Eloise

"Hsst! El, look!" Sam hissed quietly.

I lifted my eyes and turned my gaze where he was looking, watching the wagon roll into town in confusion.

"Who's that?" I asked softly, pegging the sheet to the line as I watched.

"That's Buel Faust."

"From the mountain?" I asked in shock, looking at the older man and then the younger man in the seat next to him. "I've heard tell of the Faust's from the mountain! Is it true what they say?"

"Dunno for sure, but I do know that last fall Buel came down with a girl, his daughter, and she was looking for a husband. Spoke to James Kennison and he left back up the mountain with her and Buel the next day! Three years yon he came with the oldest boy and he asked after Mellissa Ames, Julia Dufresne and Gail Miles. They all said no, then the next year he came with another son and that son spoke to two other girls. Julia was one of'm and the next day she went on up the mountain with them."

"So he does just bring his sons down the mountains for wives?"

"Daughters too. I saw her! She was almost big as James and you remember how big he was? I heard they're all big, all the sons and daughters. All as big as Buel is. Which one do you guess that is? I heard tell he has a full dozen kids up there on the mountain, all living with or close to him and his wife. He aims to bring them once a year to find them a husband or wife. You think he has many more daughters?"

"You have a thought on going up the mountain and living a hard life up there?" I asked Sam softly, moving so I could watch the wagon roll to a stop in front of the inn across the road.

"Mostly have a wonder to know if all his girls look like the one who came last year," Sam grinned. "Look at the size of'm!" Sam whispered in surprise as the young man stood and stepped off the wagon like the base wasn't a good four feet off the ground. Buel stepped off the other side and the wagon rocked with the weight of the two large men offloaded from it. "He won't find much of what he's looking for, all the women like Julia and Gail are married off now. Sharon might fit his needs, but her pa says she's too young yet."

"Abigail is a fairly big girl, won't she suit his needs?" I asked curiously.

"Abby is thick, but not big like they always look for. They need someone who'll work hard. Abby just eats hard. She can cook though, so maybe."

"Don't be an ass, Abby is sweet and she's not..."

"Oh, don't go all defensive! I know she's your friend, I'm just telling you what a man sees when he looks at her. She's a bit thick and likes to eat more than she likes to work. She's nice as anyone, she's just... not what they're looking for. They always look for girls who're strong as men. How old you imagine he is? He looks older than a man just looking to wed? You figure they're all old enough and just waiting turns? Maybe I should ask how many girls they have up there?"

"You're really keen on a hard life up there? You've heard the stories."

"Sure I have... but you didn't see her! She was something! And if she has sisters... I can see as a hard life wouldn't be so bad with the right incentive. Anyhow, I've never been afraid of hard work. So you think he does? Have more daughters of age?"

"Go on and ask, you're so keen."

"Will ya miss me, El?"

"Hardly. Might not like having to do your share of the work."

Sam snorted. "Least YOU don't have to worry about being plucked up by one of them."

"I'm a hard worker!"

"You weigh less than that pack of furs he's toting in!" Sam chuckled. "Come on, let's go in and see Pa talk to them!" he whispered, slipping in the back door.

I followed quickly, slipping up the stairs to check on our mother. She gave me a wan smile as she pulled biscuits from the oven with her shaking hands.

"Ok, Eloise?"

"Fine, Mama. There's men here, Faust's from up the mountain. They're talking to Papa about furs I think. I think Sam aims to tuck in their wagon and go on and find him a Faust girl to marry up there."

She chuckled weakly. "He'd come back down soon enough. Hard life up there. Go on and make sure he don't put a foot in it, and make sure your Papa don't need anything."

"Yes Mama," I called, turning and hurrying down the little spiral staircase that led down into the shop. It came out in the back, near the fabric so I wasn't worried as I swung down the stairs at full speed so I could sneak around and see up front.

A wall had appeared at the bottom that hadn't been there an hour ago and I slammed into it at a full swing. Hands caught me as I blinked and tried to get my bearings, then I stared at the man from the wagon.

The giant from the wagon.

I was still a few steps from the bottom and he was looking down at me in a quiet confusion as I looked up at him. He was the wall. Why had he been back here by the steps? By the fabric and notions?

