The Visitor - New York 1871-1873

by Barbara Svetlick

  A muffled sound came from where they had tied up the first brother. They all worked higher as the rain turned to a light drizzle. The cousin cautiously stepped out into the road. He bent over the body of his father in the road and stumbled until he reached the second body. He stood and called for someone but there was no answer. Meeks stepped into the road as the man raised his gun as his hand shook violently. He turned at a sound to find James standing in the middle of the road behind him with one of the brothers laying next to him gagged with his hands tied behind him.

  “On your knees.”

  The boy looked from one to the other and slowly lowered to his knees. Dominic walked out onto the road and shot the man between the eyes, holstered his gun pulling out his cigar lighting it.

  “I thought we were supposed to just tie them up?”

  “And I thought there were only three young brothers. Counting the one in the trees, I think I count five well armed angry men and a stupid boy.”

  Garnett stepped onto the road with the youngest brother and threw him down on the road next to his brother. James removed both of their gags as one tried to kick him. “You motha whores are gonna pay for this. We’ll track ya down and kill ya family.”

  James looked at him wondering how so much hate could be instilled in such young boys. “Is that so?”

  “Counts on it. We will kill ya cuz ya can’t hide from the Thompsons, ya can’t find a hole big enough to hide from us.”

  “And that would be just the two of you?”

  “That’s all it takes you egg suckin’ dog but my brothers will be out soon.”

  James smiled at the stupid bravado of these two who had just watched them kill four of the family. James raised his gun and shot them both dead.

  Garnett mounted his horse waiting for James and Dominic to bring their horses down to the road. The Thompson clan wouldn’t be attending the hanging.

  Meeks came into the room to find Mirisa and Maggie sound asleep in the middle of his bed. He took off his gun and washed his face. He leaned over and kissed her telling her he would be downstairs unwinding and to go back to sleep. She didn’t wake up again until the sun was rising and he was in bed with them. She got out of bed and closed the door so he could sleep.

  Mirisa found James asleep on the couch. She wasn’t used to James with a day old shadow and it actually looked good on him. When she picked up the empty plates and glasses, James pulled her down on the couch. She put everything down and kissed him. “You smell like you just got out of the tub.”

  “I did.”

  “Where’s everyone?”

  “I guess still asleep since I am the only one walking around.”

  “Mirisa, are you alright?”

  “I’m just having some sickness but it’s not bad.”

  James smiled. “I love when you decide to make babies.”

  She went back into the kitchen and cooked biscuits before putting on water for eggs and decided to make pies. She had them cooling on the counter when Garnett came into the kitchen and fixed a cup of coffee. He jumped up on the counter and picked up a biscuit.

  “In the kitchen early this morning.”

  “I am surprised to find any of you here and not down at the club.”

  “Is that why didn’t you crawl in bed with me this morning?”

  “I don’t think throwing up works with sex plus I only sleep with my husband after an assignment.”

  Garnett smiled. “Then let me know when you plan on working on my request.” She didn’t respond. “Mirisa, you should have told me.”

  Meeks walked in and fixed a cup of coffee and kissed her. He took the coffee from her and told her to go back to bed and he would bring her up a cup of tea and toast. She kissed him and went back to bed.

  James poured a cup of coffee and drank it black just because he needed something to wake him up. “How long has she been pregnant?”

  “Since the November 18th.”

  “She knows the exact date?”

  Meeks shook his head. “According to her that was a very erotically inspired night and she was most vulnerable to my great persuasions but I think she gets pregnant when she decides to get pregnant.”

  David showed up after breakfast and they headed for Virginia. They found a large fenced field and tied up the horses before sliding under the fence. While crossing the field, Garnett pulled his gun and shot once. A rabbit went flying up in the air and landed with a thud. Mirisa looked at him. “You’re shooting rabbits?”

  “Isn’t that what we said we were going to do?” He walked over and picked it up and brought it back. “You know James makes a great rabbit stew. And really what is the difference between a rabbit and a bird?”

  “The number of feet!” She walked away from him and James slapped him on the back.

  They were walking across the field and every time she turned around one of them was shooting a rabbit. She refused to participate with them even though they told her she couldn’t hit a moving target if she tried. She scoffed at their attempts to bait her and reminded them that none of them had single handedly brought down an angry bull. They walked another twenty feet when a covey of quail rose in front of them. Both Matthew and Mirisa raised their rifle and shot.

  “Mirisa, you are supposed to be able to take all five not just the two easy ones.”

  “James I didn’t see you even raising your rifle.”

  “I was reloading from shooting all those plump rabbits.” He walked over and picked up the quail and handed them to her.

  “What do I do with it?”

  “Take them back to the fence and put it with the rabbits.”

  She walked back and they all waited for her to return. She took off her jacket and hooked it on the back of her saddle then rolled up her sleeves and readjusted the cord on her holster.

  “It’s no wonder they don’t allow women to ride.” Dominic was reloading his rifle. “Mirisa, bring back ammunition for your rifle.” She looked up reaching up and took it out of her saddlebag.

