Emilia sighed. “Yes, well...I am glad that you are joining us for the trip, son. Things being the way they are, I hope that we can all make the best of it. For the sake of the family.”
“Yes, of course: ‘for the sake of the family,’” Elias said. “That’s what it’s always about isn’t it, Mother? Heaven forbid. We must never do anything to make the family look bad.”
“Don’t start in on that,” William warned, glaring at him. “Like Mother says, let’s all just make the best of it. Okay?”
Elias threw up his hands in a dramatic gesture of surrender. “Of course!” he said sarcastically. “Who am I to rock the Warton family boat at this special time? I will be as meek and obedient as a well-trained puppy. I promise. For the family’s sake.”
“Good. Excellent!” William said. “There we go, Mother. You heard it for yourself. Dear Elias is going to do his very best to make the best of our trip. And I will be helping him to do just that, every day. So no worries.” He looked intently at his brother, letting him know again that he meant business.
Emilia smiled gratefully at her two sons. “Thank you so much to the both of you. It eases my mind a tremendous amount about going to Texas. It is so hard for me to travel, as you said, Elias. You are absolutely right. I am not a strong woman and it will not be easy. But I love you both so much. I can do this with your help and strength.”
Elias was taken aback by his mother’s confession of love for him. It had been a very long time since any kind words at all had passed between them. He did not know what to say. He stared down at his eggs for a moment and then looked at her. “I’ll try, Mother.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. Then she turned and quickly left the room.
William was quiet for a moment. He picked up his cup and had a sip of Boston tea. “Well played, prodigal brother. Well played.” Elias remained silent. “But remember I’m still going to be keeping an eye on you.”
* * *
“Ouch! That hurts,” Georgia said, “not so tight, please.” Her friend, Biddy Logan, was pulling as hard as she could on the laces of a new corset. Georgia had asked her for help to tie on the new garment and see how it looked. So the midwife invited her to the Logan home in Sonora to perform the operation.
“I can’t believe I bought one of these medieval torture instruments to wear at my wedding!” Georgia winced as the stiff material squeezed her torso.
“Me neither, girl,” Biddy grunted, tugging on the laces. “You got a plenty fine figure, Ms. Warton. No need for one of these contraptions to help you look good.”
“It was the ad in the catalog that got me. I still remember the confounded description:
A shape with a swirling twist which gives it the grace of Lillie Langtry
and the ruggedness of Calamity Jane.
Now who could resist the opportunity to look like Calamity Jane and Lillie Langtry all rolled into one?”
“Yes, ma’am, I understand,” Biddy chuckled, “that’s a mighty tempting offer.”
Georgia sighed. “I’m just a prisoner of vanity and fashion, I guess. It seems like every girl in Boston thinks she’s got to get married in one of these things. What do you think, Biddy? Now that I’m going to be a Texas wife can I skip this painful fashion statement? My ribs are killing me already.”
Logan laughed. “I say amen to that. I heard tell of one poor girl passing out at the altar because the corset squeezed the breath right out of her. She dropped right there into the pastor’s arms.”
“Goodness gracious. I’ll bet he was preaching ‘dress reform’ after that incident.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Biddy chuckled, “and all the power to him.”
“All right then,” Georgia declared. “This infernal machine has got to go! Help me get free from this straitjacket, would you, Biddy? There’s going to be too much good food at the wedding party for a girl to have her stomach squished up like this anyway.” Logan started to loosen the strings and Georgia heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh, that feels so much better. Thank you!”
“I hear that the party is going to be at the Sutton,” Biddy said.
“Yes. Arthur’s French chef, Gaston, will be preparing the feast for us. He’s a massively gifted man. I’m not sounding too much like a snobby debutante, I hope.”
“No, not to worry, girl. It is what it is. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a taste for fine food. I say take the best of that world and leave the rest behind. You’re blessed to find a French chef in a cow town. Just roll with it, woman!”
Georgia laughed. “I like your style, Biddy. You can deliver my babies any time.”
“May they all be strong and healthy, Ms. Warton,” Logan said as the corset finally came off her friend’s torso. She threw it disdainfully onto a chair. “It’s really the mamma who delivers the children, you know. We midwives just coach you along and help out if there be any troubles.”
“Does it hurt a lot, Biddy?”
“Oh, mercy girl! Think of passin’ a watermelon. It’s worse. I sometimes ask the good Lord why he make it so tough bringin’ babies into the world.”
“What does he say?” Georgia asked.
“He say: ‘Tell you up yonder some day.’ That’s it, that’s all. ‘The secret things belong unto the Lord our God and the things that are revealed belong to us.’”
“Yes, Deuteronomy 29:29. I sure wish the Creator would reveal to us more of his secrets, Biddy.”
