Riverbreeze: Part 2 (47 page)

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Like that.” He pointed to her skirts.

“Oh, I didn’t think about my clothes, but what should I wear? I don’t have any ‘traipsing through the woods’ clothes.”

“You can wear my buckskins.”

His buckskins had gotten cleaned the day before. Dolnick had come to the rescue, knowing exactly what to do to bring them back to a decent shape.

“But they’ll be huge on me!”

“We’ll keep the leggings up with a tight belt and we’ll roll up the legs and sleeves. You can also wear my moccasins.”

“I’ve never worn trousers before.” She said thoughtfully. “Twill be quite exciting, I should think.”

“You wear those ugsome drawers.”

“My drawers are not horrid!”

“They are to me.”

“Well!” She lifted her nose in the air.

He cracked a smile. “Nevermind. Let’s get you changed.”

* * *

Elizabeth scratched under her arm, then along her ribs. “Are you sure these clothes aren’t infested with fleas?” She asked, fidgeting and shifting her shoulders. “Can you get that spot for me?” She turned her back to her sister, who magically started scratching the exact location of the annoying itch. Despite wearing her chemise and a linen shirt, the rough wool jerkin was extremely itchy.

“No, they are not infested with fleas.” Robert said irritatingly, eyeing the fit of his old jerkin on his wife. “I was very careful to pack them with rosemary and pennyroyal to keep the moths and bugs away!”

“I can smell it!” She turned her nose toward her shoulder to sniff the material. “Phew! ‘Tis rather strong!”

Both couples were in Jamie and Evelyn’s bedchamber, Jamie and Evelyn having returned from the stables after he had agreed to join in the search. The twins were being dressed in some of the brothers’ old clothes from several years ago. The clothes had been saved and packed away, (nothing was ever thrown out), in the event that they might be useful someday. The buckskins had been found to be way too big and cumbersome. The leather was heavy on the girls’ slight bodies and when they had practiced walking, they had had to spread their legs wider than normal so the material didn’t rub together on their inner thighs. It had proven to be most uncomfortable and impractical.

Jamie had changed into his buckskins instead while Robert had found the old clothes in the linen coffer. Now, Jamie was helping Evelyn don an old jerkin, although his was made of leather and not wool. “How did you do that?” He asked her.

“Do what?” She asked, helping him button the front.

“How did you know where to scratch her?”

Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. “I just knew.” She said simply.

Jamie exchanged a frustrated look with his brother.

“Don’t try to understand it.” Robert said. He turned his attention back to his wife. She was scratching all around her neckline now, leaving red streaks across her collarbones. “Stop that! The wool is not that itchy!”

“It is!” She cried.

“Hold still, now.” He ordered her. He roughly tugged at the waistband of the breeches, nearly lifting Elizabeth off her feet, then cinched the leather belt tighter around her waist.

She took in a gasp. “I can’t breathe!” She wheezed, grabbing his arms.

“Sorry.” He loosened it somewhat, then stepped back. “Is that better?”

She let out her breath in a huge rush. “Much. Thank you. Well, how do we look?” She stood, posing, her hands on her hips, turning one way and then the other way. She felt so different dressed in these clothes, so free and unencumbered.

Robert frowned. “Unseemly. This is wrong, you two going out dressed like boys.”

Elizabeth stopped turning and stood stiffly, her hands hard on her hips. “This was your idea!”

Jamie threw his brother a ‘she’s right’ look.

“It wasn’t my idea that you should help the Billings.” Robert griped.

Jamie put his hand on Robert’s arm, understanding his concern. “I know how you feel, Rob, but we’ll be fine. Nathan and I will take good care of the girls. I promise I won’t let anything happen to Elizabeth.”

Robert glowered at Elizabeth, matching her stare, but he spoke to Jamie. “I’ll hold you to that promise, brother.”

