Fetching Aeilandra

[Lovely]

Sept 20, Year 1
Continued from: A Fateful Hand


Lucky had heard the man without turning around. The shiver he got down his back was enough to make him move out the door that much faster and unhitch Rory's horse. He was a light rider and they were at the Adams' door in a short few minutes. He pounded and hooted. "Missus... you're requested... hurry please. Your husband insists you come now... missus?!?"

The door opened to a young girl, about the same age as Lucky, she was smiling in greeting. "Can I help you? Missus Adams has not been feeling well, she has retired for the evening." She heard the sound of the woman coming down the stairs and gave a small nod. "Seems as though she awake.. come on in now."

Aeilandra had not been sleeping and had heard hooves pounding closer, then the young boy's voice. She'd risen and came down to see what was amiss. "Good evening?" Her head tilted and she eyed the boy curiously. "My husband has sent you to fetch me? Is he well?"

His hand ran over his head to be sure he was polite in removing his hat, but he'd not worn it. He smiled at the incredibly pretty woman he'd only seen in church. "Sorry missus... he's well... well drunk, though, and has a hand of cards. He's written something and says you're to be there now, down at Miss Marguerite's place."

"He's what? Oh dear.." She sighed, knowing well his habit.. and his usually losing as well. "Alright..then, let me get dressed and I'll head down." She looked a bit concerned, not knowing what he was up to, and if he'd lost.. she would be suffering more tonight. She already bore a mark along the right side of her jaw from his sour mood before leaving for the saloon. That had been the reason she'd been resting.

"No time, missus. He said to come as you are, no matter. And no questions, either, I was told, but I will tell you, the magistrate sent me first. He's not said but a word to most folks, but tonight he said several, mostly about your marriage, missus. Please come quickly."

Her hand went to flutter at her throat nervously. "The magistrate?" She bit her lip, begining to worry more, what had he done? She nodded and tightened her robe about her, moving quickly to get her coat and shoes.

"If it's all the same, missus," he cringed and nodded to the stairs. "If I know Alexander, he'll give you time to dress up proper if you like. Can say I got lost on the way. Ain't right sending a lady out in the cold in her robe." He smiled gently. Even for a boy, he was used to Tessie's girls and looking after them all like sisters.

She turned to the boy with a thankful smile, but shook her head. "And what did my husband say?"

"He sounded right angry and said he didn't care what you was dressed in, gown or no, but that's not what the magistrate said. He's who I'm really calling for since he pays me a wage for messages anyhow. He wanted you to pin your hair. It's right pretty hair not to be pinned up proper," he said boldly and shyly at once. "Either way, missus, not a lot of time."

[Lovely]

"Hmm corsets take time young man... and if we don't have much, we'd best not waste any. Janette, my hair pins. Hurry now." She flashed a warm smile at the girl, who scurried off and set the smile on the boy. "A bit of compromise.. the magistrate wishes my hair pinned and my husband demanded I come in my current state of dress.. Hmm?" She buttoned her coat over her robe and laced her shoes, turning to take the pins and slip them into her pocket. Her hands moving to twist and smooth her hair into place, pinning as she headed for the door.

"This way, missus. Maybe I best let you ride there direct and I'll run behind if it's all the same. Don't seem right me riding beside you and all. I don't mind," he smiled, blushing a little from the one she turned on him. Her eyes were amazingly brilliant and warm like she was looking through him. Janette, he took note of. She was a little older than him, he guessed, but he'd be looking for her in church on Sunday.

Aeilandra bit her lip and then looked to Janette. "You may retire for the evening. I will attend to mister Adams, when we return later." She nodded a warm look, given to the girl as she turned back to the boy. "Are you certain? I do not mind you riding with me, doesn't seem right to make you go back on foot."

"No.. you go on, missus. One thing... the mister.. he mentioned a bag... a black one. If it's too long to get, maybe your girl can fetch it and I'll bring it along behind. I've kept you too long already, I'm sure."

Aeilandra nodded to the boy and called for Janette to fetch the bag. "Thank you." She said to Lucky. "Perhaps you can run along, I'll be a moment longer and with the horse, likely pass ahead of you."

Lucky nodded. "Don't dally long, missus. He's a right mean man if I can and do say. Seen how he acts up ... don't never wanna know, ma'am, but... ," he crimped the words behind an embarrassed glance knowing he was overstepping his place, but he did his best to protect his 'sisters' and he'd do no less for this lady, too. "Don't dally," he added again, the seriousness in his eyes apparent as he turned to run off.

