CHAPTER 4
Rowena
“Did you hear anything about the Jasper family today?” Rebecca asked a few days later as Rowena helped her prepare supper for the family.
Rowena paused as she washed potatoes in a bowl. “Yes, Jerry and Eliza were at school today for the first time since their parents fell ill. Mrs. Hill believes they had diphtheria, and the children stayed home in case they also fell ill. They didn’t, so Mrs. Hill said they could come to school.”
“That’s good news. Are their parents recovering?” Rebecca added water to the stew she was about to set on the stove, her movements graceful.
“Mrs. Jasper is still very sick, but Mr. Jasper got up for a couple of hours yesterday. Mrs. Hill was worried there would be an outbreak, but the family has remained isolated at home, so perhaps there won’t be one.” Rowena left the potatoes and stirred the stew while Rebecca added more wood to the stove and put cornbread in the oven. “Ja … Mr. Brooks says the men have worked out a roster to chop wood and do the barn chores until Mr. Jasper is back on his feet. Turns out they did have a woodpile, but it was buried beneath a snowdrift and needed to be split.”
Rebecca gave her a knowing look as she closed the oven door. “Mr. Brooks is a good man,” she said evenly. “Keep that in mind, Rowena.”
Rowena felt her cheeks heat. “What do you mean?”
“He’d make a good husband,” Rebecca said candidly, returning to the stew. “But perhaps he is not yet ready after …”
“After what?” Rowena tipped the potatoes she’d cut up into the stew. The pot was steaming hot now and a savory aroma wafted up, making her stomach rumble. But she hardly noticed; she wanted to hear Rebecca’s answer.
“That’s not my story to tell,” Rebecca replied quickly. “I’m sure Jake will tell you when he’s ready. Just keep in mind what I said.”
Rowena mumbled a reply, her mind whirling around Rebecca’s words. What had she meant? She’d realized that many people out here had a past and it seemed Jake was no exception. Rowena had also arrived in Jackson because she wanted to make a fresh start, so she was no different from anyone else. She wondered what could have hurt Jake so badly. Would he ever tell her?
Before she got a chance to question Rebecca further, Zach came inside, and Rebecca’s attention switched to the needs of her family.
The following morning, Jake was late to pick Rowena up.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said when he finally arrived, pulling up in a swirl of snow.
The horses tossed their heads, unaccustomed to the faster pace Jake had clearly set. He usually liked to conserve their strength for the day’s work, so they tended to amble rather than rush.
“We still have time.” Rowena didn’t wait for his help but made her way to the sleigh by herself. Jake hurried around to the other side and assisted her into the sleigh, waiting until she was settled before climbing into the driver’s seat.
“I had to mend a broken chain,” he told her. “It’s a temporary fix until I can get it to the blacksmith’s.”
“Will it still work?” Rowena asked, pulling the blankets closely around her.She wasn’t sure she’d ever become accustomed to the cold finding its way into every part of her that wasn’t thoroughly bundled up.
“I hope so.” Jake slapped the reins on the horses’ rumps, and a moment later, they were trotting down the road, small clumps of snow and dirt flicking up from the horses’ hooves. “I have to finish this job by the end of the week because I borrowed a saw that has to go back then. So I’ll be working hard to get it finished in time. And delays don’t help.” His brow creased in concentration. “But that’s not your concern.” He turned to her then, and the focused look in his eyes softened as they met hers. “I’d rather be in your classroom today,” he told her with a smile. “It would be warm and there would be a pretty teacher to talk to.”
Rowena felt a blush stealing over her cheeks. “I don’t think you’d fit in one of the desks,” she teased, trying to keep the mood light.
He pretended to think for a moment. “Sadly, I think you’re right,” he agreed. “But it would still be fun.”
“I’m not sure my pupils would agree with you, especially the boys. Some of them can’t wait until they can spend winters in the woods with their fathers.”
“Ah, the things we do when we’re young,” Jake rumbled. “I thought I had my life all sorted out at that age. I was going to become a blacksmith and wed a pretty girl and raise some big strapping sons who’d help me.” He laughed, but there was no mirth in it. “None of those things came to pass. It was not because I didn’t try.”
