Restoring Hope Page 12

  Despite her shaky legs, she proceeded down the steps and gingerly passed him. Her skin crawled when her ankle hit his cold shoulder. She hurried out of the kitchen, and just as she reached the door, she ran into a strong chest. She screamed again and stumbled back.

  “Woape?” The Indian looked at her with caring eyes.

  An instant wave of relief flooded over her. It wasn’t Hothlepoya or Tecumseh. It was her brother’s friend. “Chogan? How did you know I was here?”

  “Everyone’s been looking for you. You had us worried.” He glanced at her belly. “And for good reason.”

  She didn’t feel like explaining it. Not now. “You’ll take me home?”

  “I was going to have you ride a horse. But with this—” he motioned to her stomach.

  “We—I mean, I have a buggy. We can take that.” It wasn’t Gary’s anymore. She stepped onto the porch and examined the area of grass where Hothlepoya had murdered her husband. “I should bury him.” It would only be right.

  “Who? Him?” Chogan pointed to Agwe’s corpse.

  “No. I don’t care if he has a burial or not.” She refused to pay that honor to one of her tormentors.

  “Then who?”

  “Him.” She pointed in the direction of the barn, knowing Gary’s body waited for her to tend to. As much as she dreaded it, she knew it had to be done. It was the least she could do for him.

  “I already took care of the white man,” he said.

  “What? Where did you bury him?”

  “He’s over there.”

  Her eyes finally caught sight of the fire in the middle of a well dug out pit. “You can’t burn him!”

  He stopped her before she ran out to the flames. “I’m taking care of his body in the way he deserves.”

  “In a way he deserves? You have disgraced him!”

  Holding onto her shoulders, he made purposeful eye contact with her. “Look at you, Woape! Your father and brother will be shamed when they see what he did to you.”

  “It was not him who made me a prisoner or...” She couldn’t say ‘got me with child’—not when she didn’t know if he was the father or not. Instead, she settled for saying, “He never forced me.”

  As if she burned him, he released her. “Our people and our way of life are becoming extinct and you would mate with a white man?”

  Her cheeks flushed with a mixture of shame and indignation. Was it any of his business if she had a child who wasn’t a full-blooded Mandan? Why did she have to partake in the burden of replenishing their tribe? She didn’t love Citlali any more than he loved her. Being with Gary had been worth it. Wasn’t love more important than blood lines?

  Chogan slowly exhaled, his body visibly relaxing. “All is not lost. You can have more babies. This one...” He motioned to her belly and shrugged. “This one will just have to do.”

  She shot him a searing look. “No. This one will not just ‘have to do’.” Not if this was Gary’s child. If this was Gary’s child and that would be all she’d have left of him, then she was going to love this child more than anyone else. She rubbed her stomach, willing the child to be Gary’s. Because if the child wasn’t his, she didn’t know what she was going to do.

  Chogan’s face softened. “This child will still be a part of the tribe. We just need the next ones to be full-blooded.”

  She took a deep breath. “I need to bury my...” She paused. She didn’t think he’d like hearing her say ‘ibero’, so she opted for another word. “I need to bury him.” Turning to the kitchen, she grabbed a bucket and got ready to fill it with water so she could douse the fire.

  He groaned. “Why? He’s practically ashes by now.”

  “It doesn’t matter. He’ll still be buried in a manner befitting him.”

  “I would like to get back to the tribe before you give birth.”

  “I won’t be ready to give birth for at least another month.” Suddenly remembering her nightgown, she added, “I need to get dressed.”

  He reached for the bucket. “I’ll take care of the fire. You get dressed.” Glancing at Agwe’s body, he said, “I will take care of him.”

  Nodding, she handed him the bucket and went to get dressed. She tried not to think of leaving as she brushed her hair and redid her braids. Blinking through the tears, she struggled to keep her hands steady. When she finished, she searched the trashed room for Gary’s watch and hat. She would keep those for herself. But she wanted to bury Gary with something, so she took off her wedding ring and retrieved the blanket she had made for him.

  By the time she walked out of the house, Chogan had stopped the fire and was digging a grave. Once it was wide enough for what she needed, she asked him to leave her alone. As soon as he obeyed, she set the hat and watch aside so she could spread the blanket out on the ground.

  It was painful to look at the body. All the flesh had been melted off. Nothing remained but a partial skeleton and ashes. Crying, she collected as much of the remains as she could and gently placed them in the blanket. This was a day she didn’t think would come until she and Gary had seen their grandchildren or great-grandchildren. She thought they had time. But in one moment, her future had been wiped away. When she finished her task, she placed the ring on the bones on what was left of his hand and carefully wrapped the blanket around the body. She placed it into the hole, making sure he was sitting upright.

  Chogan came up beside her with his shovel.

  She knew he’d find reason to fault her if she gave into the urge to pour a handful of dirt over her head and openly wail. So she refrained. Instead, she gathered Gary’s hat and watch and clutched them to her heart as Chogan filled in the hole.

  As the reality of the events unfolded before her, tears fell down her cheeks. Gary—her Gary—was gone, and there was nothing she could do to bring him back.

  “Woape?” Chogan softly asked. “Can we go now?”

