No Less Than the Journey (13 page)

CHAPTER 20

The United States cavalry from Columbus left the Schuster mansion that afternoon. Wes had thought he and Aaron would leave with them but, as Aaron pointed out, they could not possibly reach the ferry to take them across the Mississippi before darkness fell and as they were riding government cavalry horses they would need to make arrangements for them to be returned.

Aaron felt it would be better to put their departure off until the following morning. It would enable him to send a note to the garrison commanding officer asking him to make the army steam launch available to take them direct to the stricken
Missouri Belle
and at the same time have someone waiting at the river bank on the Kentucky side to take the horses from them.

Reluctantly, Wes was forced to fall in with his friend’s plans.

One of the reasons he would rather not have spent another night at the Schuster mansion was because he realized Emma was infatuated with him – or, to be more realiztic – with the man she imagined him to be. He believed she would probably have been attracted to any man who came from another land
and seemed different to those who had so far been part of her life. He enjoyed her company but was embarrassed by her attentions, largely because of the huge social gap existing between them.

After dinner that evening, the guests and family split into groups. The older women sat chatting together on domestic matters while the older men settled down with their drinks to talk of the political and business news emanating from the more settled Eastern States.

All were subjects of which Wes had no knowledge. As a result, he spent the evening in the company of the younger mourners, among whom were the Schuster girls, their sole remaining brother John, and David Connolly.

Wes found John Schuster to be a very likeable young man. He was both shy and quiet, but Wes had little opportunity to get to know him better because Emma was loath to allow him out of her sight, or even to share his company with anyone else.

On one of the rare occasions when Emma left the group, Wes was talking with David Connolly and Sophie Schuster when the Louisiana Senator’s son asked whether Wes intended remaining at the Schuster mansion for a while.

When Wes replied that he would be leaving the next morning, Sophie asked, ‘Does Emma know?’

‘We haven’t actually spoken of it,’ Wes replied, ‘but she knows I am anxious to get to Missouri and begin working again.’

‘She is going to be very upset,’ Sophie commented, explaining, ‘I’ve never seen her take to anyone in the way she has to you.’

‘I’m convinced that’s only because I am not from around here … and because I knew Harrison. It’s obvious she was very fond of him.’

‘We all were,’ Sophie said, ‘and I hope you are right about Emma, but you are the first man in whom she has ever shown a serious interest. You should be very flattered!’

‘I am!’ Wes lied, although he felt more uncomfortable than flattered by what he believed to be only a passing infatuation on Emma’s part. However, Emma was not only an attractive young woman, she was also kind-hearted and had done a great deal to ensure he did not feel completely out of place in the opulent surroundings in which he found himself at the Schuster home, he had no wish to hurt her in any way. Nevertheless, no matter how real her feelings for him were, a romance between them was out of the question.

‘Emma is probably the nicest girl I have ever met,’ he said, honestly, ‘but there could never be anything more than friendship between us. She will find someone who works at something more rewarding than mining – and that’s what
I
am … a miner.’

‘I think you are destined to be something more than that,’ David Connolly said unexpectedly, ‘as I am certain Marshal Berryman would agree. I overheard him saying as much to Senator Schuster earlier this evening. He believes you have the temperament to one day become a great Marshal …’

Emma’s return brought that particular conversation to an end and, shortly before midnight, Olga Schuster, perhaps fearing her girls might be Cinderellas, gathered them together saying it had been a very trying day for them all. Ignoring the protests, from Emma in particular, that they were no longer children, she ushered them off to bed.

Emma’s protest had been to no avail, but she succeeded in turning her back on her mother for a few moments and holding Wes’s hand tightly while saying ‘Goodnight’ to him. When she had gone he realized, guiltily, that he had still not told her he would be leaving early the next morning.

When the girls and their mother had gone inside the house, David Connolly, John Schuster and a couple of other young Kentuckians announced their intention of going to the billiard room. Wes was invited to join them but Aaron was beckoning to him from across the terrace. Making his apologies to the others, Wes went to join his friend.

Old Charlie was seated beside Aaron and, although seemingly out of place among the well-dressed company, the buckskin-clad plainsman did not appear at all ill-at-ease. Sitting back comfortably with a glass of whisky in his hand, he was saying little, preferring to listen rather than talk.

Wes too remained as a listener until one of the Kentuckians asked him, more from politeness to bring him into their conversation than with any particular interest, what had brought him to America?

When Wes replied that he was on his way to Harmony, in Missouri, to join an uncle in the mines there, another of the group asked, ‘When did you last hear from this uncle of yours?’

‘The letter would have been written quite a few months ago,’ Wes replied, ‘I didn’t make up my mind to come to America for some time after I received it then needed to make the arrangements for travelling.’

‘I think you’ll find things have changed a great deal on the Missouri lead mines since the letter was written.’ The man who had asked the question said, adding, ‘I have a business interest in one of the mines and was there only ten days ago. A great many German miners have been coming into the mines in recent years and are now in enough strength to begin flexing their collective muscle. They have formed a “Union” of miners and begun action to have their pay raised. They walked out on their employers for a while and there was a great deal of trouble when Cornish miners were brought in to
take over the work – I believe you are from that part of England?’

When Wes confirmed that he was, the Kentuckian shook his head, ‘The Germans eventually won the day and are back at work now – but they have never forgiven the Cornish miners. Indeed, there was so much trouble between the two that most of the Cornish have moved on elsewhere. I suspect your uncle was probably among their number.’

This was disturbing news for Wes. He had come all this way on the assumption that there would be work for him at Harmony. There had been no hint in his uncle’s letter of impending trouble with other miners.

