Molly stabbed
another pin into her
hair. The pin scraped across her scalp
and she could feel a tiny rivulet of blood seep to the surface. Hopefully, it couldn’t be seen; she looked
ridiculous enough without a head wound.
She looked at herself in the mirror again, and sighed.
Possibly the most
mortifying moments of Molly’s life had occurred at various balls and
dances in
She found several of the boys from her class standing against a wall at the side of the dancing, staring intently at a table filled with cakes and punch. “Have you tried any of them yet?” she asked as she leaned against the wall next to them.
Jesse pulled at his starched collar and grimaced, “Only one piece each. Mrs. Tanner says we don’t need more than one a piece.”
“I sure need a second one,” grumbled Mike Larson, as he stared at Mrs. Tanner.
Molly laughed. Like the boys, the cake seemed pretty much the only thing she was going to get out of this dance. “We’ll see what we can do.” Molly got herself a big slice of spice cake with frosting inches thick, as she pondered the problem.
“Are you enjoying my cake, Miss Ginn?” Mrs. Tanner’s voice was eager for praise.
“Oh, yes, it’s delicious.” said Molly, suddenly very conscious of the icing that was collecting at the corners of her lips.
“Good, good. I don’t eat a lot of it myself. I like to keep a trim shape. But it is nice to see others enjoying it.”
Molly only smiled grimly.
“Now, Miss Ginn,” continued Mrs. Tanner, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
“Have you, Mrs. Tanner?”
“I have, indeed. You see, the Ladies Aid Society have a big fundraiser every year for missionary work, very charitable. Usually bake sales and the like, but this year we were hoping for something different. Now Mrs. Carr has read about these evenings of theatre that women’s circles back East are putting on, and we hoped you might be willing to help organize something like that here. You have expressed an interest in theatre, I believe?”
Molly nodded slowly.
Mrs. Tanner’s eyes narrowed, and she continued, “Yes, well, the rest of us don’t pretend to know much about theatre, I’m sure it has its benefits, but in general, it tends to verge on the vulgar. Don’t you agree?” Mrs. Tanner did not wait for a response, “Well, our evening will, of course, have a sense of decorum. Do you think you could help us, Miss Ginn?”
Molly swallowed another bite of cake, and answered, “Ummm, yes, I can try to help, Mrs. Tanner.”
“Oh, good, because we do want a teacher who is interested in the community and charitable works-“
A pair of blue eyes and a winning smile appeared over Mrs. Tanner’s shoulder. “Excuse me, Mrs. Tanner, but I was just going to ask Miss Ginn for a dance.” Cody said, with a glance at Molly.
Mrs. Tanner was about to follow her contemptuous sniff with a curt reply, but she was cut off by a perhaps over-eager, Molly. “Yes.” She said quickly, “Please.” Molly looked down at the half-eaten cake in her hand, then to Cody’s offered arm, and finally said, “Hey, Jesse.” The boy ambled over, and she thrust the plate into his hands, “Hold this for me, will you?” she asked with a wink. She completely avoided Mrs. Tanner’s peeved expression as she walked with Cody out onto the dance floor.
“Thank you, Cody. You’ve done me a great service.” She whispered as she grabbed his hand in hers.
Cody grinned, “You looked like you could use an escape.”
“I did,” Molly stopped cold. “But you’ll have to dance with me now.”
“I can think of worse ways to spend a few minutes.”
She looked up at Cody in horror, “No, Cody, oh, no. I can’t dance. The last time I danced I broke Uncle George’s monocle and ruined a set of very expensive draperies.”
Cody looked over his shoulder, “Sorry, Molly, she’s still looking. I think you’re stuck with me.” He laughed and put his hand on her waist.
“Cody, I really can’t dance” she whispered, but her hand was on his shoulder and Cody was already moving her away from the edges of the dance floor. She hit his nose with her forehead as she jerked her head down to stare at her feet.
“Oh!” She stepped on a toe. “Oh!” She kicked his shin, just a little. “Jeez, Molly, I was trying to do you a favor.” She bumped backwards against Tompkins, she reeled sideways away from him, she barely grazed the table and it teetered, she let go of Cody’s hand to steady it, and it toppled.
Cody stopped, “You really can’t dance.” The music had stopped. The fine ladies were staring either at her openly, or at the ruins of their baked goods. Most of the men were laughing, and Molly just stared at it all, wide-eyed.
There wasn’t anything to do but smile and giggle nervously. “I’m so sorry,” she said, “I’m terribly clumsy.” She helped Teaspoon and the boys clean up, handing the few remaining pieces of cake surreptitiously to Mike Larson for distribution among his schoolmates. The music started again, a few of the boys still chuckled a little but most everyone else was back to dancing and socializing. She edged towards the back of the crowd, her dress sticky from spilt punch, her hair hanging in her eyes, her face frozen in a good natured smile. No one noticed her as she slipped out the door.
