Subj: Kate Chapter 32
Date: 6/15/00 3:09:40 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Karen
After four days at Wyndcliffe, Barnabas couldn’t wait to get out of there. He realized what he needed was time alone, without Julia and the family hovering over him. He needed time to think about what had happened between he and Kate.
Standing in Julia’s office, Barnabas came in to say goodbye.
"Barnabas, what are you going to do?" Julia asked anxiously.
"I thought I would take a couple of weeks and go to the mountains." Barnabas replied.
Julia looked stunned. To the mountains? Barnabas wasn’t quite the mountain man type. She looked at him with disbelief in her face.
"The mountains? What in the world will you do there? Julia said.
Barnabas laughed. "Yes, I agree it is a bit out of character for me, but I need some time alone. Willie found a cabin nearby. I plan on staying there to take some time to myself." he said.
"But Barnabas, the mountains? A cabin in the woods? Is Willie coming with you? How will you eat? It’s the middle of October. It will be snowing soon." Julia said, trying to picture Barnabas cooking for himself, and chopping wood to keep warm. She couldn’t see it.
"No, Julia, Willie is not coming with me. I do know how to cook and I can keep warm by building a fire in the stove. I assure you, Julia, I can take care of myself." Barnabas said, smiling.
"I just can’t believe this, Barnabas." Julia said for a second time, shaking her head.
"Julia, you will have to believe it. Willie is coming for me soon. I must go. I need to do this. I need to think more about this pit of self-pity I put myself in. Goodbye, Julia. I will see you soon." Barnabas said, turning and leaving the room.
Julia stood in her office, wondering what had got into Barnabas. He was no more an outdoorsman than she was. Staying in an isolated cabin, no Willie to come bring food, hadn’t Barnabas had enough time alone to last a lifetime? Time would tell if he could stand all that isolation. She shrugged her shoulders and went to her next session, deciding to think about Barnabas later.
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Kate knew Barnabas was checking out of Wyndcliffe that afternoon. Willie had let her know that Barnabas was going to stay in a cabin in the woods; "to think" Willie had said. Willie did not know how long Barnabas planned on being away, but he had stocked enough food for the whole winter, it seemed.
"It’s kinda funny, ya know," Willie said. "It doesn’t seem like Barnabas to go away by himself."
Kate agreed. "If he wants to think, I suppose getting away from the family is a good idea." she said. And me, she thought. Dismissing this thought from her mind, she said to Willie, "Will Barnabas have enough wood? I mean, how long does he intend to stay in this cabin?"
Willie shrugged. "I don’t know. Could be a week, could be a month. I guess he will come back to the Old House when he’s ready." Willie wished he could give Kate a more definite idea, but he didn’t know either. Barnabas just told him to find a place he could think without interruptions.
"I gotta go, Kate. I just came to tell you about Barnabas." Willie said.
Kate stood, lost in thought. "Oh, sorry Willie, thanks for telling me. I appreciate it." she said, distracted by her thoughts.
Willie looked at her with a strange look on his face. He started to say something, but changed his mind. He opened the door and left Kate standing in the foyer.
Carolyn walked down the stairs. Seeing Kate, she called to her, but got no answer. As Kate went to the drawing room door, Carolyn caught up with her.
"Kate, are you all right?" Carolyn asked with concern. "You seem upset about something. It’s not the baby, is it?" She touched Kate on the arm.
Kate started when Carolyn touched her. "Oh, Carolyn, I am sorry. I didn’t hear you. What did you say?" she asked.
"Are you all right? Is the baby all right?" Carolyn asked again.
Kate shook her head, laughing. "I am fine, the baby is fine. Willie was just here. He told me Barnabas was going to a cabin in the woods. Does that seem like Barnabas to you?" she asked.
Carolyn chuckled. "No, that does not sound like Barnabas. Why wouldn’t he come home? It seems strange to me." Carolyn said.
"Willie says Barnabas wants ‘to think’." Kate replied.
"’To think’? Kate, maybe this means you two will get back together, that Barnabas is thinking about how he behaved towards you. He must be thinking of a way to approach you. Or maybe," Carolyn said with a wicked grin, "he wants you to come after him. An isolated cabin, just the two of you, sounds very romantic to me!"
Kate turned to Carolyn and said angrily, "I will not go to him! I need to know he wants me, me and the baby! Going to him, that will not prove anything to me. To him, it will appear as though I am desperate."
