Christmas Bride, page 15
“Pa?” Josh breathed the word.
Was he seeing things? Was he fevered? Lost in his mind?
“Pa.” He shouted the word and took faltering steps forward.
The tall man rushed to Josh and wrapped his arms around him. “Josh, my son. My son. That which was lost is found. Praise God Almighty who has brought this to pass.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Martha, come quick. He’s here. He’s returned home.”
A woman rushed from the house. “What is it?”
Josh’s pa stepped to Josh’s side, his arm still around Josh’s shoulders. “See for yourself.”
The woman stared. Blinked as if she couldn’t believe her eyes than rushed into Josh’s arms, weeping profusely.
“It’s all right, Ma. I’m back.” Josh patted the woman. His pa wrapped his arms around them both and began to sing.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Before he finished, Josh’s mother had dried her eyes and joined him in song. Josh added a third voice.
Katie dashed away a few tears. She turned to Sam. Wonder and amazement filled the girl’s face.
“Ma, Pa, I’d like you to meet Katie and Sam.” Josh drew his parents toward them. “These are my parents, Martha Kinsley and Jacob Kinsley.”
The couple welcomed them warmly.
Skipper cleared his throat. Josh chuckled. “I haven’t forgotten you. Ma, Pa, this is Skipper, who rescued us and brought us safely here. He lives up in the mountains.”
The man was greeted and thanked. Katie reached for their few belongings, but Mr. Kinsley took them. “Come on in, everyone. This calls for a celebration.”
“I’m going to go home.” Skipper turned his gaze to Katie. “Might be I’ll come back to town in the near future.”
Katie murmured something non-committal. She did not want to encourage his attention.
“If you come to a Sunday morning service, you’re invited to have dinner with us afterwards,” Mrs. Kinsley offered, which brought a wide smile to Skipper’s face.
“I just might do that.” He returned to his wagon, turning to wave as he drove from the yard.
“Now let’s get you all into the house.” Mrs. Kinsley bustled ahead of them. She eyed Josh as he stepped inside. “What is wrong with your leg?”
“I fell and injured it. Actually, injured an old wound.” He sniffed. “Is that split pea soup I smell?”
His ma laughed. “It is indeed. I thought of you as I made it. Prayed for your safe return. And now here you are.” She sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with her apron.
“And starving.”
Katie tried to hide her amusement at Josh’s words.
Mrs. Kinsley gave Katie a questioning look.
“He told us he would be hungry for a long, lo-o-o-o-ng time.” She drew the word out.
Josh laughed. At least he appreciated her attempt at humor. “Ma, feed us, and we’ll tell you about it.”
“Sit down. All of you.”
Katie sat with Sam as close as the chairs would allow. It was a long table, but they all sat at one end. Josh sat across from Katie, leaving a spot for his mother next to his father. Mrs. Kinsley set out bowls and filled them with steaming, thick soup. Then she sat down next to Josh and took his hand on one side and her husband’s on the other.
“I’ll pray,” Mr. Kinsley said. He bowed his head. Cleared his throat several times before he could speak. His words were low, gravelly as he offered a heartfelt prayer of gratitude for his son’s return and thanks for the food.
Over the meal, Josh told his parents why he hadn’t contacted them for so long.
“You were held prisoner?” Mr. Kinsley was clearly shocked. “I’ll speak to the sheriff. The man ought to be in prison for that.”
“You might be too late, but at least the others could be released from their slavery,” Josh said. “But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, I need to tell you how Katie and Sam became part of the picture.” He told how Bull had bought Katie and how she and Josh had fled into the winter. “We were beyond hope when we smelled smoke and followed the scent to Sam’s cabin. Sam had been alone since her father was murdered by Lambert Phillips—the same man who sold Katie.”
“Oh, my dears.” Mrs. Kinsley reached across and squeezed Katie’s hands, but Sam put hers in her lap. Mrs. Kinsley’s gaze went from Josh to Sam. “Did I hear you call Sam a she?”
