“He got angry. And took it out on my mother. He called her names. Treated her cruelly.”
He had wanted her to pity her mother and give in. And while she worried for her mother, she had stood her ground.
Her refusal to sell the house had fueled his hatred for her. He had groveled, reducing himself to her level, and yet she turned him down. It was perhaps the first win she would have when it came to him. But it had come with great consequences, her mother being hurt, and her mother pulling away from her in her bid to support her husband.
“I did agree to sell the house,” Hannah said after a moment.
She had been adamant not to. If not for her mother and brother she wouldn’t have. Her baby brother had been six months when Samuel came up with the idea to go to California. By then, news about the gold rush had began to spread.
“There are new there. They be in need of preacher. We going to have a congregation,” Samuel brimmed with excitement.
The idea had grown with every day that went by. A friend of Samuel who had gone to California sent a letter about how the streets were lined with gold. Even more than before, Samuel wanted to go to California. The thought of having gold coins dropped in the offering box every Sunday was his biggest motivation.
This time around, her mother had stood her ground. She was not going anywhere with her young son. But Samuel had a plan up his sleeves.
“We are going to California. I don’t care if you two lasses come with me. I am going with Thomas and Mary, and my newborn son.”
The threat had made Hannah and her mother go pale. Samuel stormed, knowing his words had an effect on them.
It was a threat but Samuel was capable of going through with it to prove a point. He was a scoundrel and they could wake up one morning to find baby Joseph gone. It was a thought that scared Hannah and her mother. Before Joseph’s birth, there had been nothing to hold against Hannah, but she would not risk the safety and life of her brother because of Samuel.
The following week, the house had been put up for sale. Buyers had quickly come around and the house had been sold. Her only solace was that Hannah had insisted on keeping her share of the sales. Samuel had been pissed but she refused to budge from that decision. She knew he would easily squander the money. She had put in the care of the only bank in town for when the need arose. Her mother on the other hand had presented her proceeds to him like the diligent wife that she was.
“He bought a shabby wagon,” Hannah grimaced.
“And horses,” Bear Claw added. It was a surprise those horses had survived that long. A dew more days and they would be vulture meat. They were not meant for long distance journeys.
“I miss them,” Hannah said. She even missed the annoying stepfather.
Bear Claw said nothing.
“Will I ever see them again?” she wondered aloud. What if she could not escape from here?
“I don’t know,” Bear Claw said.
She glared at him. How could he not know? He was the one who kept her captive. He was the one who could release her. Yet he did not know?
He reached for her, and she slapped his hand away, stumbling up.
“Hannah!”
“I need to relief myself,” Hannah threw at him. She just needed a moment. She had hoped that he would have pity on her and set her free, but he was cold blooded and refused to budge.
How could she be attracted to someone like that? It made her angry with herself. She looked around the trees and went in the midst of both. She hadn’t lied. She wanted to relief herself. She lifted her dress and squatted. She fumed as the trickle poured on the grass. The nerve of him! Why on earth couldn’t he just let her go? Was it an ego problem? Did he consider her a spoil of war? Or some sort of commodity to be displayed to all? But he had done none of that to this day.
A chill went over her body, and the hairs on her arms rose. She was not alone. Someone was watching her. She hurried up and dashed out from the trees. Where was Bear Claw? She knew it had not been him watching her.
She threw a glance over her shoulder but saw no one. Yet she knew someone was watching her. Her steps sped. And then she broke into a run.
“Bear Claw!” she shouted, just as she was grabbed from behind. Her scream was swallowed by a hand placed over her mouth. She was whirled around, firm hands digging into her shoulders. She gasped as she stared into dark cruel eyes. There were paintings on his head and marks around his eyes.
He was an Indian. Like Bear Claw. But that was where the comparison ended. She knew as she stared at him that he lacked even a bit of Bear Claw’s softness. She knew that he liked to hurt others, and would take more pleasure hurting her.
She flinched as he caressed her face with rough fingers. Bear Claw had done the same, but it had not disgusted her or made her feel dirty.
She struggled as he pulled her to him. She heard a laugh and glanced around to see two more men just like him. Another approached them on a horse.
Her eyes looked around frantically. Where on earth was Bear Claw? She would rather be with him than any of these men who would hurt her without care.
