Under the Northern Lights

by Tracie Peterson

  The infant came quickly and was smaller than her brother. She had a lusty cry that commanded attention long after her sibling had quieted. Leah stared in wonder as Oopick and Ayoona cleaned her children and dressed them for the first time. Twins. It was almost more than she could comprehend.

  An hour after the ordeal, Jayce stood beside his wife and shook his head. ‘‘Two babies. I can’t believe it. Did you know?’’

  ‘‘I had no idea, though I suppose we should have considered it,’’ Leah said. ‘‘After all, you are a twin, and twins tend to run in families.’’

  ‘‘They’re beautiful, and how congenial that you would give me one of each—a son and a daughter.’’ He grinned at her and gently stroked her face. ‘‘Leah, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. Thank you for my children.’’

  She tried not to let her fears steal the joy of the moment. They were Jayce’s children. As he had told her so many months ago, he would take care of these babies and be their father. They would look like him and her, and they would grow up without questioning their parentage.

  ‘‘So I suppose the names we picked out for a boy and a girl can both be used,’’ Jayce said, looking at his son. ‘‘William Edgar after our fathers. We’ll call him Wills.’’

  ‘‘And Meredith Patience for our mothers,’’ Leah said, looking at the tiny bundle in her arms. ‘‘We can call her Merry.’’

  Jayce nodded. ‘‘I like that. Wills and Merry. Perfect additions to our family.’’

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Captain Latimore showed up four days later on the twelfth of June. He was a shadow of his former self, having lost a great deal of weight. It seemed he had aged well beyond his nearly fifty years. Leah felt sorry for the man. His pleasant, almost humorous demeanor was gone, and in its place was a gruff, hard man who didn’t care about the pleasantries of life.

  ‘‘This is an ongoing job for me,’’ he announced to Jacob and Jayce. ‘‘The Canadian company that put this plan together intends to see their men living in the Arctic for no fewer than four years. They believe this will garner much knowledge about the north. I will make a yearly run of supplies to them, and given the distance, it will take all summer.’’

  ‘‘So the plan this time around is simply to take the party north, help establish their camp, and then leave?’’ Jayce questioned.

  ‘‘That and gather a few samples for some of my American scientific friends,’’ Latimore announced. ‘‘That’s where you come in, Jayce. I will rely upon your geological and botanical knowledge to help retrieve a list of samplings. We will, however, say nothing about it to the others. No sense ruffling feathers since they are paying the bulk of the expenses.’’

  Leah sat in her bed across the room while the men discussed their plans at the small living room table. She wished she might join in but sensed that Latimore wanted nothing to do with her, given the fact that she’d just given birth. He looked at her with an expression of disdain, then nodded and turned away. No doubt she was a sad reminder of his dead wife.

  ‘‘I have left the Canadian team on the ship. They want to purchase two teams of dogs from you, as well as sleds, harnesses, and any other gear you can spare.’’

  ‘‘Well, I have dogs that can be purchased but not many that are trained well enough,’’ Jacob said. ‘‘There are quite a few yearlings that show great promise and we might incorporate some of those into a team. We also have eight teams of pups that are being trained to pull, but they’ll take time and I’d rather not take any of them. And regarding the gear, I don’t have that much that I can afford to spare, but I’ll ask around. I know that John had some extra things, and perhaps he could part with one of his sleds for a reasonable price.’’

  ‘‘We did purchase one sled and some harnesses and lines in Nome,’’ Latimore told him, ‘‘but you know those things are going to wear and it will be necessary to replace them.’’

  ‘‘Yes, of course,’’ Jacob replied. ‘‘I’ll do what I can.’’

  ‘‘How big is the team of men you will leave behind?’’ Jayce questioned. He offered Latimore coffee, but the captain waved him off.

  ‘‘There are a total of six. Two are archeologists. They believe there will be signs of some sort of ancient life on the islands. Personally, it sounds like nonsense to me, but they pay well. There is also a botanist, a geologist, a medical doctor, and a meteorologist who is working for the Canadian army, which is surprising given Canada’s deep involvement with the war.’’