Josh turned to Sam. His expression patient. “Sam?”
Katie could feel nervousness vibrating from the girl. “It’s all right, Sam. Whatever you want to do.”
Sam sucked in air then sat up straight. “My name is Samantha. Pa told me to pretend I was a boy. Said it was safer.”
To her credit, Mrs. Kinsley showed no sign of shock. “I think your pa was a wise man.”
Sam nodded. “I think so too.”
The preacher turned the conversation back to Josh. “You waited a long time to try and escape.”
Josh met Katie’s eyes across the table. Their gazes held even as he talked. “I thank God that I was there to help Katie get away.” He shifted his attention to his father, leaving Katie feeling she was falling through the air from a great distance. She hoped she would never land.
“I tried to escape twice before. The last time Bull shot me in the leg.”
His mother gasped and his father looked thunderous.
“That’s the wound I re-injured when I fell. But all it needs is Ma’s special treatment.” His grin was begging, teasing and loving all at the same time.
Katie wanted that sort of smile the rest of her life.
“We waited every day for a letter,” his mother said.
“Ma, I’m sorry. I wrote once and then I kept putting it off because I didn’t have anything special to say.”
A moment of regret claimed Josh and his parents and then his ma pushed back from the table. “Josh, I’ll have a look at that wound now.”
“Ma, I’d love to let you, but first I would like to wash off many days of trail dirt, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. What am I thinking? I’m sure you would all like baths.”
Sam and Katie grinned at each other and nodded at her.
“I’ll get you all different clothes too. As Josh knows, I keep a good supply of things for people like you who are in need of my help. Jacob, could you put water to heat for the baths?”
Her husband chuckled. “Have you forgotten I was heating water in the addition? I meant to give the place a good scrubbing.” He stood. “That can wait. Come along, Josh. We’ll get you cleaned up so your ma can see about that leg.” Father and son went out the door.
“Excuse me,” Mrs. Kinsley said. “I’ll find some clothing.” She hustled down the hall and into a room.
Sam and Katie looked at each other and laughed. “Can you imagine Josh finding his parents like this?”
“I know what he would say.”
They laughed and spoke at the same time, saying, “God had it all planned.” Then they laughed again.
“Let’s do the dishes while the others are busy.”
“You mean hovering over Josh?” Sam sounded so innocent, but Katie knew the girl’s sly sense of humor.
“I guess they want to make up for lost time.”
“Yeah, but he’s a grown man.”
At the wistful note in Sam’s voice, Katie hugged her. “I don’t think we ever outgrow the need and want for family.”
Sam leaned into Katie. “What’s going to happen to me?”
Katie eased her away so she could see the child’s face. “I’m hoping you’ll want to stay with me. We can make a family together.”
“What about Josh? Can’t he be part of our family?”
“If he wants to be.” Things were different now. He was reunited with his parents. Perhaps that was all he needed.
“But we could ask him, couldn’t we?”
Katie filled the dishpan as they talked and began to wash the dishes. She handed a bowl to Sam to dry. “I think we need to wait for him to say something first. After all, we don’t want him to do it out of obligation.”
Sam shrugged. “I wouldn’t care why he did it so long as he says yes, he wants to stay with us.”
“I’m afraid it’s not that easy.”
“Why not? Why can’t we keep on the way we have been? I liked it.”
“Me too. But a man and a woman don’t just live together. It isn’t right.”
Sam stared at her. Then she nodded. “I know. You’d have to get married.”
“That’s right.”
“How hard is it to get married? Does it cost a lot or something?”
“I think it’s relatively easy and doesn’t cost much.”
“Then that’s what you ought to do.”
“Again, it isn’t quite that simple. Both the man and the woman have to want it and agree to it.”
Sam rocked her head back and forth. “Aren’t you making it more complicated than it needs to be?”
