Spirit of the Revolution

by Debbie Peterson

  “Just like a torpedo,” Jo murmured. “An absolutely brilliant plan for the time period.”

  “We could’ve used such boats as these,” Mathias added. “Just months before our deaths, the English managed to choke off most our supplies with their blockades. The blockade-runners couldn’t always find a successful way to get the supplies through. Something like this, that could’ve destroyed part of their fleet, might have made the Redcoats consider revising that plan. Especially if we destroyed enough of their ships.”

  “I wonder why they never tried it,” Jo mused aloud. “Something like this would’ve been in all the history books, even if it failed. Just like the first crude submarines used during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and as we learned at the museum, the steam engine itself didn’t find success until several years after the war ended.”

  “Yes, but remember all three men involved with this project either disappeared or died the same year. Perhaps the reason for that is because they never finished and thus never put the plan into motion,” Mathias said.

  “Well, if that’s the case, then the entire operation is still out there, waiting for us to find it,” Alex replied with a touch of excitement to his tone. “I say we continue our search. Something made of iron would stand the test of time, and I would like to know just how far they got with the thing.”

  After the boys agreed with the sentiment, Sam added, “You know, I think we’ve conducted our searches in the wrong places, lads. If you take a close look at these drawings, and from what we learned at the museum in Scotland, water is a crucial element. They would need a large supply not only while they built the thing, but they would also need it to test the design.”

  “That means they wouldn’t work inside the borders of Joshua’s property. More likely, our unknown location is outside his land and close to the creek itself. Yet, it’s near enough to his property that he would know of its existence,” William said.

  “I think you’re right,” Jedediah said. “They would look for a spot, partially hidden. A place most people wouldn’t give a second glance.”

  “You could find such a spot, Jedediah,” Alex said. “All we need do is look for it.”

  Sam nodded his agreement. “I think it best to revert to our predawn searches. Not too many people are out and about that time of the morning.”

  “Then it’s settled. We’ll begin the search right after nightfall,” Jedediah replied.

  Once they firmed up their plans, the conversation turned to Scotland. Mathias and Sam drew the boys’ attention to the photos, still playing on the computer. While they looked them over and asked their questions, Jo tackled the pile of accumulated mail, which sat atop her desk. However, the light blinking on her answering machine demanded her attention too. Perhaps she should clear that out first.

  “Oh, that reminds me,” Alex said as he followed her gaze. “Carolyn Taylor has left several messages for you on the phone over the past few days. She seems excited about something and she wants you to call.”

  Mathias looked up from the pictures. “Perhaps it has something to do with Sanders. Maybe you ought to call and find out what she wants,” he said.

  Jo nodded, picked up the phone, and placed the call. Carolyn answered on the first ring.

  “Hey, Kay-Kay, sounds like you’ve been trying to get a hold of me. What’s up?”

  “Yes I have, and I’m so glad you’re finally home, Jo. I couldn’t remember when you said you’d get back, so don’t get upset that I didn’t call your cell. I just didn’t want to take the chance of interrupting you in the middle of a concert or during one of your planned outings. But, you are never, ever going to believe this,” Carolyn sang out.

  “Believe what?” Jo could tell from the tone of voice that something excited her beyond measure.

  “I’m engaged!” she all but screamed the words into the phone. “Can you believe it? Me, of all people. We’re getting married next month. May fifteenth, to be precise, so I hope your schedule is clear for that day. If not, you’re just going to have to find a way to clear it. After all, I can’t get married without you standing next to me.”

  Jo shook her head and laughed. “That’s a pretty good announcement, Carolyn, especially since you’ve neglected to tell me you were even dating someone seriously.”

  “I know, I know and I’m so sorry about that,” she said. “But it all happened so fast. As you know Ray and I started out as just good friends and then suddenly it was as if we both knew that—”

  “Wait—Ray Brennan?” Jo’s mouth fell open as she stared down at the phone. “You’re going to marry Ray Brennan of all people? The man you had absolutely no interest in?”

