Fated Memories (21 page)

Walking up the front porch steps, Hattie dusted a light smattering of snow from the swing then sat down, sitting erect until she heard the slamming of the front door. Then she settled back, moving the swing in motion with her foot.

As the front door banged shut with a thud, Eathen walked out of the den. “Did you have a safe trip, Charlotte?” he asked.

“
I saw to the burial of our daughter, Eathen.” She stood just inside the door staring at him. “If that’s what you’re askin’.”

“
Then everything went all right?” His dark eyes beseeched her to tell him it had.

Ignoring his grief, she continued, “I also saw our granddaughter. She’s a beautiful little girl.”

Hope jumped into his eyes. “Does she look anything like our Jessie?” He took a step towards her.

“
No, Eathen, she doesn’t.” She shrugged her arms out of her woolen coat to hang it on the nearby rack. “As a matter of fact, she’s the spittin’ image of her father.”

“
So,” his large shoulders drooped forward, “she’s alive and well, while Jessie’s layin’ in a Boston cemetery.”

“
She ain’t to blame for all this.” Charlotte kicked her rubber boots, one at a time, across the floor. “She’s just a baby. A baby we could be raisin’, ‘stead of my sister, if you weren’t so damn pig-headed!”

“
That little bastard,” Eathen jabbed a finger in her direction, “will never step foot in this house as long as I have anything to say about it! And, since I’m the bill payer here, I do! We have to live in this county, woman.” He rounded on her. “How long do you think I’d keep the respect of my peers if word gets out I got a half-breed little bastard for a granddaughter?”His lip curled with distaste. “Not very goddamn long, I can tell you!”

Dropping into the chair nearest the hearth, Charlotte reached her bared feet toward the flames. “I’ve heard you use that word to describe Jessie’s child for the last time, Eathen. You can think anything you want, but don’t ever let me hear you use that word to describe her again!”

The mention of his lost daughter took some of the edge off his temper. “I suppose you’ll be wantin’ to go see her every chance you get.” He seated himself on the ottoman in front of her chair, took her cold feet into his warm hands to begin a brisk rub.

“
That’s right, I will.” Charlotte nodded, too tired and chilled to pull away from him. “She needs to grow up knowin’ she’s loved by at least one of us.”

“
Then John and Martha are gonna adopt her.” His large hands stilled their movement.

“
They wanted to, most of all Martha. But I wouldn’t hear of it. Her name’s gonna remain Thornton.” She heard his sharp intake of breath. “Whether you like it or not.”

“
I don’t see as I have much choice.” His hands started to move once more. “Do I?”

“
No, Eathen, you don’t.” She leaned her head back against the chair. “If you wanted to have any say in this matter, you coulda gone to Boston with me. You didn’t, so therefore you gave up any rights to be heard.”

“
How does John feel about raisin’ this little…half-breed?” Eathen growled.

“
John’s already accepted her as his daughter. She’ll have a good home with John and Martha, and most important, she’ll grow up knowin’ she’s loved.”

“
I hope to hell you didn’t sign any papers makin’ me, in any way, responsible for her keep.”

“
John and Martha made it quite clear they don’t expect any monetary help from us in any way.” Charlotte returned his steady gaze. “As far as they’re concerned, Tia’s their daughter.”

“
Tia!” The name dripped from his lips like a nasty taste. “What the hell kinda name’s that?”

“
Accordin’ to Martha, Jessie told her Two Spirits named her. As her father, I guess he had a right.”

“
Oh, by all means let’s not forget his rights!” Eathen shoved her small feet to the side before lunging to his own. “He came right here…to our goddamn home…” a jab of his finger pointed out each word, “and took his rights! I suppose now that you’ve seen his leavins, you condone that too!”

“
No, Eathen, I don’t condone what they did.” Charlotte propped her feet back up on the ottoman. “But I no longer condemn them either. They were young. Passion can’t always be stilled once it’s been started. You, of all people, should know that.”

“
Now we’re gonna reach back in history to throw dirt, is that it?” Eathen rubbed a hand across his stubbled chin in disdain. “Listen, woman, I haven’t been unfaithful to our marriage since we both promised to let bygones be just that. Not one time have I ever thrown what happened with you and Houston in your face.!” His loud voice rose to a higher volume as he saw her draw in a breath to speak. “Nor have I ever let it enter my mind again that Jessie might not be mine.” The angle of his head moved, dipping to one side as his dark eyes narrowed. “Now, just because I won’t go along with you on the matter of that damn kid, it’s all gonna revert back to the past.”

