A shout from down the road caught her attention.
Nathan was driving their wagon up the road. He tried to hold onto the team while two bodies jumped off the back and dashed toward the farmhouse.
Adam and Joey!
Laura laughed to see the boys taller, stockier and healthier than she could remember seeing them in Washington’s cold streets.
She reached the bottom steps at the same time as the boys, catching them in fierce bear hugs. They hugged her back as they both talked at once.
“Criminy, you live a long way from the town, Miss Laura!” Joey said. “We sure missed you. Wait till we tell you about the fight at the docks and the bad guys and did you know Adam got shot in the arm?”
“Mr. Cantrell told us you own all the land back to those mountains,” Adam interrupted his younger friend. “Ma said that there’s even a stream back there we can go fishing sometime. Do you think we can?”
“Boys, one at a time.” Laura laughed at their enthusiasm. “I think you can go fishing in the summer after someone teaches you to swim. And what’s this about you getting shot in the arm?” She leaned back to look them over.
“It was during the battle…” Joey began.
“It was my shooting,” Adam again interrupted. “Let me tell it. Micah’s brother, Stephen, tried to shoot him, and I got hit instead. Then Doctor Schulman—he talks like this—said, ve vill have to take out ze bullet. He took it out and I got better.”
“Somehow, I think it was a lot more complicated than that, darlin’.” Nathan set the brake and assisted a pale Claudia to the ground.
Meeting Laura’s eyes over her friend’s head he shook his head. “Why don’t you help Claudia into the house? It’s been a long trip for her. Boys, you can give me a hand.”
“Oh, Claudia, I can’t believe you’re here.” Laura reached out to hug her friend, noting the decided pallor of her face.
“I can’t believe I am either, Laura.”
The two women stood for a moment, clinging to each other with tears streaming down their faces. Finally, they broke apart and Laura led into her home. She stopped to pick up Rachel and her kitten.
“What a beautiful little girl.” Claudia watched her remove the dark haired girl’s coat and hat. “Is this Rachel?”
“Yes, and give her a moment to warm up, then she’ll be talking your head off. Won’t you sweetie?”
Blue eyes the color of bluebonnets nodded up at Claudia. Laura let her down. Rachel eyed Claudia for a moment, then proceeded to play with the cat and a ball of string.
“Now take off your coat and make yourself at home.” Laura bustled around the kitchen, pouring water from a pail into a large teakettle. “I’ll just make us some tea, then we can sit and chat. I can’t believe you traveled clear across the country with just you and the boys. Why didn’t Henderson come with you?”
“Oh, he did.” Claudia laughed, looking around at the kitchen. “He’s on the next wagon with your friend, Zeke.”
“You needed two wagons? I’ll bet Micah just loved you carting half your household across the country.” Laura set a plate of ginger cookies out on the table. Seating herself across from Claudia, she handed a cookie to Rachel.
“Micah doesn’t know I’m here, Laura.” Claudia had removed her coat and sat looking at her folded hands on the table.
“Then why are you here? And where is Micah?” Laura reached out to take her friend’s hand in hers.
“That’s what I’d like to know.” Nathan said from the doorway, with Henderson standing beside him.
“Henderson.” Laura stood to hug the older man. “I’m so glad you’re here, too. Nathan, pull him out a chair. You know you owe this man a great thank you.” She gave her husband a pointed look.
“I do? And how is that?”
“If it weren’t for him, I never would’ve answered that ad for a mail order bride.” She smiled smugly at her husband.
“In that case, I don’t know whether to thank him or send him back to Washington.”
Laura playfully slapped Nathan in the arm.
He smiled, shaking hands with Henderson. “But I suppose I’ll thank you. At least the last two winters haven’t been as cold since she’s been here.”
Claudia watched the playfulness between the couple, tears springing into her eyes. She turned her head to watch the child on the floor, surreptitiously wiping at her eyes. She knew she had some explaining to do, but she wanted to do it without these blasted tears. She also didn’t want to let her friend see how jealous she was of the happy family she had.
“Where are the boys, Nathan?” Laura set a cup of tea down in front of Claudia.
“They’re down at the barn with the bigger boys. Tom and Billy wanted to help Zeke unload the other wagon, and the little boys were going to investigate the animals.”
“Tom is Billy Jones’ brother?” Claudia asked when she had herself back under control.
“Yes, their mother is very dear friend of mine. The first one I made out here.”
“I beg your pardon?” Nathan pulled Laura down onto his lap and nuzzled her neck. “I thought I was your first friend.”
“No, you were not. In fact, you weren’t very nice to me for quite a long time.”
“Pardon me, I was confused. I wasn’t your first friend, I was your best one.”
“You’re impossible.” Laura slugged him in the arm once again. “Why don’t you go out and help the boys?”
“They have plenty of help out there. Besides, I’ve waited until Claudia was here with you before I got the whole story on things back in Washington. Now that we’re all comfortable, I think she can tell us all at once.” He looked kindly at Claudia. “Are you ready?”
