Piecrust Promise Page 2

  Chapter Three

  Her dreams took her mind back further than she allowed her thoughts to in her waking moments. The nightmares would put her in a weathered shanty where she hovered in the corner while her mama cried and pa howled. Corinne knew how liquor could change a man so why had it taken so long for her to see what it was doing to Hank? She’d seen him be fun-loving and carefree, then turn to bold affection, then to aggressive demands and then to force and resentment. She tried to block out all the times she’d seen her father turn aggressive with her mother. She tried to pretend that was not how she came to be expecting Hank’s child.

  Now she kept his big gun always tucked into her saddle. There was not a man alive, she thought, she wouldn’t fire upon if she had cause. Not a one.

  When she awoke, the night was still and silent at the brink of another dawn. Corinne shook off her coverings and sat up, looking around for Mince. She found him on the back of her horse, his face open and friendly as if in a broad smile. Corinne wondered what he thought. If he believed they were going forward or back. She pulled two boiled eggs from her saddlebag, peeling one for him and another for herself. Mince gulped his down eagerly and, for the first time in a long while, Corinne could not help but smile.

  She checked the saddle and offered a small, wild apple to Boomer. Plucking a flower of a nearby prairie onion, she studied the delicate star-shaped flowers gathered at the head of the stem. It was early, she thought, for the blooms to be open. She’d expect them later in the season. Corinne thought her find lucky and rubbed the blossoms between her palms, releasing the pungent aroma like that of garlic. She ran her hands along Boomer’s flank and withers and then her own neck. They might smell like an old herb, she thought, but no fly or mosquito would come anywhere near them. Mince looked forward eagerly as Corinne mounted Boomer and turned the stallion in a tight circle towards the north.

  She’d reach Daniel’s before dusk. She’d written him when Dustin died, and again days later with the news of Hank’s death. It was Daniel’s suggestion that she consider the land rush when she adamantly insisted she would not move in with him and his family. There was good land for the taking, he’d said. New towns would be established with new opportunities. She could open her own bakery if she liked, or just sell her pies by contract. She could be entirely independent. She could begin again. Corinne had thought about his suggestion, rereading his letter a dozen times. He knew men who were going to the rush. “Boomers” he had called them, like Corinne’s horse.

  “Boomer,” she had said to the animal while out riding one day. “You’re way ahead of your time, I suppose. I thought I had named you for all the stompin’ you’d done in your stall, but I guess I was wrong. Are you fast and fine enough, you think, to beat out a hundred men and help me find a good piece of land?” Boomer had tossed back his head and whinnied loudly and she could have sworn he was answering her. Corinne started packing up the next day.

  Now he carried her and Mince, a change of clothing, plenty of food and a book full of her recipes, all in Corinne’s own, careful handwriting. She had wood to make a mold to make bricks. She would stake her claim and, once registered at the land office, head back to Hank’s cabin one last time to fill a wagon with furniture and tools. She knew her brother had a good tent for her and he’d come up for a few days to help her with a dugout or a sod hut. Then she would be on her own.

  Corinne was certain Daniel’s wife Barnette would be less than excited about him helping her. In fact, she was sure Barnette would not be happy about Corinne being around at all. Corinne had never been all that comfortable with Daniel’s wife. She would only take him away as long as she had to, Corinne promised herself. Now she understood much more what it felt like to have a man that was away, especially when you were caring for a child. Daniel was Barnette’s man, Corinne realized. It was what he wanted to be. If there were more men like Daniel there would be a lot more happy women, Corinne thought.

  Chapter Four

  From the rise on the open landscape Corinne could see her brother’s ranch spread across the grassland below. He’d cleared more land, she noticed, and added a few more outbuildings. He and Barnette must have been working hard together over the last two years. Corinne felt a twinge of envy before kicking Boomer to a quick trot.

  Barnette was collecting crisp white sheets as they billowed on the clothesline when she saw Corinne’s silhouette on the rise and she turned and put her laundry in the basket on the ground and gathered up her skirts. She waited, even after recognizing her sister-in-law, in the clean-swept yard.

