Following an Untamed Heart – Extended Epilogue

4 years later

“Granny,” the little girl shouted, and Victoria held out her arms to sweep the three-year-old onto her lap. She kissed the top of the little one’s head and smiled at Kanu.

“Thank you for this,” she said. “And this,” she added as the twin boy climbed onto the sofa beside her, holding out the wooden cart he had been pulling around on a piece of string.

“Oh, it is lovely to have you for them to climb on, and I can have a drink of lemonade in peace.

“Lemonade please,” little Vicky asked.

Kanu sighed and stood up. “I will take these drinks outside for you, and you can sit on the steps.” The two little ones jumped down and ran to the door. Victoria followed and took her own glass to the veranda.

“This is just wonderful,” she said. “You have done so much in the time since you were married.”

“I do appreciate my in-laws are a real bonus here.” Kanu laughed and sat in the lounger on the veranda. “The plan you gave us for the house was what we needed to make the decision.”

“It sits nicely on the land behind the store as well,” Victoria observed. “I will walk over there after this and see if Iluii needs anything doing.”

“She has been a godsend,” Kanu reflected. “Especially once I knew I was having the babies. We had just started to build the house, and we hurried to finish it so that she could have the one behind the store. That baby born in the forest is four now and quite a little handful.”

Kanu carried her glass and went down the porch steps to look behind the house. John waved as he came out of the stables, and she held up the glass to see if he wanted a drink. He came over, and the two children raced on their sturdy little legs to grab at him. He whisked them up and carried one under each arm, kicking and squealing over to their mom and his own mom. Kanu went for a beer for him, and he sank onto a chair.

“I hope you two are not plotting another trip to New York. I could not face it again just now.” His mother laughed and told him he was quite safe. “I don’t quite like my wife being a pin-up girl.” He smiled at her. “Even though she did look a million dollars.”

“You made the society pages of the newspapers,” Victoria smiled at the recollection.

“I will keep the copy safe,” Kanu told her. “I adore that coat. It only comes out on special occasions,” Kanu said. “The hat was a work of art.”

“I knew as soon as I met you that your face was just right for modeling the hats. With plaits around the crown and the hats set in the middle, it just worked.” She took a breath. “Have to admit that my husband is an artist. Talking of which, is Amitola coming over here, or are we going to see her at the ranch?”

“We will go over there this afternoon. Mulii has more time once the midday meal is over.”

“Meg relies on her so much now that she finds walking quite difficult,” John said.

“I think you will like the paintings,” Kanu told Victoria. “The schoolmaster has been a great help to her, and they made space at the ranch where she could work.”

“I have news for them.” Kanu and John both looked at her. Victoria was always plotting something or other. She smiled.

“Two things. One is that the art gallery has already bought two paintings.”

“Good heavens. That is amazing,” John exclaimed.

“I have money for her that Mulii can look after until she is older, but the college in New York is willing to take her as a student.” She paused. “I will tell her she can live with me to keep her safe if she would like to go there.”

“That is just overwhelming,” Kanu said. “Will a sixteen-year-old be able to deal with that?”

“That is what we will have to talk about. We will see what they all think later.”

John drained his beer.

“I will ride across with you. Maddison can cope here.”

Kanu laughed. “He will be straight in to see Iluii as soon as we are out of sight.”

“Just to be selfish.” John grinned. “If she would say yes to him, he could move in with her, and I would have him at hand all the time.” He went back over to where the man in question was moving some cattle from one pen to another. The women walked across to the corral to see the ponies.

“We keep the Appaloosas near to the house. It seems there are folk who would steal them at the drop of a hat. John has taken on another two men who come in daily like Maddison.”

The spotted ponies were in their corral, and Lola was a lovely-looking mare. She had done a lot of training and was a joy to ride. She came trotting over to see Kanu, who was the one who rode her the most. Kanu also often had treats in the pockets of her pinafore. Kanu fished in her pockets and found some pieces of apple. The ponies took the treats, and the new foal called Lily was given a small piece as well.

“I love her,” Victoria said. “What a little star.”

“She knows that she is a star,” Kanu said. “Lily is a great attraction. She always has folk dropping by to see her. Especially the children.”

“Will all the future ponies have names beginning with L?” Victoria wondered. Kanu laughed and said it was a good idea. She turned and looked back at the house and the store. “I never thought that I would have a house this size.”

“Or one that was designed in New York.” Victoria put an arm around her shoulders.

“I love New York,” Kanu told her. “I don’t want to live there, but visiting is so good. This house is like a piece of that place in Vestacourt.” They started back toward the house, and Kanu called for the children. Victoria went toward the store to see if Iluii needed a hand.

Kanu shook her head. “There will be folk dropping in just to find out if you are there for a chat.”

“I did bring some new materials and things.”

“They will fly out the door. People love them.” She took the twins by the hand and stopped them following Gran. Victoria Alu Maclean and Jonny Scott Maclean were named after both grandparents. Both sets of grandparents adored them. It fell to Mom to be the strict one, and the pair settled down in the house with some toys from a box in the corner. Kanu worked in the kitchen to make some food for midday. Then they would take the carriage to the ranch so that the children could come along as well.

