Prophet

by Mark J Rose

  “I’ll keep him away with Bessie,” Franklin said simply. “It’s like I told you.”

  “You’re taking Bessie with you when you go see John Foxcroft.”

  “She’s my protection.”

  “There’re no guns in my dreams. It’s a physical fight.”

  “Unless you’re convinced he’ll meet you here on the edge of town, there isn’t anything you can do about it now,” Franklin said impatiently. “I think I prefer it when you are obsessing about your farm girl.” Franklin turned his head around as they passed by a cornfield. “Corn looks high this year. Are we getting close?”

  “It’s about a mile down the road.” Matt’s mind was racing. Had he built Grace up into something she wasn’t? Some Southern goddess? Maybe he’d see her again and decide that he wasn’t that attracted. Maybe she would see him and decide the same thing.

  “You’re sure they know I’m coming?” Franklin asked.

  “They expect you,” Matt replied.

  “Are you sure they know you’re coming?” Franklin looked over at Matt and laughed uncontrollably.

  Matt grimaced. The anticipation of meeting Grace after so long made him feel ready to explode.

  Franklin could see his discomfort. “I’m only jealous,” the older man confided. “I’d give anything to be anxious again over meeting a lady. Age has taken that from me. The flame of passion is only an ember.”

  **********

  They were coming around a corner, and the main gate of the Taylor farm could be seen about one hundred yards ahead on the right side of the road. The largest fenced-in pasture and the main stable were now visible as they neared the entrance. There were a few horses who were already looking to them as they approached.

  “It’s big,” Franklin observed.

  Scout and Thunder knew where they were. Scout, who had been trotting out ahead of the wagon, sprinted forward and then disappeared from the road as he entered the gate. They could hear him barking loudly. “Gone in early to wake everyone,” Franklin said.

  Excitement and nervousness built in Matt’s stomach. Franklin reached over and patted him on the back. “She’ll be there and she’ll be delighted.” Matt nodded in silence. It wasn’t only meeting Grace again after all this time that was overwhelming; it was everything he’d experienced in between. He’d lived and died. He was a very different man from the one they peeled from the riverbank.

  As they turned to enter the gate, Thunder, who was tied to the wagon, whinnied loudly, upset that he couldn’t join the dog, who was already on the porch of the big white farmhouse.

  “You know better,” Matt said to the horse.

  The farmhouse door opened and Grace’s mother came outside. She waved as she stepped off the porch and came to them as they climbed down from the wagon. “Welcome back to Richmond, Mr. Miller,” she said, reaching out her hand out to shake. Matt closed the distance purposefully and gave her a hug.

  “And this must be Dr. Franklin,” she said when Matt let her go. She extended her hand. “I’m Mary Taylor.”

  Franklin took her hand and kissed it lightly. “Call me Benjamin, please, madam. I should say I’m very pleased to meet you.”

  “How was your trip?” Mary asked.

  “Faster coming than going, and less eventful,” Matt said. He couldn’t keep himself from looking from barn to barn, trying to catch a glimpse of the young woman who had occupied his mind for so long.

  “She’s around here somewhere, I think,” Mary said knowingly.

  “Mr. Miller!” a man called.

  Matt turned to see Grace’s father, Thomas, walking toward him from the main stable. There was a puppy trotting clumsily at his side. The puppy stopped and barked at the strangers every few steps and then happily scrambled to catch up to his master. Scout trotted over to scrutinize this smaller and much cuter version of himself with cautious nudges and sniffs and then greeted Thomas. When Scout went to Thomas, the man stooped down and scratched him vigorously with both hands.

  “Good to see you again, boy,” he said with an excited smile. Scout turned back to the puppy, who was now growling as ferociously as a puppy could at this threat to his master. “That’s Duke,” Thomas announced. The puppy barked at Scout, ran a short distance, and then looked back to see if he was being chased. He barked again, taunting the older animal. Scout jumped to him, nipping at his legs as he let the puppy run just out of his reach. Thomas turned away from watching the animals play, walked to Matt, and extended his hand. “Welcome back,” Thomas said with a warm smile.

