Riverbreeze: Part 3 (16 page)

Evelyn smiled contentedly. “I’m just glad to see Jamie having so much fun. He’s been so sad since Richard died.”

“You were right to change our plans yesterday and I’m sorry I made you wait that long to tell him.” Elizabeth hugged her sister closer.

“I knew you wanted it to be special, telling them the news on Christmas day.”

“But Jamie wouldn’t listen to your pleas to stay home. If you had told him sooner—“

Evelyn squeezed Elizabeth back. “’Tis not your fault. And now, everything is fine. He has promised me he’ll only go to the Matthews’ once every other week, just like Robert suggested.”

“I’m glad. He does need to preserve his health.”

“Yes, he does.” Evelyn agreed, not offended by her sister’s comment. “He doesn’t like having to restrict his activities; he thinks he’s invincible—“

“Like all men.” Elizabeth quipped, thinking of Robert, and her father and any other man she knew.

Evelyn let out a small laugh.

“Did he say anything else to you last night?” Elizabeth continued.

“He said that he was as happy as could be, but worried also, naturally.”

“Robert too. Happy…and worried.” Elizabeth said somberly.

“I can only imagine how he must feel. It must bring back all his memories of Kathleen, poor dear.”

“He only spoke of her once to me and that was the night before we were married. ‘Twas horrible for him to helplessly watch her die, but I reassured him then that that would not happen to me.”

“But there is always doubt.” Evelyn admitted softly.

Elizabeth turned to look into her sister’s eyes. “Yes.” Elizabeth agreed. She and Evelyn often had feelings of doubt that constantly crept into their minds.

Suddenly, Evelyn pulled Elizabeth into a fierce hug. “What if something does happen?” She whispered.

Elizabeth sensed her sister’s fear, in her clinging body and in her quick heartbeat. But when this happened to either one of them, the other would find the strength for both of them. “Shh…” Elizabeth rubbed her sister’s back. “Nothing bad is going to happen to us.” She pushed back to look into Evelyn’s eyes. “We have each other. We have God’s love, and we have our husbands’ love. “And…” She reached up to caress Evelyn’s face. “We have our dreams. Remember, our dreams are always true.”

Evelyn finally relaxed and smiled a shaky smile. “You’re right. This is something we must never forget…”

“But ‘tis difficult…” Elizabeth said thoughtfully, looking into her sister’s eyes. Evelyn’s smile faded.

“What is it, Bess?” She asked.

“Evelyn…do you remember if any of Papa’s friends or customers had a scar on his cheek?”

Evelyn frowned. “No. Why do you ask that?”

“I was dreaming just before I was awakened by something. I do not remember…” She paused, thinking, then shook her head impatiently. “I was dreaming of a man with a long scar on his cheek…” She took her fingers and ran them down her own cheek from her temple to her chin to indicate the location and size of the scar. “…we were in a room that I do not recognize; someplace I’ve never been. And we were being introduced for the first time. The dream is very fuzzy and I was awakened so abruptly I can’t remember anything other than that man with the scar!” She ended on a frustrated note.

“Did he look like anyone we know?” Evelyn asked.

“No, I think not. Oh, never mind…” She suddenly said, not worrying about it anymore. “It most likely means nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

Elizabeth nodded her head. “Yes, ‘tis nothing. Let’s go help Abigail with breakfast.”

“All right, as long as you do not want my help to remember your dream.” Evelyn said briskly, linking her arm with Elizabeth’s.

“Did you dream anything?” Elizabeth asked, stopping them in place.

“No, nothing.” Evelyn said simply.

Elizabeth relaxed. “Ah then, you see? “Twas nothing.” She said confidently, knowing that if the dream had been important, Evelyn would have experienced the same dream. “Let’s go. Abby needs our help. We shouldn’t have lingered.” She added, as she pulled Evelyn towards the door. “With all we have to do before we go to Maureen’s and Phillip’s, we should have gone downstairs immediately.”

“Perhaps, but I’m glad we had these few minutes together.”

“I am too.” Elizabeth smiled warmly at her sister.

“And I’m glad we have this opportunity now to visit with Maureen and truly get to know our cousin.”

“Unlike Kathleen.” Elizabeth said sadly.

“Do you ever feel strange about…?” Evelyn paused. “You know, about you…and Robert…and…”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No.” She said, knowing exactly what her sister’s thoughts were. “I feel bad about Kathleen’s death, but I do not feel strange being Robert’s second wife and that his first wife was my cousin. No, in fact, I never even think about it.”

“Good.” Evelyn said, approving. Then changing the subject, she asked, “Are you hungry?”

“Starved!” Elizabeth said, laughing a little.

“I am too!”

And the two girls went down the stairs, arm in arm, their steps light and their hearts merry.

* * *

Robert and Jamie could have stayed outside much longer they were having such a ridiculous amount of fun, but after twenty minutes or so, Robin was freezing. “Daddy, I c…c…cold! I cold!” He cried, tugging on his father’s buckskin leggings.

And indeed he was cold, cold enough that he was shivering and his teeth were chattering.

“I’m sorry, Robin.” Robert said, scooping his son up in his arms. His cheeks and nose were as red as cherries, and Robert immediately felt guilty for not paying more attention to him. “Let’s get you inside and warmed up.” He turned to Jamie. “Are you coming in?”

“No.” Jamie said, brushing snow from his clothes. “I need to see to the horses first.”

“All right.”

He whistled for the dogs and then they all went in, tracking in snow and mud on the already dirty wood floor. The women won’t like that, he thought to himself, but that’s the way it was.

The dogs were well trained and at Robert’s command, went straight to their blanket in the hallway. They lay down and started licking the snow and moisture from their paws. He and Robin proceeded into the kitchen where Abigail, Elizabeth and Evelyn were already working at preparing the morning meal. Dolnick and Nathan were in the kitchen also, having already brought in firewood and a pail of goat’s milk.