  Turning her attention back to Chogan, she realized he was done. Even now, even when she couldn’t do anything else for Gary, she hated to leave him. But what other choice did she have? Exhaling, she dragged her feet to the barn to get the horse and buggy ready.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Julia woke up to the sound of her aunt crying. Surprised, she quickly put her robe on and went down to the parlor. She hurried over to the chair and knelt by her aunt.

  Erin wept into her handkerchief. “Woape just left.”

  She furrowed her eyebrows. Why should that distress her aunt? “She lives in town. She’ll be back.”

  “No. She’s going back to her Mandan tribe.”

  Even though this caused her aunt great distress, Julia thought this might be a good thing. Now everyone could go back to their lives. Sure, her aunt and Gary would be upset for awhile. That was natural. But in time, when things returned to normal, they could be a whole family again. Julia reached out and touched Erin’s hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she said, “We’ll get through this. Gary can move back here and—”

  “He’s not coming back!” Erin snapped. Immediately looking sorry for her outburst, her face relaxed and she clasped Julia’s hands. “Julia, I...I might as well just come out and say it.” She paused to take a deep breath. “Gary passed on to the next life.”

  It felt like the wind was knocked out of her. Julia took a moment to organize her thoughts so she could speak coherently. “He’s dead?”

  “It happened last night...early this morning...” She sniffed again. “Before sunrise.”

  Julia bolted to her feet. “Why did you let that deceitful...” She bit back the word she wanted to use. “Why did you let Woape go? We need to turn her over to the marshal.”

  Erin shook her head, obviously irritated. “What is wrong with you? Woape didn’t hurt him.”

  “It’s time you faced reality. Woape’s not the innocent person you think she is. She’s wheedled her way into our lives, stole Gary from us, and then when his use wore out, she got rid of him.”

  Standing up, she glared at Juli
a. “That poor girl watched an Indian kill Gary. The only reason she survived was because Gary hid her in the attic. And all you can do is point the finger and accuse her of foul play. Woape was a good wife to your brother. She loved him. But all you can do is think of yourself. This world and the people in it do not revolve around you, Julia!”

  Julia gasped. “A-an In-Indian?”

  Disgust evident on her face, her aunt stormed toward the staircase. As she set her hand on the banister, she glanced back at Julia. “The real tragedy isn’t the Indian and what he did. The real tragedy is that you were so selfish that you had to make Gary miserable. No one’s holding you here. I told you to marry when Ernest proposed.”

  “Are you saying you don’t want me here?”

  “I’m saying that you need to do what Gary did—enjoy life. That’s the only thing that gives me consolation. Even if you live to be a hundred, you’ll have wasted your life because you filled your days with hate and self-pity.”

  Julia’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe you’re talking to me this way!”

  “Well, it’s been long overdue.”

  Julia watched in stunned silence as her aunt proceeded up the stairs.

  ***

  Though Woape stared out at the countryside, she didn’t really see where they were going, so she blinked in surprise when she realized they were nearing a town.

  “We need food,” Chogan explained.

  She nodded. Of course, they did. It would be several days before they reached their tribe. She glanced at the two horses pulling the buggy. If she hadn’t been with child, she could have ridden hers. But she knew it would be best to take it easy. The other horse pulling them belonged to Chogan. She wished it was Gary’s. But she had to leave Gary’s steed behind. Closing her eyes, she forced her attention off the sorrow that beckoned her. There would be time for tears later—when she was safely back with the tribe.

  The baby moved, directing her attention to the life inside of her. She placed her hand on her belly. She had to remember this child was hers too, regardless of who the father was. That was easier said than done though, for even now, she struggled to hold back the urge to detest anything associated with Hothlepoya.

  Chogan slowed the horses as they reached the first road that marked the city’s limits.

  She straightened up, noting that her back was stiff and her bottom was sore. It would be good to get up and walk around for a bit. The day had been long and evening was fast approaching, and it had been a good two hours since she had last gotten a chance to get out of the buggy.

  Chogan counted his coins and then got out of the buggy. “We should have enough. Your family will be glad to see you when we get back.”

  She winced, though he turned his attention back to the coins so he didn’t notice. Little did she realize running away from marrying Citlali would result in so much pain...and death. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, quickly looking away so he wouldn’t see her tears. She got out of the buggy, but a rock jutted out of the ground and made her trip.

  Chogan raced over to her and stopped her from falling. “I wish you had let me help.”

  “I’m fine.” She tucked Gary’s hat and watch under her arm and marched over to the general store lining the business district. “We can get food here.”

  He stood still, as if in shock. “You can read their language?”

  “Some. Not a lot. I can speak it pretty well too.”

  “I can also speak it. Maybe not as much as you.”

  “You can?”

  “So can your brother and Citlali, among a few others. How do you think we engage in trade with the white man?”

  She hadn’t given it any thought. She just knew that was what they did, but up until that moment, she hadn’t wondered how. “Why didn’t anyone teach me?”

  He shrugged. “Why would you ever need to know it? You weren’t going to marry a white man or live with them. And you certainly weren’t supposed to have one of their children.”

  A slight scowl crossed her face and her hand went over her belly.