She had her head down as she hurried across the small porch and down the stairs. She didn’t see Buck, just walked straight into him. “Oh, for land’s sakes alive!” she exclaimed, and just plopped down on the top of the stairs with a sigh of frustration.
“Molly?” It was dark out, and Buck wasn’t used to seeing his friend all dressed up. “Where are you going in such a hurry?” he asked as he sat down next to her.
“Home.” She answered petulantly, and then added, “I just stopped to make sure the path was clear before I go on. At the rate I’m going tonight, I’ll destroy the whole town.”
Buck looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. He had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Her dress was pretty and new, her hair was pulled back demurely, but it all looked ridiculous on her, like she was a little kid dressing in her mother’s clothes. Her face caught the moonlight, and Buck asked with concern, “Are you crying?”
“No.” She paused, “Just a little.”
“I know these dances are usually pretty boring, but I’ve never known anyone to cry about it.”
Molly gave him a small smile. “It wasn’t that boring when I was in there, believe me!” She laughed, but it sounded more like a sob. Buck just sat there, looking at her. Molly swallowed hard, “Cody made me dance with him.”
Buck laughed so hard, he almost started crying himself. “I guess that would make me cry too.” He said, still chuckling.
“It wasn’t Cody’s fault. I can’t blame him.”
“Sure you can,” Buck replied, grinning. “That’s what he’s there for.”
Molly’s smiled. “I just, ugh, I just don’t dance, and so I knocked everything over, the punch, all the cakes and cookies. I’ve scandalized the good ladies of Rock Creek and made a right fool of myself.” There was a trace of bitterness to her voice.
Buck shook his head in disbelief, “I never thought I’d see you cry over spilled punch.”
“I know, I know it’s silly!” Molly said and this time her laugh was slightly more convincing. “I mean, I’ve done worse. At my sister, Maggie’s coming out, I fell head first down the staircase as I was being announced and popped every last button off my dress. When I stood up, my dress was hanging half off. I thought my mother was going to kill me. This incident is so banal in comparison.” She giggled at the memory, and then sighed. A passing cat leapt onto her lap, and she scratched its head until it began to purr, looking at Buck through sleepy eyes. “Well, there’s more important things than silly dances and dresses – I do regret ruining those cakes, though.”
Buck laughed, and they sat there for a moment, each contemplating a different star in the heavens. Buck turned again to look at her. Around Molly’s neck, on a white ribbon hung a thick, smooth ring of jasper. Buck had often wondered if it came from an Indian tribe, though he’d never seen one quite like it. In the moon and star light it seemed to glow and Buck swallowed hard when he realized he’d been staring at Molly’s pale neck for several moments. “Where’d you get your necklace?” he asked, abruptly, hoping that if she’d noticed his attention, she’d think it was motivated solely by the stone.
Molly’s
hand traced over the ring slowly as she answered, “It’s the stone of
the family
Donnolly, my mother’s family. It was my
grandfather’s.” She looked up at him,
“There’s a story about it. I don’t know
how true the story is, because my grandfather liked to…elaborate the
truth. But supposedly, back when
They sat in companionable silence, until the sound of footsteps on the plank sidewalk behind them broke their reverie. They turned their heads to see a rotund gentleman and his comely wife walk into the dance. The man tipped his head towards them in greeting. Behind them was a little boy. The cat trotted over to him and brushed against his shins. The boy grinned at Buck and Molly and then followed his parents into the hall.
From the minute he’d seen the couple, Buck’s entire body had tensed and he stood up warily.
“What? What is it?” Molly asked.
“That’s Levesque and his wife. They just bought the old Mitchell farm. He used to be a trapper.”
“So?”
Buck turned
to look at her and his face was grim, “She’s
“Is she?” The cat had returned and Molly was dancing her fingertips over its shoulders. “I thought she was Italian.”
Buck didn’t smile at the comment and he stayed where he was, looking like a coiled spring.
Molly stood up exasperated and said, “Well, what is it? Is it not okay with you that he’s got a native wife?”
Buck shot her a glance, “Plenty of people in there are going to have a problem with it. There’ll be trouble.”
“Oh, go on –They’re not that bad, they let you into dances, don’t they?”
Buck shrugged, “All of my friends wear guns.”
Molly leaned back on the railing and peered into the hall. They both noticed that the happy chatter from the dance had quieted into whispers. Molly watched the Levesque couple make their way through the hall, most people giving them a wide berth. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner swept out, followed by the ever irascible Tompkins.
