Earthbound: Science Fiction in the Old West (Chronicles of the Maca Book 1) (15 page)

“There it tis.” MacDonald pointed to the two story house on the prairie. The springhouse and barn were also completed. A wide smile split his face. “We shall stop and look before going into Schmidt's Corner for our supplies.”

They had arrived back in Arles on August 20, 1858 after a six-week honeymoon of visits, shopping, and traveling. Their first stop had been at the lumberyard in Arles to settle for any work done beyond what he had paid for. Elias Clifford, the owner, explained they had hit a snag and could not bring in anymore doors or lumber for the upstairs until September. Influenza across the nation had slowed deliveries. MacDonald decided to wait until then before ordering any more work. He and Clifford did not get along, but business was business in this land. He wanted to ascertain what work still needed to be done. Clifford was in a foul mood as the lumber and other materials should have been freighted in at the first of the month. Influenza had struck some of the townspeople here. The heavy, early rains were making the situation worse.

MacDonald had recalculated his funds and decided that more fencing around the barn and a place in the barn for the milk cow Anna wanted was more important than buying doors for unfinished bedrooms upstairs. Anna needed the milk cow for her baking, butter, buttermilk, and clabbered milk.

“What if we have children? We will need it then.”

“My love…” and he stopped when he saw her lips tightening. Anna won. He had purchased a milk cow in Arles. Delivery of the fencing was set for seven days in the future and the cow for a week later.

As they topped the rise to the Rearing Bear ranch the sight of their white two-story home, washhouse, springhouse, their own barn, and corral around the east side of the barn brought smiles to their faces. They tied the team to the porch rail, and MacDonald used the skeleton key to unlock the door. Hand-in-hand they wandered through the downstairs.

“Oh, look, the cabinets. They are perfect.” Anna was beaming. “I cannot wait to put my dishes up there. And look, look, Zeb, the stove has a reservoir for keeping water warm.” She was twirling around, almost dancing when MacDonald pulled her in close.

“This makes me wish we had the bed made now. Are ye sure the floor will nay serve?”

“It will not.” But in her happiness she smiled at him. “We must make Schmidt's Corner before nightfall, and then bring all our things from their storeroom here.”

“Ye, my love, are a slave driver.”

A quick check showed that it was the upstairs that still needed the doors. Everything was framed and the rooms of the downstairs walls were plastered. All the windows had been installed. He would need to talk with Rolfe about bringing in more funds.

The trip into Schmidt's Corner took three hours. They had expected Martin to come running as he always did, but he must have been doing chores. MacDonald pulled the horses up behind the store, and Anna stepped down from the buggy.

“Ye are supposed to let me help ye.”

“Ach, when do I need help getting out of a buggy at my brother's house?” She ran up the steps and knocked at the door.

“Kasper, Gerde, we are back.”

A smiling Kasper opened the door as she was speaking. “We heard you pull up.” He waved at MacDonald.

“Please put the horses in my stable. Herr Rolfe is not well.”

Anna's eyes widened. “What happened?”

“The freighters came through. One of them had influenza. He's buried in the graveyard. Jesse was down for a month, but is back on his feet. Then Herr Rolfe came down with it. He is recovering, but Frau Rolfe is exhausted as Olga has it now.”

“What about the two boys?”

“So far they have shown no symptoms, but who knows. I've tried to help, but Gerde's afraid that Hans will come down with it. She has been sending food over since Olga became ill. I just returned.”

Gerde voice came from behind him.

“Come in, come in. There should be enough for all.”

“I'd better Mr. MacDonald tell.” Anna would use English whenever her sister-in-law showed off her better command of the language.

They heard his footsteps behind them.

“I heard enough of the conversation that I shall see Friend Rolfe for a minute. Dinna worry, I twill nay go in, but I thought we had a deal with Mr. Chisholm for cattle delivery this fall. I shall be back as soon as I put the horses up. After we eat, I twill load up what we have stored here, pay ye for the merchandise shipped in, and then we twill return to our ranch and nay bother ye.”

Anna turned to him. “Does that mean du are soon leaving, Herr MacDonald?”

“I could nay bear to tell ye, but it twill bring in the money we need for winter supplies and furnishings. The U.S. government doesn't pay that much for beeves for their reservation, but the money tis guaranteed.”

Anna mentally counted the weeks. No, it is too early to be sure, she thought.

MacDonald appeared for supper in less than thirty minutes.