  Corinne did not expect a warm greeting from Barnette. Before reaching the yard, she slid from Boomer’s back, told Mince to stay and walked up to Barnette briskly.

  “Hello,” she said. “It sure is good to see you.” Corinne suddenly saw Barnette differently than she ever had before. Barnette had never seemed good enough. She was not Corinne’s idea of the perfect mate for the brother she loved and admired so much. She had a stocky build with a ruddy complexion and a tangle of hair that always seemed to need smoothing, while Daniel was slender and unusually handsome. Hank had hated Barnette, saying that she was a woman who was like a ball and chain around a man’s ankle.

  But now Corinne saw her as a good woman, a kind woman and a loving wife. “You’re lookin’ good,” she said genuinely. “Daniel was right. He once said, ‘Barnette always looks as warm as a good fire in January.’ I gotta say, I agree.”

  Daniel’s wife looked into Corinne’s eyes and saw how much she had changed. Once Corinne would have ridden up on her horse, high and mighty, kicking up dust onto the clean sheets and barely speaking to her. Barnette now saw a woman with pain in her heart and the weight of worry upon her shoulders. Not once had Corinne Greslin looked her in the eye until now.

  “It’s good to see you too,” Barnette said, taking Corinne’s hand and leading her across the yard. “Daniel will be so glad to see you.”

  “The ranch looks wonderful,” Corinne said as she walked beside Barnette towards the house. Boomer followed with Mince still on his back.

  “We did a lot last summer before little Elijah came. Daniel just can’t wait for you to meet him.”

  Corinne swallowed hard. Something else she was afraid of, she thought. What was it going to be like to see Daniel and Barnette’s baby for the first time?

  As if reading her mind, Barnette stopped walking and faced Corinne. “Sometimes when you lose one, another baby can help you let out the pain. I know. Don’t you worry if you feel a bit tearful.”

  Corinne knew how many times Barnette and Daniel had tried and lost babies. It was another thing she’d not understood before now. Corinne smiled at Barnette and they continued towards the house.

  “That has got to be my little sister I see comin’ up the walk,” Daniel Greslin called out across the yard. “When I see two women that fine-lookin’ in one place they have got to be my lovin’ wife and my bullheaded little sister!” Daniel let the screen door slam with a sharp smack and walked out onto the porch, a chubby toddler sitting easy on his hip.

  “You look pretty good yourself playin’ daddy there!” Corinne called back. She threw Boomer’s lead over a fence rail and told Mince to stay. Corinne walked in long strides up the walkway and kissed her brother’s cheek.

  Daniel hugged her warmly with one arm and Corinne looked at his child. Daniel’s son was the image of Corinne’s own lost son. She took a shaky step back and grasped the porch railing.

  “Little Elijah,” Corinne said softly. “You could be my Dustin come back from the grave.” Daniel watched the color drain from Corinne’s face.

  “I can take him inside,” Daniel said, his voice low.

  “Don’t you dare,” Corinne said, as she reached out and took Elijah from him. “Your Mama was certainly right.” Corinne spoke quietly, as if in confidence. “Just holdin’ you is surely goin’ to let out plenty of the pain.” She kissed his forehead and Elijah reached up and touched her tearful cheek with a chubby
finger. She paced the porch slowly.

  “He’s usually funny around strangers,” Daniel said.

  “Maybe he knows blood,” Barnette said. She watched Corinne whispering softly to Elijah, the unchecked tears trailing pale into the dust on her cheeks.

  Chapter Five

  Corinne handed the baby reluctantly to Barnette, who held Elijah’s hands, helping him walk around the porch. Daniel walked down the path and brought back the basket of laundry, setting it inside the door. He stepped back out onto the porch and took over walking Elijah. Corinne watched the couple together. They were partners, she thought, like a good team pulling a hard plow. It was all clear to her now. Daniel had said so many times when they were children that he wanted to grow up and be a better father than their own.

