Chapter 36 - Homeward Bound

Once outside, Caleb tried to think of the best thing to do. The afternoon light was starting to fade into twilight.

"We need to find somewhere to stay for the night. I should get you tidied up a bit before we go back." It wouldn't do David any good to see his son dressed in rags like this.

"Can't we just go home? Please, Uncle Caleb!"

"I'm sorry, Han, but we're not going anywhere until you've got something warmer to wear and proper boots on your feet. It's far too late to ride out now, anyway; we'd be riding for most of the night and it's freezing out here. We'll get a hotel for tonight and head out first thing tomorrow. I'll send a telegram to let them know we're coming."

The hotel was small and relatively inexpensive. Caleb made Hannibal lie down on the bed. He was worried when the boy didn't argue.

"I'm going to see if I can find some food for us. Will you be alright here?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He was as good as his word and was back very quickly with a loaf of bread, a pot and two mugs.

"I got us some soup and bread!" He poured the soup into the mugs and handed one to Hannibal. "Drink up."

Han held the mug to his lips and sniffed it. It smelled wonderful. Caleb watched from the corner of his eye while the boy took first one small sip and then another. He smiled and handed him the bread. Between them, they quickly ate every bite.

Caleb noticed that Han's eyelids were beginning to droop. "Looks like someone's ready for bed! You'll have to sleep in your clothes, I'm afraid."

Han nodded and snuggled down into the bed as Caleb pulled the sheets across him.

Before he closed his eyes, Caleb said, "I'm going to go out again to see if I can find you something to wear tomorrow. There might still be a store open. Will you be alright on your own until I get back?" He didn't like to leave the boy again, but he didn't want to waste any time in the morning.

Han yawned. "I'll be fine, Uncle Caleb. I'll just sleep."

True to his words, he was asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

When Caleb returned an hour later, Han was tossing and turning in the bed, obviously caught in the throes of a nightmare.

Caleb leaned over him and gently shook him awake. "Han."

Han's eyes flew open; at the sight of a figure looming over him, he scrambled backwards in the bed.

Caleb put out his hands and tried to steady him. "Han, it's okay! It's only me."

He saw recognition return to the boy's face.

"What were you dreaming about?"

Han shook his head. "Nothing. I don't remember. It was just a bad dream."

Caleb didn't push him. Settling him back in the bed, Caleb sat beside him until he fell asleep again. Then Caleb climbed into the other bed and lay, thinking about the day, until he too fell asleep.

Han slept for a long time the next morning but Caleb didn't like to wake him. He went out again and found them some breakfast, as well as a little bread and ham for the journey home. Han was just waking up when he returned.

"Okay, let's eat while it's hot, and then you can wash and we can go. I was hoping that we'd have time to get you a bath, but I've decided we're going to take the train to Harristown."

He didn't think Han was strong enough to travel for so long on the back of a horse; the ride from Harristown would be long enough. The train would take longer, with all of its stops, but the journey would be less arduous for the child. "The train leaves pretty soon and we don't want to miss it, do we?"

Hannibal grinned. "No, sir!"

He ate eagerly and put on the boots and jacket his uncle had found for him.

"There weren't any shops open when I went down there last night, but the hotel clerk sold me some of his son's old clothes. I thought the size looked about right. I'm sorry, it's all that I could find. How are the boots?"

Han wriggled his toes. "They're okay."

Caleb bent down to look at them. "They're a little large. Hold on, I have an idea."

Going to his luggage, he pulled out an extra pair of socks and put them on Han's feet. Han giggled as the enormous socks swamped his feet, but they filled the extra space in the boots.

Caleb laced up the boots. He saw that Han was still moving slowly and seemed very shaky. Even though it was only a short walk to the station, he decided they would ride there. He didn't want to risk missing the train; now that he had the boy, he just wanted to get out of this place and get them both back home with their families.

Even riding, they were cutting it close. The train was already there when they arrived and Hannibal was moving much too slowly.

"Han, I'm sorry, but we're in a hurry. I'm going to have to carry you again, okay?"

This time, Hannibal did mind. There were people all around them and they would wonder why he was being carried like a baby. "I'll move faster, I promise."

"Sorry, Han. We don't have time to argue." Without listening to any further arguments, he lifted the boy up and pushed his way through the crowds. They made it to their seats with only seconds to spare.

