Home of the Brave

by Jeffry Hepple

  “What?” He gave her a wide-eyed stare.

  She hiccupped. “I said that I’m drinking because I don’t wanna have your bastard baby,” she said loudly.

  “Hush.”

  “Make up yer mind. Talk, don’t talk.” She looked beyond him at the men along the bar. “Who’s gonna buy me another drink?”

  Carver took her by the arm but she twisted free again.

  “Look at what you’ve done, Senator,” Anna slurred angrily. “Only a minute ago, all these fine gentlemen wanted to buy me drinks. Now nobody will buy me a damned drink. It isn’t fair.” She slapped at his hand as he tried once more to take her arm. “You know what else isn’t fair? It isn’t fair that when you get tired of me you just go on your merry way but I’m left with a creature growing inside me.” She looked down at her stomach. “Inside me. It’s disgusting. And it isn’t fair.”

  Carver turned toward two District of Columbia policemen who had finally arrived. “Get her out of here.”

  “Yes, sir. Come along, Miss.”

  “No,” Anna replied. “If you want me out you’ll have to drag me out, kicking and screaming all the way.”

  “Excuse me.” A man stepped between the police and Anna. “I am Doctor James Winslow, a friend of the young lady’s family.”

  “I never saw this man before in my whole life,” Anna contradicted loudly.

  Annabelle Priest caught Anna’s hand. “Doctor Winslow is my brother. Please let us take you home.”

  “No.” Anna shook her head emphatically and pulled her hand back. “Not until the new year.”

  “Very well,” Annabelle replied. “Perhaps you would agree to join my brother and me at our table until then.”

  Anna looked at Winslow. “Does your brother know that you’re in love with my father?”

  “Yes, of course he does.” Annabelle began leading Anna away from the bar. “Everyone knows that.”

  January 1, 1829

  Washington, District of Columbia

  “It’s nearly noon. Time to wake up.”

  Anna awoke then moaned as a stabbing pain throbbed through her head and cramps attacked her abdomen.

  “Don’t sit up too fast or you may get sick again.”

  Anna blinked and tried to focus on the white-haired woman who sitting beside her on the bed. “Where am I?”

  “If I’m not mistaken, you’re in what was your bedroom when you were around twelve or thirteen.”

  “Oh. I remember you now,” Anna said. “You’re my father’s lover.”

  “No,” Annabelle shook her head. “I’ve told you before that I’m not your father’s lover.”

  “You admitted it last night. I wasn’t so drunk that I’d forget a thing like that.”

  “Last night I admitted that I love your father.” Annabelle stood up and walked to the dormer and sat down facing Anna. “I didn’t say that he and I were lovers. There’s an important distinction between loving someone and being their lover.”

  Anna sat up then looked down at herself and pulled up the blanket to cover her breasts. “I’m naked.”

  “You vomited all over your clothes. I managed to get you undressed but you refused to let me put a nightgown on you.”

  “Where are my clothes?”

  “The maid took them to the laundry. Today is a holiday so you may not get them back until tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Am I to remain naked until then?”

  “Please feel free to help yourself to any of my clothes.” She waved her hand toward a dresser and wardrobe.

  Anna examined the room more closely and realized that it was decorated more like a lady’s private bedroom than a hotel room. “Do you live here?”

  “No. My brother and I live in Detroit, but he comes here often on business and your father has been kind enough to make the attic here available for us when we’re in Washington.”

  “That’s convenient,” Anna said sarcastically.

  “Yes it has been, although your father tells me that the place has been leased and we won’t be staying here again.”

  “Where does my father sleep when he’s here?”

  “There are three bedrooms up here, as you may recall. Your father has one, my brother has another and I have this one.”

  “I remember there being five bedrooms. This was the children’s floor.”

  “Oh. Then I suppose two of the bedrooms were made into the parlor sometime before the first time I came here. Your father told me that this was your room but he never mentioned that the parlor was new.”

  “Did you say that your brother is a doctor?”

  “No I didn’t say, but he is indeed.”

  “I need one.”

  “You have a hangover. It may feel like you’re dying but you’re not.”

  “I need a doctor to get this bastard out of me.”

  “My brother does not perform abortion procedures unless the mother’s life depends upon it.”

  “Mine does.”

  “I think not.”

  “Will you help me find a doctor that will rid me of this thing?”

  “No, but I will offer you a place to stay in Detroit during your pregnancy.”

  “What’s your name again?”

  “Annabelle.”

  “Your family name.”

  “Priest.”

  “That’s not your brother’s last name.”

  “His last name is Winslow. My maiden name is Winslow.”

  “You’re married?”

  “I’m a widow,” Annabelle said in an annoyed tone. “I’m quite certain that you know all that and I cannot even hazard a guess as to why you pretend not to.”

  Anna pushed aside the blanket and swung her legs off the bed with a groan and looked down at her slightly rounded belly. “I see that fortune didn’t bless me with a miscarriage last night.”

  “Would you like some privacy so you can dress or do you need help?” Annabelle asked, ignoring the comment.

