Episode 86
Episode 86: Late May 1877
Scene 1: Liberty Creek, afternoon. The Marshall carriage carrying Julia and Steven, Eugénie and party has just arrived at Belleterre.
The passengers alight and are met at the door by Patton the butler.
Patton: Miss Julia, I was under the impression that Madame Arneau and Mademoiselle de Gironde were not to arrive here until tomorrow.
Julia: As was I, Patton. We discovered them in Boise and brought them along back with us. Please show them to an appropriate reception room where my parents are not likely to find them for a short time. I wish to speak with them first. And send word to Will and Mari's that they're here. Please. Do you know where my parents are?
Patton: I believe they are both in their offices, miss.
Julia: Oh, good. I didn't look forward to searching the house for them. Also, please have Lise Anne's bags sent to the room you were preparing for her and have Marcelle settled. Marcelle her maid is still at the carriage.
Patton: Of course. Ladies, if you'll follow me.
Julia lets out a sigh of relief as Eugénie and Lise Anne followed Patton away.
Julia: I suppose there's no point in delaying it. It won't make it any better.
Julia leads Steven down the hall toward the library and pokes her head in when she reaches her mother's office.
Julia: We're back, Maman. Could you come to Papa's office with us?
Elizabeth: Ah, welcome back, ma chère. I will come in a moment. I am very nearly finished here.
Julia and Steven continue down the hall and enter John Henry's office.
John Henry: Oh, Julia, you're back. Have you cleared your conscience? He turns briefly to Steven. Hello, Steven.
Julia: In a way I have, Papa, but... Maman is coming in a moment and I'll tell you then.
Elizabeth: Enters the room. I am here, Julia. Elizabeth closed the door behind her and crossed the room to John Henry's side. What is it you wanted to say?
Julia: There is no easy way to tell you. I did go to Confession when I was in Boise, but that was not my main purpose. I...
The words choke in Julia's mouth and she cannot continue. She raises a hand to her forehead and looks down to the floor. Steven steps forward.
Steven: Sir, Madam, I hope your initial shock will not prevent you from giving your blessing later. Julia and I were married in Boise.
John Henry's eyes widen in surprise as he falls back into his chair. Elizabeth steadies herself against him and he takes her hand. After a long pause, John Henry speaks.
John Henry: You were right about the shock. I... I don't think I could form a coherent response just now. Don't be so fearful, Steven, we won't have you shot. We will find the two of you later after we've discussed it.
Steven: Thank you, sir. That's more than fair.
John Henry: Clears his throat and nods. Yes, quite... well, the two of you... I don't know. You may go.
Julia: Speaks in one quick breath. There is more.
Elizabeth: Exasperated, high-pitched tone. There is more!
Julia: A group of people came into the church just before the ceremony. I knew who they were, but they did not know me until it was too late. Maman, Eugénie and Lise Anne are here. I think Patton took them to the family drawing room.
Elizabeth gasped and moved to pass Julia and Steven for the door, but she stopped herself and turned back to John Henry, confused.
John Henry: Go, my dear. There's nothing that can be done here at the moment.
Scene 2: A stage coach waiting in Boise, morning, several days later. Nick and Stuart wait inside. Stuart wears a skirt and blouse.
Nick: I still think we should have gone to see your sister.
Stuart: I have no wish to see Marta. That is why I sent Gustavo back to tell her there was no trace of me.
Nick: And you're not nervous about setting up business in Liberty Creek?
Stuart: Terribly, but I refuse to show it. I don't know how welcome I will be there.
Nick: The truth stayed within my family as far as I know.
Stuart: Still... and with Olivia returning. Seeing my little girl is what really worries me.
Nick: I'm sure you won't get any objections from Olivia, unless you're planning to take the baby back.
Stuart: No! No, I want her to have respectable parents. I would be a friend to my baby, but I would never want her to find out I was her real mother.
Olivia: Appears at the door. I'm glad you feel that way, because it looks as if we're sharing a coach.
Stuart and Nick freeze for a moment, but Nick soon regains his wits enough to jump from the coach and lift his sister into a bear hug.
Nick: Why didn't you send word? Someone would have collected you off the ship. My God, you haven't changed a bit! But... He looks down to the little boy standing a few feet away... That's not Joey?
Olivia: That is Joey. Joey, you remember your Uncle Nick, don't you?
Joey: I knew you were an uncle, but I couldn't remember which one.
Nick: Well come here and give me a hug.
Joey hesitates for a moment, but soon smiles and runs to Nick, who lifts him up.
Nick: Oh, my. You have grown, haven't you?
Joey: I don't know.
Nick: Laughs. And you have a different accent now.