Han was blushing furiously and looking at the ground. He felt as though everyone was staring at him.

Caleb sensed his mood and smiled. "I know you're embarrassed and I'm sorry. But you've been ill for a while. You have to accept that you need a little help right now. Wouldn't you have hated to have missed the train? Don't you want to get back home as quickly as you can?"

Hannibal sighed and nodded. "Pa's really okay?"

"He is, but he'll be better once he sees you again."

Han asked the question that had been on his mind since he'd first spoken to Caleb the day before. "What about Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth is okay as well. She wasn't doing very well after she lost Tom and David getting sick right after was a blow, but she's doing much better now. She misses you very much and she's anxious to see you."

There was a pause, and then Hannibal asked the question Caleb had really hoped he wouldn't ask.

"Why did they send me away?"

Caleb put his arm around the boy. "Elizabeth was exhausted after Tom died. Then David got sick and the doctor told her that David was certain to die as well. She couldn't cope, nursing you both. She was worried that you'd get sick again because she couldn't look after you properly, so she asked Doctor Masterson to take you away to take care of you. Doctor Masterson must have been confused and he sent you away instead." He didn't want to tell Han that the doctor had done it deliberately.

Hannibal thought of the grimace on Elizabeth's face when he'd last seen her. "Does Elizabeth really want me to come back?"

Caleb put his arms around the child. "She was sick with worry when she didn't know where you were and she's been crying every day. She's desperate to get you back."

Han wasn't sure that he believed that.

He slept for most of the journey, although Caleb woke him up at noon to eat something. After just a couple of meals, he noticed that Han seemed less shaky and had a little color in his cheeks. Caleb was only grateful that David hadn't seen the boy at the orphanage. David would never have been able to forgive Elizabeth if he had seen that.

Finally, after what seemed like a million stops, the train pulled into Harristown. While they waited for his horse to be removed from the train car, he looked around for a place to eat. He knew it was foolish, but he wanted to feed Han as much as possible before he got him home. It was already helping - although still slow, the child was steadier on his feet and wasn't so pale.

After they ate, Caleb boosted Han onto the horse's back and climbed up behind him. He was torn between trying to get home as quickly as possible, or taking his time so the journey would be more comfortable for Han. The decision was made for him by Han, who was obviously desperate to get home and becoming frustrated by the length of the journey.

Clutching the boy tightly to him, he pushed the horse to a gallop and headed for home.

Caleb was pleased to see his own wagon standing outside David's house - it meant that Maggie was there. At the sound of hoofbeats outside, they all came into the yard to see who was riding up, and when they saw who it was, he saw Elizabeth clutch Maggie's arm in relief.

"Han!" David ran over to the horse and pulled his son down to him, engulfing the child in a big hug. It would have been hard to say who was holding on more tightly. After a few minutes, David pushed Han a little away and examined his face.

"You've lost weight and you look pale." He ran his fingers through the boy's hair and pulled him close again.

"You too!" Han ran his fingers over David's face and inhaled the scent of him. He didn't know why he suddenly wanted to cry; he was so happy to see him again.

David smiled at him. "I know. I missed you."

Han nodded as David pulled him close again, and then he couldn't hold it in any longer. David felt the shudders as Han sobbed against his shoulder and said, "I missed you so much!"

Elizabeth put her hand on David's shoulder and he reluctantly moved back. She fell to her knees beside Han and pulled him into a tight embrace.

For a moment he stiffened, surprised by her welcome, and he tried to believe her as she said, "No-one will ever take you away again, Han. No-one."

Maggie was standing with her arms around her husband, happy to see him back home again. She, too, wiped a few tears from her eyes as she left her husband's side and said, "Come on, let someone else say hello!"

It had the desired effect and they all grinned as she leaned forward and hugged the boy.

"We're so happy to have you back, Han. I've missed having you around and Jed has been driving me crazy asking me when you'd be back."

Han rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve and in a slightly unsteady voice asked, "Did he miss me?"

"Of course he missed you, we all did! He can't wait to see you again."

Elizabeth wiped her eyes and put her hand to her son's face. "David's right, you have lost weight. Come inside and I'll get you something to eat. You too, Caleb, you must both be hungry."