THOUGH IT WERE TEN THOUSAND MILES
By Joan Stephens

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Chapter 13

 

 

The doorbell buzzed twice, the postman’s signal that he had arrived.  “Hi, Julia,” he said, placing the envelope in her hand, “Special Delivery.”

 

“Hi, Ab.  Where from?”

 

“New York City.  Return address says Catherine Chandler.”

 

Wonderful.  He made it safely, she thought as she opened the letter.

 

Ever curious about his postal patrons, the portly postman asked, “Who’s that?”

 

“A friend,” she answered, hearing Vincent’s soft, gravelly voice in her memory.

 

“Want me to read it to you?” 

 

Usually he had the distinct pleasure of reading her mail to her but now she said, “Not this time, they’ve put it in braille but thanks, Ab.”

 

He was a little put out not to know what was in the letter--not that he was nosy, mind you--he just liked to keep tabs on his patrons.  He hadn’t known that she had friends in New York, and he wondered when she could have met them, but he said cheerfully, “No trouble.  See ya.”  And he was out the door, closing it noisily behind him.

 

Quickly, her fingers scanned the letter:

 

Dear Julia,

Please, let me introduce myself.  I am that Catherine Vincent told you about.  Yes, he made it safely home.  In fact, he is standing over my shoulder watching me write this letter.  He sends you his love.  Our son, Jacob, was  born just two weeks ago in his father’s bed as both of us wanted so much.  He is a beautiful child, the light of our lives.  

 

What a story there must be behind those simple words.  The letter continued:

 

We would like, very much, for you to come and visit us.  Vincent wants to show you our world and its people.  Father wants to meet you and thank you, they all do. Please, let us know when you can come and we will make all the arrangements.  Dr. Peter Alcott will be your contact.  He speaks for us.  You can reach him at 212-555-7923.  He will meet you and bring you to us. Do come, Julia, I so want to meet you and thank you properly for all your kindnesses to my husband.  Come soon.

 

                                                              Catherine and Vincent

 

                                           ************

 

“Julia,” he said quietly.

 

Her face brightened.  “Vincent, it’s so good to hear your voice again.”

 

“Hello, Max,” he bent down to rub Max behind the ears.  The dog nosed him happily assured that this was indeed the strange smelling man he had met not long ago.  Being careful not to startle her, Vincent hugged Julia happily.  “Thank you, Peter, for bringing her to us,” he said to the tall, thin man beaming at the happy reunion.

 

“My pleasure.”  Peter had delivered Julia to Vincent just within the Central Park threshold.  She was so pleased to finally be here, to see Vincent’s world, and to meet Catherine and the others.  She remembered how excited she was when Ab had brought her the letter from New York.

 

As soon as she had read the letter, she had contacted Peter Alcott and made arrangements with him for her to take the Amtrak to NYC since it was easier for Max to ride on the train.  Peter met her train when it arrived at Penn Station and brought her to the tunnels right away.  And now she stood wrapped in the arms of this wondrous man ready to meet his family and friends and especially Catherine.

 

“Vincent, Julia, I have to get back to the hospital,” Peter said.

 

Julia put out her hand, which he took in his.  “Thank you, Dr. Alcott.”

 

“Peter” he corrected her.

 

“All right.  Thank you, Peter,” she said with a laugh.  “You’ve been very kind.  I hope to see you again soon.”

 

“You will, my dear.  I’ll be back this evening.”

 

She heard the heavy, metal door slide open then the sounds of the park filtered into the large tunnel.  Peter’s steps faded away, followed by the sound of the closing door.

 

Vincent tucked her hand under his arm and led her down the long entrance tunnel.  “Catherine is impatiently waiting in the Common Room to meet you.”

 

“Good.  I can’t wait to meet her but how are you, Vincent?”

 

“I am fine: happy . . . content,” he answered, understating his true feelings.

 

She stopped, took his face in her hands, and ran her fingers over the valleys and plains of his features.  “Yes, you’re not so thin and harried.  You have really filled out.”

 

“All due to William’s good cooking,” he said, chuckling.

 

“William?”

 

“You’ll meet him later.  Right now he is busy cooking your reception dinner.”

 

“A dinner for me?”  This was more than she had expected, but she was pleased to think that these people would accept her in this manner.  “How marvelous.”

