Newton (Prairie Grooms Book 9) (4 page)

“
I
was going to teach her how to cook,” Mrs. Dunnigan informed her.

“Now Irene,” Grandma said. “You can both teach her. Between you and Sally, you could write a whole cookbook and teach it to that gal.”

“That’s a good idea, actually,” Susara agreed. “If Imogene and Cutty can write penny dreadfuls together, why don’t you and Mrs. Upton write a cookbook?”

Mrs. Dunnigan and Mrs. Upton glared at each other.

“Well, there’s that,” Susara added with a lopsided grin.

“Never mind about a cookbook,” said Grandma. “We need more volunteers to help out. Susara can’t be expected to do all her book learning. We should all pitch in when it comes to the language part.”

“What if we took turns spending time with her?” suggested Apple.

“Yes,” Penelope agreed. “We could each add a little something to her education. Not all of us are great cooks or seamstresses, but we are good at other things.”

“I can teach her how to paint,” Fina Stone said with a smile.

“Oh heavens, no,” said her sister Lena Adams. “Who knows what will happen?”

Fina’s mouth dropped open. “What do you mean by that?”

“Ladies, please,” Grandma said. “Let’s start with the basics. Susara, you come up with a method of teaching her English and we’ll help you as much as we can. Mary, you’re in charge of the sewing; Irene and Sally can handle the cooking for now.”

“My sisters and I can help her with etiquette,” Penelope Bennett volunteered.

“Fine,” said Grandma. “If the rest of you can teach her anything else, then speak to me or Irene about it.”

“I know there’s a few things I’d like to teach her,” Annie King the preacher’s wife said.

“And you’re the best qualified to teach her about the Good Book and the Almighty,” Grandma told her with a smile. “It’s all settled then. Tomorrow we start educating Newton’s new wife.”

T
he next day Mary Mulligan
, Irene Dunnigan and Grandma Waller went to the hotel to pay a visit to Newton’s bride. They found her in the dining parlor having breakfast with her husband, and stopped short as they approached their table. “Land sakes!” Grandma said, eyes wide. “What a beauty!”

Indeed, she was. Arya’s hair had been swept up in the latest fashion and she wore a green day dress that belonged to Eloise. To look at her, one would never know that she’d been raised by Indians and knew little about the modern world. That is, until she picked up a teacup with both hands and practically lapped the liquid out of it.

“This could take longer than we thought,” Mary said with a sigh.

“No, darling,” Newton said gently and touched Arya’s hand.

She lowered the teacup and looked at him, eyebrows raised in question.

“Like this.” He picked up his cup with one hand and took a sip.

She copied his actions then looked at him, awaiting his approval.

Eloise clapped, bringing a smile to Arya’s lips. Newton did the same and her eyes shone with admiration. He turned to the other women. “She knows that when we clap, she’s done it right.”

“As long as it works,” Grandma said. “I trust Eloise told you what we’re going to do.”

“Your offers of assistance are most appreciated, ladies – thank you. I obviously would be a poor choice of instruction when it comes to teaching Arya how to cook and sew. Truth be told, I couldn’t even teach her how to ride, and that’s something I’m good at.” He shrugged. “But she’s better.”

“I suppose she can shoot a bow and arrow, not to mention a gun,” Irene huffed.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, she can.”

“Cozette Duprie all over again,” Mary said with a shake of her head.

“The Duchess?” clarified Newton. “I’ve heard the tales, but Her Grace and my Arya are certainly not the same. Her Grace understood English and French, even though mute. Now that she can speak again, she’s perfectly normal. No, I’m afraid my wife poses a different challenge.”

“No matter,” Mary said. “We’ll teach her all the same. Even the Indian women cook and sew – she must already have some experience with those things.”

“I really can’t say,” Newton replied. “During my time with her people, I didn’t observe her doing either.”

“You mean she didn’t cook for you?” Irene asked in shock.

“I’m afraid not,” he said, watching his wife reach for a pastry. She sniffed at it, touched it with her tongue, then took a small bite. Newton smiled at the look of pleasure on her face. “She wasn’t like the other women of the tribe.”

“What do you mean?” Eloise asked.

“Simply put, she was … like royalty.”

“Royalty?” Irene said in shock. “How does a band of savages know anything about royalty?”

“Irene!” Grandma snapped. “The Indians around here have royalty in their tribes just like Newton and Eloise have a queen for theirs.” She glanced at him. “No offense, but I prefer a democracy.”

“None taken,” Newton answered.

“Enough of this nonsense,” Irene snapped. “I don’t care if she’s royalty or not. She needs to learn how to make you oatmeal!”

“And a good many other things,” added Mary. “That is, if Irene and Sally have their way.”

“I trust Arya will be most appreciative of your efforts,” Newton said. “I know I will be.”

