His Protective Wings

by Sophie Dawson

  Grinning, Massot remembered the day he and Ruth had been working to clean his workshop. Kathryn had come in after school and thrown herself in her mother’s arms. Though she wasn’t crying, she was obviously upset.

  “I hate that Junior Brook. He’s mean and no one likes him. He called me a bad name. Then Dunc and Ozzie started hitting him, which made me feel better, but they all got in trouble and everybody looked at me. No one would play with me after school. Well, the House girls would but the town girls wouldn’t.”

  Ruth put her arms around Kathryn. It seemed she didn’t know what to say. With no father and her mother being Miss Naylor, Massot knew what Junior had called her. He also knew that Mr. and Mrs. Brooks didn’t approve of any of the Ladies or their children. They also didn’t like that the Wilsons, who were ex-slaves, lived in Stones Creek.

  Kathryn was a pretty girl who would grow into a beautiful young woman. Even better, she was willing to help Ruth with her work. She often helped Ruth clean his flat on Saturdays. Massot had purchased a handful of hair ribbons and given them to her as a thank you. Kathryn had been surprised, giving him a big hug and huge smile. He still remembered the tightening of his heart and the thought that if he had a daughter, he’d want her to be just like Kathryn.

  His gaze went to Ruth. Swallowing down his desire for her, Massot turned away from the window. There was no sense wanting what he couldn’t have. He didn’t have anything to offer a woman and child.

  ~~~~~

  Ruth held Nina’s hand and led Boone, Tadpole, and Mae across the street from the House to the garden. Since the children had never been to a school, Ruth decided to give the three older ones lessons at the House. Each morning they spent several hours learning their letters and numbers as well as their assigned chores.

  Today, they were going to learn to weed. Not trusting they wouldn’t pull the seedlings, the children would be pulling plants from the footpaths. Setting each to their own row, Ruth knelt to pick the grass from around the vegetable shoots. Nina played in the dirt around the edge of the garden.

  A shiver went up her spine. She looked left and right surreptitiously not wanting to alert the children to her distress or whomever might be watching her. Not seeing anyone, Ruth turned around to weed the row behind her. As she picked around the seedlings, she took subtle glances, trying not to move her head from side to side. A shadow moved within the trees behind the garden and workshop. Or did it? Was she imagining things, or was there truly someone in the woods?

  Ruth reached for another weed. Her hand shook. Her fingers fumbled, unable to close around the blade of grass. Please, Lord, don’t let it be someone watching me. I don’t think I could handle it. Please take this fear from me. Fear is not of You. I am covered by Your feathers and find refuge under Your wings. Thank You for Your protection. Ruth made the words of Psalm 91:4 her own in her prayer. She allowed the peaceful security of the verse to flow over her and let out a soft breath.

  “Miss Ruth,” Nina said, running up the row. “Look what I found.” She held out a grimy hand. “It’s a worm.”

  Ruth smiled. “Yes, it certainly is. How about you put it right down here? Watch what he does.” She pointed right next to the pea plant seedlings. Nina dropped the dirt speckled worm.

  “Ooo. Look, he’s digging right down in.”

  “Yes. Worms help open up the soil so the plants can grow.”

  John Basking ran up then. He was five but hadn’t been allowed to come with them to the garden since he’d gotten into a fight with his brother Will before the older children left for school. “Laura says it’s time for lunch. You’re to come home and wash up without touching anything with your mucky hands, especially the napkins. She just finished ironing them.”

  Ruth took one more look around, allowing the children to run across the street. The feeling of being watched had faded but the effect lingered. Her shoulders shuddered as she stepped onto the walk leading to the House.

  ~~~~~

  “He’s supposed to get here next week.” CJ Ritter sat down at his desk as Ruth finished dusting the small table between the two straight chairs in his office. Ruth was nearly done cleaning the bank. She always did the bank president’s office last. By that time Mr. Ritter was nearly finished working for the day and inclined to talk.

  “What’s the lawyer’s name? I forget,” Ruth asked.

  CJ smiled. “Forsyth Franklin Fredrick Farnsworth the Fourth.”

  “Oh my. That’s a mouthful.”

