The Mountain Between Us

Chapter 19.

Tom was right. Spur was nothing like Father. 

"Oh, you shoulda seen his face darlin'. Cheeks all red, mouth hanging open like a fish with his eyes as wide as saucers. That beast really knocked the wind outta him. Wouldn't sit atop a horse for weeks afterwards" Spur cackled, delighting in telling you stories about he and Father during their childhood. It was a completely different side to Father that you'd never seen nor heard of.

"And what about my Mother? What was she like?" you asked, enjoying Spur's company and hoping to delay your return to the station.

Spur's manner changed in an instant, his eyes becoming clouded with confusion. "What do you mean, what was she like?"

"I never knew her. She died giving birth to me". Spur's face crumpled, his mouth gaping open at you. "You didn't know..." you said softly, realising too late. You suddenly became terrified that Spur might share Father's penchant for rage.

Instead, Spur began to cry, his tears cutting tracks through his weathered face. You were so shocked you didn't know what to do, reaching out to grasp his hand. "I'm so sorry Uncle, I thought you knew"

Spur ripped his hand from yours, hobbling to the mantle to grab a pictureframe. "Oh Tilly, my darling Tilly! Dead all these years and not one word from my wretched brother" he cried, clutching the picture close and sobbing.

You felt useless, unable to decide whether you should embrace Spur or leave him to his misery. Needing to occupy yourself, you cleared the table and set to fetching water to wash the dishes. You returned to find Spur sitting in a shabby chair, still clutching the frame to his chest.

"She was beautiful" he mumbled as you set the dish tub on the table. 

"Yes, Father has a painting of her" you answered quietly, still slightly nervous that he might turn into a raging monster.

"What does he say of her, your Father?" Spur asked, voice venomous as he spat the words "your Father".

"Nothing. Nor does Aunt Rosemary. I know almost nothing of my Mother, except that I look like her"

Spur looked up at you, his eyes red rimmed. "Nothing? My brother says nothing of her?!". There was an unmistakeable undercurrent of fury in Spur's voice, and you desperately wracked your brain with something to say that might comfort Spur.

"No. But, there is a tree in the front yard, dead for as long as I can remember. I asked Father once why he doesn't cut it down, seeing as it's been dead for so long. All he said was "The tree stays" and that was it. I have a feeling it might be something to do with Mother, but like I said, no one tells me anything about her". It wasn't much, but it was all you could give to Spur.

Spur humphed and looked at the frame in his hands, stroking the glass. "Well, I'll tell you this much my girl. Your Father didn't deserve Matilda then and he doesn't deserve you now"

Your hands slipped in the soapy water and the plate clattered against the tub. "What do you mean by that?"

Spur was still looking at the picture with tear-stained cheeks, mouth set in a solemn line. "It's not my place to tell you, Claire" he murmured softly. With a grunt he stood, setting the picture to rest back on the mantle. "I'll go hook Bess up to the cart, then we can be on our way"

You opened your mouth to protest, but Spur was fast for an old man with one leg. You pouted as you finished washing up, feeling your irritation with all the lies and secrecy growing. You decided that the first thing you would do upon returning to the station, aside from packing to leave with Tom, would be to demand someone tell you just what had happened all those years ago.

**

The ride back to the station was subdued, Spur's gaiety long gone as he drove the cart towards home. As the sun set you saw the station ahead, the house lit from within.

Spur drove Bess up to the yard and you heard a gasp before the sounds of feet running towards you. You'd barely stepped down from the cart when you were swallowed by Aunt Rosemary's arms, suffocating as she squeezed you tightly, your face buried in her chest.

"OH MY GOODNESS, YOU'RE ALRIGHT! CLAIRE WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, WE'VE BEEN SO WORRIED!" Aunt Rosemary cried, still clutching you tightly to her bosom.

"I - can't - breathe" you gasped and with a "Oh!" Aunt Rosemary released you.

"Where did you go, what happened?! We were so worried!"

"I think it's best explained inside Rosie" murmured Spur, who'd gone relatively unnoticed so far.

"Spur! Did you find her?"

"No, a handsome young man named Tom brought her to me. He was the one to tell me I had a niece. Kind of someone to let me know, after all these years"

Aunt Rosemary flinched, like she had been slapped. "Yes, well. I think you should come inside and we'll talk"

"As you wish Rosie" Spur said, hopping down and loosening Bess' girth. 

You followed Aunt Rosemary inside, reminding yourself to be strong and to insist on knowing the truth. Aunt Rosemary left to ask Mrs. Bailey to prepare some tea, you and Spur sitting awkwardly in the parlour. Uncomfortably, you realised that Spur's shack was about the same size as the parlour itself, and you felt awful knowing you'd been living like this whilst your Uncle had lived in squalor. It hardly seemed fair.

"Mrs. Bailey will bring us some tea. I assume you still take yours with a slice of lemon Spur?"

"Oh, you know me so well Rosie" Spur said. The twinkle in his eyes had returned, though there was a hardness to his mouth that reminded you of Father.

"First things first. What happened Claire?" Aunt Rosemary asked, hands clasped in her lap.

"I ran away"

"Yes, I gathered that much. What happened though? You've run away before but you always come back". You played with the fold of your skirt, unwilling to answer just yet. "Claire" Aunt Rosemary prompted, voice stern.

"I fell. During the storm. In the morning Tom found me and rescued me"

"When was that?"

"Yesterday"

"Why didn't you come home then?!"

"Because I didn't want to. I wanted to stay with Tom"

"Oh Claire"

"Don't 'Oh Claire' me! I want to know why I never knew I had an Uncle and why no one ever talks about my mother!"

"You're right"

You leapt out of your chair in fright. Father stood in the doorway of the parlour, face haggard. He staggered towards you, and you sat back down in shock as he collapsed on his knees before you, reaching out and wrapping his arms around you.

"I'm so sorry Claire. I'm so sorry" he sobbed.