Uncertain Alliance

by Davis, Mary

  A noise outside stopped him halfway up the stairs. Foot-steps? On his porch? At this hour? He turned to head back down when a knock sounded on his door. Tiny bounded past him and stood by the door with a wagging tail.

  Conner and Alice stood on his porch, dripping wet.

  He opened the door wide. “Come in.”

  “Where’s Burl?” Alice demanded as she stepped over the threshold.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Isn’t he here?” The strain of panic laced her voice.

  “No.”

  Alice frantically looked around.

  He turned to Conner. “What’s going on?”

  “Burl ran away.”

  Alice grabbed his arm. “Please, if he’s here, tell me.”

  “He’s not. I wish he were.” The anguish on her face made him feel like someone had just gutted him. “Come stand by the fire.” He guided her over to the warmth.

  “He has to be here. Where else would he go? I don’t know where else to look.” She stared into the fire for a moment then turned. “I have to go back out. He could be hurt.”

  “In a minute. You need to warm up a bit.” He took off her wet shawl and hat then her soaking coat. He went to the kitchen and got two towels, handing one to Conner and the other to Alice. “Let me go dress, and I’ll go looking with you. You warm up, and I’ll be right back.” He shot Conner a look that he hoped told him not to let her go anywhere. Conner gave him a nod, and Ian took the stairs two at a time.

  He returned relieved to see Alice still by the fire. He waved Conner over. “Go back to the store in case Burl decides to show up there.”

  “I’m going to run by the docks first in case he decided to set sail after all.” Conner handed him back the towel and put on his hat before slipping out the door.

  Ian hoped Conner’s cast would hold up in all the wet weather it was exposed to tonight. Conner would likely need a new one put on tomorrow.

  Ian grabbed his two wool coats and wrapped the thicker one around Alice. “This ought to keep you warm.” He wrapped the red scarf she’d made around her neck and tucked the end through the slit, pulling it snug.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “To keep you warm. Your coat is all wet.” He buttoned the coat.

  She shook her head. “Why are you being nice to me and helping me?”

  He smiled at her and set a sturdy old leather hat on her head. “I want to.”

  She began to cry.

  He gripped her shoulders. “Don’t cry. We’ll find him.”

  “I don’t know where else to look.”

  If Burl hadn’t come to his house and he hadn’t gone to the store, where would he go? “I have an idea.” He took her hand and pulled her out the door with Tiny at their heels.

  She stopped short on his porch. “It’s snowing.” She started crying again. “He must be so cold and scared.”

  It rarely snowed in the city. Why did it have to tonight? They crunched through the snow-covered hail. He headed in the direction of his store but stopped a few streets away at an empty lot.

  Alice looked around. “What are we doing here?”

  “This is where Burl and I ‘accidentally’ met earlier today. And the day before.”

  He heard her crying again. Sobbing actually. “Don’t cry. We’ll find him.”

  “It’s not me crying this time.”

  He scanned the lot. “Burl?”

  Tiny ran across the lot barking.

  “Mr. MacGregor?” Burl crawled out from under a large, flat board covered in white that was leaning against the adjacent building.

  Tiny put his paws on Burl’s shoulders, pushing him back against the building.

  “Tiny!” Ian called.

  The dog licked the boy’s face then sat down.

  Ian held tight to Alice’s arm to keep her from slipping as they made their way across the uneven snowy ground to the shivering boy with tear-stained cheeks.

  Burl grabbed him tightly around the waist. “I prayed God would send you to me.”

  Ian took off his coat and wrapped it around the boy.

  Alice took off the scarf, secured it around Burl’s neck, and put her hat on his head. “You had me scared to death.” Tears rolled down her face.

  Burl wiped at his face with the too-long coat sleeves, which were wet and did little good. “I’m sorry. I thought I could find Mr. MacGregor’s house.”

