“Needs to test himself,” James said and Iain nodded. “He knows he can manage around here but doesn’t know for certain if some things have been arranged to cater to his injuries.”
“Told him we havenae.”
“And I suspect he quietly accepted what you said but still doubted. He will know for certain on this trip that nothing has been arranged to make things easier for him. So, yes, now that I think on that, it could well give him some confidence.” James turned to look out the door to the kitchen when he heard the front door open and shut. “Expecting company?”
“Just Matthew. You did say he was planning to come round. And here he is.” Iain smiled at the small girl Matthew held as he walked in. “Hello, sweet lady.”
“What? No greeting for your brother?” said Matthew as he sat down across from Iain.
“Ye arenae as bonnie. So, Abbie has gone shopping?”
“Gone and returned. Then she got started on some curtains she wanted to make and Caitlin was helping too much, so I said I would bring her here with me.” He frowned. “She agreed rather quickly.” He kissed his daughter’s cheek, making her giggle. “Guess ye were making her feel inept with all your help, dearling.”
“Isnae it a wee bit warm to be wearing a scarf?” Iain asked, frowning at what appeared to be a long knitted scarf draped around Matthew’s neck.
“It isnae a scarf.”
On the chair next to Matthew, Mrs. O’Neal set down the square of wood they used in the chairs for small children. Matthew set Caitlin on it, then used the scarf to tie her in the chair as Mrs. O’Neal set some strips of buttered toast smeared with jelly in front of her. Mrs. O’Neal was just securing a small piece of toweling around the child’s neck when Caitlin picked up one of the strips of toast.
“So, are ye going to give this vagabond a bed for the night?” Matthew asked.
“Aye,” said Iain. “And he is going to take Geordie and Robbie with him when he goes.”
Matthew made no attempt to hide his shock. “Why?”
Geordie excused himself and left to start packing.
“Geordie has a sudden hankering to see the ocean and Robbie decided he wished to go as well,” said Iain.
“Why would he have a strong wish to see the ocean? Would have thought he’d seen enough of it when we traveled here from Scotland, especially when we were hanging our heads over the railing, emptying our bellies.”
“I dinnae think even he could answer that question clearly. He just wants it.”
“Ye think Robbie can make that kind of trip?”
Iain explained what had been said and was pleased to see Matthew slowly nod in understanding. Robbie was a grown man and no one could tell him not to go, but it was still good to see that Matthew agreed and understood. It would make it easier. A big family argument would only upset Robbie.
“It seems an odd thing for Geordie to crave, but it might help Robbie in some way, and possibly make him stay home. Just nay sure how Reid will take the news.”
“I think he has gone to talk with him. I dinnae think the mon will have a big problem with it. Nigel MacEnroy can step in. He has before and has recently worked with Robbie and Reid.”
“Weel, that is good. That business shows promise and it would be a shame to lose that because he has an itch to wander.”
Iain nodded and turned to James to talk about the major, the man James had just spent time with. He was just laughing about an incident with the kids the couple had taken in when Geordie returned and a moment later Robbie returned. They lingered for coffee and Robbie gave a report on how things had gone with Reid.
“Is he going to want Nigel to work with him then?” asked Matthew.
“Aye,” answered Robbie, “so I mean to have a chat with Nigel before I go. Reid can sometimes get caught up in an idea and want to just go ahead with it, so I thought it might be a good idea to give him my opinion on that plan, and gave him some advice on what to go forward with and what to hold back, then tried to turn him away from anything too crazy. Now I will go do some packing.”
Chapter Three
Looking around as James got them tickets for the train, Geordie wrinkled his nose. Missouri had grown despite the war. He had forgotten how much he disliked the smells and constant noise of such places. What Geordie noticed now was the shocking lack of men, the streets full of mostly women. That was going to cause some trouble soon with the losses in the war and the movement of men into the West now that the war was over.
A glance at Robbie made it clear that riding the train was the best choice for them. The younger man was quite pale and, as Geordie watched, a man left his seat on a bench set out for waiting passengers and Robbie hurried over to take it. His gait clearly revealed the pain he was in.
“Got our tickets and passage for our horses,” said James as he looked at Robbie. “Is he all right?”
“He hasnae complained, hasnae said he wishes to turn back.” Geordie frowned. “I do think it will be better for him if we travel by train for a bit. Coming down from the hills wore him out, I think, as it required a lot of strength in the legs, which he lacks.”
James nodded. “We can gather up his things when we get the horses settled, so he doesn’t have to carry them around.”
Geordie went over to tell Robbie what they were doing, then joined James in leading the horses to the stock car. After a quick look at how the other horses were settled, he helped James to settle theirs. They secured the saddles as well and took their saddlebags and blankets with them. Collecting a sleepy Robbie from his bench, they then hunted down their seats on the train. To Geordie’s relief their compartment had two seats facing forward and two facing back, so one seat was left open after they took their seats. Hoping it would stay unoccupied, he encouraged Robbie to take the inside seat and put his weak leg on the seat opposite it, where he and James had piled their blankets to make a pillow he could rest his leg on. It was not long before his brother fell asleep.