“I don’t think so. Here, dry the last dish. And just in time.” Mrs. Kinsley returned, carrying an armload of clothing. She saw they had cleaned the kitchen.
“Why, thank you for helping.” She picked a dress from the pile. A dark blue with white piping around the collar and down the front. “I think this might fit Sam. Or should I call you Samantha?”
“For me?” Sam’s eyes were big and so blue Katie felt like she glanced into the brightest sky on the clearest day. “Oh.” Sam fingered the material. “But it’s so nice.”
Mrs. Kinsley chuckled. “It’s for you. You deserve it.” She draped it over a chair.
Sam stared at it, swallowed hard. “You can call me Samantha.” Her face wrinkled up. She blinked several times and rubbed at her nose. Thankfully, Mrs. Kinsley ignored it and held out a fawn-colored dress with a darker brown bodice. “Katie, I think this will fit you.”
“It’s lovely. Thank you.” Her dress was torn and muddy.
Mrs. Kinsley set out two other piles. “Unmentionables for you both.”
Poor Sam blushed to the roots of her hair.
“I have trousers and a shirt and whatnot for Josh. I’ll take it out to him and see to his leg at the same time.” She bustled out the door and into the addition.
Sam and Katie grinned at each other then watched out the window.
“I wish I could see what’s going on,” Sam murmured.
“Me too. But maybe we can hear.” Katie cracked the window open. A blast of cold air rushed in, but they both kept their ear to the opening.
At first, they heard only murmuring, the rattle of a kettle, and then silence.
Katie whispered to Sam. “I expect she’s examining his wound. Maybe cleaning it up.”
“I hope it’s all right.”
Katie squeezed Sam’s hand. “Me too.” After a few minutes of silence, she said, “I’m getting cold. I’m going to close the window.”
But Josh’s voice came to them, and she changed her mind.
His words were firm. Almost defiant. “Ma, I am not going to stay in bed. I will rest my leg, but only if I can sit up in the kitchen with everyone else.”
The murmur of other voices reached them, but they couldn’t make out the words.
Sam and Katie grinned at each other. “Maybe he wasn’t so stubborn when they last saw him,” Sam said.
“He learned that when he had to deal with Bull.”
“And when he led us off the mountain.”
Katie nodded. “And when he decided to keep going even after he hurt his leg again.”
“Do you think they’ll listen to him?” Sam put her ear back to the opening.
Katie chuckled softly, her mind flooding with all sorts of memories. Of Josh keeping her warm in the woods against all odds. Of his determination to keep going until they reached help. Of his careful planning for leaving in the spring. And how he’d made sure they were safe on the journey out.
“I think if they don’t, they’ll find he is like those mountains and will not be moved.”
Sam straightened and faced her. “I like thinking of him that way. Solid and unmovable as the Rocky Mountains.”
“They’re coming. He’s limping beside his Pa.” Katie quietly closed the window, and they moved away from it to watch the door.
Mrs. Kinsley came in first, shaking her head. “I’d forgotten what a stubborn person he is. Either that, or he’s a lot more stubborn than he used to be.”
“Maybe he’s had to be in order to survive the last year.”
Mrs. Kinsley smiled at Katie. “Thank you for reminding me that it’s a good thing.” She turned to Josh who had entered leaning on his Pa’s arm. “Now you promised to sit with your leg up. Will the rocking chair do?”
“It will be fine, Ma.” He sank into it, and she placed a stool under his foot.
Sam stared at Josh. “You look pretty good all slicked up.”
“I know.” Josh pretended to preen. Then his gaze slid to Katie, and his smile tipped sideways.
She couldn’t decide whether to shake her head or nod. To smile or cry. The black shirt his mother had given him made his eyes more gray than blue. He had shaved, revealing the fine shape of his chin. She could more clearly see his lips.
Her tongue refused to work, which was just as well, for she feared she could not find an intelligent word to speak.
His smile lingered in his eyes. “Ma insisted on these baggy trousers so she could tend my wound.”