 

“You deserve more than that,” he said firmly.  “And everyone wants to meet you.  We decided the best way to do that was to have a dinner in the Great Hall.”

 

“I never expected anything like this,” she said, overcome with emotion.

 

Smiling down at her, he said, “I think you are going to like my world.”  He patted her hand to emphasize his words. 

 

By the time they reached the top of the small metal stairs, Vincent’s running commentary had given Julia a fair idea of what it was like to live below the streets of New York City.  The more he told her the more impressed she became with the life that the people had made here.  All this, added to what he had told her before, made her impatient to meet the man behind it all.  At last he said, “Here we are, Julia,” and carefully led her down the steps into the Common Room.  Max padded softly behind.

 

Only Catherine, holding Jacob, and Father were waiting at the foot of the stairs.  The woman descending the steps was uncommonly handsome, tall, well built with dark hair and eyes the color of amethyst.  Laugh lines surrounded both her eyes and her mouth.  Her vacant eyes seemed to search the room as if she was looking for someone.  Max held close to her, protecting her from these unknown persons.  She reached down absently and brushed the top of his head.  Unerringly, she turned toward Father as he stepped forward and held out her hand. 

 

“I’m Jacob Wells, Vincent’s father,” he offered.  “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time and to thank you.”

 

“I can assure you that it was my pleasure; he’s quite a man.”   She couldn’t see the blush that suffused Vincent’s face, but she smiled as she said it and patted his arm as if she sensed his discomfort. 

 

“Julia, this is Catherine,” he said to cover his embarrassment.

 

“Hello, Julia.  Welcome,” she heard a musical voice say.  Vincent placed the older woman’s hand in the hand of his wife.  Catherine’s hand was soft and delicate but with a surprising strength buried beneath the gentleness of her grip.  “I’m so glad you’re here.”

 

“I’m glad to be here, Catherine.  May I read your face?”

 

“Surely.”

 

Julia gently felt the young woman’s face.  “She’s as lovely as you said, Vincent.”

 

“Now you’re going to make me blush,” Catherine protested.  “Here’s someone else you should meet.”  She laid Jacob in Julia’s arms.

 

“Oh, he is truly beautiful.  You must be very happy.”  Julia’s fingers wandered lightly over the child, and she laughed when he grabbed one of them and stuck it in his mouth.

 

“We are, yes.  And even more so now that you are here.  Are you tired?” Catherine asked solicitously.  “It must have been a long trip for you and Max.”

 

“I would like to freshen up,” Julia said as she knelt down and held Jacob out for Max to sniff.  After running his sensitive nose over every inch of the child that he could reach, Max heartily expressed his acceptance by laving the downy cheek.  Startled, Jacob squealed at the unexpected face-washing, waving his tiny fists in the air.

 

“Well, that settles it,” Julia said.  “Max approves; so, he must be an extraordinary child.”  Lightly

 laughing, she stood up.

 

“Vincent will show you to your chamber.  Then we’ll all meet for dinner and you can meet everyone,” Father said.  At this time Jacob decided that a finger was not his idea of something to eat and began to fuss.

 

“Better take care of this hungry child,” Julia said, giving him back to his mother.

 

“He does like to eat,” she commented, “and he’s getting so big.”

 

“Love him while you can, they grow up so fast.”

 

 Father spoke up, “On second thought, let me show Julia to her chamber.  I’d like to get to know her better.”

 

“All right,” Vincent agreed.  “We’ll see you at dinner then.”

 

Taking Julia by the elbow, Father guided her out of the chamber, already asking questions.  Dutifully, Max followed along.

 

                                                              ************

 

The next morning as Catherine was nursing Jacob she brought up a subject that she hesitated to broach: going Above to see Martha Converse.  She felt fairly confident that it would be safe for her to go Above, but she wasn’t sure how Vincent would feel about it.

 

“Vincent, I’ve been thinking about Martha Converse.  You remember: she told Joe where I was being held.”

 

He finished tying his shirt, gazing at her thoughtfully.  “You want to see her,” he stated.