  “Yes. I know you told me I ought to pursue the obvious, but so many things needed consideration and then— Oh, I don’t even know where to begin. We need to find a time to get together so I can share every single detail with you. And don’t forget you promised while still in the sand box, you would stand as my maid of honor.”

  “Always the bridesmaid and never the bride,” Jo teased. Just as she made the jest she caught sight of Mathias’s gaze, and it seemed as if—

  No. His expression didn’t seem, at all. He looked at her exactly the same way he did at the waterfall in her dream, and it left her feeling very short of breath. A heated blush slowly rose into her cheeks.

  “Jo, did you hear me?” asked Carolyn.

  “Hmm? Oh, sorry, what did you say?” Right now, she found it very difficult to focus.

  “I said I’m well aware you just got home. I also know this is very short notice, but we would really like you to come to New Jersey for our engagement celebration. Ray’s parents are throwing us a party over the weekend. I really need my best friend there with me. So, will you come, please? Their place is just beautiful and their backyard opens right up into this lovely little beach that will remind you so much of one of the beaches back home. I know you’re going to love it.”

  Jo leaned back in her chair and sighed. “You know I can’t tell you no. So, just e-mail me the directions and all of the tedious little details, and I’ll be there with bells on my toes.”

  After she hung up the phone, Jo looked at each of her boys in turn and sighed. “All right, who wants to play my bodyguard this weekend? I just may need one,” she muttered more to herself than to anyone else.

  ****

  No one disputed his claim to accompany Jolena to Carolyn’s party. In fact, it didn’t even need discussion. As they got into her car Friday afternoon and began the drive to New Jersey, he said, “How long do you think it will take us to get there?”

  Jolena laughed and spared him a quick glance as she merged onto the freeway. “You know, I used to get in trouble for asking that question when I was a kid. Of course, according to my parents, we asked it about every five minutes or so. The funny thing is I don’t remember it that way. I remember waiting hours in between whining out the question.”

  Mathias chuckled as he rested his elbow atop the console. “Seems it remained a common question throughout the centuries then. We used to ask it whenever my parents dragged us to visit some of our neighboring friends or relatives.”

  “Really?” A breath of quiet laughter accompanied the question. “How far away did they live?”

  “Oh, we had them stretched out anywhere between say, a couple of miles to about ten, which by carriage or wagon took a while. Especially if you were the one jostled around in the rear, or if you walked.”

  “I don’t think anyone would even consider walking that distance, now. Our modern conveniences have made us lazy, I think.”

  About two hours later, they arrived at their destination. Jolena looked down at her watch, tossed him an impish smile as she opened her car door, and said, “Oh, and by the way? I think it will take us a couple of hours to get there.”

  Mathias laughed as he exited the car. He didn’t have time to reply as Carolyn rushed toward them, leaving her beau stranded on the porch.

  “Well, let me
see it.” Jolena demanded after receiving Carolyn’s exuberant hug.

  The woman dutifully extended her left hand so Jolena could see her ring. “Isn’t it just gorgeous?” Carolyn asked.

  “Yes it is, and I’m so happy for you,” she replied as she then took hold of both her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

  “Jo!” Ray wore a broad smile as he approached her. “We’re so glad you could make it. I know having you here means a great deal to Carolyn and therefore, it means a great deal to me as well. Thank you so much for coming.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed this party for anything,” Jolena said as she accepted his friendly peck on the cheek. At that same moment, she turned her head, shot him a glance, and rolled her eyes. Mathias chuckled in response.

  During the exchange of pleasantries, he spotted a familiar car, rolling down the road at a snail’s pace. His eyes narrowed. Paul Sanders must’ve received an invitation to this party as well. Perhaps he could reverse that invitation. In keeping with his mortal ruse, he popped over to the porch and while walking down the steps, he projected himself just to Sanders. Their eyes met the moment Paul approached the house. The man’s face took on an expression of panic.

