Chapter Three
"The darkness and anger intensified in Johnny the night our sister, Siobhan, brought Arthur Heyes home for dinner to meet our family. Instantly, Johnny disliked everything about Arthur Heyes, from his city suit to his confident dimpled smile, echoed as joy in Siobhan's eyes. Arthur was an outgoing, educated Easterner, a schoolteacher. He was half English and only half Irish, insisted on calling Siobhan "his Joanie" and he was a Unionist, a Jayhawker. Arthur was polite, but never shy about expressing his opinions. Scowling at every word Arthur said, Johnny's dislike twisted into hate. At the dinner table, Johnny's ice blue eyed stare was meant to make Arthur crumble, but Arthur simply ignored it and gently slipped his arm protectively around Siobhan's waist. When Arthur left, Johnny took a dark pleasure as our father shook his head and told Siobhan, "Too bad he's not all Irish," with a finality she seemed not to question. In Johnny's mind, that removed Arthur Heyes as a beau for his sister. The family needed the money Siobhan made from her sewing and mending. That overrode Johnny's need to have one less burden to support. She would not be marrying that English, loudmouth, Jayhawker.
"Our parents, Siobhan, and I helped Johnny with his boys, but he craved more from life. He knew he deserved more. It was not the longing for love and comfort in the marriage bed he sought. He wanted someone to cook, clean and be available to him each night to fulfill his needs. Someone to give him more sons. One day, pretty, young Elizabeth McNamara caught Johnny's attention. The darkness gripping his soul did not allow Johnny to think of love for Elizabeth, only his need for what she could do for him. He smiled at her in town, looking straight into her blue eyes with his lake blue eyes that matched hers in color, but not in innocence. The intensity of his gaze unnerved her, but at sixteen, she knew little of men. That was the day he decided that Elizabeth McNamara was to be his new wife.
"A month later, at the Fourth of July festival, Elizabeth did her best to avoid Johnny Curry. She was uncomfortable the way the much older man looked at her with his cold as ice blue eyes. Boys her age looked at her shyly; Johnny eyes looked at her as if she were his. Johnny asked Elizabeth to dance, wrapping his arm around her waist when she hesitated. He pulled her behind the livery, kissing her forcefully but without passion. She resisted; this was not the way she had dreamed of a romantic first kiss. Slapping him and trying to hit him, she tried to scream for help, but no sound would come out in her fear. She scratched his face and tried to bite then kick him.
"Johnny laughed, a deep guttural sound, mean rather than joyous, and covered her mouth with his. Elizabeth felt no stirrings of love or passion for this older man with the unnerving smile and hands that were roughly touching her body, just fear. He grabbed her hair and pulling her head back forced another wet kiss on her, jamming his tongue far into her mouth, gagging her. As she tried to get away, Johnny forced her into the livery, into an empty stall, threw her down, lifted her skirt and raped her. He was not gentle. He forced himself inside the virgin, once hard.
"When Elizabeth cried out in pain, he held his hand over her mouth. "Shut up, hold your tongue or I'll give you something new to cry about."
"Done, he got up and walked away without a look back at her, his mission accomplished. Ashamed, repulsed, humiliated, and in pain, Elizabeth did not know what to do. She wanted to die right there and then. Crying softly, she stayed where she was and tried to put her clothes and hair back to a presentable state. Like Johnny's mother, she felt the darkness in him turning evil and wanted to avoid him at all costs. Elizabeth had learned one thing; sex was not a thing of fairy tales – sex hurt.
"Elizabeth slipped away from the festival confused, ashamed of what she had done, of the blood on the back of her skirt and her disheveled appearance. She wanted to cry, to scream, and to wash the smell of him off her, but didn't want anyone to see her; to know what happened in that livery. She ran home avoiding the festival.
"Home for Elizabeth McNamara was two rooms over the mercantile store she shared with her mother since her father and brother were killed in a farming accident. Distraught, her mother had gotten far too little from the sale of their farm and animals to support herself and Elizabeth and had taken a job at the mercantile a friend had offered her. Elizabeth took in laundry and mending for now but had the promise of a nanny position two towns over come spring. There was no male relative in their lives to help them.
"Elizabeth laid on her made bed pondering the ceiling. It had been six weeks since that horrifying, terrible night at the festival and still she had not had her monthly curse. She was, however, violently sick each morning as well as at the mention of eating meat. She raged against the knowledge that she was pregnant. She knew Johnny Curry was the father. She swore she could still smell his sweat and stink on her body. Two thoughts competed for her fear. The first being her mother's reactions to her pregnancy and how it happened. The second was the cruel darkness behind Johnny Curry's cold, blue eyes that frightening night. Her body was not going to let her ignore either of these fears, so she got up, said a silent prayer, wiped away her tears and went to face her mother.