  ‘‘Which brings up another question,’’ Jacob interjected. ‘‘What happened to the U.S. Army and their interest in military sites in Alaska?’’

  ‘‘I’m sure the interest remains, but their sight is now fixed on Europe. Things are not looking good. Back in March the Germans torpedoed a French channel ferry called the Sussex. That in turn caused an international crisis. Twenty-five of the fifty killed on that ship were Americans.’’

  ‘‘How awful,’’ Leah said from her bed. Latimore seemed not to even hear her.

  ‘‘President Wilson immediately condemned the act and those responsible. He threatened to sever diplomatic relations with Germany. The Germans abandoned their U-boat campaign immediately. They are terrified, in my opinion, that we will come into this war and put an end to their bullying.’’

  ‘‘And you believe that to be the case?’’ Jayce asked.

  ‘‘I do. That is another reason I’ve committed my ship to a four-year plan. If there should be a war, and should they need my vessel, they cannot confiscate my ship without compensating me quite well. I would even have the ability to protest any kind of government interference based on the fact that lives would be at stake should I be unable to fulfill my contract.’’

  Leah thought he seemed pleased with himself, and in actuality she couldn’t blame him. The idea of sending Americans into a foreign war was outrageous to her. She hadn’t understood the Spanish-American War, and she certainly didn’t understand this European war.

  ‘‘There is also the Battle of Verdun. It began last February,’’ Latimore continued. ‘‘The fighting goes back and forth between the Germans and French, sometimes with one side winning and then the other. It’s a battle for the hearts of the French, as I hear it. Verdun is quite special to them. There appears to be no end in sight, however.’’

  ‘‘I am sorry to hear that,’’ Jacob said, shaking his head. ‘‘I’m sure many lives will be lost before this war ends. Tragically, I wonder if the people even understand what they are fighting for.’’

  Latimore rubbed his bearded chin. ‘‘That remains to be seen. My purpose is to remain in service to myself. We shall leave on the morrow. Can you be ready?’’

  Jacob and Jayce looked to each other and then nodded. ‘‘We’ll be ready.’’

  ‘‘Wonderful. Now why don’t you show me your dogs.’’ It was more a command than a question. Latimore got to his feet and nodded toward Leah. ‘‘Mrs. Kincaid, I wish you the best.’’

  Leah thought him without emotion or feeling, and the next morning she had a chance to prove that her summation was correct. She was up from bed finally, tired but needing to show Jayce that she was fully recovered from the birth of their children. She hated knowing that Jayce would leave that day and be away for several months. It was apparent to Leah that he would remain behind should she ask him to do so, but she knew how much he desired to go on this quest. He had talked of nothing else since the sun had returned to last the length of a normal day.

  In her heart Leah felt there was little choice. She had to let Jayce go, and she felt almost comforted to know that he and Jacob would look after each other. She would worry less with the two of them together, but in some ways she would also worry more. If anything happened to the ship and crew, she might lose them both.

  ‘‘Good morning, Mrs. Kincaid,’’ the captain said as he entered the kitchen. ‘‘Is your husband here?’’

  ‘‘He will be shortly. He’s gone to see someone. Why
don’t you have a seat and I will fix you breakfast.’’

  ‘‘No, thank you. I ate aboard the ship. I have a fine cook there.’’

  She smiled and felt it necessary to speak about her husband’s involvement. ‘‘I hope that you will make every effort to keep my husband and brother safe. They are all I have now besides the children. Given your loss, I’m sure you can understand. You are all that your son has now.’’

  ‘‘My son is no longer my concern. I have given him over to my sister to be raised. I seriously doubt that I will ever see the boy again.’’

  ‘‘But how can you say that?’’ Leah questioned.

  ‘‘I don’t believe I will be long on this earth, ma’am.’’

  The words startled Leah and she found herself gripping the back of the chair as though it were her lifeline. ‘‘Why would you believe such a thing? You’re not that old, and while you appear thinner than the last time I saw you, you surely are in very good health or you’d not venture north.’’

  ‘‘I have no idea of whether my health is good or bad. I simply feel that my days are numbered.’’

