The Visitor - Colorado 1869 - 1871

by Barbara Svetlick

  “Can we buy these?”

  “What would we do with them darling?”

  “I want to give them to Garnett for Christmas. I know he wants to open up a law office but there’s more than enough room to store them until he does.” She ran her hand along it and then opened the doors finding a little key sitting on the shelf. “I wonder how much they want for them.” She called for the clerk who walked back and by the time she was finished talking to him he agreed to sell both of them for less with delivery before Christmas. Meeks paid for everything and they stepped back onto the street where they ran into Dominic who had a very young lady on his arm.

  Dominic addressed Mirisa. “Finishing up your shopping?”

  Mirisa nodded but found that since he was no longer around a lot that she was having even more trouble just responding to him. He introduced the young lady who obviously came from a lot of money and was less then friendly but he did not introduced Mirisa as his ex-wife or even by name. Meeks asked him if he would be over Christmas morning and he said that he would pick the boys up after breakfast for a few hours. He wished them a Merry Christmas and moved the young woman to the side and walked across the street.

  “Is he still angry?”

  “Appears that way but I much prefer that he work out his problems without dragging everyone into them.”

  “She seems to be younger than me.”

  “She’s the youngest daughter so I would assume she is about the age you were when you married him.”

  Mirisa watched as he helped her in the carriage and so many memories swum around their early years together. Always the perfect gentleman and despite the slight grey showing up in his sideburns he was still so handsome. She turned back to her husband and smiled. “I think if you will humor me, we should stop by the Confectioner Shop.”

  Meeks bent down and kissed her. “You are beautiful when you are thinking about chocolate.”

  “And you are beautiful when you are sharing it with me.”

  They arrived home with so many packages and sweets that they snuck in the back door so the children wouldn’t want to eat everything before dinner. Mirisa took off her cape and laid it across the chair before going up and finding the children in the nursery.

  Meeks looked in the humidor to find it empty. He cursed then looked in his desk drawer finding it empty as well. James looked up from his books.

  “That is the down side to telling Dominic he can’t spend his days tormenting his ex-wife?”

  “Son of a bitch.” He pulled the bell and the maid came in. “Send someone down to Water Street and get me several boxes of Mora Cuban cigars.” He made out a list and handed it to her with money. She took them then left as he scoured his desk and finally found one. “I should just give the damn things up.”

  “Funny that’s what Garnett said not a half hour ago.”

  “James, you couldn’t tell me that before the maid left?”

  “Why ruin your fun?”

  Garnett walked in and put three boxes of Cuban cigars on the desk and handed Meeks a receipt. Meeks looked at it and took the bills out of his pocket handing them to Garnett.

  “You’re not even going to argue?”

  “No.”

  “Is this stalemate going to be permanent?”

  “If necessary. In the meantime, I think I can afford to pay for Cubans.”

  “Does anyone know what happened when he talked to her?”

  “She got emotional and he got angry because she got emotional. I know why she cries but I don’t know why it upsets him.”

  “Meeks, it upsets everyone except you.”

  “Why would it upset anyone? It is the only time that she is not only taking in life but trying to deal with it.” He lit his cigar and filled the humidor with the Cubans. “We ran into him this afternoon. It seems he is courting a very young woman and he is still intentionally snubbing Mirisa.”

  “He’s mad at the fight she had with Betsy who in turn blew up in the middle of the Gentleman’s Club ending her rant with as much destruction as one woman could create before being subdued and removed from the club. I think it cost Dominic a sizeable amount without the benefit of sex.”

  Garnett lit his cigar. “Is the girl an assignment?”

  “If she is, Dominic has not made any attempt to let us know and I can’t imagine he would hire out as a body guard for Christmas shopping. But it is not the first time he has broken away and worked solo.”

  “Or gone after very young girls.”

  JAMES FOLDED the paper as the maid brought in the cigars handing it to Meeks. He handed her back the change and told her to pay whoever went out to get them. Then he told her that they would be going out Christmas night so the entire staff could have the rest of the week off with pay. She nodded and thanked him. He knew that Mirisa had already given everyone a Christmas bonus and present. She thanked him again and went back into the kitchen.

  “Where are you going for Christmas dinner?”

  “My sisters and everyone is invited.”

  “Are you through shopping?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Mirisa walked into the library with a cup of coffee and curled up on the couch next to Garnett picking up part of the paper. Halfway through an article and to no one in particular she mused. “I do believe that Miss Batham does think she was right in shooting her pursuer when he announced his marriage to another woman.”

  “I think the notion that you must keep promises of matrimony least you should be shot are a little archaic.”

  “Do you not believe a gentleman should be held accountable for his promises?”

  Garnett looked at her. “A gentleman should be smart enough not to make such serious promises especially to a young lady of no means who has no other opportunities in life.”

  “Garnett, sometimes love makes men make promises whether it is their intent to keep them or not but how many good opportunities did she dismiss based solely on this promise of his?”

  “And you believe she had the right to try to take his life?”

  “He’s not dead yet and frankly maybe more women should resort to holding a man responsible to his promises.”

