Red Rose (5 page)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I remember well, when like you, I was a new bride, twenty years old, traveling from Boston to Texas in a covered wagon. It was a long, tedious trip. But I was so in love with my husband, I hardly noticed. A few months after the marriage was consummated, I learned I was going to be a mother. We were both extremely happy to be starting our new family in a new home in a new place. We expected to have many more children, but it wasn't in God's plans. As I said, it was a long and hazardous trip. A lot of people died and when there was an Indian attack, my dear Albert was killed. When he died, I wished I had died with him. I was devastated. He was buried out there on the trail alongside the others that were killed. However, even with the death of someone whom you love so deeply dies, you must continue to live. That's the way God planned it.

Terrence Turner Templeton, the wagon master took care of me, protected me. He taught me all kinds of things. How to drive the wagon. How to hook up the harness and to unharness the team. He began to spend more and more time with me, when he wasn't busy with his duties. We became close, very close. By the time the train was close to its destination, Terry and I were in love. Yes, that's how the heart works. He had been planning on settling down and this seemed like a good time. He asked me to marry him, just as we reached Texas. He had money saved, so it wasn't like he was marrying me for my land. I was probably seven months along by then. Terry promised to raise my child as his own and he did just that. He was a wonderful husband and mate, and a father to Nathan. He was as different as night and day from Albert, but we had a full and loving relationship. I loved him deeply.

Of course, I had children with my Terry. Two girls and two boys. The girls are married and have children of their own. Both the boys are away at school in the east. One is going to be a lawyer, the other an artist. Why he had to go to school to be an artist is beyond me. He draws such beautiful pictures already.

Terry took his responsibilities very seriously. He plowed the fields, took care of the stock, but more importantly, he raised Nathan as his own son and taught him everything he knows. Nathan took his name. Nathan Eugene Templeton, he looks so much like Albert. He'll be coming home from the war any day now. I'm so excited I don't know what to do. My first born is coming home.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Mildred. She had insisted I call her Mildred. Mildred insisted I stay with her as long as I felt the need. I was grateful that I didn’t have to spend the days alone thinking and rethinking everything.

Then one day it was like a bolt of lightning in my head. I could see clearly for the first time since Roscoe’s death. I was sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair watching the horizon as the setting sun cast a pink and orange glow across the land, and the purple wildflowers glistened in the sunlight. A big oak tree with large branches shaded the entire front area.

I bowed my head and I prayed,

“Why do I feel alone when I know in my heart of hearts that You are always with me? I've been feeling so sorry for myself that I forgot that You are the one in charge. Please forgive my ignorance. I know now that you must have something very important for Roscoe to do or you wouldn't have taken him from me. What I need now is Your guidance for whatever path I travel from here on out.”

I stayed with Mildred and didn’t think about going home or going back to town. I was lucky that she and I were about the same size, as she let me wear some of her clothes. We took turns doing the chores, bringing in firewood, carrying water, washing dishes and cooking meals.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months.

“Do you know what tomorrow is?”

“Yes, it’s Thursday. Why?”

“It’s Thanksgiving, Dear. And we don’t have a turkey.”

“If you have a rifle, I’ll see if I can shoot one down by the little stream. I saw some animals and birds down there when I was walking there last week.”

“Can you shoot a gun? I never got the hang of it. Terry would get so aggravated at me. He tried again and again to teach me.”

“It’s been a while, but I think I can do it. My uncle taught me right before he passed away.”

Mildred handed me the rifle. “This isn’t a rifle, it’s a shotgun. Is this all you have?”

“That’s all. I told you I don’t know anything about guns.”

“Well, I should be able to hit something with this.” I put two shells in the gun and walked out the back door. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

“Be very careful, Rose.”

“I will.”  I walked as quietly as possible toward the stream. I spotted some birds on the bank getting a drink of water. I stopped and watched. They weren’t big enough for a meal. I squatted down and waited. Probably an hour passed and my legs were getting numb from squatting. I started to raise up and there on the other side of the stream were two pheasants. I quietly raised the gun to my shoulder, aimed and pulled the trigger. I was knocked onto my backside from the kick of the gun. I quickly recovered and looked. Both pheasants were lying dead on the ground. I crossed the stream, picked them up and carried them back to the house. I laid them on the chopping block by the wood pile.

“Come see what I have?”