 

“Yes, it’s been several weeks since you found me, and she must think I have forgotten her.  I really need to thank her and see how she’s doing.   I’m sure it will be safe now that Gabriel is gone.”  Jacob was almost asleep, half-heartedly sucking on Catherine’s empty breast.  Putting her finger in his mouth, she broke the suction, and he reluctantly released the nipple still making sucking motions with his mouth.  After closing her robe, she laid him over her knees, patting and rubbing his back until he satisfied her with a healthy burp.

 

Pausing while pulling on a boot, Vincent said, “I know but that world is not safe, and I couldn’t bear to lose you again.”

 

“Maybe Father could go with me, that way I wouldn’t be alone.”  She rose from the bed, laid Jacob in his crib, and then walked over to her husband, putting her arms around his waist.  “Whatever happens, love, you will never lose me.  You have me for all eternity.”

 

                                                                  ************

 

“Father, would you go Above with me to see Martha Converse?  Vincent doesn’t want me to go alone,”  Catherine said in her most persuasive voice.  She was leaning over his shoulder to see what he was doing.

 

“I can understand how he feels; I’ve felt that way many times myself.  Do you really need to see her?”  He put down his pen, pushed his papers away, and looked up at his daughter-in-law questioningly.

 

“I don’t want her to think I have forgotten her.  She did a very brave thing on my behalf and I owe her.”

 

Taking the time to consider her words, he finally nodded, “All right, if you insist.  Name the day and I’ll go with you.”

 

Throwing her arms around his neck, she buzzed him on the cheek.  “Thank you, Father.  I love you.”

 

He watched, bemused, a slight smile on his face, engrossed in the thought of spending an afternoon Above with her, as she ran off to tell Vincent the good news.  He was also thinking, rather ruefully, that she was becoming very adept at getting her own way with Vincent and with him.  Somehow he would simply have to put a stop to it.

 

                                                                   ************

 

Almost as an afterthought, Halloween had come and gone Below, and the first heavy snow of winter had fallen on election day curtailing, even more, the voters rather limpid enthusiasm.  Catherine and Father stepped out into a world of pristine whiteness.

 

“Isn’t it lovely, Father?”  Catherine quickly scooped up a handful of snow and made a snowball that she heaved at the nearest tree, missing it completely.

 

“Yes, lovely.  Too bad it won’t remain that way,” he replied.

 

“Well then, let’s enjoy it while we may.”  Sliding her arm under his, she steered him toward the park exit.  “Come on, Grampaw, let’s go and introduce you to Martha Converse.”

 

Grimacing at her use of that horrible slang sobriquet, he followed her into the snow-covered park.

 

                                                                   ************

 

Everything was pure and white, covered with new fallen snow.  How beautiful it was: the snow softly falling, the frost on the window panes taking on phantasmagorical shapes.  If only it could always be pure and beautiful.  Sighing deeply, Martha turned from the scene outside the windows of her office only to see the welcome figure of Catherine Chandler standing in the doorway.

 

“You were so deep in thought; I didn’t want to intrude,” her welcome voice said.

 

“Cathy!”  Martha exclaimed as she came forward to take the hands offered to her.  Hands weren’t enough; she wanted to feel the whole person so she pulled the young woman into a bear of a hug.  “You’re all right.  I’ve been so worried.  I read about Gabriel but no word about you.”

 

“I’m sorry I worried you, but I’ve been so busy since my rescue from Gabriel,” Catherine said contritely.  “We managed to keep it out of the news”

 

“Come in, come in.  Here, sit down.”  They settled into a comfortable, flowered sofa.  “I see you had the baby.  A boy?”

 

“Yes, he’s so beautiful.  He’s a miracle.  He has his father’s beautiful blue eyes, and I like to think he looks like me.”

 

“So . . . Vincent got to you in time.”

 

“Yes, thanks to you.”

 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to look at myself in the mirror without shuddering.”  Martha’s voice deepened with sorrow and regret.

 

“Oh, you shouldn’t feel like that.”  Catherine laid a soothing hand on Martha’s arm.  “Everyone makes mistakes.”

 

The older woman shook her head in denial.  “I betrayed my husband and worse, I think, I betrayed myself.  I won some dignity back by going to the District Attorney.”

 

“Don’t ever sell yourself short; you didn’t know that you had that kind of strength in you.”

 

“But how did you know that I did?”

