“I might have a chance to turn the old place into a new and profitable one with some care and help. Robbie wants to try his hand at making cider. We have an orchard. Perfect match. Well, if I can prove I own the land.”
“You can. I have the papers.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Did not expect it to be so easy. See, Robbie has been searching his brain for something he might make a living at since he got hurt. He can’t do his weaving anymore because he can’t stand at the loom for long and, at the moment, the fingers on one hand are not as nimble as they used to be.”
“What happened to him?”
“Sort of what happened to me except they didn’t take him. Tried, but he fought and they beat him senseless before his brothers could get to him.” He shook his head. “Broke his leg in so many places he is lucky he just limps, and they stomped on his hands. He says that made him feel they knew enough about him to know what he did and they went for his hands on purpose. So I thought I’d give his idea a chance.”
“Of course, you should do that. I will get the papers.”
He followed her as they left the bucket of milk with Mrs. O’Neal and then as she went up the stairs to the room she had been given. She blushed deeply when she saw Matthew’s shirt draped at the end of the bed. Reid walked over, picked it up, and looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
“I think you and he are more than friends.”
She snatched the shirt out of his hands and hung it on a bedpost. “What we are is none of your business.” She went to the chest that held the box with all the papers.
“Why don’t you just ask him to marry you?”
“A woman doesn’t do the asking.”
“No, maybe not, but I rather think she can lead a man into doing it especially when he should,” he said, stressing the last three words.
“I am not having this discussion with you.” She took out the box that held all their papers and held it out to him. “I think what you seek is in there.”
He shook his head as he opened the box and began to look over all the papers. “As your sole male relative I should do something about all this. Maybe I will just go down and punch him a few times.”
“You will do no such thing.”
He opened up one set of papers and carefully read them. “This is what I need.” He looked at her. “It is what any brother would do.”
“But not one who is so bright and understanding.”
Reid laughed heartily but it stopped abruptly when he spotted the blue quilt in the chest. “I recall when Mother finished that. She was so pleased until she realized it did not match anything else she had in the room.”
“Do you want it? I managed to save several and have only had to give away one, in trade for Rosie.”
He knelt down and smoothed his hand over the quilt. “Who is Rosie?”
“The goat. That is her new name.”
“Good one. Easy, and one she might learn to answer to, although with a goat you can never be sure.”
“Do you want it?” she asked quietly as she watched how he almost petted the quilt.
“Yeh, I believe I do. You sure you still have one for yourself?”
“I do.” She moved to the other chest and glanced at his feet. “Doubt these will fit any longer,” she said as she pulled out his old boots, “but I saved them. And this.” She held up his mouth organ. “I fear most everything else burned.”
“I know. Except for the things I kept hidden in the barn.”
“Why would you hide stuff in the barn?”
“You know how Mother hated Da’s old books?” When Abbie nodded, he continued. “Well, I hid some in the barn. Thought she would get over her hate and he would welcome them back. I think our mother was very upset when we left Pennsylvania and that anger never really left her. She was never really happy at the cabin.”
“She never spoke of it.”
“Of course she wouldn’t because it was Da who caused it and she would never criticize him, except about the books that reminded her of the life they used to have.”
“Oh. I never thought of that reason for her hatred of the books.”
“Because you were too fascinated with them all. He loved that you were interested and the two of you would spend hours going over some of the stuff.”
“Were you jealous of that?”
“No. just didn’t understand that. Never much liked the idea of becoming a doctor even though I knew Da would have been pleased. Unfortunately, women rarely get near doctoring. There are a few but they have a real struggle and mostly care for women and children. You have Da’s gift, that keen understanding of people and their ailments.”
“I have got some practice in since this war began.” She closed the chest and stood up.
With his papers and quilt in one arm, he took Abbie by the hand with the other. “So am I going to have to call Noah nephew?”
“I fear so,” she said, and laughed at his sigh.
“That puppy of his is never going to be a big dog, you know.”
“I know. I hope he is not too disappointed. When do you and Robbie plan to go out and look at the orchard?”
“In a few days. Want to come?”
“I am not sure. I will see how I feel about it when you are ready to go. It is not too far from here, I think. I just don’t know if I am ready to see the remains or the graves. It was all so sad. Mother did nothing to save herself. She made sure she died with Da.”
Reid shook his head as they went down the stairs. “She was far too attached to Da, as if he was her reason for living. You aren’t that much younger than me but maybe too young to have noticed. It is hard to admit, but if given a choice between either of us or Da she would have chosen Da without hesitation. I think she was actually a bit jealous of how you and Da shared an interest. I know the men hurt her, as they boasted of it, and I suspect that made her cling to Da even more. It was why I made sure to bury them together.”
“I planted flowers on the baby’s grave.”
“I thought it might have been Da, but it was a good thing to do. I think what you planted is spreading over the grave for it was all ablaze with color.”
“There ye are, Abbie,” said Matthew when she and Reid reached the bottom of the stairs. “Ready for a walk?” When she nodded he trotted up the stairs.
