Chapter 2
Minneapolis, Minnesota
At thirty-seven, Roman Turner was still not overly content with his life.
He was highly regarded for his skills and the amazing feats of surgery he performed during the war.
But life had dealt him several unsatisfactory blows, and he was still coming to grips with them years later.
By this age, he had expected to be a husband and father, perhaps to have a large clientele of paying patients.
When his family moved west, Roman remained in Baltimore to finish some specialized training, but the thought of joining them was one that held great appeal.
The frontier needed doctors, and he was excited to work with people from all walks of life.
Then the war came. Roman volunteered to serve in the Union Army and found himself separated from friends and colleagues as the country chose sides.
He was almost immediately relocated to a hospital in Washington.
While there, he received a letter from his mother, telling him that his father had been swindled out of most of his land.
Of course, Roman could do little about it.
He prayed and waited to hear more about their circumstances as the war continued.
The news that came wasn’t good. His father had taken the loss of his property quite hard.
His health had slipped away, and his mother wrote of concern that he would not live long.
And then the end had come, leaving his mother and ten-year-old sister alone in a land of uncertainty and assured poverty.
Roman had tried to gather enough money together to relocate them to New York City, where he had friends, but nothing ever came together.
Then in 1862, terrible news had come of the Sioux uprising in Minnesota, and Roman had feared for his family.
He’d pressed his mother to take Claudette and flee.
He even tried to get leave, but his services were too desperately needed on the battlefields.
Thankfully, the uprising remained at a distance from Minneapolis.
The rest of the war had been a time of desperation for Roman. He had done what he could to provide for his family, but he couldn’t go to them. Not when the war was more intense than ever.
When the end finally came and Roman was able to return to Minneapolis, he found his mother and sister quite destitute. Friends were doing what they could, and their pastor kept an eye on them, but even with the money Roman had sent, they were worse off than he’d ever imagined.
“Dinner’s nearly ready, Roman,” his mother called, pulling him out of his melancholy thoughts. “Your Aunt Mary is coming to join us tonight. She should be here shortly.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
Mother smiled and returned to the kitchen.
It wasn’t fair. She and Claudette both worked far harder than any other women he knew.
These days, they did it out of their love for the poor more so than for their own welfare.
As Roman’s presence and his war bonus helped to bring them financial stability, they had wanted to help in his endeavors to better the lives of others.
Most evenings after supper, they could be found making baby blankets or diapers. Sometimes they sewed nightgowns for the older children and knit slippers for the adults. They were good Christian women who wanted to serve God as best they could with the only skills they had to offer.
Roman felt the same and used his medical knowledge to treat the less fortunate.
He particularly liked visiting the orphanage.
The children there were so happy to have anyone show them affection and attention.
The city had reached a population of over thirteen thousand people—more than double what it had been just ten years earlier—and with that growth, the number of impoverished had increased as well.
It seemed especially true for the orphans.
A knock on the door sent Roman to welcome his aunt Mary. She smiled and stretched up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Roman, you’re as handsome as ever. When are you going to take a wife?”
For a brief moment, the image of the brown-eyed woman he’d met four years ago in Philadelphia came to mind. Judith Stanford. But just as quickly, it passed, and Roman laughed. This was Aunt Mary’s usual questioning. He gave her a hug and reached out to take her shawl and bonnet.
“I’m far too busy to take a wife, as you well know. Now come in and enjoy a quiet evening with your family.”
“It’s so good to see you. I feared you might be too busy. Your mother mentioned there was an accident at one of the mills yesterday.”
“Yes, one of the sawmills. Three men were injured, but they’re doing well today.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Roman hung her belongings on a peg by the door. “Mother says dinner is nearly ready.”
“I’ll go see if she needs my help,” Mary said, heading toward the kitchen.
She looked quite tired, and Roman worried about her health.
She had taken a job with James Ashton’s household five years ago and worked her way up to housekeeper.