Olivia: You noticed. With Richard's English and Flora's Scottish, and then the uniquely Australian of all the help, my voice wasn't enough of an influence to keep it the same I guess.
Nick: I think it's charming.
Olivia: As do I. And... She walked back to a baby carriage covered with bug netting and returned with a toddler with a mass of curly red hair... Lately turned one year old, Miss Carolina Georgiana MacKenzie Kincaid, called Carey by close friends and family. She is told she takes after her father's mother... Olivia lowers her voice and leans closer to Nick as she allows him to hold the child... but the spitting image of her beautiful mother.
Olivia nods and gestures toward the stage. Nick nods in understanding and takes the child inside. He sits opposite Stuart, who simply stares with glazed eyes for several minutes. After a time, though, Stuart gets off her seat and kneels before Nick, who has the baby seated on his knees.
Stuart: Chokes back tears, almost whispers. Hello, sweetie. Hi. The baby looks straight into Stuart's eyes and smiles. My name is Stuart. I hope we can be friends.
In response, the baby cups Stuart's face in her small hands and gives and even wider smile. Stuart laughs and cries at the same time, but resists the temptation to take the child in her arms, returning instead to her seat.
Scene 3: A small hotel room in South Texas, a short time later. Lydia is throwing up in the chamber pot while Christopher distracts baby Livie at the window.
Lydia: Spits several times. I think I'm done. I'm sorry, honey, I can't go with you into Mexico.
Christopher: And I don't want you coming now. I'll take Livie and you can have the day to yourself.
Lydia: Are you sure?
Christopher: We'll be fine. You get your rest. He checks his pocket watch. Oh, my. We should go or we'll miss the train.
Cut to: Just outside a small Mexican town, two hours later. Christopher has just dismounted from his horse and Livie toddles along beside him as he walks to look over a plot of land.
Four masked men approach quickly on horseback. Two point guns at Christopher while the other two search his saddle bags.
First man: In broken English. Money, give!
Christopher: Approaches him shakily, holding out his billfold. All right, just don't hurt me. I have my baby.
Second man: Ring, watch.
Christopher pulls his watch out of his pocket and hands it to the man, then slowly removes his wedding ring. When Christopher turns to check on Livie, the first man slams his rifle butt into his head. Livie screams when Christopher falls to the ground, unconscious.
First man: In Spanish. Let's go.
Second man: In Spanish But the child.
First man: Let's go!
The four men gallop off with Christopher's horse. Livie toddles over to her father's unconscious body and continues to cry as she plops herself down beside his head, making several weak attempts to rouse him.
Cut to: The train station in the small, south Texas town, two hours later. Lydia waits with a few other people for the train to come in.
A telegraph clerk begins making excited noises from his station as he hurriedly writes the message down. Then, somberly, he leaves his office and approaches the small group of people.
Clerk: If you're waiting for the train coming in from Mexico, I'm afraid I have some bad news. The train has derailed. Usually this is not a serious accident, but it has happened on the edge of a steep mountain. Several survivors have been found, but...
Lydia: Wide-eyed, somber. But what?
Clerk: I'm sorry, ma'am. Most of the passengers on that train have died. To make matters worse, some of the freight has caught fire. It's... spreading to the wrecked passenger cars and the rescuers are having difficulty getting to them. There is a town nearby. The railroad will provide transport for the family members.
Scene 4: A short time later, half way between Boise and Liberty Creek. Carey and Scotty are approaching the stage coach in their own carriage.
Nick looks out the window and, seeing his cousin, signals the driver to stop before alighting.
Carey: Nicky, I'm glad you're back. I thought I was going to miss saying goodbye.
Nick: You're leaving?
Carey: Our world tour, you knew about that before you left. Our ship leaves from San Francisco in a week. But I'm glad we met. It gives me a chance to warn you of a few things before you get back home.
Nick: Nothing serious?
Carey: Not... really. You see-
Nick: No, wait. You can tell the both of us. Look who I found in Boise.
Olivia steps from the stage and the two cousins squeal and hug each other. Scotty rolls his eyes.
Carey: We were hoping we might see you in San Francisco. This is better.
Olivia: I'm so glad to see you! And you know I named the baby after you, well partly.
Carey: I heard. She's with you, of course? And Joey?
Olivia: Of course!
Carey: Oh, good. I'll go back and see them, too. But meet Scotty. She turns and reaches back to pull Scotty to her side. Gilbert McLeod, my cousin, Olivia Kincaid. Scotty and I are very old friends. And more recently...
Olivia: Gleeful You're married?
Carey: Close enough.
Scotty: Leans closer to Olivia. We've been sleeping together since before Christmas.
Carey: Slaps him on the arm. Boor! You mustn't let on that you know, Livie. We've managed to keep it from Aunt Elizabeth and I think my mother, as well. I'm certain my father knows but he wouldn't tell her.
