Leo shook his head as though he was disappointed in his younger brother. “You can't let that kind of thing sit. I already told you, once that water soaks into that soil, that's it. You're going to have a fallow spot in your crop now.”
Godfrey nodded. There was no point in arguing. “I'll take care of it.”
Leo shrugged as though he could care less. “Do what you want. Fact is - ”
The door of the coffee shop banged open and in stepped Eddie Ryerson, red-faced and looking completely disheveled. “GODFREY!” The young man's head whipped around – as though he was following his nose – like a Bloodhound – and his eyes settled on Godfrey. “YOU...”
“What in the blazes are you doing -” Hector began, grabbing for his son's shoulder. But Eddie was too fast – too alert – and he swatted his dad's arm away.
“Stay away from me, pops!” Hector stepped back. Eddie glared at Eldon and the old man shrunk onto his stool. He returned his attention to Godfrey. “You and me. Outside. Right now.”
Godfrey stared at him. Was this really happening? He hadn't been in a fight since...well...it had been a few years at any rate. And with all these people looking on – Leo especially – he wasn't about to back down. But before he could answer, the door burst open a second time and Antoinette and Diana came hurtling in, sliding across the floor and shrieking loudly.
“GODFREY!”
“ANNIE!”
She pointed at Eddie. “You! Get out of here!” She pushed him toward the door and he took hold of her arms.
“Not until I've had my moment with your precious boyfriend.” He laughed as Godfrey rose from his chair.
“You let her go right now.”
Eddie smirked. “Or what?”
Godfrey's jaw clenched. “Or nothing.” He crossed the floor and Eddie released Antoinette.
“Let's go then, Frenchie,” he said icily, turning and heading out the door.
“Godfrey!” Antoinette lunged for him and caught his arm. “Don't fight him! It doesn't matter!”
“Annie...” He pried her arm from his. “Just...let me go...”
“No!” There were tears in her eyes. “Godfrey...”
Godfrey looked past her at Hector and motioned toward Antoinette. He got the message.
“Annie...stay with Hector,” said Godfrey as the cafe owner approached and took hold of her.
Feeling his hands on her, she tried to fight him off. But then Leo was there and even though Diana tried to push the two men off Antoinette, they weren't budging.
“Godfrey!”
Without a second glance, Godfrey turned and headed outside, shutting the door behind him.
Outside, Eddie stood in the middle of the street. He smiled when he saw Godfrey. “Finally.”
“Godfrey!”
Antoinette was still calling for him. It took everything he had to ignore her.
“Well, here I am,” said Godfrey thickly, removing his hat and jacket and setting them on the bench in front of the cafe.
Eddie watched and waited as men and women and children, sensing a fight was about to happen, stopped to gawk.
“Godfrey!”
“It's alright, Annie!” Godfrey hollered. “You stay in there.”
The cafe door opened and Leo appeared before him. “I'll make sure they don't get out.”
Godfrey nodded. “Thanks.” He returned his attention to Eddie. Eddie who was now pacing back and forth. Eddie who seemed hell bent on fighting him.
“Come on!” the young man shouted. “What are you waiting for! These good folks want to see a fight!”
“Give it to him good, Godfrey,” Leo growled.
Godfrey felt a shiver run through him. It wasn't often his older brother used his name. His older brother who, despite his hard exterior, could be quite a softie.
Antoinette's face appeared in the window. She looked frightened.
He nodded in her direction before turning away and stepping off the boardwalk and into the street.
It was hot outside, about twenty degrees, and the afternoon breeze blew dust across the road and onto the boardwalk, painting the sides of buildings shades of red and brown.
Godfrey glared at the young man standing so arrogantly before him. “You ready? Because this is what you want, right?”
“Oh, I've been waiting for this all day, Godfrey. Half the town seems to know you. Talkin' about you like you're some kind o' god.” Eddie spat. “Let me tell you something, Frenchie. You ain't nothin'. You got a little patch of land. A little patch of land and you're a king.” Eddie laughed, a high-pitched, drawling laugh. “If only life were so easy. If only I could become a king with just a little patch of land.”
