Ribbons of Steel (19 page)

“Is something wrong? Is the baby not well?” Emily asked.

Elizabeth looked down at her daughter. “No. My baby is fine. Can we sit down over here, Mrs. Carmichael? There is something I would like to discuss with you if you don’t mind.”

“My dear, of course you can talk to me. I know we’ve only known each other a short time, but you remind me of my own daughter, and I’ve been worried about you. You seem so lost. Does this have anything to do with your husband?”

Emily joined Elizabeth on the long Victorian settee next to the fireplace.

“In a manner of speaking. You see, I don’t have a husband.”

“I know, dear. You said he is deceased. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“No. You don’t understand. I tell everyone I have a husband so they won’t think unkindly of me. But I never had a husband.”

“Oh, my. This
is
your baby, isn’t it? She so looks like you, my dear.”

“Yes, she’s mine. But her father refused to accept she’s his.”

“Oh, my,” Emily said again. “What happened, if you don’t mind me being so bold as to ask?”

“My parents disowned me when they found I was pregnant. I had no place to go.” Tears filled her eyes. “I made up my mind to make my way out west to start over, some place where no one knows of my circumstance.”

“You’re a brave woman, Elizabeth. How could a mother turn her own child in need away? I’m so sorry my dear. But what about the father?”

The distraught mother’s tears spilled over onto her pale cheeks.

“Here. Here,” Emily soothed, dabbed at the young mother’s damp cheeks, then took the baby into her arms. “Now sit back down and tell me what happened.” Emily absently patted the baby’s back, now positioned over her shoulder.

Elizabeth hesitated only a moment before opening the floodgates.

“I come from a large family. It was hard making ends meet. I had to find work to help out at home, so I kept house for the Taylors.” She sniffed back tears and then went on. “They had a wonderful rice plantation. I did enjoy working there. The Taylors paid their workers well and treated them with respect.”

Elizabeth hung her head and twisted her handkerchief. She hesitated before looking up at Emily. “I’ve never told anyone this and hope I can trust you with my secret.”

“Of course you can, my dear. I swear your personal business will go no farther than this room. I can see there must be something more serious by the looks of the poor hanky you’ve just about got tattered to pieces.”

Elizabeth looked at the hanky, smoothed the wrinkles out, and then looked back up at Emily.

“I became very attracted to their oldest son. He flirted with me, telling me how lovely I was. I wanted to believe him even though I knew it wasn’t true. Then one night I met him as I was walking down the long drive on my way home. He said he wanted to walk me home. He took my hand and made me feel special. I even let him kiss me. After that first night, he often walked me home. Well, one thing led to another, and I truly believed he loved me.” Tears streamed out from between the distraught girl’s closed eyes and slid down her pale cheeks in silence.

Oh, lordy, Emily knew what was coming next. She wrapped an arm around Elizabeth to comfort her. “Get it all out, my dear. Then you can go on with your life.”

“Of course, he denied it when I told him I was with child. Said it couldn’t be his. When I tried to convince him I’d been with no other, he didn’t believe me. Said if I told his family, he’d ruin my family. See that they didn’t have work and that he’d make sure they weren’t welcome at any of the local businesses. Wouldn’t have mattered if I’d said anything or not. The Taylors wouldn’t have believed a nobody like me. So I kept quiet, not wanting to worry my folks. But there was no way to hide the fact. When I told my parents, my father ordered me to get out because I’d disgraced the family. My mother took my father’s side. She didn’t try to stop me when I left.”

Elizabeth paused. Once started, however, she was unable to stop.

“I was able to put some money aside while I was working. Wasn’t much. Just enough to buy this ticket west, as it turned out. Get me to the California Territory with the baby. Start a new life. Find work. I made up the story about my husband being dead so no one would think unkindly of me.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your misfortune. I had no idea. Please forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive. Why, it is what I’ve wanted people to believe. I want no pity. I only want to get on with my life.”

Emily rose with the baby in her arms. “You are a very brave woman, Elizabeth. You did the right thing to leave those uncaring, horrible people behind. Now, I want you to come along with me. I’m sure Marybelle will be delighted to have you stay with us.”

