The Visitor

by Barbara Svetlick

  Dominic walked to the bar and took out a dusty bottle of whisky and thought there were too many ghosts. He washed out a shot glass and went out on the porch putting his feet on the railing when he heard the piano. The warmth of the whisky sometimes dulled the memories.

  James walked up and took a shot as he looked out over the land across the river. “Well, I don’t know if this was on the agenda but I get the impression that this will not be an overnight visit so I’m going to go see if Tom has a freshly butchered hog then stock up the pantry.”

  The men had been through Texas several times closing down the offices over the bank but they always stayed in the adobe. Dominic decided to ride with him as Sr. Gomez came around the side of the house with two young girls. The house was completely open, the stove was lit and the linen was on the line drying. James always loved the smell of freshly washed linen. He started seasoning the meat as Garnett built a fire in the outside grill. Mirisa and the girls were opening up the adobe. She had been unusually quiet since her outburst and her affection seemed to be toned down even with Meeks.

  Tom Ross was in Natchez for the month and the boys were running the ranch. Tom Jr. asked Dominic if he would rent the house if he wasn’t going to move back and Dominic told him that he would have to speak with Mirisa since she owned it.

  “Would you mind if we stop by and talk to her? It’s been a long time since she’s been here and everyone misses her.”

  Dominic looked at him. “I’m sure she would love to see all of you.”

  They had a great dinner at the house with all the Ross boys and Tom Jr. talked to Mirisa about renting or buying the house with all the furnishings.

  After a great week in Texas, it was an enjoyable ride to the Plantation though having all the children made them a lot more cautious than normal. It was so strange to see the Plantation as they came down the road. So many great memories came flooding into her that she had to fight back the emotion. Dominic had turned to say something to Matthew when he met her eyes.

  She stood at the bottom of the steps and was biting her lip. James came up behind her and kissed her neck. “I feel the same way every time I walk through that door.”

  The children were fed early and put to bed. Mirisa and Meeks walked into the dining room which was bathed in candlelight as Dominic was opening a bottle of good white wine. You could smell the seafood gumbo which was being served along with fresh bread. Garnett looked up as she entered and saw the momentary confusion cross her face.

  After dinner, Mirisa walked into the ballroom finding the piano covered. She walked over to the sideboard and pulled open the drawer lighting the glass lamps until the room was bathed in soft light. Mirisa walked over to the piano and removed the cloth folding it and placing it on the floor. She lifted the lid to the keys and sat down lightly touching the keys but not enough to elicit sound. The room was so quiet. She ran her fingers along the ivory before standing up and walking to the French doors. Mirisa opened them slowly drinking in the soft breeze that carried the night blooming jasmine growing along the porch. She slipped off her shoes and closed her eyes as the many images floated around her like butterflies drawn to the wildflowers.

  The music moved across the room in such a charming grace as she turned from the door. Meeks took her hand and walked her to the center of the room twirling her before bringing her up against his chest. It was such a classic waltz and she fell into step with her husband without thinking. As he rounded the floor, Meeks lifted her off the ground turning with her and as he lowered her until her toes touched the floor twirling her perfectly back into his arms. After an hour, Garnett stood up and left the room as Meek’s took her out onto the porch and held her talking late into the night.

  Mirisa slept in late the next morning and when she came downstairs they were all in the dining room talking and eating breakfast. She sat down next to her husband and looked at what was on his plate.

  James looked over at her. “I love the way you look in the morning.”

  Mirisa rose and walked over to the sideboard lifting the lids of the serving bowls to find the most wonderful food ever to be served for breakfast. Mirisa sighed without thinking as she ran her finger absently through the sausage gravy before putting it in her mouth.

  “Mirisa.”

  “Yes James.”

  “Nothing.”

  She turned and their eyes met somewhere in the middle as she smiled shyly which made him return the smile. The years melted away as though the house held some kind of magical spell over everyone stopping time. Mirisa didn’t have to say it because all of them felt the change.

  Mirisa asked Matthew to have their horses saddled and brought out front. She stood on the back porch as the mist was lifting off the pastures. The summer was waning as the cooler fall air was just sitting on the side waiting to take over. Mirisa had been reminiscing all morning seeing ghosts of her life with every turn and every step. It was so wonderful to be home with Ms. Minnie and Mrs. Chauvin and both made the years just disappear. They still treated her like the mistress of the house and Dominic made no effort to correct them or take charge. He was struggling as much as she was with being at the plantation with her and they both realized Texas had been a bad move in so many ways.

  Meeks stepped out onto the stoop and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “I’ve made arrangements to leave on Saturday so we’ll stay at the Tavern Friday night.”

  “I feel at odds when I’m in this house. The memories before I met any of you are so wonderful.”

  “Actually you met all four of us before you came to Natchez.”

  “No I didn’t.”

  Meeks smiled. “We were all on the detail to get you here safely.”

  “No you weren’t.”