  Matt turned to Franklin. “This is Dr. Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia, Postmaster General of the American colonies.”

  “Very pleased to meet you, sir,” Thomas said. “I’ve followed your work for some time.” He reached out and shook Franklin’s hand.

  “Mr. Miller has spoken often of the beauty of your farm,” Franklin said, motioning with his arms. “Words don’t describe what you have here. I’m overwhelmed.”

  “I appreciate the compliment,” Thomas replied. “I hope you plan to stay long enough to see what we’ve built.”

  Matt saw the barn door open, and there she was, smoothing her dress. Grace waved, took a moment to watch the dogs playing and then walked slowly but intentionally toward them. Everyone stopped to measure her approach and then Matt’s as he walked to meet her. She was wearing a faded and tattered blue country dress, and her hair was pulled back as was her fashion when she worked with the horses. Even from a distance, her movement and her smile began to paralyze him. She was more beautiful than Matt had remembered.

  “Mr. Miller,” she said. “You’ve returned.” It suddenly became very awkward as they stood in front of each other, neither one knowing what came next.

  He looked into her ice-blue eyes. “Didn’t you think I’d come?” he said. His voice was shaking. Matt made a motion toward her, and that was all it took for the apples to spill from the cart. She closed the distance quickly, almost knocking him down, and smothered him with a passionate kiss.

  42

  The Future is Now

  He was traveling through the time blocks again, moving slowly enough to look around. Some events could only be seen; others he felt, and then a few were like he was living them completely. Many times the blocks contained nothing he recognized and he had trouble concentrating. It was like driving a car in traffic through an unknown town where there are no recognizable landmarks; you stare straight ahead, trusting that the road will lead you to your destination. Suddenly, though, he’d find himself recognizing people and places and would wonder about the information he had missed by staring straight ahead.

  In one block, he saw the Taylor farm, Grace, and the barn where he slept. He recognized Will and Graine’s wedding at the Martins’ estate. Everyone was in formal dress, including Franklin, who was dancing in the pavilion. Matt caught a glimpse of Grace in a blue velvet gown as she talked with one of the Martin sisters, and he registered its color in his mind. He always liked simple proof of the ability of the dreams to tell the future. When he finally looked up from making plans and taking mental notes, he realized that he was already in the place with many horses and his body was on the ground. He’d missed the beginning…again! He still had no idea how Levi Payne defeated him after all he had done to prepare.

  The block began vibrating rhythmically, and Matt heard the familiar drumbeats, boom, boom, boom, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen—

  Bam, Bam, Bam. “Mr. Miller, are you awake?”

  Matt looked up at the ceiling. Am I still dreaming? At first there was no evidence that the things around him were real. There was no reference point to help him establish whether he was in the past or the present, but slowly, reality returned. He was on the Taylor farm, with Scout still lying at his feet. The dog had both eyes open, staring at the door.

  Bam, Bam, Bam. “Mr. Miller, are you awake?”

  Matt recognized Jonathan’s voice. “I’m awake,” he called. He smiled, remembering the first time he met the yo
ungest Taylor son and how they’d become friends. The kid was a wise old sage when it came to eighteenth-century family and culture.

  “Can I come in?” Jonathan said through the door.

  “Of course.”

  Jonathan slid the door open and peeked into the barn. “Mother said you’ve almost missed breakfast.”

  Matt looked down at his watch. It was after nine o’clock. He and the dog had slept almost four hours after sunrise. Bright light filled the barn. Matt couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so long. Scout was obviously tired too, having made no attempt to get up after Jonathan pulled the door open.

  “Duke, get back here,” Jonathan said as the puppy pushed past him and galloped over to Scout. The puppy’s feet were four times too big for his body. He stopped almost two yards from the bench they were sleeping on and tumbled to the ground as he slid on the loose hay. He bounded to his feet and barked at Scout. Scout lay there for a moment, seemingly unimpressed by the puppy’s antics, but then he popped to his feet, jumped off the bed, and ran out the door as the puppy gave chase.

