A Veiled Reflection (9 page)

“So you believe it is best to leave them to their own culture and ways, is that it?” Mary questioned.

Jillian could tell by the way Mary smiled that she was laying a trap for the snooty woman.

“I believe . . . well . . . I think that they should recognize that we have a better way. Our children can read and write. They know right from wrong, which is more than I can say for the likes of this pathetic creature,” Mrs. Everhart said, marching toward the woman Mary had called Little Sister. She frowned at the girl as she raised her head to meet the older woman's glare. “She stinks to high heaven and she bears the consequences of her actions. She's a harlot, seducing a good man for whatever devious purposes she had in mind.”

Anger coursed through Jillian, but she had no idea what to say. She had been raised to remain silent and allow her elders their say, but this seemed most unfair. By the time Mrs. Everhart had finished her harangue, Little Sister fled the store in tears.

Mary nodded to Jillian. “I'll talk to you later.”

Jillian watched Mary walk proudly through the store. She paused in front of Hazel Everhart and, peering up over the stack of cloth, said, “Just remember, whatever you do unto the least of these . . .”

She let the words trail off and turned without hurry to march out the front door. The scene was so upsetting that Jillian couldn't even remember what she'd come for. Instead, she walked past the now silent women and stepped out onto the thin boardwalk.

“Come by any time, Mary,” she called out to the woman who was now atop the wagon seat with Little Sister safely beside her.

“I'll do that, deary,” Mary replied, then flicked the reins on the backs of the mules and moved off down the dusty street.

The dust rose up to swirl around Jillian and choke out the fresh air, but she hardly seemed to notice. Even this was pleasant compared to what she'd just endured inside the store.

Deciding to give up on her shopping, she walked over to Mac's, determined to talk to him about what had just happened. Not only that, but she was due to have her stitches out. Actually overdue, but she'd needed the extra time to work up her courage. No telling how painful this was going to be.

She knocked softly on the door and smiled shyly when Mac came to answer. He was dressed casually in jeans and a well-worn work shirt. He looked nothing like the properly attired doctor she'd first met.

“I've come to brave the removal of my stitches,” Jillian said, holding up her hand. “If you have a bullet for me to bite, we can get started.”

“Good to see you too,” he said, then added in a whisper, “Jillian.”

She stepped inside and followed him to the examination room where once again she took a seat and waited for Mac to wash his hands.

“Something very upsetting just happened,” she began.

“Did it involve you breaking something?” he questioned with a grin.

She frowned. “No, this was very serious. It involved Mary and this young Navajo woman—although I hesitate to call her that. She seemed hardly more than a girl, yet she was with child.”

“Ah, you must be talking about Little Sister.”

“Yes, she's the one.”

Mac nodded. “A most unpleasant situation, that one.” He brought a tray with scissors and tweezers and sat down directly in front of Jillian. “Are you sure you want to hear the details? I mean, I know you aren't quite as worldly as your sister.”

Jillian lifted her chin defiantly and replied, “I'm quite capable of dealing with the truth, Doctor.”

Mac smiled. “I wasn't trying to be cruel, Jillian. It's just not a story I'd normally share with someone of your gender.”

She nodded. “I suppose I can understand that. I know, however, that Mr. Cooper apparently got her that way.”

“Jillian, the truth is . . . he raped her.”

The word came as a slap to Jillian. “Raped?” she questioned hesitantly. “But Mrs. Everhart said—” “I'm sure I know what Mrs. Everhart said. She suggests that Little Sister enticed the poor unassuming Mr. Cooper. That the girl has some sort of demon spirit and her powers left Mr. Cooper helpless to fight her off.”

“Yes, that's pretty much the way it sounded,” Jillian replied.

“The truth is that Mr. Cooper tends to have few limitations for himself and no moral values. Why he bothers to go to church is a mystery to me, but as Mary says, it ain't the well folks who need the doctor. Anyway, Cooper is the agent to the area tribes. His tasks vary, but he's lousy at all of them. Little Sister's brother, Bitter Water Bear, refused to deal with Cooper regarding the new school built last fall. Cooper suggested that Bear, as he's usually called, influence his people to accept the new mandates of public education and such, but Bear adamantly refused. Cooper tried to bribe him, sending a wagon full of gifts to Bear. Again Bear refused. Instead, Bear sent the gifts back by means of Little Sister.”

“What a strange name for someone,” Jillian said, thinking aloud.

“It's not her real name,” Mac admitted. “Mary started calling her that because her Navajo name was hard to pronounce and it meant the same thing. I think the exact translation was something like
Girl
Who Comes After
. Anyway, Little Sister took the goods back to Cooper, and he immediately took a liking to her. Well, maybe that's not the right word for it. He played on Little Sister's training and upbringing and ordered her to unload the wagon and bring the things into the house. She did so, and with the last load delivered, Cooper shut the door and barred her from leaving. He suggested she stay with him, but she refused, telling him that he was her brother's enemy. Cooper laughed at this. He tried to coax her, suggesting that he could help her people if she would just give him what he wanted. When she refused, he beat her and then forced himself on her.”

Jillian shuddered uncontrollably. The thought of being anywhere near Cooper turned her stomach. “How can the people of Pintan tolerate him?”

“Most don't know, or if they do, they feel it acceptable to overlook. After all, it was just a Navajo girl. It wasn't like it was anyone important.”

“That's unfair!” Jillian declared. “She's a human being. She's carrying his child.”

“It's not the first,” Mac replied sadly. “Two other women found themselves in the same situation. They're dead now.”

“Dead?” Jillian questioned.