  “What are we shooting at now?”

  “Quail.” Matthew motioned for Dog to move across the field and Mirisa stood arms length away from Dominic and David. The quail broke away and in front of Meeks and all three followed through and shot. Dog continued to work across the field until they were near the woods. Mirisa finally sat down on a fallen tree and emptied her rifle before putting it up against the tree. James handed her the canteen but she said she didn’t want whisky so David handed her the water.

  “Are you ready to show me how good you can shoot?”

  “What have I been doing for the last hour?”

  “How do I know that you shot anything when everyone else was shooting at the same birds?”

  Mirisa looked up at David and handed the canteen back. “What do you want to shoot?

  “See the pinecones hanging up in the far tree?”

  She looked in the direction he was pointing. She stood up, pulled her gun and emptied it bringing down six pinecones. “Those pinecones?”

  David looked at her and at James who just shrugged. “Did James teach you how to shoot?”

  “They all did.”

  “But you shoot like James.” Before Mirisa could respond David drew and took down twice as many in six shots, holstering his gun before they hit the ground.

  “Are you showing off?”

  “Did it look like I was showing off?” David reloaded his gun and holstered it again.

  “I thought so but then I also think you are faster than Garnett and I haven’t learned to outshoot him yet.”

  “Women generally can’t outshoot a man because they think as they are doing it. It has to be automatic and without any conscious thought at all.”

  “Doesn’t that describe most things a man does?”

  James had to turn away because she was tired and cranky and David would just dig that hole deeper and deeper.

  “Well, I don’t think so.” David looked at Mirisa. “Has anyone told you that you are
very sassy?”

  “No.” Mirisa reloaded her gun putting it back in her holster and picked up her rifle and walked towards the horses.

  “Did I make her mad?”

  “Absolutely.” Meeks lit his cigar. “It will probably take me all afternoon to calm her down.” James laughed and said he would be more than willing to handle that if Meeks had other things to do. David looked at them all and shook his head.

  “Do I need to go apologize to her?” Dominic told him that would probably be his second mistake. “Well, what was my first?”

  “Telling her women couldn’t shoot as well as men.”

  "What is she doing?"

  "Well, she’s either waiting for us to get within range or she is trying to figure out why we are still standing here doing nothing." Meeks picked up the birds and started walking toward the horses as Matthew ran ahead of them.

  David lit his cigar. "I guess I better think of a good apology that will sound sincere."

  "Why, you don’t have to live with her." Dominic lit his cigar and started walking to the fence.

  "From where I’m sitting neither do you."

  "Good point. I would assist you in how not to insult her while trying to apologize for the first insult but generally I end up in worse shape than if I had never tried." James laughed and they started walking toward her.

  Meeks reached her, climbed on the bottom rail in front of her and kissed her. "No tears, no cussing, no tantrums and you didn’t storm off leaving us to chase you. Does this mean I can’t spend the afternoon making you smile again?"

  "No, that’s not what it means in fact you will probably have to work harder than normal but mostly I am tired and want to go home and take a nap. Have I told you in the last hour that I love you?"

  "Your eyes always tell me." Mirisa kissed Meeks lightly and her jacket moved. Meeks looked down and it moved again.

  "Mirisa, what is in your jacket?"

  "A baby rabbit."

  "What do you plan on doing with this baby rabbit or do I even need to ask that question?"

  "You don’t need to ask because you will let me do what you already know I am going to do with the rabbit."

  "You are so damn beautiful."

  "Thank you from both of us." She bit his lip and he bit her neck. James slid under the rail and put his rifle in the scabbard and unscrewed the canteen and passed it to Meeks as he straddled the fence next to her and whispered in her ear.

  "What do you have?" James reached over and moved the jacket to reveal a tiny pink nose. "You want to make sure dinner is fresh?"

  "I’m taking him home since you so ruthlessly killed his mother."

  "Whoa, talk about guilt." James lit a cigar. "You know Dog will eat him as soon as you walk out of the room, then Maggie will go into hysterics and be traumatized for life and Jonathan will probably want to go find more to feed to Dog."

  She hit him and if it wasn’t for the two of them being right there she would have fallen off the railing. The rest of them slid under the railing and put their rifles up before walking over and taking the canteen from Meeks. Dominic reached up and picked the rabbit up by the back of the neck looking at it. "A little too small for dinner." Mirisa reached over and gently took the rabbit away from him. "Obviously, Meeks has already approved your taking this home to the children."

  "Dominic?”

  "Yes, Mirisa."

  "Even though you want to be mean to me you would also allow me to do anything I want."

  Dominic looked up at Mirisa. "You’re right, I would."

  The children loved the rabbit as soon as she pulled it out of her jacket. She told them it would have to live in the stable but it could stay in a box in the kitchen until the pen was made. Maggie gently cuddled it up to her cheek and then climbed up on the window seat with him. Dog came over and sniffed the little thing which tried to climb out of Dog’s reach. Mirisa talked to Dog and he went back and curled up near the fire. "Maggie, do not put him down or leave him alone or Dog will bite him. If you get tired of him have Jasmine bring him downstairs."

