SCENE THIRTY FOUR The library of Singer's Mirandahl, Jemmy and Benjy Singer's home outside Raleigh, NC
"This is simply never going to work, fellows." Jemmy Singer said, sighing and shaking his head as his friends stood in a circle around him. "This is not going to work for as much as half a second."
"Your lack of confidence doesn't do much for my ego, Jemison." Artemus Gordon complained, but he was grinning. "We've been working on this ever since we got word about the President's birthday gathering, which is still two months away. And the whole reason for us pulling off our 'Tale of Two Cousins', which we will do, my friend, is that Jim West has already let it be known to some very significant 'distributors' of information that he will be in Washington for that event."
"Which he can't actually attend. Because he'll still be recovering by then, we all have to hope, I guess, from the first of two surgeries on his eyes. Which fact we have only given out in part to those same distributors as Artie calls them." The surgical patient in question noted, from the depths of a balloon chair by the fireplace.
" We've only suggested that the newly minted Colonel West, after dutifully mourning his late uncle, g-dfather and namesake has already undergone that first procedure. And as I recall the list, we've given that version of the truth out to our own reverse informants all over Richmond, N'folk, Rio de Janeiro, the Florida Keys, San Antonio, St. Albans, St. Thomas, Havana, Puerto Rico, Guadalajara, Baltimore, Boston, Augusta, Trinidad, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Mon'real, Port au Prince, N'Orleans, and Washington, which really should be the name of an international railroad, someday."
"Now that's the part I do not… I mean I still don't understand." Jemmy admitted. "How did you convince the family in Norfolk… I mean N'folk, to put it out that Jimmy passed away?"
"Well, cousin Jem, it seems I still have some pull in N'folk County and environs, even at this late date." Jimmy Randolph chuckled, peering out of the other balloon chair. "And some long time friends, as well. So, I'm glad to say the reports of my demise are premature, but widely accepted and mourned, these days. Which means I can still do some good for all our friends and kin, and some harm to my old 'friend', Remy Boudin. And I'm very glad of that."
"Which also means we still have you with us to do what we can for you, Uncle." Jim West said quietly. "And I'm very glad of that."
"And I thank you for that, Torry. Wait, shouldn't I begin to call you Jemmy, now?" Randolph asked, standing up to put one hand on Jim's right arm.
"He's right, Jem." Artie said, directing his answer to the younger man sitting by the fire. "We all have to get this right, starting now, or give it up as a bad job all around. You need to remember that Mr. Randolph is your Cousin Jimmy, that Benjy over here is your older, handsomer brother, married to your sister in law, Sarabeth for something over two years, now, and that you don't know me, or the rest of Mac's team anything like as well as you know your cousin Torry."
"Yeah… Yes, yes, Mr. Gordon, Cousin Jimmy, you're both right, of course." 'Jemison' agreed, frowning as his throat tightened. "In fact, Cousin Jimmy you and I should be… taking advantage of the loan of Torry's fancy train any time now and heading back to N'folk. We shouldn't keep you here at Mirandahl. It's not fair to Cousin Jo, or your children and grandchildren."
"Well now, Jemison lad, I don't know that it truly matters where a man is when the time comes." Randolph shrugged. "But then at my age, I had already become rather philosophical about that."
Abruptly now, 'Jemison' stood up, dropped his newspaper to the floor, and paced over to the mantlepiece, turning his back on the others in the room. "I haven't. And I doubt I ever will, Cousin." he muttered.
"Friends, if we could have the room for a little while?" Jimmy asked. "I want to converse a moment with my sentimental young cousin here."
"Surely." 'Jim' agreed, walking slowly, as if he wasn't absolutely familiar with this parlour, to stand a moment with his 'uncle'. "And no worries about the train, it's on loan to me and Artie anyway, from our other uncle, Sam." 'Jim' said and walked out of the library with Artemus, and Mac, Frank and Jeremy following.