"Johnny smiled at the sight of Elizabeth and her mother talking with his parents in the Curry parlor. The look in his father's eyes told Johnny everything he needed to know. John Sr was disappointed in him but would be decisive. His mandate, that Johnny and Elizabeth must be married immediately, fit Johnny's plans just fine. A young wife to give him more sons with no romance, no delays and no courting involved. He gave no thought to the frightened young, pregnant, teenage girl; she was his means to what he deserved.
"I remember their marriage was quick and quiet. Elizabeth moved to the Curry farm and Johnny's bedroom that same day. Our parents, Siobhan and I, and the boys welcomed her, but Johnny ignored her unless he demanded something he felt his due – dinner, cleaning and his nightly sex. She felt alone but soon became my closest friend. She confided in me about Johnny, but there was nothing we could do about it.
"Elizabeth's pregnancy was not easy; morning sickness and fatigue continued each day. At night, Johnny came in from working, drank before dinner and expected her to spread her legs and welcome him. There was no romance, no foreplay. His smell increased her morning sickness.
"At first, if she did not comply immediately, he slapped her across the face until she complied. Then, he started punching her, blackening her eyes and bloodying her nose. Our parents were horrified at her treatment, but when they confronted her, she would say she was clumsy and fell. Johnny would deny everything.
"Johnny hissed at her in their bed the night after our parents first confronted him about hitting her, vowing to himself to only hit her where it would not show. 'Woman, if they say anything else about the way I treat you, it won't just be you I'm a hitting. Do you understand?'
"Elizabeth nodded and laid back for him and sent her thoughts to the ceiling. She felt alone, lost and desperate. She wanted out of her life but had no options. She lived for the child she was carrying.
"Elizabeth settled into the hopeless routine of her new life. She cooked for Johnny and his sons, getting breakfast before dawn, helped Gramma Curry with the house and light barn chores and was exhausted at the end of each day, only to have Johnny demand she does her wifely duty. It was always brutal, but over quickly. Elizabeth would turn away from him as soon as he was done, her small way of escaping.
"Her pregnancy was exhausting, but her delivery was easy and on time. She gave birth to a healthy, blue-eyed, blonde girl that seemed to be smiling from the moment she was born.
"Johnny's anger at having a daughter was apparent to all of us in the house as he screamed at Elizabeth, 'A daughter? What am I supposed to do with a daughter? Just another useless mouth to feed! I married you to give me more sons, not a daughter.' He stalked out of the house and got drunk in the salon without looking at their child.
"Her daughter was the light in Elizabeth's life. She christened her Margaret Eileen Curry after her grandmothers. She was the apple of her grandparents' eye and her older brothers treated her as if she were a China doll, delighted when they could make her laugh. She brought Elizabeth hope and unconditional love. Elizabeth kept her out of Johnny's way as he had taken to kicking the baby if she was on the floor, ignoring her otherwise. To Johnny, Maggie was a symbol of Elizabeth's failure, and his anger and resentment grew darker each time he saw the baby."
Kerry stopped talking and looked at the grown-up Jed sitting with her, listening but not wanting to hear this. When she caught his eye, the only comment he made was, "Maggie was always like that, smiling, happy, the best big sister."
Heyes watched his cousin carefully. He had never heard how Uncle Johnny and Aunt Elizabeth had met. Now, he did not like what he'd learned. Jed had been so young when they left, Heyes wondered how much he had known. Or how much Jed had known but never told him.
"Maggie was all sunshine and light. It was always bright around her. For an older girl cousin, she sure never snitched on me," Heyes said. Then he remembered the last time they had seen her. Her bloody body, unmoving, next to her mother. He could tell that vision had swept through Curry's mind too.
Kerry continued after taking a sip of her tea to settle her emotions.
"Although our parents and Johnny had closed the door on Arthur Heyes courting her, Siobhan had not. She was 20 years old, stubborn, and old enough to make her own marriage decision. She knew that Arthur Joshua Heyes held her heart and her future. When she brought her sewing and mending back into the city each Tuesday and Friday, they met for lunch and a walk. They talked for hours about everything and nothing. Arthur read vociferously and knew something about almost everything. Siobhan delighted in listening to him. Lately, whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state was his favorite subject. He was strongly in favor of a free state but there were days he would play devil's advocate and argue for a slave state. Siobhan marveled as he spoke eloquently even on the side he could not support. His kindness, confidence and education made him everything our brother was not.
