Callum’s Vow: The Victorian Highlanders

by St. Clair, Ellie

  His smile stretched even broader later that evening when after a game of cards he pulled back his bedclothes to find a handkerchief wrapped around a slice of beef and a bun. No one confessed to seeing her sneak it in, but he wouldn’t forget that she had.

  8

  The Parisian docked in Quebec City nearly a week later. Victoria hadn’t ventured much further than the dining saloon and music rooms, occupying herself by finishing Pride and Prejudice before moving on to Mansfield Park. At times, Victoria wanted to shout at the heroines in the stories, telling them to stand up for themselves, but Jane Austen’s heroes were so dashing and debonair that she found herself falling a bit in love. Where were such men in the real world? The only men she knew were prissy Englishmen and a certain Highlander who seemed to have a perceived grievance, at least where she was concerned.

  She continued to make every effort to push him from her thoughts. She would most likely never see him again, so she might as well forget him. And, she reminded herself, the only feelings she should have toward him were anger. Never mind the fact that he was likely the most handsome and appealing man she had ever set her eyes upon. She vowed to remain true to a pact she had made with herself. She must find her own destiny, and not let a man dictate her future.

  Victoria had her luggage packed and prepared when the call came to disembark, first class passengers first. She hugged Martha goodbye. Once the Gambles had recovered from their seasickness after the first couple of days, they really were excellent traveling companions. Their son, Andrew, would be meeting them as he lived not far from the dock. Sarah had decided that there wasn’t much choice but for Victoria to continue on her own once she left the ship and boarded the train. It traveled only east and west so there was little chance she would get lost, and Sarah could not afford to travel all that way to meet her after spending the additional cost for Victoria’s first-class cabin.

  The porters transferred Victoria’s luggage to the train, which boarded its passengers just across from the docks. Victoria yearned to take some time to explore, but instead continued through the immigration line and boarded the train quickly, still anxious about anyone recognizing her. Which was silly, she told herself. No one could be following her. There weren’t any ships that would carry passengers faster than the Parisian had and no one else would ever remember her.

  She made her way to the front of the train, past many passengers who had arrived shortly before the Parisian docked. She chose a seat by the window so she could see out at the countryside flashing by. She left her book on her lap as she watched the people outside of the glass. She was fascinated by the action, the variety of clothing, styles, and ages. Some wore the latest fashions; others were clad in fabrics from decades past. When boarding, Victoria had also found the mix of languages and accents intriguing. She had never in her life encountered such a diverse assembly of people.

  Many of them had been traveling across the Atlantic with her, yet she’d met so few of them. She recognized some passengers from the night she had ventured down to steerage, but she lowered her eyes as the waves of embarrassment returned.

  She saw him coming toward the train before he spotted her.

  The smug Highlander who seemed to haunt her thoughts and drove her to insanity appeared to be following her.

  Please, she prayed, take him into another car. But God had other plans in store for her, as he boarded and began to walk up the aisle. Victoria sank low in her seat, pulling her bonnet over her eyes as she stared straight ahead.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Victoria closed her eyes briefly as she sighed.

  Why on earth would he ask to sit next to her of all things?

  “No,” she said morosely, unable to imagine an excuse as she stared at the seat back in front of her. “Please tell me why ever you would want to sit next to someone like me?”

  “Err… the train is full,” he replied as he shifted from one foot to the other and she looked back in surprise to see that it had, indeed, filled as her attention had been elsewhere. “And I apologized for my harsh words. I believe forgiveness has yet to be asked for, however, for a certain remark regarding an arrogant Highlander.”

  Was he laughing at her? Victoria stole a peak out of the corner of her eye to find that the corners of his lips had, indeed, slightly curled. She sat back with a huff.

  “I really don’t think it’s proper for an unattached man and woman to sit next to one another,” she muttered.

  “How do ye ken I’m unattached?”

  She had never considered that. She bit her bottom lip at the thought.

  “Fair enough,” she said with a sigh as he sat, and she turned her head to once more look out the window, determined to ignore him as best she could.

  * * *

  Callum told himself he’d only sat beside her because there were no other seats available. But the truth was, he hadn’t checked any other cars. This woman continually drew him in, as mightily as he had attempted to keep his distance. Now that they had reached Canada, however, he figured she would disembark before he reached his destination and that would be the last he’d ever see of her. She was not the type who would be headed far west. If he could not keep himself away from her, then he might as well enjoy her company for a time. It would be a long ride to the end of the line.

  “Well, lass,” he said, breaking the silence. “I never did get your name. I’m Callum. Callum McDougall.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. McDougall,” she said mechanically, eyes unwavering from the seat ahead of her. “I’m Victoria.”

  “Victoria … do you have a family name?” Callum asked.

  “Victoria Marshall,” she said, sharing the name she had assumed for herself on the voyage over, in case her stepfather or the duke were checking passenger lists.

  “Where are you headed?”

  “West,” she replied. The fewer people who knew her destination, the better.