Jimmy Randolph eyed the younger man beside him at the fireplace affectionately and sadly. "You know there was a time, Jemison," he said for the sake of the unwanted listeners they believed could be around them, even here at Mirandahl. "When I was not sure my dear nephew would ever forgive me, after he realized Remy Boudin only came to our family home due to his acquaintance with and his antipathy for me. I'm very fortunate to have lived long enough now to see my sister's son grow up in to such a fine man, to see my grandchildren livin' and thrivin around me, and to gain my nephew's forgiveness. Wouldn't you agree?"
"No, I'd turn that around the other way entirely, Cousin. I'd say Torry is the one who's damned lucky to know you, to have known you and had your … care all his life." that younger man answered, and meant it. "In fact, I'm pretty sure Torry would say he's extraordinarily lucky in that he's had so many fine men to emulate, as best he could, all his life. It's extraordinarily hard for him, he admits to know for certain he's losing another of those 'fathers'." 'Jem' said, still turning his face towards the mantle, his voice rough with unshed tears.
"Yes, yes, it is extraordinarily hard. That's so." Jimmy nodded. "On the other hand… It is … it comes to all of us, time and again in our lives, this … parting. You and Torry and your friends and schoolmates experienced it to terrible extent during the War, of course."
"Cousin Jimmy, I…" the younger man started and stopped and finally turned towards his elder. "I've been talking a great deal to that rascal of a nephew of yours, just lately, trying to make sure of the kind details one second cousin might not know about another. And one of the things I've relearned is that Torry has distinct difficulty, even when he truly wishes to do so, in saying what he feels. And when he mentioned this to me himself, the other day, I told him I would gladly 'pass along any such messages he's not well able to express, when and where he should, where and to whom he'd like to."
"And is there such a message Torry asked you to deliver to me, Jemison lad?" Randolph quietly asked.
"Yes, sir. There surely is. Torry wished he could tell you how ashamed he is about the way he quarreled with you on that first visit you made to Richmond. And not just for the way he quarreled, which was unconscionable, but for the whole childish, churlish scene he made. He… well, as I mentioned, Torry's tremendously ashamed of that, Cousin, and was, almost as soon as it happened. He was moved, in fact, not angry that you wanted to help him in such an extraordinary way. His anger was all for … " "Jemmy' said.
"For the plain, unvarnished fact of mortality coming in the door with me and striking him in the face, I'd have to guess. G-d knows, I've experienced that myself." Jimmy answered. "We all have, surely. But for some of us it closes down our hearts, where for others… oddly enough it opens their hearts and spirits yet wider. Your great aunt Jean was of that latter grouping and so was your cousin Jessy-Anne, Torry's angel momma, and so was my dearest heart, my own Sarah, who I'm sorry you never got to know. Now, Jemison, I'm very grateful for you acting as my nephew's postman. But was there anything more? Because Torry and I did manage a good, long talk after that very interesting party at the doctor's home in Richmond."
"Yes, he told me that. Torry said that was when he agreed to the surgery, and that he felt he'd pleased you with that change of heart." the younger man nodded.
"He did, but I can hardly think of a single time when Jessy-Anne's boy didn't please this old heart of mine very much indeed. And I've always felt that as close as we were ourselves as children, his momma absolutely shares my own feelings of pride and contentment in how her son's turned out, after all. But then I feel my sister's heart closer to me than ever just lately. And I am much comforted. I hope Torry can know that comfort at some point."
The younger man bowed his head and turned partly away. Their pretense was wearing thin with him again and he wanted to chuck it all 'into a cocked hat' if he could only find one of those antique items. "Uncle…" he whispered with a straining voice.
"Uncle, I never should have treated you that way! Momma loved you so terribly I could feel it when I was still just…so high..
And I hate the idea that somehow … inwardly I did put some blame on you for what's long since past and done. I hate the thought that's been riding me lately that the rage I flew into when you came up to Richmond that time … came from me, only from me and not from all the poison that King Spider from Port au Prince and Atlanta has always cultivated. And I feel … terrible to so much as suggest this to you now. But I guess I'm trying to find some … absolution…"
"Torry," Jimmy said, just as quietly. "It means a great deal to me, it truly, truly does, that you would open up to me, in the midst of all the troubles you've been dealin' with. And I believe I can help you with this particular confusion, I do. So, come sit down and listen to your old Jimmy for a little while. And we'll try together now, to sort it out."