As a widow, she had to support herself, but that wasn’t her real reason for going to work for the horrible old man.
Roman could hear her explanation even now.
“He’s the reason your father is dead. By working in the house, perhaps I can find proof of the way he swindled poor Andrew. If so, then we can take it to the legal authorities and see justice done.”
But justice could never be done. Justice wouldn’t bring back his father after being cheated by the man who claimed to be his partner.
“Let’s be seated,” Mother called as she brought a large pot to the table.
Mary followed with a platter of biscuits, and nineteen-year-old Claudette brought the butter and serving ladle.
“Mother has made the best stew. It’s perfection,” Claudette announced.
Roman took a seat at the head of the table and waited for the women to join him. “Let’s pray.” He bowed his head and offered thanks for the food and a blessing on those who had gathered to share it.
“How was your day, Mary?” Roman’s mother asked.
As much as Roman hated her working for Ashton, he always listened closely for any details that might help them see the old man condemned for the things he’d done.
“It was long and tiring. Mr. Ashton insists on having the stairs polished weekly. It’s a never-ending job, and the maids resent the additional task.
I did find the opportunity to work in his office, however.
He went out for meetings, and I took the task of cleaning there, hoping I might be able to search through his papers. ”
“He’ll never leave anything condemning him out in the open,” Roman said, accepting a bowl of stew his mother had just portioned out.
“He has a locked room on the third floor. That’s where he keeps the old records.
I have recently acquired the key, but there’s rarely an opportunity to go there.
Even if I did, I’d truly have no excuse for being there if I were found out.
” Mary placed a biscuit on her plate and accepted the butter from Claudette.
“Aunt Mary, you’ve been there for five years with nothing to show for it,” Roman said, grabbing a couple of the biscuits.
“I would much rather you quit and get away from him. James Ashton is a vile and abominable man who cares nothing about anyone but himself. I fear if he finds out who you are, he’ll cause you great pain. ”
“I fear that as well,” Mother said, handing Claudette and Mary their bowls of stew.
“I need to work to support myself. You both know that. Mr. Ashton provides me room and board, as well as a small salary. It isn’t the best arrangement, but it might merit us some answers one day.
Until then, I’ll simply keep to myself and do what I must. The way that man swindled Andrew and others should be known. ”
“It is known, but it was just legal enough that no one can do anything about it,” Mother replied.
“We’ve known this for nearly ten years. Nothing is going to change now.
We must accept that it was the will of God and move forward.
We’re doing all right. Claudette and I have just made twenty dollars, I’m proud to say. ”
“Creating a traveling wardrobe for Mrs. Cooperton was a lot of work. And that woman had more than enough money to pay you better than twenty dollars for it,” Roman countered. He sampled the stew and marveled at his mother’s skills. She had always been able to put together a hearty meal.
“It wasn’t an entire wardrobe, and twenty dollars is a large sum of money, Roman. It will allow us a few extras, as well as enable us to further your cause. Claudette and I plan to make several dozen diapers as soon as we can purchase white flannel.”
“And we will need your help making my wedding dress, Aunt Mary. Daniel and I are planning to marry as soon as his promotion comes through this fall.”
“I should have plenty of time to help with that,” Mary promised.
Roman listened as Claudette described the type of dress she wanted.
He wanted her to have the wedding of her dreams but knew their resources would be limited.
He would have to see if he could take on some additional patient work.
More than once he’d been asked to serve as surgeon to some of the wealthier families.
Perhaps he could work out something. But even though he considered this, he knew it would be almost impossible.
He was already working from sunup to past sundown.
His hours were consumed with those who couldn’t afford to pay.
Were he not receiving money from various charities, he wouldn’t even be able to care for his mother and sister. Some provider he had turned out to be.
He sighed and breathed a silent prayer, begging God to deliver them—to avenge his father and bring justice to their family. James Ashton had been responsible for robbing them of their future. No doubt he’d done it to others as well. Why didn’t God stop him?