  ‘‘No doubt you are mourning the loss of your wife. You may feel different in a year or two,’’ Leah offered in a sympathetic tone. ‘‘Your sorrow must be great indeed, for I remember the way you spoke of Mrs. Latimore. You held great fondness for her and for your son.’’

  The captain met her gaze and for a moment Leah thought he might contradict her statement. Then his features softened, but only a bit. ‘‘I do mourn Regina’s passing, but perhaps that is why I have no fear of my life coming to an end. If I am to rejoin her soon, then this interlude will become nothing more than a brief nightmare.’’

  ‘‘But if you die, you’ll leave your son an orphan. Would it not be better for him to at least have a father than to be without both mother and father?’’

  One of the twins began to fuss and Latimore took this as his cue to exit. ‘‘I will wait for your husband outside. We sail with the tide.’’

  Leah watched the man hurry from the house. He wanted no part of answering her question or of seeing her children.

  ‘‘Such a sad man,’’ she murmured, making her way to the tiny box bed where her babies slept.

  She found Wills awake and quite angry. He was wet and hungry, as usual. Leah changed him, using diapers she’d borrowed from Emma. ‘‘There you are, little man. Now come and get your fill while your sister sleeps.’’

  It was there, feeding her son, that Jayce found her. He smiled from the doorway and simply watched her for a moment. ‘‘This is the image I will take with me to the north. My daughter sleeping soundly and my wife nourishing our son.’’

  Leah smiled. ‘‘I’m certain there will be many such scenes.’’

  He frowned. ‘‘And I shall miss them.’’

  ‘‘You won’t be gone forever. Wills and Merry will still be quite small when you return in September.’’

  He came to sit beside her. ‘‘And we might be back as early as the latter weeks of August.’’ Jayce reached out to touch his son’s downy hair. ‘‘He’s so small. It amazes me that we all start out this way.’’ He looked up, their faces only inches apart. ‘‘I still battle against myself about going.’’

  ‘‘You need to go,’’ Leah countered. ‘‘I know that this is important to you, and if you do not go, I fear you will always regret it. And in turn, you may come to resent the children . . . and me.’’

  ‘‘Never. You’re my life. I cherish you as I do my next breath.’’

  He grinned. ‘‘I should tell the captain that I need larger quarters and bring all of you with me.’’

  ‘‘I doubt Captain Latimore would agree to that. The man is bearing a terrible burden of grief. He has sent his son away to live with his sister and believes his life is not to be long on this earth. That troubles me because I fear he will endanger the lives of his men if he has no concern for his own life.’’

  ‘‘Even if that is the case, Jacob and I are strong capable men. If need be we’ll reason with the man and help him to see the truth. Pray for us while we’re gone, and I’m sure things will work together.’’

  ‘‘I haven’t stopped praying since you and Jacob decided to go forward with this adventure,’’ she admitted. With Wills satisfied, she placed him in the crib with his sister.

  ‘‘When the innes begin to flood, you will go to the mission house and stay with Sigrid, won’t you?’’

  She smiled. ‘‘I’ve already promised you that I would. You worry too much.’’

  He laughed. ‘‘It’s usually me telling you that very thing. Still, I guess I can’t help but be worried. You are my responsibility, and now there are three of you. If there are storms or other problems, I won’t be here to help.’’

  ‘‘Nor will I be there to help you when problems come,’’ Leah said softly. ‘‘Oh, Jayce, for years I mourned losing you. I won’t mourn your departure this time. Before, there wasn’t even the hope that you would return, but now I know without a doubt that you’ll come back to me.’’

  He took her in his arms and peered down at her. Leah sometimes still remembered the awful things Chase did to her when looking into his eyes, but the memories were fewer and fewer. Jayce had been a most compassionate, tender husband whose mercies knew no limits. He had never rushed her to intimacy, and in fact had offered her nothing but his undying patience throughout her pregnancy. She couldn’t begin to put into words what that meant to her.

  ‘‘I know you’ve come to tell me good-bye,’’ she said softly, ‘‘but I wish you would not say the words. I’d rather hear that you love me—that you’ll be thinking of us.’’

  ‘‘Every minute of every day. Probably to distraction.’’