  Ian took Burl’s arm and Alice’s to steady them on the snow- and hail-covered ground. “Come on. Let’s get you two where it’s warm.” Tiny bounded in front of them.

  They quickly made their way back to Ian’s house. He built a fire in the fireplace and stoked the fire in the kitchen stove and the potbelly stove. He was going to have his house as warm as he could get it.

  He pulled two wingback chairs up to the fireplace. Alice had already taken the coat, scarf, and hat off Burl.

  “Sit. Both of you.” He went to the kitchen and poured what hot water there was from the teakettle into the pan he rinsed dishes in, then added cold water until the temperature was right. He refilled the kettle, put it back on to heat, and added more wood to the fire. He brought out the pan. “Take off your boots, and let’s get those feet warmed up.”

  Burl shook. “I’m too cold to.”

  He began removing one boot while Alice untied the other.

  Once the boy’s feet were bare, Ian put them in the luke-warm water. He then pointed to Alice. “You, too.”

  “I’m fine.” She shivered as she said it.

  “Take them off, and I’ll find something else to put water in.”

  He rushed through his house and brought back a ceramic washbasin and three blankets. “He needs to get out of those wet clothes. Can you do that while I check on the water?”

  She nodded.

  The water had barely begun to change temperature. He ran upstairs and brought back a quilt, a shirt, and a pair of pants. They would have to do. He handed them to Alice. “Here, put these on. You can change in the study.” He pointed to the room off the living room.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “You are soaking wet.” He gripped her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet, then guided her to the room and closed the door, leaving her with the change of clothes. He hoped she obeyed. He didn’t want her getting deathly ill.

  He took the towel from earlier and dried Burl’s hair. “Are you warming up?”

  Burl nodded.

  “I’ll make you some tea as soon as the kettle heats.” He took Burl’s wet clothes into the kitchen and hung them by the stove. The water wasn’t hot yet, but he got out three cups and his plain white teapot. He put some more water in his largest pan and pushed more wood into the stove.

  As he went back out into the living room, Alice came out of the study with the quilt wrapped around her, holding out her wet clothes.

  He took them. “Thank you. Please sit and get warm.”

  “What about you?”

  “I didn’t get that wet. It was only snowing by the time I went out. I’ll make some tea in a few minutes.” He went back into the kitchen. All he could think about was getting the two of them warm. The large bottom pan was steaming, as was the kettle. He poured hot water into the teapot then some into the ceramic basin, mixing it until it was just warm, not too hot. He took the basin and the teakettle out to the living room. He put the basin in front of Alice on the floor and poured a little hot water into the pan with Burl’s feet.

  He left to retrieve the tea, and when he returned, Alice had her feet in the basin. He gave a mental sigh of relief. The unsettled feeling he’d had since that afternoon finally drifted away.

  ❧

  Burl lay curled up on the floor in front of the fire with Tiny for a pillow.

  Alice stood and felt her drying skirt. “We need to get back home. Grandpa will be worried.”

  Ian went to the window. “It’s still snowing a little.”

  “I can’t stay knowing he’ll be waiting u
p for us.”

  “Wait here. I’ll be right back.” He wished he’d put a phone in his home now but went next door and called a taxi. “There’s a taxi on the way.”

  Alice stood over Burl. “I hate to wake him up.”

  “Then don’t. I’ll take you home now and bring him home in the morning. He shouldn’t be out in the cold so soon anyway.”

  “I’ll go change back into my clothes.”

  She scooped up her clothes and closed herself in his study. The clothes couldn’t be dry yet, but she had to put them back on. She and Ian knew that nothing inappropriate had happened between them, but wearing men’s clothing still wouldn’t look good.

  She returned in her yellow dress. “Where’s my coat?”

  “It’s still wet. Take this one.” He handed her the one he’d let her wear. “I’ll bring yours in the morning with Burl.”

  She looked exhausted. She shouldn’t be going out in this weather, either, but there was little other choice.