“I'm no king.”
“Don't pretend to be modest,” Eddie snarled. “Look at all these people - ” He motioned to the throngs of men, women, and children lining the boardwalk, watching and waiting with eager anticipation, “they're here to see you, no doubt.”
Godfrey looked around. There was quite a large crowd.
Several shouts rang out.
“You give it to him good, Godfrey!”
“'Atta boy, Godfrey!”
“Have at him, Godfrey!”
The praise he was receiving clearly didn't help matters.
Eddie howled with laughter and then spat. “You see!?”
Godfrey stared at his opponent, shaking his head in disgust and flexing the muscles in his arms, readying to fight.
“Knock him out, Godfrey!”
“Put him on the ground, Godfrey!”
The two fighters began to circle each other, Eddie watching him with snake-like eyes, waiting for an opening. Godfrey was determined to give him one.
“Hit him hard, Godfrey!”
Pretending to be distracted by the shout from the crowd, Godfrey lowered his guard and in that instant Eddie flew at him. Godfrey was ready. He sidestepped and Eddie's fist whistled past his nose. Catching him below the arm, Godfrey threw him to the ground and was on him before the young man could react.
Eddie snarled as Godfrey hit him once. Twice. Three times.
A cheer went up from the crowd as Godfrey hit him once more. With blood now flowing from Eddie's nose and mouth, Godfrey stood up and brushed himself off.
To his surprise, Eddie wasn't finished. But as he rose and prepared to have another run at Godfrey, Hector appeared and took hold of his son with his massive arms.
“HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?”
He hit the ground, hard, as Hector threw him and then kicked him.
“Pops...what the hell?”
Godfrey felt sorry for him then. The hurt expression on his face. The shock of betrayal.
“I'm giving you a taste of your own medicine, son. And trying to save you at the same time.” The cafe owner turned to Godfrey. “Go on into the shop, Godfrey and get some ice for your hand.”
“Dad...”
Hector fixed his gaze once more on his son as the people along the boardwalks broke into nervous chatter.
“I should have let Godfrey pommel you again.”
Eddie looked down.
“You've been nothing but an embarrassment since you arrived.”
Eddie's head snapped up. “What? What did I do?”
“If you don't even know what you've been doing wrong, then I can't help ya.” Hector sighed and shook his head in disgust as he looked down at his son, all covered in dirt and with his face all bloodied. “Son, after today, I don't ever want to see you again. Get your bag. I'm taking you to the train station.”
“Wait...what? Dad.”
Hector shook his head as the crowd began to dissipate, the good people of Wainwright deciding it was best to give the Ryerson's at least a modicum of privacy.
“Eddie, we're through. I have nothing more to say. You go back to Toronto and make your fortune and live your high-flying life. And I don't want to see you here again. Ever.”
“Dad...”
“Your mother can go to visit you..
.but you're never to come here.”
“DAD!”
Hector ignored his cries as he strode toward him and picked him up off the ground. “Let's go. There's a three o'clock train you can catch.”
ANTOINETTE
“I was so worried!” cried Antoinette. She moved closer towards him and massaged his arm.
Godfrey looked at her. “I'm sorry. ”
“You don't have to apologize...I just...I don't like what happened.”
Godfrey cracked a smile. “You think I liked what happened?”
Henri and Diana, seated beside them, broke out laughing. “I don't know,” said Henri, “did you like hitting Eddie?”
“Not really...”
“I was just joking,” said Henri, his tone growing serious. “Sorry, Godfrey...don't hit me next!”
“Funny.”
“Can you stop being a jokester for five minutes?” Diana snapped. “Godfrey's just been in a fight and poor Annie...” she looked at her friend, “was practically at her wit's end.”
Antoinette smiled. “It was nerve wracking!”
“What? Come on,” said Henri smugly. “You didn't think Godfrey could handle himself?”
All eyes turned to Antoinette, Godfrey's included.