“I believe so.” Claudia took another drink of her tea, thinking where best to begin. She told them how she met Micah, his family’s involvement in the conspiracy, their subsequent marriage, the attempted takeover of the government, and the white-slave marketing of young women. Then she paused before continuing and took another sip of her tea.
“What only Micah knew at the time was that his sister was one of the young women forced into this market.”
“Patrice?” Nathan’s eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened.
“You knew Micah’s sister?” Laura looked questioningly at her husband.
“She was just a kid the last time we saw her. That was why Micah left her behind. But he never did trust his stepmother.”
“True. His own guilt is driving him right now.” Claudia stared out the window at the late-afternoon sky, remembering the terrible look of guilt on his face while they were tending Adam. Her husband took the blame of so many things on his shoulders, whether or not he deserved it.
“Where’s Micah now?” Nathan’s voice brought her back to the present.
Claudia sighed and turned her attention back to the others in the room. “His exact location is unknown to any of us. My guess is he is off avenging his sister. In the battle between the group of conspirators and our people, Julia and Stephen escaped. Micah and a good friend of ours, Noah Howard, went after them.”
“This Noah, he’s Officer Howard, the one who helped me get out of Washington safely?” Laura took Claudia’s cold hand in hers once more.
“Yes. He was beaten by Stephen’s men when they discovered him posing as one of their sailors. He told Micah he’d hidden Patrice from the men. Both of them thought Stephen and Julia were going after her. Once we knew Adam was going to be all right, they left to protect her.”
“This is all very exciting,” Nathan leaned in toward Claudia, “but it doesn’t tell us why you’re here now, without waiting for your husband to return.”
Claudia took a deep breath. “Before Micah left, he visited your brother. He instructed him to deliver some papers to me a week later. I guess he hoped it would be too late for me to do anything about them.”
“What kind of papers, Claudia?” Concern filled Laura’s voice.
Trying to keep the tears from
her eyes, Claudia looked deeply at her friend. “Divorce papers, Laura.”
“Oh, dear.” Laura squeezed her hand tight. “I am so sorry.”
“That’s not the end of the story, Miss Laura,” Henderson interjected. “I believe there is quite a bit more to tell.”
“Thank you, Robert.” Claudia dabbed at her eyes. “He’s quite right. You see there are two things Micah doesn’t know about yet.”
“What are those?” Nathan asked.
“The first is that I tore the papers up, refusing to sign them for Neil.”
“Good for you.” Laura patted her hand.
Nathan gave his wife a quelling look. “Do go on.”
“The second is that I’m going to have his baby.” Claudia stared at her hands.
“How do you feel about that?” Laura asked after a few moments.
“I couldn’t be happier, Laura. You know better than anyone how much I’d given up having a child of my own.” She smiled at them all, revealing her joy in the news. “You see, that’s why I had to come here.”
“No, I don’t see at all.” Nathan looked rather angry. He reminded Claudia a bit of Micah. “Why would you put yourself and your child in such danger, by traveling here alone? This is no place to be traveling in your condition.”
“But I had to come, Nathan,” she insisted. “Micah won’t come back to Washington to me. He believes I’m in greater danger because of him. That’s why he wanted a divorce. He believes if I remain married to him, then something awful will happen to me. He saw it happen in a dream. And you know how he believes in those dreams of his.”
She continued, “This is where he’ll come first after things are settled with his brother. I want to be here waiting for him. If things come to a tragic end for his brother and stepmother, or for his sister, then he’ll need me more than ever.”
“You are sure he’ll want you here, dear?” Laura asked as kindly as possible.
“He’ll want her here.” Nathan smiled at Claudia. “Micah wouldn’t have told you about the dreams unless he really loved you. You know that, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure if I believe that. But, I intend to be here when he gets home, and I hope you’ll help us all get settled.”
“There’s plenty of room here for the four of you to stay with us.” Laura was happy to have her friend here, no matter the circumstances. She stood to show Claudia to a room. “Let me get you to a bed. With a baby on the way, you’ll need your rest.”
Claudia remained in her seat. “Laura, I’d love to stay with you, but I just can’t put you to that imposition.”
“Nonsense. The boys and Henderson can camp out in the barn with Ned Jones. Since the weather is improving each day, they’ll be fine there.”
“There isn’t just four of us, Laura.”
“The baby won’t be along for quite some time, Claudia.”
“I know that. There’s one more person with us. Micah’s brother, Hank, is here, too.” Claudia walked over to the window to show Laura a tall blond man who looked like a much younger version of Micah. “There are many things for the two of them to work out and I’m not at liberty to tell you what they are. But with this many people to feed, we were hoping to move into one of Micah’s cabins as soon as the weather permits.”
“Oh, no you can’t.” Laura turned to her husband. “Tell her she can’t go up in the mountains in her condition, Nathan.”
“Laura, you said yourself the baby won’t be due for months. If you and I go along and stay until we’re sure things will be all right, I don’t see a reason why Claudia should have to remain down here with us. Besides, Micah is bound to return before the first snowfall. If they’re all going to live up there, they’d better get a head start on the planting season. Even in Micah’s valley, the growing season is shorter than down here.”