His eyes bore into mine, dark brown on his tanned face. His long dark blonde hair was wild and held partially back by a leather cord and he looked half wild himself. The shirt he wore was older than he was and threadbare, stretched over his massive chest and arms, and oddly clean. Like it was rarely ever worn at all, only when he had to wear it around people down the mountain.

"El?" Sam called softly, coming around the corner.

I didn't move, staring at the man holding my arms and staring at me.

"Colton," the older man called, also coming around the corner. "You find that fabric your sister asked for? Colt?"

Colton didn't answer, we didn't look away from each other at all, but of us still frozen and him looking thoughtful.

"The girl have a name?" the older man asked Sam.

"Eloise, but we call her El. El? You ok?"

Swallowing hard, I finally realized I was just staring like a loobie and I looked down. I gave Sam a nod, blushing to my toes as I glanced back up at the man still holding my arms firmly.

"The girl," Buel called back up to the front of the store. "What's her age?"

"Girl?" Papa asked, confused.

"El is 19, just short," Sam offered quickly. "She's always been little, but she's a scrapper. She can lift as much as other girls her age and she's a hard worker."

Papa came around the corner, then puffed up in offense. "Take your hands off my girl!" he demanded loudly.

I jerked back, horrified as I looked at Papa and shook my head. "No! No, Papa, I just ran into him is all! He caught me and kept me from falling! I wasn't paying attention and I came down like I always do! I... I'm sorry," I told Colton, blushing all over again.

Colton finally released my arms, but it was reluctant as he looked me over and watched me come all the way down the steps. I hurried to my father, but glanced back at the man again, looking up at the way his huge frame was hunched in the small space and his head brushed the ceiling.

"Go on out through the front," Papa demanded quickly. "See Tate about getting me those..."

"Eloise," Colton called, speaking as if tasting the name. "I'm Colton Faust and I live up the mountain. Come back up with me and we'll be wed. You can be my wife since I need one."

"You ask her Pa before you ask the girl around here," Papa growled. "She ain't meant for that kind of life! She's too delicate for it and anyhow, she's spoken for! She's promised."

"Papa, I told you, I don't want to marry Henry! We talked about this and you..."

"Go on and do as you're told!" Papa yelled. "Go speak to Tate about them rabbits!"

I hurried away, feeling both horrified and thrilled. Colton Faust had just asked me to marry him! Even though I wasn't as big or capable as most girls.

Maybe I was just the first girl he'd seen who wasn't his sister? Once he saw the other girls, he'd realize that I was no great prize.

I was also upset that Papa was still trying to press Henry Dufresne on me. He knew I had no like for the man! Old as my Papa at least, he had a daughter grown and married himself. To one of the Faust boys, no less.

I stopped in to see Tate and left there with a brace of coneys.

As I came back up the road, Buel and Colton were coming out of Papa's store, both of them looking upset as they crossed to the inn.

Colton saw me stopped up the street and he paused and watched me from a distance. I stared back, feeling that thrilled feeling come back as I looked up at him.

Buel stepped back and spoke to the man, but Colton didn't answer as we stared at each other. Buel spoke again and Colton finally looked away, glancing back at Papa's shop. I looked too and Papa was in the door, glaring at them and scowling at me.

Feeling upset at him, I ignored Papa and walked right up to Colton, looking up at him.

"Eloise!" Papa called angrily.

"I have no care for the likes of Henry Dufresne," I told Colton. "And I have no intention of being his wife no matter what anyone says."

"Return with me when we leave," Colton demanded softly, stepping closer.

I felt my face burning as I watched Papa step out of the door and call to me again, more loudly and more angrily. I knew this would probably earn me a switching, but I didn't care.

"There are a great many ladies who may be more suited to you and your needs... not just the first girl you laid eyes on when you arrived and..." I began.

"No. You're not. I've seen a great many women and you are the first I've asked. Ever."

"This isn't the only town I come to," Buel rumbled, giving Papa a dark look as Papa started across the street. "Colton has been to every town but this one and has never found anyone he likes the looks of or even wanted to speak to."

"Eloise!" Papa hissed, taking my arm and jerking the rabbits from me. "I said come on!"

"Papa, I should have..."

"Enough!" Papa growled, yanking me back to the store.

I looked back at Colton and he was several steps closer to me, his father holding his arm and speaking to him softly. He looked angry and concerned both as he watched Papa pull me inside.

