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"Wow, he's really a spy then." Jacob muttered.
"Yes…"
"My sister is married to a Yankee spy, and in love with him too!" Jacob found it funny. "You tell people around here that they're libel to come hunting you themselves."
"I'm not a Yankee spy."
"But you're married to one. If that don't take the cake."
"I should never have told you. You're not old enough to handle something like this…" She fretted now.
"I'm sorry sis, I was just funnin' you. You know I'd never do or say anything to hurt you. But I have had a sore lack of funnin' since you been gone."
Beth laughed.
"I better go help Mama fix supper…"
He nodded, and went back to reading the Farmer's Almanac.
Chapter Eighteen
When Beth went into the kitchen to help her mother, Mother Cahill hadn't gotten up yet. Beth knew she was tired from the trip so she didn't disturb her.
"Well, I'm so glad you are here, in a way. The Indian raid was a real scare, but your father doesn't seem to think they'll be back anyway soon." Her mother was saying.
"Have the raids been going on long?" She asked as she peeled some potatoes for supper.
"A while up and down the creek beds, yes. They're pretty bold about it because they know the soldiers have all gone off to fight the big war." Her mother told her. "They steal the livestock, kidnap, murder and cause all kinds of things to go wrong."
"What kind of things?"
"Georgina Smothers was captured last week. No one's seen hide nor hair of her even though they got a posse together to find her. She's gone.
"Georgina is only fifteen years old!" Beth cried. "That's tragic!"
"Her mother is so upset, she nearly lost her mind."
"It was Comanche's?" Beth asked startled by the news.
"Yes." Her mother said and wiped her eyes.
"Why did you marry Martina off to John Savage?" Beth blurted.
"That was betwixt your Pa and Savage." Her mother defended herself.
"Maybe, but you let it happen." Beth accused. "If you wanted to stop Pa you could. Why didn't you?"
Her mother stopped what she was doing long enough to look Beth in the eye.
"When you left Martina was lonely. Savage come by several times and he made it known to your father that he wanted to marry Martina. He paid court to her for a month and they were engaged. That's all there is to it. We didn't force her to marry. She was quite willing at the time."
"At the time? What does that mean Mama?" Beth demanded to know.
"She's been to the law about him." Her mother hung her head.
"For what?" Beth came closer now.
"He beat her a time or two…"