That made Elizabeth smile. With a growing love in her heart, she approached Robert and grabbed his upper arms. Rising up on her tiptoes, she kissed him tenderly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She sensed his fear and it warmed her heart. “I’ll be fine.” She whispered, looking into his eyes. Then with a teasing smile, she added, “Remember, I live a
long
time.”

He looked up to the ceiling and groaned. “Heaven help me!”

* * *

The four of them went downstairs and into the parlor where the Billings were getting acquainted with Nathan and the dogs. The dogs immediately ran to the twins, straining against their leashes and nearly pulling Nathan off balance. The girls sat down on the floor, finding it much easier to do in breeches, to gather the dogs into their laps and to calm them down; and after getting over their initial shock at seeing the twins dressed in boy’s clothes, the Billings came forward to exchange greetings with Robert and Jamie. Then from the bottom of his heart Mr. Billings thanked Robert for the loan of his wife and servant. Robert had no choice but to graciously accept Isaac’s thanks, his resentment at having to allow his wife to go with them assuaged by Isaac’s humbling display.

Plans were made to start the search all over again from the Billings’ farm and after Abigail brought them a sack of dried apples and dried venison for the journey down the river, and Elizabeth and Evelyn donned their cloaks and gloves, and Jamie and Nathan secured their hats with scarves tied around them, they all filed out of the house. The Billings, Nathan, Jamie and Evelyn and the dogs went on ahead while Robert gave Elizabeth one last impassioned embrace before letting her go. “Be careful.” He whispered, as he looked worriedly into her eyes.

“I will.” She promised, touching his cheek. Despite the chilly wind that was blowing all around them, she felt warmth surround her heart. He cared for her; he truly cared for her. She was overjoyed.

Evelyn called out to her and with a parting kiss, Elizabeth ran to meet her, taking her hand. She looked back once to see him standing in front of the open door, watching her, and then Abigail appeared in the doorway, saying something, and he turned to go back into the house. For that split second, Elizabeth felt a pang of jealousy, but then remembered what Robert had told her about Abby. And after living together in the same house for two years, if nothing had happened in all that time, then nothing was going to happen now.

They reached the dock where the Billings’ shallop and the Bassetts’ boat were tied up. Both bobbed violently on the unusually choppy water of the river. The weather had turned for the worst, cold and dreary and miserable. But at least it wasn’t raining. Not yet, anyway. Dark gray clouds hung thick and low in the sky and a steady, fierce wind was blowing in from the east. Elizabeth was glad for the warm clothes and her woolen cloak. It felt wonderful not wearing a skirt and having that cold wind blow up her legs; nevertheless she pulled her cloak tighter around her, holding the hood snug around her neck, enclosing her like a cocoon.

Everyone boarded the Billings’ shallop. Isaac, at first, questioned Jamie about the traveling arrangements, asking him how he, the twins and the servant were planning to return without a boat, but Jamie explained that they would borrow the Archer’s boat to return back home. Originally Jamie had wanted to ride his horse, thinking that the horse could cover a larger area in a shorter length of time, but the Billings were afraid that the horse could also trample their boy if he was hidden in some tall grass or in some thick bushes.

So it was decided that Jamie would sit in the back of the boat with Nathan to man the tiller, the twins would sit in the front with their dogs and Isaac and Elsa would sit in the middle. Isaac would man the single sail, but if he needed help in this fierce wind, Jamie would move forward.

As soon as Isaac maneuvered the boat away from the dock using the oars, he tried to raise the sail, but the strong wind made it almost impossible. Jamie came forward to help, pulling on the halyard with all his might while Isaac steadied the rigging. As soon as the sail was raised, the strong wind quickly filled it and jerked them forward and they were carried down the river at an incredible speed.

There was no opportunity to talk as Mr. Billings needed all his concentration to control the sail. Mrs. Billings held on for dear life, her eyes fixed on the shoreline. Her face had a green cast to it and Elizabeth was grateful that she herself wasn’t prone to sea sickness. She and Evelyn huddled together in the front of the boat with the dogs on their laps, wrapped in their cloaks. Elizabeth had Fleurette and Evelyn had Papillon as was their usual arrangement. And Jamie and Nathan sat hunched on their perches, ducking their heads against the wind and holding on to their slouch hats.

