Page 41 of Earl of Excess
“It’s nice that you’ve gotten to spend time with your pa.” She had not realized Mr. Roeux had been spending time apart from the family. “How are you and your little sister, Amy, doing?”
“Pa brought her a doll from the city. She is happy, happy. He brung me some new hooks for my fishing pole!”
“That’s wonderful,” Bethany responded, smiling down at the boy. “So, your father works in the city, now?”
Johnny shrugged. “He says there are opportunities, right now. He comes home mostly ever’ weekend to help Ma with the crops. I help her, too. Pa says I’m the man of the house when he’s gone.”
Bethany smiled as he straightened his shoulders and stood up taller.
“Pa says he likes where we live, it being quiet and all.” Johnny squinted in the distance for a moment, as if looking for something. “Pa says he likes the pay better in New Orleans, he does,” he added, “but he likes living here in the sticks.”
Howcurious, she thought, but gave it no more consideration as she turned to her dog who was holding a small ball in her mouth. “Dandie, when I call you, come.” The fright had made her irritated. “Give Johnny back his ball.” Her spunky little white dog shot her an innocent look, hanging her tongue out the side of her mouth while she wagged the entire backend of her body. “Drop it.” She commanded, softly. The dog complied, and Bethany picked up the ball and handed it to the boy.
“Reckon we might fish tomorrow?” the boy asked, thoughtfully. His gaze was still on the river, and Bethany turned to look at what he was seeing.
“What is it, Johnny?” she asked, seeing ripples in the water. “An alligator?” The thought gave her shivers.
“Nah. It’s a man. I saw him here a day or so before,” he replied, nonchalantly.
The alligator would have vexed her less. “Do you know him?” She felt a familiar fear in the pit of her stomach.Had someone followed them?
“Johnny, can you describe this man?” she said, worrying her bottom lip.
“He had long hair and was dirty looking,” Johnny said, screwing up his face. “He was in an old canoe and pulled up to the dock. Asked if I knew you. I said no,” he said, visibly worried.
“Did he say anything else?” she pressed.
“No. No, he pushed off and left the way he had come,” the little boy said emphatically.
“That is odd. I cannot think.” Her voice fell off.Caleb Smoot!How could he have known where her aunt lived?
“Johnny, if you see him again, please come and find me,” she said in measured tones, still worried about how he found her aunt. She needed to ask her Grandmère if she had said something when she treated his father. “I should take Dandie back inside. I’d like to feed her a little early.”
She started to invite the young man to dinner but wasn’t sure what was wrong with Matthew and thought better of it. “I might want to cast a line tomorrow,” she said instead. “You are my favorite fishing partner... I thought I would see what your plans might be.” She grinned.
“That’d sure be nice, Miss Bethany. We’d pass a good time and I’ll bring home dinner, jest like Pa does.”
She hugged the child and mussed up his hair, affectionately. “Thank you for playing with Dandie, Johnny. I will see you tomorrow.” With Dandie in tow, she returned to the house. When the screened door closed behind her, Bethany turned and watched the whistling little boy open the back gate and head toward home.
Entering the house, Bethany found her aunt and grandmother at the kitchen table, their heads bent down in a discussion. Grandmère looked up and motioned for her to join them.
“What’s wrong, Grandmère?” Bethany sighed inwardly. Could this day get any worse?
“Your colonel seems very sick. His fever is fairly high,” she said. “Has he complained of anything?”
Bethany ignored the playful jab. Instead, she thought about what Grandmère asked. “He did not complain. Besides appearing so pale, he has only acknowledged feeling fevered. I noticed he was flushed and touched his skin earlier, just before we came inside. He was very hot. I felt so bad that I had taken him to meet Mr. Duplantis.”
“Child, you had nothing to do with this. And you did not make it worse. You know that. We should keep the willow bark going and see if we can bring down the fever. Poor fella.” Her aunt pushed a cup of hot willow bark tea toward Bethany. “Would you like to give it to him?”
“Sure. Has he awakened?”
“No, but I think he should have the tea at regular intervals to fight the fever,” her grandmother responded.
“Thank you, Grandmère.” Bethany picked up the tea and then set it down. “I should tell you what I just learned.”
“You look worried sick, Bethany. What is it?” Grandmère asked.
“Please, tell us what is wrong, child,” her aunt added.