"Sure, surely." Jim said, entirely dropping 'the play' for now. "What are we doing, anyway, acting as if we have to keep secrets and play games here at Mirandahl, in the middle of North Carolina? Remy's never been here. He's never seen this beautiful old house. And I'm really glad to know that. Maybe Jem has to get in practice for what he'll do up in Washington. But I don't. I have no trouble remembering when I'm supposed to put up an act, that's only gonna be needed at all when I'm
in public. All I have to do anymore, is to go home with you, Uncle… All I care about is how … how you are while you're … while we still have you with us all."
"No, no, nephew, you have another task besides that one. You have to garner all your strength of will, all your inward resources, all that infamous Randolph… determination and come through these comin' surgeries with flyin' colors. You have
to do that for me, Torry. So maybe you can 'look at it' from that perspective. And then get yourself well, again, Torry, so that you can do all the things you love. Now, here's this fine old divan next to Aunt Meg's secretary, come sit down and hear me out awhile."
"Yes, sir." Jim said, feeling like a schoolboy.
"Very well then. Torry, you've been through so much in the past few years. And I'm not sure I would have said I understood what the purpose of all that trouble and tribulation could be, until just recently. You see I've been thinking rather a lot about why such… difficult things happen. So, now you'll get the benefit of my philosophical meanderins'.
Nephew, I come to beieve that all this trouble you've had, as harsh as it is, is helpin' you to know that it's never the THINGS we've dreamt of having and doing and being, it's not the things we've lost or won or earned that matter, ultimately. It's the hearts, the lives that surround us, even when it seems they're gone. It's the those spirits, those dear loves that surround us, and crowd our memories and fill our dreams, and touch us most when we feel most lost and alone. THEY are what matters in this world and out of it, Torry. And I've heard you talk about sensin' your momma, your Daddy, my parents, and other dear hearts with you during these bad times. so I know you believe that, too."
"I have." Jim nodded. "I have. And I guess it's not …not something meant to be understood, per se. Because I can't, and I don't, not really."
''Some parts of this world, and the rest of Creation, Torry, really do pass understandin'…'' Jimmy smiled. ''And now I sound like one of your grandmother's favorite preachers… And I'm not that somber or solemn at all.''
" Uncle, you purely smile so much more, lately. I can feel you smilin' at me… Guess I'm pretty much of a laugh… But you do, you do smile more, now. You were too sad, for a long time, before…"
"No, Torry, no. I was too selfish, before. That's what I'm learnin' from all this… And that I won't toss aside th' time I'm still given with you, for th' s'posed satisfaction of keepin my miseries and joys all to myself…"
"Guess I've done that a time or two." Jim nodded. "Yeah, figure I have. But I really should've known better, shouldn't I? Because like you said, the times I've felt absolutely, absolutely hopeless, have been the times I was out of nowhere swamped with … such vivid memories, but good ones, only good ones… of Granma Jean and Grandma Merey, of your Daddy, Granpa Jaimey and Grandpa Davy down in Texas, of momma, so many, many times…"
"And your Daddy, my old friend Steven, Torry?" Jimmy asked.
"Well, that's the kind of funny thing about it, Uncle. I didn't. I never had that sense of my Dad's 'spirit hovering near', the way Granma Jean used to talk about it, about 'gentle hauntings'… until …until that one time … that one really bad night I had in Richmond…And even then, I was almost afraid I'd … hear him, hear Dad, I mean, reading me the Riot Act…But I … didn't hear anything…
As I was falling … going under the injection Miguel gave me… I … My Dad was there, out of nowhere, just there… pulling me into his arms…close, the way he did sometimes when I got over a fever, or… took a nasty spill… without a word between us… without a word being needed… And now I wonder, Jimmy, do you think they… Do you believe that kind of thing really happens? Do you honestly think they know how we are and where we are and … they still care?" Jim responded, turning so that Jimmy could see how earnest his expression was.
"Knowin' those particular good-hearted spirits as I do, Torry, I can't for a moment doubt that. I can't possibly. They, all of them, had hearts that can't ever, that will never be truly stilled." Jimmy answered, patting Jim's shoulder.
