Saddler's Run

Chapter 12

In books, reunions of this sort between long-lost relatives are usually of an affecting character and generally entail the various parties falling into each other’s arms with a good deal of weeping and kissing. This was by no means the case here, at least not to begin with. Not being versed in social niceties, Saddler made a grave error to begin with by taking what he saw as the obvious course of action, which is to say: walking up to the front door and knocking on it.

He soon discovered from the starchy and dignified woman who answered the door that this was not at all the correct proceeding. She took one look at the ragged and unkempt pair in front of her and curtly directed them to go at once round to the tradesman’s entrance. She thought Abigail was a boy and not unnaturally assumed them both to be beggars of some description.

When once they reached the kitchen door Saddler compounded his felony by entering the house unbidden and seating himself at once at the scrubbed deal table. He knew that if he did not do so then he was liable to collapse on the spot. This caused some intakes of breath and an audible gasp from the cook, who had never heard of such a liberty before from any of the hobos and bums who received handouts from the household.

Saddler was in no mood to delay though, fearing that he would pass out before he had been able to set the business out.

‘This here is Marion Gilchrist’s daughter,’ he announced, without any preamble. ‘She is the granddaughter of him as owns this house. Her ma and pa are dead and this here is the only family as she has.’

This sensational statement had hardly had time to register before Saddler followed it up with an even more amazing performance, which consisted in his losing consciousness, slumping sideways and then falling, apparently lifeless, to the floor of the kitchen.

When he came to, Saddler could not at first make out where he was and what the strange bodily sensations which he was experiencing might mean. It took him some time to realize that it was no more than the pleasant feeling of crisp, clean sheets around him and a soft mattress beneath. He opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She was wearing a dove grey dress and sat at the side of the bed, gazing at him thoughtfully.

He was sensible of the impropriety of lying in bed like this in the presence of a lady and made as if to rise, but she put out a warning hand.

‘Don’t move, Mr Saddler. You have lost a great deal of blood. We don’t want that wound opening up again.’

‘I’m sorry ma’am, you have the advantage of me. I’m not sure where I am, nor who you are?’

‘I’m Abigail’s aunt.’

For Saddler, the word ‘aunt’ had always conjured up elderly spinsters or middle-aged matrons. The thought that this vision of loveliness could be anybody’s aunt was a peculiar one.

The woman continued, ‘As to where you are, you are in my house, or I should say my father’s house.’ He still looked puzzled and so she continued, ‘Abigail’s mother was my big sister. She was ten years older than me. There was an estrangement between my father and her after her marriage and so we have not heard from her these thirteen years or so. We were not aware that she had had a child.’

‘Well, ma’am, I’m right grateful for your help. I hope I’ll not impose too long on your hospitality. I feel better already.’

‘Impose on our hospitality? How can you be so absurd? We have heard from Abigail something of her adventures. Do you honestly imagine for a moment that we would turn you out of our home after all that?’

She seemed offended that Saddler could even hint at such a thing. ‘Anyway, I promised that I would tell my niece as soon as you were awake. I’ll go and fetch her.’

‘How long have I been here ill?’

‘You were unconscious for two days. Our doctor despaired of your life at one point. Let me call Abigail.’

When Abigail entered the room she was no longer wearing the shirt and pants in which she had made the greater part of her journey across the Indian Territories. He saw a demure little girl wearing a modest black dress and with her hair properly tended to. It was hard to think of such a person torching Fort Renown!

When she entered the room Abigail ran at once to the bed and threw her arms round Saddler.

‘Oh Mr Saddler, I’m so glad to see you awake. They told me that you might die, but I didn’t believe a word of it. I knew things would turn out all right; they always do, you know.’

‘So you are finding yourself in a good situation here?’ asked Saddler. ‘You will be happy to stay here?’

‘My aunt is the most lovely person you ever met. Grandfather is different, but I think he is kind really. He just does not like it to be known.’

‘Well, child, I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you settled. I can leave here with a clear conscience and it’s not often I can say that.’

‘Leave here? Didn’t Carrie, my aunt you know, tell you? Nobody wants you to leave. They say you can stay. I’ll have to go to school and learn all sorts of disagreeable things, such as how to be a lady and such like, but you must not think of going anywhere.’

‘I’m not sure how your grandpa would take to that, Abigail.’

‘But it was his idea. You don’t want to go wandering off again, do you? Please don’t.’

‘I’d best see what your grandpa has to say. As to wandering off and roamin’ and such, no I can’t say as I do just now. I wouldn’t mind at all staying in one spot, leastways for now.’

The interview with the old man was not as alarming as Saddler had expected. Mr Gilchrist was not only a lawyer, he was a judge and he was under no illusions at all as to what kind of man Saddler was. He was, though, a man who believed in paying his debts and he knew that Saddler had put him under an obligation that could never be fully satisfied. He was a plain speaker and laid things out for Saddler.

‘You wouldn’t, I imagine, wish to live in a house such as this, Mr Saddler. That might not meet either of our requirements. I doubt you would wish to be sitting down to dinner with a judge every evening. I have some other properties in the town, small houses. One is vacant and you are welcome to move into it as soon as you are on your feet again.’

‘I have some money sir . . .’ began Saddler, but here Judge Gilchrist broke in with the greatest irascibility.

‘Devil take you, man, I don’t wish to hear of money. You have done me the greatest service any man ever did in the whole course of my life and you offer me money? We will talk later of what we can do to fix you up with some employment. I have no idea what your talents incline you towards; you’ll find little scope in Ox Creek for the sort of shenanigans you were up to in the territories.’

Before he left, Judge Gilchrist took Saddler’s hand and said, ‘From the bottom of my heart, Mr Saddler, I thank you for what you have done for me. I can never sufficiently repay you, but I’ll have a damned good try.’

That evening, before he went to sleep, there was a knock at his door. Saddler called out, ‘Come in,’ and Abigail entered the room. He was pleased to see her again, after feeling he had to be so formal and polite with Gilchrist and his daughter. He was relaxed in Abigail’s company, regarding her almost as an old comrade. Saddler was sorry to see that the child looked a little sad and he asked what was wrong.

‘It’s like this, Mr Saddler,’ she said. ‘My grandfather said that he thought you might be the type to up and run after a space and that I should perhaps not grow too fond of you, for I would then be grieved when it happened. I suppose I thought that you wanted to stay in this town for good. Was I wrong?’

Saddler called the child to him and desired her to sit on the bed.

‘Abigail,’ he said, ‘I have spent most all my life travellin’ round and never setting in one place for long. I tell you now, I am weary of it. Nothing would delight me more than settling here and working at a real job. I will not be digging up and leaving unexpectedly. I will stay for as long as you wish.’

Abigail flung her arms around Saddler and for a moment, they held each other tight. Then she bade him goodnight and left the room.