  “When my children call me daddy,” he’d said, “it’ll be worth somethin’.”

  Corinne remembered that all his life he wanted to be a husband as well. She’d never wanted to be any man’s wife. Being a wife had meant taking a beating and never fighting back. It was keeping your mouth shut and then running out behind the shed to spit out the blood and the hate alone.

  Corinne looked at Barnette walking Elijah with a contented look upon her face. For a moment Corinne tried to imagine Daniel raising a fist to her and then quickly the image faded. No, she thought. None of that hate was here in this house. Her brother was nothing like their father.

  She heard Mince whining from the back of the horse. His voice was a quiet, high-pitched whine.

  Corinne whistled for him and he leapt down and ran up to her wagging his tail and squirming, his eyes never leaving the baby. Elijah plunked down onto the porch and Mince dropped his chin low and stretched out his legs in front of him.

  “Would y’all look at that dog,” Barnette remarked. “He looks like he’s tryin’ to say hello.”

  “Mince here was Dustin’s best friend in the world,” Corinne said. She watched Mince and Elijah together and felt her heart tighten in her chest.

  Elijah scooted towards Mince on his bottom and the dog crawled towards him submissively. Grabbing Mince by both ears, Elijah squealed loudly and then opened his mouth and put his lips on Mince’s forehead. Mince began licking his face enthusiastically and Elijah began to giggle happily. His infectious laughter had them all chuckling heartily and Corinne’s tears turned from those of pain to happiness. Mince was now her closest companion and he was as thrilled with being near a baby again as she was.

  “I found out plenty about the land run.” Daniel piled the whipped potatoes onto his plate at supper. “I got a fine map from this friend of mine who’s ridden with the cavalry through the land. There’s an area I’m thinkin’ would be perfect for you.”

  “I’m sure Barnette doesn’t want to spend all of dinnertime talkin’ about the run after she went through so much trouble to lay out this fine spread,” Corinne said.

  “Why, thank you, Corinne.” Barnette smiled with warm appreciation. “I think it’s kind of interestin’, runnin’ with hundreds of people to try to find the best spot. Startin’ a new home on unsettled land. A bit frightenin’, I suppose, but surely excitin’.”

  “I’d like to start fresh, that’s for sure,” Corinne said. “Alright,” she conceded. “We can talk about the rush on the condition that I can pick some of those fine strawberries I saw ridin’ in earlier, and maybe cut some of your rhubarb for a pie in the mornin’.”

  “For one of your pies I’d listen to the tax collector all night!” Barnette said, laughing.

  Daniel hummed hungrily.

  Little Elijah began to imitate his daddy. “Mmm..,” he hummed.

  “That’s right, Eli. Your Aunt Corinne’s pies are just like heaven baked in a crust,” Daniel said.

  “Then, first thing tomorrow mornin’!” Corinne smiled.

  Chapter Six

  Daniel unrolled the map across the freshly washed kitchen table, weighing down the corners with wooden spoons. Corinne neatly stacked the plates she had dried and looked around the room. The walls were paneled in a warm, finished wood and the windows were large. Rows of jars lined the open pantry, sparkling in the lamplight, their contents a rainbow of colors. Corinne could make out the canned green beans and ruby colored beets. Others were shades of orange, filled with carrots and peaches. Pies were Corinne’s art but canning was something Daniel’s wife did especially well.

  Barnette noticed where Corinne’s eyes fell. “I put up extra jars for you for next winter. After you get settled Daniel and I talked about comin’ up to see your land and I expect you’ll have plenty to do without worryin’ about puttin’ up food for the winter. That’s if you don’t mind us visitin’,” Barnette said.

  “I could not imagine anythin’ finer,” Corinne said gratefully.

  Daniel showed Corinne the map, explaining what he had been told about the territory.

  “The area here is generously traversed with rivers, makin’ water available and the landscape is varied.” He explained his thoughts on choices of locations and the information he had gathered from his friends and acquaintances.