" Hearts that can't be truly stilled…'' Jim echoed. "I like that idea. I like that very much. Well then, thanks very much for setting me straight on that, Cousin Jimmy. I figure we had best get back to work on the scheme Mr. Gordon's put together. Why don't we call the fellows back in here now?"
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
For the next two and a half days at Singer's Mirandahl, a classic English Tudor style mansion set on a low, sloping drive outside Raleigh, the team's rehearsals and the question and answer sessions that fed into them continued fairly well. Everyone involved knew they had to make the 'one time only' performance they were planning run smooth as the satin ribbons Ben and Saribeth's tiny daughter Jessy Lynne Singer wore atop her copper penny curls. And everyone involved knew how closely the 'star' of this short lived production would be watched and watched for by their common enemy, Gideon Boudin. Time was short for all of them, and most of all for Jimmy Randolph, who nevertheless remained determined to maintain his part in Artemus' scheme for as long as that was possible.
"So, this birthday gathering for Mr. Grant, that's to be a rather big to-do, I take it, with a great many people attending?" The elderly Norfolk trial attorney asked the man they were all once more addressing as Jemison Singer.
"Right, Cousin." 'Jemmy' nodded. " There will be hundreds of official guests, and thousands more out on the grounds of the White House. But it is likely to be scaled down from the President's 50th birthday celebrations last year. And that is largely at the President's request. He has never been much in favor of a lot of fuss and bother. But, as Mr. Macquillan and Mr. Harper have noted more than once, the element of the whole celebration, the part we're focusing on is the Grand Review, which President Grant very much enjoys. He gets to see and talk to a great many of the veterans from all the Union armies. And I understood, having not been there myself last year, that a growing contingent of former Confederates were there to add their congratulations."
"Well, that's good, that's very good to hear." the older man answered, turning towards the team member lounging against the fireplace. "Torry, is Jemison right, is it at this Review that all y'all expect the most trouble during Mr. Grant's party?"
"Yes, yes, it is, Uncle." 'Jim' agreed. "And for a very good reason. During the Review, which takes at least an hour to pass through the grounds, the dias will be packed solid as a tin of sardines with dignitaries, high ranking Army officers, ambassadors, Cabinet officers, Senators and Congressmen."
"Alright, Youngster," Thomas Macquillan interjected. "Let's hear the list of bigwigs and top brass we're expecting as of now to be on that dias."
'Jim' rolled his eyes, this was one part of his prep work he hadn't done too well with up to now. "Alright, Prof. So far General Sheridan, General Sherman, former Generals Sumner and Chamberlain, Generals Nelson Miles, Benjamin Butler, Salmon Chase, if that elderly gentleman is not too ill at the end of April, Elihu Washburne, Wendell Phillips, Hamilton Fish, Edwards Pierrepont, Wendell Phillips, William Mckinley, John Bingham, James Ashley, Congressman James Garfield, Rutherford Hayes, William Belknap, have all sent word they will attend."
"Good job, Torry." 'Jem' said and applauded his cousin softly. "That's quite a laundry list of grandees. And I have a strong feeling all of them, and most of all the President himself feel they must be there, risk or no risk. So that is Boudin's best imaginable target of opportunity, right there. He could hardly get a better chance to do what Wilkes Booth hoped for, to effectively decapitate the Federal government at one blow."
"Yes, that … bloody fool Booth!" Jimmy exclaimed, showing the first sign of his own temper that the younger man had seen in weeks now. "He wanted to become the South's Greatest Hero. And all he accomplished was the South's worst degredation, by tarring all of us, everyone in the whole, entire South, with his insane purpose. One hears Booth himself actually had some understanding of that fact, before he expired. And I can only hope that story is a true one."
"I have heard and read the reports of those who were at the Garret farm, Cousin, and they do substantiate that idea. So do the excerpts I've seen from Booth's own letters and journals." 'Jem' said and shuddered. "Apparently as he lay dying in front of that farmhouse, and he'd been paralyzed by the shot that was killing him, Booth asked two of the men there to lift his arms so that he could see his own hands. He stared at them a moment and then said : "Useless, useless." He died soon afterwards."
