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Authors: Melody Carlson
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indefinitely. Mrs. Taylor has shown herself to be a strong woman. If she plans to survive in the West, she will need to pull herself up and take charge of her own circumstances.”
“I agree. But at the same time, I realize that she is a widow who is still grieving the loss of her husband.”
“You and I both have some understanding of grief, Elizabeth. But I have found that the tighter one holds onto one’s grief, the longer it takes to get beyond it.”
She nodded, considering this. “Yes, but everyone is different when it comes to grieving. I’ve known those who remarry within six months of losing a spouse. Yet I only gave up wearing my widow’s weeds last winter—after three and a half years of being bereaved.”
“I suppose those who love deeply also grieve deeply.”
She wanted to ask how it had been for him, but that felt too personal. And it might give him the wrong impression of her interest.
“However, in the case of Mrs. Taylor…due to the circumstances of being halfway to Oregon, she lacks the luxury of being able to grieve at her own leisure.” He paused at the edge of a stream, offering her his hand as they balanced on the rocks to pass over it.
“This truly is beautiful out here,” she told him as she gazed out to the small green meadow they were approaching. As usual in these parts, there was an abundance of mosquitoes. She swatted them away as they walked. Fortunately they thinned out some when they reached the muddy river. “Oh, my. Do you think we’ll really be able to cross that tomorrow?”
“I hope so.” He pointed to a smooth large rock that jutted out over the fast-flowing water. “That’s my favorite place to sit and think.” He jumped onto it and then, for the second time, extended his hand, pulling her up to the top of the boulder.
Soon they were both settled on the rock, and once again she began to feel uncomfortable. Had this been a mistake? Instead of dwelling on this, she returned to the safe subject of Mrs. Taylor. “So what would you recommend I do?” she asked. “In regard to Mrs. Taylor.”
“In my opinion, you’ve already proved yourself a good friend and neighbor by taking her in. However, I do not see that you need to continue feeling as if you must care for her.”
“Should I throw her out?” Elizabeth tossed him a sideways glance.
He chuckled. “Oh, I’m certain you won’t do that.”
“What then?”
“Discuss with her what her plans for the future are.”
“I’ve attempted to do this, but she simply shuts down. Or else she turns away. And sometimes she cries.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “It’s very frustrating.”
“Perhaps someone else should speak to her.”
She nodded eagerly. “I agree. But both of my parents have tried.”
“Perhaps Mrs. Taylor needs some legal counsel.”
She looked hopefully at him. “Would you be willing to speak with her?”
“For your sake, I would.”
She looked down at her hands in her lap. As much as she appreciated his help, she didn’t want him to intervene with Mrs. Taylor just because of her.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “That wasn’t fair. I will be glad to speak to Mrs. Taylor because it’s the right thing to do.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
They continued to talk about Mrs. Taylor’s situation, and then they discussed Brady and some reasons that Will thought she might not need to be overly concerned. “Laws regarding slavery and abolition are constantly changing. Especially in the frontier. I suspect that citizens in Oregon Country will be so busy carving out civilization and livelihoods that these racial laws will not be of utmost concern. Not for a while anyway.”
“Really?” she felt hopeful.
He nodded. “Perhaps I was amiss to bring it up with you at all.”
“No, I’m glad you did. I don’t believe that ignorance is bliss.”
“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”
“Thomas Gray,” she
“I agree. But at the same time, I realize that she is a widow who is still grieving the loss of her husband.”
“You and I both have some understanding of grief, Elizabeth. But I have found that the tighter one holds onto one’s grief, the longer it takes to get beyond it.”
She nodded, considering this. “Yes, but everyone is different when it comes to grieving. I’ve known those who remarry within six months of losing a spouse. Yet I only gave up wearing my widow’s weeds last winter—after three and a half years of being bereaved.”
“I suppose those who love deeply also grieve deeply.”
She wanted to ask how it had been for him, but that felt too personal. And it might give him the wrong impression of her interest.
“However, in the case of Mrs. Taylor…due to the circumstances of being halfway to Oregon, she lacks the luxury of being able to grieve at her own leisure.” He paused at the edge of a stream, offering her his hand as they balanced on the rocks to pass over it.
“This truly is beautiful out here,” she told him as she gazed out to the small green meadow they were approaching. As usual in these parts, there was an abundance of mosquitoes. She swatted them away as they walked. Fortunately they thinned out some when they reached the muddy river. “Oh, my. Do you think we’ll really be able to cross that tomorrow?”
“I hope so.” He pointed to a smooth large rock that jutted out over the fast-flowing water. “That’s my favorite place to sit and think.” He jumped onto it and then, for the second time, extended his hand, pulling her up to the top of the boulder.
Soon they were both settled on the rock, and once again she began to feel uncomfortable. Had this been a mistake? Instead of dwelling on this, she returned to the safe subject of Mrs. Taylor. “So what would you recommend I do?” she asked. “In regard to Mrs. Taylor.”
“In my opinion, you’ve already proved yourself a good friend and neighbor by taking her in. However, I do not see that you need to continue feeling as if you must care for her.”
“Should I throw her out?” Elizabeth tossed him a sideways glance.
He chuckled. “Oh, I’m certain you won’t do that.”
“What then?”
“Discuss with her what her plans for the future are.”
“I’ve attempted to do this, but she simply shuts down. Or else she turns away. And sometimes she cries.” Elizabeth bit her lip. “It’s very frustrating.”
“Perhaps someone else should speak to her.”
She nodded eagerly. “I agree. But both of my parents have tried.”
“Perhaps Mrs. Taylor needs some legal counsel.”
She looked hopefully at him. “Would you be willing to speak with her?”
“For your sake, I would.”
She looked down at her hands in her lap. As much as she appreciated his help, she didn’t want him to intervene with Mrs. Taylor just because of her.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “That wasn’t fair. I will be glad to speak to Mrs. Taylor because it’s the right thing to do.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
They continued to talk about Mrs. Taylor’s situation, and then they discussed Brady and some reasons that Will thought she might not need to be overly concerned. “Laws regarding slavery and abolition are constantly changing. Especially in the frontier. I suspect that citizens in Oregon Country will be so busy carving out civilization and livelihoods that these racial laws will not be of utmost concern. Not for a while anyway.”
“Really?” she felt hopeful.
He nodded. “Perhaps I was amiss to bring it up with you at all.”
“No, I’m glad you did. I don’t believe that ignorance is bliss.”
“Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”
“Thomas Gray,” she
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