A Place in His Heart (25 page)

Winnie and Mary found Patience Terry down at the creek, sleeves rolled up, revealing her dainty wrists. Her bonnet hung down her back and she had pulled her straight blonde hair to the side. Clothes were strewn about the rocks, and she scrubbed a shirt with a vengeance, occasionally dipping it in the cold water. She looked up, wiped a droplet of sweat from her brow, and squinted in the sun as they approached. “Good morrow.”

“Good morrow, Patience. That actually looks inviting on such a hot day. May we help you?”

Her pale blue eyes widened as she looked first at Mary, then at Winnie. She glanced over their shoulders. “Why would you want to? Has someone sent you to check on me?”

“Why ever would someone do that?” Mary's smile broadened and she tried to look reassuring. Patience would be suspicious of her motives at first, but she had prayed fervently about this as she and Winnie searched for her. It was time to forget about past behavior and to entertain only thoughts about how things were today. She was quite certain this was what God wanted her to do. “Winnie and I were talking. There are so few people here, we should all be friends and help each other. That is all.
We do not know each other very well, but do you not think 'tis time we did?”

Winnie stepped closer. “Mary is a very good friend to me. We would like to be your friend too. Friends help friends.”

“Patience, you have met my friend, Winnie? She is one of the Corchaug people who live over in the fort.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you both for your kind offer. Mary, I'm a little surprised. I thought perhaps you did not like me?” It was a question rather than a statement.

“I truly am sorry if that be how you felt. When we were on
The
Swallow
, you tried to avoid me. I thought it might be because of Barney. Prithee, do not take this as an accusation, but you are fond of him, are you not?”

“Oh, yes. Mother and I used to go to his bakeshop, and he would give me a ginger cake. I have always had an infatuation with him. I think you were so lucky to marry him. I truly do hope to meet someone just like Barnabas someday.” She paused. “But, of course, Barnabas would never do anything improper. I could not like him, if he did. His morals are part of his appeal, I suppose. He's always been so nice to me, and so patient with my flirtations. Mary, you must know he has never encouraged me, but he would never embarrass me either.”

Mary picked up a shawl from the laundry and began to scrub.

Winnie followed suit and started on a table linen. She looked thoughtful, but remained quiet.

Finally, Mary turned to Patience. “No, Barney is too nice to purposely embarrass someone. You do not have to make excuses for him, however. I know he is an incorrigible flirt. You are right, though, the fact that he has such high standards for himself, and yet does not impose them on others, is one of the things that makes me crazy with love for him.”

“Mary, I know I was horrid to you on the ship. I have grown up some since then, and I want you to know I understand how wrong I was to behave in such a manner with your husband. Can you forgive me?”

Mary looked into her earnest blue eyes. “Well, yes. Of course.”

Patience stood up, rolling the wet shirt, and faced her. Her words bubbled out. “I hope this means we can be friends. I would like it very much. Someone to talk to would be wonderful. We've made it through the first winter here in Yennicott, but it has been so lonely.” She looked to Winnie and extended her hand. “I would be pleased to be your friend too.”

Winnie put the linen on a rock and took Patience's hand in hers. “Thank you. To be my friend is to be my sister. From this day, I have two white sisters.”

Mary rose up and took their hands. “I like that. Sisters. Our husbands and fathers have founded this land, but we are the Founding Mothers and Sisters. We are important, and we must work together, not apart. Barney likes to say he wants his children and his children's children for all time to know the love, sweat, and dedication the Founding Fathers gave to build this new land. I hope someone remembers it was the Founding Mothers as well. We shall work hard, side by side with our men, providing them with the food, hearth, and love they require.”

They stood there, three sisters, arms crossed to hold the other's hand. Their eyes met in unspoken agreement.

Winnie beamed. “It is like I taught you, Mary, three sisters of the land: corn, beans, and the squash. Mary, Patience, and Winnie.”

“I love that, Winnie. With each other we are complete. We can do anything.”

Barnabas stood on the shell-strewn shore and watched
The Swallow
with its sails at rest in the calm air. He paced as he waited for Jeremy to appear on the deck.

Word came early morning a ship had dropped anchor, and he'd wasted no time getting down to the landing. Hallock's Landing they now called it.

Jeremy was long overdue and concern for his safety was almost a daily conversation with Mary. Hopefully she would not be too upset with him. He should have told her right away
The Swallow
had arrived. But Jeremy should have the bed and that needed to be a surprise. The house wasn't finished yet, and he would need to figure out how to store it until it was.

The crew unloaded cargo from hand to hand. At long last Jeremy appeared up through the scuttle, and Barnabas let his breath ease out.

He met Jeremy halfway up the gangway, and the brothers clasped each other in a bear hug, neither wanting to let go. At length, they pulled back and viewed one another.

“You've got a might more gray there, Barn, eh?” A big Horton grin plastered his face.

“Mary prefers to call it silver. And you have as much, little brother.” Barnabas clapped him on the back. “The bed, Jeremy. You brought the bed?”

“Certes. I would not have come back without it.”

“Aye. But truly, where have you been? You have had us all worried. Mary, especially. She needs news of her family, of course, but she's been worried your ship had fallen to its fate.”