“Well, I never!” Mrs. Tanner’s shrill voice pierced the night air, “Bringing a heathen to a church social!” Molly winced and watched as Buck slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.
“I know, Mrs. Tanner, I know.” Tompkins nodded and noticing Buck added, “It’s getting to where you can’t walk down the street without seeing an Indian.”
Buck’s jaw tightened.
Mrs. Tanner turned her attention in their direction. “Miss Ginn! I am getting weary of reminding you that as a role model for our youth, you should uphold a strict moral code. Being alone with someone of questionable character is highly inappropriate.”
Molly replied flippantly, “I’m afraid I must plead ignorance, I was unaware of this cat’s questionable character. I’ll avoid him in the future.”
Mrs. Tanner was too aghast to reply but her husband, a grave, imposing man spoke, “Miss Ginn, it’s a serious matter. This town is rapidly losing its toe-hold on respectability; we can not afford to retain a school teacher who keeps unsavory company.”
“I’ll remember that, Mr. Tanner” Molly answered, equally grave.
With a few more disgusted scoffs and humphs, the Tanners and Tompkins made their way across the street. Molly sighed, “C’mon, we should probably go in, now.”
Buck started walking away and answered coldly, “I’m not wanted here; I’m going home.”
“Don’t be silly,” said Molly, “If you go in, all the respectable people might be chased out and we can actually have some fun.” Buck did not respond and kept walking. “I don’t want to go in either!” she called after him, “But someone’s got to be willing to dance on the same floor as the Levesques.”
“You can’t dance.” Buck called over his shoulder, and kept walking.
The idea of
a night of theatre was just scandalous enough to make the good ladies
of Rock
Creek atwitter. There was something
slightly forbidden in Mrs. Carr’s tableaus from various famous
artworks, the
ladies choir was singing not only hymns but a scattered selection of
popular
music as well, Mrs. Tanner was reading a heartfelt poem she had
composed about
the plight of missionaries, and Miss Ginn was preparing a short scene
from
Shakespeare. The only person more
excited than the ladies was Cody, who was to play Demetrius opposite
Molly’s
“I ‘spect she’ll survive it.” said Teaspoon and Cody had nodded in agreement.
When Cody appeared for rehearsal at the school house, the kids had already left for the day. From inside great clouds of chalk dust and laughter billowed out onto the street. Cody peered in and saw Buck and Molly happily cleaning erasers, both coated in pearly white dust. “What’s goin’ on in here? I thought we had a rehearsal.” He said, feeling slightly irritated.
“Just cleaning erasers, Cody,” Buck answered with a smile, “But I think we made more of a mess than anything.”
“Uh-huh.” Cody agreed.
Molly wiped her hands on her skirt, “Get out of here, Buck. Demetrius and I need to work on our theatrical entertainment.”
“Can’t wait to see it,” Buck said with a wink, “Will Cody be in tights?”
“Get!” Cody yelled at him, and Buck ran off. Cody shook his head, “Y’know,” he said, “There are precious few folk around here who really appreciate art.”
“True enough, Cody.” Molly answered, distractedly looking out the window. “Alright, let’s just run lines first.”
Cody just nodded and assumed a posture that he felt embodied noble gravitas, “Do I entice you?” He had to pause and look at Molly for longer than usual before she tore her eyes away from the window and gave him an encouraging nod. “Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? Or do I not in plainest truth tell you I do not and can not love you?”
Molly was gazing out the window again, her fingers playing over the ring of stone at her neck, a tiny smile on her face. She didn’t respond.
“Or do I not in plainest truth tell you I do not and can not love you?” Cody repeated. He dropped his pose of nobility and looked at her. “It’s your line.”
“Oh!” Molly said startled, “Sorry, Cody, I was thinking of something else.” She turned to him, “And even for that do I love you the more. Demetrius, I am your spaniel and the more you beat me the more I fawn on you. Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, lose me, only give me leave unworthy as I am to follow you. What lower place can I ask, and yet a place of high esteem with me, than to be used as you use your dog?”
“I’ll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes!” Cody said, in what he hoped was a stentorian tone of voice.
It received no response from Molly who was all but grinning to herself and her eyes were lost in some far away daydream.
“Molly!” whined Cody, “You’ve got to pay attention.”
“I’m sorry, Cody, I’m just distracted.” But she didn’t sound sorry, she sounded like she was going to giggle. “Cody, can I ask you a silly question?”
Cody gave up, “I guess.”
“I mean it’s really silly, and I’m embarrassed to even be asking it.” Molly said and began to pace the floor in front of him.