Eloise giggled. “I’m sure you will.” She looked at the other women. “I’ll help in any way I can.”

“What about Nettie?” Grandma asked. “Seeing as how your wife is her new sister-in-law, she ought to help too.”

“She didn’t offer?” Newton asked.

“She wasn’t at the sewing circle yesterday,” Eloise said. “I meant to ask you if you knew why.”

“I haven’t the foggiest,” he said. “Perhaps she’s not feeling well. I should pay them a visit today and find out.”

“Good – you can leave your wife with us,” Grandma said. “The sooner we start her lessons, the better.”

“She won’t make a fuss, will she?” Mary asked as she watched Arya devour the last of her pastry.

“Not as long as Eloise is with her,” Newton said. “She trusts her. Probably because she’s the one Arya’s spent the most time with so far.”

“Then we’ll get started as soon as you leave,” Grandma said. She looked at the others. “Who wants to go first?”

“I will!” Sally Upton volunteered as she bustled up with a fresh pot of tea.

Newton glanced at his wife, then Sally. “A cooking lesson?”

“Of course,” Sally said. “How hard is it to make a sandwich?”

Irene eyed her a moment, then gave a nod of approval, and Sally nodded back. At least there was something they agreed on.

“Susara is working on a plan so we can help with your wife’s English lessons,” Grandma said. “Before you know it, she’ll be flapping her gums with the best of them.”

Newton gave them a weary smile and nodded. “Just let her go at her own pace, please. I don’t want you to overwhelm her.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll go easy on her,” Grandma said. “Besides, we don’t expect her to learn English overnight, do we?”

“Of course not,” he said. “I suspect it will take months for her to learn.”

“Then the sooner we get started, the better,” Irene said. “Now let’s get to it.”

T
hree weeks later
…

“
A
ll right
, Arya … ready?” Susara asked.

Arya nodded.

“Then let us begin,” she said and sat next to her in front of Susara’s desk in the school house. She’d lined up at least a dozen different items on its surface. “Go ahead,” she urged. “Start.”

Arya leaned forward, one hand poised in the air and pointed at the first item. “Coffee pot,” she said. She pointed at the next. “Book.” Then the next. “Cup.” And on it went. “Brush … comb … mirror … tooth pow-der … hair tonic … frying pan … yarn … fork …” She stopped and scratched her head in confusion as she stared at the last item.

Susara watched her, determined to keep silent and not help.

Arya bit her lower lip in concentration. “Ret …” she began, rolling the ‘r’.

“Go on … what’s the rest of the word?” Susara asked.

“Ret … icule?”

“Very good!” Susara said with a little clap of her hands. “You haven’t missed one yet. I’m not counting getting stuck as a wrong answer. Reticule.”

“Ret-icule,” Arya repeated. “I am better, yes?”

“Much better. I’ve never seen anyone learn a new language so fast. You’re a natural.”

Arya smiled and blushed. “You are good teacher.”

“
A
good teacher,” Susara corrected.

“You are
a
good teacher,” Arya repeated, moving a hand with each word she spoke. “The other women helping me, they are good teachers too.”

Susara shook her head in amazement. “I could write a book about you, but I don’t know if anyone would believe me. You’ve done in three weeks what it would take most people three months of intensive instruction to learn.”

Arya shrugged. “Maybe because my own language is so hard. Yours is easy compared to it.”

“Your skill at anticipating what the other person is saying is also helping you. You read body language very well. I take it that’s how you’re able to understand us.”

Arya smiled. “The ways of my people help me to understand your ways. They are not so different. Thank you for teaching me so much. I hope I do not forget it.”

“Forget? Why would you? You’re learning new things every day.”

“But Newton and I must go.”

Susara raised an eyebrow. “Go where?”

“To join my people. They may have left for the winter camp.”

Susara stared at her. “Newton hasn’t mentioned anything about leaving. When did he decide to do this?”

“Decide? Newton not decide.”

“What will his family say?” Susara said, more to herself than to Arya. “Maybe you’re confused.”

Arya patted her chest. “Not confused. We are leaving. We may be too late.”

“But if Newton wanted to join them, wouldn’t he have left weeks ago?” Arya studied her, and Susara waited as she processed her words. She might not catch everything a person said, but she’d get the general meaning, at least enough to form an answer.

“He stays because of me,” she finally said.

“How so?” Susara asked.

“Because of my lessons. He wants me to speak to him in his language.”

“But to not tell anyone that he plans to leave… there will be a lot of people upset about that. Especially his sister.”

“Nettie?” Arya said and looked away. “She will be angry with Newton?”

“Yes, I’m afraid she will.”

