Hannah: Bride of Iowa (American Mail Order Bride 29) (2 page)

“Ma!” The old woman was burning up. It was cold in the house with no fire in the hearth. “I’m going to get some wood and start a fire.” Jeb was nowhere around.

“No,” Emma wheezed. She clutched her daughter’s hand. “Maddie, forgive me. I’m sorry.”

“Lie still, Ma. I need to warm you up.”

But Emma held on with a strength Maddie didn’t know she still possessed. “I’m going to meet up with your pa tonight. I’m tired and I’m ready to meet my maker.” Her glassy eyes cleared. “You heed my words, gal. In my chest is my old brown dress.” Emma’s breathing was forced. “In my pocket is money I’ve been putting away. You take that and get out of this house. We’ve got family in Hartstown, Pennsylvania. They’ll take you in.”

“I’m not leaving here. You can come with me.”

Her ma stroked her cheek. “I love you so, but I wronged you something fierce. I thought I was doing right by you by marrying Jeb. Please forgive me.” Her ma’s eyes shut.

“Ma!” Tears ran down Maddie’s face. “Please, don’t leave me.”

The front door banged open and a drunken Jeb staggered in.

“Get some wood.” Maddie sobbed. “We need to make a fire.”

Jeb stood there, teetering back and forth. “She’s used up, already good as dead.” He stumbled backwards and leered at his step-daughter. “But you’re still passable purty.”

Maddie got up, backing away. “You disgusting pig. Stay away from me.”

He lunged at her, knocking her to the ground and falling on top of her. Foul breath assaulted her senses. “Come on, Maddie girl.” He slobbered down her neck. “You’ll plumb like what I…”

A grunt exploded from his mouth and his bloodshot eyes seemed to look right through her. Maddie pushed him off, scrambling away. Ma was on her hands and knees gasping for breath, a bloody butcher knife in one hand.

Emma crawled to the body of her dead husband and checked his pockets, pulling out all the money he had. “Maddie, Maddie, fetch that money…from…from my chest. Hurry.”

The girl hurried to do as she was bid. The money in hand, Maddie found her mom lying on her back, a sickening rattle in her chest. “Please, Ma. Don’t leave me. I love you.” Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.

“I love you, my sweet girl.” Slowly, Emma’s hand traveled up to grasp her daughter’s. Paper money wadded in a ball. “Take this and get yourself out of here.”

Maddie put her head on her ma’s stomach, sobbing. “I can’t do this alone.”

There was no answer. Emma’s breathing was shallow and the rattling in her chest grew louder. Maddie lay on the floor next to her ma, whispering words of comfort as the only person she had in the world took her last breath.

Chapter TWO

The next morning Maddie dragged her ma to the stand of oak trees where Pa had been buried. It took most of the day to dig a hole big enough for her ma’s final resting place. Once the last shovel of dirt was in place, Maddie laid down and cried her heart out. How could God do this? How will she survive
?

It was late afternoon when she got to her feet; her face streaked with dirt and her fingernails chipped and ragged. She dragged herself back to the house. Jeb still lay there, blood staining the wooden floor. Maddie barely gave him a second look.

She pumped some water into a bowl and washed her hands and face, inhaling at the stinging of her torn flesh. She hurt and wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep all the heartache away, but she had too much to do.

Maddie went to her ma’s room and grabbed the family’s carpetbag. She folded and packed the only three dresses she owned that were still nice enough to be seen in in public. She also took under clothes and her only nightgown. She then pumped more water and washed her hair and cleaned herself as best she could.

She took her ma’s ivory brush and comb set that had once belonged to her grandmother. She ripped at the tangles in her hair, tears springing to her eyes. When she was done, her light brown hair laid in soft waves down her back.

The sun was setting. Maddie sat at the table eating leftover hard rolls with cheese and pork. Her glance landed on Jeb and in that instant she decided just what needed to be done with the dead man.

She went to the barn and let the pigs and the cow loose then hitched Sal to the wagon. After loading her bag, she dragged Jeb’s body out of the house. Taking a piece of rope, she tied one end to the back of the wagon and the other end around Jeb’s feet. She climbed up on the buckboard and when she looked at the house, a wave of emotion swept through her. Her heart physically hurt. “I love this old farm. Nobody will make this a home like we did.”

She jumped off the wagon and ran back into the house. She brought out her pa’s guitar and watched as fire started bouncing around in her home, licking the walls. When the whole house was in flames, Maddie wiped her eyes and said, “Whenever you’ve a mind Sal.”

