Homecoming Girls (26 page)

‘Are you well rested?’

She sighed. ‘Yes, I think so. I have never felt so exhausted after a voyage before. It’s so unlike me to be sapped of energy.’

Dan nodded. Perhaps she wasn’t quite as intrepid or enterprising as he had thought, but then she was older, so perhaps it was to be expected that such a journey would now tire her. He would take care of her, he decided. After she had given him such a chance to travel, it was the least he could do to repay her.

Over supper she told him that Wilhelm had sent a letter to the Marius from Yeller.
There is much to do
, he had written.
So much planning. I will be pleased when you arrive. I know what an innovative mind you have, and besides
, he’d added,
I miss you
.

And I miss him too, she thought. And I need his reassurance and steady disposition, for I feel somehow insecure. I am unwell, I think; not at all myself. She had always been robust, yet now she felt vaguely frail and rather weak and had been very sick on the ship. It surely cannot be my age, she decided, even though I am coming up to the time of life when there are changes in women’s bodies. But I’ll not be a party to that. I will not be feeble about such a natural occurrence!

But her insecurity came from the worry that there might be some other reason why she felt unwell. She had heard lately of women who had taken to their beds with undiagnosed illnesses, and their families, mainly daughters, were running ragged about them. Well, that is not for me either, she fumed. If I am ill I will tell no one, except Wilhelm.

They departed for Dreumel’s Creek early the next morning and Dan could hardly contain his excitement, although he tried his best to appear casual and blasé. They were to be travelling almost the whole day by train and coach until reaching their final destination.

Dan fetched and carried for Georgiana: tea, coffee and whatever she wanted at the station stops. He arranged the safe
transfer of their luggage when they changed trains and finally on to the coach, but mainly he watched from the windows as they travelled over wide plains, through mountain passes and alongside vast lakes; he gazed at the rich colours of the trees, for they were now into autumn, and marvelled at the immense expanses of land, water and hills. He was, without any doubt whatsoever, completely bowled over by the landscape. I cannot imagine ever wanting to go home again, he reflected, and wondered if he had spoken aloud, because Mrs Dreumel gave him a winsome smile as if she completely understood.

It was dark when they reached Dreumel’s Creek and lamps were lit over the hotel porch and outside some of the buildings. The town seemed sleepy, as if it had put itself to bed. Wilhelm was waiting to help Georgiana down from the coach, and he shook hands with Dan. He knew him and his family, although not well. But he welcomed him and thanked him for looking after his wife, and added that he looked forward to showing him round the town the next day.

‘But now you must have something to eat and drink, and I know that Georgiana will want to rest. Come along in,’ he said, holding Georgiana firmly by her arm as he guided her up the steps. ‘Welcome to Dreumel’s Creek.’

Strangely enough, Dan wasn’t tired. His body ached because of the motion of the train and the jolting of the carriage along the potholed road, but his mind was whirring with all that he had seen. What a country, he thought as he stood in the hotel porch breathing in the mountain air; he considered the Native Indians whose home it was until the settlers began to arrive in their waggons, followed by the miners who came looking for gold.

It’s every man for himself out here, he pondered. He’d eaten supper with the Dreumels, and then Mrs Dreumel had declared that she was very tired and would go up to her room. Dan said goodnight to them both and strolled outside. Although there was no moon, he could see the blackness of the mountains rising up into the sky and hear the rush of the water in the creek, and felt again the rising sense of excitement he had known in New York.

I won’t make any plans just yet, he decided in his enthusiasm. I’ll wait awhile, but I get ’feeling that I’ll like it here. I’ll have to work, though. There’ll be no place for slackers, so thank heavens I’ve got a trade. He thought guiltily of his father, who so often had to hound him to finish a piece of work, or would give back some item which Dan had thought was reasonable enough and tell him to do it again.
Perfection is what we’re looking for, lad
. Dan could almost hear his father’s voice.
Not just ‘it’ll do’
.

I’ll have to do things right out here, he mused. My work will reflect on me. There’ll be so many others waiting in line, mebbe better craftsmen than me and all eager to earn a living in this land, and I won’t have my father or brother to back me up. I’ll be on my own.

