Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted July 17, 2022
Addy was grateful that her brother was here to drive the wagon back home...while she could have done it, she was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She'd helped take care of the injured until they got to the fort, but once they were on the rode back to town, she'd relaxed with Caroline in the back of the wagon, where both ladies endured Weddy and Josh's earnest ministrations.
Still, Addy had pretty quickly fallen asleep, and only woke up when they stopped in town to drop off Miss Mundee at her home. After giving the young woman a firm hug, she climbed onto the seat next to her brother, leaning against him with a sigh.
"Good ta be home," she muttered, although there was a lot to do before she could relax. "Least ways I got me a horse outta it," she added, indicating the Indian paint tied to the back of the wagon. "Gonna hafta take a team out an' get th' coach."
Sighing, she rested her head on her brother's shoulder. "Gotta get me some boots an' a good meal first, though. It was good ta see ya there."
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
"Good ta be home," she muttered, although there was a lot to do before she could relax. "Least ways I got me a horse outta it," she added, indicating the Indian paint tied to the back of the wagon. "Gonna hafta take a team out an' get th' coach."
Sighing, she rested her head on her brother's shoulder. "Gotta get me some boots an' a good meal first, though. It was good ta see ya there."
Isiah had felt terrible that he wasn't there even sooner. "I woulda been there sooner if I coulda." He let her know as he leaned some towards her so she didn't have to lean so far to rest her head. The bruise and swelling from the hit she'd taken to her face looked painful, and he supposed it was only going to get a little bit worse before it got better.
"I was told not to though, warned not to." He wanted to be sure she was clear on that, to know that he would have been out there fighting for her, but showing up in the middle of the battle, folks not knowin' who he was, well it would have caused more trouble than help.
"I knew you were tough, Addy, but d*amn, I didn't know you were this tough." He held the reigns of the horses, guiding them back to the house. He was so glad he was here to help take care of her and the house and anything else she needed.
"Don't worry about the coach, I'll go and help whoever needs it to get it back here. You'll be home resting for a while." He told her, his firm tone, knowing she could be just as stubborn as he was! He stopped the horses and wagon in front of the house. He jumped down and went around to help her get down. "Jemima cooked a good meal for the boys and ... " He couldn't remember the other girls name right now. "Oh another young girl..." He shook his head since he couldn't remember. "So you'll be eating good once we get you inside." He smiled to her as he lifted his arms to help her down.
When they got home, Josh came running around to stand beside Isiah, wanting to help me, he tried to push his Pa out of the way and he held his arms up like his Pa. "I'll help ya down Aunt Addy!" He had enjoying helping with the ladies in the back and now he wanted to help more, even if he was feeling tired after all this!
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Grinning, Addy let her brother and Josh help her down from the wagon, then sighed and nodded. There were more pressing things than fetching the coach, and she figured by the time she'd gotten those done, the coach would be back and polished!
"Thank ya. Reckon I'll get t' th' house an' clean up." She did have some old boots there, although she wasn't of a mind to go anywhere for a while. And she knew Isiah would take care of the team...in fact, Weddy was already starting to work on the harness.
"Wouldn't'a made no sense ta come out any sooner, not in th' dark." Even she wouldn't have tried such a thing in the dark, not knowing exactly where she was going, or what she was riding into. "Glad yer here, though."
She wanted to talk to him, but that would have to wait until the horses were put up and she'd had a real meal...and a bath...and a few shots of whisky!
"C'mon, now," she held her hand to Josh, "you can help me in th' house, show me whacha made fer supper."
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
If Mrs O'Hoolighan hadn't suggested it, Jemima wouldn't have gone calling at the Chappel home, that last day in August. Not because she didn't care about the injured and abused Indian captive who was just then being brought home, or her adopted son Porter, who had endured a tough night of it, no doubt, but because she did care for Miss Chappel's brother, Isiah.
Arabella had told her about this thing called 'the hard to get game' which girls were supposed to use on men they wanted: but any plans that Jemima might have to try that on Mr Chappel were sorta busted by her turning up like a bad penny with a pie (nicely covered in a gingham cloth) a jug of cordial and a bar of fancy scented soap that Mrs. O'H. had donated.
Addy, Weedy, little Josh and (*sigh*) Isiah, were just making their way in when she appeared, toting her 'welcome home' package. It so happened she caught Isiah's eye first, and quickly looked down to the ground, blushing furiously.