  He peeked out the window as the taxi drove up. “It’s here.”

  She gazed down at Burl and fingered his hair. “What if he wakes up before you get back?”

  “He’ll be fine. Tiny’s with him. I’m sure he’ll still be fast asleep when I return.” He guided her outside and helped her into the taxi, then climbed in. “You mind if I make a quick stop at the store to let Conner know we found him?”

  “That’d be fine.”

  He instructed the driver where to go and ran his errand as fast as possible. When he returned, Alice’s head was tipped back. He slipped in next to her. She rolled her head onto his shoulder without waking. He smiled. Maybe after this she would reconsider him or at least consider coming back to work for him. It might be sly of him, but he was considering using tonight as leverage, to make her feel in his debt. She wouldn’t like that, but he was desperate to keep her near him. He took a deep breath. It didn’t sit right to use this circumstance against her. He would let it lie and see what the Lord brought.

  When they arrived at her building, he was reluctant to disturb her. “Alice, we’re here.”

  She mewed like a kitten and raised her head. “Did I fall asleep?”

  “It’s been a very long day for you.” He jumped down then helped her down.

  She looked up at him with a faint smile. “Thank you, Ian.”

  His heart thumped harder. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. In her present state, he thought she just might let him. Instead he turned her toward the door. “Wait here for me, driver.”

  He walked her up to her apartment. When he opened the door for her, Arthur said, “Amen,” and immediately raised his head from where he sat at the table, a stub of a candle burned next to him.

  Arthur stood. “Where’s Burl?”

  “He’s asleep at my house. We thought it best not to wake him. He’s fine though.” Ian helped Alice off with her coat and hung it on the back of a chair.

  Arthur held on to one of the chairs. “So he found his way to your house?”

  “No. We found him in an empty lot, cold and wet.”

  Arthur turned to Alice. “You go on off to bed. I’ll keep Miles out here with me.”

  Alice shuffled off to her room and closed the door.

  He watched her the whole way, aching to help her, then turned back to Arthur. “I’ll bring Burl by in the morning.”

  “Alice will sleep late. Why don’t you take him to the store and bring him by after work?”

  “I don’t want to upset Alice any more than she already is.”

  “She’ll be fine. She’s simmered down.” Arthur gave him a big hug. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, sir.”

  “Now you’ll marry my granddaughter.” Arthur cocked his mouth up in a wide smile.

  The old man never gave up. Ian knew where Alice got her stubborn streak. “I’m not making you any more promises. I’m going to wait and see how Alice feels.”

  “She needs a man to help her. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be around.”

  He shook his head. “I won’t force her. She’ll only hate me for it.”

  “I’ll be the one forcing her. She’ll hate me.”

  “But if I go along with it, I’m just as guilty. No, Arthur, I won’t agree to it.”

  Arthur dipped his head down and shook it. “Too bad.”

  “See what became of your meddling last time. Let it rest, Arthur.” Though the old man didn’t argue anymore, Ian wasn’t one bit convinced Arthur would comply.

  Sixteen

  Alice took a deep breath before entering Ian’s pharmacy the next day. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. Ian stood behind the counter, assisting a customer. He looked up at her and nodded, then motioned to Burl at the end of the counter. Was that it? Did he just want her to collect her brother and leave?

  When she approached, Burl looked up from the book he was reading. His eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.

  She combed his shaggy blond hair off his forehead with her fingers. He needed a haircut. “Are you feeling all right? You were out in the cold for some time yesterday.”

  He ducked out from under her hand and shook his hair back in place. “Don’t do that.” He glanced toward Ian. “I’m fine.”

  She sighed mentally. He was growing up. “What are you reading?”

  “It’s a whole book about Australia. It’s a country and a continent. They have all kinds of strange animals. Look, this is a kangaroo.”

  She looked at the animal standing upright with short front legs and a long, thick tail. She’d never seen anything like it.

