Home of the Brave (10 page)

“Oh. Then I suppose two of
the bedrooms were made into the parlor sometime before the first
time I came here. Your father told me that this was your room but
he never mentioned that the parlor was new.”

“Did you say that your
brother is a doctor?”

“No I didn’t say, but he is
indeed.”

“I need one.”

“You have a hangover. It may
feel like you’re dying but you’re not.”

“I need a doctor to get this
bastard out of me.”

“My brother does not perform
abortion procedures unless the mother’s life depends upon
it.”

“Mine does.”

“I think not.”

“Will you help me find a
doctor that will rid me of this thing?”

“No, but I will offer you a
place to stay in Detroit during your pregnancy.”

“What’s your name
again?”

“Annabelle.”

“Your family
name.”

“Priest.”

“That’s not your brother’s
last name.”

“His last name is Winslow.
My maiden name is Winslow.”

“You’re married?”

“I’m a widow,” Annabelle
said in an annoyed tone. “I’m quite certain that you know all that
and I cannot even hazard a guess as to why you pretend not
to.”

Anna pushed aside the
blanket and swung her legs off the bed with a groan and looked down
at her slightly rounded belly. “I see that fortune didn’t bless me
with a miscarriage last night.”

“Would you like some privacy
so you can dress or do you need help?” Annabelle asked, ignoring
the comment.

“Help, if you wouldn’t mind
terribly.”

“I won’t mind if you don’t
vomit on me again.”

“I vomited on you last
night?”

“Twice. I think the first
time was an accident but the second was intentional.”

Anna tried to stand then sat
back down immediately. “Oh Lord.”

Annabelle got up and walked
to the dresser. “Let’s start with seeing how far you can get on
your own while sitting down,” she said as she gathered
undergarments.

“I suppose I should
apologize.”

“Yes you should. To me, to
my brother and, more importantly, to your mother and
father.”

“To my mother and father?
For what?”

“For calling her a whore and
him an adulterer.”

“He told you about that?
About what I said at Christmas?”

“No he didn’t. But your
mother mentioned it when she wrote to apologize to me for your
behavior. I received her letter just yesterday.”

“Does she know you’re in
love with my father?”

“I told you last night that
everyone knows.”

“I’m surprised that she
hasn’t scalped you or something. She does things like that, you
know. She’s a very violent, uncivilized person with a disreputable
past.”

Annabelle dropped the
clothes she’d chosen on the bed. “You obviously know less about
your mother than you do about your father.”

“Does he love you?” Anna
began dressing.

“Yes.”

“You love him and he loves
you but you’re not lovers.”

“Yes. Why is that so hard to
understand?” Annabelle returned to her seat in the
dormer.

“You must admit that it’s
very strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“The whole thing;
particularly a married man being openly in love with another
woman.”

“I’m certain that your
father isn’t the first man that ever loved two women, Anna. In some
cultures men can have more than one wife.”

“I suppose the real shock is
that my mother would tolerate it. She’s not known for tolerance in
any form or fashion to anyone for any reason.”

“How can she possibly change
the way your father feels? For that matter, how could he? If one
could turn off love I would have done it long ago.”

Anna thought about that for
several seconds. “It might have been kinder if he had never told
Mother about you.”

“The circumstances and his
character made telling her necessary, but I don’t wish to go into
that now.”

“The implication being that
you and my father were once lovers but he went back to my
mother.”

“You may infer what you wish
but that is not what I said nor is it accurate.”

“There’s no need to get
testy.”

“Actually there is. My
patience with you is at an end. You may accept or reject what I’ve
told you, but I refuse to discuss it further with you now or ever
again.”

“Okay then. I’m
sorry.”

Annabelle cocked her head to
the side. “I think I hear my brother.” She walked to the door and
stopped. “I’ll be back to help you dress.”

“One question before you go
please.”

“What is it?”

“If I accepted your offer
and went with you to Detroit, would my parents have to know about
the baby?”

“Yes. I’d never keep a
secret from your father.”

“Then I shan’t be
going.”

“As you wish. If you change
your mind the offer is open until we sail.”

January 30, 1829

Montauk Point, New
York

Jane Hamilton turned the
tall, long-legged horse and ran him to the road where a young woman
was walking toward Third House. “Hello there,” Jane said,
struggling to hold the stallion, who was prancing, snorting and
bobbing his head impatiently.

The young woman stopped and
eyed the horse nervously. “I’m looking for my brother, Thomas Van
Buskirk.”

Jane turned the horse in a
tight left circle then dismounted and led him back by the reins.
“Thomas isn’t here. You must be Anna.”

“You must be
Jane.”

“That’s me.” Jane giggled as
the horse nuzzled her hard enough to make her stumble. She turned
to pat him on the nose.

“Thomas told my great-uncle
that he was coming over here,” Anna said, watching the horse with
obvious trepidation.

“He won’t hurt you,” Jane
assured her, leading the animal a few feet away from Anna. “He’s a
first generation Kentucky-bred Arabian. He just wants to
run.”

“I really must find Thomas,”
Anna insisted.

“Did you come all the way
from Van Buskirk Point?”

“Yes. I took the Narrows
Ferry, then a coach to East Hampton but I had to walk from there to
here.”

“Did you notice if your
uncle’s sharpie was at the dock or in the boathouse at Van Buskirk
Point?”