  “I’m just saying that you were to stay with the tribe and marry Citlali and have his children. Women grow the crops and the men deal with the trade. You had no reason to know the white man’s language. As it is, our understanding of it is enough to do business. We prefer to keep to our traditions and our language. You won’t be teaching your child the white man’s words.”

  She didn’t think it was any of his business what she did or did not teach her child. Resisting the urge to argue with him, she entered the store. She managed to get through the task of picking up some food supplies that would last them for the duration of the trip. Just being there, picking up the items, reminded her of Gary, for he’d take her to the store and stay by her side, often telling her how much he enjoyed her cooking.

  She forced back another wave of tears. How was she supposed to go on without him? Life would never be the same again.

  “Are you ready?” Chogan asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

  She sighed but nodded.

  After Chogan paid for the supplies, he opened the door to leave.

  She had just stepped through the doorway when her gaze fell on Hothlepoya and Tecumseh. Gripping Chogan’s arm, she pulled him back into the store.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did you forget something?”

  “It’s them,” she whispered, peering out the window by the door.

  “Who?”

  “Remember the man who was dead in my house? Two others were with him. There they are.”

  He got close enough to her so that he could look out the window. “They’re not from the Hidatsa or Arikara tribes.”

  “I think they’re Sioux.”

  He stiffened. “Sioux?”

  She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

  “Are you sure?”

  “When they speak, I don’t hear them use the letter ‘L’.”

  Shaking his head, he said, “This isn’t good.”

  He didn’t know the half of it, but now wasn’t the time to tell him.

  Hothlepoya and Tecumseh directed their horses over to the buggy and stopped.

  She ducked and pulled on Chogan’s arm so he wouldn’t stay there, gawking out the window like a moron. “They’re smart. And dangerous.”

  “That explains all Sioux,” he remarked.

  “No. They’re different. They’re worse.” She glanced at the store owner who stared at them warily. “I don’t think we can stay in here for long.”

  Chogan looked over his shoulder at the owner. “He probably thinks we’re going to steal something.”

  She could tell the owner wasn’t happy to have them there by the cautious expression on his face, but there was no way she was going out there with Hothlepoya outside.

  Chogan slowly stood up and peeked out the window. “They’re coming in.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “No.”

  He winced as he turned his attention back to the window. “Did they hurt you?”

  She hesitated to tell him, but what good would holding the information back do either of them? “Yes. The leader, the one with all those feathers in his headdress, killed my mother. Because she came looking for me.” She hung her head in shame.

  Chogan took a deep breath and wiped his palms on his deerskin pants. “I saw what they did to that white man. They showed no mercy.”

  “Maybe they won’t realize you’re with me.”

  “Stay here. I’ll try to get rid of them.”

  As he stepped out of the store, she backed up and watched from a safe distance as Chogan stopped Hothlepoya to talk to him. Hothlepoya narrowed his eyes at Chogan, and she knew what that meant. It meant that Hothlepoya didn’t believe whatever Chogan had told him—which was meant to protect her. Once Hothlepoya walked toward the store, she knew he’d find her...unless she could find a way to escape or prevent him from entering.

  She ran over to the owner. “Is there another door?”

>   “Why? Is he trouble?” The man indicated to Hothlepoya as he neared the store.

  “Yes.”

  As if to prove her point, when Chogan tried to stop him, Hothlepoya shoved Chogan back and ordered Tecumseh to hold him.

  The owner swore under his breath and grabbed a rifle from under his counter. “You might be able to get out the window in the back room.”

  She didn’t wait to see what was going to happen. She hurried in the direction he motioned to and opened the window. If she’d been any bigger than she was, she wouldn’t be able to squeeze out of it. Placing a chair by the window, she stepped up on it and swung one leg out. Her large belly made it hard to maneuver through it. The sound of a struggle and resulting gunshot made her jolt.

  Hothlepoya barged into the back room. He glared at her. “Woape!”

  She lost her balance and fell out the window. She landed on her side, her arms instinctively protecting the child. Her side hurt, but she knew it would just be bruises—and bruises were things she could live with.

  Hothlepoya started to climb out the window. “Tecumseh! She’s over here!”

  She clutched the hat and watch before she got to her feet. Then she ran as fast as her condition would permit her. As she rounded the corner of a building, she caught sight of Chogan who jumped in front of both Hothlepoya and Tecumseh in an effort to block them. She didn’t bother to stick around to find out if the marshal running by her was going to help Chogan. She needed to get out of there—and fast!

  She found an alley and raced down it, ignoring the smell of garbage and other odors that would normally make her queasy.

  A whistle blew, and it took her a moment to realize it was coming from a train. Her heart jumped with excitement. A train. Of course! Even if Hothlepoya got on horseback and chased her, he’d never catch her if she was on a train. She didn’t have money. All she had were Gary’s hat and watch, and she refused to part with those.

  The train station came into sight. People were boarding. Good. That meant she still had a chance to escape. She hopped on the other side of the tracks and crouched behind a large crate. Scanning the train cars, she caught sight of the cargo cars. If she could hide in one of those, then she wouldn’t have to pay for a ticket.