Eden Read online

  “Katie, look up at me, baby. I need to tell you something and I want you to know that I mean it, honey. I love you, Katie. If I’ve never let you know before, I want you to know now that you’re the most important thing in the world to me. I’m so sorry for all my meanness and ornery behavior and—”

  She lifted her hand, placing her fingers over his lips as a smile curved her lips. “John, don’t spoil what you just told me by trying to make amends for things that are in the past. If you love me, that’s all that matters, for I can’t live without you. I want to be a good wife to you and a good mother to your child, and if it’s a boy, it’ll be all right. We’ll just have to have another in a couple of years.” She frowned then as another pain seized her and she cried out, edging her bottom from his lap.

  “Maybe I’ll think about that,” she said with a frown. And then she was quiet as they made their way to the ranch, John guiding his horse down the rutted road, careful to keep from the patches where snow had drifted in deeper billows of white stuff.

  The lane appeared before him then, and he turned his gelding with a movement of the reins, the faithful horse obeying the silent command. “We’re almost there, Katie,” he whispered, looking down at her face that had become pale with the pain she endured. “If I could take the pain from you, I would, sweetheart.”

  It was the cry of his heart and he blessed her forehead and temple with his lips, needing, wanting to show her in some small way how he ached for what she suffered.

  He knew that Katie had enjoyed being with child up to this moment, that she had faced each day eagerly, sewing small items for the baby to wear, no matter the pains in her back, the aching muscles beneath the load she bore. She had not complained, only thanked him fervently when he rubbed her back, purred when his hands massaged the firm rounding of her belly.

  Berta came out on the porch as he neared the house and he shouted at her, bidding her come to the cabin. “Katie’s having pains, Berta,” he said, feeling helpless.

  His horse stopped before the back porch and he eased Katie back to the saddle, then swung his leg over the horse’s back and stood on the ground. With quick movements he lifted her, holding her in his arms as he stepped onto the porch. Before he could reach for the door, Berta was there, holding the door wide, helping with eager hands as he eased his burden over the threshold.

  He carried her to the bedroom and she stood at the side of the wide bed. “Lie down, sweetheart,” he said, attempting to make her sit on the side of the mattress. But she had other ideas and she shook her head with a determination he had to smile at.

  “I want to undress first. My clothes are all dirty, John. I want to wash up and put my nightgown on before I get the sheets dirty.”

  “They’ll be a mess by the time this is over anyway,” Berta said with a wide grin. “Come on, sweetie. I’ll help you get ready. You go on out and fetch her a cup of tea, John. She’s gonna need it right soon. Once I get her lying down flat I’ll go over to the house and get some dried herbs that’ll help with her pains.”

  With Berta’s help, Katie was tucked beneath a sheet and then the waiting began. She heard a horse outside the cabin, heard Jane’s voice and knew that her sister had returned with Gray Wolf. And wasn’t that an interesting development? It pleased her that the man seemed interested in Jane, for he was a fine, talented fella, John had said. Able to take orders and capable of giving them when the occasion arose.

  And now he’d brought Jane home and Katie felt a wave of thanksgiving that her family was gathered once more beneath the same roof, that John and Jane would both be here for the birth of her baby.

  And with that thought, she was seized once more by a wave of pain that threatened to bring not only tears to her eyes, but a moan from her lips. John came into the room, the cup of tea in his hands, his gaze sweeping over Katie’s form on the bed, and he dropped to his knees beside her. The tea was settled on the table by the bed and John’s hands reached for his wife.

  “I don’t know if I can stand seeing you in pain, Katie. This is all my fault, and I’ve already about pulled my hair out, what with you hurting so bad.”

  “I’m fine, John,” she said, catching her breath as the pain eased, her belly softening as the waves receded and left her for a moment. “These pains are coming faster than I’d thought they would. Berta said I’m doing just fine, and she’ll be back here in just a minute with something to help me.”

  “I think I’d better send someone to town for the doctor,” John said. “I know Berta’s got all the know-how, but it seems like it’d be a good idea to have Doc Benson come on out and see to things.”

  The front door opened and then closed behind her as Berta came back in the cabin. She stood in the doorway of the bedroom and her eyes darted to where John knelt by Katie’s side. “Why don’t you send Ben or one of the other men to town, John? I’d think this would be a good place for Doc Benson.”

  “That’s what I just told Katie,” he said, rising and bending low to press his lips on Katie’s forehead, patting her hand briefly as he headed for the kitchen and then on out onto the porch.

  Katie heard his strong voice call out to Ben and in moments there was a hubbub of sorts in the yard as Ben called for a horse to be saddled and made ready. Jane came in the back door and called out to Katie, telling her she would get hot water ready for washing up and for the doctor to use when he got there.

  “I think everything’s under control, isn’t it?” Katie asked Berta, her voice a whisper as she felt another surging pain grip her belly, causing it to contract and rise, the baby within her quiet for the first time in weeks. She’d had so much movement over the past months that it seemed strange now for her child to be so still.

  She said as much to Berta, fearful that there might be something wrong that would cause the baby not to move about as it had done of late. Berta only laughed, explaining that it was just resting up for the big push and before they knew it, there’d be a young’un right there in the bed, squalling its head off.

