The Scotsman Who Swept Me Away

by Hannah Howell

  “Are you a paying guest?” the boy asked.

  “Aye.” He held out his hand. “I am Geordie MacEnroy.”

  “I am Abel Ampleford, Belle’s brother.” He turned and bellowed, “Hey, Belle!”

  Belle came running. “Abel, we have guests. No bellowing. Why are you here and not at Auntie’s?”

  “She is sick and was wondering if you could come by just to make sure it isn’t the plague.”

  Sighing, Belle shook her head. “I keep telling her she can’t get the plague. There is no plague here.” She grabbed her coat. “I will go and see how she is.” She looked at Geordie. “Anything you need before I leave?”

  “Nay, we are fine.”

  As she and the boy hurried off, James and Robbie stepped up. “Where are ye going?” asked Robbie.

  “To do what I came here to do. I am going to look at the ocean. Ye coming?”

  “Nay. I am going to read a book and sit in the sun.”

  “I’m coming,” said James as he grabbed his coat.

  Geordie left the house to walk down to the beach. He had only gone a few steps when James joined him. Once he reached the edge of the cliff he turned toward the path they had used to bring their horses up from the beach. He was just about to start down that path when he saw a man striding up the beach and he recognized the man as Belle’s argumentative neighbor, Bennet, so he stopped. Signaling James to do the same, he crouched down, struggling to remain hidden behind a thorny, tangled bush while still keeping Bennet in view.

  Bennet had the courtesy to stop where it was easy for Geordie to see him. His men gathered around him, except for the two James had recognized as having a familial attachment to Mehitabel. They sat on the beach a little to the side of Bennet, laying their guns over their laps and staring out at the water.

  Suddenly one of them looked up the hill, stared right at Geordie, and grinned. He nudged the young man next to him, who also looked up the hill and grinned. Neither said a word and Geordie felt the tight knot of anxiety inside of him loosen and fade away.

  “Perfect. Just perfect,” Bennet said, revealing that he had the kind of voice that carried well.

  “I wonder if the fool realizes secrecy will never be his friend,” Geordie muttered, and James choked back a laugh.

  “He has a general’s voice,” said James.

  “Indeed he does.”

  “We will build on this end of the land,” Bennet announced.

  “She does not seem obliged to sell, boss,” said one of his men, then cringed faintly when Bennet stared at him.

  “I am working on some ways to persuade her. There are ways to push her into selling. Important men have found ways to slip around obstinate sellers. She is not putting her property to good use. Look at this cursed path. Wide stone steps would be better and safer, easier to bring in building supplies and materials.”

  “And for the ocean to wash it away,” said one of the young men related to Mehitabel.

  “What are you talking about? They would be made of sturdy rock.”

  “Uh-huh. Best if you get a good supply of rock then, as you will be rebuilding them a lot.”

  “Are you a builder?”

  “Nope, though I have done some. Just know you don’t build on sand.”

  Bennet waved that aside. “We will build access here and use the land up there for the rest. Get a lot of good lumber when we cut down those trees.”

  “Can’t do that,” said the other young man.

  Geordie was amused by the way Mehitabel’s kin kept calmly interrupting Bennet’s grand plans, but he feared they would push the man too far and get shot. He was surprised the man had hired them. Geordie suspected they would be fired soon.

  “What do you mean? No law against cutting trees.”

  “They are protected.”

  “Protected? No one protects trees. Even she cuts down a few trees now and then. I see her do it.”

  “Thinning them is allowed.”

  “Allowed? What nonsense are you spouting?”

  “Thinning is allowed by Grandfather’s will. Cutting the whole lot down is not. Breaking a will is a crime, I think. Most courts honor a man’s last wishes unless what he wished is an illegal act.”

  “I have got to check that all out and see what can be done about it.”

  “You do that.”

  Fortunately Bennet was already walking away and didn’t hear him. The pair joined the men who followed him. Geordie shook his head. He had the feeling those two young men would soon be out of a job. The moment they disappeared around a hill, he stood up and brushed the sand off himself. He shook his head again.

  James did the same, then said, “Those boys will be out of a job soon.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking. That or shot. They certainly won’t help him build what he wants.”

  “The man says he is looking into all the ways he can take her land.”

  “Think the grandfather’s will that the boys mentioned can protect her?”

  “Yes, unless she is in a position where a man with money can sneak around her and snatch the land.”

  “Think I should say something to her?”

  “Oh, yes, I would tell her all about what we saw and heard. That should impress her with the urgency of the problem. I get the feeling she thinks of him mostly as a bombastic nuisance.”

  “Maybe I will give her a hint of the trouble that will head her way soon.”

  “I think those boys will be sure to let her know.”

  “Ah, aye.” He stopped and stared at the water carefully lapping at the shore. “Ocean is calm today.”

  “I like it best when a storm is coming in. It shows its power then. Very impressive.”

  “Unless ye are living on the low ground. Or near the marshes and bogs.”

  “Sadly true, but why would anyone build their home there?”

  For a while they just walked along the beach. He had forgotten how invasive the sand was and soon took off his shoes and socks. James did the same and they continued their slow amble down the beach. Geordie wished he could have both—the ocean and his home in the hills.