  “Hey, there’s Paul,” said Ray as he lifted a hand and waved.

  Jolena and Carolyn shot each other a glance before they cast their gaze in the direction of the approaching car. Paul reversed his course, screeched the tires as he rolled back, turned in the opposite direction, and then raced off. Seconds later, Ray’s cell phone rang.

  Mathias didn’t care what lies the man spouted, as long as he kept going. Jolena gave him a questioning look and he winked in return. “Not to worry,” he whispered.

  She breezed through the weekend without a whole lot of difficulty, once the single men Ray and Carolyn invited for her benefit understood her disinterest. Of course, some of his whispered suggestions might have helped her out of her dilemma. And along the way, Carolyn managed to divulge all the particulars concerning her relationship with Ray. The shared details amused him somewhat and left him wondering if all females engaged in such practices. In a few short hours, at the close of breakfast, the celebration would officially end. Shortly thereafter, they would leave to go home. They both looked forward to the journey.

  ****

  Jolena had arisen early, so they could take a walk on the beach and explore it a bit before the morning meal. The activities of the past few days had precluded her from wandering very far from the backyard and she said that she really wanted to see the area. After kicking off her shoes, they strolled down the deserted beach.

  “Do you always walk barefoot in the sand?” he asked as he ambled alongside her.

  “Every chance I get,” she replied. “I used to do it all the time growing up. Mom and Dad took us to the beach whenever they could back then. Sometimes we’d take along picnic lunches and just spend the whole day doing whatever pleased us. The entire Michaelsson clan carries an inherent love of the ocean or any large body of water for that matter. My dad loved to fish. However, since he preferred fresh-water fish, we’d usually go to the lakes or rivers whenever he wanted to indulge the whim.”

  “Is that what you were doing in the picture you have on your desk?” he asked.

  Soft laughter accompanied a nod. “Yep. Dad caught a big one that day. You can probably see from the expression on his face, just how proud he is of—”

  Mathias looked up from the sandy beach when she stopped mid-sentence. She focused on something off to her right. Her smile faded. A look of total confusion took its place.

  He followed the direction of her gaze. Understanding dawned, even if a bit tardy. He willed Jolena to this very beach Christmas night while she dreamed. From all the changes that had transpired over the centuries, he didn’t recognize it himself until this moment. Nevertheless, the distinctive rock she stared at remained intact, albeit, a little more worn with time since he last visited this place.

  He and the lads spent a fortnight very near this area on one of their covert assignments for Colonel Morgan. During the early morning hours, he would come out here and walk the beach. He recalled standing on that rock while he took a few personal moments to watch the rising of the sun and change of the tides.

  Jo made an abrupt turn, approached the familiar rock, and lowered herself onto the stone. Just as she did in her dream. She inched her feet into the sand as the morning waves rolled gently over her toes. The seagulls chattered overhead and she could smell the brine of the ocean carried on the gentle breeze. Her fingers wrapped around her pendant. She turned and found Mathias gazing at her with an intensity she could feel.

  “Hey, Jo,” Carolyn called out. “Looks like you found this magnificent place all by yourself.”

  The sound of Kay’s unexpected voice broke the spell that bound her to Mathias. She turned away from his gaze and shook her head. “Found it?” she asked as Carolyn approached.

  “Yes. I intended to drag you out here before you left. Don’t you think it looks just like that private beach we used for senior grad night?”

  Jo took another quick look around, released the breath she unknowingly held and nodded. “You know, it really does. Except, of course, this beach is much smaller, the rocks are much larger, and the surrounding trees are far different,” she teased.

  “Oh come on, Jo. You usually have a much better imagination for things like this. Look at that rocky face over there. And, you have to admit it twists and turns in very much the same way as that beach back home did,” she said in defense of her argument.

  “I’ll have to give you that one,” Jo said. “The beach does do that.”