He had been leaning on a wooden pillar as he reflected, and now he stood up and stretched, just as a figure ran swiftly up the steps.

‘Jaysus
, but you scared me!’ It was a woman’s voice. A young woman, who he saw as she came into the lamplight had a mop of flaming red hair tied back loosely with a ribbon. She wore a simple skirt and bodice and a shawl flung about her shoulders. ‘What are you doing skulking here?’ She scowled at him and her tone was accusing. ‘Who are you?’

‘Sorry,’ he apologized. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’

Caitlin Allen put her hands on her hips. ‘You didn’t frighten me,’ she said. ‘I said you scared me. Jumping out like that.’

‘I didn’t jump,’ he retaliated. ‘I was stretching ’cause I was stiff, and about to go inside.’

She frowned again and then asked in a more polite manner, ‘Are you a guest here?’

‘In a manner of speaking, yes I am.’

‘In a manner of speaking? What’s that supposed to mean? Are you or not?’

Dan laughed. She was certainly forthright. ‘Yes. I’ve just arrived with Mrs Dreumel.’

If he had thought that by giving the name of Dreumel he might win some respect he was mistaken, for she squealed and pushed past him. ‘Aunt Gianna! Is she here?’

Dan followed her into the hotel. ‘Yes, but she’s gone up to bed. She’s very tired after her journey.’

‘Oh.’ She seemed deflated. ‘I’ve been looking forward to seeing her again.’ She recovered her manners. ‘Sorry for the little tiff just now, but I wasn’t expecting to see anybody loitering there. I’m Caitlin Allen, by the way. I’m from Yeller but the town’s burnt down and I’m living here at the Marius for now. Living and
working,’
she emphasized. ‘Paying for my keep.’

‘I’m Dan Hanson.’ He was a little miffed at being accused of loitering as well as skulking, but added, ‘I’m from England. I live in ’same town as Mr and Mrs Dreumel, and Jewel.’

‘Oh, sure. I think I heard your name. So are you taking a vacation or planning on staying?’

Dan shrugged. Tiredness was creeping up on him. ‘Don’t know yet. I wanted to travel and when I heard Mrs Dreumel was coming to America I asked if I might come with her.’

‘Are you sweet on Jewel?’ Caitlin asked perceptively.

What a lot of questions she asks, he thought. Little busybody. ‘Jewel’s a friend,’ he said. ‘I’ve known her since we were children. Since she came to live in England.’

‘She’s not here, you know. She and her cousin have gone to California.’

‘Yes, I know,’ he said. ‘Clara and her sister are friends of ours too. I’ve known them all my life. Our mothers have been friends since they were young.’ He felt that he had thus fully established his credentials.

Caitlin looked at him speculatively. ‘Would you like me to show you around? Not that there’s much to see in Yeller. Our hotel is about the only building left standing. My mother’s from the same town as Aunt Gianna,’ she told him. ‘And my pa is from the north of England too. He came to America with Jewel’s pa but they got split up somehow. There’s a long story about them.’

Dan nodded. ‘Yeh. I’ve heard some of it.’ He suddenly felt a wave of tiredness wash over him. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Allen. I’ll have to go up to my room. I’m beat.’

‘Sure,’ she said again. ‘And you can call me Caitlin.’ She smiled. ‘We don’t worry too much about being proper out here. Everybody knows who’s who anyway. Good night.’

‘Good night!’ He walked up the stairs to his room. He was perplexed by her. He’d never met anyone who was so open or candid. Even Clara and Elizabeth, although they would discuss or argue about things with him, were generally civil and polite. He gave a wry laugh. Caitlin Allen, he considered, would tell you what she thought straight to your face. Was
this what life in America was like? No pretence? No division between the haves and have nots?

He slept soundly as soon as he climbed into bed and was woken the next morning by the sun shining into his room and the sound of gushing water. For a second he forgot where he was and thought he was still on the ship. Then came the realization that this was a much comfier bed than the bunk he had occupied in the ship’s cabin, and he sprang out of it to look through the window at the road below.