* * * *

The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Using her foot, she shoved Jeb’s body down the small, muddy bank and into the Connewango River, watching him submerge and disappear. Maddie thought she would feel some kind of redemption seeing the man go under, but all she felt was indifference. Would God send her to Hell for doing this? Even that thought meant nothing. Maddie could not remember ever being this tired — emotionally and physically.

She sat for a while, making sure Jeb body didn’t surface. Her head sprang up when Sal moved. She must have dozed off as the sun was higher in the sky. “Let’s get this over with, Sal.”

The town of Jamestown was alive with activity. Businesses were opening for the day and proprietors performed the jobs of washing windows and sweeping the walkways. Maddie marveled at the bustling that was going on around her. The town had two hotels, complete with dining facilities; a newspaper; saloon; an attorney; a mercantile; a doctor’s office; a bank and many other unmarked buildings.

Making her way to the far west side of the town, she came upon a small train depot. A thin, balding man with wire-rimmed glasses stood behind the counter. After several minutes, Maddie cleared her throat to get the man’s attention.

“Can I help you?” The little man’s tone was one of annoyance.

“I need a ticket that would get me as close as possible to Hartstown, Pennsylvania.”

The man looked down his pointy nose at her and asked, “Just one?”

“Yes, sir.”

He surveyed Maddie from head to toe and back again. Muttering under his breath, he looked up what she needed.

“What a disagreeable man,” Maddie thought, fuming.

When he told her the price of the train ticket, she gasped. She didn’t have enough money. Tears stung her eyes.

“I have other matters to attend to. Do you want the ticket or not?”

“That’s so much more than I anticipated. I don’t have enough money.”

“Well please step aside. Others are waiting.”

Maddie ran to her wagon. She put her arms around the mule and cried into her dusty, raggedy mane. “Sal, what am I going to do?” She climbed up on the buckboard, wiping her eyes. She turned toward the other end of town. She had seen a livery there.

The man who greeted her was fairly short in stature with gray sideburns and an upper lip and chin covered with stubble. He wore a dirty floppy-brimmed hat and his body was lean and muscular for an older man. His arms and face were dark and leathery from the sun. His clothes looked clean, though they were ripped in a few areas, but the distasteful smell that so many men had, was absent from this man.

“Howdy. What can I do for you, ma’am?’

Maddie jumped down from the wagon and approached the man. “Mr.?”

“Slim.”

“Mr. Slim, I…”

“No Mr., just Slim.”

“Slim, I need to get a train ticket to Pennsylvania. The ticket was more than I had anticipated. I find I must sell my mule and wagon.”

The man stepped to one side looking passed her at the rickety wagon and old white mule. “Can’t use ‘em.” He turned to walk back into the livery, dismissing her.

“Sir, please!” She ran in front of him, blocking his way. “I have no family left and no place to turn. I’m supposed to go stay with cousins I’ve never met and I can’t even get there.” Tears welled up in her eyes and her lower lip quivered. Maddie swallowed a lump of emotion so she could speak. “Sal is all I have left in this world. I can’t just leave her uncared for.”

Surprise, or maybe fear, registered on the old man’s face. He held up his hands and took a step backwards. “Now, little lady, there ain’t no need to take on so. You need to calm yourself right down. Thing is I just ain’t got no money for that old bag of bones.”

Tears slipped from her eyes, making dirty paths down her cheeks from the dust of the night’s ride to Jamestown. She didn’t care. “Mr. ...I mean, Slim, you don’t have to pay me. Sal doesn’t have much time left on this earth and she doesn’t eat much. She wouldn’t be any bother at all.” The last few words were muttered as a fresh wave of tears fell.

She covered her face and sobbed. With everything that Maddie had been through, this was the final straw. Her heart was broken and she just couldn’t stop crying.

Slim muttered string of colorful oaths and clumsily patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “I can’t abide no female a blubbering. I’ll keep your dang mule.”

Maddie heard that. Her hands dropped. Her face was smudged with dirt, eyes rimmed with red and her nose was runny. The corners of her mouth started to turn up but the quivering of her lip stopped the smile from forming.

Slim almost squealed when Maddie pushed to hug the man that was no taller than herself. “Thank you, Slim. Thank you with all my heart!”

He pried her arms loose from his neck. “Now dry up those tears. You don’t have to worry none about your mule.”

Maddie wiped her nose with her sleeve and smiled, making her look like a child. She went and stroked Sal’s velvety nose. “This nice man is going to take care of you, Sal. You be good for him.” Maddie kissed her nose and gave her a fierce hug.

“Here,” Slim said gruffly, stuffing some money in her hand. I’ll buy your dang wagon. Someone’s always looking for a buckboard.”