The midday meal was cheerful, and Kanu had what she told Cindy, a few years ago, that she wanted. It was a big kitchen table with lots of people eating together. She made food for her own family as well as Maddison and the two other men that now worked on the ranch. The children sat on proper seats now with cushions to allow them to reach the table. The talk was about the ranch, the cattle, and the horses. The men also had families in town, and Kanu managed to hear all the gossip in the place. Victoria loved this and cast her spell on the hands the same way that she had done with Benny and Noah in the time before the marriage.

“I still expect to see Stag and Beth at the ranch, but they seem happy at the reservation,” Kanu remarked.

“He is finding more and more members of the tribe and trying to keep them together,” John added.

Afterwards, Kanu went over to the store to see that Iluii was happy to keep things going in the afternoon. The woman had been such a great help to Kanu, and she also loved the horses and would lend a hand there as well if needed.

“We are going to see Mullii and Amitola,” she told Iluii. “Her paintings have been bought in New York.”

“I will be fine here,” Iluii said.

“I can take Ollii with me,” Kanu offered, but the woman shook her head.

“Thanks, but he is being a good boy today.” She glanced across at her son, who was studiously building with wooden blocks.

“No doubt Maddison will come and lend a hand,” Kanu said and gave her a grin.

Iluii smiled back. “Ollii loves him. I think that is why he is better behaved now because Maddison plays with him.” She hesitated and then told Kanu that Maddison wanted to marry her. Kanu went and hugged her.

“What will you say?”

“I am scared,” the woman told her. “I lost one husband. Some people might not like a white man marrying me. I might put him in danger.”

“Do you want to marry him?” Kanu asked. Iluii nodded and bit her lip. “Then you say yes, make two people very happy and let other people put up with it.”

Iluii smiled. “Can I stay here?”

Kanu held out her arms and folded them around this woman that had become her friend and the person who worked with her every day.

“I would be horror-stricken if you left,” she said. “He can move in here with you.”

“Really?” Iluii was genuinely amazed.

“Is that what has been worrying you?” Kanu asked with realization dawning. Her friend nodded.

“I want a wedding planned by the time we come home.” She straightened up and left the girl to look after the store. Back at the house, she asked Victoria quietly if she would mind if the bracelet they had bought in New York could be given away. Her mother-in-law came with her to the bedroom and found out about the conversation in the store. The bracelet was taken downstairs.

John brought his horse and the carriage to the door; the children were dressed in clean dungarees and sat on each side of Victoria. John mounted his horse, but Kanu ran across to the stable.

She put an arm around Maddison and handed him the bracelet.

“Ask her again,” she said and ran off before he could ask any questions. She climbed onto the driving seat and clicked the horse into action. John looked slightly mystified but said nothing and closed the gate behind the carriage. Kanu could hear Victoria telling the children to sit up straight and behave themselves.

“Everyone is watching you, and they will remember if you are naughty.” Kanu smiled but did not turn around. Her mother-in-law was a wonder. She glanced at John, who smiled as well. He had heard the instructions as well, and it brought back his own childhood. He touched the stone at his chest, and hers warmed against her skin.

“Love you,” she mouthed at him, and he winked.

Everything stopped at the ranch as the visitors arrived. Mulii’s little boy was at school, and the children were given treats to eat as they sat in the small house and played with the toys left in a box. Amitola was not at school but was painting in the room that Bill had made available for her. Victoria told them about the art gallery and her offer of a home for the girl.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“If she is with Victoria, she will be safe,” Mulii said, “but will the other people at the college accept an Indian girl?”

“I will protect her,” Victoria answered. “If they do not, I can move her to a private teacher.”

“If she does not like it, we can bring her back here,” John added. Mulii nodded and said she would go and find Amitola, and they could ask her. The sixteen-year-old came in wondering what it was all about.

“Does nobody like the paintings?” she asked.

Victoria smiled and told her to sit down.

“There are two things here. You are just about grown up now and can decide what you want to do.” Amitola nodded. “Lots of the men who work all week only make about ten or fifteen dollars,” she started. She put eighty dollars on the table. “This is eighty dollars. Forty for each picture that the gallery bought.” Amitola opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Victoria reached out and touched her arm. “You can go on painting here, and we will probably sell some more, or you can come to New York with me and go to art college.” Amitola looked from one to the other of them.

“It is a big decision,” Kanu said. “You can think about it.”

“You would live with my mom, and she would keep you safe,” John added.

“You are a very talented artist, but you need to learn more about using the paint. If you would rather have a teacher who just teaches you alone, we can arrange that instead of the college,” Victoria added.

“I would have to pay for my room with the money from my paintings,” Amitola managed to start to work things out.

“I would not charge you for a room. I would love to have you there, and if you wanted to make a  little money, you could help in the factory. In fact, my husband would like some pictures painted of the hats.”

“Well, well,” the girl stammered.

“Think about it,” Kanu said, but Amitola shook her head.

“I would love to go to the college and learn how to paint properly. Thank you.”

Victoria rushed over and hugged her.

“Wonderful. We will have to leave next week.”