An hour later I was hunched in on myself, my back burning from the switching, as I cleaned the rabbits and cut them up to fry. Papa was pacing and yelling at me, telling me how stupid it was of me to appear to be accepting of a offer to go up the mountain with the Fausts.

"It's a hard life," Mama cut in, then coughed into her kerchief.

"Do you think ALL his daughters are married?" Sam asked, scraping the rabbit hides dejectedly.

"And do you really want to leave and never see your family again?" Papa demanded. "You could be comfortable and happy right here close to home! Henry knows you're not as capable as other girls and he doesn't mind at all that he'd have to take care of you!"

"Henry is OLD! And I don't have a care for Henry at all! I should be able to choose!" I cried, upset.

"You can't really want that beast of a man! He's a monster, El, they all are! You couldn't be a real wife to him and the moment he finds you can't have kids he wouldn't want you anyway! Henry already has a daughter and doesn't want more children."

"You don't know that I can't have children, you just assume!" I mumbled, slamming the knife down on the joint angrily.

"El, don't talk back," Mama called softly, touching my arm. "And you know good and well it wouldn't be fair to a man who wants children to take you on with the small chance there is for you. Especially a man his size if what your Pa says is true."

"It is," Sam spoke up. "He couldn't even stand up all the way in the shop!"

"See? How could you think it fair to marry a man like that? Even if you might have kids someday, it would never be possible for the likes of him at his size. It's unfair all around, Eloise."

"I'm not saying I would marry him... or even that he might actually want me... just that I should get to have some choice in it! And either way that goes, I'll not marry Henry! I hate the way he looks at me and I..."

"Enough! That's enough of that, he's a good man! A nice man and he wants you even though you're of no real use like most women are! He knows you can't have kids and he knows you're sickly and frail and he don't care! He said he'd take care of you and see you have all you need! And you'll be right here close to me and your ma! Don't you want that? To be close? Where you can still visit and come around and help your Ma?"

"I don't want to marry Henry!" I cried again, dropping the knife and covering my face as tears came up. "I'll let it go and never speak to Colton or of the Faust's again, but please don't make me marry Henry!"

"It's done, El," Papa snapped irritably. "I already told him you would. I told him last Sunday after church. It's set for Saturday at 10 AM."

"No! Papa, please!"

"Enough! I won't hear more about it! You're a lucky girl that anyone wants you at all with the way things are, El!"

"Pa," Sam winced. "It's not so bad as that. She's wanted! Gene and Whit both say how pretty she is!"

"Pretty means little when it's time to start a life! A family! It's not enough! A man needs a woman next to him who can work and help! Not a burden!"

I cut my eyes to Mama who was blushing. Tears welled in her eyes and just in that moment, I didn't like Papa very much. She hadn't started out a burden, she'd gotten sick later after she'd had Sam. When she'd had me, she'd shut down almost completely. She could hardly leave the house anymore or go downstairs at all.

Sam moved behind Mama and hugged her from behind, then kissed the top of her head before moving over to start scraping the next skin. "Gene has asked me more than once if I thought El might have him," Sam offered. "He just got that new piece too, right next to his folks place. Still close, but..."

"The discussion is closed. She's marrying Henry on Saturday. Not another word about it," Papa snapped.

Dropping the knife, I fled down the stairs and out the back door. Running all the way to the copse of trees near the creek, I threw myself down in my favorite spot and hugged the tree as I sobbed brokenly.

An hour, then another passed until darkness swept over me and I still stayed where I was. I didn't want to go home, not ever. I didn't want to marry Henry!

"El?"

The call made me jerk my head up in alarm, shocked at how close it was.

"El, your father told me he spoke to you," Henry called softly, then sat down next to me as I tensed up. "He also told me you had another offer? You have to realize it wasn't a true offer. Not from the likes of any of the Faust boys. It was an impetuous and thoughtless jest thrown out by a man who didn't know how tender your feelings are. How easily you care. Don't think for a second that he..."

"I don't care about Colton Faust or his offer!" I interrupted angrily. "Did Papa tell you that I have no want to marry a man older than him?"

