The Visitor - Colorado 1869 - 1871

by Barbara Svetlick

  “I didn’t know about his behavior until after Maggie was born so it had nothing to do with his behavior but with mine. Did you really think he would divorce me because he couldn’t stay out of other women’s beds? If that were the case a lot of men would be getting divorced. It was my indiscretion and the fact that he couldn’t deal with it that ended the marriage.”

  “You didn’t have to marry Alexander. I gave you the apartment in Richmond and a trust fund so that you could have someplace to go.”

  “Father, the fact that I conceived was only the validation to the fact that I fell in love with another man. There’s a lot of emotion in what happened and in how I feel. I could sit for hours and try to explain it to you but I think you know me well enough to know that the one thing I must do in life is learn to be myself. I was so young and so sure of myself when I married Dominic that I ignored all the little things. I am ashamed of my behavior but I am so happy with Alexander.”

  “Are you still living with all of them?”

  “Yes though that sounds more tawdry then being unfaithful.” She smiled and he waited. “Our home is very large and they have their own lives but I think whatever bond they formed in the Army is something they just don’t want to break.”

  “I don’t have to tell you the reaction of your mother.”

  “Father, my mother cut the ties to me when I married Dominic and broke my heart at Christmas when she refused to accept my son. I know I must forgive her but as a mother I know that if your children do not come first then there’s nothing that can be said to stop the hurt you cause them.”

  “Do you still love Dominic?”

  “With all my heart but I made the decision to live my life with Alexander. He touches me in ways that are so beautiful and he makes me want to wake up each morning.”

  “You realize out of the four he has the worse reputation with other women?”

  She laughed and put her hand on her fathers. “I’ve never asked you if you were faithful to my mother or whether you truly love her but there was never the compassion or the softness in your relationship that I have found with Alexander. If you have accepted your life then I beg you to forgive me and accept mine.”

  He sighed because she always seemed to be too rational and too knowledgeable about life. “Are we going to see you for Christmas?”

  “Not unless you come to New York. I don’t think any of them want to ever deal with mother again.” She put her napkin down on the table. “How long will you be in New York?”

  “I just came up for the day to see you.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot to me but I wish you would come home with me. You haven’t met the twins yet.”

  “I don’t have time this trip but I’ll be back in New York the first part of December and I’ll come by and meet them. Dominic told me that you gave him a second son but you keep talking about twins so I am trying to figure out if you have more children then I know or if the twins have different fathers.”

  “I only have the three children. Jonathan is identical to Dominic and Maggie has Alexander’s birth mark as well as resembles him.”

  “That is almost unheard of or at least I have never encountered it personally.”

  “I can’t explain it. Will you stay with us when you come back to New York?”

  “No, I have an apartment downtown.” She looked at him and realized there was more to her father then she knew and probably very little that the men didn’t know. How absolutely unbelievably naïve she was.

  As they crossed the restaurant, a very elegant gentleman stood up and her father stopped to talk. Richard introduced Mirisa as his daughter and the wife of Alexander Meeks.

  He bowed slightly taking her hand to kiss it but instead just held it. “So you are the woman who has caused such a stir in New York. I believe the rumors of your beauty are far understated but the rumors that you are a saloon girl from Texas are obviously wrong. I would love to hear the story on how you ended up married to Alex.”

  “Thank you. I do not believe rumors are in order since I have done nothing to incite them other then getting married and promising my husband that I wouldn’t shoot any of his past conquests when they blatantly seek out his attention.”

  He raised his eyebrows as the men at the table laughed. “Well, thank you for at least taking another boring ball season and adding not only your beauty but obviously a lot of spunk.” He turned to Dr. Eppes and spoke to him about business matters.

  Dr. Eppes retrieved her cape and kissed her as he put her in the carriage.

  “Father. Thank you for the apartment in Richmond.”

  “I would do anything for you darling. Please know there is nothing you can do in life that would disappoint me as long as you are happy.” He stepped back as the coach pulled away from the restaurant.

  JAMES STOOD against the railing on the back porch smoking his cigar when she returned to the Brownstone. Mirisa sat down in one of the big rockers and placed her cape and purse on the other rocker.

  “Are you ever going to return my heart or is it your plan to keep it forever?”

  “James, I never intend to return it but I promise to always take care of it.” He pulled her up and held her as he watched Maggie run through the grass with Dog.

  “Then I won’t worry about it anymore.”

  “I didn’t know you ever did.”

  “I didn’t know I had one until you.”

  “You have a beautiful heart and a soul that captured me a long time ago.”

  “Some would disagree with you but as long as I never lose you I’ll let you keep my heart.”

  “James.”

  “What Mirisa.”

  “How do I forgive myself?”

  “By accepting there are an awful lot of wrong paths before we find the right one. We have no control over those who steal our hearts as I have discovered.”

  “Why do you love me?”