  He chuckled. “That’s something I’m familiar with. You know my given name, don’t you?”

  “No, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you called anything but Mr. Ritter or CJ.”

  “I was christened Chalmers Jehoshaphat Ritter. That’s why I go by CJ. I’m thinking we may need to figure out a nickname for Forsyth Franklin Fredrick Farnsworth the Fourth.”

  Ruth grinned. “Might be best. He’d be teased pretty fiercely with that name.”

  Ruth completed her work, said goodbye, and left the bank. She crossed the street and walked between Pastor Preston’s gun shop and Leah Steele’s dressmaker shop. As she turned into the alley behind the House, Ira Bragg stepped in front of her.

  Ruth jumped back a step. Her heart began to pound. “Mr. Bragg, you startled me. What are you doing behind the House?”

  Ira stuck out his leg, pointing his toe to the side, his hand on his hip. His oily blond hair hung in stringy clumps to his shoulders. “I been meaning to speak to you, Miss Naylor.” Bug eyes looked her up and down making her feel as if her brown work wrapper was peeling off.

  Ruth took a step back. “You have?” The words clogged her throat. She shifted her weight to her other foot, moving away from him slightly as he leaned toward her.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ira took another step, following her movement. “Been watching and decided you’re a pretty enough woman. I’m a wantin’ to come a courtin’. Just thought I’d be lettin’ you know that. I’m thinkin’ we can go out walkin’ this comin’ Saturday night.”

  Ruth swallowed. Twice. Three times. “You’ve gotten permission to court me?”

  “That’s a dumb idea. I don’t need any man tellin’ me if I can court some woman. Especially one of you women living in this place.” Ira shoved a thumb toward the House.

  The contempt in his voice gave Ruth even more confirmation that she’d never accept being courted by Ira Bragg, let alone consider marrying him. It was difficult enough for Ruth to think of marrying any man, let alone one who held her in such disrespect.

  “Mr. Bragg.” Ruth fought to keep the tremors surging through her from her voice. “Don’t bother coming to the House on Saturday. I will not, then nor ever, go walking with you or allow myself to be courted by you. It’s obvious you have no respect for me or for Nugget Nate Ryder since he is the one who set up the rules for the men who want to court us. Leave me alone and no one will hear of this conversation. Approach me again, and I’ll make sure all the men of the committee know.” Ruth tried to brush past him but he grabbed her arm.

  “You think you’re too good for me? You who had a baby without a husband. You’re nothing but a two bit…”

  His words were cut off when the back door to Hank Johnson’s barber shop opened. Laura Duffle stepped out. Ira dropped his hand from her arm. Hustling by him she called out to her friend. She knew Laura could tell something had happened by the questioning look she gave Ruth.

  Once they were in the kitchen, Laura said, “What happened? You’re white as a sheet?”

  Ruth sat heavily on a chair. “Mr. Bragg told me he was going to court me. Told me he’d been watching and that I was pretty enough for him.” A shudder ran through Ruth. He’d been watching her. A shadow of the man who had raped her slid across her mind. He’d watched her too.

  Laura’s mouth dropped open. “The committee gave him permission to court you?”

  “No, he thinks he’s too good to ask any man’s permission to court a woman like me. He came very close to calling me a nam
e because I had Kathryn without a husband.”

  Laura’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my. How insulting. You didn’t agree, did you?”

  “Of course not. Not only was he disrespectful, he practically undressed me with his eyes. Nothing could persuade me to consider him as a suitor.” Ruth rubbed her face with her hands. “Now I just need to push all the bad memories he brought up from where they were buried back into the abyss where they belong.”

  Laura patted her on the shoulder. “Forget about Mr. Bragg. There’s no way the committee would ever give him permission to court any woman. I’ve seen each of the men give him the stink eye when he looks at us.”

  Nugget Nate Ryder, who had built and funded Sanctuary House, had chosen four men of Stones Creek to approve any man wanting to court one of the Ladies of the House. Knowing of the backgrounds of the Ladies, he and Penny, his wife, didn’t want any to be courted and possibly marry a man of poor character. The committee was composed of Sheriff Newt Riverby, who had married one of the Ladies himself, Dr. Eli Pierce, Pastor Noah Preston, and Ben Cutler, owner of the general store. These men took their job seriously. None of the Ladies knew who was rejected as that information was kept close to their vests.