‘It doesn’t sound like good news,’ he admitted, ‘but having come all this way I need to go there to find out what is happening and, if my uncle has moved on, where he is now. He’ll certainly be on a mine somewhere. Like me, mining is all he knows … but perhaps the trouble with the Germans didn’t extend to all the mines around Harmony?’

‘It didn’t in the beginning,’ said the Kentuckian, ‘but I think you’ll find it does now. This “Union” of theirs has a stranglehold on every mine in the area. It’s become so bad that I intend selling my interest there – but the way things are looking I doubt if I’ll be able to find a buyer.’

Wes agreed with the Kentuckian that his prospects for work at Harmony was a cause for concern, but until he went there and learned what was happening he could not change the plans that had brought him all the way across the Atlantic from England.

CHAPTER 21

Wes and Aaron were up before most of the house guests the following morning but, early as they were, Emma was already downstairs waiting for Wes.

She greeted him accusingly with, ‘You never told me you were leaving early this morning. Mama mentioned it to me when we were on the way to bed. I crept downstairs after the others had gone to sleep, hoping to speak to you, but you were with papa and his friends. If I had come down this morning and found you were gone I would have been very unhappy.’

‘I knew my going would make you unhappy but there had been enough unhappiness in your life for one day, so I said nothing.’

It was no more than a half-lie. He had thought that if he told her he was leaving so soon there would have been an emotional scene and he would have found that hard to deal with.

‘Would you have just ridden off without even saying “goodbye”?’ Emma was only slightly mollified by his words.

‘No. At least … I was going to leave a note saying how
much I had enjoyed your company and to say I wished we had met in happier circumstances.’

This was the truth. In fact, he had already written the note. It was in his pocket and he had read it four or five times before leaving his room. He was glad he would not now need to give it to her. He had been unable to make up his mind whether it might give her false hope that he really did care for her and was likely to come back one day – perhaps when he had made more of a success of his life.

He was also aware that the note would make it clear to anyone reading it that he had received only a very elementary education.

Thankfully, she seemed to accept his excuses and the arrival of her mother with an announcement that breakfast was ready to be served put an end to that particular conversation.

Emma sat next to him at the breakfast table but her mother was seated on his other side and the conversation was centred on Aaron’s appointment as US Marshal for the Territories and what it was likely to entail.

When asked what help he would have to bring law and order to such a vast and notoriously violent area, Aaron cast a glance at Wes before replying.

‘I was hoping I might persuade a certain young Englishman to come there and give me a hand, but he sees his future in mining and not in law enforcement, so I guess I will just have to manage as best I can.’

‘Perhaps it is not too late for him to change his mind.’ Silas Schuster had been listening to the conversation and he added, ‘Judging by what was said last night there is little future in the lead mining industry – especially for an Englishman.’

‘That’s quite true,’ Aaron agreed, ‘So I’ll keep a job open for him, just in case.’

Wes merely smiled and said nothing. He felt he had already
made his views quite clear to Aaron.

Emma had taken in what was being said and, before everyone had finished eating she rose from her chair and going to where her father sat, whispered in his ear at some length.

As she whispered, he first frowned, then looked thoughtful and eventually nodded, whispering something to her in reply.

A delighted Emma kissed him on the cheek before hurrying to her mother and whispering in the ear farthest away from Wes.

Her mother arrived at a decision in a much speedier manner than had her husband. When she too nodded, a jubilant Emma hurried from the breakfast room, leaving her father to apologise for Emma’s rudeness to the others seated at the table, saying, ‘I am quite sure you will excuse such bad manners when the reason for it is revealed and you will not have to wait for too long.’

When Emma returned to the breakfast room some minutes later she was carrying something wrapped in a coloured cloth. Bringing it to the table and flushed with scarcely contained excitement, she stood by Wes’s chair and addressed all the guests at the breakfast table, saying, ‘As a great many of you will know, it would have been poor dear Harrison’s birthday next week and, because he had worked harder than anyone to help restore the Schuster plantation to its former glory, Papa and Mama wanted to buy him something special as a present. We all discussed what it should be and when we were agreed, Papa had something especially made for him in Connecticut and shipped here. Sadly – very sadly – Harrison never saw it….’

Here Emma’s voice broke and it was a few moments before she recovered sufficient composure to continue, ‘I have had a talk with Papa and Mama and they both agree it would be
appropriate for the present to be given to the man who shot his killer – and who one day might become a Deputy United States Marshal and put the present to good use. We all believe Harrison would have approved.’

Turning now to Wes, she said, ‘It is something I am certain you will enjoy owning, Wesley, but I hope you will never need to use it! Does that sound contradictory…? Well, when I give it to you, no doubt you will understand what I mean.’

When she lifted the towel from the present that had been bought for Harrison there was a gasp of admiration from those seated about the table as she handed Wes a Colt.45 calibre revolver, nestling in a soft leather holster – but this was no ordinary revolver. The gun-metal blue of the steel contrasted with a tooled ivory butt to make it a beautiful, if deadly, weapon.

Taken aback, Wes expressed disbelief, ‘This is for me? But … it’s beautiful!’

Glancing up he saw Emma looking at him expectantly and, rising to his feet, he kissed her. As she coloured up, he said, ‘It’s a present that Harrison would have truly appreciated. I echo Emma’s words and hope I am never called upon to use it – but, if I
am
, I will try to use it in a manner that would have had Harrison’s approval. Either way, it is something I will always treasure … always. Senator … Mrs Schuster … Emma, thank you very much indeed.’