Carolyn stepped back, surprised at Kate’s anger. "Kate, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to provoke you." she said, remorsefully.
Kate’s anger dissipated as quickly as it had come. "Carolyn, I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Please forgive me." she said. Kate put her arm around Carolyn’s shoulder and put her head next to Carolyn’s.
Carolyn put her arm around Kate’s waist. "All is forgiven, okay?" They hugged each other, walking out of the drawing room towards the kitchen. A cup of tea sounded good right now.
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Barnabas drove up to the log cabin Willie had found. It was perfect. It was a bit of a drive from the main road, but not far enough that he couldn’t walk out if he had to. There was plenty of wood next to the cabin and food in the pantry. The narrow bed had several blankets to keep him warm at night.
The cabin was cold. Once a fire was started, the cabin warmed up nicely. Barnabas put his clothes away in the chest in the bedroom and hung up his coat. Willie had done exactly what he wanted. The Inverness coat would serve him well, but Willie had bought a red and brown checked coat with deep pockets. It was thick and warm. He had a warm hat and gloves. The boots Willie had purchased were waterproof and stout. The tops reached his knees. He felt as if he were back in the 18th century. He had worn boots just like these then, too.
In the kitchen, Barnabas looked at the food selection Willie had left. Canned vegetables, stew, chili, soup, coffee and potted meats filled the shelves. No fresh vegetables, no bread, no refrigerator. At least he had running water, even if he had to pump it into the sink.
Well, I guess this is what people call roughing it, Barnabas thought. He pulled a can of stew out of the cupboard and looked for a can opener. It took him a while to figure out how to use the can opener; and except for a small cut on this finger, was able to open the can. He had to laugh at himself.
"I can not even open a can without hurting myself!" he said, washing the wound and putting a bandage on the cut. "Now where did Willie put the pans?"
Finding the pans, he took one out and dumped the stew into it. He put the pan on the wood stove in the kitchen and lit the wood.
Once the wood was started, Barnabas looked for a lantern to light before it got dark. There were several hurricane lamps spread out in the main room of the cabin. He lit one and brought it into the kitchen. The pantry also had lamp oil, so Barnabas did not have to worry about finding more.
Sitting at the little kitchen table, Barnabas looked around his new living quarters. The cabin was small, the rooms consisted of the kitchen, living area and bedroom. There was an outhouse out the back door, fifty yards from the cabin. The kitchen held the wood cook stove; cupboards against one wall, hooks on the wall closest to the door for coats and hats. Above the sink, there was a window with blue checked curtains.
Through the wide kitchen door, he could see the wood stove in the living area. There were a couple of wooden chairs around the stove, as well as a small end table next to a brown sofa. There was a wide window with curtains of brown cloth at the front of the cabin.
Along one wall was a tall bookshelf, housing a wide variety of novels, poetry and games. A puzzle or two sat on the bottom shelf. There was a table under the window with two chairs. Someone had started a puzzle of the Tower of London, but apparently had given up. It was left on the table, as if waiting for the person to come back and finish it.
In the bedroom, he knew, the bed stood in the middle of the room with a small nightstand next to it, a window on one wall, the chest under it. There was small closet next to the door.
The walls were rough-hewn fir. Barnabas hoped the walls were insulated. It could get very cold.
Barnabas was jolted from his reverie with the sound of the stew boiling over. He jumped from his chair, grabbed a towel and took the pan off the stove. Stirring the pot, he discovered most of the stew burned to the bottom. Resigning himself to the inevitable, he threw the stew, or what was left of it, out and opened another can. At least this time, he didn’t cut himself.
He put the old pan in the sink and ran water into it to soak. What a mess, he thought. So much for my boast to Julia that I can cook!
Watching the next pot of stew more closely, Barnabas spooned the stew into a bowl and ate dinner.
"For the first meal I have cooked in over 170 years, it tastes delicious!" Barnabas said.
After doing the dishes, he realized it was getting late. Taking the lamp into the bedroom, he changed his clothes and slipped into bed. Before dowsing the light, he said aloud, "Kate, if you are listening, I am sorry for what I said and did. Goodnight, my love."
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Kate had shut out the light and got into bed when she started. She thought she heard Barnabas say goodnight to her.
"Don’t be silly, Kate. He is nowhere near here. You didn’t hear anything! Now go to sleep." she chided herself.
Kate snuggled down into the blankets. Before she dropped off to sleep, she whispered softy, "Goodnight, my love."