"Well, if my husband wants to hear it, so do I." Temple laughed, then scooted over for him to sit. "It's the most unexpected story..."
"And it started in the most unexpected way..., it began when Kasey was rescued by her Uncle from her mother's attempt to marry her off. Arthur Scott was a Pinkerton's detective, so he took her to Washington D.C. and enrolled her in the only college that allowed women. After her first year, she was allowed to take a criminal justice course. That is what made her decide she wanted to be a sheriff."
As Laurie spoke, Oscar and Barnabas emerged from the study, then saw the group listening intently.
"It was the week before Thanksgiving, and I had waved goodbye to the last of my dorm mates. Normally I would have been saddened by the empty room I would face for the next week, but Mrs. Thompson had told me the school would have a new student who would start classes the following Monday. Because she had no other place to spend the holiday, she would be boarding at Gordon Hall. Since my Uncle would not be arriving back from his trip with the President until the following Wednesday, I had volunteered to meet the new arrival.
As I stood at the gate to the school proper, it was with some trepidation that I wondered what my new schoolmate would be like. Scarcely had I taken my place in the shade of the entry, when I heard an angry voice.
"I don't care what the law says, you're not going to enter this property."
Recognizing the insulting tone as that of Richmond Chester, the father of one of my classmates, I hurried through the gate and came upon the stocky man, blocking the path
of a young woman. At first glance I was taken aback; the person in front of me was tall and slender, with a look of determination in her fine features. She had the bearing of an aristocrat-this couldn't be the Miss Elizabeth Temple I was to meet!
"Excuse me, but I am not leaving. I am to attend this school." She said in a firm voice.
Before his tirade could begin again, I mustered my courage and stepped forward.
"Mr. Chester, thank you for your devotion to our security, but Miss Temple, you are Miss Temple?" I turned my head as I made my inquiry.
"Yes, I am Elizabeth Temple." The woman nodded, a grateful look in her eyes.
"Miss Temple is a new student at our college. I am so sorry I was delayed in welcoming you." I continued, holding out my hand. Quickly she reached forward and clasped it.
"It is all right; my carriage was early. You are Miss Scott?"
Before I could answer, Mr. Chester interrupted. "Never mind the pleasantries, young woman, this...this..."
"Negro, sir. Yes, I am a Negro." Elizabeth answered firmly. I was aghast at the older man's rudeness to her.
"Mr. Chester, you may give great sums of money to keep Kettie in school, but you do not have the right to stop Miss Temple from attending our college. Come with me, Miss Temple." I lowered my tone to her, then picking up her bag, nodded for her to go in front of me. As she passed the red-faced man, she ignored him, then walked past him into the hallway.
"Now see here, Miss...I'll not have my daughter contaminated by the likes of her or ..."
He started, grabbing my arm tightly. Before I could jerk away, an authoritative voice caused him to drop his hand from mine.
"Take your hands off my niece, or I'll be doing the grabbing around your throat!"
I felt like cheering; Uncle Arty was here! He was on horseback, and riding up to the gate, he dismounted, then stood in front of the abusive man.
"Well?" he barked, his brow furrowed with distain. Mr. Chester swallowed noticeably.
"Your niece has disrupted this college once too often, Mr. Scott. How this..."
"Miss Temple is a scholar, sir, nothing less. And as an officer of the law, I will enforce her rights, even if I have to have you arrested. Do I make myself clear?" My uncle's fist was clenched around the reins of his horse.
"Yes." Mr. Chester lowered his eyes, then nodded at me. "My apologies." Turning on his heel, he strode away, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Are you two all right?" Uncle Arty asked, and I exchanged looks with a suddenly wilting Elizabeth.
"I'm all right, Mr. Scott..I had no idea Kasey..Miss Scott was your niece..."
"She is...and I am very proud of her..." I could have melted in joy at his words; between my Uncle Bob and he, I knew I was believed in, and cared about. Sparing a glance at Elizabeth, I turned to her.
"I'm sorry you had to be welcomed like that, but I have tea ready in our sitting room, and enough cakes for all three of us."
A relieved smile broke across her face. "I'd like that; you will join us, Mr. Scott?"
"Now how could I turn down the company of two charming ladies?" Uncle Arty swept us a bow, and both of us giggled.
As I poured tea and heard how my uncle had known Elizabeth's mother, I discovered how
much I had missed what my classmates called "a bosom friend". Of course I had Rainbird, but that was only a few months each year and it was hard to be close to girls whose only goal was to get married and have parties.