The bag in hand and she was swiftly on her way to the saloon, she could not help the worry or fear that ran through her. The boy's words had been truer than he could have imagined, the way Abraham acted up in 'public' was mild compared to the way he was at home. The ride was a blur, for her as she rushed to get to the saloon, praying he'd not be angry with her. Pulling up to the walk, she dropped gracefully from the horse and tied him to the rail.

{Aeilandra joins original thread here: A Fateful Hand}

[Lovely]

Lucky returns from the card game again.

*********

Lucky was back at the Adams home, pounding on the door insistently for Janette, hoping she hadn't retired for the night. He didn't stop at just the door, but ringed around, knocking on glass and wall wherever he could reach short of standing on bushes and throwing stones. "Miss!... Miss Janette?!?... It's urgent, miss. Please come down!"

The back door opened as he circled around and the girl peeked her head out. "You'll wake the entire county, with that racket." She whispered, giving him a curious and worried look. "Has something happened to the missus?"

Lucky stopped as Janette's voice rang out. Relief came over him and he came up to the back step. "I know this don't look proper, miss, but you need to pack and pack the missus' things right quick before the mister comes back. He's in terrible temper worse'n I've ever seen."

Janette looked at Lucky and blinked several times, shaking her head a little. "I.. I can't rightly do that.. not without their permission. The mister is always in a bad temper.. missus took a licking before he went out tonight." She looked shamed and sad that she was witness to such things.

"Listen to me, miss. Not like this. Murderous rage unlike anything I've ever seen and I don't rightly believe he'll stop at the missus. Pack and pack quick like.. and come with me where you'll be safe for a few days.. please," Lucky insisted. The girls could cover for them for a while but he'd be looking for them.

She regarded him a moment and then nodded, motioning him to come inside and help her. "Come on then.." She turned and just about ran up the stairs to the master bedroom, gathering some clothes and things for Aeilandra.

Lucky followed, making sure to secure the door behind him, not knowing how much time they'd have. He was fast on her heels as she turned the top step. "Anything you think the missus might need if she never came home, miss. Cuz I don't rightly think she'll be back.. hopin' you aren't either."

She paused and looked at him, biting her lip. "But most all of this is hers... family things, you see... even me.. I came with her, wherever she goes, I'll go." She continued to gather things up and paused to look at him. "Can you hitch up the cart? He'll destroy her things likely if we don't take them.. so the more we get in one trip.. the less he'll be able to ruin on her. At least her clothes and small stuff?" She pointed to the ornate boxes on the dresser that held the missus' hair pins and jewelry.

"No miss.. the cart he'll find. Just take what we can carry. We can knot a skirt to use as a bag, but we can only take a little, so just what she needs most. Things are just things, but I guess he don't know the difference 'tween them and people much."

She laid out some clothes, corsets and the like, leaving everything else and letting him tie it up in one of the skirts as she went to gather her own things. There was a small bag that the missus had tucked money away in and hid under a floor board, Janette took this as well and brought it back for Lucky to tuck into the makeshift bag.

"Can do some mending on all these to help you later," Lucky noted, taking account of the rips and tears where the missus had been lurched about against her fastenings and strings. He felt sick thinking of the horrid way they were treated here and made some silent promises that he would surely do what he could to help. He was young, but smart and strong. He took the parcel of money and tucked it deeply into the bag and started folding the other items to go in on top. "Might be room for one, maybe two of her nice boxes, but that's it... do you have what you need?"

Janette smiled a little in thanks and nodded about the mending, reaching to take a couple small things to put in the bag and helping to fold the clothes. "I have all I need, mine is set out in the hall." She handed him Aeilandra's brush.

Lucky pulled the items up and tested the knot to be sure it would hold. It seemed fine for now. "Alright, let's get you someplace safer'n here now, miss."

Making their way back to Tess's house, Lucky was leading Janette slowly behind the shops and windows on the low side along the rail. It was a route often traveled by men hiding from their wives, he explained. He heard the ruckus up in the town as they came closer. "What do you suppose that's all about?" He asked her, still moving on down the rail before starting up the hill behind Maggie's.

Janette looked to Lucky and shrugged, a bit of the worry showing on her face. "As long as it's not the missus.. don't really care what it is." She whispered.