  “Ask the others. Did you think your father would entrust your safety to just anyone.”

  “I would have remembered all of you and especially Dominic.”

  “If you remember, you were pretty much kept secluded. The four of us never came near the coach except in the evenings and you were a very scared little girl.”

  “How much of my life don’t I know?”

  “A lot but we don’t particularly want you dealing with the darker side of life. I would not love you if you weren’t so emotional that the memories here don’t tug at your heart.” He turned her around and kissed her. “I’m grateful for every time you turn to me with that look in your eyes.”

  “Do you two do anything except touch each other?” Garnett was lighting his cigar as he walked out behind them.

  “Good morning Garnett.”

  “Good morning sweetheart.” He turned her face up and kissed her nose while she was still in her husband’s arms.

  “Garnett, were you part of the detail when my father sent me here?”

  “We all were.” He smiled as she thought about it.

  James was walking from the direction of the stables. His shirt was partially unbuttoned revealing the soft blonde hair on his chest and the way his hair curled around his neck when it needed to be cut. She loved him in a way she couldn’t explain even to herself.

  “Good morning James.”

  He pulled her head back and kissed her. Meeks just smiled because they both felt more at ease with her at the Plantation since it was when times were simpler. “Are you going somewhere?”

  “I’m going for a ride with my sons.”

  James nodded. “We’re going into town to talk to Tom if you want to join us.”

  “About the house?”

  James nodded. “Among other things.”

  “And do you think I should sell it?”

  “I think you need to decide why you want to keep it. If it’s an investment, your money is very safe in owning the property and if it is because you are sentimental then you need to ask yourself why it is important to keep.”

  “It’s mostly sentimental. It brings back so much of…” Mirisa’s voice trailed off. “If you think it’s a good place to leave my money, thoug
h it cost me absolutely nothing other than my innocence and marriage, I’ll just rent it.” Mirisa looked up at her husband. “Are you keeping the adobe?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I really don’t need to keep the house so you can decide on whether or not it’s a good investment.”

  “Do you want to live in Texas? Either of you?”

  Meeks looked at Mirisa. “No. I don’t think we’ll ever return other than passing through. Sell both of them. There’s a little tavern down on the river that I think I want to buy.”

  “What river?”

  “Down the road from your father’s house but closer to Washington is a great little house that has been used as a small Inn since the turn of the century. James and I used to stay there a lot before the war took over the country.”

  James smiled. “I will inquire if it’s for sale.”

  “Don’t I get to look at it first?”

  “Of course you do unless James gets a great deal then you can look at it after it’s bought. It’s going to take a lot of renovation but I think it is perfect for us.”

  James agreed. “Well, I think we need to go into town and convince Tom to expand his ranch to the river.”

  “We’re riding for a while but I’ll join you later.”

  When Mirisa dismounted in front of the Tavern, she tied her horse next to her husband’s. She turned taking in the changes in the town smiling because it was such a beautiful town. Several people waved to her as they walked along the walkways in front of the stores. Meeks watched her from the window as she headed across the street as Charlotte came out of the General Store hugging her. They talked for a while before they hugged again and Mirisa headed back to the Tavern.

  After they cleared away the dishes, Tom listened to James’ pitch on the property. As she sat quietly, a small smile spread across her face as Tom met her eyes. “You know Mirisa there will truly never be a man who has the ability to say no to you but I’m not sure how far your charm will work on a business deal.” He sat back and rolled his cigar between his fingers. “I didn’t become rich by being taken in by a sweet face.”

  “And you would deny your son the opportunity to own a beautiful piece of property in which to raise his family and expand his love for tilling the land?”

  Tom nodded as he grinned. “I believe I can offer him a fine piece of land…”

  “And I believe that he has already considered that as well as being able to build a house in town but still he came to me. You know I can just finance it myself which now that I think about it would probably be far more profitable to me.” She turned to James. “Can I hold the mortgage?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Tom looked from James to Meeks who was enjoying the conversation a little too much. “Well, I reckon you could considering he has been enamored with you for a long time he would probably not even seek out my advice before signing the papers.”

  Mirisa sat back as the waitress filled her tea cup. “Then it is settled.”

  Tom put his cigar in his mouth and sucked in slowly as she turned to a conversation with Garnett about going back to New York. Dominic thought that she had become such a part of them that she operated off the cuff with no agreements on how to set the stage. Tom finally ordered a bottle of whisky.

  “Mirisa.”

  “Yes Tom.”

  “Drop your price by five percent and you have a deal.”

  “Three percent.”

  Tom narrowed his eyes. “Alright, four percent.” He opened the bottle and poured a shot and passed it to his right. “You drive a mean bargain for such a sweet little girl.”

  “I was taught well.”

  “I’ll drink to that and to our agreement. I really have missed having ya’ll around.”

  DOMINIC WALKED ACROSS the field taking in the natural beauty of the river and his property. He loved the comfort of being home. He watched Mirisa and the girls as he approached them and felt the regret of what could have been but never would be.