"On those days in the town, I covered for her with our parents saying Siobhan came to the schoolhouse and ate with me. They were so in love and so perfect for each other. Before long, Arthur romantically proposed in the park and three weeks later, they were married in the Catholic Church there. I was the only witness.
"'But it's not my place to tell Ma and Pa,' I told Siobhan firmly after the wedding. 'And Johnny is going to lose that temper of his.'
"'Yeah, Ma and Pa will be disappointed. I'm more scared of Johnny's temper.'
Arthur Heyes smiled a dimpled smile at the sisters and put an arm around each of their shoulders and said, 'It is my place to tell your parents, Joanie dear. We will go to the farm with Kerry tonight, tell them, and collect your things. Kerry, you must think of me as your brother now.
Siobhan looked at him, amazed at his confidence, comforted that he was taking charge, but knowing he had not seen anyone with the dark temper of Johnny. He did not know the violent Johnny that was our family secret.
"'They will be disappointed. Please remember to tell Johnny I will still take in sewing and mending and give them all the money for the farm. And let them know that I would appreciate it if Elizabeth could help with that also. After all, I will have you to take care of now, Arthur.' Her blue-eyed smile charmed Arthur's heart.
"Siobhan knew our family well. Gramma and Grandpa Curry's blue eyes were upset and disappointed. They would not look her in the eye. They were not even courteous to them and asked Siobhan and Arthur to leave immediately, not even giving Arthur a chance to speak. Her things would be sent to her.
"Elizabeth met them in the front as they were leaving and gave them a pillowcase with some of Siobhan's things. 'Good luck to you! I know you will be so happy together! Here, this was all I could grab for now. Kerry and I will get the rest of your things to you. This is for the best, you know, Siobhan, you'll be gone before Johnny gets home.' Elizabeth hugged Siobhan tightly and then Arthur.
"He kissed her gently on her cheek. 'Glad to have you as a new sister, Elizabeth,' Arthur said sweetly, but his brown eyes darkened as, for the first time, he saw bruises on her arm when her sleeve rolled up for a moment.
"Johnny found new friends at the salon now. Men from Missouri who believed, like him, that Kansas should be a slave state. His mind was decided and closed. Slaves supported the economy of the larger farms, and, to Johnny's view, it had always been like that and there was no need to change. These new friends ranted that Kansans, Johnny excepted, had displaced Missouri families and attacked them in four Missouri counties. And they let Johnny buy them drinks all night.
"Arthur Heyes felt the fear, sadness and gloom in the Curry household now that he was considered part of this family. His nature was to "fix" it. His nature was compassionate and his instinct to protect those around him. He was confident he would think and plan his way out of any problem. His Joanie's eyes grew sad often and he knew she was thinking about the troubles at her family home. In four years, Joanie had given him a beautiful daughter, Teresa, followed closely by a son and another daughter, Mary.
"'If I knew you were going to name our son Hannibal, I would have never agreed with you that I name the girls and you name the boys. Why are you saddling him with such a name?' Siobhan asked her husband the night their son was born.
"Arthur smiled with dimples reaching to his expressive brown eyes and wrapping his Joanie in his arms, he kissed her forehead. 'Hannibal is named after a brilliant military commander who took elephants across the Alps to attack Rome. Quite a creative and brilliant leader. I want our Hannibal to have a role model like that.'
"Siobhan sighed. 'Tis still a hard name to give to a little boy.'
"Arthur refused to let Siobhan and their children visit the Curry farm unless he was with them, but the Currys were always welcome at their home in town. When his Joanie was expecting Mary, their youngest, Arthur knew she missed the close contact with her parents and me. She had grown very close to Elizabeth. When the farm next to the Curry's farm became available, he bought it, even though he did not plan on farming it himself. His reasons for buying it were multiple. The reason most widely stated was Joanie wanted to be near her parents and sister. Elizabeth could be more help to her daily with the mending and sewing she took in if they were close neighbors. After all, Siobhan would soon have a third baby to raise.
"Quietly, Arthur knew this also gave Elizabeth and her children a safe haven to come to if they needed. They seemed to be needing that more as time passed. Elizabeth had lost her mother soon after Maggie was born and often seemed desperate to get away from Johnny. Johnny liked the money Elizabeth earned from her sewing so saw no reason to stop her from visiting and helping Siobhan. Siobhan gave all the profits to Elizabeth as her "share" and Elizabeth was quietly grateful. But Arthur had seen more of the bruises that Elizabeth tried to hide. When he confronted her about bruises on Maggie, she said nothing and left, not returning for a week if she knew he was there.