  “I think your best bet is to stake a claim in this area.” Daniel indicated a spot in the mid-western region of the territory. “There’s good water along the Washita River and you can get to the trains. It’s decent farm and ranch land and not too far a ride from us.” He smiled up at his sister.

  “It sounds perfect,” Corinne said.

  “Well, there’s one problem, but I think it’s somethin’ you can overcome,” Daniel went on. “There’s Fort Reno here,” he pointed to an arrow he had drawn on the map along the edge of the western border on the left side. “There will be folks rushin’ from there. A lot of folks I expect. Along here,” he said, pointing to smaller markings along the southern border. “Other folks will be rushin’ from along these routes. The information I’m gettin’ is that you can likely get in early along the south, but if the border is covered by the cavalry you won’t be able to run until noon like everyone else. Of course if you do get in early your claim might not be legal. You’ll also have to be fast from the south to beat out the folks comin’ in at the fort. So the southern route might let you in early, but west will put you closer to where I think you want to be.”

  “Speed won’t be a problem,” Corinne said.

  “Corinne, you’re faster on a horse than anyone I know, but that’s a long way to ride and you’ll have to cross this river here. You might be better off to head north the day after tomorrow and make the run on the west side from the fort.”

  Corinne realized that the result of all this was that she would be riding much farther north than she had intended. That meant she would have to leave earlier than she wanted and would not be able to spend as much time at the ranch as she had hoped.

  “Your horse is young, Corinne,” Daniel said. “You might do well from the southern border, but the odds are not good. It will be a longer run and you risk runnin’ him to death. You’ll need him once you get a claim. I don’t have a single horse to spare if you lose him.”

  “You know how I’d feel if I ran him to death doin’ this,” Corinne said. “I’ll set out earlier then and head for the fort.” She liked the idea of running with what would likely be smaller crowds from the south but with Boomer and her riding skills she expected she’d leave most folks behind no matter the size of the crowd. She crossed the room and picked up Elijah who sat on the rug rubbing his eyes.

  “You look like you’re all tuckered out,” she cooed to him. “Barnette, would you mind if I put him to bed?”

  Barnette was thankful for Corinne’s offer after cooking the better part of the day.

  “I’ll show you where to put him,” Daniel said. “I’ll get your bag.”

  Corinne finished changing the baby and dressing him warmly for the night. Daniel looked in on them now and again to see if they needed anything but it was clear that Corinne and little Elijah were fine alone.

  When Corinne put him in his crib he sat up and h
eld up his arms.

  “You’re about to break my heart there, little one,” she said. Corinne laid him down gently and rubbed his tiny back, singing softly. He squirmed for a few moments but quickly surrendered to her practiced massage. Soon he slept the deep, innocent sleep of the young and Corinne stood beside the crib watching him.

  “Don’t you be goin’ over the deep end,” she whispered almost silently to herself. “Your baby is gone. Daniel and Barnette deserve him.” She tiptoed from the room soundlessly.

  “Asleep already?” Barnette looked up from her darning before the fire.

  “Like a little angel.” Corinne warmed her hands.

  “You alright?” Barnette could see the melancholy look in Corinne’s eyes.

  “Are you ever when you lose one?” Corinne turned to face the fire.

  “I suppose not,” Barnette said. “I think Dan wants to make the run with you.”

  “He does?” Corinne was completely surprised. “I’ll be a couple of days just ridin’ up to the fort. The run will be a full day and then he’ll have to ride back alone. I don’t expect him to do that.”

  “You might not be able to stop him,” Barnette laughed dryly. “He’s out on the porch.”

  Chapter Seven

  Corinne pushed open the screen door, closed it gently and stepped out into the dusk. She saw her brother there, a dark figure looking off into the night.

  “You’re just about livin’ in heaven, you know?” Corinne stepped up beside her brother and looked over the landscape.

  “Some days I’d agree with you,” Daniel said and turned to face her.