Mildred came outside and said, “I’m surprised. I didn’t think you could do it. But there’s the proof that you can. Let’s get them cleaned and on the stove.”

I reached down to pick up one of the birds, but I couldn’t lift it. My shoulder was hurting bad. I removed my coat and pulled back my blouse. My shoulder was completely black.

“Come inside, we’ll put some salve on it. It’ll be better in a couple of days.”

“I’m willing to hurt a little if it means we have fresh meat for a meal.”

The meal was good, but it was a little hard to eat. We kept spitting buckshot because the meat was full of it. It was still a very special day.

There was a sprinkling of snow on the ground the next morning. It reminded me of Lewiston where the snow was sometimes four or five feet deep. It did make everything look pretty.

Things were a lot different here in Texas than in Pennsylvania. Of course I lived in a Borough and there were lots of people around all the time. Here it was just Mildred and me. Still, I was very content with my life right at the moment. I knew that right after Christmas I needed to consider going to my place. There was much work to do and the Jarrod twins aren’t going to continue doing it for me.

I cut a little cedar tree and we made decorations and decorated it for Christmas. We didn’t have any gifts but we did sing carols and ate cherry pie. It was a good time to be alive. I told Mildred I was going to have to go home soon. She said she understood and whenever I was ready, she’d take me to town to get my wagon.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I was sitting on the front porch with my eyes closed warming myself. I lifted my head, squinting my eyes against the sunlight and saw someone riding a big Chestnut gelding. He was dressed in a Union uniform, had a lanky build, sandy hair, with a sculptured face. His face reminded me of the pictures I had seen in the books in the library. He rode up in front of the house, dismounted and stepped through the little gate. He stopped in front of me, bowed at the waist and said,

“Good evening to you, young lady. And who might you be sitting on my mother’s front porch?” The corners of his blue eyes crinkled when he smiled. I liked his voice. It had a Texas twang to it.

“You must be Nathan? My name is Maggie Rose Brown, but my friends call me Rose.”

“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Brown. It is Mrs., isn’t it?” His blue eyes had a green circle around the iris that seemed to look right through me. “Is my sweet mother home?”

“Oh yes, she’s inside taking a nap, I believe. I’ll go get her. What am I thinking? You should go inside. After all it is more your house than mine.”

“Let’s both go in. After you my dear.”

We stepped through the door just as Mildred was coming out of her bedroom. She stopped, looked, and pressed her hand to her chest as if to stop her racing heart.

“Is it really you, Nathan?”

“Yes, Mother, it’s me.” He rushed across the room and enclosed her in his arms. He lifted her and swung her around like a rag doll.

“Let me down. You’re gonna make me dizzy. Step back so I can look at you? You’ve lost weight. I’ll fatten you up in no time. Did you meet Rose?”

“Yes. I met her when I arrived. What did I do to have two such beautiful women to look at?”

“Rose just lost her husband and needed a place to relax and contemplate what she’s going to do.”

“I am so sorry Mrs. Brown. Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss.” He reached and took my hand. There was a tingle as his hand grasped mine.

“NO! It’s too soon. I don’t want these kind of feelings. Not yet.”

He let go of my hand and I felt an empty feeling.

“I hope you have something left over from supper? I haven’t eaten all day.”

“Wash up and sit down. I’ll get you a plate. Rose can keep you company while I do that.”

“Is that an eastern accent I detect in your voice, Mrs. Brown?”

“Please call me Rose. Yes, I’m from Pennsylvania. A small borough called Lewiston. I came to Texas as a mail order bride. Oh my! Why am I telling you all this?”

“My friends call me Nate. You don’t have to be afraid to tell me anything, Rose.” He looked at me with those intense blue eyes.

I felt as though I wanted to tell him everything. Mildred said the heart would know what to do when the time came. I still loved Roscoe with all my heart, yet there is a stirring inside that tells me this is a good man.

“Here’s your supper. I see you and Rose are getting to know one another. That’s good. She’s needs kindness from a man right now.”

“Thank you for the supper, Mother. Now I think you should mind your own business. Rose is doing just fine without any help from either of us.”

Nate told us as much as he could about the war. There were too many bad memories to tell it all. His blue eyes sparkled as he described the land that he had found on his way here.

“I hope it’s for sale, because that’s where I want to settle down and raise a family.”