  “And Billy broke his foot that night, jumping all of two feet off that stupid rock. Do you remember? What a nerd,” Carolyn said as she nibbled at her lip and shook her head.

  Several hours later, just as they crested the hill heading for home, Mathias turned toward her and raised a brow. “Billy Byrd is a nerd? Please explain, Miss Michaelsson. Exactly what is a nerd?”

  His bewildered expression made Jo laugh. “Oh come on now, Mathias. Surely, someone said the word in a movie or TV show you’ve all seen. It’s a very common term used today.”

  Mathias shrugged and said, “I’m not sure I recall it.”

  “Okay.” Jo touched the tip of her tongue to the top of her lip as she sought to explain. “Well, I guess it can mean different things, depending on how it’s used. But in Billy’s case, it means a boy who’s trying to impress all the girls by doing some stupid stunts. In particular, bouncing up and down on a two-foot rock in order to gain more altitude. Then hurtling himself into an ocean that should’ve been at least ten feet deep, instead of merely twenty inches before he found a rather sharp rock at the bottom to cushion his fall. The dork had to wear a cast on his foot for the longest time.” She shook her head and laughed as she recalled the memory of that incident.

  “Dork?” he asked.

  “Along the same lines as nerd.” She shot him a glance as she slowed the car to make her final turn and once again, he looked at her the way she remembered in her dreams. The intensity of that expression made her feel very weak in the knees.

  This morning’s experience convinced her that somehow and in some way, Mathias shared the knowledge of and perhaps even participated in the dream she experienced on that beach. She was well acquainted with that shore, every detail of it. Therefore, it couldn’t have been something her mind conjured from something as ridiculous as senior grad night, could it?

  Yes, similarities existed in those two beaches, but the differences far exceeded the similarities. If only she had the chance to walk farther down and around the next bend, she could’ve known with certainty. But Carolyn and Ray’s unexpected interruption precluded her from exploring the notion and she couldn’t just come right out and ask Mathias.

  Nothing in his demeanor suggested he recognized the beach. But how could he? How often did he get to New Jersey during his lifetime anyway? At least, not without be
ing shot at.

  Still, the feeling that somehow he was involved with the dream continued to plague her and refused to go away despite all efforts to banish it. In fact, little else occupied her mind throughout the remainder of the day.

  She carried those same thoughts with her as she climbed into bed that night, snuggled deep into her covers and prayed that sleep would silence her troubled thoughts.

  Chapter 27

  Jolena struggled to make sense of the conflicting logic her mind presented her obstinate heart. Mathias saw it in her eyes all throughout the day. He almost told her there on the beach, would’ve told her, if Carolyn hadn’t interrupted them. His own desires and selfishness would’ve superseded all else at that moment, just as it had with the men at Carolyn’s party. He never gave them the chance to win her heart.

  Yet, she deserved such a chance, didn’t she? But, even if she did find someone else, could he stand by and watch their love blossom? Could he find a measure of contentment knowing she found the happiness life intended her to find? Could he really let her go? The conjured images of another man holding her, loving her, caused a moment of rage, and intense pain. He closed his eyes against it.

  “Mathias,” Sam called out as he strode into the library from the outside wall. “Jedediah found it.”

  “Where?” Mathias asked as the other lads barged into the room behind him.

  “Very near to where Valley Creek used to run its course, about a half mile or so from where Porter’s old barn once stood. Just as we deduced after seeing the drawings, the place isn’t on his property at all,” Sam said. “Jedediah found some rubble which masks the entrance to an old abandoned coal mine. The place hides behind some overgrown branches and vegetation now. Nonetheless, we walked through the rock to see what we could find. Once we got to the other side of the stony wall, we had no doubt but that we found the place of operation. An unfortunate cave-in sealed the entrance about the time we met our deaths. We know that, Mathias, because the remains of Matthew and Joshua are still inside.”