The Secret of Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 4) (4 page)

Six

     
L
ouis
a
burped softly as she stood beside her father in the stable. The long, wide structure had six stalls but only two had horses. In her youth there had been a beautiful animal in every one, tucked away behind heavy Dutch doors. On one end was the place where her father had kept his massive stallion, Cannonball. She had learned earlier, as a child, never to tease the big horse, even in fun. Although she had never seen him violent, his huge size and solid black color was enough to discourage cruelty.

      “Excuse me,” she giggled.

      “Good breakfast, eh?” Her father cinched the saddle onto Romeo, a beautiful bay gelding. The horse’s points were black along the ankle and muzzle against a rich brown hide. He was finely bred and extremely gentle. She scratched the horse’s shoulder and admired his gleaming coat.

      “I’ve gotten used to having much less to eat so early in the day.” Louisa had enjoyed the customary hearty breakfast of home. She’d taken an instant liking to Liv, who not only was a very talented cook, but was also efficient, patient and respectful to Birget.

“I like the new girl,” she said as she reached up to grab the horn on the saddle and stepped into the stirrup.

      “Birget likes her, too. I suppose that’s the most important thing. It’ll always be her kitchen more than anyone’s.” Timothy handed his daughter the reins as she settled into the saddle and snapped closed the strap on her riding cap.

      “I expect I’ll be out at Mark and Colleen’s a good part of the morning. Are you sure Momma doesn’t mind that I take Romeo all day?”

      “Of course not. You know there is nothing in the world she wouldn’t give you.”

      “Daddy,” Louisa looked into her father’s warm brown eyes. “It’s good to be home. I remember once you told me you built Stavewood to be more than a home. I see that now. I’ve been thinking a lot about Mama, and you. I took a walk on the train back to the coach cars. It broke my heart to imagine her there, young, afraid and hungry.”

      Timothy Elgerson looked up at his daughter on the horse. “And things only got worse for her after the train. The day she let me into her heart I vowed I would spend a lifetime making it up to her.”

      “I love you, Daddy. I think you have done exactly that.” Louisa looked at her father and thought about how lucky her parents were to be so completely in love with one another. “I’m going out later to Hawk Bend Station to look around and take some notes. Mark was up there when Mama first arrived and I need to hear that story again. I want to write it down this time.”

      “Have Mark take you up then. If you need any of your brothers let me know. Phillip has taken over the bookkeeping now at the mill and Noah and Jake are running saws after school, but any of them would love to spend the day with you.”

      Louisa thought about how much her brother, Phillip, looked like her grandfather and the memory of the man brought to mind the fairy tale cottage her grandmother had kept near their home.

      “Is anyone using the cottage now?” she asked.

      “Katie and Joseph are there right now, until after the baby comes. After all those beautiful stories of you being born there all the young mothers want to have their babies there. Other than that it’s usually empty. I think your mother secretly hopes you might want to live there one day.”

      Louisa sighed. “Was it easy for you to fall in love with Mama? I remember Mark telling me he thought falling in love was easy, that it just happened. When he found Colleen he knew, through and through. He used to tell me that when two people found one another they should not act like chickens and pretend they weren’t in love. He must have said that a hundred times whenever he saw you and Mama together, or the Vancouvers.”

      “Your mother and I, we did know, through and through as you say, but we had real challenges. So did Mark and Colleen. The confusion about your mother when she arrived nearly drove her back to England. Had that happened everything would have been lost. Mark nearly got himself killed before he found Colleen. Look at Roland and Emma and the things they faced to be together. In your heart you know you have found love, but there can be huge obstacles to overcome. I wonder how many people let love, real love, slip away for not fighting for it, not believing in it. Your mother and I both fought for it really hard.”

      As her father spoke, Louisa again found herself touching her watch, bringing Talbot’s handsome face to mind. He was what she wanted but it would be hard to bring him home to the family. His ways were very different than theirs. But, she reasoned, if he were the right man, she could overcome that. Her family wanted the best for her and they would want her happy. She could make them understand that she was in love. With Talbot, in the city and not under the watchful eye of her family, she could figure it out.

      “Thank you, Daddy.”

      Timothy slapped the rump of the big bay and Romeo swiftly carried Louisa away from the stables and along the stretch of road that led from Stavewood. The wind blowing on her face was invigorating. It had been years since she had ridden and she felt free and alive in the cool mid-morning air.

      She passed wagons on the road, several riders, men who tipped their hats and couples called out a “good morning”. She didn’t recognize any of them, not even the men she saw turning up the mill road on their way to a day of hard work cutting lumber. She was home now, but she was a stranger. Stavewood was very much the same as she always had known it to be, but, all around the estate, the outside world was changing. Louisa could not explain exactly why, but she felt saddened by that realization.