  Realizing it was nearing time for lunch, they headed back to the stairs they had first climbed. Just as they reached the top they heard the cowbell ring. A moment later, Abel ran out the door and ran over to them.

  “Lunch will be on the table soon,” the boy said.

  “Aye, we heard the bell your sister told us about,” said Geordie.

  “It is to get people back up from the beach.”

  “Weel, it does its job, that is for certain.”

  “Where are you from? You don’t talk like anyone I have ever talked to before, and Belle gets a lot of folk staying here in the summer.”

  “I am from Scotland. Robbie talks like me, although he has a lot more American in his speech because he was so young when we came here.”

  “I haven’t talked to him much. He was in the social room reading a book.”

  “He appreciates that courtesy and he likes quiet when he reads, I am certain.”

  The moment they stepped into the house, the scent of food hit them. Geordie hurried to the washroom with James at his side. Once they had washed up, they headed to the table, where Robbie was chatting with Abel.

  Mehitabel pushed her cart through the doors and set everything on the table. When she sat down and started to help herself, everyone followed her lead. As dishes were emptied, she set them on the cart, which she kept at her side. Geordie smiled faintly. The woman had figured out some very good aids for organizing all the work she had to do.

  Geordie realized he admired the woman. She was young and alone, raising her brother, and she had figured out ways to bring in the money she needed. He frowned as he remembered the scene they had ridden up on when they arrived. She also had the courage to face down a bully.

  As soon as conversation eased around the table, he took a deep breath and asked, “So have ye got this place free of debt and all that?”<
br />
  She gave him a questioning look. “Yes. It has always been debt-free. Papa always stressed the need for that. Why do you ask?”

  “When we were down at the beach earlier, we saw Bennet and he was pointing out to his men all that would need to be done when he got his hands on the place.”

  “Ha. Man is ever hopeful, but he is fated to be sadly disappointed.”

  “He claims he has ways to get it.”

  “No, he doesn’t. He just refuses to accept the truth because he is a Bennet. No debt he can buy up, no violations of local laws, and all the other sneaky ways some men use to gain land. We know all about those. My father, his father, and right on back to the beginning made sure of it. They always checked any new laws passed in the state, town, and county. Told every one of us we had to keep informed of such things or someone could try to cheat us. Trained all the males then in line what to look for and ways to fight it. We don’t even have to worry that the fool will try to kill us and then try to claim the house from the people running the town. The will has a long, long line of heirs, and if we run out of them it goes to the Pennacooks, part of the Abenaki Confederation, and whoever gets to be the executor of the will has to do all he or she can to find an heir or make a deal with the Abenaki leaders. There’s some more in there, but nothing that will help Bennet get what he wants.”

  “Huh, so they made it very elaborate. Tried hard to cover all problems that might arise. Clever. Obviously had the wit to see that the women could carry the weight too, if needed. But how about if one of the heirs is made to believe all the talk some people use to belittle the natives?”

  “My da said it has been written to make sure a very long time is spent finding an heir. Great-Grandfather wanted to be certain it stayed in Ampleford hands and, if not theirs, then it definitely goes back into Pennacook hands. Our grandfather made a very precise will to ensure his wishes were fulfilled. It was a promise he made to the man whose daughter he married. That is one reason the women have some protection, too. They are allowed to be heirs and the decision-makers if needed. Great-Grandmother insisted on it. Bennet doesn’t like the idea of anyone with Native blood living near him. He really doesn’t like, and doesn’t believe in, all the rights the women have been given in this will.”

  There was a mischievous glint to the smile she gave him. “I believe Bennet is feeling very much put upon, thinks the world is being unduly unfair to him. The state chased away or killed many of the Natives, but he has to live next to some. Even more unfair, no one shares his outrage about that. And no one has ever argued against the women having some say.”

  And even worse, Geordie thought with an inner grin, the one Bennet got stuck with was bitingly saucy and did not cower before his bellowing. He found that slightly naughty look on her face intensely attractive. Her golden eyes shone and her full mouth had a tempting curve to it. He was suddenly grabbed by the urge to lean closer and kiss her, but stuffed a forkful of potato in his mouth instead.

  “Is my bedroom still open for me?” asked Abel.

  “Yes, but I thought you were going back to Auntie’s because you didn’t bring your clothes back with you.”

  “They needed washing, so Auntie says she will wash them and bring them back here tomorrow. She is hoping she will have a chance to visit with Gabe and Rafe while she is here.”

  “She’ll have to figure out how to do it without being seen.”

  “She already has.”

  “Are ye talking about the two young men who work for Bennet?” asked Geordie.

  Belle looked at Geordie, noting out of the corner of her eye that Robbie and James were looking at her, too. “Yes. They are my cousins.”

  “Well, after what they did today, they may not be working long for him.”

  “What did they do?”

  “They just informed Bennet that he couldnae do what he planned. Couldnae do the steps on the sand and couldnae cut the trees. I gather there are restrictions on some things in that will or, as with the stairs, nature makes it impossible. Bennet wasnae happy. Why are they working for the mon?”

