Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Not one of them is alone…”

Song of Solomon 4:2

Clark Lewis Dangerpride rode across the Prairie towards the home he had grown up in. Things had been going well under his alias as Clay Rangerguide. It felt so good to help out the Freegrace family in their time of need. The timing of his arrival seemed, well almost divinely orchestrated, either that or expertly crafted by the writer of this story for excellent dramatic effect. He hadn’t been home yet as he knew pulling the wool over his mother’s eyes would be much harder than his current deception at the Freegrace home. And of course, there was his father. The thought of him made Clark’s blood boil and his face flush with anger. Bart Dangerpride had been the reason he’d left, and the thought of seeing him almost made him turn back for the safety and warmth and of Aggie’s home cooking and Isaac’s gentle spirit.

His thoughts were pleasantly diverted at the thought of Aggie. How beautiful she was! How wise! How kind! How thoughtful! How… in this moment, Clark realized that he was, well, quite smitten with Agatha Tabitha Freegrace, but in a very manly kind of way of course. Lately, they had been taking walks together every evening. They talked about everything, everything but Clark’s real identity, that he was in fact her dear childhood friend come home at last. She’d even mentioned to “Clay” that he reminded her of someone from her past.

Lately, their conversations had revolved around God. Both expressed having sort of lost the faith. Although he was happy to find that he and Agatha could identify on this topic, he found himself a little disappointed that she had given up on this area of her life. It saddened him. If Agatha couldn’t hold onto the faith rooted in her family, since her grandfather A.T. Freegrace had come out West to bring the good news to the Western Settlers, than he wondered if anyone could hold on, least of all a washed up cowherd like himself with an awful past hovering above him like a dark rain cloud no matter where he went. However, he sensed in their conversations that both of them were yearning for something, probably for the God that they were pushing from their lives, but that might just be the manipulative author trying to force spiritual undertones into what could survive as a plain old romance novel.

NO, IT IS ME CLARK.

The all caps voice startled Clark.

I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE VERY END OF THE RANGE.

Clark felt in the presence of something holy, something larger than his broad and manly frame. He would have to tell Aggie about it later, maybe it could help her, help them to find the God they had both turned their back on, because they thought he had turned his back on them. As he rode toward his childhood home, he did so with a new purpose.

As his horse galloped into the Dangerpride’s yard, Clark saw a young women, barely out of girlhood kicking around the dirt in front of the house, humming to herself, her back somewhat hunched, and her hands in her apron pockets. Could it be? Nina had been so young when he’d left. She looked sad and distracted, and Clark felt guilt rush over him. He’d left her here to deal with this all on her own. He’d left her with their father and their overworked mother to fend for herself. She had staid, and he had gone, following his own selfish dreams. A solitary tear fell down his cheek, and not a tear more, as he looked upon his dear Nina. He quickly brushed the tear off his face with a handkerchief that Agatha loned him. In the bottom corner it had “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn” embroidered on it, which didn’t really make sense to him. If Agatha knew she had accidentally given him her biblically based Romantic love handkerchief instead of the “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” hanky, she’d probably have been mortified, but a little bit pleased.

Clark decided he would approach his sister. He dismounted his horse and began to walk towards the girl. He swallowed back the fear in his throat and finally spoke, “Hello Miss.” The sound of Clark’s voice startled Nina out of her sullen reverie, and she let out a quick scream, than quickly covered her mouth. Clark wondered why? It was then that he heard a familiar gruff voice from inside the walls of the Dangerpride home.

“Nina! Quit making so much noise! I am trying to get a moment’s rest in here. You know I’m not well! If its some strange man, tell him he can have you, but you won’t be of much worth to him. I think he’ll be giving me the better end of the deal,” Bart hadn’t changed a bit since Clark left, and he watched as Nina’s face colored at the cruel words of her father, ashamed to have this stranger hear them. Clark could barely refrain from throwing his arms around his sister, telling her that this man was his father too, that they were in this together again, but he held back. Revealing his identity would have all kinds of repercussions. Already, he had staid longer than planned, and now there was Aggie, and now… Nina.

“I’m sorry Pa!” Nina’s voice was small and trembling.

“You better be, or when I get better and can get out of this here bed, you’ll have it coming to you.” Nina’s eyes moved to the ground, and Clark noticed she was struggling to keep back tears. After a dramatic pause, Clark extended his hand to the sister he’d left behind,

“Sorry to have frightened ya, I’m Clay, Clay Rangerguide, I’m new in town. I’m giving a hand over at the Freegrace farm, and I just wanted to meet the neighbors.” Nina met his extended hand with her own, but still kept her eyes leveled at the ground.

“Well, you sure must be new, or you’d know that we’re not the kind of neighbors you visit around here. No one comes out to the Dangerpride place, and I guess you can see why!” Her voice was tight, filled with emotion and hurt that seemed deep-seated in her young heart.

“Well, I’m here aint’ I? You seem awful normal to me. What’s your name?” Clark tried to gently bring his sister some hope and comfort, as he had been unable to do these many years away.

“I’m Nina. I would introduce you to my Pa, only he’s a cranky old drunk, bedridden with some illness I pray to God will kill him. You won’t be able to meet my Mama, she’ll be working late into the night, cleaning for rich folks downtown. I suggest you move onto the next house.” Clark’s heart cringed at the awful situation he found his sister in, and his mother, worked to the bone as usual. He’d been so selfish to run away.

“Well you know Miss Nina, I don’t come from the most pleasant of places either, but I’m sure that doesn’t necessarily make us as ugly as our pasts. I’m glad to meet you. Your welcome over at the Freegrace farm anytime you wish, you hear?” Nina’s eyes finally lifted above the ground and met Clark’s eyes. She looked at him deeply, mysteriously. Clark panicked as he saw recognition in her eyes.

“Sorry…you remind me of my brother. That’s another thing about this family, we have a runaway son that never came back home, left us in the dust… Well, I’m sorry I keep complaining. It’s been, just, such an awful day, and then Pa got upset. I’m sorry. Thanks for your kindness, but I’m sure you’ll find much pleasanter people to be around elsewhere in Sunshine Salvation Valley.” Before he could interject another word, Nina ran into the house, slamming the door behind her. He had to do something. Aggie would know what to do. Of course, dear Aggie! He got on his horse, regretting the way he’d left his family, but excited for the opportunity to make it right. Clark felt an italicized thought rising up in his heart, and although he resisted it at first, he let it loose, what could be the harm:

Father, help my family. Help Nina.