REVIEW: The Keeper of the Western Door by Carla Kelly
When Mary Blue Eye travels to Wyoming Territory with her friend to help her settle into her new married life at Fort Laramie, Mary is treated more like a servant than the friend she thought she was. Thankfully, she finds a new friend in Sergeant Blade, though Mary fears that her Seneca Indian heritage will keep a man like Blade from truly caring for her. Soon Mary is tasked with making fourteen calico dresses in two weeks, and Blade turns out to be the best ally she could ever ask for.
Dear Ms. Kelly,
Gosh what a lovely story. Self discovery, finding love, and standing up for one’s self all in one novella. Though this one has a few times when the Kellyverse characters suddenly flip to being kind, it also has many moving moments.
Mary Blue Eye is a proud descendent of Mary Jemison, her father is a graduate of Dartmouth, and her family has much standing back home. But none of that matters out west in Wyoming where she is seen as an Indian servant. Hmmm, she had thought her relationship with Victoria was something different but apparently not. The Great Chicago Fire ends up changing Mary’s life as she is voluntold to help with a fund raising project for the destitute poor there. Along the way to its finish, she will discover friends, help the destitute poor in Wyoming, stand up for herself, and find love.
“You’re not used to being a maid, are you?”
“No, sir,” she said, not sure how to address a sergeant. “I thought I was a friend.”
Of course the story focuses on Mary, Sergeant Blade, and the other good ‘uns. There are some … well, not villains per se but let’s call them people who don’t see need right under their noses, are slightly stuck-up, and who need to be told a thing or two by Mary and the Sergeant.
Mary realized two things: first that she was expendable; second perhaps Mama and Papa shouldn’t have spoiled her so much, going so far as to assure her that she was as good as a white woman. Maybe there was a third matter. In the eyes of these people, Victoria Masterson included, she was an Indian servant in a place with no use for Indians.
Mary thinks she knows who she is before she arrives at Fort Laramie. She is a Seneca, a Keeper of the Western Door, and as the story progresses she also realizes that maybe she’s been a little bit pampered by her parents and three older brothers. Of course the task that the officers’ wives have demanded is too much but while doing it anyway, Mary snaps back at people a time or three and reminds them of this. Mary does some character growthing which is something I don’t often see in Kelly books as the heroines are generally perfect out-of-the-box so I appreciated this.
Along the way, she learns about the many kindnesses of Sergeant Blade, does several kindnesses herself and earns the respect of the enlisted men as well as the sister of a Negro sergeant whom Blade taught to read in order that the man could advance in rank, and the parents of the wounded Sioux boy who tried to fight despite being too young. Back at the Fort, Mary meets a “near neighbor” a woman of the People of the Standing Stone.
From what Mary sees around her, she knows that there are people here who need help as much as those in Chicago and, using The Stare that she’s learned from the sergeant, she makes sure she gets to do what she knows is right. One thing I connected with while reading this novella is how Mary now fondly remembers her family and heritage though this is something that slightly bored her as a child. I wish I could go back and listen to my mother’s aunts during my summer vacation.
Sergeant Blade is a man who can manage any situation, who takes care of his responsibilities whether it is doing something or helping someone. In Mary he has found the woman he’s been waiting for. If only he can get her to agree.
She shook her head at that one. “Sergeant Bl—”
“Rowan”
“Very well then, Rowan! You’re fighting my battles, and I don’t know why.”
“It feels good,” he said, after a lengthy pause worthy of a Seneca elder.
Rowan Blade asks Mary about her life and actually listens to her answers. He also notices when she’s being put-upon, stands up for her and protects her. When she needs dressmaking help, well he somehow finds that, too. Their courtship is fairly quick but they see each other under stressful circumstances and I’m sure that by the time Rowan gets the nerve to ask, they know each other and what they’re getting into. A-
~Jayne
“We’re getting married here before we take that trip,” she informed this man who might or might not have proposed yet. “Imagine how much fun a Pullman compartment will be if we’re married. Um, *have* you proposed yet?”
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Funnily enough I just read two different books by Carla Kelly this week; this one sounds good, too, so I’ll be adding it to my wishlist. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Jayne.
@Kareni: Which books did you read? I still have a lot of her older Regencies I haven’t gotten to yet.
@Jayne ~ I read My Loving Vigil Keeping and One Step Enough. These are set in Utah in the very early 1900s and feature the same lead characters who are LDS. I enjoyed both books but be aware that sad (historically true) events take place.
@Jayne: Same here! But if you’re looking for recommendations, my favorites of her regencies are One Good Turn (but it really helps to read Libby’s London Merchant first) and Miss Whittier Makes a List.
@Jayne I rarely reread books but I make an exception for Carla Kelly. My favourites are
Mrs. McVinnie’s London Season (1990)
Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand (1994)
Miss Milton Speaks Her Mind (1998)
Reforming Lord Ragsdale (1995)
Libby’s London Merchant (1991)
All of these are classic Kelly in my opinion. She writes her characters with such heart. I love her books. I’ll put this latest to the top of my tbr pile. Loved the review and I envy you reading her older regencies for the first time. You’re really in for a treat
@Jayne Isn’t it the way that when we are young enough to be able to hear the stories of our elders we are often not old enough to appreciate the gift and pay attention to it? My grandmother was 70 when I was born and I spend most of my youth essentially dismissing her because she was old (to be fair my dad kind of did the same thing so I had a role model on this but that’s another story) and when I started to realise that there were so many stories she could have told me, it was too late.
@Kaetrin: Yes, exactly. My older sister and cousins have told me that my grandmother had a beautiful singing voice but she had a stroke when I was too young to remember hearing it.
@Kris, I’ve read a handful of Carla Kelly’s Regency novels and didn’t realize that there are so many more. Thanks to you and @Janine for recommending your favorites.