Olivia: But you're leaving on a world tour alone together.
Carey: My relationship with Johnny, my very best friend who remains still at Belleterre, has convinced your mother that my relationship with Scotty is innocent and platonic as well.
Nick: Breaks in. What news? You have me nervous.
Carey: Well... Eugénie and Lise Anne have arrived. That lessened the impact of the other...
Olivia: What?
Carey: Julia has married.
Nick and Olivia: Together, loud. She did what?
Carey: Convinced John Henry and Elizabeth to let her go to Boise without a proper chaperone. Did it there and came back.
Nick: I don't believe this! Julia... Julia? I could see Grace doing something that rash... maybe... but Julia? Who? Who was the man?
Carey: Steven Hewitt.
Nick: What? No... I thought Steven was falling for Grace.
Carey: As did the rest of us. They had a falling out a while back, and never resolved it. No one saw Julia developing anything with him. It doesn't appear there was anything... sinister... to it. Both of them claim to love the other and your parents have accepted it, your mother being more insistent there because they were married by a priest and not by a justice of the peace.
Olivia: Shakes her head. My God...
Carey: But we have to go shortly! Please, I want to see Joey and my namesake.
Olivia: Yes, of course. But you should know that Stuart MacKenzie is also traveling with us. Carey is taken aback, and Olivia laughs. Don't worry, I'll explain it all to you.
Scene 5: Liberty Creek, several hours later. The Marshall men, along with several other curious onlookers including Wesley and Alex Knowlton, are waiting in front of the general store for the stage.
Olivia peeks out the window of the stage as it approaches, then sits back down.
Olivia: Is the family expecting you?
Nick: No, why?
Olivia: They're all there. All the men, anyway.
Stuart: Oh, no...
Olivia: Nick and I will get out with the children and hopefully they won't see you. Then we'll tell the driver to drive on, make up some excuse. Joey, do you understand? We'll not tell everyone that Miss MacKenzie is here just yet.
Joey nods and the passengers wait in silence until the stage comes to a stop. Nick exits first.
John Henry: Nick? We weren't expecting you.
Nick: Evidently. I've a surprise for you. He scans the crowd and sees Joe. Joe, come here.
Keeping the door as closed as possible, Nick reaches back inside and pulls Joey out on his arm. Joe is speechless, and Joey starts to cry and reach for his father when he sees him. Nick takes the baby out next and holds her as John Henry lifts Olivia down and tightly embraces her, both crying. Nick closes the door and looks up to the driver.
Nick: I think it would be best if you unloaded the baggage around the side of the building.
Driver: But-
Nick: Please. It's all right.
The driver nods and continues on, disappearing around the side of the building. Olivia detaches herself from John Henry and takes the baby from Nick before approaching Joe.
Olivia: Smiles. This is your daughter.
Benjamin takes Joey and Joe takes his daughter into his arms for the first time.
Joe: Livie, I...
Olivia: Gently touches his shoulder, then his cheek. I know, Joe. We'll have plenty of time to talk later.
Alex: Breaks through the crowd of family. I hate to interrupt this touching reunion, but we were waiting for an Oliver Winfield on that stage. Where is he?
John Henry: Yes, Livie, did he- He cuts himself off in sudden realization, then smiles. Oh, my God.
Olivia: Kisses his cheek. Really, Daddy, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out for yourself.
Olivia pushes her way up the steps of the general store and stands before the crowd.
Olivia: Where is Wesley Knowlton?
Wesley: Steps forward. I am he.
Olivia: Extends her hand and Wesley shakes it. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Olivia Winifred Marshall Kincaid. She looks out to all the men gathered. I've received letters from most of my family talking about the elusive Oliver Winfield, the man with no past and no other business dealings who seemed to know much about the geology of this area without ever visiting. Did the recent newspaper articles surprise you? I wish I could have read your thoughts while I was still in Australia. How could this Mr. Winfield know so much about the Marshall family? But the biggest question you had was "Who is this Mr. Winfield and where does he come from?" She shakes her head in mock shame. Really, either you fellows aren't as intelligent as I thought you were, or you underestimate me. Oliver Winfield doesn't exist! Uncle Richard thought my little business venture would be taken much more seriously if everyone thought it was headed by a man, so we played around with my own name and came up with a new one.
Alex: So, you're...
Olivia: Are you Alex? Alex nods. Your father wrote me about you. Yes, Alex. Your boss is a woman.
Olivia and Joe must discuss their future. Julia and Steven leave Liberty Creek, but not all are willing to bid them a fond farewell. Christopher was not on the ill-fated train, but life will never be the same for him, Lydia, baby Livie, or their unborn child again.
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