Arya’s eyes darted around the room, finally settling on the desk. “Newton wanted me to learn many things first …”

“Perhaps I’d better speak with him and find out what he has planned. He hasn’t asked me for anything he can use to help you continue your lessons if he leaves. I guess
I’m
confused.”

Arya smiled in understanding. “I confused too.”

“I
am
confused too,” Susara corrected. “Where is Newton now?”

“With Nettie and Amon. He visits them while I have lessons.”

“Does he ever take you with him when his visits?”

“No. I am busy here with you, or one of the other women.”

“That’s odd. After all, Nettie is his sister and Amon his brother-in-law. I would think the four of you would be spending all sorts of time together.”

Arya shrugged. She didn’t have an answer either.

“Well, no matter. But I’m still going to speak with him about this leaving business. Maybe you’ve misunderstood what he’s about.”

Arya cocked her head to one side. “Mis … understood?”

“It means something like confused,” Susara explained. “It’s like saying that you don’t understand.”

Arya sat back and stared at her. “You mean, Newton not tell me something?”

“Well, I suppose neither one of us will know until we ask him.”

Arya nodded her agreement. “Then I ask him as soon as I see him.”

“I’d like to be there when you do, to make sure you understand what it is he might be up to.” Susara folded her arms across her chest and drummed her fingers against her elbow. “Men,” she huffed. “Doesn’t seem to matter where you come from, Arya, there are some men who have it in their head that women don’t need to be told things.”

Arya gave her a quizzical look.

“Never mind, I’ll explain later. And once I do, I’m sure you’ll agree.”

“
L
eaving
?!” Newton said in surprise as he quickly glanced between the two women. Arya and Susara Kinkaid were both glowering at him with their arms crossed.

“Yes, leaving,” Susara said. “Arya told me the two of you are rejoining her people and going to their winter camp with them. Is this true? Because if it is, I can think of a few family members that will be very upset with you.”

Newton swallowed hard. “Mrs. Kincaid … might I have a word with you in private?”

Susara looked at Arya briefly before turning back to him. “All right. But this had better be good.”

“You’ll excuse us a moment, won’t you, darling?” he told his wife.

Arya studied them, then looked around their room, a habit she’d formed when trying to understand a sentence. Finally she puzzled it out. “Yes.”

Newton went to the door and motioned Susara out into the hall. When he joined her, he led her to the top of the stairs – out of earshot of his wife. “I need to explain myself,” he said in a rush.

“Indeed. By all means, start explaining.”

“In all likelihood, Arya’s people have left already. I have no idea where their winter camp is. From what was explained to me, they change locations every few years to avoid detection.”

“Detection from what?” Susara asked. “Don’t most Indian tribes have the same winter and summer camps?”

“Not this one,” he said with a half-smile. “They are quite different from other tribes.”

“How different?”

“More than I can explain,” he muttered, then looked down the hall. He didn’t want his wife hearing what he was about to say. Heck,
he
didn’t want to hear what he was about to say. It made him feel like a cad. “I must confess, I’ve done a terrible thing.”

Susara’s eyebrows rose in alarm. “Newton Whitman, what did you do?”

“We won’t be re-joining her people.”

“What?” Susara asked in shock. “Newton, she expects the two of you to leave Clear Creek and spend the winter with them. Why didn’t you tell her you had no plans to do so?”

“Frankly, out of fear. I was afraid they might not let us leave.”

“Why wouldn’t they? You have as much a right to be with your people as she does with hers.”

“From our point of view, yes. From theirs, not necessarily.”

“She’s going to be upset when you tell her. No … she’s going to be angry. I know I would be.”

“It’s hard to explain,” he said. “In her world she’s like a … a princess. In mine, I’m nothing of importance – and her people know it.”

“What are you saying?” she asked.

Newton ran a hand through his hair and began to pace the hallway in front of her. “I’m not sure – I’m still trying to make sense of it all. As is Amon.”

“Is that why you’ve been spending so much time with him and Nettie?”

“Yes. We’re trying to figure this out. Why Arya’s people insisted I marry her. They said it was because I was the only one ‘compatible,’ that she could marry no one else. But how could that be?”

“Her people do have strange ways, I’m told.”

“Yes. Strange enough that if we rejoined them, I might not see my family again.”

“And if you don’t, Arya might not see hers. So what now?”

“I don’t know.” He shook his head in despair. “With Seth or Ryder’s help I suppose we could track them down. But after that, who knows? They’re good people, but very close-knit, and they don’t like outsiders.”

“Don’t you think they would respect your side of things? Perhaps you could … spend part of the year with them and part of the year here. I’m sure something could be worked out.” She shrugged. “It’s really not much different from our ways.”

“How so?” he asked.

“If her family lived in the next town over, you’d spend Christmas with them one year, then Christmas here the next. That’s what happens when you marry.”