“Yes, ma’am, I hear you. No shortage of mysteries in this old world. That’s for sure.”
“You know, I never wanted to have babies before I met James. Ever. But when I got to know him it was like I was suddenly ready and willing – and now our love makes me want to have a houseful of them. Isn’t that strange?”
“Beautiful. Sounds about right to me, girl. When a man and a woman know they’re right for each other that’s just naturally how it goes, doesn’t it? There ain’t no stopping ‘em. I think it’s the hand of the Lord, destiny, whatever you wanna call it.”
“Whatever we call it, it’s good,” Georgia smiled. “I’ve never felt this way before. I read about it for years in books and poems. Never thought it would happen to me but it finally did, Biddy. And it’s just as beautiful as they say it is.”
“Sounds to me like you two have found some serious love, Ms. Warton,” her friend smiled.
“Yes,” Georgia said quietly. “I believe James feels this way too and I’m so thankful.”
“That’s great, girl. I’m happy for you both. By the way there’s some fine lookin’ bustles just came in down at the Mercantile. What do you think about tryin’ one on for size?”
Georgia laughed. “What? Do you think I’m a girl who needs to ‘plump the rump’? You’re pulling my leg, Biddy!”
“Sorry. Couldn’t resist,” she said mischievously. “How about a nice cup of tea now that we’re done the torture... I mean the ‘fitting’ session?”
* * *
“All aboard!!” the porter called on the station platform.
“That’s our train,” William said to his mother. He and Elias stood up from the bench where they were sitting and helped Mrs. Warton to her feet. “This is it, Mother. Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Emilia said nervously. “They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with one single step, boys, so let’s go.” She held on to William’s elbow as they made their way to the steam train and boarded. When they had settled into their seats – one son across from her, the other sitting at her side – Emilia asked William: “You gave the servants full instructions for keeping up the house while we are away?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Not to worry, everything’s taken care of. All you have to do is relax and enjoy the trip, Mother. We’ll take care of the rest; won’t we, Elias?”
His brother smiled weakly. “Yes, of course.”
“Thank you, both of you,” she said, accepting her sons’ professed intentions in good faith. E
milia was soon sound asleep in the seat, her head being supported by one of the many pillows they had brought along to comfort her.
“Well, so far so good,” William exhaled with relief. “How are you doing, Elias?” He looked over at his brother who was pale and fidgeting nervously.
“Great, couldn’t be better,” he said sarcastically. Small beads of sweat dotted his brow.
William was surprised to feel a pang of sympathy for what the man was suffering. “Have you got the shakes yet?”
“Not bad,” Elias replied, holding his hand out in front of him for inspection. It trembled slightly but unmistakably. “I hope it doesn’t get much worse than this.”
“Yes. I hope so too, brother. Can I get you some coffee?”
“No, I already drank a pot of it this morning. Just gonna have to tough it out, little Willy.”
“Listen,” William said, “if it gets too bad tell me. We’ll get something to tide you over. You know, help wean you off the bottle.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.” Elias settled back in his seat and took a deep breath. He gazed out the window at the Massachusetts countryside rolling by them. “This is a beautiful state once you get out of Boston and leave the factories and the streets behind.”
And the pubs too, William thought, although if those cowboy novels are right the West is full of saloons too. Oh God, I hope Elias can kick the bottle and get the drunken monkey off his back. Please help him do it, Lord. He really needs your help now.
“How did it happen, Elias?” William asked.
“What do you mean?”
“How did the bottle get a hold of you like this?”
Elias was silent for a long moment, staring out the window. “You’re digging right in aren’t you? Well, what the heck. It’ll help to pass the time.” He looked at his sleeping mother, snoring gently in the opposite seat. “I really don’t know how it started. I just like my grog, that’s all. Got to like it too much I guess. One day it’s just harmless fun and the next day you need it. I don’t know where it crossed the line from one to the other. But it did.” A forlorn expression covered his face as he looked out the window.
“How long did it take to cross the line?” William asked. “A few years, a few months?”
Elias was annoyed. “How am I supposed to know? It just happened, that’s all. Does it matter when it did?”
“No. I guess not. Sorry, I was just curious.”
“It’s all right. One thing you should know about drunks, little Willy: they can be cranky as Hades when they’re drying out.” He leaned forward in his seat, face growing even paler now. “I don’t feel so well.”
“Can I get you something?” William asked with concern.
“No, no. I’m gonna try and tough this out. If I can do that then by the time we get to Texas I’ll be doing better.” He got to his feet, pushed open the window and stuck his head outside into the wind. “Oh, that air feels good!” Suddenly his body convulsed and Elias vomited onto the side of the train tracks. Once he was done he remained slumped in the window for a moment, waiting to see if any more was coming. After a minute he ducked back inside and wiped his mouth. “Ahh, that’s a bit better.” William watched as his brother sat down heavily, leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.
