can’t control you. You have a heart full of anger. You are wild. And so you are going to the wilds. I had made arrangements with Mr O’Rocke here.” He waved towards the rodent man.
She looked over at O’Rocke in horror. “If you think I am marrying him then you are very much mistaken.”
O’Rocke took off his spectacles and polished them on a handkerchief, “I strongly doubt Mrs O’Rocke would be very pleased either to be honest Miss.”
“You are going on the biggest adventure in the world. You are going to the United States.”
Siobhan’s chin moved rapidly towards her chest and her mouth hung open for a second. “I most certainly am not.”
“You are. There are good men out there. Out west they are. Ranchers, Railroaders, and the like. They need wives. The accommodation is basic, I’m told. But I have a feeling it will suit you well girl.”
Siobhan looked at O’Rocke with a sense of confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“Let’s put it simply,” O’Rocke said. “Your father here has decided that you are too wild. And he has sold you to become a Mail Order Bride for a cowboy.”
“Sold me? I don’t think so,” Siobhan turned and gathered up her skirts. And with a last look of hatred at her father she started running for the door. The larger man who had failed to speak or move up till this point covered the distance in a matter of seconds. He picked Siobhan up under one of his strong arms.
“Put me down you brute,” she shouted, her legs kicking widely in the air.
O’Rocke pulled out a little bottle from his coat pocket and emptied a little of the contents into his handkerchief. He walked over to Siobhan, who was still in the air, demanding to be put down. “We can’t have this, can we Miss? They’ll never let you on the ship.” And with that he placed the handkerchief over Siobhan’s nose and mouth. Within seconds she was asleep.
Connor looked at O’Rocke with shock. “Don’t worry Mr O’Reilly she will be as right as rain. Chloroform is a wonderful thing.”
CHAPTER FIVE
On the seas
Siobhan awoke staring at a white ceiling and had the feeling that the room was rocking.
Where was she? What had happened?
What was that crazy clicking sound?
Her mind drifted somewhere between sleep and being awake. She remembered her father being home and those two strange men. And then she remembered the deal that her father had struck and her attempts to get away. Then she remembered the brute, lifting her and then she remembered no more. She groaned as she shifted her weight, her head felt heavy. So heavy.
“I pray you won’t be sea sick. I’ll have none of that no. None of that in this cabin. It is a long way to New York I will not have this place stinking of vomit the whole way there.”
Siobhan summoned up the energy to lift her head and saw a woman sat knitting. As she sat up she realized why the room was rocking. She was on a ship.
“Careful dear,” the woman said again without dropping a stitch. “Your head will be swimming for a while. The drug does that I’m told. Now I’m sure you won’t be running anywhere while we are on board will you? After all there is no where to go.”
“Who are you?” Siobhan managed to asked through the haze.
“I’m Mrs O’Rocke. You have already met my husband I believe? And Sam of course. My little boy. Of course he isn’t so little.” She burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter. “They are in the cabin next door. I’d have preferred to share with Mr O’Rocke to be honest with you Siobhan. But we could hardly put you in with Sam could we? It would be quiet improper. Don’t want you spoiled before we arrive do we?”
“What is going on?”
“Goodness I thought all of this had been explained to you dearie? You aren’t a half-wit are you? You may be pretty enough, but no-one will want a half-wit for a wife.” She didn’t wait for an answer to her
She looked over at O’Rocke in horror. “If you think I am marrying him then you are very much mistaken.”
O’Rocke took off his spectacles and polished them on a handkerchief, “I strongly doubt Mrs O’Rocke would be very pleased either to be honest Miss.”
“You are going on the biggest adventure in the world. You are going to the United States.”
Siobhan’s chin moved rapidly towards her chest and her mouth hung open for a second. “I most certainly am not.”
“You are. There are good men out there. Out west they are. Ranchers, Railroaders, and the like. They need wives. The accommodation is basic, I’m told. But I have a feeling it will suit you well girl.”
Siobhan looked at O’Rocke with a sense of confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“Let’s put it simply,” O’Rocke said. “Your father here has decided that you are too wild. And he has sold you to become a Mail Order Bride for a cowboy.”
“Sold me? I don’t think so,” Siobhan turned and gathered up her skirts. And with a last look of hatred at her father she started running for the door. The larger man who had failed to speak or move up till this point covered the distance in a matter of seconds. He picked Siobhan up under one of his strong arms.
“Put me down you brute,” she shouted, her legs kicking widely in the air.
O’Rocke pulled out a little bottle from his coat pocket and emptied a little of the contents into his handkerchief. He walked over to Siobhan, who was still in the air, demanding to be put down. “We can’t have this, can we Miss? They’ll never let you on the ship.” And with that he placed the handkerchief over Siobhan’s nose and mouth. Within seconds she was asleep.
Connor looked at O’Rocke with shock. “Don’t worry Mr O’Reilly she will be as right as rain. Chloroform is a wonderful thing.”
CHAPTER FIVE
On the seas
Siobhan awoke staring at a white ceiling and had the feeling that the room was rocking.
Where was she? What had happened?
What was that crazy clicking sound?
Her mind drifted somewhere between sleep and being awake. She remembered her father being home and those two strange men. And then she remembered the deal that her father had struck and her attempts to get away. Then she remembered the brute, lifting her and then she remembered no more. She groaned as she shifted her weight, her head felt heavy. So heavy.
“I pray you won’t be sea sick. I’ll have none of that no. None of that in this cabin. It is a long way to New York I will not have this place stinking of vomit the whole way there.”
Siobhan summoned up the energy to lift her head and saw a woman sat knitting. As she sat up she realized why the room was rocking. She was on a ship.
“Careful dear,” the woman said again without dropping a stitch. “Your head will be swimming for a while. The drug does that I’m told. Now I’m sure you won’t be running anywhere while we are on board will you? After all there is no where to go.”
“Who are you?” Siobhan managed to asked through the haze.
“I’m Mrs O’Rocke. You have already met my husband I believe? And Sam of course. My little boy. Of course he isn’t so little.” She burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter. “They are in the cabin next door. I’d have preferred to share with Mr O’Rocke to be honest with you Siobhan. But we could hardly put you in with Sam could we? It would be quiet improper. Don’t want you spoiled before we arrive do we?”
“What is going on?”
“Goodness I thought all of this had been explained to you dearie? You aren’t a half-wit are you? You may be pretty enough, but no-one will want a half-wit for a wife.” She didn’t wait for an answer to her
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