A particularly strong gust of wind rocked their boat and the girls shivered. Mrs. Billings let out a little gasp and glanced with fearful eyes at her husband. He returned the look, and Elizabeth guessed at what they were thinking. Anyone caught outside in this storm would be very cold and a little, lost boy had less chance of survival than a stronger, older man.

Dread filled her. This new search could all be for nothing. The boy could be found dead somewhere among the tall grasses or in the woods, or he could have drowned in a swamp or a creek or the river and they would never find him.

What would happen then? How would the Billings react to losing their only son? She couldn’t imagine that pain of losing a child. She was secure in the knowledge that all her children would survive and thrive, or at least she believed they would. Her dream of the future always comforted her when she had doubts and she knew how lucky she was because she didn’t have to worry about the future.

Evelyn seemed to read her thoughts and the sisters exchanged an affectionate smile. Evelyn didn’t have to worry now either; even her husband would be healed. The dogs were surprisingly calm, even falling asleep at times, snuggled as they were in the girls’ laps. Elizabeth absently stroked Fleurette’s head and ears, feeling their silky softness under her cold fingers while Evelyn watched over Papillon. Would they really be able to find the boy by sniffing out his scent? They had never hunted before although they had followed their instincts when they had chased that rabbit. It was a gamble; maybe this was a stupid idea. Elizabeth just didn’t know, but it was too late now. She had already offered her help and here they were, in this boat, on their way.

The scenery rushed by and it started to sprinkle. The sisters looked at each other and groaned. This was not going to be fun at all.

Finally they reached the Billings’ property and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Once the boat was secured at the dock by the men and the women were helped out, they all ran for the house with Jamie and Nathan carrying the dogs.

At the front door, while they waited for Mr. Billings to unlock it, Elizabeth and Evelyn exchanged another silent look between them. The Billings’ house was small and rustic, built of rough cedar boards. It looked like it wouldn’t even stand up to this wind and the girls gave silent thanks for the brick house that their husbands had built.

Once inside the one-room house, they all stayed standing, catching their breaths and trying to warm themselves. But there wasn’t any fire in the hearth and the place was very cold with the wind whistling through gaps around the front door.

“I’m sorry the house is so cold.” Isaac said, as he quickly lit three candles on the board table, bringing some much needed light into the room. “We couldn’t leave a fire going while we were out.”

“We understand.” Jamie said, chafing his freezing-cold hands.

“I don’t have much to offer, but would everyone like a cup of cider before we head out again?” Isaac politely offered.

“And a slice of apple pie?” Elsa added, briskly moving toward the sideboard and taking a cloth off the pie. She gathered together two different kinds of plates, three pewter and three crockery, and started to slice the pie. “Maureen was kind enough to bring over some food early this morning before Phillip and our other neighbor, Mr. Hunter, went out.”

“That would be most welcome, thank you.” Jamie answered for his party. “I’ve had Maureen’s apple pie before and ‘tis very hard to resist.” He ended, flashing a boyish smile at Evelyn. He had his arm around her and he pulled her closer to give her a quick, spontaneous kiss on her cheek.

Elizabeth turned aside, rolling her eyes.
Abigail and her apple tart; Maureen and her apple pie! What was so special about them that both Robert and Jamie practically drooled over them?

Once again Isaac apologized, bringing a cup to Elizabeth, breaking into her thoughts. “I do apologize again. You’ll have to share with your sister, and Jamie,” He gave a cup to Jamie. “You’ll have to share with Nathan. I haven’t enough cups for everyone.”

“Thank you, Isaac.” Jamie said, accepting the cup. “This is just fine.” He took a good swallow, than passed the cup over to Nathan. Elsa then handed out the pieces of pie and Jamie and Nathan ate with gusto.