"The more circumspect future reason for the farm was to eventually help slaves on the underground railroad. Arthur planned to support his beliefs with actions and his wife's total agreement. But before that could happen, Arthur hired two young men from town to work the farm under his supervision and it profitably thrived.
"Elizabeth gave birth to a second daughter, Sarah, eleven months after the first, two months before Siobhan had Teresa. While Arthur was delighted to tears at the birth of his first child, a daughter, Johnny expressed his disappointment at Elizabeth's second failure by grabbing her and throwing her against the brick kitchen wall leaving her unconscious before disappearing with his new saloon friends for two weeks. He came back with proud stories of slaves caught and returned to their rightful owners or hung where they were caught. Johnny's main audience was his sons, especially the oldest, George and Frank. Haughtily, he told them of wild rides into Jayhawkers farms and the destruction and death they left behind them.
"'Those men won't be around to vote Kansas a free state; we will wipe them all out and the rest will run scared back to their free states,' he finished, laughing deeply and proudly at the idea. His sons listened, but instead of being inspired by his exploits, they became scared of him and sickened by his beliefs. They often took dinner at the Heyes farm now when Johnny was gone. They started to listen to their Uncle Arthur and his beliefs of freedom for all men. He was a convincing speaker and slowly they came around to his views. They kept these views to themselves imagining the beatings they would get from their pa if he knew.
"Johnny continued his absences, always coming back with more brutal stories of his heroism and rape, killing and destruction and money in his pocket. His life now had a purpose other than the drudgery of the farm. His temper was focused. He took his two younger sons, Robert and Thomas, out of school so they could work the farm with their brothers in his longer absences for the cause. As I did for their brothers, I tutored them at night.
"Elizabeth became pregnant again quickly even though the doctor told her it would be good for her to rest and get her strength after two babies in eleven months. Sarah had been a difficult birth and Elizabeth was always tired.
"Johnny just laughed at the doctor's orders. 'I ain't going to go pay no whore when I have a wife at home that has to do whatever I want for nothing,' he spat at Elizabeth as he went against doctor's orders that night.
"Elizabeth was pregnant within three months. Where her other pregnancies were difficult, this one was completely debilitating. The doctor confined her to bed at six months in her pregnancy and she gave birth to a very tiny boy just before she was eight months along.
"Johnny came to look at his new son. 'Tiny runt, ain't he. What good is he? I need sons that can work beside me on the farm and carry on my legacy. Looks like he even has trouble just breathing,' he noted disgusted.
"Elizabeth looked at her baby boy with a proud mother's tears of joy. 'I thought we could name him Jedidiah. It's a good strong name.'
"'As long as Thaddeus is his middle name like the rest of my boys,' Johnny answered. 'Think I'll be a calling him Runt, though.'
"Little Jedidiah Thaddeus Curry, born at 34 weeks, had trouble breathing from the day he was born. Elizabeth watched him sleeping and often brought him to her bed because she felt him stop breathing for a few seconds. Johnny ignored him as he had ignored his daughters. He was small and anything made him wheeze. Elizabeth kept him and her daughters close to her and took them to the Heyes farm with her each day to work on the sewing and mending with her sister-in-law. The doctor said to give Jedidiah time and his lungs would develop and his breathing would improve.
"'He small,' said three-year-old Hannibal, pointing at his new cousin. He was excited to have a boy cousin, but this little pink thing did not look like too much fun.
"Elizabeth smiled gently. 'He was born a little early. He'll grow up and you two can be best friends and have wonderful adventures. Right now, though, Han, he needs you to just be with him and watch him. If he starts breathing loud, let your ma or I know. Watch over him. This is a very important job. Can you do that?'
"Nodding, Hannibal sat next to his sleeping cousin and put a hand on his back. 'Sleeping,' he said with a dimpled smile, proud to be given an important job.
"Within a year, Elizabeth had given Johnny another daughter, Constance, and he was furious. The delivery had been very difficult, and the doctor had been adamant with Johnny this time – no sexual contact for at least four months. Returning from another week of night raids along the Kansas – Missouri border, Johnny contemplated what to do. Drunk and tired, he made his decision. He came into my room and pulled my covers off and crawled into my bed.
"'Weak Elizabeth can't have sex with me and I need it. You will have to do,' he growled, his breath full of alcohol.
"'No, no, get away,' I screamed, scared, jumping up and running out the door into our parent's room.
"'What's the matter, child?' asked Ma.
"'A nightmare, Ma. I'm just going to cuddle up in this chair to sleep tonight, I think. Calms me to hear you two sleeping nearby.' I grabbed an extra blanket from the dresser and curled up in the chair but did not sleep.