  “Difficult questions from such a small person.” He blew smoke rings but didn’t look at her. “I love you because you only see the good in things; you give more then you take and ask for even less. I love you because the sunrise makes you smile and the sunset makes you sad. I love you because a flower makes you stop and a bird flying overhead brings such wonder to your face. I love you because you connect to your children on a level of pure enjoyment. I love you because you always respond when someone touches you. I love you because you cry over silly things and are unbelievably fearless when you should be crying. I love you because you fell in love with Meeks though I don’t particularly like his new rules.”

  “I’m glad that you love me.”

  “My pleasure.” He tilted her face up to him and kissed the tip of her nose. “Maggie are you ready for dinner?” Maggie turned to his voice and came running up on the porch where he swung her under his arm and tickled her as he carried her through the door. He swung her over the chair and she sat on her knees. “So much like your mother.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Probably still in the library. They were in a heavy discussion that I wasn’t in the mood to be a part of.”

  James walked into the library and told them dinner was on the table if they were interested. He was almost as moody as he had been when he was snowbound in Denver and he had made it perfectly clear that he didn’t like the new rules.

  Meeks watched as he left the library. “Is James not participating enough when he’s out with you?”

  “I haven’t noticed any difference. Maybe he just needs to be in the big pond of married women instead of the pay as you go gentlemen’s club. You know he much prefers to use his fine honed abilities.”

  “Well, then he ought to enjoy Friday night since it’s the opening ball of the season.”

  Mirisa spent the evening with the children before putting them to bed then went up to the piano. She started playing a love song that was light and haunting. It had become one of her favorite pieces from the book she had found. Garnett
stood in the library door and listened to her for a while. He finally went upstairs and sat down next to her. He looked at the sheet music and then joined her. They played for over two hours without stopping, without speaking and never repeating a song. When she stopped she thanked him and stood up to find them all them in the room listening to the music. Meeks poured her a shot but didn’t say anything. She sat down next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

  “I’ve never heard you play that well.”

  “I usually don’t play when anyone’s home. The competition around here is a little too daunting for me.”

  “Where did you get that music? I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before and I’ve pretty much heard everything.”

  Mirisa picked up the shot and bit her lip. “I found it in an old trunk in the attic. From the writing on the pages it looks like your mother composed most of it. There are several pieces that I can’t play because they are just too difficult.”

  She felt him respond though the look on his face didn’t change. “I didn’t know there was anything up there.” Meeks pulled her hand up and kissed it. He got up and picked up the music and sat down and read it. He passed the pages as he read them and Dominic finally got up and sat down at the piano. He played the piece part way through then stopped and picked it up again from the beginning. Something just wasn’t falling right. He changed a few notes and the piece was so stunningly beautiful that they had him play it again.

  They were at the piano until almost midnight before they realized the hour.

  Meeks held her all night but slept little. The music kept going through his mind because it was the only part of his mother that he could touch. Mirisa finally reached up and put her hand on his chest. “You can’t sleep?”

  “No, I’m afraid the music has been playing over and over in my mind.” She sat up then got out of bed and put on her jeans. “Where are you going?”

  “We’re going up to the attic.” He got out of bed and slipped into his jeans. They spent hours in front of the trunks as he went through the different diaries and drawings. There were six trunks and she had only opened two so far. He pulled her over to him and she put her head on his lap. She knew if he were alone he would be crying because it was bringing Magdalene to life. He finally picked up several of the journals, closed the lid and helped her up. They were both stiff from sitting on the floor in the cold.

  James was sitting in the library drinking coffee when they came downstairs. She walked over, took the newspaper out of his hands and sat across his lap. “You know that was a very good article I was reading.”

  “Alexander can you pull the sash so I can have coffee?”

  “If you agree to leave James in peace, otherwise I’ll make you bring me a cup when you go to the kitchen.”

  “I don’t think he’s complaining that much.”

  Garnett walked in and sat across from them and picked up the paper. “I wouldn’t think he would be complaining at all unless you are interfering with his reading the financial report.”

  Meeks pulled the sash and they brought in a pot of coffee and cups and set it on the table. “I don’t think even that report rates as high as having Mirisa distract his concentration. Obviously, you two did not understand my decision the other night.” Mirisa leaned back over the chair and he looked at her and had to laugh. “The reason I didn’t tell you to behave is because you take it as a challenge on how far you can push the envelope before you are reprimanded but James is trying hard to behave despite the fact that you are luring him in a manner in which you know he can’t resist. You my dear are a bad influence on what would otherwise be considered intelligent controlled men.”

  “Men may believe they are intelligent and in full control of themselves but women must be far smarter since it merely takes disrobing to reduce them to submit to a woman’s whims.” She sat up, kissed James and fixed a cup of coffee before sitting down on the couch. Meeks smiled because he knew they couldn’t behave no matter what he said but he truly loved them.

  “I’ve made an appointment for the seamstress to come to the house to talk to you about your wedding dress.”