  Katie laughed softly at the explanation, thinking privately that it couldn’t happen any too soon to suit her. It seemed that the pains were coming closer, one almost on top of the last, and she was perspiring and uncomfortable, her back aching to beat the band and the vise that seemed to enclose her belly was clamping down harder with each contraction that drew her whole body into a knot that radiated pain.

  Berta sat beside her, instructing her to roll to her side, then rubbing the tender spot below her waist with a sturdy hand. It relieved the aching and Katie was grateful for her friend’s understanding touch. “This would be a good job for John,” Berta said. “I’ll warrant he’ll be back inside here in a few minutes and we’ll put him to work, keeping you comfortable.”

  “I don’t know if he’ll want to be in here,” Katie said softly, glancing at the doorway, remembering John’s words about the pain she was enduring. “This is hard on him, Berta.”

  And then she was gripped by another gathering contraction, one that seemed to enclose the entire area where the babe lay, the pain holding her in its grip for long minutes. It seemed more like an hour to Katie, who shivered with a chill and found herself curling in a ball, her belly feeling as if it were too large for her skin to contain.

  “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered to Berta, taking deep breaths as the pain eased, and then at Berta’s encouraging smile, she watched as John came back in the room. “You don’t have to be here, John,” she said, worried that he would not be able to stand seeing the events to come.

  Without pause, he came to the bedside, knelt beside her and tugged her to face him, his big hand circling her waist, pressing against the sore spot low on her back, and making circling motions with his wide palm. “I was here when we started that baby, Katie. I’ll be here when it’s born. There’s nothing that could keep me away from you, sweetheart. I hate to see you hurting, but I’m not about to walk away and leave you to face this on your own.”

  Th
anksgiving rushed through her as he spoke, and she attempted a smile even as another pain settled its grip on her. John’s hand took up the circling movement again on her back and he bent low to whisper in her ear as she groaned aloud. “I’m here, Katie. I won’t leave you, no matter what.”

  She’d begun to think that this task she’d taken on with such joy would never end when she heard the doctor’s voice at the door. He came in the bedroom, shot her a quick look and then rolled up his shirtsleeves, heading for the bowl of hot water that Jane poured for his use. He scrubbed for long minutes, and when he’d finished, he dried off on the clean towel Berta handed him, turning to the bed.

  “Well, young lady, let’s see how far you’ve come. Looks to me like you won’t be a whole lot longer at this.”

  And how he could tell that, Katie didn’t know, but she surely hoped he was right. His hands were sure and comforting as he examined her and she held tightly to John’s fingers during the ordeal, then smiled as she heard the words the doctor spoke.

  “Another few pushes ought to do it, Katie. We’ll have this baby born in no time at all.”

  He was right, for within fifteen minutes John was called on to hold his son. Wrapped in a length of flannel, the dark-haired infant was crying up a storm, his eyes squinted tightly shut, his mouth wide as he protested the indignity of birth.

  Katie inspected him quickly, kissed his damp head and then watched as Berta took him to the dry sink where she washed him and then found safety pins and a diaper to cover his bottom. A small gown, one Katie had made herself, was brought from the chest of drawers and tiny arms were slid in place, the buttons done up quickly and then another clean blanket put to use, swaddling the tiny creature into a bundle that Katie welcomed with a laugh of pure pleasure.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THE SHERIFF SENT WORD that he had wired to Judge Henry, and that man would appear in Eden as soon as he completed a trial he was involved in. Another messenger arrived just days later, announcing that Judge Henry was prepared to head a hearing involving Jacob and Agnes Schrader in the sheriff’s office in Eden on Friday and asking that Katie, Jane and Mrs. Rice make an appearance.

  John’s concern was for Katie’s health, for her days of lying in were not complete and Berta had been adamant that ten days was the shortest length of time for a woman to take to her bed after childbirth. Katie, on the other hand, was dead certain she was ready to go to town to testify at the hearing, no matter that it had been just a week since the birth of her son. And so, at the behest of the judge, John wrapped Katie in an enveloping quilt, after covering her with her cloak, and carried her to the buggy for the ride to Eden.

  Jane and Mrs. Rice, who had arrived at the ranch early that morning, not wanting to attend the hearing alone, would follow on horseback, accompanied by Bill Stanley, who seemed to have taken a shine to the schoolteacher.

  Gray Wolf, who had been a silent shadow during the events, volunteered his services and accompanied the women along with Bill, and together they trailed behind the buggy, as soon as breakfast was over.

  Katie held the small bundle containing her son beneath the folds of her cloak, rocking him in her arms and peeking beneath the blanket every few minutes to be certain that he was warm and well curtained from the wind. Berta had told her that catching a sudden waft of breeze could cause colic, and Katie was vigilant, not knowing what was involved in the disorder, but determined that her child would not fall prey to such a thing.

  The sheriff’s office was filled to overflowing, what with all the participants from the Stanley ranch, the two prisoners from the jail and the sheriff, who was determined that the couple would never again cause problems in his town.