  “Don’t tell anyone, please. I don’t want all the sympathy chatter. It doesn’t help with the memories.”

  “I won’t. But, do you want Hank to keep an eye out for him? I know he would.” Laura moved to the stove, stoking the coals to begin preparations for supper.

  “I hope it won’t be necessary. He keeps pretty busy at the station and monitoring the telegraph.”

  “I’ll ask him anyway, also to not say anything about it.”

  Ruth smiled her thanks.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “DID YOU HEAR what happened today with Tadpole?” Libby asked Ruth as she came into the house. She was working at Cutler’s General Store several hours a day. Sara Cutler was expecting, and it was more difficult than her previous confinements. She was needing to rest more, so Libby’s hours were expanded to cover those Sara could no longer work. This gave added income to Libby and to Ruth who was paid to watch Arleta and Jack Tanner, Libby’s foster children. They were now nearly twenty months old.

  “No, what happened? I haven’t seen him much today. He did his lessons and weeding, then disappeared.” Ruth was preparing supper with Blanche.

  Libby giggled as she took off her hat. “I shouldn’t laugh, but it’s so funny. Well, not if you were Traci Fugard. Tadpole doesn’t seem to know that you shouldn’t just walk into someone’s house.”

  “Oh?” Ruth and Blanche stopped what they were doing and looked at Libby.

  “He walked right into the front door of her house and on into the kitchen. Mrs. Fugard was sitting in her bathtub taking a bath. She looked up and there was Tadpole. She screamed and he ran.”

  “Oh my.” Both ladies covered their mouths with their hands in shock.

  “She got dressed and stormed into the sheriff’s office and told him to arrest Tadpole. Sheriff Riverby said he’d take care of it.”

  “Is Tadpole in jail?” Ruth started to take off her apron ready to head to the jail to bail him out.

  “Not in a jail cell. When he was found, hiding in an empty stall in the livery, Sheriff Riverby took him back to the jail to talk with him. I guess he’s not back yet.”

  Ruth and Blanche looked at one another. Then they looked at Libby. All three burst out laughing.

  “Poor Mrs. Fugard. How embarrassing.” Blanche was laughing so hard she had to sit down. “But it serves the old biddy right. She’s been nothing but disapproving and arrogant since we came to Stones Creek.”

  A knock sounded on the front door. All three ladies went through the dining room into the entryway. Ruth opened the door to find Sheriff Riverby holding Tadpole by the shoulder. He tipped his hat.

  “Sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but this fellow got into a bit of trouble today.”

  “Come in, Sheriff. Libby was just telling what she’d heard.” Ruth looked down at Tadpole whose face showed evidence of tears on his dusty cheeks. “Come here, Tadpole.” She held her arms out to him, and he dove into them.

  “I didn’t mean to cause no trouble. That house looked real friendly like what with all them flowers around the porch. I’m wanting to meet more of the townsfolk. Most been real nice to me and the others.” He turned his face up. Ruth brushed his cheek with her fingers.

  “Mrs. Fugard wasn’t very appreciative of Tadpole’s visit,” Sheriff Riverby said, his lips twitching trying not to break into a smile. “He and I’ve had a little talk about the way things work in town.”

  “Out of town too,” Tadpole piped in. “If I’m gonna be a law ‘biding citzen, I gotta r’spect other folk’s houses and such. Cain’t just go walking in. I gotta knock and wait for them to answer. People want their privacy. I thought that’s what the outhouse was for.”

  Ruth glanced at Blanche and Libby who were biting their lips to keep from laughing. “Thank you, Sheriff. We appreciate you handling this matter.”

  “You’re welcome. I’d like Tadpole to come to the jail a couple of times a week. He and I could talk about things that may be unfamiliar to him that a man wants to ask a man.”

  “I think that would be a good idea,” Blanche said. They all thought Tadpole would benefit from having a role model as good as Sheriff Riverby. Heaven knows the men he’d been with before weren’t.