“What happened?” Rowena asked.
Jake gave her a long look. “Things that were out of my control,” he said after a moment. “Everything fell apart, and all the plans I had for my life came to nothing.”
“Even the pretty girl?” Rowena questioned, hoping she wasn’t overstepping a boundary.
Jake gave her a sharp look. “Who told you about that?”
“No one,” Rowena said hastily. “You just mentioned that part of your life and that it didn’t work out, so I was curious, that’s all. Forgive me if I shouldn’t have asked.”
Jake relaxed. “You’re right, that didn’t work out, either. But I have a new life now, so I don’t spend too much time in the past.”
“Jake!”
At the shout from behind, Rowena and Jake both turned around to see a man on a tall bay horse catching up to them.
“Charlie’s here,” Jake told Rowena. “He’ll be working with me today.”
“Charlie, you remember Miss Williams, don’t you?” Jake asked as the older man drew alongside them on his horse.
Friendly blue eyes greeted Rowena from above the scarf wrapped around the lower half of the man’s face, and she could see gray hair peeking from beneath his fur cap.
“Sure, you’re the schoolteacher everyone is praisin’,” Charlie drawled. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Williams.” He tipped his cap to her.
“I am pleased to meet you again too, Mr. ?”
“Wright,” Charlie replied. “But around here, everyone just calls me Charlie. No need to get all formal.”
“All right, Charlie.” Rowena smiled at him. “I’ve heard lots about you from Jake, and I’m glad he has such a kindly neighbor.”
“I might be a little later today,” Jake told Rowena as he drew the horses to a stop in the schoolyard. “I need to get as much done as possible this week. I’m hoping it goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong.”
“I hope so too,” Rowena replied as she prepared to alight from the sleigh. “I don’t mind if you come a little later. I have plenty to keep me occupied.”
Jake helped her down and escorted her to the schoolhouse door while Charlie sat waiting on his horse.
“I’ll see you this afternoon,” he said, barely waiting for her to open the door. Then he was gone, and Rowena turned her attention to the day’s work.
It was late afternoon when she realized that Jake still hadn’t come, and a prickle of unease started down her spine. She was alone in the empty classroom, and darkness came early during the winter months. She hoped Jake would come soon.
At last, she caught a glimpse of the sleigh approaching, but she could tell immediately that it was not Jake driving. Fear clutched at her heart. Had something happened to Jake?
“Good afternoon, Miss Williams,” Charlie called as he jumped down from the sleigh to assist her.
“Where’s Jake?” she asked as dread filled her stomach.
“He stayed behind to repair some equipment that broke during the day. I wasn’t able to be of much help, so he asked me to come down and pick you up. He shouldn’t be far behind me. He has my horse, so he can travel faster than he would in the sleigh.”
Relief warred with worry in Rowena’s mind. “Are you sure he’ll be all right?” she asked tentatively as Charlie helped her get settled in the sleigh.
“Don’t worry about Jake,” Charlie assured her. “He is resourceful and knows how to survive in the woods. He’ll be fine. Besides, as I said, he should be right behind me. He was almost done with the repair when I left.”
Charlie dropped Rowena off at home and she did her best to entertain the children so Rebecca could do some chores without them getting under her feet. But as darkness fell, Rowena couldn’t help but hope that Jake had made it to safety. She had been half-watching the trail from the cabin windows, but it was unlikely she’d have seen a lone horse and rider go past in the darkness.
At last, it was bedtime, and as she said her evening prayers, Rowena added an extra one for Jake, desperately hoping he’d gone past the house without her noticing. Then she burrowed under the covers, eyes wide open, unable to feel the slightest bit sleepy.
Then it began. Somewhere on the wooded hillside between their home and Jake’s, a pack of wolves began to howl. It sounded fearfully close to Rowena, and she shuddered as the wild song seemed to surround the cabin. She pictured the large animals prowling around, hungry and ready to devour anything that crossed their path. She tried to convince herself that Jake was safely home, sound asleep with his livestock and horses securely shut up in the barn.