Elizabeth looked up when father and son appeared in the kitchen doorway, dripping melting snow everywhere. Tears had tracked down Robin’s face and his clothes were soaked through. “Oh, my word! Look at you two! Stay right there! Let’s go upstairs and get you changed.” She gave Robert a reproachful look as she swept by him, adding, “How could you let Robin get so cold?”

“We were having fun!” He said to her back, as she hurried ahead of him through the hall and up the stairs.

Robert followed, carrying Robin and murmuring, “We’ll have you warmed up in front of the fire in no time.”

“Keep me safe?” Robin cried.

“I promise.” Robert said, his heart breaking.

Elizabeth was already coaxing the fire back to life with kindling, then larger split logs when Robert and Robin entered their bedchamber. She continued to scold Robert as she took charge of undressing Robin, throwing his wet clothes over the drying rack and then wrapping him up in a length of toweling.

She sat on the edge of the bed, cuddling Robin in her lap and chafing him all over. “I can’t believe you let this happen!” She chided Robert. “
Oh, vous pauvre bebe. Ne vous
inquietez pas. Vous serez bientot tiede
.” She cooed to Robin, rocking him.

Robert frowned at her, annoyed that she would speak French to Robin. The boy didn’t understand her and neither did he! “What did you just say?”

“I said, oh, you poor baby. Do not worry. You will be warm soon.”

“Why can’t you just say it in English?” He complained, dragging the drying rack closer to the fire. He yanked off his coat, shook it, causing droplets of water to hit the fire where they hissed and steamed, and then draped it over an empty space on the rack. “He doesn’t know what you’re saying.” He kicked off his moccasins, then pushed his trousers down and stepped out of them, leaving him only in his knee-length shirt. He shook out the leggings and then hung them up.

“The more I speak French to him, the more he’ll learn.” She snapped back.

Robin buried his face in her shoulder and started to whimper.

“Look, you’ve frightened him.”

“Me!” Elizabeth shot back, but she didn’t say anything after that. However, Robert could see that she was still irritated by the way she avoided looking at him and by the way she vigorously rubbed Robin’s back.

He stood by the fire for a moment while he let the warmth soak into his skin and decided what to say. She had no right to scold him like that. Yes, he had let Robin get a little cold, but it wasn’t as if he were close to freezing to death. The lad needed to toughen up, not be a milksop like his Uncle Wesley.

Where had that thought come from? He yanked the leather cord from his tied-back hair and threw it on the mantle where it hung precariously. He shoved his hands through his hair, annoyed at himself for even thinking of his half-brother. He would never compare his son to that scoundrel, never, ever again!

“What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked.

“Nothing. I just had an unpleasant thought.” He said, turning briefly to look at her.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“No, I’d rather not.” He said, rather coolly. He turned back to the fire.

“Oh.” She said quietly, sounding hurt, but he didn’t apologize for his abruptness. He was still angry at her for scolding him as if he were a child. However, a few seconds later, she was the one apologizing, as she should. “Robert, I’m sorry for scolding you about Robin.”

He turned to see her sweet face, so openly apologetic and his bad mood instantly vanished. After all, he remembered suddenly, now that she was with child she would be rather emotional for the next eight or so months.

He went to her, sat down beside her and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. Then he kissed Robin on the top of his head. “I forgive you. You were concerned and in your condition you can’t control your emotions.”

Elizabeth bowed her head, hiding her expression from him. If his remark had angered her or embarrassed her or what, he didn’t know.

“You know,” He said, deciding to lighten the mood. He put his arm around her and smiled at both her and Robin. “I never said good morning to you or
Nadelik Lowen
.”

“Nadelik Lowen
? What is that?”

“Happy Christmas in Cornish. Happy Christmas.” He repeated. “Happy Christmas, Robin!” He repeated more cheerfully, tickling Robin on the belly. Robin giggled.

“Oh,
Joyeux Noel
!” Elizabeth said, matching his cheerful tone. “I’ve never heard you speak Cornish before.”

“That’s because I’ve mostly forgotten it. I spoke it until I was twelve, but once I started in Francis’ service, I was forbidden to speak it…”

“Forbidden?”

“I was told I should speak English because the King required it.”

“Yes, I understand that, but to forbid you...Uncle Francis actually forbade you to speak Cornish?” She asked, incredulous.

“Not Francis, but his agent did, when we were first indentured. Jamie and I would still speak a little to each other when we wanted to say something private between us, but as the years passed, we spoke it less and less, and now…” He shrugged his shoulders. “We only remember a few words and expressions.”

“That’s a shame, really. You should try to remember everything you can and teach it to Robin.”

“I used to tell him good night in Cornish every night. Didn’t I, ow mab?” He ruffled Robin’s hair, making him giggle. “But lately I’ve gotten out of the habit.”

“Ow mab
? What does that mean?”

“My son.”

“Ow mab
. My son.” Elizabeth repeated it as if committing it to memory. “Will you do me a favor, please?”

“What would you like?”

“Will you try to remember as much as you can and speak it to Robin? Would you like that, Robin? For your
papa
to speak Cornish to you?” She asked Robin.

Robin nodded his head even though he looked rather confused. “Cornifsh?“

“Yes, Cornish, your dad’s native tongue.”

Robin opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. “Hungry!” He said. “Me hungry.”

Robert and Elizabeth both laughed at the little boy, who seemed to have recovered from the cold.

Robert looked at Elizabeth. “Well, the lad has spoken. Obviously eating is more important to him than learning another language. Shall we eat? Are you feeling all right this morning? No sickness?”

Elizabeth nodded, smiling softly. “No, I’m feeling fine.”