“Do you remember the time we all went up to the beach at Hyannis Port for the summer?” Elias asked, his eyes still closed.
“Oh yeah, how could I forget it? That was a great summer. I was eight, Georgia was sixteen, and you were like my age – seventeen or eighteen.”
“Yeah, I was almost eighteen. Just a snotty-nosed kid like you.”
“I remember the cottage that Father rented near the beach. We spent every day in the water and the waves,” William smiled at the memory. “Even Mama had a good time sitting under her umbrella on the sand.” He glanced over at Emilia, snoring soundly on her pillow. It seemed like such a long time ago.
“Boy oh boy, did the guys ever swarm around Georgia like a cloud of flies. She was just sixteen but played ‘em off against each other until they were all so jealous they were ready to kill each other,” Elias chuckled. “Man, she was naughty like that. ‘Sweet sixteen’, I don’t think so. She got a kick out of it.”
“Aw, come on. Don’t be so hard on her. It was just a little harmless fun, I’m sure.”
“How do you know, Willy? You were only eight back then, busy building sandcastles and digging for clams. I saw what she was doing all right. She got a kick out of seeing those guys fall over each other. Then she’d go back to her poetry books and love poems, all sweet and innocent as a dove.”
“Ha! And what were you up to that summer, Elias? I remember you playing on the beach with us. But you were also probably out causing just as much trouble with the girls as Georgia was with the boys.”
“Oh yes, it was a good summer for me too,” he smiled beatifically, the first time his brother had seen him do so in ages. “I met some real beauties, believe me. But something else happened during that time.”
“What was it?” William asked, his curiosity piqued.
“That summer was when I had my first drink of alcohol. Another kid snuck a few beers out of his old man’s stash and we had a little beach party one night. Like I said, I loved my grog right from the start. Maybe it got its hooks into me right then and there, who knows? But there was no looking back for me, Willy. Once I tried booze I didn’t wanna stop. From then on it was party time.”
“Oh,” William said softly.
“You asked. So now you know, little brother.”
“Thanks. So you’re twenty-eight now and it’s been ten years of drinking.”
“Yeah and I’m sick of it, kid, to tell you the truth. The shine wore off a long time ago. Now it seems like getting drunk is just what I do – my vocation in life,” he said disdainfully.
“Was what you used to do, I hope,” William said, trying to sound cheerful.
“I can’t promise anything, kid. It’s been a long, long time since I did anything without a bottle in my hand. Don’t think I even remember how to be sober any more. It’s like a distant memory.”
“We’ll help you do it.”
“Thanks,” Elias said, staring out the window again. “Don’t get your hopes up too high though, okay? I’ve seen drunks get sober and then fall off the wagon at the first bump in the road. It’s not going to be easy. I’m dying for a drink right now, kid.”
William looked at his brother and felt a genuine desire for him to succeed at sobriety. Not ‘for the family’s sake’ – although it would certainly be good for the family if he succeeded. Not for his own sake – though it would be great to have a sober, healthy brother again. No, William was simply happy for Elias that he had finally admitted his addiction and wanted to overcome it. He was proud of him. And that was the first good feeling he’d had about his brother in a long time.
20
On a warm early-August night, James and Georgia were sitting out on the veranda having a sip of iced tea. Nearly all the plans for the wedding had been finalized and now there was not much left to do but enjoy time together with family and friends who were also looking forward in anticipation to the thirteenth of September.
As they sat together side by side on the covered swing, James put his arm around her shoulders and the gentle evening breeze brought the sound of musical instruments to their ears.
“What is that? It sounds like a band or something,” Georgia asked.
“By gosh, it does,” he grinned, “are you ready for an old fashioned serenade, Boston girl?”
“You’re kidding? Is that what it is?” she said excitedly. “For us?”
“Well it ain’t for David, that’s for sure!” James chuckled. “He’s a confirmed bachelor. Don’t think Auntie’s got a beau either. Reckon it must be for us.” He stood up, took her hand and they walked over to the veranda railing to see if they could discover where the music was coming from.
“Look!” said Georgia, pointing toward
the barn. James put his arm around her shoulder again as they watched a procession of musicians begin to march out of the building. “Oh, this is so exciting! I’ve never been serenaded before,” she laughed.
“What? You mean not one of them gentlemen callers in Boston never so much as stood outside your window and sang you a song with his guitar?” James teased.
“No, sir, nary a one. I told you they were all a bore.”
“Well, now you’ve got a whole band to serenade you, darlin’ – Texas style!”
Caught Between Love And Duty Page 17