“Oh, no. I can’t impose. I didn’t tell you all this to elicit your sympathy. I just wanted to let you know I won’t be continuing on to San Francisco with you and the others. I needed to tell someone, and you’ve been so kind to me. And I do so feel better now I’ve confided in you. I hope you don’t mind.”

The poor girl, to have kept this tucked inside her heart all this time. To be hurting so with no one to see how bad she was hurting. Emily dabbed at her own eyes. She cuddled the baby closer to her chest.

“Does this by any chance have anything to do with the nice young Sheriff Coulter?”

Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled, her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, my dear.”

Elizabeth looked away, then with a new-found determination, she stood taller and faced Emily. “Yes. I’ll stay on here with Sheriff Coulter,” the young mother said, fidgeting. “He’s offered me a job keeping house at his ranch just south of town.”

“Are you sure this is wise?” Emily’s heart cried out to the young mother. If she had been Catherine, she’d be talking her out of staying, forcing her to change her mind. “After all, you’ve only known the man for a few days. You don’t know much about Mr. Coulter even if he is the sheriff. And what do you know of the ranching life? I’ve only lived on a farm a couple of years myself, and I can tell you it’s hard work.”

Emily rocked the baby back and forth, wondering if someone were holding her own babe back home and taking great care to see she was rocked and cuddled in loving arms. Was Catherine tending well to her little one?

“I wasn’t really keen on living in a big city, but I just didn’t know what else to do, where else to go. All I know is that living on Sheriff Coulter’s ranch, I won’t have to worry about people wondering if I was married or not. As far as anyone knows, Mr. Young is dead.”

Emily had seen another side of life out here in the middle of nowhere called Silver Springs. Signs of hardship were everywhere. If Levi Coulter had a successful ranch, for sure the homestead had to be quite a distance away, because Emily had seen nothing resembling anything other than desert for as far as she could see.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“I’m sure of one thing, Mrs. Carmichael. I’ll be able to have my baby by my side all day, and I won’t have to beg for work to survive. Being a housekeeper isn’t all hard work.”

“You’re a fine looking young lady, Elizabeth. I’m sure Mr. Coulter hasn’t let that fact slip past him. I have a feeling he’ll be wanting more than housekeeping from you before long.” It was none of her business, but the young woman had already been through a lot. Silver Springs didn’t seem like the kind of town that would be kind to a young woman as pretty as Elizabeth Young.

“Sheriff Coulter is an honorable man. He offered me a home for as long as I want. The only stipulation is to be his housekeeper. I don’t even have to do the cooking. He already has someone to cook for his men. An old cattle hand who he said has been on one too many cattle drives and has seen his last and is willing to stay behind to keep everyone fed.”

“You sound like a very capable young woman, Elizabeth. Should the opportunity and need arise, you confide in Sheriff Coulter as you did me. I hope the sheriff can see past your unfortunate incident and be kind to you. If you’ve made up your mind to stay, then I wish you happiness.”

“Thank you. I have.”

Emily handed Elizabeth her baby, then gave her a quick hug. Sheriff Coulter knocked at the front door, opened it, and stepped into the sitting room. Emily saw the question on his face.

Elizabeth didn’t hesitate. With the baby in her arms, she went to his side. “I’m staying,” she said.

Relief was evident in the young man’s eyes. A fraction of a smile on his anxious lips proved he was more than satisfied. A warm glow spread across his face.

Emily prayed Elizabeth Young would come to no harm.

Chapter Thirteen

The Fourth of July dawned bright and sunny. Like many small towns around the country, Candor was just as patriotic as the next in their celebration of the country’s independence.

Seth made his way to the barn to do morning chores and ready the buckboard for the trip to town and the celebration. He hadn’t given up on his intention of winning over Anna Louise. She was meant to be his bride. He couldn’t wait to see her at the fair and have another chance at convincing her they belonged together. Only this time he needed to be more polite, show her he had manners. Just because he was a farmer, didn’t mean he didn’t know how to treat a lady. She’d see. He might not have money like Mr. Linsky, but what did it matter when love was involved? Farming was not an occupation to be ashamed of, after all. As long as people had to eat, he’d keep selling his goat’s milk products, potatoes, and buckwheat to the markets in the big cities while he was able to keep up with the demand. He was confident he would be worth a fortune before long.