  “It has a pocket in the front to carry the baby kangaroo called a joey, and it hops around, and it can balance on its tail and kick you with its back feet, and some people have ’em as pets, and they just hop around the house.” Burl looked back down at the book. “I don’t wanna leave.”

  “I think it’s best. We don’t want to impose on Mr. MacGregor.”

  “But I want him to teach me. I learn a lot more here than at school, interestin’ stuff.”

  Her heart went out to her brother. Maybe she could make small steps back into Ian’s life. “We’ll talk about this later.”

  “I don’t mind.” Ian spoke behind her. “I enjoy having the boy here. He’s no bother.”

  She turned to him. “Maybe we should talk about this in private.”

  “Please, Alice,” Burl pleaded. “I promise I won’t be no trouble.”

  Ian nodded.

  There was no point in talking in private now. “One of the reasons I came was to ask if you wouldn’t mind instructing him again, but I didn’t want to put you on the spot like this.”

  Ian put his hand on his chest. “Honestly, I would be proud to teach such an eager lad with a hungry mind for knowledge.”

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Yee haw!” Burl danced off his stool.

  “But I do have one stipulation.” Ian gazed directly at her.

  “What is it?”

  “You come back to work for me.”

  She wanted the job but not out of charity. She wanted to be needed, really needed. “Mr. MacGregor, you and I both know that you hardly need me here. We both know I wasn’t doing so well learning the medicines.”

  Ian shrugged. “That’s my deal.”

  Burl grabbed her arm. “Pleeease.”

  She was sure that, even if she turned down his job offer, he’d still instruct Burl. “It seems I’m outnumbered, but if you don’t have meaningful work for me here, I’ll look elsewhere.”

  He held out his hand. “Deal.”

  She shook it. “Deal.”

  Ian continued to hold on to her hand. “Now you said that was one of the reasons you came. What is the other?”

  “Um.” She found it hard to think with her hand wrapped in the warmth of his, so she pulled it away. “I wanted to thank you for helping me find Burl last night. Please, come to supper tonight.” She wanted to begin to mend the bridge
between them. Her heart needed to mend the bridge.

  “Finding Burl safe is all the thanks I need. Besides, Burl has thanked me a number of times. You have already had me over for Sunday dinner. It’s my turn to reciprocate. Please come to my house for supper.”

  “Grandpa asked you before, and, as I said, I want to thank you.”

  “I insist you come to my house. I’ll send a taxi for you and your family around six.”

  She sensed if she protested any further, this would turn into another crate incident. “Very well, but next time I host.”

  He seemed pleased. Was it because she’d agreed to dine at his house? Or was it that there would be a next time? She found she was looking forward to both.

  Ian put a hand on Burl’s shoulder. “Can Burl go home with me and help with supper?”

  Burl looked up at her, nodding.

  “Very well.”

  Ian smiled at her, and warmth spiraled inside her.

  ❧

  Ian hustled around his house. He’d left work early and purchased a pot roast on his way home.

  Burl came through the kitchen door from outside with an armload of wood. “You got a weepin’ willow out back.”

  “Yes, I have a weeping willow tree. Your sister is going to reconsider my tutoring you if you don’t learn to use better grammar.”

  Burl dumped the wood into the wood box. “I’m tryin’.”

  “Do you like willow trees?”

  “Sure do, but they is—I mean they are Alice’s favorite. She always says how much she misses the weepin’ willow we had on our farm before Oscar died.”

  Her deceased husband. Maybe he could garner a little more information on the man. “Did you like your sister’s husband?”

  Burl shrugged. “He was all right, I guess.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “He was around a bunch before they got hitched but only played with Alice. After they was married, he wasn’t there so much. He had a lot of business in town.”

  So Oscar pretty much ignored Burl. “Do you know how to set a table?”

  Burl wrinkled up his nose and shrugged.

  “Start by putting enough plates on the table, one for each person. They’re in the hutch in the dining room.”