Chapter Four
"Mrs. Autonberry, can I help you get out of those wet clothes?" Elisabeth offered when she finally got to sleep. Jarrod was carefully watching her husband as he was sure he had a concussion. The three boys were huddled on the other end sharing stories.
"That sounds wonderful. Please call me, Maris. All my things including money were in the car. But I won't complain, we are all safe."
"And please call me, Elisabeth. We shall be fast friends living in our little railcar. Let me check what we have. I have my bag and I believe I saw some of Audra's things here in the lowboy."
"Anything would be wonderful, Elisabeth."
Nick had poured her a sherry which she was daintily sipping on. He couldn't help but watch her.
"Mrs. Autonberry, what do you really think of Pine Crest?" he quickly got to the matter weighing on his mind.
"Please call me, Maris."
He grinned at her enjoying this harmless flirtation, "Nick,"
"Agreed. If I am to be completely honest, I would prefer James David at home but since those choices are my father-in-law's, it is a most excellent choice. They have so many opportunities for him to develop confidence. I believe confidence in a man will serve him well. He has learned to hunt pheasants and partridge—and found he loves fly fishing. He has become adept at tying his own flys. He has always been strong academically but he flourishes there. My Father-in-law likes the curriculum and the contacts he will meet there for life as well as the more manly pursuits like fencing and boxing. I also like the social skills portion. There will be a parental ball in a few months where they bring their families in and entertain them. So I was long-winded, but it's the one school I could abide by with my father-in-law. I did not want him shipped off to military school or such; we have given him the best tutors."
Nick carefully listened. He liked her answers but he was interested in why her father-in-law made all of the decisions. "Where was the boy's father?"
Elisabeth gathered some items and asked her to come to the sleeping area. Nick helped her up. He could tell she couldn't put pressure on the foot.
"Maris, do ya mind if I see that cut?"
She sat down again and lifted her dress slightly. Nick couldn't help but get a look at her ankle.
"I think we need to wash it more. I think there is more rock in there."
Elisabeth brought over a basin of clear water with a towel and started to do it herself.
"If Miss Maris doesn't mind, let me. I think I saw something."
Her eyes grew wide at his suggestion but no one else in the room cared; they didn't even look over. The thought that her father-in-law would have a fit, emboldened her.
Elisabeth gave her a reassuring look too, "I was raised properly as you but Nick is a gentleman. I will promise you that."
He gave her a disarming smile that weakened her resolve.
The boys across the room were engrossed in their conversation and Jarrod was watching both Peterson's so she allowed him to check her foot.
"Thank you, Nick."
He soaked her foot in the basin and began to gently massage the area.
She found herself growing warm, like a maiden—the days before David.
Her garden at home in Maryland—her best friend and her giggling about a boy Maris kissed behind the shed. She still looked back at the memory of being barely 14 and a stolen kiss. It still warmed her to this day. She had never felt the same since.
Nick saw her color and enjoyed the response he was getting. He massaged her arch and all the way to her ankle.
"Getting the blood moving," as he made up an answer.
She accepted it and allowed herself to look at the handsome man in front of her. He was tan and weathered with beautiful hazel eyes and a head full of black hair with rich silver streaks. He gave her butterflies in her stomach as she had said in her youth.
He looked up several times and she had closed her eyes. She caught him looking once and they kept their gaze for a few moments. She was clearly enjoying his attention and surely at her age, mid-thirties he surmised, she had to be aware that he was flirting.
His definition of common to JT and Chip came to mind but she was anything but—he still was surprised that she allowed him this liberty. She seemed unaware of the pleasure it was giving him—-"Either she is naive or enjoying the act as much as I am. Too bad this is all that's going to happen."
Reluctantly Nick ended his little game with the beautiful woman and gently opened the wound. He took out several small pieces of rock.
"Maris, I need to clean it out with a little whiskey. It will sting like fire but infection won't set in."
She nodded in assent and he pulled a flask out of his vest. She was surprised and then made a small noise as the warm liquid hit the spot. Nick held the wound close and bound it with his own handkerchief. He held the pressure on for a few minutes and squeezed her ankle.
She made a little mew and he swallowed his chuckle.
"It's too bad I got this filly all ready and nowhere to go."
She stood up and thanked him.
"How did you know there was still something in my foot, Mr. Barkley?"
"Don't take this wrong but I have been shoeing fillies for a long time."
She genuinely smiled and he began to warm even more.
"Nick, you are a scoundrel. Calling our guest a filly," Elisabeth laughed.
"A fine one at that."
"Thank you again," as she walked with Elisabeth to change clothes.
—-&—-
Nick walked over to the boys, "Want to play some cards? It might be a while before we get moving."
"Yes sir," they all three loudly agreed.
