Chapter 4 - Trouble Begins

Caleb escorts the family to Boston and is met with trouble.

          After all the Christmas celebrations were over, Caleb returned to his day-to-day duties of caring for the estate and its animals.  That Christmas, though not the last he would enjoy with the Meyers family, would be the one he would never forget.  Every smell, sound, and feeling would remain with him his whole life. 

          Caleb also never forgot blue-eyed Elizabeth Meyers.  She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.  “She is still just a child.” He told himself, but it did not change the way he felt.  He, however, carefully only kept the thoughts private for the time.

 

          The wind whistled through the barn.  Shadows danced around the small room as the flame of the lantern flickered.  Caleb lay on his thin mattress listening to the tick of the watch in his hands.  He ran his fingers over the watch’s beautifully decorated cover.  He had been awake nearly the whole night and he knew in an hour or so he would have to begin work again.  He had not been able to sleep all night.  All he could do was think about the last two days.  For the first time after his mother had died he was happy.  He felt like a part of the Meyers family.  He lay there thinking about this until the sun began to rise and he heard the rooster crow.  He rose from bed and headed out to begin his work.  After the animals were fed and the eggs and milk taken in, there would be repairs to the barn and like maintenance to the house. 

          Caleb fed the animals and then took fresh milk and eggs into the house.  When he arrived, a small table in the kitchen was set and breakfast was waiting for him.  One of the ladies dressed in black entered the room, took the pail of milk and basket of eggs, and instructed him to take a seat.  After breakfast he returned to his work.  From then on he was treated to breakfast in the house every morning before he went to work. 

 

One morning the following summer, Caleb made his way into the kitchen as he did first thing every morning.  This morning, however, breakfast was not waiting on the table for him.  At the door stood Mr. Meyers.

“You will no longer take breakfast in this room,” Mr. Meyers told Caleb, taking a step forward.  A streak of panic shot through him much like the fear he felt when his father had come home drunk.  What was Mr. Meyer’s about to tell him?  Had he done something wrong?  If so, what had it been?  Was this his punishment or was there something worse waiting for him?  He had never seen Mr. Meyers angry or vengeful, but he had no idea what the man may be capable of.  “From today on, you will join the family for breakfast and dinner,” Mr. Meyers continued.  Caleb took a deep breath of relief and followed Mr. Meyers into the dining room. 

The family was already seated and filling their plates.  “Go on and have a seat Caleb.”

“Good Morning, Caleb,” Mrs. Meyers said smiling.

“Good Morning,” he replied.

The bowls and plates of food were passed around the table and Caleb filled his plate with a sample of each item.

“Today is a very pretty day,” Mrs. Meyers said gazing down the long table at her husband.  “I think I’ll take a trip into town this afternoon and perhaps take the girls with me.”

“We’ll hitch the horses after breakfast dear,” Mr. Meyers replied.

“Oh, Mother.  What will we do in town?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.

“Well, you’ll just have to wait and see,” Mrs. Meyers told her smiling.  “Now when you empty your plate, go up and fix your hair and perhaps put on one of your nice dresses.  You want to look nice for a trip into town.”

“Caleb will go with you ladies,” Mr. Meyers said, somewhat as an after thought.

“Oh, dear, he wouldn’t be interested in going to town with us,” Mrs. Meyers told her husband, then took a sip from her glass.  “He would just be bothered by our outing.  Perhaps you should take him into town some day.  I’m sure a boy his age would be much more interested in what you could show him.”  Mrs. Meyers smiled sweetly at Caleb and then went back to her breakfast. 

“I just think it would be safer for you if he accompanied you.”

“Well, we have never had any trouble in town before.  We’ll be fine.  Don’t worry so much dear.”

“I would just feel better if he went along.”

Mrs. Meyers gave her husband a confused look, but did not care to argue with him about the matter.

 

After the meal was finished, Caleb and Mr. Meyers went outside and hitched the horses to the buggy.  “Caleb, go saddle yourself a horse.  I’ll be right back,” Mr. Meyers instructed.  He returned within a few minutes with a shotgun in his hands.  “Do you know how to use this?”  he asked.

“Yes Sir.”

“Good!  I want you take this with you in case there is any trouble.  Don’t be afraid to shoot anyone who gives you trouble.”

“Yes Sir,” Caleb replied quietly.  He wondered why Mr. Meyers was going to such measures.  He had seen the ladies of the house head to town on their own before and they had returned safely.  Would he really run into any danger or was it just Mr. Meyers being over protective of his wife and daughters?

Caleb reluctantly took the gun and mounted the horse.  The ladies came out of the house, all three dressed like they were heading to church.  They climbed into their buggy and started for town, Caleb riding along side them.  They made their way into town undisturbed.  Caleb followed them through the streets of Boston and when Mrs. Meyers and the girls entered a shop he remained on horseback waiting for them.  The whole time they spent in town he let his mind wonder about why Mr. Meyers was suddenly so worried about the welfare of his family on one of their routine trips into town.

By late afternoon Mrs. Meyers and her daughters were ready to go home.  They rode out of town and up the hill toward the house.  About half way to their destination Caleb heard the sound of a horse trotting toward them from behind.  He stopped and turned to see a man riding up on a black mare.  Caleb was struck with fear.  Was this the danger Mr. Meyers had warned him about?  He lifted the gun and aimed, though he was shaking so badly he did not expect he could have actually been able to hit anything.  The man on the black horse raised his revolver and aimed it square at Caleb.  Without thinking, Caleb pulled the trigger and by shear chance hit the man; or at least knocked him off his horse.  He did not stay to find out.  He yelled to Mrs. Meyers, “Hurry!  Go home!” as he spun around and raced down the road staying close behind them.

When they arrived back at the house, Mr. Meyers was waiting anxiously for them.  Elizabeth jumped from the buggy.  “Papa!  A man on a black horse tried to shoot Caleb.” 

Mr. Meyers looked up at Caleb with alarm.  “Ladies, get in the house,” he told them.  They quickly made their way onto the porch and through the front door.  “Did you shoot him?”  he asked turning back to Caleb. 

“Yes Sir.”

“How bad did you get him?”

“I don’t know sir.”

“That’s alright.  Tell me what happened.” 

“We were on our way home.  A man rode up behind us on a black horse.”

“Did he say anything?”

“No,” Caleb paused then continued.  “I aimed the gun at him.  He tried to shoot me with his revolver, but I pulled the trigger first.  He fell off his horse and we headed for home immediately.”

“That is good, Caleb.  What did the man look like?”

“He was dressed all in black.  He looked tall and he had…blonde hair.  I can’t remember much more.” 

“Okay.  Unhitch the buggy and take the horses back to the stables.  Then will you join me in the sitting room?  I have something for you.”