Yes. That was how it was. Everyone was safe and she could quit worrying and go to sleep.
After a fitful night, Rowena awoke to discover that fresh snow had fallen, obscuring any tracks that might have been left from Jake’s return journey after dark. She dressed and headed for the kitchen to help Rebecca with the breakfast chores before it was time for her to leave for school.
She’d just sat down to eat breakfast when loud footsteps clumped on the porch and someone banged on the door. Zach was still at the barn and Rebecca was feeding the baby, so Rowena threw on a coat and opened the door, stepping out onto the porch.
Charlie’s worried blue eyes met hers over the scarf wrapped around his face. “Jake didn’t come home last night,” he told her.
Fear ripped through her heart and she caught her breath. “Oh no!” she exclaimed. “I was worried that something had happened to him.”
“Somethin’s wrong, for sure.” Charlie’s tone was grim. “I would offer to give you a ride to school, but under the circumstances, I think it’s best if I raise the alarm and go look for Jake.”
“Of course. I can get a ride to school when Zach takes the girls. I won’t be there in time to light the fire or do the other chores, but I’m sure the parents will understand, under the circumstances.”
Charlie nodded and turned to leave, worry creasing his brow.
“Charlie?” Rowena said as he headed to his horse.
He turned.
“I’ll be praying,” Rowena said softly.
“We need all the prayers we can get,” Charlie replied.
No one needed to say the obvious. It had been a cold night, and without shelter, Jake’s chances of survival plummeted. And that was without a potential injury that had left him unable to get home. Rowena wasn’t sure she’d be able to concentrate for a second while she was teaching. She would have to exert all her willpower to keep her mind on the job.
“What was that all about?” Rebecca asked as Rowena returned inside and removed the overcoat she’d donned in haste.
“It was Charlie,” Rowena explained as her heart hammered with fear. She couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice. “He came to tell me that Jake didn’t return home last night, so I need to get a ride with Zach when he takes the girls to school.”
Rebecca sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s awful news!” she exclaimed. “Are they looking for him?”
“Yes. Charlie is gathering some men from the town to look where he was working.”
“Zach will want to go too,” Rebecca said. “Can you drive the sleigh yourself?”
“I … I don’t know,” Rowena confessed. “I’ve never driven one before. Only a buggy once or twice.”
Rebecca thought for a moment. “I’ll do it.” She looked at Rowena. “We ladies have to be ready for anything around here. I’ll show you how to hitch up the horses and what to do, so if you need to drive yourself in the future, you know how.”
“Thank you.” Rowena was relieved that Rebecca would help. “I guess that means we’d better hurry since it will take longer to get ready than usual.”
Sure enough, the moment Zach came inside and heard the news, he headed for the barn to saddle up his horse. Rebecca assured him that she would help Rowena and the girls get to school, and he kissed them all goodbye and left, a worried frown on his face.
As soon as breakfast was finished, they all made their way to the barn and Rebecca showed Rowena how to hitch the horses to the sleigh. The girls climbed into the rear seats while Rowena sat in the front, and Rebecca made sure everyone was bundled up. She got settled herself and then took the reins, and Rowena admired her confidence. She wished she felt as confident and resourceful.
Rebecca seemed to read her thoughts. “You’re never too old to learn,” she said gently. “You might not have grown up in these parts, but if you stick around long enough, you’ll soon be able to handle these situations as if you’d always lived here.”
Rowena was grateful for Rebecca’s kindness and encouragement, and when they were on the trail, Rebecca handed the reins to Rowena.
The horses tossed their heads as they sensed someone new driving, but continued their steady plod along the trail. Rowena felt tentative at first; the reins in her hands seemed to be alive.
But she soon realized that they were still on the trail, the sleigh was still pointed in the right direction, and nothing bad had happened.
“I worried for nothing,” she told Rebecca with a wry smile. “I do that sometimes.”
Rebecca laughed. “I do too,” she confessed. “But look at you. You’re driving a sleigh!”
It was a good feeling.