"Well, well, then perhaps there was some justice then, after all." Jimmy muttered and went to open the library door to their waiting friends. "Thank you both for your patience. I think we've got this wild-heart over here settled down some."
"Glad to hear it, Mr. Randolph." Artie said and he meant it.
"Yes, Mr. Gordon, I thought you would be." 'Jemison' said, still standing against the mantlepiece. "Well, we should get back to it then, except for you, Cousin Jimmy. I know you are eager to help with our plans. But I can also tell very easily that you are tiring. Will you rest for a while, please, sir?"
"No, Cousin, not yet." Jimmy answered ruefully. "Not quite yet. We still have a lot to do here. And I have quite a fund of knowledge still to share with y'all about Remy Boudin. Now what's wrong with that, Torry?" Randolph asked as 'Jim' frowned.
"Well, for starters, Cousin, you are ignoring Jemmy. He happens to be a fine doctor, even if he is from the Old North State here, instead of the Old Dominion, as you and I are." The man addressed as Torry answered. But Artemus groaned and they all looked towards the former actor.
"What is it Artemus? What am I doing wrong, this time?" 'Torry' asked.
" It's what you're NOT doing, James m'boy. Contractions, and informal phrases. You're still leaving them out of your speech pattern, left, right and center. And that won't work. That dog won't hunt, as I believe they say in these parts. It won't even leave the yard, that way." Artie said.
"I was right to begin with! This plan of yours cannot possibly work!" 'Jim' protested, picking up a pipe from beside the fireplace. "And Artemus, I do not honestly believe you have listened to me for as much as one moment. This plan is too complex, too Byzantine and just plain unmanageable. There is just too much to this scheme of yours than whether or not someone says don't, can't, won't or I'm gonna."
"Well, in fact, I have been listening very closely, James m'boy. And what you were just saying is a perfect example of what needs the most work here. That's not the way you'd ever say that to me. You'd say 'Artemus you're not even listening to me, not one bit!' Also, that pipe has to go. You have to get back to smoking cigars like everyone else who served with the President during the War." Artie insisted.
Giving the 'play' up for a moment, Jemmy Singer slumped back in his favorite wing-back chair, frowning around the pipe he had clamped between his teeth. He was wearing some of his cousin Torry's favorite clothes to try them for fit and so forth, and a green visor set just above his eyes, the kind banking other business clerks often wore.
Artie sighed as he studied the younger man. "You know, you really have been doing well on this work, my friend. You certainly give this project a huge advantage, in that you've known my partner all his life. And I suppose we could try convincing everyone that you had a stroke, not a problem due to your heart murmur last month, and you aren't talking that well, yet. That would get us over the talking problem."
"I talk just fine, thanks, Artie." Jemmy growled. "Plus I really, really hate cigars! I'll turn green as a billiard table if I try to smoke one. And there goes the whole, entire 'ball game'!"
"Well, if you've been sick, the way we're letting out, you wouldn't be allowed to smoke anything, not even one of those thinner, umm … cigarettes I've seen the younger fellows trying lately. But you did get the tone of voice down just right, then. You're coming along nicely, honestly, Jem. Of course we'll have to dye that sandy hair of yours. Jim's hair gets bright when he's outside a lot in good weather, but he hasn't done that in some time, now." Artemus went on.
"And just how are you going to change the color of my eyes, Artemus?" Jemmy demanded. "My eyes are hazel, like almost all the Singer family. Torry's are …"
"Randolph green. Yeah, I know that. That's part of the reason you'll need to wear that visor almost all the time. Another part of the camouflage we'll use is putting you in different colors of clothes, like the ones you have on now, that effect how green your eyes look, the same way they do with Jim's eyes. And the rest of the answer to that question is you're not going to get anything like close enough to the bad guys for them to note the difference."
"Unless of course they decide to abduct me, right?" Jemison prodded, fidgeting with his shirt collar.
"Okay, Jemmy, you really have to stop that, right now. Jim doesn't fidget, ever." Frank Harper, who'd taken leave to come down and help with the latest plan noted. "He just doesn't."