 

“Vincent taught me that everyone has inner strength if they know how to find it,” Catherine said, rising to her feet. “Speaking of Vincent, there’s someone I would like you to meet.  He’s waiting in your outer office.”

 

“Is it Vincent?” Martha asked excitedly.  “Bring him in.”

 

Shaking her head, the young woman went to the doorway.  She held her hand out and brought in an elderly, bearded, grey-haired gentleman of medium height in an outdated fifties-style grey pinstriped suit.

“Father, this is Martha Converse.  Martha, this is Jacob Wells, Vincent’s father.”

 

After the pleasantries were over, Martha said, “Jacob Wells.  I know that name.”

 

Father moved uncomfortably.  He looked away, hoping she would drop the subject.  Please, oh please, don’t let her bring up the McCarthy Hearings.  I’ve been reminded enough about it these past three years.

 

Her face lit up with a broad smile.  “Now I know.  I remember where I last saw you,” she cried with exhilaration.  Then she startled Father by saying, “Don’t you remember me, Jacob?  Martha Ormand.  Senior Elizabethan Poetry.  We sat next to each other.  Did Professor Newton succeed in killing your love of poetry?”

 

He stared at her trying to see the girl in the face of the woman.  “Martha?  Of course!  You’re as beautiful as you were then.  I always wondered what became of you.”  Glancing at a confused Catherine, he explained, “Martha and I made Professor Newton’s life a living hell.”

 

“Father, you didn’t,” Catherine said in mock horror.  He grinned sheepishly.  “I didn’t know you went to college in the US.  When was that?” she asked.

 

“I spent my third year here at Harvard, that’s when I decided to emigrate to the United States.  After I graduated from Oxford, I came here and finished my medical training.  Martha and I had a few interesting moments together.”

 

Catherine eyebrows rose when she heard this, and she looked back at Martha’s laughing face.  “Oh, we most certainly did.  He was quite the class jester.”  Sobering, she continued, “What they did to you at the Chittendon Institute was atrocious, Jacob.  Did you get your life back in order after that?”

 

“Yes, I found a safe haven to heal in.”

 

“Good, and Vincent is your son?”

 

“Yes, indeed.”  Father’s pride in his adopted son radiated from his eyes.

 

“I’d like to meet him.”

 

“That might be difficult, Martha.  Vincent is different, special.  He sees very few people,” Father told her.

 

“I heard so much about him from Cathy.”  Father looked with alarm at Catherine.  Quietly, she shook her head.  “He must be very special since Cathy loves him,” Martha continued.  “Would you ask him if I might meet with him?”

 

“I’ll ask him when I get home,” the young woman answered.

Glancing at her watch, Martha said, “I’m sorry but I have a class coming up and I have to leave.”

 

“I’ll let you know about Vincent,” Catherine said as they walked to the door.

 

“Martha, it’s been so good to see you again,” Father said, embracing her.

 

“Don’t be a stranger, Jacob.  Come and see me again,” she invited him as she returned his hug.

 

“I will.”  They parted company at a corridor intersection.

 

“That was interesting,” Catherine commented.  “Class cut up.  Hmm!”

 

“Now, Catherine, don’t you dare tell a soul, especially the children.”

 

“It’ll be our secret, class clown,” she laughed merrily while Father could only glower at her. 

 

“Doesn’t my graduating from Oxford count for anything?” he lamented, knowing it was a lame excuse, but it was the only thing he could come up with at the time. 

 

“Nope.”  Why did he think he would rue the day that she had learned of his former boyish pranks?  The gleam in her eyes told him that she wouldn’t forget and that someday she might just blackmail him--oh she wouldn’t, would she?--to get her own way.  His shoulders sagged as he blew out a deep breath.  Yes, she was entirely capable of blackmail if she thought it necessary.

 

                                                        ************

 

“She wants to meet me?” Vincent asked, a worried look in his eyes.  He was seated in their chamber with Jacob on his lap.  The baby was playing with his father’s hair, now and then giving it a hard yank that he seemed to think was great fun.  Vincent patiently untangled his hair from his child’s busy fingers only to have it immediately snared again.  “What have you told her?”  He couldn’t imagine Catherine being overly informative about him but he had to ask.

