“You will pay for that…” Lenard grabbed the edge of the sink and tried to stand.
Mirisa walked around the bar bumping into a chair as she tried to get to the door. She never took her eyes off of Lenard as he watched her while slowly straightening until he was leaning back against the counter. The door suddenly opened.
“Well Lenard did the little lady object to your wishes to entertain her? Don’t believe any woman has ever gotten the drop on you.”
“Leave my house.”
“Can’t do that missy. We need a place to hole up until Jack is able to ride.” He walked over to the bar and picked up a cigar smelling it before biting off the end and spitting it across the room. “Excellent cigars. It would be a shame to waste excellent cigars and whisky. Is there anyone else living in this big house?”
The man was very relaxed as he measured her next move when Jonathan reached out to her. Her body relaxed for a moment but she never lowered the gun. She looked at how he wore his gun which was very similar to James very low on his hip and tied firmly to his leg meaning he was fast.
The older man watched her eyes. “Give me the gun.”
Mirisa slowed her breathing and without warning fired a shot into the man’s gut as he dropped the cigar and the blood slowly started spreading across his shirt in such an interesting pattern. Mirisa’s hand moved right and she shot twice as Lenard dropped falling over with a thud that reverberated in her brain. The older man was on his knees as she turned and fired hitting him on the side of his head as the gun fell from his hand.
Mirisa moved toward the staircase waiting as she pulled her knees up and bit her lip. She could see Lenard lying on the kitchen floor but only the arm of the older man was visible since he was lying on the other side of the bar.
Jonathan watched as the man changing the dressing on the injured man turned to the sound of the gun shots. He stood, put a gun in the other man’s hand and headed for the barn door. Jonathan threw his knife with such precision that it whistled as it cut through the air burying itself between his shoulder blades.
“Dick is that you. I need something to kill this pain.”
Jonathan picked up Meeks’ gun and took in his breath. He moved to the stall opening and shot the man in the head. He went back and untied Meeks who was starting to regain consciousness. Jonathan put out his hand and helped him stand but they had hit him so hard on the head that he was having trouble keeping his balance. Jonathan tore off his shirt and put it over the gash on the back of his head telling him not to move as he handed him his gun.
Jonathan pulled his knife out of the dead man and wiped it on his pants. He walked into the stall and shot the wounded man. He reached out to his mother before he opened the door. Jonathan picked up the dead man’s gun putting it on the table and checked the man in the kitchen. Mirisa sat on the stairs with the gun in her lap as she watched her son.
“Where are you sisters?”
“They’re under the porch.”
“Where’s Alexander?”
“He’s in the barn with a large gash in the back of his head.”
“Can you get the girls to the barn?”
“I don’t think I should because there are bodies down there.”
Mirisa went up the stairs and pulled out two blankets from the closet. Jonathan put them over the bodies. “Shut off the nursery and put the girls in the big room. I don’t want them in the house yet.”
She ran down to the barn and had to step over the body in the doorway to get to her husband. Mirisa laid him down and talked to him but he wasn’t coherent. She went out to the pump and filled the bucket taking it back into the barn. She tore off part of her skirt and submerged it in the cold water. The shirt that Jonathan had wrapped around his head was almost soaked through. Mirisa washed off the area and looked at the gash that was deeper at the bottom. She put pressure on it as he wrapped his hand around her arm. Mirisa moved his head on her lap so the gash was up allowing her to keep pressure on it.
James drew his gun before he was off his horse. The door was slightly ajar as he listened then he opened it with his foot. Jonathan was sitting on the back of the couch eating an apple.
“Where’s your mother?”
“She’s down at the barn with Meeks. The girls are in the back room so they don’t see the bodies.”
“How many?”
“Two here and two in the barn. Actually there might be three since I don’t know if old man Samson is knocked out or dead.”
James knelt down and lifted the blanket checking the man lying in the kitchen. “How did they get in?”
“The just walked in. I think they were in the barn when Meeks took the buckboard down so they probably ambushed him.”
“Is he alright?”
“No, he has a large gash on his head that is bleeding pretty bad.”
James stood. “Matthew get the sewing kit and meet me in the barn.” James ran down to the barn and stopped when he saw Mirisa’s lap was covered in blood and tears streaming down her cheeks. He knelt down feeling for a pulse which thankfully was still very strong. James moved the cloth from his head and looked at the wound. He soaked the blood out of the cloth and told her to hold it on the gash but not too tight. Matthew came in with the box and knelt on the other side of Meeks. He took the bottle of whisky out of his jacket and handed it to James. James uncapped it and made Mirisa take a sip before he poured some over the wound that caused an instant response from Meeks.
“Sorry friend but I’m afraid this is going to hurt.”