“Well, just ask it already so we can rehearse.” Cody said exasperated.
“Okay. Well, you know, the thing is I have this friend.” Molly began to wring her hands as she paced, “And I like him an awful lot, and sometimes I think, well, I mean I wonder, but I know I’m not really pretty but he doesn’t seem to really care…oh, this is too silly, forget I mentioned it. Now where were we? Oh. Run if thou wilt but the story shall be…”
Cody interrupted her with a raised hand. He was smiling knowingly, “I think I know what you’re asking, Molly.”
“You do?”
Cody nodded, “It’s pretty obvious, I think.”
“It is?” Molly blushed and her eyes widened in horror, “Everyone must think I’m a silly goose.”
“No one thinks that, Molly. It’s natural that you’d feel the way you do. And while I’m very honored; I think we’d work better as just friends, sort of a brother-sister type relationship.” Cody hoped he wasn’t breaking her heart irrevocably.
Molly gaped at him, “Cody, I don’t like you.” Cody’s brow furrowed in confusion. “No, I do like you, as a friend, just like a brother exactly, but I was…I was talking about somebody else.”
“Oh,” said Cody.
“Let’s just rehearse, shall we?” Molly resumed her post at the window, and continued her lines, “Run if thou wilt but the story shall be changed, Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase…”
“What’s this somebody else like?” asked Cody, his pride hurt. “What’s so different about him than me?”
“Oh, Cody, nothing important.”
“Well then why don’t you like me?” he demanded.
Molly sighed, “I don’t know because, because I don’t. You’re just not my type, Cody.”
“What’s your type like? Obviously not smart and stylish.”
Molly closed her eyes and a ran a hand over her face, “Well Cody, for one thing your eyes are blue.”
“So?”
“Well, I happen to like brown eyes.” Molly looked at Cody, but he obviously wasn’t satisfied with the answer, “And you, well, you wear a lot of fringe.”
“What’s wrong with fringe?”
“Nothing’s wrong with fringe. I just…” she paused and looked Cody over, his face a mask of righteous indignation, “I just find it difficult to like a man who is better dressed than me.”
Cody stared at her and then nodded, accepting the logical explanation and their rehearsal continued.
“I found out somethin’ very interestin’ today.” said Cody that night at the dinner table.
“Oh?” Teaspoon replied, his mouth full of potato, “That right?”
“Yup, and not a-one a’ yas could guess what.”
The rest of the table responded with silence and continued eating. Cody looked around at them, “Well? Don’t ya wanna know what it is?”
“Nope.” answered Jimmy, not looking up from his plate.
There was general laughter and Cody looked hurt. Rachel patted his shoulder affectionately, “Why don’t you just tell us, Cody?”
His blue eyes took on a vicious glint as he said, “Molly’s sweet on someone!”
Buck’s eyes jerked up from his dinner. Teaspoon chuckled, “So, Cody, did she finally admit to her feelins for ya?”
Cody shook his head, “It ain’t me, Teaspoon – it’s some other fella.”
“Who?” Buck asked quickly.
But his question went unanswered, drowned out by Teaspoon’s laughter and the rattle of silverware as he slapped the table, “But Cody you said she was a-pinin’ for ya!”
“I was mistaken, Teaspoon. I ain’t her type – I wear too much fringe.”
At that, Lou almost choked and Jimmy snorted water out his nose.
Buck’s
question wasn’t ever answered as the conversation took a more serious
note. “I heard something about Molly
today too.” said Noah, “Sounds like the good folk of Rock Creek are
considering
sending her back to
“Where’d you hear that?” asked Teaspoon.
“Tompkins' store. Plenty of folks are pretty riled that she’s let the Levesque boy into the school.” Noah answered.
Teaspoon glanced at Buck warily, “Why is it that all the hatred in this town seems to center around that store?”
“You don’t think they’ll really let her go, do you, Teaspoon?” Lou asked, concerned.
Teaspoon’s fork paused in mid-air, “Nah, folks like to talk but I don’t think anyone’s likely to go after Molly.”
Rachel disagreed in a rueful tone, “I wouldn’t count on it. Children have a way of bringin’ out the best and the worst in their parents. What they might be willing to live with themselves ain’t the same as what they’re willing to have around their kids.”
“Ah, the Levesque boy ain’t that bad. Kids just pick on him ‘cause he uses smart alecky words.” Jesse opined, his mouth full.
“That’s not the only reason” growled Buck.
Jesse waited to swallow before answering, “The kids don’t care that he’s Indian. Too bad he’s got to be French too though.”
“Doesn’t mean their parents don’t care. You saw the way everybody treated the Levesques at that dance – they made it clear that they didn’t like having mixed blood in Rock Creek.” Buck said angrily stabbing a piece of cornbread.