“
I didn’t mean it that way, Eathen. I told you back then nothin’ happened between Dave and me, and as for Jessie not bein’ yours, you know better. What I meant to say is no one’s perfect. You, least of all.”

“
I never said I was perfect, Charlotte. Hell, I’d be the last person on this goddamn earth to claim that!” Eathen threw his arms wide. “But even you can’t say, in all honesty, you’re proud to have a half-breed in this family!”

“
No, Eathen, I can’t say I’m proud of Tia’s heritage. Livin’ in Montana all these long years, I guess I’ve become just as jaded against the Indians as everyone else. Wrong as that is.”

“
Explain to me, if you can,” Eathen challenged her, “why it’s wrong to feel superior to a race of people who have to be housed and fed by the government just to keep them alive.”

“
Seems to me it was the government who got everything whacked outta line in the first place. Maybe if they’d left well enough alone, the Indians could feed and house themselves.”

“
What we did is called progress, Charlotte!” Eathen enunciated each word as though speaking to a child. “We made this land a better place to live.”

“
For who?” Charlotte yelled, turning to stare at him.

“
Oh hell!” Eathen threw up his hand in defeat. “There’s no reasonin’ with you, now that you’ve seen that damn kid. The next thing you’ll be wantin’ me to do’s go with you back to Boston to visit her. Well,” he breathed the word on a bitter laugh, “I can tell you right now, Charlotte, don’t waste your breath, `cause it won’t happen!”

“
I already knew you’d never acknowledge Jessie’s child. I think she knew it too. Otherwise, she wouldn’t’ve takin’ her own life.” She dropped her face in her hands, unable to withstand the pressure any longer.

“
That can’t be put on us.” Eathen turned towards the door. “We lost Jessie the moment she met that son-of-a-bitch who ruined her.”

The slamming of the front door echoed through the room. When she looked up, she saw Hattie watching her, her eyes filled with the same soul-searing pain as Charlotte’s. Without a word, she reached out to the one person there for her.

“
Come on, chile,” Hattie pulled another chair over close and gathered Charlotte into her arms. “You jes’ hole on ter me. We’s gwing ter git thoo dis mizry tergether.”

“
He can’t even lend me his strength…here in our…own home,” Charlotte gulped the words. “I thought I was gonna die up there all alone without him. If it hadn’t been for John,” Charlotte bit down on her lower lip, fighting for control, “I don’t think I coulda made it.”

“
Miz Charlotte, now lissin to me.” Hattie cupped Charlotte’s chin in her hand, mopping her tears with the bottom of her apron. “He doan mean ter bes cole. His heart bes brekin’ jes’ lak yo’s, but he kain shares it wid you right now.”

“
I looked at her layin’ in that casket and I almost went to my knees, Hattie,” she sobbed. “I needed him more’n I’ve ever needed anyone in my life! He shoulda been there, Hattie,” Charlotte pressed a hand over her mouth, “shoulda been there.”

“
Ah know it bes hard, chile. Ah knows. But der ain’ nuthin’ disyere fambly coulda did any diffunt. Miss Jessie wuz allus haid-strong.” Hattie sniffed. “Specially affer Mist’ Eathen hiahed dat Indian boy ter wuk fer him.”

“
I shoulda seen it comin’. Don’t you understand?” Charlotte beat her fists on her knees. “Even you tried to warn me, but I wouldn’t listen. Eathen’s right, as her mother, it shoulda been my place to protect her.”

“
Doan go blamin’ yo’seff fer dat, Miz Charlotte.” Hattie shook her head back and forth. “Miss Jessie wuz Mist’ Eathen’s chile too, an’ he din’ knows anythin’ wuz a-gwing on needer.”

For the first time since she had arrived back at the ranch, Charlotte smiled. “Thank you, Hattie. I needed to hear that. I’m not strong enough to carry this burden all alone.” Her chin trembled at her words. “Not anymore.”