"I understand your concerns, El, I do... and it hurts my heart a bit to think that with all I am willing to overlook for you that you aren't willing to overlook such a small thing for me. I'm still a man in my prime, Eloise! I have a lot to give to the right woman! I think you at least owe me the opportunity to show you that I can be just as much of a husband to you as a man your own age. I am just as capable! It's unfair of you to judge me so harshly! Can you find it within yourself to soften your heart towards me? Your father has already promised me your hand, El, all that's left is for you to decide if you'll allow yourself to be happy or not," he told me in his terse and unemotional way that I hated so much.

"You could also consider my feelings and allow that I have no want to marry you! Understand and accept it! You could bow out and..."

"That is not going to happen, Eloise. You simply need to resolve yourself to the fact that you WILL be my wife. Saturday morning, it is going to happen, do you understand? Nothing you can say or do now will change that, I just truly hope that I won't need to spend the first day of our marriage punishing you for misbehaving. Is that going to be an issue, Eloise?"

Turning away, I didn't answer him, even more angry at my father now.

"Eloise, I require an answer."

Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes and considered running away. Maybe I would climb into the back of the Faust's wagon and come out when they got home. Hope they didn't take me right back home, maybe find me a place where I could help out as much as I could. Maybe Colton might even be serious about taking me as a wife.

"Eloise!" Henry snapped loudly, jerking me around to face him. "I told you to answer me! Do you need to be reprimanded here and now?" he asked, shaking me.

"Let go!" I demanded, trying to pry his grip off of me. Henry wasn't a huge man, but he was larger than Papa and much larger than me. His grip was unrelenting as he jerked me again and glared down at me with his piercing blue eyes and wildly curly brown hair that needed a trim badly. "LET GO!" I cried again as his grip tightened.

Growling, Henry gripped my throat and shoved me hard to the ground as he leaned over me. "I WILL punish you if I need to, Eloise! Do not push me! I won't have you acting spoiled and giving me troubles!"

"Please let go?" I cried fearfully, tugging at his wrist.

"Act accordingly if you wish to be treated more kindly! I won't allow you to misbehave! You will stop struggling and you WILL answer me respectfully and quickly when I address you! I am to be your husband and you WILL be a good and dutiful wife to me! Now answer me!"

"Please! Please, I'm sorry! Let go!" I cried fearfully.

"Answer my question!"

"I'm sorry! What question, please!"

"Were you not even listening to me?" he demanded angrily, his grip tightening around my throat as he shook me again.

"Please!" I wailed, trying to kick at him and get away.

"No! You will never strike at me or try and cause me harm! You're a willful, spoiled creature! Undeserving of the affection I hold for you! You're weak and helpless, good for absolutely nothing and yet I am still willing to take you as my wife and you balk as if I am undeserving? Ungrateful little bitch! You are good for one thing in this world, one thing only!" he growled, rolling over the top of me, his body pressing to mine. "As my wife you will perform your wifely duties for me! Daily! Nightly! Whenever I please! It's all you're good for! All anyone could ever want from the likes of you! All you're good for at all! What's between your legs is all any man could want, including me! Ungrateful little bitch! Acting as though I'm not good enough when all you are is a useless WHORE! Not even good enough to be a real whore, just trash that can be used by a man who cared to try and be good to you! But I'm not good enough for you! So that's all you are good for, Eloise! I won't even try to be good to you, I'll just use you like the whore you are!" he grated, his fingers so tight around my throat I was fighting to breathe.

His other hand jerked my skirts up, but I hardly noticed as I pried at his fingers around my throat and tried to twist away. He tore away my underclothes, then his fingers on my bare pussy lips made me croak in fear and struggle harder as my vision began going black.

Henry's head jerked back and his fingers suddenly went slack before his head came back down and landed lifelessly next to my face. I sucked in air, still trying to move away from him as his body laid limply over mine. I didn't know what happened, but I didn't care. All I cared about was trying to breathe and the fact that he was no longer groping between my legs.

Seconds later, Henry was hauled off of me and tossed aside, still unmoving. I tried to see in the dark, but all I could make out was a silhouette with the lights of town behind them.

A hand touched my shoulder and I grasped it as I sucked in more air, imagining it must be Sam. The hand was too large and calloused to be Sam, but I didn't care. Whoever it was had just saved me. Saved me from being raped and possibly being killed as well, I wasn't sure. I only knew Henry had been working himself up to use me right then and there.