  “Help, if you wouldn’t mind terribly.”

  “I won’t mind if you don’t vomit on me again.”

  “I vomited on you last night?”

  “Twice. I think the first time was an accident but the second was intentional.”

  Anna tried to stand then sat back down immediately. “Oh Lord.”

  Annabelle got up and walked to the dresser. “Let’s start with seeing how far you can get on your own while sitting down,” she said as she gathered undergarments.

  “I suppose I should apologize.”

  “Yes you should. To me, to my brother and, more importantly, to your mother and father.”

  “To my mother and father? For what?”

  “For calling her a whore and him an adulterer.”

  “He told you about that? About what I said at Christmas?”

  “No he didn’t. But your mother mentioned it when she wrote to apologize to me for your behavior. I received her letter just yesterday.”

  “Does she know you’re in love with my father?”

  “I told you last night that everyone knows.”

  “I’m surprised that she hasn’t scalped you or something. She does things like that, you know. She’s a very violent, uncivilized person with a disreputable past.”

  Annabelle dropped the clothes she’d chosen on the bed. “You obviously know less about your mother than you do about your father.”

  “Does he love you?” Anna began dressing.

  “Yes.”

  “You love him and he loves you but you’re not lovers.”

  “Yes. Why is that so hard to understand?” Annabelle returned to her seat in the dormer.

  “You must admit that it’s very strange.”

  “What’s strange?”

  “The whole thing; particularly a married man being openly in love with another woman.”

  “I’m certain that your father isn’t the first man that ever loved two women, Anna. In some cultures men can have more than one wife.”

  “I suppose th
e real shock is that my mother would tolerate it. She’s not known for tolerance in any form or fashion to anyone for any reason.”

  “How can she possibly change the way your father feels? For that matter, how could he? If one could turn off love I would have done it long ago.”

  Anna thought about that for several seconds. “It might have been kinder if he had never told Mother about you.”

  “The circumstances and his character made telling her necessary, but I don’t wish to go into that now.”

  “The implication being that you and my father were once lovers but he went back to my mother.”

  “You may infer what you wish but that is not what I said nor is it accurate.”

  “There’s no need to get testy.”

  “Actually there is. My patience with you is at an end. You may accept or reject what I’ve told you, but I refuse to discuss it further with you now or ever again.”

  “Okay then. I’m sorry.”

  Annabelle cocked her head to the side. “I think I hear my brother.” She walked to the door and stopped. “I’ll be back to help you dress.”

  “One question before you go please.”

  “What is it?”

  “If I accepted your offer and went with you to Detroit, would my parents have to know about the baby?”

  “Yes. I’d never keep a secret from your father.”

  “Then I shan’t be going.”

  “As you wish. If you change your mind the offer is open until we sail.”

  January 30, 1829

  Montauk Point, New York

  Jane Hamilton turned the tall, long-legged horse and ran him to the road where a young woman was walking toward Third House. “Hello there,” Jane said, struggling to hold the stallion, who was prancing, snorting and bobbing his head impatiently.

  The young woman stopped and eyed the horse nervously. “I’m looking for my brother, Thomas Van Buskirk.”

  Jane turned the horse in a tight left circle then dismounted and led him back by the reins. “Thomas isn’t here. You must be Anna.”

  “You must be Jane.”

  “That’s me.” Jane giggled as the horse nuzzled her hard enough to make her stumble. She turned to pat him on the nose.

  “Thomas told my great-uncle that he was coming over here,” Anna said, watching the horse with obvious trepidation.

  “He won’t hurt you,” Jane assured her, leading the animal a few feet away from Anna. “He’s a first generation Kentucky-bred Arabian. He just wants to run.”

  “I really must find Thomas,” Anna insisted.

  “Did you come all the way from Van Buskirk Point?”

  “Yes. I took the Narrows Ferry, then a coach to East Hampton but I had to walk from there to here.”

  “Did you notice if your uncle’s sharpie was at the dock or in the boathouse at Van Buskirk Point?”

  “I took the ferry to Richmond Terrace and didn’t go that way.”

  “Well if Thomas told your family that he was coming here I’m sure that he’ll show up soon.”

  “He should have been here long before me.”

  “If he took your uncle’s boat, he may be sailing for fun. This is a good day for it. You look cold. Let’s go to the house and have a cup of tea while we wait for Thomas.” She pointed at Third House.

  “I don’t want to interrupt your ride.”

  “I’ll just take this big fellow’s saddle off and let him run. He hasn’t worked up a sweat yet. Will you hold his reins?”

  Anna looked reluctant.

  “He may test you to see if you’re serious about holding on to him,” Jane said, “but he won’t hurt you.”

  “Does he bite?”

  “He’s never bitten me but he has big teeth.”

  Anna took the reins and wrapped them twice around her hand. “I’m not afraid of horses but I haven’t ridden since I was ten or twelve and this horse isn’t like any of ours.”

  “This horse isn’t like any others around here. He’s a real racehorse.” Jane began unbuckling the cinch strap. “He’s no good for anything else but he can run like the wind and he’ll damn near burst his heart to be the first across the finish line.”

