“Thank ye,” Robbie said, then sighed as she left.
“Dinnae ye want the stitches out?” asked Geordie.
“Oh, aye, fair sick of them but”—he took a deep breath—“it is a foolish thing, but I just cannae shake the fear that something will go wrong when they are finally taken out.”
“What, like your bones will fall out once she unties the stitches?” Will asked, and then shook his head. “Nonsense. What Belle stitches together stays stitched together.”
“As I said, it is a foolish worry. Unfortunately, I looked at my leg before she stitched it and it is hard to get that image out of my head.”
“Yup, I can see getting upset at that sight, but it isn’t going to open up. They don’t open when they are in, and she seems to know just when they can come out. None of us have had the wound break open after.” He smiled a little. “Of course, Belle usually tells us very firmly what we can or cannot do once those stitches come out and no one ignores her rules.”
“Ye make her sound very fearsome,” Robbie said, and grinned.
“Like Emily or Mrs. O’Neal?” Geordie asked wryly. He laughed when Robbie just frowned, then grimaced.
Will laughed. “Strong women, huh? Yup, that’s Mehitabel Ampleford.”
“Have any of you with Bennet done this swimming thing? Does it work?”
“Worked for me a few years ago when I broke my leg. Hoping it will do as well this time. If I remember right, it worked just fine for Jonas. I have no idea why it works, though. You can move easier when in the water as it carries some of the weight, and some say the ocean water has some healing quality.”
“Well, I hope it works again,” said Geordie as he stood up. “Ye do need to build your strength. That leg hasnae even let ye try. I’ll come back when she takes your stitches out.” He started out of the infirmary and added, “So I can be there to pick up the bones that fall out.” He grinned when Robbie cursed him and Will laughed.
“What did you do to get them stirred up?” asked Belle as he walked into the kitchen.
“Just a little joke. Calming Robbie down as he was getting nervous. Lad has little idea about doctoring and actually worried about what could happen when his stitches were taken out.”
“You mean he thought it would all fall apart?”
“Ah, ye have heard that worry before.”
“I have. I calm myself by recalling what my father always said, that no one bothers to give folk even a tiny bit of knowledge about wounds and their bodies. He was always amazed and amused by what people would ask him. Not long before he died he told me some of their questions, thinking it would help me to be ready to answer with a straight face. He always believed most people round here would start coming to me when they had a problem.”
“And they did.” He walked up behind her and put his arms around her, then rested his chin on her shoulder to look at what she was mixing up. “What are ye making?”
“Mixing up some biscuits for supper.”
“When is supper?”
“Not for about three hours. A beef roast.”
“I can make some gravy for it if ye like.”
She turned to look at him. “Really?”
“Really. If ye have what I need. I often make it when I am home. Mrs. O’Neal is one of those cooks who has a plan and schedule when she is cooking a meal. She allows others to help, but only if she is not using the kitchen. My contribution is usually gravy. The wives do a dessert or peel the vegetables.”
“Have a look in the cupboards to see if anything you need is up there. I will be certain to call you when it gets closer to mealtime.”
He found enough to start the gravy and they worked together in a comfortable silence. When he could do no more, he peeled some of the vegetables she needed. Then he asked her about the use of swimming to improve Robbie’s leg. It sounded promising and he felt his hope for a good recovery rise. If, by the time they headed home, Robbie had lost the worst of his limp and regained some strength and agility in his hand, he would consider their trip a huge success.
Chapter Thirteen
Mehitabel stretched as she stepped out on the back porch. It was sunny and the sky was clear. Even better everything had dried out after the heavy rain they had gotten a week ago. She suspected it would be a warm day and there was a nice breeze. She looked over at the fence marking the boundary to Bennet’s property and saw one of his cows standing there staring back at her, lazily chewing her cud. Behind that cow were half a dozen others, also staring at her.
“The man’s damn cows are as arrogant as he is,” she muttered and turned to go back into the house, planning to do a few chores before making breakfast, only to walk into Geordie.
Geordie caught her by the arms, looked around, and then looked back at her. “Who are ye talking to?”
“The cows,” she muttered, knowing it sounded ridiculous, and shrugged her shoulders when he just stared at her.
“Ah, of course, and did they answer ye? Oof!” He rubbed his belly where she had just jabbed her elbow into him. “Vicious wench. What was that for?”
“Being saucy so early in the day. Some of us are slow to wake up in the morning. I certainly am not awake enough to make clever quips or attempt a joke, especially not on such a too bright day with a long day of cooking ahead of me.”
He put his arm around her as they walked into the house, through it, and went out the front door. “Attempted and succeeded.” He bit back a grin, but the way her eyes narrowed as she looked up at him told him that she was fully aware of that. “So, what is the chore for the day? Checking on the trees? Weeding the garden? Fixing something?”
“Why does the ‘fixing something’ sound so hopeful? Have you seen something broken?”
“Nay. It is just a chore I would have the most interest in doing.”
“Well, I am sorry, but the chore for the day for me is baking some anadama bread. I sell some to the bakery, and some at the town market, which is tomorrow.”