“Friend Rolfe tis well on the mend. Young James tis now coming down with the sniffles, but Mrs. Rolfe gave us her blessing. She wants a new rug for the living room.” He ladled gravy over his mashed potatoes.

“This can be bad, Herr MacDonald. Remember the papers in St. Louis and New Orleans all spoke about this disease.” Anna had worried that they might catch it, but so far neither exhibited any symptoms.

He smiled at her. “I'm sure this tis isolated enough here. Jesse has recovered too. That means people can fight it off.”

Gerde shook her head. “It hit three men already. One died, Jesse almost did, and I heard the Phillips both are feeling poorly.”

“How did you find that out?” Kasper was puzzled.

“When Consuela was in here buying flour and sugar for Mr. Owens. It seems Mr. Phillips was over at Jesse's and complaining about his wife not being able to do much.”

“Herman and I twill nay leave for another week. That should be enough time to see if anyone else succumbs.”

Gathering the herd took a few days. Rolfe had returned to his usual state of health. When MacDonald and Rolfe left, they were confident that all was right in their world. The influenza epidemic he and Anna had read about in St. Louis had spared them while they were there, and the entire Schmidt family—if you didn't count the baby's runny nose.

Two weeks after they left, Anna was wishing she had told MacDonald about her suspicions. There was no doubt in her mind. She was with child. She went about singing while she tended her house, the cow, and the draft horses for pulling the buggy and any farm work. She cut prairie grass with her scythe and raked it into a pile. She wondered where Kasper was as he had promised to check on her every few days. The last time he came he was brimming with news.

“The Rolfe boys are running around like Indians, but both Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have come down with high fevers. It must be more of the ague. Strange, it seems to hit one family at a time.”

“How is Jesse?”

“He's fine. Ben Jackson and his son, Tom, both had it after you left, but they were barely sick.”

“Your family seems to have avoided it.”

Kasper grinned. “Gerde plies us with tonic on the chance we might. You and Mac avoided it while you were gallivanting around the country.”

“We did not gallivant! We only went to see Papa and then stayed in St. Louis four nights, plus some time in New Orleans and Houston.”

“Wouldn't you feel safer if you came into town while your husband is gone?”

Anna's eyes widened. “Mr. MacDonald left his shotgun with me. If any Comanche comes, I will use it. I do not want to leave our home. I still have curtains to make for the living room and bedroom.”

She grew pensive. “Winter will be here soon. Mr. MacDonald said to order what we will need. Do you have a bolt of blue or white flannel?”

It was Kasper's turn to stare at his twin. They had been friends while growing up. Anna matched his studies and would outrun and out-climb him. Sometimes he felt like he knew her better than his wife.

“Anna, are you—I mean, I know men and women don't talk about that, but are you?”

Anna put down her cup and laughed. “We never could fool each other could we, Kasper?”

“Does Mac know? When?”

“No, I wasn't sure when he left, but now I am. It will be another five months.” To herself she thought and it will be a boy.

He swallowed the last of the coffee. “I'll be back in another week.”

Kasper was a few days late when he tied his horse to the porch rail and ended Anna's worry as to where he was.

“Come in, come in, that wind is sharp today.”

“There isn't time, Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were really ill. Mrs. Rolfe has fallen ill and Olga isn't well yet. Gerde is afraid to go anywhere near them because of Hans.” Kasper swallowed before speaking again. It was difficult to bring Hans into it, but Hans had been frail since his birth; not really a blue baby, but he could not run any distance without sitting down and wheezing.

“If you could come to town and help the Rolfes and the Phillips with cooking, it would be a big help. Mrs. Tillman can't come in from the ranch because Ben was just in to buy something for her ague complaints. The other Mrs. Tillman is too close to birthing to go anywhere.”

“But somebody has to milk our cow.”

“I'll come back every day.”

“Don't be ridiculous. We will tie the cow to the back of the buggy. Maybe the Phillips and Rolfe families will give you the extra feed. We can share the butter and cream.”

“They will. Everyone is pitching in to help the other person. Jesse is fine, but the Mexican family behind him is down with it now and he is cooking their meals. The elder Mr. Jackson has been coughing again, but so far he isn't as sick as the rest, plus his son is taking care of the work and the animals.”

“I'll pack a bag.”

Kasper's face and grey eyes showed relief. “I'll hitch up your buggy and bring up the cow.”