  “Mirisa that is why they have divorce court.”

  “I do not believe Miss Batham had the advantage of seeking relief in the courts since the whole issue was he wasn’t going to marry her after all.” She turned back to the paper then looked at her husband. “Are you smoking different cigars? Was the crop different this year?”

  “No, we ran out of stock.”

  “Dominic never runs out of stock.”

  “He’s not sharing anymore.” She looked from Garnett to her husband and shook her head before she started laughing. “Mirisa, this isn’t particularly funny.”

  “I believe it is.”

  Garnett blew a smoke ring and pulled her back so he could look at her. “Why is that?”

  “Because…” She tried to catch her breath. “… there are at least a dozen unopened crates in the cellar behind the cases of whisky. I believe they are all from the last crop.”

  Garnett cursed then left the library as Mirisa tried to regain her composure as she turned back to her husband. He was sitting on the edge of his desk watching her as she smiled sweetly at him. James looked from one to the other then told them that if they were going to have sex in the library that he was watching.

  Mirisa stood and slowly straddled James in the chair. “You do know James that my husband loves to watch and it is only when I tell him I have on black stockings that he takes action.” She slipped the top button out of the button hole using only one hand resting her other hand on James hip. She held his attention by never taking her eyes off of his and he was working diligently trying to control his reaction. She started on the next button as the fingers on her other hand massaged his leg.

  Garnett walked back in holding a box stopping when he saw Mirisa sitting on James’ lap. He handed the box to Meeks and put ten dollars on the table which made Meeks
smile. She got to the last button then pulled his shirt out running her fingers along his belt just skimming his stomach before bringing both hands up his chest leaning in to kiss him at the same time. James hands rested on her hips as his reaction was starting to become obvious.

  “Mirisa.”

  “Yes James.”

  “You can’t have that until Christmas Eve.”

  She kissed him again. “Then I will wait patiently for you are so worth the wait.” She stood and sat back down on the couch going back to the Social Pages commenting on who was seen at what event. Without looking up she addressed her husband. “Darling, can you have someone bring in more coffee? Also, all of you are mentioned quite frequently. You must be very well respected gentlemen to get such glowing mentions.” She turned her attention back to the paper. “James”

  He looked up from his journal waiting. “Yes?”

  “Have you talked to Miss Tyler this week?”

  “No, she’s been busy with the holidays and family visiting.”

  “Leonardo Candlier at the age of sixty-four went to be with the Lord at eight o’clock last evening following a long illness. He passed away at his home while under the care of Dr. Henry Latrice of the city. He leaves behind his wife, Catherine Tyler Candlier, and is predeceased by his two sons, Tyler Candlier and Reynold Candlier, and has no other issue. The family will accept visitors this week after which he will be buried at the city cemetery in the family plot next to his first wife and two sons.” Mirisa looked at James. “I shall send our condolences and flowers.”

  James nodded. Meeks walked over, took the paper out of her hand, pulled her up and left the library with her. James rebuttoned his shirt as Garnett threw him a good cigar.

  “Guess that was easier then throwing us out of the library but I haven’t figured out what she said that caused him to react.”

  “Black stockings.”

  Garnett turned to the Washington News section reading the article of the President’s New Years Reception being cancelled due to the death of the second wife of the Secretary to the President. “Now that Mrs. Belknap has passed on, do you think it will ever be revealed that she secured a post for our mutual friend?”

  “Probably not.”

  THERE WAS a light dry snow falling most of the day but by evening the sky had cleared and there was a soft ring surrounding the moon. Mirisa sat in the window seat drinking a glass of wine and basically day dreaming. Her fingers were tired from wrapping the last of the gifts and though she would have liked to spend time at the piano she just didn’t have the energy to sit down and touch the keys. She closed her eyes.

  “I don’t believe I have seen this much of the country in a while.”

  She didn’t turn because she could see Conrad’s reflection in the glass.

  “I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas.” Conrad walked over and sat down on the back of the couch.

  “It’s nice to know this is a social call.” Mirisa laughed and took Conrad’s hand in hers. He kissed her cheek, told her to enjoy her birthday and then he was gone. Mirisa sat and thought about her life.

  The music from the piano seemed to come out of her dreams and she looked in the glass and saw Garnett sitting at the piano but she knew that he was in the library. The piece was slow and soft almost as if it didn’t exist. He was such a great composer. Mirisa closed her eyes and let go of her feelings as the music soothed the rough edges of her life. James took her hand bringing her into his arms as she reacted to the warmth of his breath on her cheek and the love of the words he whispered to her. Always there to pick up the pieces of the shattered mirror, James was her rock when life was something she wanted to tuck away between the pages of some old tattered book. He took her into the purity of physical existence like no other man could. She looked deep into his eyes and knew he would always be there. Mirisa closed her eyes as Meeks took her hand and twirled her in a tight circle bringing her up to her tiptoes as she moved slowly into his embrace as the tempo of the music rose climatically before washing over them like a soft rain shower. Her fingers reached out but Meeks kept her hand interlocked in his as he kissed her neck bringing her up against him so that the silk of her long gown dissolved in their embrace. Mirisa lost herself as Meeks picked her up and slowly took her down to the floor. She straddled him as he slipped her straps down her arms and the music followed every movement of her body that was washed in the muted crystallized moonlight. Leaning her head back, Meeks ran his hands slowly up her stomach until her back arched with the exquisite feeling of love, passion and romance that always moved over her when in her husband’s arms. Nothing outweighed the impact of his lips, nothing moved her as far as his love, no one ever made her want to be very bad like he did and she lived to fulfill his every fantasy. Nothing mattered when her eyes were dark green. And nothing was better than a Christmas tradition.