The creek was in full flow, the water sparkling in the sunshine as it rushed down the valley. On the opposite bank, cattle grazed on pastureland and beyond that thick scrub led into a tree line which grew denser as it led up the mountain range.

Dan stared and stared. He was town born and bred and had never had any desire to move away from cobbled roads into the muddy tracks of the country, but this was overwhelming and he caught his breath. The mountains reached into the blue sky and the shrubs below the tree line were ablaze with rich rusty brown colour. The trees – cottonwood, Georgiana Dreumel had called some of them – reached maybe forty feet high and were lit with yellow-gold shimmering leaves. Others, he thought, were maybe ash, and he was sure he recognized pine.

He narrowed his eyes. On a rocky plateau something moved. Something black which nosed around on the ground. He heaved a breath. Bear! He’d seen his first bear. He wanted to rush out and tell somebody the news. But who would he tell? The folk who lived here were probably used to seeing bears in the same way as back home they’d see a stray dog.

He washed and dressed and went down to breakfast and found Georgiana already at the dining table drinking coffee. She invited him to join her and asked if he had slept well.

‘I did,’ he said and then in a sudden rush said enthusiastically, ‘This is a wonderful place! I’ve just seen a bear!’

Georgiana smiled. ‘Have you? Where? On the mountain?’

‘Yes. There’s a sort of rocky shelf jutting out from the
mountainside and it was on there. It was nosing about as if it was looking for something. Food, mebbe?’

Georgiana’s eyes flickered for a second and Dan thought she took a shallow breath. She was still pale but didn’t look quite so strained.

‘How are you this morning, Mrs Dreumel?’ he asked. ‘Are you rested?’

‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘Much better today after a good night’s sleep.’ She took another breath. ‘It’s good to be back. The air is wonderful here, so fresh and clean. What are your plans? Are you going to take a look round the town?’

‘I’ve been promised a personal tour,’ he grinned. ‘By Caitlin Allen.’

‘Ah!’ She smiled. ‘The incorrigible Caitlin. She’s just been in to see me. Be careful how you tread or she’ll skin you alive!’ She laughed again. ‘She’s fearless. She reminds me of how her mother was when we first came to America. Kitty was courageous and optimistic, but not as audacious as her daughter. But then Caitlin has had more advantages than Kitty had ever had.’

As Georgiana finished speaking Caitlin popped her head into the dining room. ‘Ah, good morning, Mr Hanson. Would you like breakfast?’

‘Yes, please,’ Dan said. ‘I’m really hungry.’

‘Would you like steak and eggs, sausage, bacon, coffee?’

Dan licked his lips. ‘Yes, please, and then are you free to go out?’

Caitlin’s cheeks flushed. ‘If Mr Crawford doesn’t need me,’ she said. ‘This is a working day. I said I’d put in the time to pay for my keep.’

‘I’m sure there’s really no need,’ Georgiana began, but then added: ‘You could perhaps make it up on another day.’

Caitlin nodded. ‘I’ll ask him. Today would be a good day to go out. It’s going to rain tomorrow.’

‘Dan said he saw a bear on the mountain this morning,’ Georgiana told her.

Caitlin paused on her way out of the door. Her lips parted.
‘Yes,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve seen him too. Several times. He sits up on the ridge.’ She gazed at Gianna. There was something she wanted to say to her, but she didn’t know what it was. It was about a memory, but the memory was hazy, as if a mist was hovering over her thoughts. But the thoughts had some connection to Gianna, and, oddly, with the Indian trapper Lake.

Georgiana could see that Wilhelm was in his element. In the short time he’d been back in Dreumel’s Creek, he and Ted had organized a committee to plan a new town in Yeller. Democratically they had asked the townsfolk to come to a meeting and they had both been elected to choose other members of the committee; this they had done from those who put their names forward, mainly tradespeople but also the parson, a lawyer and a doctor who had only recently come to live in Yeller. A good cross section of the community, Wilhelm had said.

‘And women?’ Georgiana had asked, and he’d grinned and said: Of course. Kitty Allen and Nellie O’Neill.