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.

"She does not bite," Brutus whispered beside her, he talked out the side of his mouth quietly, as she smiled tremulously at him. He continued, "She is more of a kitten than you are."

Betsy wrinkled her small nose at Brutus, now she felt a bit silly for being nervous a'tall. She laughed lightly and hugged Violet's arm on one side, and Brutus' on the other, as the men waved with their other arms. She stayed there and held onto them for dear life. At least she had her small family around her, as she was the new stranger here, to all on shore.

She saw Josh down below, he was waving frantically at a young boy and a very pretty young woman who had auburn tresses and very fair skin.

Katherine, she could see, had dark blonde hair, a youthful figure, and she was a little taller than the young mother she was standing next to. They both wore pretty dresses with sweaters, and Betsy looked down at her boots and breeches. Should she have changed into one of her own dresses? Would they think her a hoyden, being dressed as Violet was?

Mayhap, they even thought she was a boy hanging onto Violet and Brutus.

"Ye look fine, yer adorable." Brutus out the side of his mouth again.

Others came pouring down to the beach, she knew when Brutus could see his own family, as his waving increased in vigour. Violet turned and took Betsy in his arms, lifting her and laughing, enfolding her into his arms, melting any remaining fears away.

She held him tightly around his neck, as he swooped in and kissed her, her toes dangling above the ground, just as she loved to be held by him.

She filled with an incredible joy, for him, for herself, because he was her husband, and for his mother, who would get to see him so very happy.

He pulled back to smile at her, his beautiful violet eyes shining into hers. "I love you, Kitten."

Her eyes twinkled back at him, all satiny sable, squeezing his heart in his chest with just how much he loved this woman of his.

"Welcome home, my love." She barely got it out, before he was kissing her again with a passion that swept her away from all except him. Brutus, next to them, the others calling out and Pete shouting at Samson to help him lower the gig.

All that faded away, the only thing Betsy was aware of, was this man in her arms. He consumed her every nerve, every sense she had was filled with him and his love.

"Captain, your boat awaits ye." Pete called up to them.

Only then did Violet break the kiss. He pulled back a very small space, their noses were still barely touching, and he grinned at her. "Let us go."

She smiled back and nodded quickly, before he swung her up in his arms and carried her down the steps to the side of the ship, where Pete had tossed out the Jacob's ladder.

Betsy's eyes shined up into Violet's the entire time, until he set her down so he could climb over the side and down a few rungs, then Pete lifted her over the rail, depositing her directly in front of Violet. Pete kissed her cheek, as she gave him a dazzling smile, then she and Vi descended. Brutus followed them down, all of them moving forward as Josh and Chauncey followed, then Samson brought Lila down with him. Violet had helped Betsy to the very front seat, he straddled it and she sank down on the other end of the plank, facing him. He adjusted their weight so that her knees were on either side of his inside one. He held her hands and placed them atop his knee, as he leaned in and kissed her. While everyone else was boarding and getting settled, he turned her around and pulled her in to settle her back against him, as he held her tight around her waist and shoulders, her hands now rested upon his knees. He closed his eyes, thanked the Lord that they were home and safe, then looked to the shore and grinned at Katherine.

Brutus and Samson manned the oars that would take them the last twenty meters to home.

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Katherine watched as her son turned to what looked like a boyish youth and took that one into his arms. When he started kissing the youth on the helm deck, her brow furrowed and her jaw dropped open.

What was this?

After a moment of kissing, Violet swept the youth into his arms and carried her to the ladder. Katherine could now see the long braid that hung over Violet's arm. A girl! Violet had a girl in his arms and he had been kissing her madly! Could it be? Could Violet be bringing home a young girl to meet her? His care with the small creature gave her pause, as she watched them board the gig and sit close together.

Violet kissed the girl again then cuddled her into his embrace. He leaned his head down next to hers. Then he turned and grinned. She could see his happy face from here.

The small miss leaned back against him, then raised a hand to cup his cheek behind her, as he put his hand atop hers, still grinning Katherine's way.

Oh, hurry, she thought. It was the hardest thing to stay where she was and not start wading out to meet them. She was so excited she felt she could swim out to them faster than they were rowing in.

"Well, my goodness," Sissy said beside her, "What has Violet got there?"

Katherine looked at Sissy, who was suppressing a grin at the kissing Violet had been doing, and the drop jaw look Katherine had let slip for a moment.

"I know not, but it looks as if we shall find out very shortly." Katherine squeezed Sissy's hand, and they grinned at one another, as all looked well and sound aboard the small boat, and the larger ship behind them. Pete and Bart were lowering the other dinghy behind the one already coming in.

Katherine took in the faces of these men that she loved and could not wait to get her hands on. Samson and Brutus, Chauncey and Josh, but her Violet, she had seen him happy to be home before, but, oh my, as his face came closer, she could see he was more than just happy to be home. He was aglow as she had never seen him glow before. Was it because of the sprite in his arms? The young lady was smiling too, and Katherine could see her adorable face as they rowed closer. Hurry, hurry, hurry! Yes, all aboard the small skiff looked well and happy, praise be to God!

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