That snapped Katie from her stunned state. “What about the wound? How bad is it?”
“Ma drained pus from it and put on some nasty smelling ointment that she says will draw out the poison and ease the pain.”
“Has it? Eased the pain, I mean?”
“I believe it has.”
If Mrs. Kinsley hadn’t spoken right then, Katie wondered how long the two of them would have stood with their gazes locked. “I’ve seen worse and seen them heal.” Doubt and concern filled her voice. “We’ll have to wait and see how this does. Of course, it would help if you rest it.”
Josh patted the arms of the wooden rocker. “This is resting.”
Mr. Kinsley cleared his throat, perhaps hoping to forestall an argument between his son and his wife. “I’ll empty out his bath water and prepare one for your ladies. Which of you wants to go first?”
Katie couldn’t wait to get out of her clothes and get clean all over. But she wanted to help Sam. If Sam would let her.
“Sam, you can go first, then I can linger as long as I like.” That left little room for the girl to argue.
A few minutes later they both went to the addition, each carrying a stack of clothing. The place was warm. The tub sat full of hot water. Katie glanced into the other doorways. There were two rooms, each with two beds.
“They’re for sick, injured, and people needing shelter,” the preacher said. “Not often are they empty. My wife sent this along.” He handed them a bar of scented soap.
Katie held it to her nose and breathed in rosewater scent. She held it out to Sam to smell.
“Nice,” Sam said.
Katie guessed the girl would enjoy all kinds of girlie things given the chance, and she meant to give her the chance.
“Throw your old clothes into that basket,” the preacher said. “My wife will see if anything can be salvaged. I’ll leave you two to do what you need to do. No need to rush back in. Take your time.”
As soon as he left, Sam began to strip her clothes off, tossing each item into the basket. “I hope I never again have to wear baggy shirts and pants.”
“Into the water and scrub, scrub, scrub. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll wash your hair for you. I’ll be in one of the bedrooms.” The girl needed her privacy.
Sam needed no more urging.
As Katie waited in the other room, she listened to Sam singing as she washed. It pleasured Katie to hear the girl enjoying her bath.
“Done,” Sam called a little later.
Katie scrubbed Sam’s hair and then helped her get into the various items of clothes. “Sit down and I’ll do your hair.” It had enough length to pin back and, as it dried, the ends curled. “Let me have a look at you.” The girl pirouetted. “Sam, you are beautiful. I think I will have to start calling you Samantha.”
“Do you think Josh will think I’m pretty?”
“He will unless he’s blind.”
Samantha giggled.
“I’ll go with you into the house while Josh’s pa gets water ready for me.” She thanked Mr. Kinsley for preparing her bath water.
“Not at all, my dear. We love helping others, and to know you have shared part of Josh’s life makes you special in our eyes.”
Katie choked back tears and hurried into the house with Sam. She held back, letting the girl go ahead.
Josh stared. “Sam? You’re not a boy any longer. You’re a beautiful young lady.”
Sam colored up. “I know.”
“I think I will be beating the young men off with a stick.”
Sam’s eyes widened, and she shook her head hard enough Katie feared the combs would go flying. “No, you won’t. I don’t care for young men.”
Josh’s grin slowly faded. “How many do you know?”
Sam tossed her head. “None.”
Josh chuckled. “I predict that will soon change.”
Mr. Kinsley returned to say Katie’s bathwater was ready.
Katie hurried away with Josh’s chuckles ringing in her ears.
She meant to soak away the dirt of the trail, but also every worry about what direction her life would take next.
Knowing Josh would tell her that she could trust God with the future, she tried to do that.
But what was going to happen to them now?
* * *
Josh had so many questions. “How did you end up here of all places?”
His pa said they had moved in the hopes of locating him. “I believe God led us here, and having you delivered to our doorstep confirms it.”
“Where are the girls?” He soon learned they were all married and lived nearby.