  The sheriff left, and Ruth sent Tadpole to the mudroom to wash up. Libby, Blanche, and Ruth fell into each other’s arms trying to stifle their laughter.

  ~~~~~

  Massot placed the clamps onto their peg on the wall. He’d finished the last drawer of the dresser and would be moving it out of his shop as soon as he knew the glue was dry. He would varnish it as well as the other pieces where there wasn’t so much sawdust.

  The light from the open door dimmed, causing him to look that way. He recognized the silhouette of Kathryn, Ruth’s daughter.

  “Come on in, honey. What can I do for you?” Massot leaned against the workbench crossing one leg over the other.

  “Hi, Mr. Massot. How much would it cost for you to make something for me?” Kathryn came forward, standing awkwardly in front of him.

  “Depends on what it is.”

  “Mama’s birthday is coming soon. I want to give her something special.”

  “What are you thinking of?” Massot looked into her earnest face and knew he would make whatever she wanted. Oh, how he wished she were his daughter. That could never be, of course.

  “I was thinking of a nice box for her gloves. The one she has is falling apart. It’s not a very good one anyway.”

  “Would you like to help? We could do it together.”

  Kathryn’s face lit up, then dimmed. “Mama won’t want me here that much.”

  Massot didn’t know everything about Ruth’s background, but knew enough to understand her reticence on having her daughter be with a man without her supervision. Kathryn was on the cusp of becoming a woman, so he knew she’d become even more cautious. Massot would protect her too, even if she wasn’t his daughter. He was going to whether Ruth approved or not.

  He thought for a moment. “How about I ask if you can help out down here while she’s cleaning my apartment? I can have some things ready for you to work on.”

  Kathryn looked around. There was sawdust and wood scraps all over that she knew needed to be cleaned up. “That might work.”

  A smile stretched his lips. He didn’t smile often and it felt foreign. “I’ll clean up some so there isn’t as much to do when you are here. I’ll leave enough so it’s valid that you’re needed.”

  “Could I pay you in labor for cleaning? I don’t have much money.”

  “That’d be fine.” Massot wasn’t planning on charging her anything for the glove box. He was simply pleased he could help her make something for her mother. Knowing she had as intimate an article made by him was enough. “Come here. We can pick out the type
of wood you want to use. I have several over here.”

  Soon Kathryn had chosen and was bouncing with excitement as she headed out of his shop. She turned around at the door and said, “I’m so excited. I’ve never been able to give Mama anything this special before.”

  “Hold that excitement in, honey, or you’ll spoil your surprise.”

  “Okay.” She tried to squash her smile but wasn’t too successful. “I’ll go pull some weeds. That will help and give me a reason to tell her about why I’m late coming from school.”

  The door slammed behind her as she flew out. Massot looked out the window and saw her bend over pulling weeds carefully from between the seedlings. Oh, how he wished she was his daughter.

  Tadpole came up to her. They talked for a moment then Kathryn showed him how to pick the weeds without hurting the plants. She must have complimented him because he smiled proudly when she said a few more words after he’d pulled some.

  Turning back to survey his shop, Massot grabbed the broom and swept up some of the sawdust.

  ~~~~~

  “Mr. Massot is at the door, Miss Ruth. He’s asking to speak with you.” Tadpole ran into the kitchen where she was fixing lunch. Ruth wiped her hands on a towel and went to find out what he wanted.

  “Hello, Mr. Massot. What can I do for you?” Ruth felt a blush creep up her face. She pushed aside the thought that he might have more than a passing interest in her. She didn’t want that. Did she? No.

  “Good day, ma’am. I’m wondering if it would be possible if your Kathryn would like to earn a little money keeping my shop from getting buried again in sawdust and scraps?”

  “Hum, she’s in school.” Ruth didn’t know if letting her be alone with Massot was a good idea.

  “I was thinking she could do that while you were cleaning my apartment. That way you’d be close by if she had any questions. I’ll be there some, but with spring here now I’ll be working more on building the houses I’ve got contracted.”

  “You won’t be there?” The disappointment Ruth felt surprised her. Even though she cleaned his apartment every Saturday, she didn’t see him all that much. He worked in his shop downstairs while she was upstairs. Still, she knew he was there and available for a quick chat or question. Knowing he would not be around while she cleaned disheartened her.