Reid looked up and called, “Shirt is hanging on the bedpost.” He grinned when the man’s steps faltered briefly before he continued up the stairs. “Ow.” He rubbed his arm where Abbie had just punched him.
“That was rude,” she said primly. “You are a guest in his home.”
“He deserved it. Still think it is my duty to punch him.”
“Punch who?” asked Robbie as he stepped into the hall.
“Your brother Matthew.”
“Ah, probably deserved.” He stepped closer and looked at the quilt Reid held then looked at Abbie. “Your work?”
“No, our mother’s. The only thing I can do is embroider and stitch up people.”
“So it was you who put the snake on Matthew’s coat.”
“It hides the mend I had to do to the sleeve.”
Robbie grinned. “Very nicely done. Like James’s dragon; better though. Hope you don’t try to hide the mend when you stitch up people.”
Abbie laughed. “No, that would make them suffer for too long, and I would have to take it apart when the wound healed.”
“Shame. Do you plan to make use of George and the wagon in the next few days?”
“Have no plans to do so,” she replied.
“Good.” He looked at Reid. “We have something to carry a few things over there that would make the decisions needed easier to make.”
Reid walked off with Robbie, both men talking seriously and quietly. They were really going to give Robbie’s idea a try. She wished them both luck. It would be good if the land continued to be worked by a Jenson. Her father would be happy, she thought, and wiped aside a stray tear. Reid now had a plan and
she knew her brother liked that. She suspected it would do Robbie a lot of good as well.
Matthew came to stand beside her and kissed her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. I just thought my father would be happy to think Reid was going to work the land, and had a touch of sadness. It is gone now.”
“Good, we are going to take our walk now.”
“It is not too late?”
“Nay, we have several hours of light left,” he said as he led her out, picking up a small basket from off a table on the way out the door. “Mrs. O’Neal put together some food and drink for us.”
“Does she do everything around here?”
“Seems so some days, except when it is time for a heavy cleaning. Then she drags us all in and gives orders.”
“Abbie!”
Hearing her brother’s yell from the barn, Abbie hurried out the gate, dragging Matthew with her. “I think Reid just saw the wagon.”
Matthew just laughed as they ran down the road.
Chapter Eighteen
Matthew glanced down at the woman by his side. She was rather delicate, even in her coat, and he was embarrassed by the fear he had over speaking a few words to her. He reminded himself that she was a softhearted, caring woman, had revealed that many times over. She would do her best to be kind and gentle even if she felt she had to push him aside.
“There is our flock,” he said as they reached the top of the hill overlooking the grazing fields.
Abbie looked at all the white, black-faced sheep and smiled faintly. “They look nice from up here. I recall a boy I used to know who proudly took me to see the herd of cows he and his da were raising. The smell was horrible.”
“Weel, bigger animals, bigger stink. Although I think sheep can get pretty stinky. Different sort of stink. People who dinnae like the beasts are particularly sensitive to it.” He smiled. “Owen has gotten into a few fights over it. He doesnae always change his coat before heading into town. Tell the truth, I think he does that on purpose at times. It was cattlemen who cut his face.”
“Idiots. What is the use in fighting over what kind of animals you raise? But, then we have just spent four years killing each other. Whose house is that?” she pointed at the small cabin in the distance, painted green.
“That one is Owen’s.” He pointed to another one a few yards farther on. “The one painted red is David’s. He lives there with his wife. She is trying to interest Owen into marrying her sister.”
Abbie laughed. “Is it working?”
“Hard to tell with Owen, but he did once say he thought Amberlee was adorable when she got angry.”
“Amberlee?”
“Mother stuck her with it. She does have amber-colored eyes.”
“But why does Owen’s comment about her make you think he might be weakening?”
“It shows he is amused by the game. If all he is is amused, nay angry, then he just might be a bit interested.”
Abbie thought about that for a moment and then shrugged. “I just hope he isn’t mean to this sister.”
“Owen would never be mean or even rude to a lass, especially not a young lass with long shining black hair and huge amber eyes.” He took her by the hand and turned to head back to the house as she laughed.
“Oh, she sounds lovely.”
“She is.”
“I have to keep Noah,” she said abruptly but in a soft voice as if confessing some sin.
“Ye dinnae have to do anything.”
“Oh, but I do. I couldn’t possibly send him away. It was hard enough to leave him behind even though it was only for a while.”
He suddenly turned off the path to home and led her down another trail, helping her over the rocks and rough spots until they were on a flat grassy spot. Matthew spread his coat on the grass, sat on it, and tugged her down beside him. He wondered if he had the courage to speak out now.
“Explain this. Ye left the lad behind, but now that he has found ye, ye cannae send him back?”
“Yes, that is it precisely. I suppose you need to have a reason for what looks like a dramatic change of mind.”
“Aye, I do. Ye told the lad ye couldnae take him because ye had no home and no husband.”
“I know, and it was a very sensible decision.”