Amitola went off to tell Meg in the ranch house, and the others talked about it and planned what the girl would need to take with her. They left to return home to find a smiling couple at the store. Iluii was wearing the bracelet, and Maddison was holding her hand. Kanu rushed over and hugged them both.

“She said yes?” He nodded and beamed. Then he picked up little Ollii who was tugging at his trousers. He put the lad on his shoulders and ran in a circle. Ollii giggled and screamed as he was turned upside down and then put back on the ground.

“Make plans, set a date, and I will come back for the wedding,” Victoria told them.

The family left them to lock up the store, and when they had eaten a light meal, sat around the fireside going over the day.

“What a time,” John said. “Amitola going to college, Iluii marrying Maddison. This place is good for all of us.”

Then as they sat back with a whiskey each, the sheriff knocked on the door.

“What’s wrong?” John asked.

“This woman asks for you.” He turned to a figure by his side wearing dirty clothes, hair all straggled, tear stains on her cheeks, and would have sagged to the floor had Joe not caught her arm.

“Who is …” John started to ask, but his mother beat him to it and ran forward.

“Hannah Belinda? Is that you? What happened to you?”

The girl was helped inside by the sheriff and collapsed, crying onto a chair.

“I think some of the journey she must have walked,” Joe told them. “She came in on the woodyard cart. They found her on the trail.”

“When did you eat?” Kanu asked.

“Two days ago,” Hannah whispered. Kanu went to rustle up some soup and bread for the woman, and they helped her to the table. They all sat around the table and saw that she was ravenous and fell on the food until it was gone. Kanu poured some more soup, and that disappeared as well. They gave her some coffee, and she sat back.

“Now,” Victoria asked. “How did you come to be in this state?

“I know you hate me, Missus Maclean, but I thought John would feel sorry for me. My father threw me out. I had no money except a little in my purse.”

“Why did he throw you out?” Kanu asked.

“The man I had fallen for and had the affair with told him about it to make trouble for me.”

“Calvin Madrid?” Victoria exclaimed, and John looked at her.

“You had an affair with that … that … that … ignoramus?” John asked with amazement.

“It was a stupid thing to do, but I really thought he loved me.”

“I think her father is the ignoramus,” Kanu said. “How he ever thought those materials were good quality, I really do not know. Then he threw out his own daughter. The man must be a halfwit.” Hannah Belinda Ryan looked at Kanu with wide eyes, and then she burst out laughing.

“That is the best thing I have heard in a very long time. You are so right. I saw your picture in the paper. You looked absolutely fabulous.”

“Don’t you dare try and lay a hand on my husband, or I will not be so amenable,” Kanu warned, but she said it with a smile, and Hannah knew she was making light of it.

“I just need help to find a job and a place to stay to get back on my feet. I will not go back to New York.”

“Please don’t dye your hair blonde again,” Victoria said. “Even messed up, it is better in the real color.” Hannah Belinda smiled and agreed.

”Well, you can stay here. That is easy, but what sort of job would you look for?” Kanu asked and glanced at John, who nodded.

“The hotel needs a waitress,” Joe put in.

“I could do that,” Hannah said. “Can you ask them if I could try it?”

“I will,” he said and made for the door. “Let you know in the morning.”

“I’ll heat some water for a bath,” Kanu said. “Sit by the fire and rest.”

When the water was heated, she asked John to help carry the copper to the bathroom and then found some clean clothes for the girl to wear. She took Hannah to the bathroom and told her to leave the dirty clothes, and she would wash them.

“Thank you so much for this. I would understand if you had turned me away.”

“Being turned away is not nice. When you are a different race, it happens often, but New York accepted me. I am lucky to have John, his family, and the business to run. I’ll help you if I can.” She turned to go and then smiled. “I am guessing that your father will pay the price of throwing you out when Victoria goes back home.”

She left the girl smiling and went downstairs.

“She is exhausted. A bath and a night’s sleep will make her feel better.”

“That father of hers is revolting,” Victoria exploded. “At least I know I was right about him all along.”

“Will you tell him?” John asked.

She shook her head. “I will hurt his wallet and make sure other businesses do not trade with him. I am off to bed.”

“Well, who would have thought she would turn up and ask for my help?” John said.

“We are lucky. We have each other, and we can help.” He put his arms around her and took her lips with his own.

“You are beautiful inside and out, my sweetheart,” he told her.

“I am the luckiest woman in the world. I have the best man on earth.” She heard Hannah open the bathroom door and went to show her to a bedroom.

“Relax and sleep tight,” she told her. “You are safe here.” Then she and John looked in to make sure the twins were asleep and went to their own bed.

Curled into his body with his arms holding her close, Kanu smiled.

“You know we have the ranch and the store and the twins?”

“Mmm,” he answered sleepily.

“I think I might be pregnant again.”

John Maclean shot upright in the bed, and she pulled him back down.

“Do you mind?”

“Mind? Mind? I love it. We can surprise Mom tomorrow.” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed the back of her neck.

“Love ya, Kanu Abey Maclean.”

“Love you too, handsome John Maclean. Happy ever after you and I. Happy ever after.”

THE END

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