  “They got it in their heads that someone in the family should keep an eye on him.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t see how he would even hire them, but he did.”

  “Maybe the same idea they had got into his head.”

  “Oh. Oh! Could he do that?” She frowned. “I just can’t see him performing such a deception well, certainly not well enough to fool Gabe and Rafe.” She rubbed her cheeks as she thought it through. “If he is playing the same game, what does he intend to do? There is no way to get this property from us.”

  “Weel, maybe we can all think on it tonight and see if anything comes to us by morning.”

  She nodded and picked up the rest of the empty and used dishes, taking them into the kitchen, her mind fixed on the problems with Bennet. She had never believed it would get as bad as it had. It was as if with every disappointment, he got more determined to get her land, more angry that she had the audacity to refuse him, and more rabid with the surety that she was wasting or misusing her land and it needed a better steward. He believed a man would be better and that he was that man.

  Shaking her head, she began to wash the dishes. Looking out the window, she saw Bennet riding along his fence. Geordie, Robbie, and James showed up on their mounts and kept pace for a while, trying to engage him in conversation then left. Bennet looked as though he had not enjoyed the chat at all and she smiled. She was going to be sorry when they left, she thought, and ignored the sharp pang in her chest that told her she would be very sorry indeed when Geordie rode away.

  * * *

  Geordie helped Robbie exercise his hand and gave it as good a massage as he could manage. He told himself he would be sure to find out what he could about massage, because he could already see improvement. It was doubtful his brother would get the full use of his hand back, although he hoped he was wrong, but even the small improvement he saw gave him some hope. He did not share his opinion because Robbie had been so thrilled when he had been able to grab the bedsheet in a proper grip to wipe off Thor’s drool.

  Once done with his brother’s hand, Geordie rubbed Belle’s cream onto Robbie’s leg. He could almost see the pain that constantly assaulted him fade a bit. It was going to anger him beyond words if these simple things really helped him, because that would mean they had wasted a few years, while Robbie suffered and they had done little for him. The doctors Robbie had seen should have told them. The only thing the doctors had told them with utter confidence was that both the hand and the leg should be amputated.

  Done with tending Robbie, he left his brother, cleaned the cream from his hands, undressed, and got into his own bed. James was already sound asleep. He had announced that he was headed home soon and needed the sleep. Geordie had actually considered accompanying James rather than waiting for word from him after he returned to Maine, but just could not motivate himself to leave. He told himself it was the ocean holding him, but a little voice that became louder every day kept whispering that it was the hostess who held him in place. Determined not to pay attention to that voice, he closed his eyes and welcomed sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  James packed the last of his belongings and closed his bag. He did not really want to leave, because he was enjoying his stay, but, on the other hand, he was eager to see his family and they needed him. The longer he waited to get to Maine, the closer they drew to storm season and the more agitated his father would get, which he also knew would make his mother crazy. James did not want to have to rush to finish a job in order to beat the storms.

  Picking up his bag, he went outside to where Robbie and Geordie sat on the front porch. They had brought his horse to the door, saddled and ready for him. The animal was shifting around in a way that told him it was more than ready for a ride. Belle came out as he secured his bag to the saddle and she handed him a small sack.

  “Food for the journey,” she said. “Hope your parents can get the house readied
for the storm season.”

  “They always do, although there are times they really have to push hard to get it done in time. Think their luck will hold this year, too. Are you ready?”

  “Yes. Will be checking the storm shutters soon. Da got them when they tore down an old garrison house in town. Fixed anything that was broken, and then painted them to suit the house. He was highly amused to be able to put ‘Indian shutters’ on our house and worked hard to make it easy to shut them from inside the house. Of course, everyone else calls them storm shutters now, including me, and they certainly did their job well in the storms of the past.”

  James thanked her. He then told the MacEnroy brothers he would definitely send word if he needed their help, but he was hoping to stir up some relatives to do some of the work, and assured them that there were more than enough relatives to get everything done. Mounting his horse, he started on his way. He waved once before he turned his full attention to the road he had to travel. After being away from home for so long, he was eager to see his family.

  Geordie stood up and gave Robbie a hand to get to his feet. “Hope he gets his kin rallied like he thinks he can. Or gets there and finds them already at work. I suspect his father helped a lot of them when they needed it.”

  “Hope he does, too, but, as he said, those kin might have their own work to do,” murmured Belle. “Everyone tends to do some tightening and strengthening of their home at this time of year.”

  “Is this ‘storm season’ ye keep talking about, a real problem?” asked Geordie as he held the door open for Belle “We didnae stay in this area long enough to even hear about it.”

  “It varies, but you soon learn to get ready for it, just as if it really was just another season. Sometimes it doesn’t seem to come this way at all. Later, one reads, or hears, that it stayed south of us. Other times it is mostly just rain and some wind. Then there are the ones that bring on floods and flatten houses. But it always happens at the same time of the year, so at least one can try to be ready for it. So we always fret and moan and prepare. Now”—she stopped to remove her shoes—“I have to go and dig some clams.” She tugged on some high black boots. “Got some orders to fill.” She grabbed a straw hat off the rack of hooks set on the wall over the boot tray.