“What is anadama bread? I saw it on your sign but forgot to ask.”
“Old New England recipe my mother taught me. A round yeast bread made with flour, cornmeal, molasses, and butter.”
“Oh. And people like that?”
“Yes. It is simple but a bit sweet. Suspect that is why people like it. But first, I should at least have a look at the garden and see how it is doing before that rain falls.”
They walked to the back of the barn, where the tallest plants had been put in with a good fence around them. After a quick walkthrough with the occasional pause to yank a weed, Belle moved on to the garden behind the house. After another walkthrough and some weed-pulling, she decided it was also doing well and headed off to the orchard.
They soon returned to the porch. Geordie found the curry brush and went to tend to his horse, leaving her to bake her bread. As he entered the barn his mount loudly greeted him. Geordie decided he should probably take the poor animal for a ride. Back home he would ride at least once a day. He did not know if animals could get bored, but if they could, he was sure Romeo was getting there. After grooming Romeo, he saddled him and led him out of his stall.
For a while he just rode around Belle’s land, admiring how tidy the place was kept. He had to wonder who kept the grass cut and why she did not just let it grow in a lot of places. He would have to ask. If she did it, it was a lot of work, and if she paid someone, he had to think it was a fee she might struggle to pay at times. Then he saw the goats and grinned. Belle clearly knew someone else who had goats, because eight of the animals cropped the grass today and he knew she owned only four. He turned and took the path down to the beach, passing Thor, who was sprawled in the grass keeping a close eye on the goats.
A strange choice for a herd dog, but he suspected the animal did very well. It certainly had the size and strength to protect the goats. Once he reached the beach he started to ride in the opposite direction from the one he had taken on his last exploration.
It was not long
before the high ground disappeared. The number of houses also increased and he decided he was probably headed toward whatever town was in the area. In the distance he could see a lot of farmland beyond what appeared to be marshlands. Curious to see what a town looked like in this part of the country, he rode on, looking for a path up to the road he could see running along the coast.
Once up on the road, he could see the farmland more clearly. It looked a lot easier to farm, or use as grazing land, than the rocky patch of land they had had in Scotland. Places in the Ozarks looked similar but still had the hills and rock to deal with. Geordie idly wondered if there were many places where everything was perfect or if he would even want to find such a place.
He approached the town and looked for a place to tie up his horse. Once his mount was secure he began to wander the street, looking into several stores. He bought some cider for Robbie to try and something called maple syrup, which the lady running the store said was very good on some of the things Belle made them for breakfast. Then he found himself wandering through a store that offered things he felt comfortable buying for the women in his family.
By the time he returned to his horse, his arms were full of packages and he spent the time to fit them all carefully into his saddlebags. He mounted his horse and started on his way back to Belle’s. It was not until he turned up the path to her property that he began to get a little nervous about the small gift he had bought for Belle. He was not sure what had made him buy it or how he would give it to her. He had seen it and thought of her, which puzzled him. He had never spontaneously bought a gift for a lover before.
After he settled his horse back in its stall, he felt the first touch of rain as he walked to the house. His plan had been to get to his room and put away the things in his saddlebags, but he met her just outside the infirmary. He felt a light blush touch his cheeks when he looked at her as they walked into the infirmary. It made him feel like a young boy caught out in some mischief.
“You found our little town?” She flicked the top of one package with her finger. “Been shopping?”
“Just for a few things. Something to take home.” He looked at Robbie. “Got ye a bottle of some locally made cider and a few names of places ye might want to visit before we head out.”
“If he is not up to walking around much when you think you want to go, you can use the donkey cart and maybe take a cane.” She smiled when Robbie groaned, then she tugged Geordie out of the infirmary. “I am going to test him on his feet again tomorrow, and will want you close at hand in case he needs a steadying hand or he stumbles and needs someone to catch him.”
“Does he ken that? About the testing?”
“He does. He knows it will just be a short test, only a bit more than just resting his weight on that foot, followed by a round of swimming, so your gift of cider may well prove very helpful.”
He nodded and went back in to place his saddlebags on Robbie’s bed, then searched out the bottle of cider he had bought him. He also took out the ones he had bought for Will and himself. After handing the drink to Will, he carefully sat down on the edge of Robbie’s bed.
“What are ye watching me for?” asked Robbie.
“Waiting to see what ye think before I take a drink.”
“Ah.” Robbie took a sip, swished the drink around his mouth and swallowed. “Good, but what is that other flavor I taste?”
“Peach.”
“Huh. It is good, but maybe too sweet for drinking more than one or two.”
“Ye can try mine. It is a mix of apples, a tart one most people use for cooking and another usually used for eating. Will is sipping one that has a berry of some kind added to it.”
“Cranberry,” said Will. “Sharp, rather sour berry that grows in bogs round this part of the country. It actually blends in well, but I don’t usually like sweet drinks anyways.”
“And nay an ingredient we can get easily in the Ozarks, I suspect,” said Robbie as he switched his bottle with Geordie’s. “This is good.” He looked at the label. “And we have both of these apples.”