  MIRISA WOKE up Christmas morning in bed alone and completely naked. She had a hangover but her dreams had been so beautiful that it really didn’t matter if she drank too much. She rolled over and stretched every part of her body before she climbed out of bed and padded across the room. After a long bath, she dressed then checked the nursery to find it empty. Mirisa realized it was Christmas morning and she hadn’t put out the Christmas presents.

  The house was quiet, the fire in the fireplace had been freshly fed and all the presents were around the Christmas tree. She sat down on the step pulling her knees up and taking in the feeling of love and comfort.

  “Morning sunshine.” Garnett smiled at her as she tried to remember if he was in her dreams then she remembered he was playing the piano but she couldn’t remember the song.

  “Good morning.”

  James came into the room with the children and a tray of coffee. “Did you sleep well?”

  “I don’t know, I am hung over but I don’t remember drinking that much and I keep hearing the most beautiful music.” Meeks smiled as he set down a tray of sweet pastries but she wasn’t looking at him to see his expression. “I’m trying to remember the song but it keeps slipping away from me.”

  “The Moon Concerto.” She looked at Garnett then at James and finally turned and looked at her husband.

  “Happy Birthday.”

  She bit her bottom lip and looked back at James and Garnett. They both just watched her eyes. “It wasn’t a dream?”

  “It was whatever you wish it to be.”

  The children interrupted them and asked if they could open presents. Meeks asked if they had enough to eat because their mother didn’t look like she wanted breakfast so they might as well open presents. It was a great Christmas morning with the boys getting everything they had asked for and Maggie hugging her father after opening each present. Mirisa gave James a new satchel for his work with the case hand tooled along the edges depicting the years that they road together out west. It had taken her over a month to do the hand tooling but she loved spending time with Meeks learning how to do it. She gave her husband a set of jeweler’s tools that were from Germany and were in a wooden box accented with gold corners. She then handed everyone their stockings which were filled with little things that she had made or things they needed. In Garnett’s was a small envelope. He opened it smiling then thanked her.

  “They are in the…in Dominic’s room so you wouldn’t see them.” Garnett stood up and put out his hand to help her off the floor. Meeks had the cases completely restored before being delivered to the house. Garnett ran his hands across the wood then opened them. They were large cases with first-rate craftsmanship. “These had to come out of someone’s law office but where am I going to put them.”

  “You said you wanted to open an office in Washington and if you look in the back they have a Presidential Seal with the date they were made or maybe presented.”

  He looked at them and told her they were probably made for counsel’s office which wasn’t in the Whitehouse but all the furniture for government employees was commission by the procurement office which is why
it had the official seal. The question was how they ended up in New York. “Thank you.” He took her in his arms and just held her for a moment before they went back downstairs. They passed the boys heading up to the nursery.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Dad is here to take us out.”

  Dominic was standing in the living room talking to Meeks and James. He had given Maggie a new baby doll that looked just like her. Mirisa looked from her daughter to Dominic and even though she brought him such painful memories Dominic loved her as much as his sons. Dominic didn’t address her and when the boys came down he said he would have them back before dinner. Mirisa just nodded and kissed both of her sons as they headed out the front door where his carriage was waiting.

  “I think someone needs to talk to him.”

  “Save your breath James. It’s been a while since he has withdrawn and you know that when he’s ready he’ll come back around.”

  “No, I think this time I am going to step in.” James stood up and walked out to the carriage as Dominic was climbing in.

  “I need to speak to you.”

  “James, can it wait? I’m late for lunch.”

  “It won’t take long because you know the issue, you know what you are doing is so hateful that it is a low even in your world.”

  “I have no idea…”

  James lit a cigar and looked at him. “Don’t bullshit me for there are no stones I need to overturn to understand what motivates you.”

  “I don’t need a lecture from you.”

  “And exactly what is accomplished in deliberately slighting her?”

  “I have to find a way to not love her.”

  “Then punish yourself but don’t constantly break her heart.”

  “She left me remember?”

  “Dominic, do you remember what you said that night she asked for a divorce?”

  “I said I was going to fight for her.”

  “You didn’t. You walked away, took your miseries into town and then decided to humiliate her by accusing her of adultery. She did it once and you did it how many times? You never tried to save your marriage. You forgot that beautiful young girl who stood in the church scared half out of her mind, going against everyone’s advice and pledging to love you forever. She will never grow up and you haven’t learned to understand her but she didn’t stop loving you, you stopped being part of her life.”