“This town doesn’t like any blood that isn’t white,” concurred Noah.
Teaspoon pushed his chair back from the table with a grunt, “Now, boys, don’t judge the whole town after the likes of Tompkins and the Tanners.”
“Well, anyway, it don’t do Molly no good to be mixed in the middle of somethin’ like this,” commented Kid.
Rachel sighed as she began to clear the table, “She certainly isn’t behaving like the prim and proper schoolmarm the townsfolk thought she’d be.”
“Is it improper for a half-breed to go to school?” Buck asked through clenched teeth.
Rachel dusted her hands on her apron, “That’s not what I meant. Just that Molly’s taken no pains to make friends with the parents of her students. I don’t know that they find her as charming as we do.”
“Having us as friends isn’t helping her any either.” Lou added.
Teaspoon stood up and ran his thumbs along his suspenders, “Well, work won’t wait while we worry. I ‘spect the towns people’ll get over it. Just have to hope no one gets hurt while it runs its course.”
Loading oats into the wagon at Tompkins, Buck could see the school kids at recess. The Levesque boy was smaller than the others and he stood alone on the steps, watching everyone else play. Soon enough, Buck saw some older boys approach him. Buck was too far away to hear what they said, but he could tell it was ugly. When the little boy answered them back, they pushed him down and began to tease in earnest.
Just as Buck moved to stop the bullying, Molly came storming out of the schoolhouse. She grabbed the bullies roughly by the elbow and sent them inside. As Molly stood up with the Levesque boy against her hip, bawling into her shoulder, she looked up to see Buck. They locked eyes for a moment before she returned her attention to her young charge and Buck returned to loading the wagon.
Buck was still in town when school got out that day. He headed over to the school house and walked in, expecting to see no one but Molly. Instead he almost walked into Mrs. Levesque leaving with her boy in tow. Buck politely tipped his hat at the woman, who remained silent. She looked melancholy and more than a little angry, Buck assumed it was because of the bruises her son had received at the hand of his schoolmates.
Molly was sitting at the desk, her head in her hands. She didn’t even realize Buck was there. When she did finally notice him, she managed a bright and cheerful, “Hi.”
“Hi. Have a rough day?” he asked, leaning against one of the children’s desks.
Molly sighed as she stood and started to tidy up. “I’m just running out of ways to tell Mrs. Levesque that Jacques was picked on by the older boys. Each day she says less and less to me. If this keeps up, I’m afraid she won’t let him come back.”
“Maybe that’s for the best.”
Molly looked at him, “You don’t really think that.”
Buck shrugged, “Do you really think anything he’s learning is worth it?”
“Yes, and so do you,” she snapped back.
Buck walked over to her and took her hands, “You know, don’t you, that the good people of Rock Creek don’t especially like having a half breed in their school. You could get yourself into a lot of trouble over this.”
Molly searched his face for a moment before jerking her hands away, “I don’t care what these stuffy respectable people think. Jacques Levesque deserves as much a chance to learn as any of their little freckle-faced urchins. I can’t believe you think that I should turn him away just to avoid some trouble.”
“I’m just saying you don’t have to do this. He’s going to have to deal with the ugly side of people all his life; you don’t. You shouldn’t sacrifice yourself for him.” Buck answered softly.
Molly narrowed her eyes as she looked into his, “I can’t believe you. What if all of your friends decided you weren’t worth the trouble?” Buck clenched his teeth but didn’t reply. “If the people of Rock Creek don’t like having Jacques in their school that’s their problem; it’s not going to stop me from doing what’s right.”
Buck grabbed at her hands again, “Molly, listen to me, I don’t care about what’s right; I care about you.” Molly’s face softened in the silence that followed, and Buck found himself pushing a stray bit of hair off her shoulder, “I don’t want you getting hurt or-“
He was interrupted by a very haughty and angry sounding voice, “Miss Ginn!” They both started and turned to see the imposing figure of Mrs. Tanner, a-bristle with indignation. “I believe you’ve been spoken to repeatedly about keeping appropriate company!” Molly couldn’t help but roll her eyes in response. Mrs. Tanner chose to ignore that and barreled on, “Miss Ginn, I feel you punished my boys a little too severely for being merely a little unruly.”
“Unruly? They beat up Jacques Levesque!” Molly protested.
“Well, boys will be boys.” Mrs. Tanner replied venomously. “Miss Ginn, I’ve been given the unfortunate task of informing you that we will be holding a town meeting on Friday to determine whether we wish you to return for the winter term.”