      She turned the bay onto the property of her older brother and his wife and stopped beneath the massive wrought iron archway. The name
Elgerson
was forged into the tough metal in a curving scroll, intertwined with steel filigree. The estate, the mills, the train station and this ranch, all of it was her family and her home. The plans had been conceived in their minds and had been built by their own hands. It was a dreamland, Louisa thought, and not like the city. She dismounted Romeo and led him into the yard by the ranch house.

      A massive, golden colored mutt bounded towards her and Louisa squatted to scratch his head cooing, “Hello, boy, what’s your name?” She looked out over the rolling hillside of the ranch. The barn stood bright red in the morning sunlight, dominating the meadow. A horse track surrounded the open areas of the property, bordered on both sides by a white split-rail fence. She saw trainers in the corrals working with young fillies. She knew that, if Mark kept the men on his ranch, they were the best to be had, firm and gentle and experts at their craft.

      Louisa turned to the house. A long porch stretched across the facade. Deep green shutters framed the windows. She looked for the dinner triangle that had always hung there since the house had been built. She knew that, when Colleen called the family for supper, it could be heard over the entire property. Louisa chuckled to herself at the memory of the time she and her cousin Katie had waited until everyone was away from the house and rang it loudly. They giggled hard as Louisa rattled the metal bar around inside the triangle violently and even harder at the sight of the family running home across the yard. But their laughter stopped once they saw the worried expressions etched upon their faces. Their game earned them a good scolding from each and every family member. Louisa could not recall a time after that when any child had trifled with the triangle again.

Seven

     
M
ark Elgerson heard Romeo’s hoofbeats on the road approaching the ranch. She was home. It had been two long years but she had finally returned and he hoped with all of his heart this time it would be for good. There was no question in his mind that home was exactly where Louisa belonged and the only place she would find true happiness. She had tried for years in letters and occasional visits to convince him that she belonged in the city, but he would never believe it. He’d seen the city and he personally never wanted to go back. Nearby Billington was busy enough now, especially with cars becoming more popular. There was nothing romantic about any city to his way of thinking. It was a lesson that had cost his best friend his life and nearly taken his own as well.

      Colleen looked up from the sink, pushed her mane of golden curls from her forehead with her wrist and wiped her hands on her white apron. She watched him walk out onto the big porch and decided she would wait a moment before joining him.

     Mark leaned against the post on the ranch house porch grinning from ear to ear. He nodded a greeting to Louisa as she led Romeo towards the house.

      “I knew you would be early,” he laughed. At forty, Mark Elgerson was fit and handsome, lean and tanned. His hair, a gleaming sable brown, fell long against his collar and the nape of his neck and his complexion was bronzed from years in the sun. Louisa always remembered him as shy, awkward and sweet. His deep brown eyes reflected kindness and he stood with confidence and assurance in himself. Years of rugged horsemanship had kept him fit and healthy.

      Louisa tossed the reins over the hitching rail and stepped up onto the porch, throwing her arms around her brother’s neck. Mark hugged her hard and she caught her breath, caught up in his strong embrace. She leaned back and studied his face. He was her best friend, her protector and the one always on her side. He had gone away when she was a child and nothing could be right until he had returned. There could be no Christmas and no joy while he was gone and she had made everyone wait for him. Louisa looked at the jagged scar on his neck, still obvious above his open collar. The bullet had nearly taken his life. Louisa looked back up into his eyes and was overcome with thankfulness that he stood alive in front of her.

      “It’s good that you’re home,” he said. He held his jaw tight and swallowed hard.

      “Saints in heaven!” Colleen burst through the wooden screen door, letting it slam shut with a sharp smack.

      “Loo, darlin’!” Colleen ran to Louisa and flung her arms around her beloved sister-in-law. Her curvy figure was warm and welcoming. “Ah, it’s good seein’ ya,” Colleen said in her delightful brogue.

     Louisa put her arm around Colleen’s petite shoulders and the two women walked into the house with Mark behind them.

      “Can I fix you something to eat?” Colleen filled tall glasses with cool cider and set them on the long table.

      Louisa wished she had room in her belly for more food. Colleen’s cooking was the finest she had ever eaten. “Maybe later,” she replied, smiling. “Birget and Liv already filled me up this morning.”

      The three of them relaxed over their cider, enjoying each other’s company and Mark set his empty glass onto the table. “I can take you up to the cabin, and the place where they held Mom, where that shack was. I haven’t been up in years so I don’t know what you’ll find there now. The boys get up there sometimes to hunt. Pa and Roland too.”