“I've had a few good go-rounds to be sure, but my
Swallow
's a hardy one and there's not much I cannot outmaneuver. I did
wait out a few storms, though, while in England, and it gave me time with Mother and Father and some time in London.”

“I thought you were going to tell me you met a lady and were detained.” His chuckle caught the attention of the rest of the men.

“Prithee, let me introduce you to my crew. They will help us get the bed to the wagon. And of course, I have a trunk which we'll take to your cottage, filled with trinkets and letters from home. But you will need to tell us how you want to present the bed to Mary. I know it's a surprise.”

“The cottage is not much more than a hut at present, but what I'm building is much more than a simple cottage. 'Twill be a house with plenty of room for little Hortons.”

“Heigh-ho, Barn, is there finally a poppet running around? Mary must be overjoyed.”

“Nay. But someday there will be.”

Jeremy began to say something but closed his mouth with a shrug instead.

The men formed a chain once again and handed the goods up to Barnabas and Jeremy, who packed the wagon. When all was loaded, the two brothers climbed aboard and turned Northstar toward the center of town.

Once the bed was hidden beneath shingles behind the new house, Barnabas went on at length about the construction of the timber-framed house. He described how he determined early on to use shingles as weatherboards and shingle the whole house and not just the roof. He showed his brother how he cut the shingles and explained the hand-hewn beams were from only the straightest of white oak. The pegs were carefully squared so once pounded into the round holes he drilled they would wedge in tight. The large house would only be the beginning.
He had plans for two more additions as the family grew. After he conducted a tour of both house and grounds, they retreated to the wagon and rode toward the hut.

“We've learned much from the Indians, but their woodwork is the most interesting to me. They know how to take a tree and turn it into almost anything. Sycamore is the tree of choice. I've hollowed out trunks to make storage bins, and I've hewn some smaller ones into buckets and tubs. I've made a long trough to water Northstar. Mary particularly likes the sieve I made her.”

They neared the hut and Smoke ran to Barnabas. He jumped from the wagon and knelt to pet him as Jeremy marveled at the wolf dog. Mary sat with Winnie and Patience. The work here was unceasing, with no time for a ladies' group, but he was pleased she could nurture their friendship even as they labored.

Mary jumped up as they approached. “Jeremy! Where have you been? Do you know what worry you have caused us?”

“Aye, your husband has duly informed me. But take heart, little one. I am fine and I bring much news from a family that misses you.” He hurried to get off the wagon and embrace his sister-in-law. “And you. You are fine too?”

“I am now. I am now. Come, you must meet Winnie and Patience.” She pulled his hand and flashed a smile at Barnabas as Smoke followed him. “He likes you, my husband.”

Jeremy chortled. “Dogs, cats, women, and babies all love Barn.”

Barnabas ignored him as he began the introductions. Jeremy was the one Horton who, though he possessed all of the Horton looks and charm, found himself a bit awkward with the ladies. Mayhap not the ones who were unavailable, like his Mary, but give him a sweet young maiden who just might steal his heart and he was all mush.

Fortunately for his brother, he knew Mary would not waste time dragging her brother-in-law and his trunk into the house. True to his prediction, she gave her friends hugs and explained Jeremy would be weary from his journey and she must give him some refreshment and help him unload the trunk.

Barnabas gave the ladies a wink. “Ah, the trunk.”

Winnie stood and offered to find Joseph and Benjamin. “Patience, come, they are helping Reverend John.” Patience nodded to Jeremy and Barnabas with a blush and reluctantly followed Winnie.

The two men lifted the trunk between them and fell in step behind Mary as she walked toward the hut.

“Do you remember the Terrys, Jeremy? Patience is a sweet girl.” Barnabas didn't wait for his brother's reply. “You've made up with her, I see. Yes, Mary?”

“It was really Winnie who convinced me. I'm a little embarrassed I ignored her like I did. You are right, Barney, she is a very sweet girl.”

They lowered the trunk to the dirt floor, kept tidy with reeds strewn about, and waited for Joseph and Benjamin. Soon the family bent over the treasure while Jeremy distributed the appropriate gift to each member. There was fabric, pewter, and silver for Mary; tools of iron for Barnabas; and books and writing horns for Joseph and Benjamin. Jars of honey, loaves of sugar, and sweets of all kinds were packed too. But the real treat was the letters from Elizabeth and Grandmother Horton. Mary decided they would save those to be read after supper, before a warm fire.

Jeremy told his sea stories as Mary worked to put together a fine meal. No pottage tonight. Barnabas watched her pull out a salt pork and root vegetables, then glanced at his sons,
who listened with rapt attention. It was good to have family surround him.

“Tell me, does Ezekiel see his way here yet? Any chance they will come?” He asked more for Mary than himself, a little surprised she didn't bring it up.

Jeremy looked at her instead of his brother. “I continue to work at him. Elizabeth would come in a moment, to be sure. There are a few things I continue to work to bring to completion.”

Barnabas noticed that Mary looked at Jeremy, and his brother gave her a meaningful nod. “Eh? What's that, brother?”

“Our parents, of course. If they gave up the Horton Estate, 'twould be a miracle, but those things do happen.”

“Aye. I like that. They would have a room at our house. Certes.”