"Well he DID when we were boys!" Jem protested. "He hated standing in line at family parties as much as Benj and I did, as much any boy does. No, no, that is just another reason that this scheme cannot and it will not work!"
'That fidgeting thing, pretty much got trained out of the Youngster in prep school and at the Point." Mac Macquillan supplied. "And, by the way, all of you need to start calling this old friend of ours Jim, or James, not Jemison, Jem, or Jemmy. Get in the habit, starting now."
"Or we are pretty much dead in the water on this scam of Artemus'." Jim West agreed, from his chair across the room. "But, cousin, it can, and with all your friends helping, it will work, Torry."
"I'm glad you are so entirely sure of that, Cousin." the Raleigh physician answered. "But all y'all need to remember something I think is pretty important in all this. I am a doctor, not a Federal spy!"
"And you won't have to do anything resembling espionage in your part of this elaborate shell game we're playing." Jeremy Pike offered, smiling at Jemmy. "You won't get that close to the bad guys, for one very simple reason, they won't get that close to you. They can't afford to get that close to Jim again. They know we're on the watch for Boudin and any of his associates, including Aubrey Lanier. That part of the upper hand they used to have is blown."
"Then how do they imagine they can make whatever debacle they're planning happen?" Jem demanded.
"That's what we're hoping to find out from Ori, Travis, and the Second Team's newest sources." Artie answered. "My best guess right now? They think… well, Boudin thinks he can trigger the patterning at a safe distance, safe for him, that is. But that's the pure brilliance, if I say so myself of this bait and switch plan. You're not patterned. You were never … uh, umm, sorry, partner."
"It's alright, Artemus." Jim said. "You're right. My cousin from Raleigh was never under Remy Boudin's control for so much as half a second, much less most of his life without even knowing. That being said, let's get back to it, and back in character, for the rest of the day. I meant to say my cousin from N'folk was in that madman's control most of his life. 'm sorry Torry. But that is nothing but true."
"Yeah, get that, Jemmy." the other cousin nodded. 'don't worry about it, Cousin. Don't ever apologize for telling the truth, my grandmother Jean always said. And I'd bet your grandma Meg said it, too."
'she did, a few thousand times or more." 'Jemmy' replied. 'they were a lot alike, except Gramma Meg converted to Episcopalian, not long after that awful hurricane took so many of their brothers and sisters and their kids, too. I was almost eleven that winter, and I still remember how everyone was just … in shock over it. And then great-Grandfather Torrance…"
"Lost his mind to all that grief." 'Jim' finished the story. "And who could possibly, possibly blame him for that? That sort of madness I can well understand myself."
"Cousin, you look to be all in, just now. And I've got a lot of work to do before I head down to N'folk to check in on Cousin Jimmy, day after tomorrow." the darker haired cousin said, standing up. "Get some rest please, Torry. We'll work on this more before I go. And I'll … I'll see you, G-d willing, in not too long a while."
"Jemison," Artie said, stopping the younger man as he walked out of the room. "I wanted to make sure to ask you something, a favor, really before you and Mr. Randolph leave for Norfolk."
"If there's something I can do for my cousin's best friend, surely I will, Artemus." 'Jemison' nodded.
"Will you take my apologies to Jim's aunt Joanna, and to Mrs. Parry. I'm afraid I was less than cordial to them when they came up to Richmond. I already apologized to your older cousin, and I thank you again, Mr. Randolph for accepting that. But I haven't spoken with either of those ladies. And I didn't want let this go, unmended, as it were." Artie said, and meant every word.
"I have a much, much better idea, my friend. Come on to N'folk with me, and speak to them yourself. I am positive none of them are carrying any grudge against you. And it will relieve your mind. And maybe we can even teach you how to pronounce the name of Torry's hometown." 'Jemison' laughed. "Also, I'd have to guess that Torry can manage without you for a little while out here in the wilderness, at Mirandahl, can't you, cousin?" 'Jemmy' asked.
"Easily, very easily, cousin." 'Jim' nodded, grinning widely. "I've done it plenty of times before now. Artie and I always work together… separately, you see. But I'd hardly call this beautiful old mansion or the countryside around here 'wilderness! It's only been settled now since about 1665!"