  Jonathan turned to watch them rumble noisily out into the yard. “They like each other.”

  “I imagine they do,” Matt said. “I hear they’re brothers.”

  “Same parents. You can’t have him.”

  “I never wanted Scout. He showed up at my door.”

  “You could’ve brought him back.”

  “No, I couldn’t. And anyway, why’d you let him follow me? Do you know how much trouble it was trying to find him a place to live in the city?” Matt climbed off the bed.

  “He just went,” Jonathan said. “He’d been sitting outside every day, waiting for you and Thunder.”

  “He traveled almost all the way to Philadelphia before he found us. Those animals were sure happy to see each other.”

  Jonathan smiled. “They probably were.”

  “Ah hell, I was happy too,” Matt admitted. “Scout’s kept me company.”

  “What took you so long?”

  “I can’t ask for Grace’s hand if I can’t support her.”

  “Can you? You know, like you promised.”

  “Almost.”

  “She’s had other offers,” Jonathan said. “We talk about it often at supper.”

  “I’ve been working my butt off for your sister.”

  Jonathan looked back at him, puzzled.

  “You know,” Matt said. “Your rear end.” He pointed.

  “That would look pretty funny,” Jonathan said. “Is that why you slept late?”

  “I’ve been working nonstop for eleven months. I deserved to sleep late.”

  “I reckon that’s true, but if you want something to eat, you should hurry. Dr. Franklin is already in the cornfield with Father.”

  “How long has Dr. Franklin been up?”

  “Since sunrise. He said, ‘early to bed, early to rise—’”

  “‘Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.’ I know.”

  “Father never heard that,” Jonathan said.

  “Are Dr. Franklin and your father getting on?”

  “They were talking like mad at breakfast. He’ll be bored when Father takes him to the cornfield.”

  Matt shrugged. “It’s hard to figure out what old guys think is interesting.”

  “Jeb didn’t get any breakfast last week when he slept late.”

  “I’m coming,” Matt said. “Quit bugging me so I can get dressed.”

  “Grace is already working in the barn, so you needn’t worry about her seeing you all mussed up.”

  “Why would I be worried?”

  “Didn’t you travel a thousand miles to see her?”

  “Everyone’s a comedian. It was only like two hundred fifty miles, anyway.”

  “Better get breakfast.” Jonathan slipped outside and was gone, leaving Matt alone in the barn.

  “I am hungry,” Matt said to the wall. He looked around at the place that had been his home for almost a month and still felt lost. Some days he was Matt in 1763, and other days he was living a waking dream. He quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth, ran his hands through his hair, and left the hay barn. He walked by Scout, who was still playing with the puppy, and then to Thunder’s pasture, but the horse was nowhere to be seen. He was surprised to find him in a stall with Grace, who was stroking him with a brush. She looked up and watched him approach.

  “You’ve ruined the surprise,” she said. “Did you get breakfast?” He stood there to take her all in. She hadn’t changed much from the barn girl he’d first met. She was still a refreshing mix of common sense, hard work, practicality, and drop-dead beauty. It made him marvel again at a Creator that had conceived of such a creature. Lost in his thoughts, it took him a moment to respond.

  “I’m going over now,” he said as he watched her long hands move the comb through Thunder’s mane.

  “It looked like he hadn’t been brushed for an eternity,” she said. “He loves the attention.”

  “We were on the road for like a month,” Matt said. “No time.”

  “It was ten days,” she said, smiling.

  “I’m not as good at making him shine,” Matt said. “We both get impatient.”

  “I imagine you do,” she replied. “Better go eat.”