“It never healed right, did it?” said James softly, his voice weighted with pity.
“Nay. In truth, I think what little the men who captured him did ensured that it wouldnae. Same problem with his hand. If he wasnae going to take up arms for them, they apparently wanted to make sure he wouldnae take them up at all. It was all senseless. Just plain mean.”
“There was a lot of that during the war. And the scars of it will linger a long time. Of course, it was never terribly quiet and peaceful once you got west of the Mississippi.”
“Well, my family found a quiet place, I think. We have had trouble but nothing we couldnae handle ourselves.”
“Appears so. Of course, there are seven of you, so not hard for you to handle trouble. Quiet, far enough away from the cities to stay that way, too, so long as you keep a close eye out for encroachment.”
“Oh, Iain did, and always has. Every time he can afford to, he buys up more land, putting a wider buffer around us. As he says, he can always sell a piece or two if he needs some money. I think he is hoping we will all settle on it like Matthew has.”
“Then name that section of the hills after your family?” James asked and grinned when Geordie laughed and shrugged.
“How long will this train ride be?” Geordie asked as he frowned and glanced out the window.
“Too long, and there will be stops we have to suffer through. We will even have to switch trains in places. Never took one for so long a distance before. Did short journeys and they were mostly out of curiosity.”
“Cannae see the point of paying for just a short journey.”
“Some of them are worth it because of the route taken.”
“True enough.” Geordie picked up a book he had packed in his rucksack and opened it.
“Reading?”
“Ye have something better to do to pass the time on a train?”
“Not really. Did bring some cards, which may be of interest later.” James looked at the cover of Geordie’s book. “Shakespeare?”
“A
ye. King Lear. I promised myself I would go through all his plays by Christmas.”
“Why? I saw a performance of one of them, Macbeth, I think it was, and it wasn’t too bad but cannot imagine what it would be like to read it.”
“Ye saw it acted out? In Maine?”
“No. In Boston. Went to university there. I was trying to impress a girl. Was pleased it didn’t make me fall asleep. That would have been embarrassing.”
“Especially considering all the killing that goes on in it.”
“True. If I remember right, there is a fair bit of slaughter in the one you are reading.”
Geordie laughed. “Aye. Still have some trouble with the words, but getting better. Emily was a good teacher. Still not sure I understand all of it because the language is so different.”
“Maybe next time you should read something written in this century.”
“There’s a thought.” James had stretched out and closed his eyes, so Geordie struggled a while longer with his book until he had to follow the man’s example and sleep.
* * *
Geordie stepped off the train and headed to the stable car. Robbie and James followed him, Robbie prodding James for information about Maine. Geordie hoped Robbie was just curious and not looking to find a new place to live. Trying to explain to his brothers how he had come home without Robbie was definitely not something he wanted to have to do. It would upset a lot of people, family and friends. Unfortunately, he was not sure he had the heart to deny Robbie much of anything, nor did he have the gifted tongue to talk Robbie out of a plan to move east.
They fetched their horses and took them to the stables. Collecting up their baggage and saddle packs, they went to the boarding house. They got two rooms side by side and went up the stairs to get to them. Geordie could still smell the newness of the wood. This had been built simply because the train came through the area. He wondered how much of the rest of the town was so new.
He could see why people fought to get a train coming through their town as he looked out the window, having settled into his room. Trains brought noise and dirt but they also brought business. He promised himself he would try to remember that about trains when next he was grumbling about the smell and noise of the machines.
James rapped on the door and then walked in. “Shall we hunt down some food? I saw a place just round the corner.”
“I could do with some food,” Robbie said as he slowly sat up on the bed he had chosen for himself. “We have eaten everything Mrs. O’Neal packed for us. Only have some sweets and a few bottles of cider left.”
“We’ll see if we can pick up a few things to add to that.”
Taking just a little time to tidy up, they all walked to the place James had seen. It was large and looked a lot like a saloon except the tables had cloths on them. They sat at one near the doors, a wall at their backs, and a pleasantly attired young woman came over to hand them a small listing of what they offered.
“I think this is pretty new as well,” said Geordie when the woman left to fill their order.
James sat back and looked around, then nodded. “Think it used to be a saloon. They obviously decided to keep the bar and use it for more proper things. I suspect they are still in the planning stage and deciding exactly what they want to be.”
“As long as the train keeps passing through and stopping, they will have business.”
“Aye,” Robbie agreed, then stared at the table across from them. “We arenae wearing uniforms, but I think some people have a good idea of which side we fought for.”
Glancing at the men Robbie had been watching, Geordie sighed. “Weel, dinnae stare at them or they will think it is a challenge.”
“If they have such a difficult time dealing with people who may have supported the Union, wonder why they are coming this way? They are headed right for the heart of the Yankees.”
“To work and make a living.”
“Suspect that galls them.”
“Oh, aye. Ah, here comes our food.”