“I took the ferry to
Richmond Terrace and didn’t go that way.”

“Well if Thomas told your
family that he was coming here I’m sure that he’ll show up
soon.”

“He should have been here
long before me.”

“If he took your uncle’s
boat, he may be sailing for fun. This is a good day for it. You
look cold. Let’s go to the house and have a cup of tea while we
wait for Thomas.” She pointed at Third House.

“I don’t want to interrupt
your ride.”

“I’ll just take this big
fellow’s saddle off and let him run. He hasn’t worked up a sweat
yet. Will you hold his reins?”

Anna looked
reluctant.

“He may test you to see if
you’re serious about holding on to him,” Jane said, “but he won’t
hurt you.”

“Does he bite?”

“He’s never bitten me but he
has big teeth.”

Anna took the reins and
wrapped them twice around her hand. “I’m not afraid of horses but I
haven’t ridden since I was ten or twelve and this horse isn’t like
any of ours.”

“This horse isn’t like any
others around here. He’s a real racehorse.” Jane began unbuckling
the cinch strap. “He’s no good for anything else but he can run
like the wind and he’ll damn near burst his heart to be the first
across the finish line.”

“Do you raise
horses?”

“No. I’m what they call a
custom rancher. If I was a man, they’d call me a cowboy. People
lease grazing land here and I take care of their animals for a fee.
Sometimes horses, sometimes cattle and sometimes sheep. This big
boy was supposed to be in Kentucky by now but his owner hasn’t
showed up yet so I ride him to keep him from going wild.” She
pulled off the horse’s saddle and dropped it on the ground then
took the reins from Anna to remove his bridle.

“They do that? Go
wild?”

“Oh yes. And fast too. The
whole west is populated by huge herds of wild horses now. Horses
didn’t even exist in the New World before the Conquistadors.” She
slapped the animal on the rump then handed the bridle to Anna and
swung the saddle onto her back.

“Do you need help carrying
that?” Anna asked. “It’s bigger than you.”

“No thank you. I’m
fine.”

“Are you looking forward to
going to Texas?”

Jane chuckled. “I’m looking
forward to your brother making a decision.”

“About Texas?”

“About anything. Me, his
engineering business, Texas.”

“You? My mother spoke as if
you and Thomas were engaged and soon to be married.”

“If you look at my ring
finger you’ll notice that it’s bare.”

“God damn men.”

Jane turned to look at
Anna’s face. “I kinda like men.”

“I just mean that they use
us and throw us aside.”

“Thomas hasn’t used me or
thrown me aside. But, to be honest, that might be an improvement
over not knowing what he wants.”

“Well when he gets here I’ll
pin him down for you.”

“If I was smart I’d beg you
not to, but the truth is I’m getting tired of waiting.” She dropped
the saddle with a thud on the porch, then kicked the steps to knock
the mud off her boots.

“I better take my shoes off
outside,” Anna said.

“No, you better keep them on
for now. Nobody’s here so the fires are all out and it’ll be cold
inside.” Jane led Anna across the porch and pushed open the door.
“The kitchen’s straight back.”

Anna walked through the
entry hall on tiptoes, trying not to track in mud. “I thought you
lived here with some old man.”

“I do. But he’s in Manhattan
for a few days so I have the house to myself.” She pointed to the
kitchen table. “Have a seat and I’ll get the fire going in the
stove.”

Anna sat down and looked
around the kitchen. “It looks like you could cook for a
hundred.”

“Sometimes I do, when
there’s a roundup.”

“How many cattle are out
here?”

“Five or six thousand
head.”

“And they all belong to
different people?” Anna asked.

“Yes. They’re earmarked
before they’re turned out.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Jane almost dropped the
stick she was putting into the fire.

“I don’t know what to do,”
Anna continued.

“I don’t suppose you’ve told
your mother.”

“I can’t. She’d tell my
father.”

“And then what would happen?
Would he beat you?”

“Beat me? I wish he’d beat
me. But no, he’d be ashamed of me. That’s much worse than any
beating.”

“I think you’re
underestimating him, Anna.”

“You’ve seen him for, what,
an hour?”

“I saw him when Thomas
introduced me. He knew who I was right away but he was gracious and
kind.”

“Well I’m not telling him.
At least not until it’s over.”

“How are you going to hide
it?”

“I was hoping that you and
Thomas would be headed for Texas and I could go too.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Stupid idea number one
million.”

Jane put the teakettle on
the stove. “You could stay here.”

“Here? In this house? With
you and the old man?”

“Yes. The old man’s name is
Mr. Van Winkler and he’s a very nice old man.”

“He wouldn’t
mind?”

“Not at all. In fact he’d be
glad for the company. He’s thoroughly enjoyed having Thomas around.
I’ve even seen him smile once or twice.”

“Would you have to tell my
parents?”

“I’d leave all that up to
you and Thomas. But if your parents asked me specific questions, I
wouldn’t lie for you.”

“Thomas is going to die when
I tell him.”

“No, but he may want to kill
the man, so be very careful what you say unless you want to see
your brother swinging from a gallows.”

“I hadn’t thought of
that.”

“The first words out of his
mouth will be: ‘Who’s the father’, so you need to be
prepared.”

“There are probably a lot of
people in Washington that already know the answer to that question.
He’s very prominent and we were less discreet than we should have
been.”