  There was still awkwardness between them, like each was looking for a sign of the other’s commitment. Matt was past playing hard to get. He had traveled two hundred and fifty miles to see her. This was what he wanted and he was going to reach for it. He walked forward, opened the stall door, grabbed her around the waist and kissed her passionately next to the horse. She pushed into him hard, still holding the brushes in her hands. He lingered there for a while, kissing her lips, and then backed out of the stall.

  “I need breakfast,” he said.

  She looked at him with a flushed face and a flirty smile and then returned to brushing.

  Matt walked through the courtyard in time to see Franklin and Thomas drive through the gate. Thomas slowed the wagon as they came alongside. “You finally awake?” Franklin called.

  “Hope you get up earlier than this in Philadelphia,” Thomas chided.

  Matt gave both a critical stare. A fraternity of old guys! “Go ahead and have your fun,” Matt said. “I’ve been working for a month trying to get here. I deserve the sleep.”

  “It’s only a jest,” Franklin said, hearing his irritation. They followed alongside him in the wagon as he walked toward the house.

  “You get breakfast?” Thomas asked.

  “Can’t seem to get there,” Matt replied.

  “We leave for Richmond in an hour for wedding clothes,” Franklin said, “Suspect you’ll be ready by then?”

  The enthusiasm of both these men was almost too much to bear. “Maybe. Don’t rush me.”

  “I hope you’ll be in better humor by then,” Franklin said.

  “We can’t dillydally,” Thomas announced. “We’ve a wedding to prepare for.” His voice was thick with excitement.

  Matt resigned himself to ignoring their maddening positivity. He dismissed them with a wave and headed to find his breakfast. When he was at the porch, he knocked on the door. It was quiet as he stood and then he heard a faint “Come in.” He entered and saw Mary working at the hearth down in the kitchen. “You needn’t knock, Mr. Miller,” she called. “I’ve saved breakfast.” She pointed to the bowls at the end of the large family dining table. The smell of bacon permeated the air. Matt heard his empty stomach rumble.

  He sat down expecting to eat alone but was surprised when Mary sat across from him as he spooned scrambled eggs onto a pewter plate. “You shouldn’t eat by yourself,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t want to keep you from anything,” Matt replied. He realized that he had no idea what Mary did during the day when they didn’t have harvest.

  “We should speak, yes?” she asked. Her German accent made it sound like a command rather than a question.

  “That would be great, Mrs. Tay
lor,” Matt said tentatively.

  “May I be frank?”

  Matt almost said no to see what her reaction would be, or simply to break the tension, but he bit his lip and nodded respectfully.

  “I know my daughter has made some secret pact with you.”

  “We made some promises,” Matt affirmed.

  “Have you had your success?”

  “Some.”

  “Enough to support a wife?”

  “I need another year.”

  “Then it’s not enough,” she declared.

  “I told her she’d have her horses and stables.”

  “I don’t agree to this uncertainty.”

  “I’ve written to her almost every day.”

  “And yet nothing is resolute.”

  “Is this Grace’s concern?”

  “Yes,” Mary said. She was silent for a moment, then a look of resignation filled her face. “No.”

  “It’s her parents’.”

  “You must allow,” she replied.

  “I’ve been working day and night to win the hand of your daughter,” Matt explained. “Less than a year from now, I should be in a position to run my business from anywhere in the colonies.”

  “Grace is not getting any younger.”

  “She’s twenty-one,” Matt said, laughing.

  “The marriageable men in Richmond are disappearing.”

  Matt felt the exasperation grow and then it came out harder than he expected. “I don’t care if all the marriageable men in the colonies are gone,” he exclaimed. “The only man she should consider is me.”

  “There’s no proof of your commitment,” she declared.

  “I’ve traveled hundreds of miles to see all of you.”

  “Two friends on an adventure. Dr. Franklin already has my husband convinced he should accompany him on a tour through the colonies.”

  “I’ve had enough adventures,” Matt said.

  “Dr. Franklin is a charming man.” She smiled and stood up from the table. “You can bring those dishes down to the kitchen. The clothes Will selected should make you look quite handsome. Grace’s blue gown brings out the color of her eyes.”