  “Do you raise horses?”

  “No. I’m what they call a custom rancher. If I was a man, they’d call me a cowboy. People lease grazing land here and I take care of their animals for a fee. Sometimes horses, sometimes cattle and sometimes sheep. This big boy was supposed to be in Kentucky by now but his owner hasn’t showed up yet so I ride him to keep him from going wild.” She pulled off the horse’s saddle and dropped it on the ground then took the reins from Anna to remove his bridle.

  “They do that? Go wild?”

  “Oh yes. And fast too. The whole west is populated by huge herds of wild horses now. Horses didn’t even exist in the New World before the Conquistadors.” She slapped the animal on the rump then handed the bridle to Anna and swung the saddle onto her back.

  “Do you need help carrying that?” Anna asked. “It’s bigger than you.”

  “No thank you. I’m fine.”

  “Are you looking forward to going to Texas?”

  Jane chuckled. “I’m looking forward to your brother making a decision.”

  “About Texas?”

  “About anything. Me, his engineering business, Texas.”

  “You? My mother spoke as if you and Thomas were engaged and soon to be married.”

  “If you look at my ring finger you’ll notice that it’s bare.”

  “God damn men.”

  Jane turned to look at Anna’s face. “I kinda like men.”

  “I just mean that they use us and throw us aside.”

  “Thomas hasn’t used me or thrown me aside. But, to be honest, that might be an improvement over not knowing what he wants.”

  “Well when he gets here I’ll pin him down for you.”

  “If I was smart I’d beg you not to, but the truth is I’m getting tired of waiting.” She dropped the saddle with a thud on the porch, then kicked the steps to knock the mud off her boots.

  “I better take my shoes off outside,” Anna said.

  “No, you better keep them on for now. Nobody’s here so the fires are all out and it’ll be cold inside.” Jane led Anna across the porch and pushed open the door. “The kitchen’s straight back.”

  Anna walked through the entry hall on tiptoes, trying not to track in mud. “I thought you lived here with some old man.”

  “I do. But he’s in Manhattan for a few days so I have the house to myself.” She pointed to the kitchen table. “Have a seat and I’ll get the fire going in the stove.”

  Anna sat down and looked around the kitchen. “It looks like you could cook for a hundred.”

  “Sometimes I do, when there’s a roundup.”

  “How many cattle are out here?”

  “Five or six thousand head.”

  “And they all belong to different people?” Anna asked.

  “Yes. They’re earmarked before they’re turned out.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Jane almost dropped the stick she was putting into the fire.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Anna continued.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve told your mother.”

  “I can’t. She’d tell my father.”

  “And then what would happen? Would he beat you?”

  “Beat me? I wish he’d beat me. But no, he’d be ashamed of me. That’s much worse than any beating.”

  “I think you’re underestimating him, Anna.”

  “You’ve seen him for, what, an hour?”

  “I saw him when Thomas introduced me. He knew who I was right away but he was gracious and kind.”

  “Well I’m not telling him. At least not until it’s over.”

  “How are you going to hide it?”

  “I was hoping that you and Thomas would be headed for Texas and I could go too.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Stupid idea n
umber one million.”

  Jane put the teakettle on the stove. “You could stay here.”

  “Here? In this house? With you and the old man?”

  “Yes. The old man’s name is Mr. Van Winkler and he’s a very nice old man.”

  “He wouldn’t mind?”

  “Not at all. In fact he’d be glad for the company. He’s thoroughly enjoyed having Thomas around. I’ve even seen him smile once or twice.”

  “Would you have to tell my parents?”

  “I’d leave all that up to you and Thomas. But if your parents asked me specific questions, I wouldn’t lie for you.”

  “Thomas is going to die when I tell him.”

  “No, but he may want to kill the man, so be very careful what you say unless you want to see your brother swinging from a gallows.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “The first words out of his mouth will be: ‘Who’s the father’, so you need to be prepared.”

  “There are probably a lot of people in Washington that already know the answer to that question. He’s very prominent and we were less discreet than we should have been.”

  “And his wife found out but he couldn’t divorce her because it would end his career.”

  “How did you know?”

  “It’s an old, sad, and often repeated story.”

  Anna pushed her hair back with both hands. “How could I be so stupid?”

  “You’re asking the wrong person.”

  Anna looked at her in surprise. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

  “No. But that’s only because your brother’s a gentleman.”

  Anna giggled.

  “It’s not funny,” Jane said with a grin. “I must be in heat. I’d be ashamed to admit how often I have impure thoughts.”

  “Are you Catholic?”

  “No. I’m not even a Christian but I went to Catholic school when I was little and sometimes I use words I learned from the nuns. Are you religious?”

  Anna was about to answer when they heard someone stamping their feet on the front porch.

  “Speaking of the devil,” Jane said. “That’s your brother.”

  “Should I tell him that you’ve invited me to stay here?”

  “I’m going to let you take the lead. I’ll try to stay out of the conversation.”