“
Anythin’ dat’s ter haby fer you, jes’ gives it ter me,” Hattie squared her large shoulders. “Ah’ll cah’i yo’ load!”

“
I’m sure you would, Hattie.” Charlotte smiled through her tears. “And right now, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“
Ain’ none of dis yo’ fault, Miz Charlotte. De fault bes wid dat Indian boy,” Hattie blew her nose into her already, stained apron. “He bes de one dat ruint our baby chile an’ put her in her grabe.”

“
We can’t fault him for all this either, Hattie.” Charlotte swiped a hand beneath her eyes. “They fell in love, and as hard as it might be for the rest of us to understand, that’s just what happened.” She lifted her feet off the large ottoman.

“
Miz Charlotte.” Hattie reached out her hand, halting her as Charlotte leaned forward in the chair. “Ah found sumpin’ dat b’longed ter Miss Jessie.”

“
What is it?” Charlotte asked, as Hattie sat twisting her apron.

“
It bes kinder lak dat lil book you ust ter writes in affer you foun’ out ‘bout Mist’ Eathen’s other womens.”

“
You mean a diary?” Charlotte cocked her head to one side.

“
Ah guess dat’s whut it bes.” Hattie shrugged her shoulders. “Effen you’d lak, Ah’ll go an’ gits it fer you right now.”

“
Yes, Hattie, please. I’ll be right here.”

Hattie braced one hand on the arm of the chair, hefting herself to her feet. “Ah’s sceered Mist’ Eathen mout buhns it or sumpin’.”

“
Thank you, Hattie. I appreciate that. And you’re right. If he’d seen it, he probably woulda destroyed it.”

“
Ah’ll bes right back.” Hattie patted her hand.

Leaning back in her chair, Charlotte lifted her feet back on to the ottoman as she waited to see what Jessie’s most private thoughts and feelings might tell her. When she looked up, Hattie stood beside her with Jessie’s diary clutched in her hands.

“
Ah hopes dese wuds doan brek yo’ heart any mo’n it bes broken awready,” Hattie whispered, the hot tears falling unchecked down her broad face.

“
I have to know what happened.” Charlotte took the book from Hattie’s trembling hands. “Now that she’s gone, readin’ her diary’s the only way I can know the whole story.”

Chapter Thirteen

Cut Bank, Montana 1903

The snow had all but disappeared now from the foothills, melted by the warm temperatures and rain rare for this time of year. Here and there, a single crocus could be seen poking its head up out of the little patches of crusted snow that still lingered. Dressed in a sturdy coat of dark blue, its presence added a touch of color, as did the robins with their orange breasts, which swooped down from the trees to catch the lazy worms not yet fully awake from their winter’s nap.

Walking out onto the front porch, Charlotte looked up to see a rider astride a large appaloosa in the front yard. To her surprise, she saw the rider was a young Indian man.

“
Can I help you?” she asked.

“
I am looking for work,” the young man replied, sitting his horse a short distance away from her.

“
You’ll need to talk to my husband. I’m on my way now to find him. You can get down and walk with me, if you like.”

Dismounting, he fell in beside her. Neither spoke as they continued on their way to the corrals, shooing chickens out of their path as they walked. As they moved around the barn, she spied Eathen talking to some of the hands.

“
There’s my husband now.” She halted the young man beside her. “Eathen,” she called out to him, “this man’s lookin’ for work, so I brought him out to see you. After you’re through, I need to talk to you up at the house.”

“
I’ll be there in a little while.” Eathen glanced at her then turned his attention back to the hands. A few minutes later, he walked over to talk to the man Charlotte had left standing by the barn. Surprise crossed his face as he drew near. “What can you do?” Eathen asked his voice cold and impartial. “This is a workin’ ranch. Everybody here pulls his own weight.”

”
I am very good with horses,” the man told him. “I can break them to a saddle without breaking their spirits.”

“
Hey, Mister Eathen,” Tom spoke up, a broad grin covering his thin face, “why don’t you see what he can do with ole shit-for-brains, here?” He nodded to a large black stallion tied to the fence. “If he’s as good as he seems to think he is, it could save the rest of us a lotta busted bones.”

“
Don’t be a wiseass, Tom,” Eathen warned him. “It’ll take more’n one man to break that wild son-of-a-bitch.”