He walked over to the door and signaled Hank to enter the house. “I’ve talked to Hank and the boy has a good head on his shoulders when it comes to farming. He’s been tending the land on their old plantation almost single-handedly. I think it just might work.”
“Good, that’s settled then.” Claudia stood as Hank entered the room, taking his arm to guide him over to Laura. “Hank this is my oldest and dearest friend, Laura Cantrell. Laura, meet Hank Turner.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.” The young man had the same drawl as Micah—deep and smooth.
“I know your brother quite well, Hank. He’s a good man.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Hank and Claudia exchanged looks at her remarks. “Are things ready for us to move on to the cabin?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Claudia and Nathan answered at the same time.
“What do you mean, no, Nathan?” This time Laura voiced her puzzlement. “I thought you agreed it was a very good idea.”
“I still do, darlin’,” he said. “But your friend isn’t going anywhere until she’s had a few days’ rest, and Dr. Dawson has a chance to examine her.”
“I don’t need a doctor, Nathan,” Claudia protested.
“Nathan’s right, Claudia. You have never looked this pale in your whole life.” Laura took her friend by the arm and wheeled her toward the stairs. “In fact, I believe a nap before supper would be the best thing for you. Then if you still want to discuss it, we’ll be happy to do so over supper.”
The two women left the room, leaving the three men to laugh at Laura’s bossiness as she gave Claudia instructions all the way up the stairs.
“I think it would be a very good idea if Claudia saw the doctor, sir.” Hank continued to stare at the stairway. “She was sick a good way of the trip here.”
“How sick, son?”
“She threw up most every morning, sir.”
“Come on, Hank. Let’s see what those boys are up to out there in the barn.” Nathan opened the door, scooping up his daughter and her coat on the way out. “I believe there’s some things you need to know about women and babies.”
* * * * *
Three days later, the wagons were again on the move. Dr. Dawson had assured Nathan and Laura that Claudia and her baby were both fine.
Claudia enjoyed the slow progress up the mountainside. The forest changed and deepened, the farther away from town they went. She loved the area as much as she loved her husband. Both were untamed and beautiful in their wild ways, harsh and demanding upon occasion. Yet, she believed they’d be worth all the effort it would take to tame them.
“If you need to rest,” Henderson said from beside her, “just let me know. Nathan is prepared to stop whenever you want.”
“Actually, I’ve been feeling a little better since Dr. Dawson suggested I eat soda crackers before getting out of bed. I wish I’d known about them on the train trip here. It would’ve been a more pleasant experience.”
“Yes, it would have, for all of us.” Henderson chuckled as he looked up at Hank riding one of the grey’s they’d purchased from David Burnside, a rancher near Doverton.
“Poor Hank,” sighed Claudia, smiling at the young man’s distress over her illness. “He didn’t handle it well, did he?”
“No, he didn’t.” Henderson’s face sobered. “However, it did reassure me of his loyalty to Micah. He couldn’t be that concerned for you as his father’s wife, if he held any of Stephen’s hatred.”
“He knows he’s Micah’s son, you know.” She watched the young man lean over and pull Joey off Nathan’s wagon to ride with him. “Micah has several problems awaiting him when he returns. I hope he’s up to it all.”
“I have a feeling he’s up to all his problems but one, Claudia.”
“And what’s that, Robert?” She swung her attention back around to her old friend.
“He has yet to really feel the full extent of your anger. Remember,” he admonished her, “the ultimate goal of all of this is to form a family.”
“I know.” A weary sigh escaped Claudia. “Just keep reminding me of that in the weeks to come, my friend.”
“What do you suppose will happen to all of them?” Laura asked Nathan.
“Darlin’,” he answered as he turned the draft horses up into the trees along a wide path, “Micah is not going to be happy his wife went against his wishes. He’s part Scot, you know. It tends to give him a stubborn streak. He also sets great store in his feelings and visions. I’ve never known one to go wrong, yet.”
“He can really see the future?” Laura switched William to the other breast, shielding him from view with a blanket. She was still shy about feeding her son in view of anyone, even him.
“Micah can’t tell you your future like some Gypsy at a fair. It’s more like important events that are about to occur in his life or those of the people he’s closest to. He told me once that the closer he is to someone, the more intense the feeling. He also said he only has visions of those he cares the most about. That’s why it’s so significant he has visions about Claudia.”
“Has he ever had visions of you?”
“Once, during the war, that I know of. He kept trying to tell me about a young gunrunner we were to escort to the front. I didn’t believe him and it nearly cost us our lives.”
“Did you kill the traitor?”
“No. The traitor shot us both.”
“That’s where you got that scar on your chest.”
“Darlin’,” he laughed, “I didn’t realize you noticed.”
“Nathan Cantrell, there isn’t anything about you I haven’t noticed. Now go on and tell me what happened. Who was this man?”
“Jonathan Gibson.”
“The same one involved in this conspiracy?”
“The one and the same, darlin’. If he’s been mixed up in this, you can bet no good will come of any of it.”
Turner's Vision Page 24