Matthew took out the curved needle and silver suture wire handing them to James. “Matthew hand me the bone wax. It doesn’t look like the skull is fractured but I don’t want to sew it up if it is.” Matthew watched as he cleaned the gash and helped hold the scalp together so that it could be sewn evenly but not too tight. “It is going to bleed and ooze a little but as long as we keep it sterilized he should be fine.” James washed off his hands then washed the needle putting it on the box to dry. “Let me know when your father is here so we can move him up to the house.”
Matthew picked up the box and asked his mother if she wanted to go to the house. She just nodded and closed her eyes. James told her to keep him still as he checked the man in the stall before finding the caretaker who appeared to have been shot some time earlier. Dominic and Garnett stopped at the door and pulled the body out of the barn lifting it in the wagon before they came in to talk to James. Mirisa could hear them talking as they pulled the second body out of the barn. James covered up the caretaker so they could bury him later.
“Mirisa?”
“Yes James.”
“I do believe that New York is far safer.”
She sighed. “I don’t think I said I wanted to move back because it was safer. Is he going to be alright?”
“Well he is going to have one hell of a headache but he’s had worse.”
“Then I guess I shall have to take care of him.”
“I can’t imagine a better nursemaid.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you for giving him a second chance.”
Garnett leaned down and lifted his shoulders as Dominic grabbed his feet. James took Mirisa’s elbow and helped her stand. They walked slowly to the house. Dominic and Garnett loaded the two bodies into the buckboard and covered them all with the tarp. James made Mirisa go upstairs and clean up. She picked up her soiled clothes and tied them in a ball taking them downstairs to be burned. James told her to go lay down with the girls and Jonathan would help him clean up.
Mirisa opened the door to the back room finding all four girls curled up in the bed sleeping. She laid down with them and soon they were all back to sleep. James checked on her lowering the lanterns then checked on Meeks before starting the fire ring and throwing in all the clothes and cleaning cloths. He opened up the house to get rid of the iron smell from the blood. It was a beautiful night with clear skies and the smell of rain in the distance.
Mirisa came out and wrapped around him as h
e sat on the porch smoking a cigar and sipping on his whisky. He loved her neediness when she was hurt or scared. They didn’t talk but they were both glad to be home.
Mirisa woke up to find Meeks in the bathroom shaving. She rolled over and watched him clumsily try to shave. She climbed out of bed and filled the bathtub using camphor oils giving the room a light musk aroma. She took the razor from his hand and slid under his arm facing him as she gently shaved his face. His eyes were still puffy but he was so handsome. Mirisa led him over to the tub and when he settled down she knelt next to the tub and bathed him with her large sea sponge being careful not to get water in the cut. She rinsed all the blood out of his hair and smiled satisfied with her work.
“If I had any energy I would pull you into my tub clothes and all.”
“I think we shall tuck you back in bed but first I want to change the bedding so if you can keep your head above water the oils will work on all those aches and pains in your muscles.” She stood up and kissed him before opening up the bedroom doors letting in the fresh morning air. The curtains blew gently in the breeze. She took off the bedding and put on fresh sheets and extra pillows. Meeks came out as she was tucking in the blanket and pulled her down with him. “Mr. Meeks I do not believe the doctor has released you for physical activities.”
“You are beautiful.”
“As are you.” She untangled herself and made him get under the covers. “I will be back in a moment with something to eat.”
She took the sheets downstairs to the wash room. She stopped as James was putting bowls of soup on the bar for the children.
“Where’s daddy?”
“He fell and hurt his head so he’s in bed.”
“Why did he fall and why did we have to hide under the house?”
“He fell because he was preoccupied and wasn’t paying attention to what he was doing. You were hiding because sometimes strangers aren’t always nice and you are too precious to us to let anyone hurt you.”
“Did you kill them?”
Mirisa looked at Sara. “I took care of their attitude and sent them on their way. I want you to be quiet while I take your father something to eat then you can help me clean up your rooms.”
Mirisa carried the tray up to their room and put it on the table. She sat and talked to him but he didn’t eat much. James came up and looked at his gash taking the tray back downstairs.
“Can I bring you a book or would you rather sleep?”
“Bring me up my pencils and pad so I can redesign the children’s wing.”
Mirisa nodded and went to the library to gather up the things he wanted.
“James, is he allowed cigars?”
“If he wants them.”
She put one in her apron pocket and went back upstairs as James cleaned up the kitchen. When she came back down, Mirisa sat at the bar and James put a bowl of soup in front of her and sat down next to her. “Did he fall asleep?”
“He did. I gave him something in his milk for the headache so hopefully he will feel better when he wakes up.”
“Jonathan isn’t talking much. What happened?”
She put her spoon in the soup and swirled it slowly. “Alexander unloaded all the trunks and took the wagon down to the barn. A few minutes later two strange men walked through the front door. They must have been here only a short while because nothing was disturbed in the house.”
“I talked to Dominic this morning and we’re going to run fencing on the property. It won’t deter everyone but it will make it safer. I imagine that Meeks will want to do a few other things. We laid the caretaker to rest on the piece of property that overlooks the lower river bank. I don’t think he had any relatives.”