Now as I listened to her discuss the news of the day and how women could have an impact on government, I felt as though I had met a kindred spirit.
"Kasey, I almost forgot...I have a letter from your Uncle Bob." Uncle Arty got up and pulled a monogrammed note from his pocket. "It went by mistake to your Mother's home, I was able to retrieve it for you before...well, here it is."
As he put it into my hand, I reached up and hugged him. "Thank you so much, Uncle Arty...I just don't know what I'd do without you."
"Neither would I." He returned, then kissed my forehead and released me to hug Elizabeth.
"If you have any problems...I know you can handle yourself...but just in case...I'll be in town for the next couple of months."
"It'll be okay.." we both said at once, then looked at each other and laughed.
"That's what I thought." My uncle chuckled, then took his leave.
As the door closed behind him, I impulsively said, "Elizabeth, I'm so glad you're here...I've missed being able to talk like this."
Her eyes grew big, then quietly she said..."So have I...I'm glad I came."
For the first time in a year, I had a friend.
As Laurie finished, there was an audible sniff from Lala as Andy said, "That was great...good for Grandmother Kasey."
"Yeah!" Joey yelled, as the other kids applauded. Towne put his arms around Temple as he told her, "I wish we'd known her story before, she must have been a remarkable lady."
"She was, Grandmother Elizabeth was the only reason we know so much about the life of women in journalism at the turn of the century. And Kasey was her first big interview." Temple added, smiling at her friend.
"She was, and thanks to that interview and Kasey's journal, I have such appreciation of how hard it was to be a writer at that time."
"Well, speaking of my writer..." Rick leaned over and kissed Laurie's neck, making her giggle. "We need to make arrangements to fly back east tomorrow. A.J.?"
"I'll call the kids school, they're off for Easter in a couple of days anyway. Mom, can you water and stuff?"
Cecilia looked at her two boys, then hugged them. "Of course, I'm so proud of you two. You'll be able to straighten this out for Barnabas, I know you will."
The next day Rick and Oscar caravanned everyone over to the airport, with Robbie riding shotgun so he could drive the truck back to save them parking fees.
As they drove, Rick noticed Barnabas seemed to enjoy the children's questions, taking special delight in Ricky's interest in the shipping firm.
"You see, Ricky, in the early days of this country, there were no airlines or trucks, so all goods had to be brought over by ships, or overland by wagons or pack mules."
"Wow..." Lala's eyes opened wide, then Ricky explained, "And it took weeks to travel from the West Indies and Florida to Maine."
"Just think, no TV, no radios..." Lala mused, then told Barnabas, "I think you had to really like reading back then."
The older man smiled at this. "You did, that's when people would have libraries, hundreds of books. What do you like to read?"
"Betsy-Tacy books, Nancy Drew, Shakespeare...and Auntie Laurie's books."
Barnabas wrinkled his forehead, then his face cleared as he nodded gravely at her.
"It's good that you like all sorts of books, we have a great library at Collinwood. I hope you'll enjoy it."
"Cool, thank you Uncle Barnabas." The young girl grinned at her brother. "Now you won't have an excuse to finish your English reading."
"Darn." Ricky pretended to pout as the others laughed.
Thankfully, the flights to Boston and Bangor were smooth, allowing Laurie to enjoy filling their nieces and nephews in on all the fun things they could do.
As they de-planed, Rick was glad to see Carolyn Stoddard and her cousin David, standing with big smiles at the terminal gate.
The surprise on their faces as Robin and Melly ran, calling "Cousin Carolyn, Cousin David" was priceless. Both Collins's embraced them happily, as the rest of the party caught up to them.
"Oh, I'm glad to see you guys, it's been too long!" Carolyn told Rick and Laurie, as Barnabas affectionately ruffled David's hair.
"And too quiet without Barnabas." David teased, then high-fived the older Simon children.
As they gathered their luggage, David dropped back to talk to Rick.
"Did Cousin Barnabas tell you what's been going on?"
Rick nodded, allowing David to take one of their bags. "Yes, and A.J. and I have pulled some information on the possible "who's " behind it. Once we settle the kids, we can go over what's happened and when."
As they approached the airport parking lot, Laurie spotted a figure bending over the back of the station wagon, and instinctively yelled, "Hey, get away from there!"