  “Mirisa, can I talk to you?”

  Mirisa put the cut flowers in the basket setting it on the ground. Maggie and Sara had daisies woven into their hair as they played ring around the rosy making Lizzie laugh when they fell down. Mirisa looked at Dominic with the plantation house behind him and her desire washed across her face as he smiled.

  “I’m surprised you have waited so long to talk to me.”

  “That’s because I don’t have a good argument. I know how important it is that you are part of their life and in my wildest imagination I would have never considered that we would be standing here even discussing things like who should raise them. I always believed we would be married forever. I honestly don’t know how to even approach you because I understand your anger.” He looked down and took her hand in his lifting it slowly as he rubbed his thumb over her wedding ring.

  “It would have been a good life but I don’t think it was meant to be which is sad because I love the plantation and I loved you so much. I have decided to leave Matthew and Jonathan here for the summer but I’m not ready to give up custody.”

  “Alright.” He didn’t let go of her hand.

  James watched them from the porch as Meeks sat down next to Garnett. “Is she going to let him have the boys?”

  “Not completely.” Meeks whistled and all three girls turned to the house. Maggie and Sara each took one of Lizzie’s hands and walked toward the veranda as Dominic watched them.

  “I want them to live with me when you are in Washington and I want them to spend every holiday with their sisters.”

  “Thank you.” Dominic pulled her into his arms. “If you will just come back to me…”

  Mirisa laughed so easily. “Then I would be having this conversation with Alexander.”

  As they boarded the train on Saturday, Mirisa heard Matthew call her name. She turned to find both Matthew and Jonathan running across the platform toward her. She handed Elizabeth to Garnett and bent down as they wrapped around her.

  Mirisa had long talks with her sons before she made the decision to let Dominic have them for longer periods but she wasn’t ready to let him raise them yet. Mirisa thanked Dominic for bringing them down and Dominic thanked her for understanding.

  The train ride was thankfully only a few days and soon they were settled back into the brownstone with the girls. It took them a week to find a good nanny.

  Meeks and Mirisa spent most nights sitting by the fire reading while enjoying a good bottle of wine. He renewed their subscription to the theater and they saw several pre-season productions. The dances wouldn’t start until November so they had two months attending smaller dinners.

  They took the girls out for lunch once a week and would shop at the book and candy stores. Their nights were their own and rarely were they anything except spontaneous. There was nothing that didn’t excite them when they were alone. Meeks thought that she consumed so much of his soul that he couldn’t remember what life was like before he held her.

  Garnett and James showed up in mid-October as Mirisa was sitting the children down for dinner. James rang the bell and told the maid to set two more places. They talked half the night about Washington and politics. Garnett asked her if she handled the legal papers for the estate and Meeks told him that everything was finished and they had received a schedule of events that she could attend as well as ones that would be held at the Manor house.

  “We have a luncheon planned for next week at the Manor with all of the curators and attorneys for the different trusts. They want to meet us, evaluate us and explain proper etiquette to Mirisa if they believe it is warranted.” Meeks said amusingly. “I think you both need to attend as her advisors but more because it might take three of us to make sure she doesn’t shoot someone.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “I’ll answer that after the meeting.”

  “Mirisa.”

  “Yes James, I missed you a whole lot.”

  “Are the new styles out yet?”
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br />   “They arrived last month so Alexander and I spent two days shopping.”

  “I am starting to feel spurned.”

  Mirisa had spent many summers at the Manor with her grandparents. Walking through the doors you wouldn’t know that it wasn’t lived in. Her grandmother had decorated it for her grandfather so it contained a lot of masculine lines but also had a lot of glass and gilded mirrors but mostly it was filled with love.

  Meeks stood at the door of the large sitting room looking at the portrait over the mantle. Mirisa put her arm through his and he looked down at her. “It looks just like Sara. Were you the favorite?”

  “I was the only granddaughter and the youngest grandchild. My grandfather spoiled and kept me as often as my mother would allow.” She thought for a moment. “I haven’t thought about him in so long. I am sure if he had been alive when the war broke out that I would never have been sent to Natchez.”

  Meeks look her hand and kissed her fingers without taking his eyes off of her. “Are you sorry you were?”

  “I am sorry we didn’t meet under other circumstances. I have done so many things wrong and I...”

  Meeks slowly pulled her into his arms. “I have done so many wrong things in my life and I never thought we would walk away without paying so I can only ask that you always remember that I love you.”

  They walked through the formal gardens off the large flagstone porch to the pond as the call of the ducks became louder as they circled the pond. Beyond it was pastures and the large stable where her grandfather kept his race horses. Mirisa could close her eyes and see him coming up from the stables after a fox hunt or after training a new horse. Her grandfather was such a handsome man with a gentle disposition, green eyes and grey at his temples and through his mustache. He always smelled like rich cigars and bourbon, his whiskers were always brisk and his deep laugh made you smile.