Dominic looked away and then told James he was always a good friend. He climbed in the carriage and the boys waved goodbye as it pulled away from the curb. James relit his cigar and took in the cold air. He went back into the house and walked over to the tree picking up a present. He handed it to Mirisa.
Mirisa undid the large white bow and lifted the lid to find a beautiful porcelain teapot with Chinese dragons and figures delicately painted around the pot. “The rest of the set is in the kitchen along with the most wonderful teas from the orient.”
“China?” You could see the spark in her eyes. “Have you ever been there?”
“No but maybe we should consider it.”
“Alexander, can we go to China?”
“Is James paying for the trip?”
She looked at James who was laughing. “I think he will.”
Garnett handed her a book of new music and the first sheet was his new composition “The Moon Concerto” with all the markings as he wrote it then signed and dated. “You write the most beautiful pieces.”
“They pale in comparison to your smile. Thank you for coming into my life.”
Meeks laughed because even though they gave off the impression of being sentimental and loving, the gifts they gave her came right out of their own perversity. Garnett sat back and Meeks got up and brought in a large painting and took down the one over the fireplace putting up the new one. Mirisa was speechless. The drawing was in ink and washed with very light color. She stood up and started to walk up to it then stopped. It was so perfect that it took her back to the day when they watched her in the river. Every detail down to the water coming off of her hair was so real. The trees, the rocks along the riverbank, the mountains in the distance and the color of the sky was perfect but the feelings and emotions came flooding back with such clarity that it took her breath away. Meeks touched her as she turned from the painting to him.
“How can you make something so real?”
“I have drawn you from the first day we met.”
Mirisa put her head on his chest and smiled as he held her.
THE MEN had been in the library all evening with the door closed so Mirisa spent the time with the children. She finally got them all to bed and helped pick up the nursery before heading up to play the piano. It was so quiet in the house that she needed something to distract her. She started playing the classics that she knew by heart.
Meeks came out of the library closing the door behind him and listened. He went up to their room to get some documents then stopped on the landing listening to her play before returning to the library. The man left a few minutes later and they began to discuss the job.
Michael Cotes had been part of their unit before the war which is what would make this assignment so difficult for all of them. After the war, Cotes had apparently retreated to the upper New York Cascade Mountains where he built a cabin and for all practical purposes became a recluse. A month earlier, Cotes tangled with one of the local deputies, killing him. The five men the authorities had sent in after him never came out on their own. The last one they found hanging in a tree from a bear trap.
Garnett lit his cigar and stood looking out the window. He didn’t like this job at all. They finished up the plans and put everything away. There was heavy snow in the mountains right now so they didn’t have time to let Cotes get further entrenched into the mountainside.
Meeks finally got up and stretched. He left the library leaving the door open and headed for the kitchen to find something to eat. James was standing in the doorway wondering if Meeks would go up and talk to her or just see what there was to eat since they had missed dinner. Meeks kept going toward the kitchen. When Meeks came back out he told everyone that they would serve dinner in a few minutes. He stopped and put his hand on the banister dreading going up.
Garnett came out and headed up the stairs without saying anything. The room was dark except for the glow from the fireplace. Garnett sat down next to Mirisa and she continued to play without looking at him. Garnett listened for a few minutes before Mirisa stopped and put her hands in her lap but didn’t look at him. He took Mirisa’s hand in his and then raised her chin.
“Who’s going?”
“All of us.” She bit her lip and closed her eyes.
“When?”
“Before sunrise.”
Garnett started to say something but decided if she needed answers she would get them from Meeks. Garnett kissed her cheek stood and went downstairs. They were all sitting in the dining room and just looked at Garnett when he sat down.
The ugly monster of fear little by little started to envelope Mirisa.
…to be continued in Book IV – New York
The Visitor - Colorado 1869 - 1871 Page 29
