Sweetwater by Dorothy Garlock

Author:Dorothy Garlock
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780446560054
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2009-05-29T22:00:00+00:00

Arvella Havelshell sat in the parlor behind the store. She hated being isolated out here at the Agency store. She hated being alone. It had not been so bad with Moonrock here. The girl was company. She had liked teaching her things. He had even taken that small pleasure from her. When Linus had returned from the Indian camp to say that Moonrock would not come back because of the agent’s near rape of her, she had known the girl was speaking truthfully.

Alvin had come to her room that night and, still fully dressed, had fallen on her and shoved his way into her. For his visit, she had prepared herself with petroleum jelly. Even so, he had hurt her dreadfully. She had cried out and, in his frenzy to satisfy himself, he had slapped her. When he had finished, he sat on the side of the bed, holding his face in his hands and cursing her.

Now tears rolled down Arvella’s fat cheeks. She had endured Alvin’s rutting because it was what she had to do to get a child. It was her father’s fondest wish to have a grandchild; and if she gave him one, he might soften his attitude toward her and stop making her so miserable. All her life she had striven for his approval. All her life she had been told that she was a disappointment to him.

She wished that she were dead.

Arvella could not remember a time when she had not been plump. Even as a child she’d had little fat arms, legs, and a little round belly. She had never rolled a hoop or played tag with other children. Her mother had been educated in the best schools and took great pride in teaching her only child. It had not been necessary for Arvella to attend school. Her childhood had been spent sitting at her mother’s knee doing algebra or reading the Greek classics. When her mother died, the world as she had known it came to an end.

The door opened at the back of the house. Arvella paid scant attention. It had to be Linus. At times she hated the boy. At other times she pitied him. He was detested by Alvin just as she was.

When Linus heard what Alvin had done to Moonrock, he had threatened to go to town and kill him. His hatred of the Indians had not included Moonrock. The girl had been kind to him, and Arvella suspected that the boy was a little in love with her.

Arvella was wise enough to know that Linus had to feel that he was better than someone, and the Indians were handy.

The sound of bootheels that were not Linus’s came toward the parlor. Arvella turned and sucked in a deep breath.

“Why are you here? Did he … come back?”

“No. He’s still in town.”

“You’re not suppose to be in here.”

“I know.” Pud Harris stood holding his hat in his hand. “Why’re ya crying?”

“I’m not! Did you come to spy on me? What do you think I can do out here?”

“I’m not here to spy.

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