  “How much control are you going to give me?”

  “Complete control. This is about your dreams.” He poured a cup of coffee and sat back putting his arm behind her on the couch.

  “I don’t think so.” James looked at both of them and Garnett agreed. “I think you are definitely going to need a lot of input on this one.”

  A small wirily lady arrived with an unbelievably tall gangly gentleman humped over from carrying pads for drawing and suitcases filled with samples. She introduced herself as Mademoiselle LaMure who had designed the dresses of the rich and the famous but they could address her as Mademoiselle. She unfolded her spectacles placing them on her nose looking down at pad before asking Mirisa if there was some place they could have privacy. Mirisa nodded as she turned toward the living room then she pulled the sash and requested refreshments. Mademoiselle took off her wool coat handing it to the maid then put the measuring tape around her neck as she put her notebook on the table. When she looked up all four men were sitting in the room patiently waiting.

  “Gentlemen, we will need at least an hour of privacy and I require Mrs. Meeks’ full attention.”

  Mirisa smiled and told her that they would sit in on the fitting unless for some reason it bothered her. The woman nodded and turned back to her assistant as Mirisa began to undress down to her camisole which was a gorgeous white silk. She was wearing matching white stockings and when she pulled back her hair and twisted it up so it was out of the way. There was an instant reaction before Meeks realized that she had intentionally dressed for the sole purpose of tantalizing them. Mirisa met his eyes smiling sweetly. The seamstress finished taking all the measurements and then told her she needed some idea of what she had in mind. The assistant handed her a book with wedding dress designs. She handed it to Meeks who flipped through dozens of very elaborate wedding gowns then closed the book looking up at her. Meeks thought that simplicity worked better on her though he had no doubt that she could carry off anything.

  Mirisa listened while everyone discussed the design as the assistant started drawing. Garnett finally picked up her dress and handed it to her. She smiled, took his hand and stepped down to finish dressing. They agreed on the design and turned to material and colors. Mademoiselle asked Mr. Trimmer to lay out swatches and they immediately told her no white so she sent her assistant out to the carriage for the color swatches. Mirisa poured a cup of tea as they held swatches up to her. They disregarded anything she picked out and finally ended up with a very light gold in silk. They then moved on to the headdress and decided on flowers weaved into her hair with her hair down. The Mademoiselle wrote everything down and started to pack up when Mirisa stopped her.

  “I would like a dress made for my daughter of the same color but maybe a shade or two darker.”

  “Your daughter? How old is she and can I see her to get her measurements?”

  James got up and went up to the nursery and snatched her up off the floor carrying her down the stairs on his shoulders as she giggled uncontrollably. He swung her around and put her on the table. Mirisa reached over and took off her dress and she just looked at the lady as she took measurements. Mirisa put her dress back on her and kissed her.

  “What style do you want keeping in mind that this is silk and flows more than the other materials.”

  “I want it in a stiffer material not silk maybe taffeta, high-waisted with long sleeves and a full skirt to her ankles. I also want matching slippers and full petticoats.”

  “Alright, we’ll set up another appointment when the drawings are finished.” Meeks picked Maggie up and walked them out before returning her to the nursery.

  Mirisa sat down next to Garnett. “Alexander, what color are you wearing?”

  “Men wear black tails for a night wedding.”

  “We’re getting married at night? Are you wearing a formal t
ux?”

  “Yes. We’ll all be in tuxes.”

  “What color are the flowers? And are you putting the boys in tuxes? And exactly what is it that you have planned? Is there anything I get to decide on?”

  “Don’t worry about the details, the children or anything darling. I think we are competent enough to plan a wedding.”

  “This means you hired someone.” He smiled at her and told her she needed to concentrate on what she was wearing to the theater tonight. “I forgot. You know I don’t have enough clothes with all the invitations you have accepted and what do I do with all of these dresses when we go home. Which dress is for tonight and do we get to go out and eat afterwards?”

  James smiled and told her the red dress was for the theater and not to worry they would go shopping as soon as they sent word that new dresses had arrived and before anyone else got to look at them.

  They were standing by the door waiting for her as she stopped at the top of the landing adjusting the fall of the skirt. Her hair was pulled back with a comb of rubies and cascaded down over one shoulder. The dress flowed from her hips and the sleeves were off the shoulder and in pleats. She was wearing simple rubies and diamonds that lay in the hollow of her neck. Meeks reached up for her hand as she reached the bottom step and kissed her softly.

  The sidewalks outside of the theater were crowded with patrons talking or just wanting to be seen. The four of them were instantly recognized as they stepped out of the coach. Turning Meeks reached up and she stepped out into her first New York society event. When they stepped into the lobby James untied her cape and took it off of her. She took Meeks arm and they climbed another flight of stairs to a box that was to the right of center stage. The number of opera glasses trained on them probably equaled to anyone who ever appeared on the stage.