A Journey of the Heart Collection (42 page)

“I didn't tell her. To tell you the truth, I'd almost
forgotten Ben was your brother. You're very different. You want to meet her?”

Her gaze lingered on Sarah holding the baby, and he saw hunger in Emmie's face. She probably felt as though she had no family.

She nodded. “Could I?”

He touched her arm and guided her closer. This was the nearest he'd been to the baby himself. The little one did have a certain look of her brother. His eyes were the same smoky gray. His hair was darker than Ben's blond hair but not the raven of Morning Song's.

Sarah looked up and saw her standing there. Dawning comprehension filled her face. After a glance at her Indian friend, she gently placed the child into Emmie's arms. “What is his name, Morning Song?”

“I call him John. I learned about John in the Holy Book when I went to the mission school. About how he taught others to love God. So I named him John Randall. My people, my father, they call him Gray Buffalo.”

Rand jerked his head up, then a delighted grin stole over his face. “You named him after me?”

Morning Song nodded. “You and Sarah are my friends. I want for John to be a fine man like you. Not like—” She broke off and took a deep breath.

Isaac heard Emmie's intake of breath, and he wished he could embrace her. Her brother was despicable.

Emmie cradled the baby, then took a step closer to Morning Song. “I am your sister. Ben was my brother.”

Morning Song flinched back as though Emmie had struck her. She stared at Isaac. “You have her here? Sister of my enemy?”

She whirled as though to flee before she remembered Emmie still held her child. She snatched her son from Emmie's arms, then realized Emmie was crying. She searched Emmie's eyes as if probing secrets from her soul.

The tension eased out of her shoulders, and she gently handed young John back to Emmie. “You are my sister. Ben hurt you too.”

Her eyes wide, Emmie accepted the child again. The baby had awakened from all the fuss and played with strands of her dark hair that had escaped their confinement. She hugged him gently, then gave him back to Morning Song. “You have a beautiful son.”

Morning Song smiled and murmured to the baby as she eased him back into the carrier. “Ben is here?”

Sarah shook her head. “Oh no, Morning Song. He's—” She broke off and glanced at Emmie.

Emmie finished Sarah's sentence for her. “He's dead. Killed in an attack by Sioux.”

Morning Song's forehead wrinkled. “When did this happen?”

“Shortly after you left Fort Laramie. He was killed in a fall from a horse, Labe said.”

Morning Song shook her head. “Then it is not Ben. My brother, Red Hawk, saw him near the mountain where the white men took the yellow rock not many moons ago.”

Rand glanced at Isaac, then back at Morning Song. “You mean the gold mines in Montana?”

Morning Song nodded. “My brother wanted to kill him, but too many white men were around with guns.”

Isaac inhaled and his gaze went to Emmie standing rigidly by the fire. Her violet eyes were wide, and she put her hand to her chest. Her mouth trembled. Was she happy Ben was alive or distressed?

The only sound was the crackle from the fire. Emmie cleared her throat. “But he left Labe behind. Why would he do that?”

Morning Song shrugged. “I do not know. Perhaps
he felt Labe was never fully with him and his schemes. I know your brother Labe felt sorry for the way Ben treated me.”

“I can't believe it,” Rand said finally. “All this time we were sure he was dead. Do you know if Labe found him in the goldfields?”

“I not know. Red Hawk only saw Ben.”

Sarah put her arm around Morning Song. “There's so much to tell you. Come over by the fire and rest. You'll stay here with us, of course.”

Morning Song wilted and she gasped. “It is more than I hoped for. I just wished to see you again. I will go back to the camp.”

“You'll do no such thing,” Rand put in firmly. “You need to rest and get your strength back. We can make up a bed for you in the kitchen near the stove.”

“She can have my place here in the parlor,” Joel said. “I can stay with Jacob and Amelia.”

“Good idea,” Sarah said. “Is Red Hawk with you, Morning Song? He can stay with Joel.”

The young woman bowed her head. “He and my father are with Red Cloud. I could not stay when I knew they would soon fight against my friends.”

Isaac's gut tightened. Red Cloud was preparing for war, massing tribes from all over the Sioux nation. The confrontation was coming soon. Isaac wasn't sure how many of them would survive it.

EIGHT

T
he dawn brought a blizzard with it as snow joined the howling wind of the night before. The swirling snow blotted out the sun and blew through the cracks in the house. Emmie shivered as she lit her lamp and quickly washed with her flannel and dressed in the blue wool. As she pulled her curtain back, she could hear Morning Song crooning to baby John. She was eager to see both Morning Song and the baby again.

Morning Song looked up from her seat by the
kitchen stove as Emmie hurried toward her. “You are up early. Sarah still sleeping.”

Emmie poured hot water into the teapot. “Has Rand left?”

Morning Song nodded as she went to lay the baby down on the mat. She covered him with the edge of the buffalo robe and rejoined Emmie. “He was up most the night. Not used to warm house.”

Emmie tried to imagine living out on the plains in a tepee and shivered. She poured herself and Morning Song a cup of tea.

Morning Song smiled as she spooned sugar into her tea and picked up her cup gently. “It has been many moons since I had tea.” She sighed and took a sip. “Many changes have come.”

Emmie clasped her hands together. “I–I want to tell you how sorry I am about what Ben did to you. He was always . . . difficult. A–And I know about betrayal and how it hurts.”