“No...no...I know he can handle himself,” said Antoinette with her usual tone of assurance, “I just...don't you understand? I love Godfrey.” She looked at him and nestled up against him. “This here is the love of my life. If anything were to happen to him because of me - ”
Diana gave her a look.
“What do you mean...because of you?” asked Godfrey, uncharacteristically suspicious.
Antoinette's face turned a bright shade of red. “I...I don't know.”
Diana pursed her lips. “Annie...”
Antoinette sighed. “Godfrey...” she looked at him. “Eddie found us in Hattie's the other day and...and...he started trying to get sweet with me.”
Godfrey's eyes narrowed. “How so? Did he touch you?”
“He held her head for a few seconds,” Diana blurted. “It was nothing really...I told him to shove off and we told him we had to go to meet you and...he left after a minute or two.”
The anger he suddenly felt towards Eddie Ryerson was far more than he had earlier.
“Why didn't you tell me this before, Annie?”
“Because I didn't want this to happen!” Antoinette cried, gesturing to the bag of ice resting on Godfrey's knuckles. “I didn't want to see you get into a fight with him.”
Godfrey shook his head. “You should have told me, Annie.”
“And I'm sorry I didn't.”
There was silence for a time as the four chewed on their thoughts, the hushed chatter of the other patrons at the Tenth Street Cafe filling the void.
“Next time, tell me when stuff like that happens,” said Godfrey eventually, glancing at Antoinette.
She nodded. “I will.”
“Better to nip it in the bud then let it continue.”
“I agree.”
Henri and Diana looked upon the pair, their expressions full of approval.
“What?” asked Godfrey.
Diana smiled. “You two had your first argument as a couple and you resolved it.”
Godfrey couldn't help but laugh a little. “I suppose you're right.” He looked at Antoinette. “Are we good?”
Antoinette smiled and planted a kiss on his forehead. “We're good. Now let me get you a new ice pack,” she said cheerfully, rising from the table and taking the bag in her hand. “This one's starting to melt.”
ANTONIA
Sunday. Outside after church. Many of the parishioners are chatting away, mothers are admiring how big their friends' children have grown, dads are discussing farming and mechanics, and Father McGrane has just approached Antonia who is standing with Isaac and Godfrey and Antoinette.
“Antonia – I wondered if I might ask a favour of you.”
“Of course, Father McGrane. Anything.” She smiled sweetly and pulled away from Isaac.
“Yes, see, Mrs. Bell has just received a rather sizable book donation from the Grey Nuns in Winnipeg for our church library and she would like some help organizing them. Are any of your League ladies able to assist?”
“Well, I'd have to...actually, yes.” An idea had come to her in that split second. An idea that, while somewhat underhanded, happened to be somewhat necessary. “Marie Poirier.”
Father McGrane looked pleased. “Marie can help?”
Antonia smiled sweetly and glanced at Marie who stood near the front doors chatting with her sister and some other women. “She'd love to.”
“Very well.” Father McGrane took a breath and pulled his vestments tighter around his corpulent figure. “What day would be good?”
“How about Wednesday at seven?”
Father McGrane looked surprised. “In the evening?”
Antonia shrugged as though the situation was unavoidable. “It's really the only time that any of our League members can help – they all have families, Father...”
Father McGrane nodded. “Alright, alright. Wednesday at seven in the evening. I shall inform Mrs. Bell that Marie will be helping her.”
Antonia smiled. “Thank you, Father.”
LEOPOLD
Monday morning. Leopold and Godfrey are hunting on Leo's farm.
“There – that patch of trees,” said Leo, pointing to the large thicket of trees down the hill. “Just watch. There's always a herd of white tails in there.”
“I believe you,” said Godfrey impatiently. His brother had been saying the same thing since they'd left his house a quarter of an hour earlier.
“You go around that way,” said Leo, motioning to the west. “I'll go around this way.” He pointed to the east. “This way we'll get 'em no matter which side they come out - ”
Leo stopped mid-sentence. Godfrey glanced at him. “You alright?”