  "Alright but I think I will read him a story." She kissed her daughter and told her she was a sweet child.

  Mirisa went downstairs and watched them skin the rabbits and quail. They did it so fast and efficiently. They had long given up on teaching her to use a knife except to cut up vegetables. Meeks told her to go lie down and he’d handle any incidents with the rabbit. She nodded and went upstairs.

  “Is she alright?”

  “She’s been a lot sicker with this baby and I think I need to just make her stop doing so much.” Meeks fixed her a cup of tea and opened the tin of soda crackers.

  After they got the stew on the stove, Dominic came through the door with lunch he had picked up at the tavern on the river. He put it on the table then called the children to come down. Maggie brought down the rabbit and put him in the box then climbed up on her father’s lap and proceeded to tell him all about the rabbit her mother found because someone had killed its mother leaving it alone in the big field. Maggie told her father that she would never kill someone’s mother. Meeks found her version of the story so endearing that they decided not to tell her what was in the stew.

  The afternoon turned stormy so they put more wood on the fires and settled in for the day. James came into the kitchen to help with dinner finding flour all over the counter as Mirisa was rolling out dough for a pecan rolls.

  “You are such a mess.”

  “Can you get the pecans for me?” Mirisa put the dough in the pan and James opened the jar of pecans. Without thinking, James ran his hand around her waist to the small of her back. Mirisa reacted to his touch and told him he was so perfect in the kitchen. He pulled her head back and kissed her neck. James talked to her and she closed her eyes.

  “I think I like pecan rolls a lot.” Mirisa smiled, picked up another jar of brown sugar and James opened it.

  Garnett was leaning up against the counter watching them and he cleared his throat. “James it’s no wonder you are so damn rich when all you are is an opportunist.”

  He threw his hands up. “I was totally taken off guard.”

  Meeks walked in put his arms around her and told her that she really shouldn’t play with them when she had flour all over herself. She smiled and put a pecan in his mouth. “How do you always know what I have done?”

  “Because there is flour in all the wrong places on James plus all three of us know that your favorite place to play is in the kitchen with food.”

  Mirisa bit her bottom lip and he started laughing. “I guess you should have paid more attention to me after lunch.”

  “I guess I should have. I don’t think I’ll forget next time.”

  James finished cutting the rolls and put them in the oven. “I will try to remind you.”

  Meeks went upstairs to change clothes when Mirisa followed closing the door. Meeks looked up at her and she watched him but didn’t move towards him. Mirisa walked around the bed and reached over to the table pulling out the lotion pouring it in her hands and rubbed them together. She started on his shoulders as he sat on the end of the bed and slowly worked down his back giving him deep muscle massage. Meeks reached back at this point and she put more lotion on her hands before she started on his chest and she finished with some of her best work. He put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her down to kiss her.

  By the time they came downstairs, dinner was almost finished. Mirisa fixed her husband a bowl of stew then sat down and poured a glass of milk. James was talking to Meeks about when they were heading back to New York. Mirisa looked into Meeks eyes and told him she loved him. He pulled Mirisa to him and kissed her forehead, her eyes and told her she was so beautiful. Garnett had never heard Meeks sound so passionate but he had been extremely hands on with Mirisa since Philadelphia and especially since finding out about the baby.

  “Meeks can you go to the meeting with me tomorrow?”

  Mirisa looked up at Garnett before she turned to Dom
inic who was avoiding eye contact. Meeks nodded but you could tell that he wasn’t happy with the fact that they had no problem with turning down assignments when he wasn’t available but took them without asking his opinion when he was in town. His involvement shouldn’t make a difference but his decision to stop seemed to fall on deaf ears.

  Mirisa looked at Garnett and knew the look of don’t ask. She sighed, picked up her bowl and went into the kitchen. Meeks went upstairs, put on his gun, picked up both of their jackets and came back down. He put them on the counter before going into the kitchen to find his wife. Meeks took her hands out of the water and Garnett handed him the towel to dry them. Meeks put her jacket on her and they left out the backdoor.

  Meeks waited for the carriage as he held Mirisa. They slowly worked their way through the neighborhood until they were in the country. The air was cool but the sky was cloudless. They rode awhile before Meeks slowed. He reached up and she slid into his arms as he took the blanket out of the back and laid it up against the large oak sitting down with her. There was a quarter moon and the winter stars were very bright. Meeks talked to Mirisa quietly knowing that she would never ask him to stop and knowing that he should walk away but as long as they worked he would always be with them. Mirisa told him in all the times that she was married to Dominic she never had the fear that she had now because Dominic always left her home with him and James. Now they all went and Mirisa was always left not knowing if any or all of them would come home. Meeks let her talk it out and he listened to what she didn’t say as well as what she did say. They talked at length about her pregnancy and why she thought it was a daughter. They finally headed back to the house.

  Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table playing five card stud and drinking. Mirisa headed upstairs as Meeks turned a chair around and sat down.