“I know you miss your Ellis, but you stay away from Victor. You’re scaring him and I won’t have it. He is Victor, not Ellis. Ellis is a grown man now. He’s in New York.” Mary warned. Finally, Bethy understood, Liza could see it in her pain filled eyes and the woman turned and into her cabin. Liza knew that it had upset Mary, bring up Ellis’s name. It brought back bad memories and sorrow.
Mary had told Henry about the incident and Henry had gone to talk to the woman. He came home sometime later, shaking his head.
“Bethy cried and begged to let her have Victor. She just doesn’t understand. We’ll need to watch her.” His deep voice held sorrow and a little fear. Liza agreed, Bethy needed to be watched. She turned over and pulled Victor to her and let her body relax and finally found her sleep.
Things came to a head with Bethy and her obsession with Victor. It was Christmas day, drizzling and cold. Ida and Victor were out in the yard playing with their Christmas gifts their father had made. Victor had received a hand carved wagon and horse and Ida had received a ragdoll; Mary had stitched it with scraps of material and indigo yarn for hair. Mary had made several frocks to dress the doll and Ida was in ecstasy, running about the yard with her toy.
In early afternoon, Mary came down from the main house with her arms full of goodies that Cookie had bestowed upon her. Liza had cooked Christmas dinner for the family, roasted yams in the fire, black eyed peas with several chunks of ham, and roasted chicken with fried potatoes and onions. Mary’s mouth watered at the wonderful aroma of different dishes. Mary knew Henry would enjoy it the most, he was out hunting today. He had left before day break, when Mary rose. He would be home soon, she was sure.
The cabin door slammed open, Ida came running in wild eyed and crying. Alarmed, Mary pulled Ida to her, looking for a wound, but saw nothing. She shook the hysterical child, trying to comprehend her babbling. Bethy had taken Victor and run for the woods. Fear shot through Mary; she had hoped that Henry’s warning had worked to keep Bethy in check. It had, but not for long. Liza pulled the food from the fire and told Ida to head up to the main house to get Mr. Theo. Both women grabbed their coats and ran from the cabin. Standing in the yard, Mary looked around. The ground was damp from an earlier downpour. Looking around for tracks, she headed for a stand of oaks, Liza behind her. Heads popped out of cabins with curiosity at the uproar.
Liza was puffing hard and Mary turned to Liza.
“Go back to the house and stay with Ida, I know she’s upset and frightened.” She puffed. Liza baulked and shook her head.
“I’m damn well goin with you, gal. There’s no tellin’ where Bethy has taken the boy.” Liza grunted, catching up to Mary. Mary gave up and picked up the pace, going into the forest. They heard hoof beats on the soggy ground and both women turned, seeing Theo riding toward them. He had Ida up before him, guiding him to her mother. Pulling up, he handed Ida to Liza.
“Mount up, Mary.” He said and held a hand down to help Mary up behind him. Mary grabbed his hand and he pulled her up behind him, her large belly pressing into his back.
“Go back to the house Liza, take Ida with you. When Henry gets back, send him out to look.” He turned his mount and Mary tightened her arms around Theo. She felt the horse move beneath her. Mary felt a thrill of fear spear through her as she felt the strength of the horse beneath her. The fear for her son over ruled the fear of the powerful beast. She held on to Theo, her eyes scanning the ground. They had to slow their pace because the forest became dense. Mary called for Victor from time to time, hearing nothing but the breeze blowing through the bare branches.
After two hours, Mary’s fear had escalated, there was no sign of Bethy or her son. They had lost the trail and were circling around, weaving in and out of the trees. Theo lent his voice to Mary’s. Fear lacing his tone as well. This did not bode well for Victor; it was growing cooler and the sky was laden with more gathering clouds, more rain was on the way.
In the distance they heard the baying of a hound and Theo pulled up on the reins, waiting for the newcomer. It was Dark Henry, he was astride Tall Tom’s horse and he had borrowed the hound from one of their nearest neighbors, Ethan Kilgour. Henry had one of Victor’s small shirt in hand, the dog was on the trail of their son. Henry dismounted and walked to his wife. He pulled Mary from behind Theo and placed her up on his horse. Squatting down before the hound, he once again let the animal sniff the boy’s shirt. The dog became excited, wanting to be off. Pulling himself up in front of his wife, the three set off after the baying hound.
Nose to the ground, the dog zigzagged about the damp earth, sometimes circling back. Henry was afraid the dog was confused and was leading them on a wild goose chase. They pulled up once again, Henry shoving the small shirt beneath the dog’s muzzle. Remounting, they took off again, the dog heading over a rise and down into a small valley. It was a breathtakingly beautiful spot, a small river running through. There was a copse of poplar, hickory and pine on either side of the river. The river was deep in