Leo, clearly unable to speak, pointed with a wavering finger.
Godfrey looked in the direction his brother was pointing. Deer. A dozen of them. Sprinting from the thicket.
“They're quick as lightning...cock that rifle, Godfrey!”
In seconds Leo had his rifle ready. He aimed it for the herd of fleeing deer as Godfrey hurried to ready his firearm.
The shot rang out and echoed for miles.
Godfrey watched as a deer fell and went head over heels, forcing up a cloud of dust.
“Did you see that!” Leo jumped in the air and clamped his hat to his head with his free hand. “Calice! What a shot!”
Godfrey laughed at his brother's uncharacteristic enthusiasm. “It wasn’t bad.”
Leo gaped at him. “It wasn't bad!? Godfrey, that was the best damn shot I've taken in my life. That deer had to be a hundred yards away!”
“And you got him.”
“And I got him.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Leo slung his rifle over his shoulder. “Hurry. Let's go fetch my trophy.”
GODFREY
Draining the slough was easier than he thought it would be. He’d used a hose to pull the water from the giant puddle in the middle of his field. It had been Isaac’s idea – to give credit where credit was due – not that he cared so long as it was gone. Standing before the dampened dugout now – the earth wet-looking and thoroughly saturated with water – he resolved to mix in a liberal amount of dry earth and to add some manure as a way of fixing the soil so that when he began seeding next week, whatever he planted would grow. Sighing, Godfrey rested his hands on his hips and scanned the field for raised spots from which he could borrow dry soil. While he didn’t really expect see a mound of dirt, he certainly didn’t expect to see someone crossing the field, headed in his direction.
“Hello!”
The person waved – it was a young man – a young man he recognized.
“Guy?”
“Hi ya, Godfrey.”
Godfrey waited for him to draw nearer before speaking again.
&
nbsp; “What’s up?”
Guy sighed and stared at the ground, massaging the back of his neck and looking rather uncomfortable.
“Hey?”
Guy finally looked up. “I’m sorry, Godfrey.”
“Sorry for what?”
“Sorry for Eddie. I didn’t...I don’t know...he wasn’t always like that...he used to be a swell guy...and now...I...”
Godfrey nodded, his lips pressed together as he exhaled through his nose. “Don’t worry about it. No harm done.”
Guy looked surprised. “You mean that?”
“Of course. You don’t control your friends.”
“He’s not my friend,” said Guy flatly. “We were friends in school...but no more.”
“Was he different back then?”
“Hell yes! Completely. I don’t know what happened to make him change so much.”
Godfrey shrugged. “Maybe living in the big city.”
“You think?”
“Sure. People think different...and live different...and act different when they’re in a big city like Toronto. You haven’t been to Montreal, eh?”
Guy shook his head. “No.”
“Well, that’s a big city and...people are different there than here.”
“How so?”
Godfrey thought about it for a minute. “It’s hard to explain...but trust me when I say they’re just different.”
“Well, Eddie was certainly different.”
Godfrey nodded, but said nothing.
“Word around town is you beat him pretty good...”
Godfrey looked at him. “I guess you could say that...the things Hec said after to him was far worse...at least I think so.”
“What did he say?”
“That he didn’t want to see him anymore.”
“Really?”
Godfrey nodded.
Guy whistled. “That’s harsh. Old Hec, man, he don’t mess around. You cross him and you’re on the outs for good. Even if you’re family...”
“Apparently so.”
Guy sighed and the two stood there for awhile, neither talking or moving until Guy finally coughed, hacked up a bunch of snot, and spat.
“I just drained that there slough,” said Godfrey with a grin. “You going to fill it back up again?”
ISAAC
Tuesday afternoon. Isaac's farm. Down by the river.
It was slow going, the packed earth by the river being stony and full of clay, and the muscles in his arms were soon aching and crying for respite. But he was doing this for Rouge and no amount of pain would keep him from giving his beloved steed a proper memorial.