. “Didn’t you have anybody else?” another girl asked.

  “Our uncle lived out here. That’s why we wanted to come here.” She went to the small teacher’s desk. It was handmade by Isaac but served its purpose. “You can ask me more questions later. Time is getting away from us, and we should start our day.”

  She offered a prayer and then opened her Bible. “Today I’m going to read from the one hundredth Psalm.” She looked up at the captive crowd and smiled. “‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.’”

  The next two weeks were spent learning all she could. Mercy set up her own routine, and at Eletta’s suggestion, taught the children in the morning and left Adam to teach on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. She liked this schedule because then she had the rest of the day to tend to the household chores.

  Eletta grew stronger and was eating regularly. Seeing her doing so well, Mercy decided she could get up and sit rather than just stay in bed. Eletta didn’t protest the change at all.

  “I’m glad to be feeling better. I knew your sister’s cures would help. I firmly believe God has given her a special talent.”

  “I agree.” Mercy was peeling potatoes and reached for the final spud. “I’ve learned so much from Grace. Hope too. Hope taught me to spin.” She paused and looked up. “You taught her to spin when she was staying with you, right?”

  “I did.” Eletta looked away, as if uncomfortable.

  “Are you having pain?” Mercy asked.

  “No. I’m fine.” Eletta glanced back and smiled.

  “Then I’m going to put these potatoes on to boil and give these peelings to the chickens. I’m sure they’ll be delighted for the treat.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Eletta picked up her knitting. “I’m going to work on this baby bonnet. March can be cold around here, and I’ll need to ensure my child stays warm.”

  Mercy put the potatoes into a pot of water on the stove. Since the water was already boiling, she didn’t figure it would take long for them to cook. She pulled on her coat and picked up the bowl of peelings. “I’ll be back soon. Will you be all right?”

  “I’m fine. Please don’t worry.”

  Mercy headed outside and surveyed her world. The sun shone bright overhead, and the sky was a brilliant blue. The weather seemed so changeable, but Eletta had assured her it was generally temperate.

  The village itself was unlike anything she’d ever known. It was nestled among the trees, whereas the Whitman Mission had been far more open, and if she climbed the hill not far from the Emigrant House where she had lived, she could see for miles. Here the trees shrouded everything with long limbs that stretched like protective arms. It made things much cooler in their shadow, and no doubt that helped a lot during the summer months.

  “Mercy!” Red Deer called and waved. She crossed the yard and joined Mercy at the chicken coop. “You come to make baskets with us today?”

  “Not today. I promised I’d watch the boys play shinny ball. I was promised a very entertaining time.” Mercy smiled as she tossed the potato skins to the grateful hens. They hadn’t been laying well, but with the return of the sunlight, Mercy hoped that might change.

  She surveyed Red Deer’s buckskin dress and woven basket hat. “You do such beautiful work. That dress is lovely with its fringe and shells.” Winter dress for the natives included a generous portion of animal skins. Eletta had told her that in the summer the Tututni wore very little, but in the damp cold of winter, everyone dressed for warmth. Even their moccasins were fur-lined.

  Red Deer smiled and lowered her head shyly. “I can teach you how to make one.”

  Mercy nodded. “I’d like that. There’s a great deal I need to learn.”

  The Tututni woman nodded. “I will teach you soon.”

  Mercy longed to ask Red Deer about the significance of the three tattooed lines on her chin as well as the piercings in her ears. Perhaps it would be better, however, to ask Eletta. She certainly didn’t want to offend Red Deer when she was just getting to know her.

  They walked back toward the center of the mission clearing. Mercy looked toward the far side, where the Tututni houses were located. She hadn’t yet ventured inside one of the lodges.

  “Are your houses warm?”

  Red Deer nodded. “They are. You should come see. The earth keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer.”

  “I would like to visit sometime.”

  “Come today after you finish your work. I will show you how we live.”

  “If time allows, I’d like that very much.”

  Red Deer headed back to her house, and Mercy gazed after her. When she passed the building where school and church were held, Red Deer turned and waved. Mercy waved back.

  After making sure the chickens had water, Mercy started back to the house. Again her gaze went to the school. In the days since her arrival, she’d seen very little of Adam. He sometimes took his meals with them, but other times he ate with the Tututni. Mercy wondered if he was avoiding her. He didn’t even want to discuss the students, and she found that very puzzling.

  Perhaps he thought Mercy was beneath his concern. Maybe he didn’t like having her help with the school—after all, she wasn’t college educated. This thought brought a frown. Would he be so petty as to snub her for her lack of education? It wasn’t as if she hadn’t wanted to go to college, but it would have required money, especially if she’d returned east.

  Mercy decided to leave off further contemplation. She could easily work herself up into taking offense where none was needed. She hurried into the house, eager to put her mind on something other than Adam Browning.

  Adam had done his best to keep clear of Mercy Flanagan, just as he had every young woman since leaving Boston, but in the s
mall mission village it was nearly impossible. Especially since they were sharing teaching responsibilities.

  He knew he couldn’t keep avoiding her. She was sure to realize what he was doing and be offended. If she wasn’t already. He had considered talking to Eletta and asking her to explain his past to Mercy, but then changed his mind. It was too painful, and there was no sense in sharing something so private with a stranger who would leave once the baby was born in the spring.

  Still, at times like this he just didn’t seem able to shake loose from the past and Lizzy. Elizabeth Price, the beautiful blue-eyed, blond-haired daughter of the wealthy and very pious Oliver Price. Price was delighted to have his daughter marry a man of the cloth, especially one he admired as much as he did Adam.

  Adam had met Lizzy through his classmate Marcus Price, her brother. When Marcus and Adam hadn’t been busy with their studies, they included Lizzy in their outings. The threesome were inseparable for the last two years of Adam’s time at Harvard, and despite his intention to remain simply friends with Lizzy, it seemed only natural that they should fall in love. Much to the frustration of other suitors who fancied an alliance with Lizzy’s wealthy father. Just before graduation, Adam asked Lizzy’s father for her hand in marriage, and he had quickly consented. Mr. Price even had a friend in Boston who headed up one of the larger churches prepared to offer Adam a position. Adam’s life seemed clearly mapped out.

  But then it all fell apart. One of Lizzy’s former suitors took his jealousy a bit further by hiring a man to look into Adam’s past. He wanted any information that might discredit Adam and in turn put an end to the engagement. And the detective had found a very big, very unacceptable piece of information. Adam’s mother was half Cherokee Indian. The news had spread like wildfire, and the scandal was enormous.

  Adam had never intended to be deceptive about his lineage, but he knew how difficult it could prove for him if it were common knowledge. He’d chosen to say nothing, given his mother had already passed away. He knew his black hair and hazel eyes could be seen as stemming from any number of ethnic origins, so he remained silent. He had always meant to discuss the matter with Lizzy, but the right time never seemed to come.