I kept stealing glances at his face, wondering who he was planning on sharing that future with. He was also steeling glancing in my direction. How I wished at that moment that I had hair that wasn’t so unruly. I kept trying to push the strands back into the top-knot, but they refused to stay. 

“You have beautiful hair, Rose. Did you know that?”

I felt the heat rise in my face, causing it to be redder than normal. There was one good thing about blushing though. You couldn’t see as many freckles.

We talked and visited until almost midnight, long after Mildred said her goodnights and went to her room.

“Look at the time. I’ve enjoyed talking with you so much I forgot what time it is. It is way past bedtime. You must be exhausted. I’ve not been a good host.’

“I have also enjoyed talking with you. I’ll pray that you get the land and everything that you desire. I’ll say Goodnight now and see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight Red Rose.” I stopped in my tracks. That’s what Roscoe used to call me. Could it be that Roscoe is guiding Nate what to say? How foolish I’m being. Roscoe is in Heaven and Nate is right here.

I hurried to my room and went straight to bed, only to have another sleepless night. Why is life so complicated?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I awoke again with the sunlight blinding my eyes through the window. I walked into the kitchen.

Mildred was busy at the stove and Nate was sitting at the table drinking coffee.

“Well, good morning to you. I hope you slept well. I haven’t slept like that since I left here almost two years ago.”

“Sit down, dear, it’s almost ready. Do you want coffee now?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

There was a knock on the front door.

“I wonder who that could be this early in the morning? Would you see who it is, Nathan?”

“Of course, Mother.” He got up and went to the door.

When he opened it, Doctor Chester Wainsworth was standing on the porch.

“There you are.” He rushed past Nate and over to where I was sitting. “I’ve been worried sick looking for you everyplace. Why didn’t you let someone know where you were?”

“I didn’t realize I had to check in with anyone when I decided to go somewhere.”

“I was very worried, Rose, can’t you understand that? I know I’s been a trying time for you, but there are people who care for you and want to help you heal.”

“And you would know about healing, wouldn’t you Doctor? A doctor that couldn’t heal my dying husband.”

“Rose, I told you, Roscoe was beyond any help that anyone could give him. His chest was crushed and he only lived as long as he did because of his huge body. A normal man would have died instantly. No one could have saved him. I did what I could to make him comfortable. Please believe that?”

“I’m sorry, Doctor, but I don’t feel like talking to you right now. If you’ll excuse me?” I got up and went into my room.

I heard them talking in the kitchen. Why was I being so hard on Chet? I knew in my heart of hearts that he couldn’t have done anything to save Roscoe. So why was I so angry at him? Was it because I felt as if he was trying to control my life? He took it upon himself to have a coffin built. He paid for my hotel room. He kept me from collapsing at the cemetery. Was I afraid of him?

There was a knock at the door. “Yes, come in.”

Mildred came into the room. “Dr. Wainsworth wants you to go back to town with him. He seems to think you would be better off there where he can watch over you. What do you want me to tell him?”

“I’ll tell him.” I went back into the kitchen. “I believe I’ll stay here with Mildred for a time yet. When I feel I’m up to it, I’ll come to town. I need to have an examination anyway.”

“Are you feeling ill? Do you want me to examine you now?’

“That might be best. Then I won’t have to come to town until I’m good and ready. Please come into my room.”

As soon as the door was closed I said, “I think I’m going to have a baby. I need you to tell me if I’m right.”

After the examination, he said, “You’re probably about three months along. Have you been experiencing any morning sickness?”

“No, I have been kind of tired, but I just thought it was because of everything that’s happened.”

“That surely hasn’t helped. I have some pills in my bag. It’s out in the buggy. I’ll give them to you when I leave. I do wish you’d reconsider and come back with me. You know I still love you and wish to marry you after a satisfactory mourning time.”

“I’m sorry, Chet, but I don’t love you. I do have feelings for you, but it’s not love. Roscoe taught me what true love feels like and I don’t feel that for you. I am sorry.”

“I’ll always be there for you, Rose. You’re going to need someone to help raise your baby. Maybe you don’t love me now, but you could someday. I would be a good father for your baby. A lot of marriages have been started on much less than what we feel for one another. In fact, I believe your marriage to Roscoe began with even less feeling than what we have. Isn’t that right?”

“I think you should leave now, Doctor. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye Red Rose.”