Jarrod and Elisabeth turned quickly around and pointed toward the Petersons. She put a finger to her mouth in admonition.
They all apologized quietly.
"James David, are you allowed to gamble?"
"Yes sir for matchsticks or small coins."
"Poker?"
"Yes sir. My mother taught me."
The boys and Nick's heads turned to him in surprise; "the diminutive little lady across the room played poker?" Her son shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
"She's good too. Plays with the servants during the long winter months too. Sometimes she does chores with them." Then he caught himself.
They looked at him with a question as they saw nothing untoward about his words.
"Sorry. My grandfather wouldn't approve. He doesn't like mother's familiarity with them. Poker would be a man's game in his book. Mother loves to play all sorts of games. She's quite competitive—-for a lady," with disappointment on his face.
"Well in my book, my mother has beat me and your Uncle Jarrod over there more times than we would like to admit. James David, you deal." Nick handed him the cards.
He began to shuffle the cards but Nick's attention went to the open door. Maris had her wet and blood-stained dress in her arms.
"I think it's headed to the rag bin. Blood stains are set by water and it's soaking."
She had taken down her hair and braided it down the side. She was wearing a loose navy, short sleeve dress of Audra's. It was way too long but she tied up the dress at the hem.
Jarrod complimented her first, "Mrs. Autonberry, you look much more at home in our car. Audra has eight inches on you and you have made it work beautifully."
Elisabeth added, "You look so lovely."
"Thank you," she blushed profusely as one not used to compliments.
Nick was speechless. She was a very natural beauty.
He doubted she had ever touched a rouge pot, "I doubt her father-in-law would let her anyway. But why hasn't she told us where her husband is"
"Count me in, boys" and she sat down at the table with them. She sat next to her tall son. Their hair matched perfectly.
Jarrod and Elisabeth sat back and enjoyed a glass of wine watching Maris win several hands of poker against Nick and the boys.
Elisabeth whispered to Jarrod, "He looks distracted. He made some mistakes."
Jarrod's eyes twinkled, "Yes he is. And it's been a very long time. And those mistakes were caused by the lovely lady. I had almost forgotten how I missed this side of my brother. Before Peg, a lovely lady could turn his head in a second."
—-&—-
The car began to move again and then lurched several times. Maris fell into Nick as the car stopped quickly. The poker chips fell to the floor and Nick caught her quickly. Her bosom fell into his large weathered hands. He quickly recoiled but held her up by her shoulders.
James David and the boys ran to the window to see what was going on. Jarrod joined them. Nick was still holding her close for a few minutes longer than he needed. They both enjoyed the closeness.
She whispered an embarrassed whisper, "Thank you. You have rescued me three times tonight."
Her insides were churning with the nearness and touch of Nick. Her naïvity assumed his touch was accidental and she was discomfited that she found pleasure in it.
"Ladies are not supposed to find pleasure in carnality. It is wanton to do otherwise." came back to her mind from a governess of her youth.
He looked at her for a hint of coquette but found none. Her comment was made in innocence and not seduction in his mind. She confused him.
A porter came through, "Gonna be here longer. Going to try to back up to reduce some tension on the line. Will bring some supper to you soon. The serious injuries left a few minutes ago in a farm wagon. How are your guests? We had to send the worst cases first."
"Concussion and a broken arm. Will need a doctor in San Francisco. But they are doing well."
"Yes sir, Mr. Barkley."
—-&—
The porter brought down a tureen of soup and sourdough. Elisabeth spooned them all into a bowl; Maris cut and buttered the bread.
Nick kept looking at her every inconspicuous chance he could find.
She volunteered to feed soup. Her husband had drifted off to sleep.
Nick took the opportunity across the room to ask Jarrod what he knew about the Autonberry's.
He lowered his voice, "JD is one of the wealthiest men in the country. James David here is his heir. The boy's father, Junior or David, died a few years back in some suspicious manner. Mr. Peterson is the executor of Maris and the boy's estate. He thinks a great deal of them. He was telling me about them before he went to sleep."
Nick let out a long exhale. Jarrod waited for an explanation but Nick quietly went back to the other end of the car with the boys.
Jarrod shook his head in confusion.
Elisabeth called out, "Maris, I know where I saw a shawl. It was on the top of the curtained shelves." and she handed a gold embroidered shawl to Maris.
"I think it's Victoria's or Audra's. I haven't seen Sally with one like that."
"Thank you. It was getting chilly in the night air. It's perfect. I will take great care of it. It's lovely."
Nick couldn't believe his eyes. His heart constricted in his chest and for a moment, he couldn't breathe.
Maris walked over to the boys and Nick couldn't help but reach out and touch the shawl. He brought the long fringes to his nose as she stood talking to the boys.
"It still smells like Peg. Her rosemary and herb soap. Brought this home from a trip to Mexico."
