A/N: since there were no ages mentioned in the movie, I'm going to assign some. Hopefully I won't be too off base. And remember: in those days girls married young.
Gideon: 19
Alice: 18
Frank: 21
Sarah: 18
Ephraim: 22
Martha: 19
Daniel: 22
Liza: 20
Caleb: 24
Ruth: 20
Benjamin: 27
Dorcas: 21
Adam: 30
Milly: 23
-7-
Soon the snow began to fall. With the snow came new chores and new responsibilities. I spent most of my time at home, helping my mother get the house ready for winter. We cleaned the house from top to bottom, getting everything in order. We re-organized every cupboard and every room. To preserve the heat and firewood, Maggie moved into my room and we shared a bed and each other's warmth. I hardly ever got to see the girls anymore.
Mother kept us on a very strict schedule. I didn't remember her being so strict when we were back east. She made us go to bed as soon as it got dark, never mind that I was 21 and a grown woman. Which is probably why she's so anxious to get me married off, I sighed as I changed into my nightgown, the thin flannel hardly protecting me against the cold. I shivered as I turned out the lamp and rushed over to the bed, blowing out the second candle. I felt my way to the window in the dark to close it when all of a sudden I was enveloped in something dark and fuzzy.
I felt myself being lifted forcibly up through the window and across the roof of the veranda. Then I was floating, still wrapped in darkness. We landed safely on the ground, and I started to struggle.
Am I being kidnapped? Why? What's happening? I screamed as loud as I could. I pushed as hard as I could. I kicked as hard as I could. It was no use.
But I wouldn't give up. Someone must be able to hear me through this blanket. Soon I could faintly make out the sounds of other noises. I stopped screaming for a second and listened. I started again when I realized that the sounds were the muffled screams of others.
I felt myself being lifted again and again I was falling. Not as far this time, and I soon hit something hard, something moving. Then we were moving.
"Ha, Ha!" I heard someone yelling. I could feel the hoof beats and the rumbling of a sleigh.
Enough of this, I decided and threw the blanket back. If I was going to be kidnapped, I wanted to know who it was.
I was startled to find myself looking into the eyes of Benjamin Pontipee. My own eyes widened and I took a quick look around. When I saw and heard the screams of the other girls my heart sank.
I looked back at Benjamin and he was grinning at me; his white, even teeth shining in the semi-darkness. For the first time I felt scared in his presence. I screamed.
A part of my brain knew it would be useless; the other part couldn't help itself. Maybe there was someone in the woods who would hear us and help. Maybe that person would have a sleigh. And just maybe that person would happen to have that sleigh all fitted up and ready to give chase. Yeah. Right.
My screams faded as a new sensation overtook me. Coldness. I was dressed only in my flannel nightgown. It was perfectly fine for inside a house under several quilts. It was almost useless in the open, cold November air.
I started to shiver. I wrapped the blanket around me and curled up into a ball. The blanket helped, but not much.
Ben grabbed me and pulled me out of the blanket and into his arms. "No, let me go!" I yelled. It was warmer to be near him, but I couldn't stand to touch him. I struggled, but it was useless. He was too strong. I'd imagined being in Ben's arms before, but not like this.
The tears started to leak from my eyes and I sobbed.
"Get them to stop that yelling, we're coming to the pass! Keep quite now or we'll have an avalanche down on us." Adam Pontipee yelled. I couldn't see him, but it must have been him.
I'd only been in town less than a year, but I'd already heard much about the dreaded pass. Ben put his hand firmly over my mouth, not knowing that I couldn't scream anymore. My voice was gone and all I could do was cry.
-7-
We were stopping. I could vaguely make out the frame of a small cabin. Ben got out of the sleigh and picked me up, setting me down on the ground. I was grateful I had chosen to wear socks to bed that night. Otherwise my feet would have been completely frozen. Being numb was bad enough. A light shone out from the cabin and the door opened. I looked up and saw Milly.
I almost ran up the stairs and onto the rough wooden porch, my feet were glad to be out of the cold snow. The girls surrounded Milly, each one trying to explain what had happened. I couldn't talk; my teeth were making too much noise.
I wrapped the blanket closer around me. I hardly knew what was going on; I only heard snatches of the conversation.
"…at once, y'hear?" "…wait 'til spring…" laughter "...your idea…" "…Sobbin' Women." "…animals…poor innocents." "…love…married…children"
It was then that I truly understood what was happening; before it had been somewhat fuzzy. I knew what they were doing, but I didn't know why. Now I did.
I thought of my pa, he's always been so proud of me. I would have given anything to be safe in his arms again. Even Mother with her sharp tongue would have been welcome. Suddenly I missed her so much.
At least I'll be married. I couldn't help but think. Though I don't think this is quite what she had in mind. A fresh wave of tears came at this thought.
"Adam!" The youngest boy was yelling. "We forgot to get the parson!" I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself. The calmer I tried to be, the more upset I got.
"Don't worry about it. Now go on into the kitchen. Nothing's gonna happen." Milly ushered us all into the cabin which now seemed very warm and inviting.
I followed the other girls with small steps, the rough wood catching on the woollen socks. Warmth, I sobbed in relief as we found our way into the kitchen. I immediately went to the stove and hovered over it, trying to get some feeling back into my hands and feet.