  “All right then, lass,” he said with a shrug. “Keep your secrets. You know the west isn’t for the faint of heart. From what my cousin told me it’s fairly rugged and there are few women. Hopefully, you aren’t going too far. I suppose I will see where you disembark.”

  “Perhaps,” she said surreptitiously. “And you?”

  “I’ll keep my secrets as well,” he said with a grin and a wink, toying with her. She frowned in return.

  “Fair enough, lass.”

  “Fair enough.”

  They settled into silence as the conductor came through to collect their tickets. Soon they were off and rolling, and Victoria gazed out the window, taking in all the sights this new place had to offer.

  Callum couldn’t help but watch Victoria’s fascination with the rolling scenery as opposed to the view beyond the window. She might hide secrets, but not her thoughts or feelings as her face danced while she watched the undulating landscapes. The brilliant greens and blues of the tree-shaded streams were bordered by a kaleidoscope of wildflowers.

  What was a single woman doing traveling so far completely alone? Whether Victoria was looking forward to something or leaving something behind her, he wasn’t quite sure — perhaps it was a bit of both, and the trepidation of the unknown.

  Whatever and whoever she was, she certainly was beautiful. Her violet eyes pierced right into him every time she turned to look his way.

  He had to be careful — or he just might take a course of action he would later regret.

  * * *

  After a time, the passengers made their way to the dining car and Victoria and Callum conversed with the eclectic group of travelers. A mother and three children were traveling from England to meet her husband and their father, who had established a homestead. A young couple from Ireland, who could find no work at home, planned to create a new life for themselves. And many single young men were present, drawn by the advertised promises of free, ample land and a better life.

  Victoria had chosen not to travel first class for this leg of her journey. There were o
nly two classes on this particular train, and she found it something of a relief not to be surrounded by peers and the like.

  Her grandfather might have been an earl, but Victoria was far removed from the life of a lady. Did it matter what type of material was of the latest fashion? Whose business was it of who was married to whom? Or who had caused the latest scandal? It all mattered little to her. It was why most thought she was strange and avoided her, why she had few friends except the young librarian, Marian, and her own lady’s maid. Besides that, Sarah hadn’t sent enough money for a first-class ticket, which Victoria vowed to ensure her aunt never realized.

  Here now, in this train car, these were real conversations, about real life. There was love in the eyes of the Irish couple as they stole quick glances at one another, despite the fact that they had almost no possessions to call their own. There was both despair and joy in the face of the mother chasing her unruly children. And there was hope that shone from the hearts of nearly all of the passengers, for a life better than the one they had left behind.

  Callum fit right in. She watched him from the corner of her eye, seeing the side of him she had seen in the fiddler, quite distinct from how he presented himself to her. He laughed and joked, coaxing smiles from the children and earning the respect of the men and women. He was probably here to prepare for his wife, Victoria thought. A man like him didn’t stay single, and he hadn’t taken to the term ‘unattached. ’ He was at ease with the children on the train, and she could picture him with a whole brood of kids, keeping him busy all day. As much as it sent her into a slight melancholic state, the thought of it made her smile.

  The sky had darkened by the time Victoria finished her supper and returned to her seat. Callum was still in the dining car, having a drink with a few of the other men. She settled in, tried not to think of the first-class sleeping cars further along the train, and turned to the window, falling into a restless sleep.

  9

  When Victoria woke the next morning, Callum was fast asleep, his legs stretched out in front of him. She took the opportunity to explore him with her gaze, starting with the silky dark hair that swept over those strong cheekbones, then on to his lips that so easily curved into a smile. Her gaze traveled down the tight fitting suit that just hid his muscular shoulders, biceps and chest. She remembered the strength within his abdominal muscles that hid under his shirt. He was more man than she had ever seen in England, that was definite.

  He certainly attracted her like no other man had, however uncomfortable and constricted he looked in shirt and pants. He was reminiscent of the Highlanders of old, of those she had heard of in fables and stories from years ago, clad only in kilts. She wondered what he would look like in such attire.

  From beyond the window, Victoria could see they were nearing a town. The church’s spires rose in the distance, and she could see clusters of people, houses and buildings. The train passed through a dark tunnel, which was framed with beautiful brick. It finally pulled into the station in what the town sign read as Brockville.

  Some of the passengers disembarked, and those continuing on were told they could take an hour to stretch their legs and wander through the town.

  Victoria was eager to explore and see as much of the country as she possibly could during her travels. Her legs also ached from sitting for so long. She tried to freshen up as best she could and then stepped off to find her way around the town. She left Callum where he was — she wasn’t responsible for him, and didn’t see it as her place to awaken him. If he wanted to sleep through the journey, so be it.

