Two for One

                “Margaret, kindly take these two to Wreke’s place on the ridge.” The large man glanced back to where Adelaide was settling her brother into a comfortable position. “And please, warn her in the sternest language you posses.” He patted the older woman on the shoulder and walked back into his house, his mind already on something else.

                “Why don’ you come up ‘ere an sit with me?” The older woman patted the open bench next to her with a weathered hand. Adelaide, with one last glance at her sleeping brother, climbed up to sit next to her.

                “Now isn’t that better?” When the older woman smiled there were teeth missing, and Adelaide turned quickly to look straight ahead. Margaret flicked the reins and the mule started plodding along.

                The two women road in silence as the wagon slowly made its way out of the small settlement and into the thinning trees. The trees were thinned by the settlers needing the raw materials to construct their new buildings, and they had just started bouncing back. The wagon headed roughly north and bounced slightly with the dips from other wheels and hooves that had taken the same path.

                “Do you know anything about where you and that brother of yours are going?”

                “No ma’am. I was told that Wreke only signed the papers for my brother.” She paused, her fingers pleating her dress into neat folds. “I was supposed to go to a family to help with the children and housework. But I couldn’t leave my brother.” Margaret glanced back at the sleeping form in the wagon bed behind the women.

                “That’s very noble of you.” Margaret flicked the ends of the reins against the mule’s rump when it started to refuse crossing a small crick. “Mr. Ardell wanted me to tell you a few things about the place you and your brother are going.” She paused, “The man who contracted your brother needs someone with a strong back to help him get his crops up.”

                “I can help with that.” Adelaide stared ahead, her blue eyes fixed on a far away point. They rounded a bend in the trail, and a small hand built cabin came into view. Chickens roamed the small dirt path in front of the empty porch, and an old looking mule was inside of a rough hewn paddock. There was no evidence of Mr. Wreke.

                Adelaide turned to wake her brother as Margaret pulled the wagon to a stop and pushed the break against the wheel. 

                “Are we there, Addy?” James mumbled as Adelaide put his arm around her shoulders and helped him out of the wagon.

                “Yes, we are.” She whispered back to him.

                “Mr. Wreke! The boy that you signed papers for is here!” Margaret turned back to the two young people she had brought. “Now there are a few things that you both need to know.” Her grey eyes flicked towards the small house as the inhabitant shuffled around the house. “Wreke likes his bottle.” Her eyes flashed over to the house as the door creaked open. “Just make sure to lock yourself up at night, Miss Tealby.”

                Margaret climbed back aboard the wagon and with one last look at the two young people and flicked the mule to begin her way back to the settlement. The door continued opening as Adelaide and James stood at the bottom of the porch stairs.

                A wiry man with thinning grey hair holding a rifle came through the door. His dark brown eyes above a reddened nose blinked in the change of light. “An’ what are you two doing here?”

                Adelaide adjusted her brother’s arm across her shoulders, “We are here to serve out the papers you signed, Sir.”

                “An’ what am I to do with a boy who can’t even stand up, and young girl like yerself?” His voice rasped like old husks of corn in a fall breeze.

                “I used to help my family on our small plot of land.” She looked up defiantly at the man standing on the porch above them. “I’ve got a strong back and I can clean house better than many girls.”

                “And I can cook, Sir.” James spoke up next to his sister for the first time and Wreke’s attention snapped to the boy.

                “Oh, can ye now?”

                “Yes, Sir, just as well as my sister here.” James glanced at his sister. “And she’s just as good as me when it comes to outdoor work. Our father and mother thought we should learn everything and help with everything around a house.” He sighed, and rested more heavily against Adelaide.

                Wreke scratched at his scalp with his free hand, the rifle still in his other hand. He squinted at them. “So I don’t have to sign any more papers for you?” he directed the question to Adelaide.

                She shook her head. “No. The family I was promised to released me so that I could stay with my brother.” She re-adjusted James arm again. “I’m here of my own free will.”

                Wreke’s expression cracked into a crooked smile. “Well all right then. Two for the papers of one.” He turned to go back inside the cabin. When he noticed the other two had not followed he turned and waved a hand towards them.

                James and Adelaide looked at each other, and with small hobbling steps, made their way up to the open front door.