"Mrs O'Hoolighan said to bring these round and see if Miss Chappel wants any help with anything... any lady things." she announced, somewhat mysteriously. But terrible things could happen to a women at the hands of the Indian savages, things Addy may not be able to disclose to a man, even her brother.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
If Mrs O'Hoolighan hadn't suggested it, Jemima wouldn't have gone calling at the Chappel home, that last day in August. Not because she didn't care about the injured and abused Indian captive who was just then being brought home, or her adopted son Porter, who had endured a tough night of it, no doubt, but because she did care for Miss Chappel's brother, Isiah.
Arabella had told her about this thing called 'the hard to get game' which girls were supposed to use on men they wanted: but any plans that Jemima might have to try that on Mr Chappel were sorta busted by her turning up like a bad penny with a pie (nicely covered in a gingham cloth) a jug of cordial and a bar of fancy scented soap that Mrs. O'H. had donated.
Addy, Weedy, little Josh and (*sigh*) Isiah, were just making their way in when she appeared, toting her 'welcome home' package. It so happened she caught Isiah's eye first, and quickly looked down to the ground, blushing furiously.
"Mrs O'Hoolighan said to bring these round and see if Miss Chappel wants any help with anything... any lady things." she announced, somewhat mysteriously. But terrible things could happen to a women at the hands of the Indian savages, things Addy may not be able to disclose to a man, even her brother.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Miss Jemima." Addy nodded to the young woman, the way she was eyeing her brother, like a big ol' grizzly bear watching a one-finned salmon trying to swim upstream -- no, wait, it was F Falmer who was the bear, right? So, more of a...
"That pie ya got there?" Addy grinned, allowing as how she really was pretty famished, and for real food! "Don't know as I got no 'lady things' ta worry on, but a nice, hot bath'll be just th' thing! Thank ya fer offerin' help, Miss Jemima. Ya can put some water on ta heat."
She didn't really need a bath hot, but neither did she relish a cold bath!
"Should be done 'bout th' time yer done with them horses," she told her brother, "then we c'n all sit down ta a feast...an' whisky fer them what's old enough!" She needed a good shot!
Out in the barn, Weedy had dragged over the crate he used so he could reach the buckles on the harness, and handing some of the smaller pieces down to Josh. "Just lay those by the tack room," he told his cousin, "and we can hang them up later." Even he needed the crate to reach the pegs.
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
"Miss Jemima." Addy nodded to the young woman.
"I'm glad you're all right, Miss Chappel." the girl said simply.
"That pie ya got there?" Addy grinned, allowing as how she really was pretty famished, and for real food! "Don't know as I got no 'lady things' ta worry on, but a nice, hot bath'll be just th' thing! Thank ya fer offerin' help, Miss Jemima. Ya can put some water on ta heat."
Jemima nodded her comprehension and tried unsuccessfully to appear oblivious to Isiah's presence.
"Afternoon, Jemima." He tipped his hat towards her, giving her a smile as Josh held tight to "Mighty kind of you and Mrs. O'Hoolighan...." He hoped he said that right.
Jemima just gave Isiah a quick, coy smile and looked back down again: too shy, even, to correct the terrible mis-pronouncement of Mrs O'Hoolighan's name, even though she'd just said it herself.
"We still had left overs from last night, but this looks nice and warm and no doubt delicious." He held his hand towards her, offering to take the pie off her hands.
"That was just Tater Pie, this is steak and kidney, we made it specially to build up Miss Chappel's strength after her ordeal." she explained. When he held out his hands to take it though, she demurred "That's all right, I can bring it." she said. After all, he might be tall and handsome, but he was still just a man, and a man might clumsily drop it or put it in the wrong place in the kitchen and besides, pie-care was women's work, even in the topsy-turvy house of Miss Addy, where women wore men's clothes and drove stage coaches!
"I'm sure we could use some help if you don't mind and have the time, because you are going in, getting cleaned up and resting."
She didn't really need a bath hot, but neither did she relish a cold bath!
"Should be done 'bout th' time yer done with them horses," she told her brother, "then we c'n all sit down ta a feast...an' whisky fer them what's old enough!" She needed a good shot!
Jemima went in with Addy and put the pie somewhere sensible then looked out some suitable kettles to heat the water up on the hob where, just last night, she had stood and cooked up some vitals for Weedy and Arabella and then Josh and his father too.
She couldn't help comment on Addy's black eye. "That's a nice shiner they gave you, Miss Chappel; would you like me to fetch some raw steak to put on that, we didn't use it all in the pie?" she offered.