“Time for a swim,” Belle said as she walked into the room. “No more of this,” she said, and took Robbie’s bottle of cider away. “You too, Will, Geordie.”
“Dinnae we need something else to wear?” asked Robbie as he sat up and slowly swung his feet over the side of the bed.
“I brought some things, if you choose to put them on, but you could swim in what you have on, and I will wash them after.”
“I’ll help them,” said Geordie.
Belle went out and waited by the door. She felt a little awkward in her bathing costume, which was little more than a short dress with short puffed sleeves, and stockings. When the men came marching out she almost grinned. None of them looked comfortable in the men’s swimming costumes she had dug out for them, but she picked up the sack with the towels in it and helped them all get down to the beach. She was glad Geordie had not protested coming along as she really needed his help.
She noticed that Robbie kept watching his leg as he moved, as if still worried that somehow all she had done would unravel, but he did not hesitate to get in the water. His brother helped him remain steady as he moved his legs while she stayed near Will. He needed little help, so she occasionally took a little swim around on her own and just kept a close eye on him.
By the time they left the water and made their way back to the infirmary, she could see that both Robbie and Will were tired yet obviously felt pleased with their own progress. She wrapped a towel around herself when she caught Geordie studying her in her bathing costume and feared that it was showing too much. She helped a little in getting Will and Robbie into dry clothes, then warned them supper would be brought in within the next hour as she hurried off to change.
She changed her clothes and went down to the kitchen to finish working on the evening meal. She was just taking the meat out when Geordie came into the kitchen. He came over to the stove when she set the pan down, and spooned up some of the juices.
“The last and most important ingredient,” he said, spooning some of the meat juices into the pan holding the rest of his makings for the gravy. “What do ye usually do with the meat juices?”
“Use them as gravy and just spoon them on what I want.”
“Simple and efficient.”
“Most of what I do falls into that style.”
“Easiest way when ye have to cook for a crowd every day.”
“True. Would be nice if I could figure out how to do a few fancy things more simply and easily.”
“Why do ye think ye need fancy?”
“For the guests. They are paying for a special holiday. Special holidays should have meals that are not just plain old meat and potatoes.”
“Most people like plain old meat and potatoes. Ye will satisfy most of your guests with that. Ye dinnae want to get into menus or the like, as then ye will never get out of the kitchen.”
“You are probably right. I give them the necessities. A clean bed, three satisfying meals, and drink. I set up the social room two years ago and that seems to be working well. And when the season for visitors really gets going, I also make sure there are always some snacks at hand.”
“Sounds like a decent boarding house to me.”
“And that is really all I want. Some call them bed-and-breakfast places. Bed and breakfast would look good on a sign. I shall have to look into that.”
He nodded as he stirred the warming gravy. “This will only take a few minutes. Did ye want to get a tray ready? I can take it to the boys.”
“Yes, thank you, and I will set ours out while you do that.”
Mehitabel put the plates on a tray and began to fill them. She fetched some glasses and filled them with chilled lemonade. Then set out the cutlery and napkins. She handed it to Geordie and he went off to give it to the boys in the infirmary. She turned her attention to setting the table for her and Geordie.
She was just about to sit down when Geordie returned
. He stopped to push her chair in, then bent down to kiss her neck before sitting across from her. For a few moments they did not speak as they filled their plates. He then reported on Robbie and Will.
“So they suffered no ill effects from their little swim?”
“Nay. They are tired out though.”
“For a little while, everything they do will tire them out.”
“I recall that with Iain, and he was not pleased.” He had a drink of lemonade and then said, “He got shot by some fool that was hunting his wife.”
“Why was someone hunting his wife?”
“She held part of an inheritance, and her nephew had even more, so this mon wanted them dead. Then he would get it all.”
“It’s always the money, isn’t it.”
“Seems to be, but to hunt down a woman and child and kill them to gain an inheritance?” He shook his head. “That I will never understand.”
“How did Iain get mixed up in that?”
“We found her cabin burning, then found the bodies of her sister and brother-in-law. Buried them and found a locket that showed they had a child. So, we went looking, followed a trail, and found her hiding in the hollow of a tree with her nephew hidden under her skirts. It was not until later we discovered she had also been injured. So, we got Emily and Ned and now are friends with her grandfather.” He grinned at Belle. “A duke from England.”
“You have met him?”
“Aye. Nice fellow, although it took Iain a while to warm to the man. Iain has a dislike for English aristocracy, which was why he was so slow to understand that he wanted to keep Emily. At least we didnae have to suffer that ridiculous confusion with Matthew and Abbie.”
“Matthew met her in a more normal fashion, did he?”
“Nay. Met her during the war. Rebs had attacked her house and killed her parents and we arrived to find her fighting them. So he, James, and their men took her back to the town they were stationed in and put her in what they called The Woman’s House. It was a mansion, and the woman who owned it allowed them to take in orphans and women widowed or lost in the chaos of war. When Matthew brought Abbie home with him, she brought two orphans with her. Noah and a bairn.” He frowned. “We seem to have gathered ourselves up a crowd of children. Not sure why my brothers feel compelled to add to the mob.”
The Scotsman Who Swept Me Away Page 14