The plates set before them were clean and the food plentiful if ordinary. It was the kind of thing Mrs. O’Neal would make them. Geordie hoped they did not decide to imitate fancy city restaurants. Once he had gone to one with Emily’s grandfather, a duke, and had found it stifling, even unsettling because he was so unsure of how to act.
“So, just how long a train ride do we have left, James?”
“A few days. We switch trains here for a more direct route. We will end up in New York at the end of this trip. Then we ride or take a short train trip to Boston. Then we ride again. Should get to my home in about a week if the weather is kind.”
Geordie laughed. “If I recall right, that isnae something one can count on in that area.”
“Not at all. But, if we are lucky, the weather will at least remember it is spring now. It will be close to planting time when we get there.”
“Weel, we can probably give ye a hand if it is needed.”
“If it is, I will be sure to call on you.”
“What does your da plant?” asked Robbie.
“He had not decided by the time I left, so I am not sure.”
“He doesnae have a regular crop?”
“No. Used to, but he has lately taken to deciding closer to planting time. Depends on what markets he can sell to. War made for a lot of changes, and the markets he used to plant for are not there any longer. He makes more than enough to keep his house and land, pay what he must in fees and taxes, and feed his family.
“He was talking about planting some herbs when I left, as there is always a market for them and it appears to be growing. Mother said she would deal with them. With the lot of us grown and setting out on our own, he seems to be farming for himself.”
“And why not? Sensible. Keeps him busy and feeling useful and his pockets full.”
James smiled at Robbie. “True enough.”
“I ken that none of us, including Iain, have any great wish to herd sheep, though we all can if needed,” Robbie said. “And we help with the shearing. Ye really have to love something to do it right up until ye die.”
“That is how Iain got the Powells. He doesnae have to worry much about it,” said Geordie. “The brothers were born into the trade and love it.”
“I think they love the dogs they say they need to do the work,” muttered Robbie, and then smiled at the woman who came to collect their empty dishes.
“That is quite possible,” agreed Geordie before turning to the woman to sort out the bill.
As they left the eatery, Geordie looked around and shook his head. It was a town in Missouri that was rapidly growing, and by the look of it, already had all the problems that could bring. When Robbie and James stepped up beside him, he headed straight for the train station. He appreciated traveling by train but he really did not like the towns they stopped in. At first look they were thriving, but a closer look revealed not everyone was sharing in that bounty and some of the big losers were the original citizens, the ones who had settled there before the trains had arrived.
When they stopped at the place that sold the tickets, he slipped some money to James so he could get passage for them and their horses. He told his friend he was going to the stables to see the animals, then strode away. The moment he was in the stall with his horse Romeo, he felt his growing tension begin to ease. His horse’s name may have been a foolish whim of his, but the animal was a good choice. This journey had showed him one thing—he was not a man who should try to settle in a city or even a large town.
* * *
“Is your brother all right?” James asked as Geordie marched ahead of them while he and Robbie started to walk to the stables.
“Aye. He just hates the crowds, the noise, the smells, and all that. He kenned that years ago when we had to leave our cottage and had to spend some time in the city, but I think this journey has really set the knowledge in hard.” Robbie looked around. “Cannae say I disagree with his opinion of such places. I dinnae think I
am made for such a living.”
“Not everyone is. I am not that fond of it but get the feeling Geordie would not even want to be a regular visitor.”
“Probably not.”
“Well, someone has to live in the little towns and on the farms.”
James shrugged and Robbie laughed. “And I suspicion there are many who feel as he and I do. The war drained the country of men better than people like me or Geordie, and it could soon leave cities begging for residents.”
“True,” James murmured as he watched a group of four women slow their march past the storefronts to stare at him and Robbie. “I have begun to wonder if three unwed men traveling through the country are actually safe from all the dangers.”
Robbie laughed again. “There is that. Dinnae fear, we are nearing the ports where boats crammed with people are landing and searching for a place all the time so we won’t be the only targets.”
“True. Let us hope they do not all tote their families along.”
“Weel, I warn ye, the one running the stables is female and I got the feeling she is looking hard, so ye arenae safe yet.”
James stepped into the stables right behind Robbie to find a tall, strapping woman cornering Geordie while he struggled to get his mount out of his stall. The softest feature on her was her long, red-streaked gold hair tied in a loose tail that ran down her back. Then she spoke and James softly cursed. Her soft Irish accent could easily stir the interest of one of the men still alive and, probably more important to her, single.
They moved to the stalls where their horses stood and got their things so they could board the next train. James took the time to thoroughly check his mount for any signs that the train travel was troubling him physically, relieved to find none. He would prefer riding to Maine but could see that even the train travel was hard on Robbie, as he had taken his cane out of his pack. The filth that had tried to beat him into fighting for them had not just caused him untold pain but had done what they could to cripple him for life. That had just been vicious and unnecessary, but he feared the war had bred a lot of men who were so inclined.
The Scotsman Who Swept Me Away Page 3