 

“Nothing but the truth,” she replied.  “How marvelous and wonderful you are, how much I love you, how you saved me and loved me, how difficult your life has been, and how you took those difficulties and used them to make you the man you are today.”  As his father absentmindedly once again removed a lock of his hair from the child’s grasp, she took Jacob and laid him in his crib.

 

“She knows nothing of my appearance?”

 

“No, nothing.  Vincent, I think you magnify your differences all out of proportion.  She will see you as I see you: beautiful and commanding.”

 

Jumping to his feet, he began to pace.  “Catherine, you see me with the eyes of love.”

She stopped him in mid-stride, placing a hand on his chest.  “Martha has gone through a rough time since the death of her husband.  She judges herself more harshly than she will you.  She needs to know that all obstacles can be overcome if you try hard enough.  She needs your example.”

 

“All right,” he nodded, after a short struggle with his fears, “I’ll see her but not here.  Not yet.  At your apartment.”

 

                                                     ************

 

Julia’s visit was a great success.  Seamlessly, she slipped into the fabric of the community’s life and soon it seemed as if she had been there forever.  The children adored her and Max.  A natural storyteller, she could keep them enthralled for hours.

 

She had been with them for two weeks when she and Catherine were straightening up one of the school chambers.

  

“That was a lovely story you told,” Catherine said.  “One of your own?”

 

“Yes, I’m just full of them.”

 

“You should write them down.”

 

“I don’t have a braille typewriter.”

 

I think we can fix that, Catherine thought happily to herself.

 

Finishing, they sat down to rest.  “You’ve been so busy since you’ve been here, Julia, it hasn’t been much of a vacation,” Catherine commented.

 

“I haven’t enjoyed myself this much in years.”  The unseeing eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

 

“Do you have any family?”

 

“Just Max.  I grew up in an orphanage.”

 

Catherine squeezed her hand, remembering how she felt after her father died, and Geoffrey had reminded her that they were both orphans.

 

“I have no family that I know of; although, I was married once and had a little girl.  I lost both of them in an automobile accident.”

 

“Oh Julia, I’m so sorry.”  Catherine’s heart constricted with the pain she would feel if she was to lose Jacob and Vincent, and her heart went out to the woman.  She was even more determined to make Julia a member of the community

 

“It was a long time ago, and I’ve made my peace with God and the world since then.”

 

“Is there anything that keeps you in Sligo?”

 

“No, why?”

 

“We were wondering if you might like to become a permanent part of our world?  And it’s not just us.  Others have asked us if we thought you might want to stay”

 

“I do love it here.  I have dreaded the return to that empty house.  I don’t have to think too long on this subject.  I want to stay.  I have finally found a home.”

 

“Oh, that’s wonderful.  Vincent will be so happy.”  Catherine hugged her joyfully.  “We’ll talk to Father tonight.  The council must vote on any new member, but I can’t see them denying you membership in the community.” 

 

                                                                        ************

 

Later that night Catherine was lying in Vincent’s arms.  Jacob had finally settled down for the night.

 

Talking about Julia’s decision to stay permanently, Vincent said, “The children will be very happy.”

 

“I think the entire community will be glad to have her.  She and Mary have really hit it off and have become very close.  In fact, Mary wants her to have a chamber close to hers.”

 

“They have much in common; they both love children and have lost their own.”

 

“Looks like Jacob will have two doting grandmothers.”

 

“Yes,” he said softly as he turned her face to his and kissed her with growing passion.  Oh, would these six weeks of abstinence ever pass.  He had never realized before just how long six weeks could be.  When you desperately needed to give your love to the one you loved, they seemed to be endless,  but both Peter and Father had forbidden any lovemaking until she was completely healed.  He wanted her so desperately.  With deep sighs of regret and not daring to snuggle, they turned their backs to each other and attempted to go to sleep.    

 

                                                                ************

 

Several days after Catherine’s visit to Martha, Vincent was nervously pacing back and forth on the balcony where they had decided to have the initial meeting.  Turning down the lights and using his love’s beloved candles had prepared the apartment.  This was the first time he had ever knowingly waited to meet a topsider, one who did not know and had not known of his existence.  He feared the consequences of this meeting, but he trusted Catherine’s estimate of Martha’s integrity.  He hoped she was right.