She stuffed the money into her reticule. “Thank you, Slim. I will never forget your kindness.”

His face turned bright red. “Well, it ain’t much. You take care of yourself, ya hear, and I’ll take care of this old mule.”

She went to the back of the wagon and pulled out her bag and guitar and without looking back, hurried down the street to buy her ticket.

The line at the train depot had several people waiting so Maddie took a seat on a long wooden bench. With the money Slim gave her, she would have just enough to buy the ticket. “I should get in line,” she thought, but she was just so tired. She’d never been so exhausted in her life. She laid her head back against the wall, shutting her eyes. Had anybody found her home, burned to the ground? Had anybody noticed a new grave up on the hill? Maddie pictured her mother during happier times. Was the smile back on her face? Was she looking down on her right now? Would Slim treat Sal with kindness? For the millionth time in three days, her eyes burned with fresh tears.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a ruckus at the counter. “Listen to me you beef-witted little man. I cannot use this ticket.” A young woman with light blonde hair, curls escaping from a wide-brimmed hat with white and gold flowers and several white feathers, held her train ticket up under the little man’s nose. “I was to go to Iowa, but my plans, thank the Lord above, have been changed and I am going to Louisiana. I have no need for this and I demand a refund.”

The same little man who had waited on Maddie, pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. “As you can see by the rules that are clearly posted on the wall, there are no refunds. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?”

The woman turned and flounced over to where Maddie was sitting. She wore a skirt and matching coat that was dark green and trimmed in gold. A whit, long-sleeved blouse was tucked into her tiny waist. Pearl buttons ran all the up to her neck. Maddie had never seen anything so exquisite and the young lady was beautiful.

“What an odious little man!” She dropped down on the bench and removed her hat. “Apparently simple-minded people are hired for that job.” She sat back in a huff and crossed her arms. “Just wait till Thomas gets here. That detestable little man will be sorry.”

Maddie hadn’t said one word, only stared.

“Are you okay?” the woman asked, her bright blue eyes scanning Maddie.

Maddie’s answer was a quick nod.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, you look a little bit done in.”

              Maddie sighed, finally finding her voice. “I need to go to Pennsylvania and the ticket will take most of the money I possess.”

              The young woman snorted. “Does not surprise me at all!” She sneered at the man behind the counter. “Just don’t go, or wait for a while. Maybe prices will come down for the holidays.”

              “I have no choice. My mother just recently passed away and I have nobody left.” Her nose and eyes burned. She blinked quickly to keep the tears at bay, but failed. She clasped her hands tightly together in her lap and kept her head down. “I have cousins in Pennsylvania but I’ve never even met any of them. What if I get there and they don’t live there anymore or what if they don’t want me living there?”

              The woman studied Maddie. After long minutes of uncomfortable silence, she sat up on the edge of her seat and turned to face Maddie. “Until about two months ago I worked at the Brown Textile Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There were about a hundred women there, both single and married. I always felt the old married biddies looked down their holier than thou noses at me. I tried to keep to myself because even the single women bored me to death with their simpering, inane stories. Anyway, the mill burned down.”

              Maddie gasped, her hand covering her mouth. “Oh my! Was anybody hurt?”

              “Hurt? No,” she said with nonchalance, “everyone got out, I think. Anyway, Roberta McDaniel was the manager. She called a meeting with all the single women. I was hoping she had a lead on another job, but that wasn’t the case. She met a woman who arranges marriages for men in other states who are looking for wives.” She leaned back, resting her head against the wall. “We all really had no choice. There were no jobs for us in Massachusetts. We all signed up, selling ourselves to who knows what?” Her voice was bitter.

              “I boarded the train in Boston and was on my way to become the wife of Samuel Morrison who has a small farm outside of West Liberty.” She chuckled, wiping imaginary dust from her sleeve. “Can you see someone like me living in a small, dreary town on a farm? Plain truth is, I’m not cut out to be some dirt farmer’s wife. I’m too young. I need much more than that!”

              She stood setting her hat back on her head. “Luckily, on the train, and soon after leaving Boston, I met Thomas Bentley. We talked and found we have so much in common. He could see I was not meant for that kind of life. We are going to Louisiana and will be married.”

              “Hannah!”

Maddie saw a tall, thin man with slicked back black hair and a thin mustache standing at the door. He wore a gray suit and a dark colored fedora. His expression held a trace of impatience.

              “I’ll be right there, Thomas.” She laid a large envelope on the bench beside Maddie. “My name is Hannah Brown and I will never set foot in Iowa. Take this envelope and this train ticket and go to Iowa. You become Mrs. Samuel Morrison. All you need to do, is be me.”