She’d see.

As the day got underway, the household woke and everyone started their daily morning chores. Seth and Timothy returned from the barn, washed up for breakfast, and then dressed for the day’s festivities. Catherine and Madeline helped get Sarah, Michael, and Robert ready for the trip to town. Maggie took care of the kitchen, and then gathered her hatbox full of lace she’d almost forgotten to take to the fair to sell.

“Careful with those cherry pies, Seth,” Catherine cautioned on her way out the door to pack the buckboard. “I want a fair chance at winning the prize this year. Old Betsy Macken won it last year. With her being confined to her sick bed this year, I just might have a chance. I have one for the pie-eating contest and one for the auction basket as well.”

“Oh? And who are you hoping will purchase your basket this year? Timothy Thompson?” Seth teased.

“Of course not. Don’t be silly. Timothy only has eyes for Coreena Maison. If you must know, I really don’t care. I have school to think of. Not marriage.”

“If you say so,” Seth quipped. Catherine hadn’t quite gotten over her crush on Zachery Lettington in Philadelphia. He enjoyed teasing her every now and then anyway.

“And what about you?” Catherine threw back. “Going to try to win over the fair Anna Louise today?”

“I’m going to enter the pie-eating contest,” Michael chimed in, making it unnecessary for Seth to answer his sister. “I hope I get your pie, Sis. It sure does smell good. You make the best cherry pie.”

“Why, thank you, Michael.” She ruffled his newly clipped hair and beamed. “It’s mother’s recipe, of course.”

The mention of their mother caused a strained silence from the Carmichael family now gathered around the wagon. Catherine lifted Sarah from her pram then rolled the small carriage over to Seth to load into the wagon. She drew her baby sister in for a hug to reassure her everything was normal.

Seth liked that about Catherine. His sister had a way of comforting everyone without so much as a word. She’d make a fine teacher. Of course it went without saying they all missed their mother. No one had talked about her much since the day they’d seen her off at the station.

“We need to talk about this, Catherine,” Seth said. “We can’t just go on thinking everything is jim-dandy around here without her.”

“Seth. Not now. You’ll upset the boys.”

“They know what’s going on as well as you and I. Don’t think they don’t. It doesn’t make it any easier for them. Does it boys?”

The three younger brothers stood to one side of the wagon peering over the top of the railing at them, eyes wide, heads nodding.

“Maggie is good to us, but we miss Ma,” Michael whined.

The others nodded again.

“I know you do sweetie. We all do,” Catherine confirmed. “But we must not dwell on it. So, Seth, get this pram loaded. I’ll go see what’s keeping Maggie and Madeline.”

“We’re right here, we are,” Maggie Flanagan said, unaware of the exchange, her usual cheerful face aglow.

“Here, Mrs. Flanagan, let me help you with those,” Seth offered.

“Why, how sweet of you, Seth. Come along Madeline.”

Madeline tagged behind dressed in red gingham with a flounce around the hemline, and a white bib-apron which wrapped around her body with a huge bow tied in back. Her matching bonnet hung around her neck, her red pigtails resting over her front shoulders. Unlike her mother, Madeline’s face lacked a smile. Seth figured the girl still hadn’t gotten over moving up to the country and living with strangers.

“Somebody take a hold of Sarah while I place the blankets down on the seats so we’ll be more comfortable on the long journey into town. We can use them this evening when it cools and the children fall asleep on the way home. I’ve put pillows under the bench seats for later, too.”

“Is there room for my boxes?” Maggie held a couple more boxes she’d run back in the house to fetch and was now clinging to tightly, her chin resting on the top box to keep it from tumbling over.

“There’s plenty of room under the bench seats on either side of the wagon. We even have room for the pies, and the two large picnic baskets filled for lunch at the park,” Catherine said.

“Good,” Seth said. “Let’s get it all loaded, and settle everyone in the back so we can get underway.”

Catherine climbed up into the back of the wagon with Sarah and the others, leaving Mrs. Flanagan to sit up front with Seth. Once everyone was settled, Seth clicked the reins, and the horses maneuvered the wagon out of the yard and down the steep hill.