  Judge Henry bent a benevolent eye on Katie, making much of her child and offering a hand of congratulations to John. “I’m pleased that you got your marriage in order, Mr. Roper. Katie seems to be in good health and your son has a hearty set of lungs from what I’ve heard this morning.”

  Katie had gone into a back room to nurse the baby, his impatient cries making it a necessity for such a thing to take place, and accompanied by Berta, she fed young John and then returned to the makeshift courtroom.

  On one side of the room, Jacob and Agnes Schrader stood silently, enveloped in gloom, their eyes seemingly glued to the floor as the charges against them were read.

  The judge was not kindly today, his wrath a frightful thing to Katie’s eyes, for he charged both of the Schraders with kidnaping. For, even though Agnes had not participated in the actual event, her involvement made her an accessory, and as such she was as guilty as Jacob.

  They moved to stand before the judge and Jacob swore that Jane had sought refuge with him, wanting to come back home to live. With a dubious look, the judge called Jane forward and her testimony rang clear and true as she told of the events of that day, when Jacob had taken her captive and dragged her into his barn, tying her in the stall to await nightfall when he and Agnes would load up their belongings in the wagon and leave town, taking Jane with them. Jacob had expressed his anger at Katie, long and loudly, and Jane said he’d groused that he’d not been able to get his hands on her, too. His need for revenge against the girls for running off seemed to have made him demented, for he rambled on to himself as Jane spoke to the judge.

  The judge shook his head at such wickedness, his glare settling on Jacob as he decreed that the crime was punishable by imprisonment at the facility designated for those in the Dakota Territory who broke such laws. Agnes was given a lesser sentence, but neither of them would be allowed within fifty miles of Eden or wherever Katie and Jane were living at the time of their release from prison.

  Chastised severely for his grumbling at the sentencing, Jacob was led to a cell, Agnes admitted to the other empty space in the jail and then the judge stood behind the sheriff’s desk and made his statement to Katie, Jane and Mrs. Rice.

  “The law finds that you have all been victims of Jacob and Agnes Schrader and henceforth you will be under the protection of whatever judicial territory you reside within. If you remain here in Eden, you are under the protection of the sheriff here, and since you tell me that Jane will be going to the State Normal School next September, the authorities in that area will be notified to keep a keen eye on her in order to protect her.”

  Katie sat down in the chair behind her, the babe in her arms weighing her down, her body giving way to the ordeal of the day. John bent to her, whispering words of comfort, and Judge Henry spoke to them, as they looked up at his bidding.

  “I can only say that I’m mighty pleased that the earlier hearing held in this office went as it did for you, Mr. Roper. You have a fine wife and child and your marriage seems to have been the best move we could have offered you. I congratulate you on your lovely wife and baby and offer my best regards to you all.”

  John shuffled his feet a bit, feeling embarrassed by the words of praise, and Katie merely beamed her happiness as she heard the kindly judge offer his blessing on their marriage.

  The office emptied out in minutes then, the hotel restaurant being the place of choice for their noontime meal. Before long, they were gathered around a group of hastily shoved-together tables, and white-aproned women flocked around them to take their orders for the meal.

  “This is a celebration like we should have had when you got married, John.” Bill Stanley stood and lifted his water glass in a salute to the young man who had fulfilled his duties so well at the ranch, and offered his congratulations on the couple’s new son and their first anniversary of the wedding entered into here in town just a year since.

  “I’d forgotten it was so close to our anniversary date,” Katie whispered to John. “It’s been a bit more than a year now, but we didn’t even celebrate, did we?”

  “I celebrate every day of our life together, Katie.” His words were soft, unheard by any of the others who had gathered around the table, but to Katie they were like manna to her ears, an acknowledgment of his love and a promise for the future.
/>
  They rode home in a caravan, Jane beside Gray Wolf, Mrs. Rice having been left at the boardinghouse where she stayed during the school year. Jane was elated at the thought of completing the school year without fear of being accosted on her way to and from town.

  Mrs. Rice had told her that letters had been written on her behalf by three of the local citizens who felt she was worthy of a scholarship and her own recommendation had accompanied them to the state board for consideration. She would know within weeks as to her financial help from the school and would have the whole summer to prepare for her entry examinations. A situation that pleased Jane immensely, for she would be able to help Katie with the baby during these early months of his life.

  DURING THE LONG DAYS of summer, life began to resume its normal events. Gray Wolf did not allow his obvious feelings for Jane to become an issue between them, only watched her as might an older brother. He spoke one day at length with Bill Stanley and at the end of their conversation the two men shook hands and parted ways, Gray Wolf heading behind the barn to where his work with the young horses awaited him, Bill to the cabin where John had paused for his noontime meal.

  With a single rap at the door, Bill entered, accepting the traditional cup of coffee offered to him by Katie, who was in the midst of putting the meal together. He settled at the table and his gaze shot to where Jane worked at the sink. And then he spoke to John.

  “Gray Wolf will be here permanently, if that’s all right with you, John. I told him before that he could stay on and work with the horses and help with roundup and branding—all the things that go on. But I wanted to clear it with you. We settled on a wage and he’ll be living in the bunkhouse with the other men. Does that meet with your approval?”