Molly stared at the woman, her mouth agape, “Mrs. Tanner, I really don’t think I’ve done anything to merit that.”
“Don’t you?” snorted Mrs. Tanner, “It is also my duty to inform you that the Ladies Aid will no longer require your contribution to our benefit. We’ve decided to eliminate the secular portions of the show. We don’t want to attract the wrong element.” she added with a glance at Buck.
They just watched as Mrs. Tanner turned on her heel and huffed towards the door, “Oh, and Miss Ginn,” she said over her shoulder, “if you do wish to stay on here, you best start behaving like a proper young woman and not a Pony Express rider.”
When she had gone, Molly just shook her head, “Cody is not going to be happy.”
Nobody at the station was happy with the news. Things seemed to be snowballing and it did not seem likely that Teaspoon’s prediction of it blowing over would come to pass. As Friday rolled around, the town was in a furor. Mrs. Tanner had practically all the Ladies Aid Society convinced that the mere presence of “heathen savages” in their midst was a threat to the salvation of their children’s eternal souls. Tompkins had gone back to shooing Buck out of his store. And Molly had made things immeasurably worse when she had responded to Davey Carr’s assertion that his pa, “says it’s our right to teach that red-skinned Frenchie who’s boss” by saying “Well, your father probably thinks I should be hung for a drunk papist mick too.” By the time the meeting commenced, things were at a fever pitch.
When it came to whipping a crowd into frenzy, the Tanners and Tompkins were unrivalled. Aided by Molly’s absolute refusal to back down, the argument against her was winning the day. A few parents supported Molly on the Levesque boy issue but even they quelled some at Mrs. Tanner’s attacks on her character. Buck had been watching the door for the arrival of the Levesques. He and Cody had taken it on themselves to convince Mr. Levesque to announce at the meeting that he was withdrawing Jacques from school, and they had promised that Molly would tutor the boy at the Levesque home during the evenings. Teaspoon had just read a letter in Molly’s defense which was signed by all sixteen of her students without exception, but the Levesques still had not arrived.
Hardly
anyone had paid attention to the children’s letter and now, Mrs. Carr,
a frail
woman from back east, stood to speak, “When we hired Miss Ginn we
believed we
were getting an educated and sophisticated young lady.
That is certainly how she presented herself
in all correspondence and her family’s social position indicated as
much. But even in
“Those are the society pages!” cried Molly, “That has no bearing on my character – just my fashion sense!”
Mrs. Tanner
jumped up and sneered at Molly, “I think it has a lot to say about your
sense
of decorum as well.” She turned towards the crowd, “Run out of
Cody leapt to his feet. Rachel and Lou both had to pull him back into his seat. Any word from them would no doubt hurt Molly more than help her.
“Church is
boring!” shouted Molly, and hastily added, “We’re just friends.”
“Really, Miss Ginn?” Mrs.
Tanner continued, “Then perhaps you’d
like to explain what I interrupted yesterday when I walked in on you
and your
Indian ‘friend’ in the schoolhouse?” She
pointed a shaking finger in Buck’s direction.
The other riders looked at Buck with curiosity and amazement, but he only blushed and clenched his jaw, looking a strange combination of embarrassment and anger. Standing before the crowed, Molly’s eyes blazed as her face turned a deep scarlet, “You have a filthy mind, Madame! I won’t stand here and listen to you and your ridiculous ideas of propriety. I do not require the approval of the people of Rock Creek or a position in this school. If the price of keeping my job is to become as small minded and vicious a shrew as you, Mrs. Tanner, then I will give it up gladly.” Molly headed for the door, pausing by Mrs. Tanner to add frostily, “I do pity your sons.”
The stunned silence of the room was interrupted by the hurried entrance of Mr. Levesque. “An accident!” he shouted in a deep French accent “My wife is hurt! A doctor!”
Teaspoon walked over to Mr. Levesque, “What sort of an accident?”
“We come into town for the meeting but on the way the wagon, she breaks. My wife needs a doctor.”
“Doc.” Said Teaspoon with a nod, and headed towards the door. But Dr. Carr didn’t budge.
“I ain’t having that filth in my office.”
Teaspoon growled something under his breath and then said, “Boys, help get Mrs. Levesque out to Rachel’s.” The boys paused, preferring to slug it out with the doctor, but Teaspoon barked, “Now!” and they hurried out. “Doc, I ain’t goin’ to disrespect your rights, but you’ll treat that woman or else this town is goin’ to be one doctor short.” Doctor Car looked around nervously, hoping for support but none was offered. Teaspoon stared at him coldly and rested his hand on the hilt of his gun, “Doc?” Finally, the good doctor stood and grumpily followed the boys. Teaspoon looked over the remaining people contemptuously, “I think this meetin’ is over.”