"Mr Chappel was awfully worried about you, he wanted to set off and find you in the middle of the night, we even had words about it." she confided, finding an odd thrill to relate the very minimal conversation she had enjoyed with her brother: that they had spoken at all, even if he had ended by scolding her, was something to her, it meant they had some sort of 'relationship'.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Isiah was happy to have Jemima here to help, to draw up the warm water and showing up just in time with a warm meal for Addy. She deserved that and so much more. Once the two ladies were inside Isiah hurried over to help the boys.
Weedy was a hard worker, he could tell that and he was glad that Josh seemed to be looking up to the boy and following his every move. He found them in the barn working together. Arriving just in time to lift the saddle from the horse they were working on. "You boys have been a big help." He said to the pair and he placed the saddle in it's spot. Then coming back to the horse, he checked him over for any rubs or sores from all the hard work as the boys started to work on the other horse.
After caring for the horses, getting them water, cleaning up their hooves, etc he looked at them both, the three of them hot and sweaty by now. "I bet Addy's done with her bath and it's time to eat. I'm mighty hungry, how about you two?" He raised a brow, already knowing the answer to this question from the two growing boys.
He headed back towards the house with them, not taking for granted the peace he was finally feeling, knowing his sister was home, safe, and unharmed (for the most part).
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Addy went out to the back where the 'tub' was, a converted trough that needed to be filled with water from the pump, and she really didn't want to wait for the water to be hot.
"Grab a bucket there," she asked Jemima, then she grabbed another...it would go pretty quickly with both of them working.
"They gave me a shiner, an' Miss Caroline's got even more scrapes, but we took care'a one of 'em, so he ain't gonna bother no one no more."
She dumped some water into the trough, then went back for another round. "I'm glad that lunkhead didn't come out in th' dark." Glancing at Jemima, she shook her head. "Wouldn't just got lost out there an' ended up back here, th' horses would'a come home."
Lordy, she would have been worried if she'd thought that Isiah would have been wandering the mountains in the dark!
Finally, she peeled out of what was left of her clothes, then sighed and stepped into the tub, only shivering a little as she settled down. "I thank ya fer lookin' out fer th' boys. It's good ta know they weren't alone."
Closing her eyes, she sighed. "Would ya mind goin' in my room an' grabbin' my nightshirt?" She'd need something to put on when she got out of the water.
"THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR!!!"
"Grab a bucket there," she asked Jemima, then she grabbed another...it would go pretty quickly with both of them working.
"They gave me a shiner, an' Miss Caroline's got even more scrapes, but we took care'a one of 'em, so he ain't gonna bother no one no more."
"Good." growled Jemima, with a look of grim satisfaction on her face. She would have enjoyed hearing exactly how the redskin had died at the white women's hands, but it was a bit unseemly to ask. She'd find out from the saloon whore Mundee, via Arabella.
She dumped some water into the trough, then went back for another round. "I'm glad that lunkhead didn't come out in th' dark." Glancing at Jemima, she shook her head. "Wouldn't just got lost out there an' ended up back here, th' horses would'a come home."
"I offered to show him the way!" Jemima blurted "But I don't think he thought girl should go on adventures like that. He wanted to keep me safe." she uttered, feeling an odd mixture of resentment still, that he had rejected her offer, and cosiness at the thought of him considering her safety. A little dreamy look came over her face, which was usually quite placid and bovine anyway, and then she snapped out of it and went to fetch one of the kettles - she could at least take a little of the chill out of the pump water for Isiah's sister.
Finally, she peeled out of what was left of her clothes, then sighed and stepped into the tub, only shivering a little as she settled down. "I thank ya fer lookin' out fer th' boys. It's good ta know they weren't alone."
Jemima looked at Addy's naked body as she dipped into the makeshift bathtub. She was surprisingly womanly in her form for such a tomboyish person, her body would be attractive to a man and she could see what that feller, whatshisname, Jay Ryker, had seen in her. When she told Arabella that she'd given a naked Addy Chappel a bath, that weird little Miss would be as jealous as Hell; but the sight of an attractive female form just made Jemima sad: she herself was even less attractive with her clothes off than she was with them on, and that was saying something.
Closing her eyes, she sighed. "Would ya mind goin' in my room an' grabbin' my nightshirt?" She'd need something to put on when she got out of the water.
"Sure" nodded the girl and came back presently with both the mannish nightshirt - no pink ribbons and bows here - a towel, the other kettle and the posh soap from the Professor's.
She dumped the soap, towel and nightshirt and brought the kettle round to the front of the trough to pour it in where it wouldn't scald the bather. "Spread your legs" she suggested, so she could pour the water in safely. For some reason, that lead her to her next question.
"Why'd that Mr Ryker leave, is he coming back?" she asked the other woman bluntly.