  She laughed. ‘‘I don’t want that. I wouldn’t want you failing to pay attention to some detail and find yourself overboard.’’

  He put his hand to her cheek in a tender fashion. ‘‘I promise I will not fall overboard.’’ He kissed her forehead. ‘‘I love you so very much. We’ve been through a great deal, I know. But we’ve faced it together, and after years of bearing such sorrows on my own, I can honestly say that it is so much easier to walk through life with someone at your side.

  ‘‘When Chase . . . took you away—when he . . . hurt you—I feared that I had lost you forever. That I would have to go back to living a lonely existence after finally knowing what was missing in my life. I cannot tell you how I struggled with that. I knew I couldn’t impose myself upon you and force you to deal with a constant reminder of the man who had done those awful things, but neither could I lose you.’’

  ‘‘You’ll never lose me.’’ She put her hand against his. ‘‘It hasn’t been easy. I won’t pretend it has. I know that we agreed you are the father of these children, but it seems that Satan can use this one thing to disrupt me more than anything else. But I am trying, and I’m fighting against such disparaging thoughts.’’

  Jayce leaned down and kissed her nose. ‘‘You are a strong and incredible woman, Leah Barringer Kincaid. I will pray that you never stop fighting such lies. I am the father of our children— only me—always me.’’

  He kissed her soundly on the mouth, his arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace. Leah found no fear in his touch and momentarily lost herself in the memory of their first kiss. There is nothing of Chase in this man, she reminded herself. Nothing of the pain and sorrow that I once associated with the name Jayce Kincaid. There is only love.

  ‘‘Did you hear me?’’

  ‘‘Hmm?’’ She opened her eyes and sighed.

  He laughed and put her at arm’s length. ‘‘You weren’t even listening to me.’’

  Leah straightened rather indignantly. ‘‘I was busy.’’

  ‘‘I suppose I’ll let it go . . . this time.’’ He walked to where the babies slept and shook his head. ‘‘I can’t get over having two at once.’’

  ‘‘Wait just a minute—what did you say that was so important?’’ Le
ah asked.

  ‘‘Hmm? Oh that.’’ He turned with a nonchalant shrug. ‘‘I merely said that I loved you—that I would love you forever.’’

  She frowned. ‘‘Oh. That.’’ She couldn’t hold the look, however, and began to giggle. ‘‘I love you, too, and I shall count the days and hours until you come home to me—to us.’’

  Jayce carried that moment with him as the ship weighed anchor and steamed away from Last Chance. He didn’t bother to stand at the rail and wave good-bye. He knew from their agreement that Leah wouldn’t be on the shore.

  ‘‘I’m a fool,’’ he told Jacob as he stretched out on the bed in their cabin. ‘‘I shouldn’t be leaving them.’’

  Jacob looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. ‘‘So why are you going, then?’’

  Jayce consider the question. ‘‘Because your sister is wiser than both of us put together. She knows this trip is important to me. I think it’s possible she understands me better than I understand myself. It’s at her insistence I go.’’

  ‘‘I know how Leah can be,’’ Jacob admitted. ‘‘She is wise. Maybe the time apart will do you both good. It will give her extra time for healing. You know what they say about the heart and being absent.’’

  ‘‘Indeed.’’ He laced his fingers behind his head. ‘‘For my heart is already fonder of her, and we’ve barely begun our journey.’’

  Jacob threw a pillow at Jayce, hitting him full in the face. ‘‘I’m not going to room with some lovesick cow the whole trip. Let me know now if this is how it’s to be and I’ll go sleep with the dogs.’’

  Jayce laughed and tossed the pillow back to Jacob. ‘‘I’m a new father; you must indulge me. I will miss many things in the months to come.’’

  ‘‘Yes. Dirty diapers and colicky stomachs,’’ Jacob said, counting them off on his fingers. ‘‘Crying in the middle of the night to eat, and crying to be held when they feel neglected. I tell you what: In keeping with your new fatherhood and all the things you will miss, I shall put you in charge of the dogs. They have messes to clean and whine when they need to be fed. It will be just like caring for infants.’’