Teaspoon stayed with the doctor and Mr. Levesque to ensure the doctor did his duty. In the bunkhouse Rachel made coffee while the boys paced and grumbled and stared intently into space. Molly sat on Buck’s bed holding a crying Jacques – her face looking sadder than anyone had ever seen it.
Cody slammed his fist against the door jam, “I can’t believe the things she said about you – isn’t anybody’s business who your friends are.”
Molly waved her hand carelessly at his comment, “Mrs. Tanner is a silly old woman. I don’t really care what she says about me.” Jacques whimpered and Molly smoothed his hair, whispering, “Shh, gra geal, shhhh.” Buck listened as she whispered soothingly to the boy in the same language he had heard her use when breaking her horse, Cuchulain.
As most of the boys pondered their coffee and Cody stared angrily out the window, Buck watched as Molly rocked Jacques, her face bent low against his head, her hand sliding over his sobbing shoulders. She looked beautiful.
Sometime later, they heard the sound of Dr. Carr’s horse returning to town and Teaspoon appeared in the bunkhouse with Levesque. “Rachel can we get some coffee?” Rachel nodded and slowly stood up.
“I must thank you for your kindness,” said Levesque wearily.
“Just doin’ what’s right,” answered Kid.
Levesque sighed, “That is sometimes a difficult thing to do.”
“Not this time,” muttered Cody from where he still stood, leaning on the wall, looking at the dark night.
“How is your wife?” asked Rachel as she handed Levesque his coffee.
The man stuttered in answering, “She – she will be okay in the morning, maybe. Maybe not. How is my son?”
“Asleep,” answered Buck, pulling a blanket over Jacques and Molly as they slept on his bunk. He stood for a moment, looking at them until he felt Teaspoon’s hand on the back of his neck.
Looking at the two sleeping himself, Teaspoon said quietly, “Looks about right, don’t it, son?”
Buck just looked at the older man questioningly and no one heard Levesque whisper, “Oui.”
In the morning, Rachel found Mrs. Levesque peacefully departed and a letter on the table next to her bed. Mr. Levesque was gone. Rachel read the letter and tucked it into her pocket. Teaspoon had gone into town early, and Rachel decided to keep the contents of the letter vague until she had talked to him.
It was late in the morning when Teaspoon returned to the station. Most of the boys were up and doing chores. Buck and Lou were sitting at the bunkhouse table with Jacques who was wolfing down oatmeal with a pleasant and polite attitude. Molly was still asleep on Buck’s bunk – the blanket twisted awkwardly around her and one brightly stockinged calf kicked out from under blankets and skirt.
Teaspoon walked in, looking grim, “I hear Mrs. Levesque didn’t see the mornin’” Rachel shook her head. Teaspoon sighed and lowered himself into a chair, “Where’s her husband? ‘Spect he’s angry at the whole damn town. Lord knows he’s got the right to be.”
Rachel motioned for Lou to take Jacques outside. She wasn’t sure how to tell the boy his father had left him. But Lou had barely stood up when Jacques answered Teaspoon’s question, “Papa left and I am to stay here with my new Mama.” The little boy pointed a sticky finger at Molly as she slept.
The adults just looked at him in surprise. “How do you know that, honey?” Rachel asked.
“Papa told me.” Jacques answered pleasantly, “He woke me up and told me that Miss Ginn is my new mama and he is taking to the wilds.” Jacques looked at his empty bowl and patted his tummy happily before saying, “I would like to play now.”
“There’s a new foal in the barn,” said Lou, “Would you like to see it?” The boy nodded enthusiastically, and Lou took him outside.
When they were gone, Buck turned to Rachel, “That true?” he asked, “Did Levesque leave Jacques with Molly?”
Rachel handed a plate of bacon and eggs to Teaspoon and then grabbed Mr. Levesque’s letter. “Seems so. I found this, this morning.”
She handed it to Teaspoon. He read, “’ For my son, I tried this town, but I can not stay. The woods and streams will keep me till I die but not my boy. He must learn to live in the towns. Miss Ginn proves that she worries about my boy. It is too much to ask, but I hope that she will teach him what I am too old to learn…’”
They had not heard Molly get up and Buck jumped when her hand alighted on his shoulder, “He what?!” Rachel looked up at the sound of Molly’s voice. Her eyes were wide and her hair shot out in all directions. None of them could keep from laughing.
“Looks like you’re going to be a mother,” said Teaspoon with a smirk.