“They took their own lives. It was more honorable that way. Little Sister lives with Mary because her own people have disowned her. Cooper told Bear that she laid with him willingly and that when she tried to steal from him afterward, he punished her with a beating.”

“Oh, Mac, don't say any more,” Jillian said, lowering her head. “I didn't think such people existed.”

Mac lifted her chin with his finger. “We have to acknowledge it in order to rid ourselves of it. I've written three letters to Washington suggesting Cooper be recalled on the grounds that he is mismanaging supplies and totally alienating the Navajo people. I haven't mentioned the situation with Little Sister because, frankly, I'm hoping the other things will be enough to see him removed.”

“Let's hope so,” Jillian replied sadly. She could still see the painfilled expression of the young Navajo woman, and her heart ached for all that Little Sister had been forced to endure. “She's very brave,” Jillian said, thinking of Little Sister's choice not to kill herself. “I wish I were brave. If I had been, I might have given Mrs. Everhart a piece of my mind.”

“You're brave, Jillian. A coward would never have come west in her sister's place. A coward would never have desired to learn the truth rather than accept popular opinion. Now, stop being all gloomy. You can hardly be of any use to anyone if you give all your energy over to mourning what has already happened.”

“I suppose you're right.” She thought about it for a moment, then asked, “What do you suppose I could do to help the most?”

Mac shrugged. “I think Mary could probably tell you better than I can. I try to help Mary in whatever way I can. She's come to me for medicine and such on occasion, but for the most part the Indians won't use it. Can't say as I blame them. However, they have a wonderful system using herbs. Mary's been teaching me, and I've learned quite a bit. I've even used it on a few of the folks around here, but don't tell them.” He grinned. “They wouldn't be able to abide knowing they were healed with Indian medicine.”

“My lips are sealed,” Jillian replied, smiling.

“So tell me,” Mac asked, getting to his feet, “has anyone learned your secret yet?”

“No. I'm happy to report that as far as the good and sometimes not so good folks of Pintan are concerned, I'm Judith Danvers and my Harvey contract is up in June.”

“Hmm, little over two months. Do you suppose you can pull it off that long?”

Jillian laughed. “Not if I have to deal with Mrs. Everhart too many more times.”

“Oh, but that would be perfect,” Mac said, leaning back against the counter. “Judith would have spoken her mind as well.”

Jillian frowned. “Why didn't she say something about this, Mac? She never wrote about the problems. She only wrote about the good things.”

“Maybe she didn't want to worry you.”

“Or maybe she just didn't think I was up to the truth,” Jillian replied.

“Either way, that's in the past.”

Jillian looked at Mac's sympathetic gaze and nodded. “You're right.” She contemplated the matter only a moment more before deciding she was ready for Mac to remove her stitches. “Well, let's get this torture over with.”

“What torture?”

“The stitches,” she chided him. “Remember, you were going to remove them?”

“I already have,” he said with a devilish grin. “You just weren't paying attention.”

She looked down at her hand and shook her head. “I shall have to pay particular attention when you are involved, Dr. MacCallister. You are too smooth for your own good, and I shall have to keep alert.”

Mac laughed. “You're more like your sister than you know. I think if you give yourself a chance, you'll find out that you're just as bold and brazen as she ever was.”

Jillian couldn't help but consider his words a compliment. “Thank you. Maybe I will.”

That night, Mac settled into bed and picked up one of his many medical journals. He had allowed himself to get behind in his reading since Jillian's arrival in Pintan. Funny how she could be the identical twin of Judith, yet be so different. To Mac's way of thinking, they might share some of the same features, but there were things about Jillian that set her apart from her sister.

Smiling to himself, Mac couldn't help but remember the first moment he'd realized Jillian's identity. She had been so afraid of his telling on her, yet he found the whole thing a delightful break in the monotony of a normally quiet town. Oh, there had been some trouble with the local cowboys, but now that there was a new sheriff in town, even those disputes had calmed. Drunk and disorderly folks were still to be found on the street corners most nights, but with Zack Matthews in place, there were fewer gunshot and knife wounds. It made Mac's job a whole lot easier.

Opening the journal, Mac tried to focus on the article regarding diabetes, but his mind drifted to images of Jillian. He frowned as he realized the depth of his interest. There could be no one in his life—at least not a woman in the capacity of wife. Shaking his head, he couldn't help but think back in time. Back to his early days in Pintan. Back to
her
. It wasn't fair or right that she had been so heartless.

He had loved her more dearly than anything—maybe even more than God. Perhaps that was why things had gone so wrong. Mac felt a dull ache build in his heart until the pain felt fresh. Why had it gone so terribly wrong? Why couldn't she have loved him the way he loved her?

With a growl he forced the memories away. “I won't give in to that torture,” he told himself. But even as he said the word
torture
, he couldn't help but think of Jillian. She had looked so frightened and helpless when she'd come to him earlier that day. She differed from Judith in that area. Judith had a way about her that suggested she feared nothing in life, while Jillian seemed afraid of a great deal.

“Well, this is one person she needn't fear,” Mac said, turning back to the article. “She has absolutely nothing to fear from me. I'll be her friend, and when she's gone there will be nothing more.” But the thought of Jillian leaving Pintan left Mac with a different kind of ache. He forced his gaze to the paper. “I won't make the same mistake twice,” he promised himself. “I won't.”

SIX

JILLIAN WAITED UNTIL HER next day off from the Harvey routine to see a bit of the countryside around Pintan. She contemplated asking to borrow Mac's horse, but that would mean riding astride, and she didn't have any riding skirts that would allow for such a thing. And, no doubt, Mac wouldn't have a sidesaddle. She continued to consider the situation when Kate came into the room and tossed her a letter.