"Johnny stumbled to his own bed and fell into a drunken stupor, but his mind was working on how to get what he wanted; what he deserved.
"After trying to rape me, Johnny ignored me. I spent most nights at the Heyes farm. I had caught him looking at me with lust and hate yet was too embarrassed to tell anyone what had happened. Especially not Elizabeth.
"Two months later, four men road onto the Curry farm looking for Johnny Curry. They found him working in the corn fields. After an exchange of words, he left with them. Only words of good-bye were to our mother, and they were brief. 'Gotta go, Ma. Don't know when I'll be back. Got important work to do in Missouri.'
"Life got darker, the next week. Our ma, Eileen Curry, always went into town on Fridays for supplies with her eleven-year-old grandson, Tommy. He was the youngest son of Johnny and Mauve and remained close to his grandmother, even when his father remarried. Tommy was terrified of his pa and his temper. Johnny was quicker to hit than to listen his sons.
"It was the kind of sunny day that uplifts the spirit with clear sky and sweet air. Nature was smiling on their Kansas town. Tommy and Grandma Curry were seriously discussing the possibility of both apple and peach pies for Sunday night dinner.
"'Grandma Curry?' Tommy said, jumping enthusiastically from the wagon. 'I'll be back to help you load the wagon. Want to check out that new livery they're building. And would you please, please buy some peppermints?'
"Grandma Curry smiled at his back as he ran away; all the Curry boys loved peppermints. 'Of course,' she whispered to the wind and went into the mercantile to shop.
"The three dusty strangers rode in unnoticed. It was Friday. Many strangers came into drink and gamble and enjoy the pleasures of the saloon on the weekend. They rode down the center of the main street, hardened looks on their faces.
"'Jayhawkers! We are here to avenge Missouri,' the center man yelled, sitting straight in his saddle, eyes searching the pedestrians for men.
"Four other riders had followed the first. Guns drawn, they started shooting. 'Jayhawkers die!'
"The man next to him wailed, 'For the deaths in Missouri! For my father.'
"Everyone started running, screaming to get inside. The men were the targets for the riders, but bullets hit woman and children. Eileen Curry saw her grandson, Tommy, running back to her. As he got closer, she stepped in between him and the raiders.
"'Stay behind me.' She pushed Tommy. 'Get in the store.'
"Tommy stood frozen watching the death around him, unable to move to cover. When Gramma Curry turned to look at him, one of the riders got a straight shot at Tommy and took it.
"Gramma Curry screamed, 'No!' and grabbing a gun from a fallen victim, she charged the shooter and shot him. Shot him through the head and turned to aim at a second rider. The bullets that hit her came from three guns. She was gone before she fell to the ground.
"Within minutes the attack was over. Lingering cries from the riders of 'Die, Jayhawkers!' and 'Fight for Missouri!' faded into the clear sunny day that no longer seemed so perfect.
"Arthur Heyes ran from the schoolhouse, which was outside the far end of town, when he heard the yelling and screaming. Running as hard as he could, he helplessly watched Tommy fall and ran toward him. Watching in horror, he saw his mother-in-law shoot the intruder who killed her grandson and fall herself. Grief flooded his soul as he cradled Tommy's lifeless body in his arms.
"Thomas Thaddeus Curry and Eileen Quigley Curry were buried side by side up the hill from the Curry farm with the Currys that had died before. Grandpa Curry wept at the grave of the woman he had spent his life loving, not knowing how he would go on without her. Broken, he spent time every day after that, graveside talking to his Eileen.
"The day after the funeral, though only fifteen and sixteen, Frank and George Curry joined the Federal Army, the Union army, determined to avenge the deaths of their grandmother and brother by the Missouri raiders. Leaving to the tears of their remaining family, they never looked back at the farm.
"Johnny was away for three more weeks. Our grieving family had no way of reaching him, but we were anxious about his return. Everyone on both the Heyes and Curry farms was waiting, knowing Johnny's response would be uncontrolled anger.
"When he arrived home, Johnny rode in through the field to see his son Robert working the farm alone.
"'Where are your lazy brothers and Grandpa?' Johnny yelled sarcastically at Robert. 'Left you alone to work, huh? Where are Frank and George? Tell me, this is the last time they will be lazy while I am away,' he laughed.
"Johnny tore up the family room, slamming Elizabeth, holding Jedidiah, over the dining table to get at his pa. 'You let them leave; how could you let them volunteer?' he yelled, hitting the older man on the jaw. Grandpa Curry was dazed and started to stumble back but righted himself.
