Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Captain Rogers

When we met Samuel at the train station the next morning, he was sitting on his trunk and twisting his wedding ring around his finger. I smiled and let Rigel's leash fall from my hands, calling out as he bounded off with a bark. "Samuel, grab him!" Will gave me a look and rolled his eyes as Rigel loped up to his father, his tail already wagging. I wasn't worried about Rigel running away, but I still put on an act when I ran up. "Oh thank God, I wouldn't want him to get hurt."

"He's far too well trained." Will grumbled, but he did smile a bit to see Samuel apparently happy to take charge of Rigel. "Da, thank ye for that." Samuel shrugged, his eyes on the walking stick that Will was carrying. Peg had pressed it into his hands when we leaving the wake, apparently it was what Jeanie had left him in the will. Most of what she had had been left to the others or Samuel, but this walking stick was just for him. I vaguely remembered seeing it when they had packed up after the wedding, something Mother had bought her. It even had her initials on the handle, although Will kept them covered with his hand. "Ye're quite prepared for a long trip?"

Samuel nodded, and the porter that Will and I had flagged down earlier added his trunk to the cart. The first train ride went reasonably well, as did the second. We simply enjoyed the sights of early morning Scotland as the train slowly chugged its way to where we would switch to the train to London. It was on that train that things began to deteriorate. Rigel, remembering the last time, jumped up and proceeded to take an entire bench for himself. That led to Samuel trying to get him down, which lead to he and Will eventually cursing in Gaelic as Rigel steadfastly refused to move.

I was laughing as they eventually settled on lifting Rigel's front half and draping him across Samuel's lap. "You see, I told you. He thinks he's a lapdog."

"He's far too big for that." Will grumbled, but he was smiling to see his father cuddle Rigel a bit closer to him. "It's bad enough in Southampton, he's too big for that bed."

"Oh," I blinked, a thought occurring to me. "Will, what are we going to do about the sleeping arrangements?"

Samuel glanced up, "Hm?"

"Christ," Will pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hadn't thought of that."

"I can stay in a hotel." Samuel was quiet. "It's nae problem."

"Ye're not staying in a hotel." Will snapped, "We'll figure somethin' out." The train continued on, even as Will pursed his lips and leaned against the window. "Ana and I can go to a hotel, it'll be easier that way."

"One of us could sleep on the settee." I offered, trying to rack my mind. "Or we could buy a cot? Or maybe a trundle bed?"

"Oh aye, just get off the train and buy a bed." Will grumbled, although at a glare from Samuel he sat up a bit straighter. "A cot, maybe. We're not stayin' that long, I can handle it."

"Ye'll be sleepin' in yer bed, with yer wife." Samuel snorted, "'Tis not right fer a husband to willingly give that up."

Will actually smiled at that, "Well, that's me told." Samuel smiled, just for a moment, and leaned his head back against the compartment wall. Will pulled a newspaper out, I grabbed a book, and we passed the rest of the trip companionably. London approached in the gray fog that always seemed to envelop that city, and when new passengers came on Will made sure to glare at them through our compartment window.

I batted his shoulder, "You can calm down, it's not as if there's actually room in here."

"Even then, some of them would still try." He replied, lips drawing up in a sneer at someone who had paused to consider if they could fit in. At Will's look they moved on, and he flipped his paper open again. "Honestly Ana, do you have any idea how many con men and gamblers I've had to chase off over the years? They're a plague on ships, I wouldn't put it past them to try a train."