Morning Song nodded. “I see this in your face. You are not your brother. We will be friends.”

Sarah opened the bedroom door and stepped into the room. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement. “I had to get up and make sure last night wasn't a dream.
Rand and I talked about it after we went to bed, and we want you and John to stay with us, Morning Song. You can't go back to the Sioux. They didn't treat the baby or you very well. We love you and want you to become part of our family.”

Morning Song swallowed hard as she fought tears. Her chin sank to her chest. “I do not wish to be burden for my friends. The Shoshone chief says I can stay at his encampment. But I wish to leave my son with you. My baby deserves to be accepted by whites.”

Sarah nodded vigorously. “But we won't keep him without you. You must stay also. Rand has already gone to ask the commander for permission. He's sure the commander will allow it. He is a very compassionate man.”

Morning Song lost her battle against the tears and they slid down her cheeks. “I must help you if I stay. John is very good baby. We will try not to disturb my friends.”

Sarah smiled. “There will be plenty of crying in a few months anyway. My baby will be born in two months, and Emmie's baby should arrive in May.”

Morning Song looked at Emmie. “You do not stay in this house all the time? You have husband here?”

Emmie shook her head slowly. “No husband. Like you, I was not really married, although I thought I was. I am staying here with my friends, just like you.”

A ghost of a smile flitted across Morning Song's face. “Rand will act like he eat locoweed after all the babies come.”

Three crying babies all close to the same age. The thought made Emmie chuckle. They'd all
want
to eat locoweed.

The snow had finally stopped, so the women donned warm cloaks and bonnets, bundled the baby up, and hurried across the parade ground to show Amelia Morning Song's son. The house was dark when they let themselves in. The fire was almost out.

Emmie went to throw more logs on it. “Sarah, maybe you'd better check on Amelia.”

Sarah nodded and hurried to the bedroom. “Amelia?” She turned in the doorway and motioned to Emmie. “The baby's coming!”

Emmie's pulse kicked. She rushed to the bedroom with Morning Song close behind her. A slick sheen of
sweat coated Amelia's face and she moaned softly. She was so pale, and Emmie felt a stab of pure terror.

She stepped to the bed and took Amelia's hand. “Your baby will be here soon. You're going to be a mama today.”

“Jacob went for Dr. Horton.” Amelia moaned again and clung tightly to Emmie's hand. Her eyes opened, and she stared into Emmie's face. “Remember your promise.”

Emmie touched her brow, burning hot. “I won't have to remember it. You're going to be fine.” But a coldness settled in her belly at the look of Amelia's skin.

Her friend's eyes closed, and she released Emmie's hand. Emmie looked at Sarah's pale face and knew she was in no shape to take charge. “Morning Song, would you go find me some rags and boil some water? And find someone to fetch Jacob. Her labor must have come on suddenly after he left.”

The door banged and Jacob rushed in with Dr. Horton close behind. “Thank the Lord you're here. I didn't want to leave her alone, but I had to get the doctor. I kept hoping someone would stop by, but no one was out with the weather so nasty.”

They all stepped out of the room so the doctor
could examine her in private. Jacob paced back and forth across the kitchen, pausing now and then to gaze toward the bedroom door. Beyond an initial look of recognition when he saw Morning Song, he withdrew into himself and said nothing to any of them.

Emmie finally took his arm. “Let's pray.”

He gave her a startled look. “You're right,” he groaned as he dropped to his knees beside a kitchen chair.

Emmie knelt on one side and Sarah and Morning Song on the other. They stayed on their knees for a few more moments, then rose as Dr. Horton came into the room.

“She's in a bad way. She's too weak to stand much of this and the baby is coming the wrong way. Have any of you ladies helped deliver babies before?”

Sarah and Emmie looked at each other and shook their heads.

Morning Song nodded. “I help many women in my village.”

Dr. Horton looked at her for a moment, then evidently satisfied with what he saw, nodded. “Wash your hands and come with me. You too,” he said to Emmie.

Morning Song and Emmie hurried to obey. They
scrubbed their hands with lye soap and went into the bedroom.

“We've got to try to turn the baby,” the doctor said. “Emmie, I need you to hold her down while I push on her stomach. Do you know what to do?” he asked Morning Song.

She nodded and knelt by Amelia. Emmie thought she couldn't stand it as Amelia thrashed and cried out while Morning Song bravely began to turn the baby as gently as she could. Emmie was trembling and dripping with perspiration by the time the doctor stood.

“You can let her go now,” he said. “Things should move along now. You did very well,” he told Morning Song. “Now both of you get out of here and try to calm Jacob down.”

Emmie closed the door behind her with a sense of relief. For a while there, she'd thought they'd lose both Amelia and the baby.

Jacob was beside her instantly. “How is she?” he demanded in a shaky voice.

“We got the baby turned. The doctor says it should be all right now.” Emmie washed her hands at the bucket, then went to the stove on shaky legs and poured a cup of coffee.

Amelia cried out behind the closed door and Jacob shuddered convulsively. He sank to a chair and buried his face in his hands. “I can't stand it,” he muttered.

The entry door opened and Rand rushed in. “I heard the baby is coming.” He stared at Sarah who was crying. He went to embrace her. “She's going to be all right, isn't she?”