 

“Don’t be so nervous, Vincent.  Everything will be all right.  You’ll see.”  She received an abstracted  nod from her husband who stopped his anxious pacing when the doorbell rang.  Smiling reassuringly, his wife went to let Martha in.  He heard them making small talk as Catherine welcomed her.  “Vincent’s waiting on the balcony.”

 

Looking around at the young woman’s apartment, Martha said, “Lovely place you have here.”

 

To Catherine, her apartment lacked the warmth and comfort of her chamber below, but she smiled and said, “Thanks.  This way.”  She led the older woman out onto the balcony.  “Martha, this is my husband, Vincent.”

 

He was faced away from them toward the city skyline and only Catherine could tell from the rigid lines of his body that he was prepared for the worse.  Taking a deep breath, he turned to face this unknown woman.  There was an involuntary gasp and then she said, “You’re right, Cathy.  He is different.”  Vincent allowed her to scan him from head to feet.  She swallowed, smiled crookedly, and stuck out her hand.  “I’m glad to meet you, Vincent.”  He took her hand with a firm but gentle grip.  She noticed that the back of his hand was covered with short reddish-gold hair and that his fingers were tipped with deadly claws.  She tried to imagine what it would feel like to have hands like that tenderly running up and down her back.  She couldn’t, but as she watched the way he gently took Cathy’s hand in his own, she understood that this was a man she need never fear. 

 

“Martha,” he said in a low, soft, utterly beguiling voice.  “Thank you for helping Catherine.  I am eternally grateful.”

 

“I’m just glad I could help,” she replied. 

 

They stood together a little uncomfortably until Catherine said, “Shall we go in?”

 

“If it’s all right with Vincent, I would like to stay out here.  It’s not too cold and I rarely get to breathe fresh air.  I’m inside those stuffy, old halls of higher learning all the time,” she laughed lightheartedly.

 

Catherine looked to her husband and, seeing that he agreed, said, “I’ll fix some hot chocolate while you two get better acquainted.”

 

Martha gathered her coat around her and sat down on the patio bench; Vincent sat next to her.  The cold didn’t seem to affect him at all.  After a few minutes of silent contemplation of the New York skyline, she turned to the leonine man calmly sitting beside her and said, “You’re not at all what I expected.”

“I never am” he replied with a soft chuckle.

 

Her natural curiosity came to the fore, “Do you know how you came to be the way you are?”

 

“No, I was found as a baby in the trash behind St. Vincent’s Hospital.”

 

“How in the world have you survived this long?” she asked, wonderingly.

 

“I was taken to a special place, a safe place, and given to Father.”

 

“Jacob Wells?”

 

“Yes, he raised me, taught me, loved me.”

 

“How fortunate you are, Vincent.  Many people are not so lucky.”

 

“I know.”

 

Catherine returned with three steaming mugs of chocolate.  She sat next to Vincent.  “Well, Martha, you’ve met him.”

 

Warming her hands around the hot mug, Martha nodded.  “Yes, I have and it’s been quite an experience.  Did you know, Vincent, that your father is an old friend of mine?”

 

“Yes . . . that is one reason I agreed to meet with you.”

 

“And the other reasons?”

 

“To thank you and Catherine trusts you.”

 

Martha favored Catherine with a huge smile.  “It’s been a long time since I’ve deserved the trust of a person like Cathy,” she said.  “Thank you, Vincent, for seeing me.  I won’t tell anyone about you.  I promise.”  Placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder, she finished her drink then stood up and followed Catherine to the door.

 

With a satisfactory sigh, the young woman closed the door on a newfound Helper, of that she was sure.  “Well, what do you think?” she asked on returning to the balcony.

 

 “She’s a conflicted lady: one who is unhappy with herself, but I think she is well on her way to healing.  I think she can be trusted this far.  Let’s get to know her better before we tell her of the tunnels.”

 

“I agree,” his wife said, stepping into his embrace.  “Shall we go inside and get warm before going home?”

 

They wandered into the apartment, an arm around each other.  “Let’s stay awhile and sit in front of the fire.  We haven’t had much time to ourselves lately.”  She snuggled into Vincent’s shoulder and sighed happily.  He held her close to his heart, utterly content.