The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Chapter Sixteen

By the next Monday, Sissy had been able to attend church twice now. She had spent the last week returning to her life as it was before. Katherine came by to help with the cheese making, which Katherine had helped her with before, as it was. Other than that, Sissy was fine on her own. She and Katherine now walked with the children on the beach every afternoon, once the babes had taken their nap. They talked, walking arm in arm, as the children looked for rocks and pretty shells. The children wandered and played on the smooth rocky shore, stopping to investigate when they found something the waves had washed in, or found some small creature to follow along. The older mother and the younger, keeping an eye on the babes as they followed them, slowly meandering up and down the shoreline.

The women looked out to sea quite often, hoping to see a ship sailing their way with their loved ones aboard, safe and sound.

Marcus was due to arrive in a sennight and Katherine hoped Violet would return for that. The women prayed together daily for their loved ones, out on the beach, under God's wide sky.

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This Monday had dawned bright and clear, Katherine had just taken the loaves from the oven and set them out to cool, when she heard a cannon blast. Her head whipped around and she heard Sissy calling out to her. Katherine flew to the window to see Sissy, as she raced up the road to Katherine's cottage.

Katherine met her at the cottage gate, as Sissy bent over a bit, trying to catch her breath. "They cometh, Mama Katy, they are here!" Sissy grinned in spite of the concern in her eyes. One never knew if all would be aboard and unharmed.

Katherine ran back inside and pulled her sweater from the hook by the door. She and Sissy walked spryly to the beach, to watch the ship come in.

They held hands and smiled at one another, in between watching the Wench come closer and closer, straining their eyes to see their men on deck. As soon as they could recognise bodies, they started waving, and they did not stop, until Sam threw out the anchor. After a few moments the ship swung around broadside. Every second was as if an hour, they could not see their men fast enough.

They hugged one another, both their faces cheek to cheek, staring at the ship, as they could now both see Josh and Violet at the rail. Leaving their arms around each other they turned toward the sea, their free arms on each side waving frantically.

Jake was dancing around on the sand, his twin sisters were home, asleep in their bed. Jake waved and called out to his father, as Sissy and Katherine cried tears of joy and gratitude.

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Almost everyone aboard ship was standing at the rail.

Violet, Betsy and Brutus were at the helm rail, the crewmen were lining the main deck rail with the boys. Lila was on Samson's shoulders, as that was her favourite place to be these days, if he were able to accommodate her.

Paulie had Sarah in his arms, and Timothy had Jonah in his. The boys were all on either side of Tim, and they waved at Mama Katy, Sissy, and Jake, as did all aboard who knew them.

Betsy looked to Violet and grew shy of a sudden. She watched Violet's face as he saw his mother and her heart melted. She could see the young Violet in her mind, wanting to rush to his mama and tell her about his day. This time though, he wanted to tell her about his bride.

Betsy stood between the two men and gained strength from them. They would not abandon her. She knew this as she knew her own heart, and she decided to be brave, even as she was a bit frightened that Katherine would not approve of her. She knew it was silly, yet, my goodness, Violet's mother! What if the woman did not like her? Just because Violet loved her, did not mean that his mother would.