“I ken ye thought so. I am still of a mind to believe ye could easily turn aside gossip, just reminding people there was a war, which leaves orphans and widows.”
Abbie sighed. “I know it and, as far as Noah goes, I suspect he would tell them all about how he ended up alone.”
Matthew laughed. “With great embellishment.”
“Exactly. The boy talks well for his age. It is as if the first time he said a word he liked it so much he has tried to learn as much as he can. He listens to everything that is said. He is one of those children you have to be very careful around and watch what you say because he will absorb it and use it later, probably when you would really rather he didn’t. There is a part of me that is very sorry that I didn’t stay long enough to hear him try to convince me I was wrong.”
Matthew bit his tongue but quietly said, “Maybe ye were a little wrong.”
“Of course I wasn’t. Leaving him was wrong, certainly felt wrong, but the why I told him was not wrong.”
“Except that ye thought ye could choose a house without his help.”
Abbie laughed and flopped down onto her back, still laughing. “Little wretch.” She sighed and rubbed her hands over her face. “I can’t send him back though. I just can’t. It was hard enough to leave him behind to wait.”
He rolled until he was settled comfortably on top of her and brushed a kiss over her mouth. “I ken it. Ye didnae have to. I told ye that ye were coming to my house.”
“It isn’t just yours though, is it? I could not impose upon all the others. And I was already toting one baby.”
“Weel, Jeremiah was easily accepted. Ye saw that.”
“Exactly. I saw it, but accepting a baby is a lot different than accepting a boy, one who loves to talk, explore, and ask questions. Lots and lots of questions, some rather impolite at times. I shouldn’t have left them with Emily.”
“Why not? She has two close to their ages and Noah appeared to like Ned weel enough.”
“He did, didn’t he? He wasn’t close to the other boys at Mrs. Beaton’s house.”
“Nay, but I think that was because they came together, and he came later. They were already a pair.” She looked around. “Where are we?”
“At the riverside. This is a nice grassy spot overlooking the river. I thought ye would like sitting here watching the river pass by as ye struggled with your thoughts. Ye liked the other one we sat by until the Rebs came and spoiled it.”
“That would be lovely, but I don’t see the river. I can hear it but not see it.”
“Ye have to get closer.” He stood up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up beside him, and walked toward the edge.
Abigail was not quite so sure about it when he led her to the edge and she realized exactly where she was. The grassy spot was a ledge on a steep hill that went down to the river. She clung to Matthew’s arm as she looked over the edge. It was a long way down to the water and it was steep.
“I think this is a lot more dangerous than the other one.”
He started to tug her back to the ridge of land they had climbed down. “It isnae dangerous over here. Ye dinnae need to fear falling. Solid rock under our feet. We willnae go romp at the edge of the drop.”
Matthew sat down and tugged her back down by his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. This was a good time and place to speak of the future, but he suddenly could not think of a single word to say.
“I was wondering if it would be possible to take over one of the empty houses in town,” Abbie said. “I just wondered how that could work if the people came back.”
“It wouldnae be as safe as where ye are now. Ye would be a woman alone with two bairns.”
“But the war is over. Is that not what your brother said?”
“He thinks it is over. And even if it was over, these hills still hold more of the men who didnae seem to belong to either side or didnae claim loyalty to one or the other, just like to kill, rape, steal, and destroy.”
“Oh.”
She sighed and thought over the problem. Taking over one of the deserted homes would solve where she lived but it would not solve the problem of having two children and no husband. People’s thoughts always wandered down the wrong path, not the one that reminded them there had just been a horrible war that had left a lot of orphans who needed care. She knew she should not fret so over how such people judged her but also knew it would not be just her who suffered under their suspicions. Now Matthew was forcing her to see that not all the dangers would go away when the war ended.
“I have to find a place to live. Maybe I could go with Reid and Robbie. The barn is still whole and they are sure to be building a shelter of some kind.”
“Nay, ye will stay here with Jeremiah and Noah.”
“I cannot impose . . .”
“It is not imposing.” He pulled her into his arms. “Ye will be staying with me.”
“It is not just your home, is it?”
“We all own it so it is my home.”
“But . . .”
“We can take over one of the houses in the town if you are really bothered by sharing a house. Place is nearly deserted now. And several have notices that speak of the ones who died or where the people who were there went. Suppose one could contact one of them and make a deal.”
“I noticed that, too.”
Abigail snuggled into his embrace, savoring the heat and strength of him. He would probably think she was mad if she told him she even liked the smell of him. Clean skin and clean clothes. There was also that sense of being safe. She did not fully understand why as they were outside in an area that was overrun with marauders. They both had their guns, but she knew they could easily be outnumbered. So it was simply him; he made her feel safe.
She felt him spreading soft heated kisses over her face and sighed. They really needed to talk and when they started this they never got around to having any serious talk. It appeared it would be her who finally put her heart out there and prayed for the best. She had at least come to the conclusion that she did not need a husband, she wanted one, and this man was the one she wanted.
When You Love a Scotsman Page 23