"'It was Heyes, weren't it? He put those ideas of the Union army into their heads.' Johnny's wrath could not be contained. His yells woke his youngest daughter. 'Shut her up,' he told Elizabeth. 'I'm going after Heyes.'
"His father blocked the doorway, gathering the courage finally to stand up to his son. 'No, Johnny, it wasn't Arthur,' his voice was calm, determined as he looked his son straight in the eyes for the first time in a long time. 'It was the Missouri Raiders that murdered your ma and Thomas. George and Frank joined to avenge them.'
"Johnny stopped short. He looked in the kitchen for Ma. Robert had not told him about the deaths; he hadn't dared. Johnny felt nothing was supposed to happen here. The farm never changed; his family never changed. They were static, boring, and necessary. But his ma was special. If there was any love left in Johnny, it was for his ma. 'It wasn't true,' he thought. 'Nothing could happen to his ma.'
"'Ma?" was all he could ask.
"Grandpa Curry nodded to his son.
"'Tommy?" Johnny croaked out the name. At his father's nod, he ran out the back door and to the family graveyard. He saw two new graves. His mother's death was the last piece in Johnny's darkness. He floated in his hate. He could feel nothing else. They were killed by men that believed as he did, but Johnny ignored that, twisted that. He reasoned those men were after Jayhawkers. He hated Jayhawkers. Arthur Heyes was a Jayhawker. Arthur had made his sister, Siobhan, a Jayhawker. Therefore, Arthur was responsible for his ma's and Tommy's deaths and for Frank and George joining the Union army. Now Johnny's hate had a targeted direction.
"With our mother gone and our father lost in grief, Johnny turned his sexual interest back me, his sister. I could not run to their room for protection anymore.
"The skies had clouded over early one afternoon, ending Johnny and Robert's workday early. Stomping through the house, Johnny was furious that only his pa was nearby. Grandpa Curry was again sitting next to his wife's grave, reading her from Psalms. Reading the Bible was one of her greatest comforts and now he found it his comfort.
"With Grandma Curry gone and me working at the school, Elizabeth did most of our cleaning and cooking, with some help from me after work. She was not as good a cook as Ma but was needed to cook. Knowing she was doing her sewing and mending with Siobhan, Johnny trudged through the beginning rain and mud to the Heyes farm cursing at Elizabeth that she had not seen the rain approach and come home early. She was leaving now if he had to drag her out of there, he did not feel welcome there.
"Nearing their house, he saw movement outside the Heyes' house and hid behind a tree for a moment. What he saw sickened him. Siobhan was leading four slaves to the barn, two men, a woman and a young girl. Siobhan put her arm around the girl. Johnny watched as they went into the barn but only Siobhan came out.
"He waited until all was quiet and went into the barn. Even in the gathering darkness, he could see the outline of the hidden cellar covered by stacks of hay.
"Johnny smiled. He had me where he wanted me. He would deal with the traitorous Arthur Heyes later. He had his ace with me.
"That night Johnny came into my bedroom quietly. He slipped his strong hand over my mouth and saw me wake up in fear. He smiled slyly, 'I am sleeping with you tonight and you are not going to object.'
"I started to scream but his hand grew tighter on mouth.
"'Oh, no Kerry. You are mine now. I know the secret. The Heyes' farm is sheltering runaway slaves. Don't deny it; I saw Siobhan taking them to their barn." His laugh was a low growl, pleased with himself.
"'If you want our dear sister to stay alive, you will do as I ask. Elizabeth might push me away. but you will be here for me whenever I ask, or Siobhan and her family will die. Die in a raid against Jayhawkers.' His blue eyes grew dark, joyfully full of lust.
"I knew true hopeless fear then, I was trapped.
"'If you tell anyone or try to leave, they will die. All of them.' Johnny's evil spirited glee was in his voice.
"'Now, roll on your back and open your legs.' I was young, and scared; I did as he asked.
"I picked up the letters in town after work a couple of months later. They were addressed to the parents of Frank Thaddeus Curry and George Thaddeus Curry. I knew what they meant. My heart dropped and my soul was torn open. Not more death, especially not my two brave nephews. How much death could this family stand?
"Johnny Curry did not cry. He did not yell. He read each letter aloud to our gathered family, read the words of official sympathy, then threw them into the fireplace. Then he rode into town, got drunk and laughed with his new friends. His sons had been dead to him the minute they joined the Union Army. He would not mourn traitors."