Molly flopped down at the table and laid her head down, “Mrs. Tanner’s going to love this,” Then she slowly raised her head, a look of dread on her face, “My mother! I can’t go back home and say I was fired for spending too much time with scandalous young men, with Jacques in tow. My mother hates the French!” She dropped her head back on the table.
Rachel stood up and began to cook some breakfast for Molly. Buck turned towards Teaspoon, “Hear anything about whether or not Molly gets to keep her job?”
Teaspoon’s face darkened a little, “Nothing for certain. But I do have some bad news on that score.”
Molly looked up, and propped her chin on her hands, “What is it now?”
Teaspoon sighed and fingered his left ear thoughtfully, “Mr. Finster’s decided to rent your room out. Guess there’s been more bad press than he’d like to deal with.”
Molly just laughed ruefully, “So now I’m homeless with a French kid. That’s rich. My parents told me I’d get into more trouble than I could handle out here. Guess they’ll be happy to be proved right.”
Rachel handed Molly a plate of eggs, and sat down across from her, “I’ll go in with you later to fetch your things. You and Jacques can stay here. I’ve got rooms in my house that ain’t servin’ any other purpose, but waitin’ for you.”
“’Spect you best stop by the Levesque house and get the boy’s things too,” added Teaspoon.
“Thanks, Rachel. I’m happy to pay you for the trouble.”
Rachel patted Molly’s hand, “Ain’t no trouble.”
Molly looked at her wryly, “Me, no trouble? My mother would disagree.”
Buck had a
run that day and after seeing Rachel and Molly off to town, he headed
to the
barn to saddle up. Buck couldn’t help
but feel a little happy that Molly would be moving out to Rachel’s. Truth be told, he was even a little happy
about Jacques sticking around. The boy
was precocious and whip smart. Buck
liked him instantly. As he brushed down
his horse, Buck tried to ignore the nagging possibility that Molly
would have
to return to
He did not hear Cody walk into the barn and was startled by his voice, “Buck, I gotta talk to you.”
Buck looked up and was surprised to see a deadly serious look on Cody’s face. “What is it, Cody?”
Cody walked over and clapped a gloved hand on Buck’s shoulder, “I just want to tell ya, that I’m your friend, but if you hurt Molly, I’m going to have to shoot you.”
Buck suppressed the urge to laugh and replied, “Cody, I think you took Mrs. Tanner a little too seriously. Molly and I were just talking the other day.”
“Buck, Buck, Buck.” He patted Buck’s shoulder each time he said his name, the last time giving him a tiny shake, “All I’m sayin’ is that Molly is like a sister to me, and she better not come to me cryin’. I know she’s got her heart set on you, and I don’t want you to treat that carelessly.”
Buck managed to answer seriously, “I don’t intend to.”
“Good,” said Cody and started to walk away, “Oh, and Buck”
“What?”
“Don’t start wearing fringe. The girl’s got a problem with fringe.”
That night, Buck returned from his run to see Molly sitting alone on Rachel’s swing, absently petting her dog, Caliban, and running her fingers over the stone around her neck. Buck slid off his horse and walked to the foot of the porch stairs, “How’d your first day as a mother, go?”
Molly gave him a look and a very small smile, “Don’t tease me, Buck.” She fondled Caliban’s ear thoughtfully. “He didn’t understand until it was time for him to go to bed, and then he started crying for his mother.” She sighed, “I couldn’t do anything. Rachel finally calmed him down.” She looked back at Buck. “Can I tell you a secret?” He nodded. “I don’t know what to do with children.”
Buck laughed, “But you’re a teacher!”
“That doesn’t mean anything. I mean I know how to play games with them, that I understand, but everything else – I’m just running blind.”
Buck sat on the porch at her feet, leaning back on a railing post. “I’m sure you do fine. You did okay last night. What were you telling him last night anyway? Was it French?”
Molly laughed, “No. It’s Gaelic. It’s a lullaby. I’m sure he didn’t understand a word of it, but I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Well, it worked.” Buck said.
“I guess so,” Molly answered.
Buck looked out across the yard, “Have you heard yet about whether or not you get to stay?”
“Not yet.”
Buck turned to her again, “What will you do if they fire you?”
Caliban
stretched and jumped off the swing, sat next to Buck and shoved his
nose under
Buck’s hand. Molly stood up and leaned
on the railing next to them, “I guess I’ll have to go back home. My mother will love the menagerie I’ll be
bringing back. A horse, a dog, a little
Indian boy. All the accessories a young
society lady needs. Or I could try
teaching someplace else. Or I could tour
“Why don’t you do that?” Buck asked.
She looked down at him, “Would you do it, if you could?”
Buck paused, “Probably not. But I don’t want you to go.”
They stayed there for awhile in silence, each contemplating a different star in the heavens.