  The station was on the town’s main street. Victoria left the train’s platform and began wandering, not looking for anything in particular, but taking in all of the new sights and sounds. Children ran much more freely here than they did in London. Horses pulled carts through the street, which Victoria felt replicated a small English town. Maple trees shadowed the roads and buildings, all constructed of new brick and fresh wood. Residents of the town barely looked at the passengers as they disembarked from the train, obviously used to continuous visitors stopping through. Victoria let her already travel-worn gray dress drag over the fresh cobblestones and she smiled at the children’s exuberance as they escaped the train’s confines.

  Victoria entered the general store which stood in the middle of the Broadway Street, just down from the station. She bought a few sweets for the rest of the train ride, smiling at the elderly gentleman behind the counter. She popped one in her mouth as she left the store, sweeping her gaze across the town. Not far from the town’s center flowed the large expanse of water next to which they had been traveling. The majestic frothy current was dazzling, and she was drawn to see it more closely. The river was churning, and the blue waterline meeting the cloudy sky was magnificent. She began walking the beach, deeply breathing the fresh, crisp air after a day and a half on the train.

  Buildings hugged the shoreline, and there was enough of a path that Victoria could wander without getting too close to the water. She figured she had enough time to explore a short way before turning around. She could not be late for the train, for it wouldn’t wait for her.

  As she made her way down the sandy beach to a more isolated stretch, she looked out over the water, where the odd person rowed or paddled, before she turned her gaze to the dock, where a few people sat enjoying the sunshine and the fresh morning air. As she continued, alone for a brief moment, she reflected on how much she treasured this time alone, after spending so much of it with others on the ship and then the train.

  Victoria loved companionship, but equally enjoyed the freedom to allow her thoughts to wander whatever paths they found. Suddenly she was pulled out of her reverie by a sound behind her.

  Were those footsteps? She quickly turned, but saw no one. She was being ridiculous, she told herself, though she couldn’t help the eerie chill that raced down her spine. She continued on cautiously, trying to rid herself of her paranoia. No one was following her. For goodness sake, there was an ocean between her and her pursuers.

  Suddenly Victoria felt a shove to her back and fingers fumbling in her pocket. She caught herself before she fell, and whirled around to find a man, just slightly larger than she was, hovering behind her. He was dirty, his clothing torn. He held in his hands the sweets she had bought, the only thing he had found in her pockets.

  “Hey, Missy,” he said, his eyes narrowing as they traveled up and down her person, “I don’t suppose you have some extra pocket change hiding somewhere else in those skirts of yours?”

  “No,” she said as forcefully as she could, trying not to let him see her fear as she looked past him, searching for an escape or other passersby. “Excuse me, I must get back to my train. My party will miss me.”

  “Well, what are you doing walking out here all alone? You had enough change for sweets, you have enough to spare for a new friend.”

  “I am sorry, but I spent all I brought with me,” she said, realizing he must have followed her from the store and inwardly cursed her naivety. She would have given him spare change if she had any — and had she not been utterly alone. “Now, I really must be going.”

  She tried to dart around him, but he grabbed at her, taking a swing at the small purse he finally realized was hiding over her shoulder. Unfortunately for him, it held nothing but a book.

  Victoria dodged him, then whirled her bag around and hit him with it square in the nose. Shocked more than injured, he swung about, effectively moving out of the path between Victoria and the walkway toward the train station. Before the man could recover from the surprise, she kicked him in the shin, and as he hopped up and down on the other leg, she turned and ran back toward the train. She pulled up short when she saw Callum standing there, a grin on his face. She realized he must have seen at least the end of the episode.

  “Well,” she said, embarrassed as she realized she must have made quite the spectacle, yet equally annoyed. She gritted her teeth. “Thank you so much for your assistance. How gentlem
anly of you.”

  “You seemed to have everything under control,” he said, laughter hovering on the corners of his lips and twinkling in his eyes. “Quite impressive, actually.”

  “Thank you,” Victoria answered, her nose in the air, despite the fact her cheeks were blazing. Her actions had really been based on impulse and adrenaline, but she was not about to admit that to Callum. “Now, we really must be getting back.”

  She brushed past him, willing her facial features into a composed state, and started back to the heart of town. He followed her in silence, and every time she heard a bit of a chuckle behind her, she swiveled to catch him, but his face remained expressionless.

  He was exasperating.

  And yet she couldn’t get her fit of him.

  * * *

  Callum had woken up to a nearly empty train. From the window, he had seen Victoria wandering around the corner down toward the river, and had seen the character following her. Did she not realize that she really couldn’t wander around displaying a full pocketbook, and then disappear alone in a secluded area? He sighed. He’d noticed from the time he’d spent around her that her head was typically bent over a book or lost in a daydream. She was too innocent. Too trusting. Not nearly worldly or observant enough to be on her own.

  Not for the first time, he wondered why she was here, alone, and just where she was going. She really needed to be taken care of, although she had handled herself pretty well back there.

  He hadn’t meant to laugh at her, and he didn’t think she had caught him. But she had been such a spitfire, and so proud of herself too, for fighting off the beggar. Perhaps he should have stepped in and helped, but he had enjoyed watching her far too much. Besides, he hadn’t sensed any real danger.