Kerry turned to Curry. "Jeddie, you did not understand what had happened. At three, you just knew that everyone was sad, very sad. Everyone was crying, so you cried. Han tried to explain but even his six-year-old wisdom could not understand death. Jed just understood that like Grandma Curry and Tommy, Frank and George were not coming home. You clung to your brother Robert; afraid he would die too. Your eldest sister, Maggie, took you and Sarah and walked to bed.
"We must add Frank and George to our prayers tonight, Jeddie,' she told him as she had them kneel next to the bed. Jed knew Maggie had been crying; he did not like to see his sisters or his ma cry. He knew his pa made them cry when he was home. Jed liked it better when his pa was away "working." He hugged her tight as she tucked him in.
"Jed stayed small but learned fast and as he grew his breathing normalized. He followed Han like a puppy, always willing to do whatever the older boy asked. Elizabeth held her children close, always happier when they were safe at the Heyes farm. Johnny had no patience with 'Runt.' If he spilled his milk, Johnny was quick with a hit to the back of his head and a whack to his hand. If Runt was playing on the floor, Johnny kicked him out of the way.
"'Runt don't talk much. Something wrong with him?' Johnny asked when Jed was three, always quick to see the flaws but not the goodness in his sons. He rustled Jed's light blonde curls. 'Needs a haircut; looks like a girl.'
"Patiently, Elizabeth answered, trying as always not to invoke Johnny's temper. 'I'll see his hair is cut tomorrow. He talks when he has something to say. He observes a lot. He'll say more when he's ready.'
"The doctor left telling Elizabeth that the girls were getting over the cold, but Jedidiah's lungs were still congested. Keep up with the medicine and I'll be back in three days he told us. Always the flu and colds found Jed and stayed with him longer than with any of the rest of us.
"'What do we owe you, Doctor?' I asked. The doctor looked at Elizabeth, both of us knowing there was little money in the house to cover his bills. But the doctor knew the Curry family well. He saw the healing bruises on the children Elizabeth had tried to cover with the long sleeves and high collars on their clothes. He was an old man and could not confront Johnny Curry, but he could offer his services for free.
"'Nothing this time, just a checkup. Don't you be worrying about a bill just take care of Jeddie."
"It had rained for days but as Jed was getting better, the rain cleared, and a double rainbow crossed the sky. Johnny had been away for two weeks now, and we had no idea when he would be home. Elizabeth had the most fun idea.
"'Get dressed, quickly, all of you. No work today, no school. Get morning chores done spit spat. We're going on a picnic to find the end of that rainbow. Kerry, make some sandwiches and pack the rest of the bread, some cheese, and some boiled eggs. And bring that cherry pie.'
"Maggie jumped up smiling, 'Can Teresa come?'
"Jed watched around him and knew something special was happening. 'And Han, too? We're friends.'
"'Yes, all of the Heyes' family and Grandpa Curry. Robert, run over and ask them. We'll leave in an hour,' answered Elizabeth, bustling around the house getting everything ready."
Thoughtfully, Heyes sat forward in his chair. "I remember that day. It was so much fun. We all rode in the wagons so far out past the fields, and we could see the rainbow ahead of us all the time."
Curry looked puzzled. "I don't remember."
"You couldn't have been more than three. Your sister Connie was just barely walking," mused Heyes.
Kerry had a faraway look in her eyes. "Oh, what a day we all had!"
"Did we find it?" asked Curry.
"What?" Heyes asked.
"The end of the rainbow?" Curry asked seriously wishing he could remember this wonderous day.
"Grandpa Curry tried, had all of us kids racing all over the place. Here and there, and through the trees and in the bushes. Ma, Aunt Elizabeth and you, Aunt Kerry, we were all chasing that rainbow with us. And we laughed all day." Heyes chuckled.
"Always was just out of reach." Kerry smiled softly.
"Until Jeddie and my little sister, Mary, fell into that mucky mud pond. Never seen so much mud clinging to anyone. Teresa, Maggie, Robert and I tumbled in trying to pull them out." Now Heyes remembered this woman sitting with them as the carefree, laughing young aunt of his childhood.
"And Elizabeth fell in trying to get you all out." Kerry laughed. "Took Grandpa, Siobhan and me to pull you out one at a time with Robert pushing from behind. That caking mud made you so heavy and slippery."
Heyes was watching his cousin; he so wanted him to remember something good from those times. "We skipped in a line and sang all the back to the picnic blanket, dripping wet and dirty."
Curry smiled suddenly, a smile that twinkled in his eyes. "And Grandpa Curry gave us all peppermints," he said, gently remembering. "Don't remember too much about that day but I remember the smelly mud and peppermints."