      “I want to get out and see Roland and Emma and their boys, too,” Louisa said, “but I’m eager to get started on my research first. I took some notes on the train, but didn’t get to see Hawk Bend Station and I’d like to see that too. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

      “No, not at all. I’d like to get up there anyway.            Someone should check on things from time to time. We had some trouble with the dog. And a while back we found the garden dug up.” Mark shook his head. “I keep meaning to get up there.”

      “Ach!” Colleen exclaimed.

      Louisa could see there was more to the trouble Mark had mentioned, but it was clear that Colleen found the subject upsetting.

      “We’ll talk on the ride,” Mark said.

      They looked up to the sound of a buggy in the yard.

      Mark and Colleen’s daughter, Katie, climbed down from the wagon, assisted by the lanky, young driver. In a brightly colored, smocked blouse and long light brown braids, Katie waddled up to the porch, heavy with child. Behind her, the lean man touched her shoulder protectively. He smiled shyly at the family around the table and said, “I tried, but there was no keeping her away. We rode out to Stavewood first looking for you and they said we could find you here.”

      “Loo!” Katie stretched out her arms over her bulging belly.

      Louisa was overcome by the sight of Katie so obviously expecting. Her niece was always the feisty, skinny kid on the back of one of Mark’s fine horses, racing through the fields and causing mischief. She was the wild child that climbed trees to heights even the boys would not risk and who would swing out the farthest on the rope over the river. “Well I never!” Louisa exclaimed.

      “I know,” Katie blushed, patting her belly. “This is James.” Katie smiled up to the young man. “You two have not met yet.”

      Katie’s husband pulled off his tweed cap self-consciously and offered Louisa his large hand. Somehow Louisa thought he was perfect for the spirited Katie, warm and kind and a bit knock-kneed. He looked very much like an overgrown child and stood as uneasy as a newborn colt.

      “How are you feeling?” Colleen fussed over her expectant daughter. “It will be soon. I can tell.”

      Louisa watched mother and daughter sharing their anticipation enthusiastically. Colleen Elgerson could have no natural children of her own and had taken in Katie as an infant against the odds. Children naturally sought out her attention and, over time, she became the most requested mid-wife in the county. It was a title once held by Louisa’s grandmother, Isabel. Katie rubbed her belly and Louisa tried to imagine what the young mother-to-be must be feeling. In the time Louisa had been away, Katie had married and now was about to have a child very soon. She did not look afraid or nervous in any way. Katie was glowing and James looked at her affectionately. It was clear he loved Katie completely. Louisa took a deep breath and tried to imagine how Talbot would feel about having a family. She quickly dismissed the idea. They would begin their publishing company. That would be the child they would fuss over together.

      “You can say hello to the Vancouvers first. I need to drop off a few things there anyway,” Mark explained, mounting his horse alongside Louisa’s. “Then we’ll ride up to Hawk Bend Station and start there.”

      They found Roland Vancouver cutting lumber on sawhorses in the yard. He stood up straight and grinned at them emerging from the path that led from Mark’s ranch to his own property. Even as a young girl, Louisa had appreciated Roland’s rugged, good looks, his interesting dark demeanor and cautious smile. He was older now but still as handsome. She always saw him as the strong prince that had rescued her mother’s cousin, Emma.

      “It’s good to see you!” He kissed Louisa’s cheek and led her and Mark into the big Dutch Colonial home. It was lovingly maintained and Louisa thought back to the story of how Roland, her father and the men from the mill had built it. It was perfectly situated on the edge of the woods overlooking Fisher Creek, flowing in the distance.

      “Let me look at you!” Emma Vancouver hugged Louisa and Mark warmly. She was dressed in a pastel pink, spring dress, flowing in soft scallops around her ankles. It was a color that Louisa had always associated with Emma, feminine and as soft as a whisper.

      “Rebecca says you’re home to write her story. How wonderful!” Slender Emma set out bowls of freshly sliced peaches in rich cream as they sat around the big table in the open kitchen. “I can tell you the story of how she decided to answer the ad again if you like.” Emma laughed.

      “That one I remember pretty clearly,” Louisa said. “Let’s see. You thought she had lost her mind. Oh wait, her bloody mind, as I recall. Then, a couple of years later, you got on the boat yourself.”

      “I did,” Emma smiled a kind, beautiful smile. “I was worried sick over her. That ad was short and very businesslike. I was terrified for her, but you know your mother. She felt all along it was something she had to do. I was very shocked because she was always quite level-headed up until then. I guess the heart knows when the time is right.” Emma looked lovingly at Roland. “I’m sorry you missed the boys. Eugene and Walter are at school and Ottland’s just up the way at the cabin.”

      “I’m sure I will get to see them all,” Louisa said. “I’ll be around for a while.”

      “Ready to ride?” Mark pushed back the big wooden chair and got to his feet. Louisa hugged everyone warmly and they mounted up.