“Oh, and there is fresh milk in the springhouse. We should take that with us.”

After packing, Anna put on her coat. The morning was cool and the wind was still blowing. They were mostly silent on the way into Schmidt's Corner. They turned toward the barn as they neared the Rolfe home.

Kasper turned to her. “Are you sure you want to do this, Anna? If something should happen, I mean, well you've had a rough two years, and Gerde was always so sick.” He was almost blushing and realized his sentence was badly framed, but how else does one ask what normally wasn't mentioned between the sexes? They had been extremely close as children. He felt he had a certain right to intrude where normally only the husband would.

Anna turned to him. “I would not be here if I were not sure. Even if Mrs. Phillips were well, she would be of little help. She doesn't like us and Clara doesn't really speak English.”

“I'll put the cow in Rolfe's corrals. The horse shouldn't bother her, and she can forage there. It is Martin's riding horse and accustomed to humans. Then I can go over every morning to milk her.”

“I should be able to do that.” Anna grabbed her bag as she spoke.

“You may have enough to do taking care of Mrs. Rolfe. You can send Martin over to tell us how things are going. It will not take long to put up the horses. Thank you, Anna. Mr. Rolfe was very generous when he let me purchase land for the store and livery.”

“Tante Anna, come quick. Mama can't breathe.”

Anna turned from the pot she was stirring and saw the frightened face of thirteen-year-old Olga. Her raspberry lips were still cracked from the high fevers, but she had recovered. Clara had never regained any strength and her coughing and fevers remained. Keeping the children away from her or Clara away from the children had been impossible. Three-year-old James would cry or sneak into her room and Olga had tried to help. She would minister to her mother or carry out the thunder mug. Martin would try to watch James, but he was less than attentive at keeping a three-year-old away from their mother.

At one time, Anna had all three as patients. Olga still had the remnants of the flu when Anna arrived. Young James had been next and then Martin. The children recovered in the same order. The Phillips' had gradually recovered. Clara was up and better. Anna had been packing to return home when Clara Rolfe appeared flushed with fever.

Anna kept the house, did the washing, ironing, and cooking. She was now in her fifth month and showing. She was trying to sew clothes for herself and a layette in any spare time. She had thought Clara's fever a bit lower and taken a moment to check on Olga's cooking. She then started to ladle a bowl of beans for herself; anything to be away from the sickroom. Anna moved the pot over to the register and followed Olga into the bedroom.

She prayed that Olga had exaggerated, but she did not hear the heavy wheezing or deep coughing that could be heard all over the house. Olga was on the floor, her face on her mother's chest sobbing.

“I shouldn't have left her. Ach, Mama, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.”

Dear God, thought Anna. Poor Olga. She will have to care for two younger brothers. How do we explain this to Mr. Rolfe? She could smell the fluids that had somehow been in Clara's fever-wracked body.

“Olga, will you send Martin to my brother's house and ask Mr. Schmidt to come here? We need to think of a way to tell James and Martin. Perhaps, Mr. Schmidt with his Pastor's training will do better than you or I. I'll find a nice dress for your mother and fill a basin with water.”

Olga sobbed harder. “Mama, I loved you.”

Anna gritted her teeth. Olga had been so grown up in helping. She sank down beside her and put her arm around the child-woman.

“Olga, your mother is with God. Your brothers need you now and so will your father when he returns.”

“What if he blames me?”

“Why would Mr. Rolfe do such a thing?”

Olga sniffed and then hiccupped. Anna handed her the handkerchief from her apron pocket.

“He won't. I just miss Mama. She taught me everything.” Olga wailed again. “She taught me how to play the organ and how to bake. And she taught me to sew and crochet.”

“Of course, she did, Olga. She loved you. She loved all of her children and now the younger ones need you. They will not realize this. They may even resent you, but they need you.”

Olga swallowed. “I'll go get Uncle Kasper. Young James is probably there.”

“Do you want to say a prayer first?”

“Won't Uncle do it better?”

“Much better, go now and bring him.”

Anna remained on her knees for a moment to say her own prayer for strength. She would need to wash Mrs. Rolfe, dress her in clean clothes, and comb her hair before they could put her in the coffin. She assumed Mr. Phillips would be hired to build the coffin. First she needed another sheet for the bed. She prayed there was a clean one. Gerde had been doing the laundry, but Anna couldn't remember putting one in the basket. She was exhausted and longed to return to her own home.