"I had no idea you knew so much about Raleigh and its environs, partner." Jeremy laughed. "But you're wrong, after all. Raleigh wasn't chartered till the seventeen hundreds. I guess your Tar Heel cousin over by the door could have told you that. Right, Jem?"
"That and a lot more, Jeremy. The city plan had one main square and four smaller ones, and was laid out in axial fashion. And the first streets were cleverly named East, South, North and West." 'Jemison' answered, grinning.
"You forgot the most important part of that, Cousin." 'Jim West' announced. 'raleigh was the first city on this continent to be designed and planned as the state capital, instead of being named the capital years or decades after it was built."
"Enough with the geography lesson, gentlemen." Mac Macquillan groused at his team members. "Jemmy, we have too much work yet to do for you to head for Norfolk this week. I'm sorry. But we have to make this plan of Artemus' as seamless and smooth-running as humanly possible. Don't you agree?"
"I wish I didn't, Thomas." 'Jemison' nodded glumly. "I really wish you were wrong about that. But you're not. I'll… I will send Pauly a wire tomorrow morning, telling him I have been unavoidably delayed here. I am a doctor, after all, I have patients all around Raleigh and in Durham and Chapel Hill, for that matter. Alright. I understand full well what you said just then, Thomas. But I have to get some air, now. I'm going for a canter."
"Surely. Go ahead." Mac agreed. "We'll pick this work up again after lunch… or dinner or whatever you odd Southern types call it."
"Dinner!" 'Jemmy' and 'Jim' chorused, laughing. "It's what comes after brunch and before supper."
"Jem," Artie asked. 'd'you want some company on that canter?"
"Can I keep you from coming along, no matter what I say?" the younger man asked, a bit more sharply than he'd meant to. " 'm sorry. 'm sorry, Artemus. That was uncalled for."
"Don't apologize for telling the truth." Artie quoted. "And yeah, I'm coming. I hear you're quite the horseman, Doctor Singer."
"Well, we have a old family joke about that, Artemus, maybe you've heard Torry mention it a time or two. In our family, in our extended family, going by horseback from the time we can stand up, never mind walking. It just … runs in the family." 'Singer' chuckled, and put one arm across Artie's shoulders as they walked out in the direction of the stables.
Back in the library, Mac turned to frown at his remaining team members. "Nobody said this plan would be easy to pull off, except Artemus, when he came up with it. But it just seems to keep getting harder, especially on you, Youngster."
'Jim' shook his head, biting at his lower lip before he spoke. "It was never going to be easy, Thomas. But we all have a job to do now, which pretty much entails striving to stop a madman. And Artemus is right, we tried to come up with some other way to do that, and there simply is not any. Jem … will pull Jimmy's family through the worst of it, I can count on him for that, of course. We always have had a huge extended family that somehow managed to stay close knit. My grandmother Jean and his grandmother Meg had a lot to do with making that happen. So did our parents, and all our aunts and uncles."
"James, old man," Jeremy said. "I'm just curious. What worries you most about this scheme we're setting up now? Is it dealing with Boudin, or at least risking the chance of meeting that bastard again? Or is it the the trouble you feel your cousin and that part of your family will go through, maybe very soon, without you there to help them?"
"Yes." 'James' answered, drawing a quiet laugh from the whole group. " In our family we have a very serious affliction that runs like a common thread among the descendants of our colonial era ancestors, Jeremy. In brief, it shows itself in a strong desire to save the whole, entire world we live in, and what is worse, a mad belief that we just might be able to do it, all by ourselves.
I thought that strain of this syndrome might die out itself, sometime during the War, when so many of our generation and our father's generation died for one side, or the other. But it just got stronger in our blood than ever, then. My grandmother and Jemmy's called it 'the Ruling Passion of the Torrance breed'. They told us stories about how it ruled so many of our ancestors in Ireland, throughout the centuries. My uncles sometimes call it our 'vocation', whereas raising horses was just a side-business for us. We only ever want to save the world, that's all." 'Jim' said, and steepled his fingers for a moment. "And it breaks our hearts when we can't ever, ever do that."
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