“He was such a sweet old man. I feel badly.”
Meeks was out of bed after a few days but his headaches continued as the gash crusted over. Mirisa fussed over him like she did the children but no one thought he minded the attention at all. He drew out new plans for the lodge actually expanding the house to the east and giving the girls bigger bedrooms and their own music room and library. Mirisa moved the girls to the west wing until it was finished.
Garnett hit his hat on his leg before he opened the door hanging it on the peg. He went into the kitchen and lifted the lid on the pot as he looked for a spoon to taste it.
“Garnett, does daddy know you are in his kitchen?”
Garnett tasted the chili then put the lid back on the pot as he looked for a glass knowing he probably burnt the roof of his mouth. He filled the glass and drank it down as he turned to Cassie. She was just a little half pint of a girl with snow white pigtails and eyes that sparkled when she was mischievous and she was always mischievous.
“Miss Cassie, where is your father?”
“He is down there yelling at the workin’ men. I like sleeping next to Mommy’s room. What are you doing today?”
“I’ve been out helping the men to put up the fence.”
“Momma says that you are so handsome when you come in from working.”
“You shouldn’t repeat what your mother says.”
“I think my daddy is more handsome than anyone in the world.”
“You do?”
“Yes I do. Can I tell you a secret?” She leaned up on the bar toward him. Garnett leaned over until they were nose to nose. “We’re having a birthday party.”
“Really. Who’s birthday?”
“Daddy’s.” Cassie sat back. “But it is a big secret so don’t tell anyone.”
“If it is a secret then why are you telling me?”
Cassie smiled as her eyes twinkled. “Because we want you to come. You come to all of our parties.”
“I love to come to your parties especially when I get to eat cake.”
“I love you Garnett.”
“You say that just like your mother.”
“That’s what Meeks says.”
She stood up and kissed him slipping off the stool almost knocking it over until her little toes balanced her on the floor. She ran across the room out onto the porch as her pigtails flew behind her like a kite.
James came down the hallway and opened a bottle. “I don’t know how Meeks is so patient with these men.”
“Do you know they are planning a surprise?”
“Yeah, it is hard not to know when Cassie is involved and she has Mirisa’s ability to appear out of thin air.”
“I’ve noticed that. Can we put a bell around her neck?”
“That might work and she’d probably love it but I’m afraid after a day of listening to a bell we might all want to kill her.”
“Good point. I can’t figure out how something so little can have so much energy.” James handed the bottle to Garnett and checked the chili. “Where is everyone?”
“Meeks and Mirisa are on the porch and the children are in the river.”
“I love a good swim even if I have to be modest.”
James laughed and picked up several shot glasses as they went out on the porch. Garnett started to strip down as Mirisa watched. When he got down to his long johns, he stepped off the porch and snatched up Lizzie as he swam out to the middle of the river. Sara was sitting on the large rock with Maggie as the sun warmed them. Lizzie reached around her father’s neck as he swam backwards.
Garnett put her on his shoulders as she laughed jumping into the water. Cassie came out of the house trying to get her suit on. She stopped in front of Mirisa who sat up and straightened out the straps. Mirisa had taken long johns cutting off the sleeves and below the knees before adding pretty cloth skirts. Cassie moved constantly which made it hard to fix anything if she was wearing it. James stood up and took off his shirt then his boots. He pulled Cassie up and walked down to the river. Her little hands were waving in the air as she talked and he just nodded.
“Mirisa.”
“Yes darling.”
“Did you make her to torment him?”
“I did.”
“Good job.”
“Thank yo
u darling.”
“I think I’ll go check the work progress.” Meeks stood and put out his hand. “Garnett, watch the girls.”
Garnett raised his hand as he put Lizzie back on his shoulders. They walked into the wing that was locked off from the rest of the lodge. The floor had been extended out over the boulders with the support beams sunk down in the dirt. Because of the rocks, they had to redesign the extension but in the end it would be a great wing.
The center of the area would be their sitting room and library with windows that looked out over the woods. There was a large stone fireplace on one wall with bookcases covering most of the walls and a small baby grand would eventually be set in the corner. Off of the room were two bedrooms with a large bath chamber. Mirisa walked across the floor and looked at the stairs that went down into the rocks.
“What is this for?”
“Makes it easier to go up and down during construction.”
“Those are large rocks.”
Meeks picked up the plans and explained to her what they were doing. The men were slowly putting away their tools as the foreman talked to Meeks. They were camped out between the lodge and Dominic’s house. The walls were up and the fireplace had been completed. They had delivered the windows which were being installed.
James and Meeks rode south catching up with Garnett and Dominic to check on the fencing. They had decided to make the fence using the trees on the property. The fence line to the south and east was finished. They were working north toward the road and would take it until it hit the flower hills west of the lodge. They put up a large gate with the original sign from the horse ranch.
The Visitor - The Final Ride 1875-1928 Page 14