"As that year passed, Elizabeth and Siobhan watched Han and Jed grow and taught them to depend on each other, always to respect their sisters, their mothers, and every other female in their lives and that killing was wrong. Our family had lost Grandma Curry, Thomas, George, and Frank to violence. All had been killed; none of it was necessary.
"Johnny came to my room at night, and I did not fight him. I vowed to protect Siobhan, Arthur, Teresa, Hannibal and Mary. I was terrified Johnny would kill them all if I refused him. The family mood was sad, no joy was taken in life anymore, even the children could not make Grandpa Curry smile.
"Then Johnny's friends arrived, and he left again; he was away for two months. Without Johnny, Frank, George, and Tommy, the farm was failing. Grandpa Curry, Elizabeth, Robert, and the younger children worked from dawn to dust. I still worked at the school, but the mornings and evenings I devoted to the farm. Even little Jed and Connie gathered eggs each morning and helped feed the chickens. Jed was always happy to help, and the reward of his mother's smile was enough for him. Mostly, Jed followed Han around. Elizabeth was thankful Han was always looking out for Jed. They started to call each other partner. Siobhan, though, knew her son well and spoke to him about Jed.
"'Jeddie looks up to you, Han,' she started one evening when she was sure she had her son's attention.
"'Yes, Ma. But he didn't come today.'
"'He wants to do everything you do.'
"'Yes, Ma, we're partners.'
"Siobhan smiled as Han looked at her with the chocolate brown eyes of his father. 'You remember the important job Aunt Elizabeth gave you when he was born?'
"'Yes, Ma, and I watch over him real good,' Han answered intense and serious for a little boy.
"'Han, who threw the chicken off the roof yesterday to watch him fly?'
"Han's eyes grew big, but he never lied to his mother. 'I did, Ma. Pa told you?'
"'Yes, Han, your pa and I have no secrets from each other. When you took the chicken to the roof, Jeddie took one, too.'
"'Yes, Ma we're partners.'
"Siobhan took a breath; Han was so smart he always had reasons for his mischief.
"'It was wrong to take the chickens up there, right Han?'
"'Yes, Ma, but we wanted to see them fly. Pa gave me a beating on my bottom, and I won't do it again,' he said so sincerely that Siobhan had to look away to hide her smile.
"'You knew that Jeddie got punished, too.'
"'NO, Ma, Jeddie shouldn't be punished; it was my idea,' Han explained, upset.
"'It was your idea, but Jeddie took a chicken up there, too, and that was wrong, so he was punished, too,' Siobhan explained carefully. 'Han, you can be mischievous but remember if you do something wrong, Jeddie will follow you. You don't do a good job of watching over him when that happens.'
"Han looked so serious, so remorseful, she wanted to pull him into a big hug but there had been several times lately that Jed had followed a scheme of Han's. Schemes that were disobedient, schemes that could get them hurt. Siobhan knew that she had to make Han realize this.
"Han's eyes filled with tears; he took his job to look after Jed very seriously. 'Ma, I'm sorry. Real, real sorry. I don't want Jeddie to get a beating on his bottom coz of me.' He hugged his ma tight, trying to hide his tears in her shoulder. Siobhan hugged her good-hearted son. 'I know you don't, Han. You're a good boy.'
"Siobhan's eyes filled with tears recalling her conversation with Elizabeth that morning.
"The paddling that Arthur had given Hannibal with his hand on his bottom was light and still hurt Arthur more that his son.
"The beating Johnny had given Jedidiah was cruel and harsh. Elizabeth described it to Siobhan and Arthur with horror in her eyes when she came the next morning to work on the mending. Jeddie did not come with her. His left eye was swollen shut and his backside bruised, skin broken in places. There were five deep bruises from Johnny's fingers and thumb on his tiny arm where he had held the boy while he "punished" him with his fist and his belt. Jeddie would be staying in bed a few days before he would be well enough to come to the Heyes farm with her again. Elizabeth begged Siobhan and Arthur to never let Johnny know again when Jeddie had done something wrong.
"'Please," Elizabeth said, crying softly. 'Jeddie tries to be a good boy. Tell me if he gets into trouble. I'll see that he's punished but don't let Johnny know. Please.'
"Siobhan had taken her sister-in-law into her arms realizing how young she still was and she rocked her gently.
"Arthur's heart was beating fast, enraged that a three-year-old had been beaten for some boyish mischief. 'If Han and Jed get into trouble here, I will discipline them together here. And don't worry, I don't beat children, or anyone else for that matter.'
"Without words, Elizabeth knew that Siobhan and Arthur knew what went on in the Curry farmhouse."