Chapter Eighteen

Sissy, Josh and Anna arrived first, Josh bringing a basket of milk crocks for the children, and Sissy brought her butter and cheese. Anna had put up blackberry compote with Sissy's help over the summer, so she contributed two jars of the sweet spread. Brutus' father arrived with his fish, his wife carried two vessels of pickled green beans. Everyone brought a little of whatever they had gathered and put up over the summer. One of the families contributed the meat pie that had been made for their dinner. The table was filling with puddings and custards, meats and preserves, pickled meats and vegetables, and Katherine's bread. The families knew to bring their own service ware, as they organized potluck dinners after church quite a few times a year. One of Sissy's brothers had ridden in when the cannon sounded, then notified families on his way back out to their small farm, to confirm the men had returned.

Sissy's family joined them and brought ham, sweetmeats, goat's cheese and milk. Sissy's mother, Elyse, had baked that day also, and she brought a bread pudding with raisins for the table.

By the time the traveler's were spotted walking up the road, there was a yard full of people that overflowed the cottage. The tables were laden, and Katherine had coffee and tea at the ready.

The pastor had gone home to change, then had returned to join the others in awaiting Violet and his crew to return.

The boys took the smaller children to the edge of the woods, where the men had hung ropes and smooth planks for the children to swing. The ropes were replaced every few years, to keep them in good condition for the children that the crew brought home with them. Katherine sometimes had children for months, if there were no family to send them home to, and new families were overlong in being found.

Wee Sarah and Sissy's twins were close in age, Jake and Lila were also, all the children played happily together, supervised by the adults in the yard.

When the crew finally reached the cottage, the well wishers had tripled in number.

Violet carried his foils in one hand, he held Betsy's hand with the other. He knew what to expect and had told her ahead of time, so she would be prepared.

There were a few other older women, and widows, like Anna, they had been set up in chairs in the living space of the cottage, where a fire burned bright and cheery.

Once the introductions and greetings were dispensed with, all were provided with drinks, and they served themselves from the laden tables. Then finding places to sit in the yard on their blankets, they settled in for a good visit.

The children rushed over and were tossed into the bed of Marcus' wagon to have their dinner together. The ladies served the elderly, the children, then themselves, joining the others in the festive atmosphere. Samson, Paulie, and Pete ate at the tail of the wagon, where they could be on hand for the youngsters, yet also join in with the adult conversations.

Before they ate, the Pastor blessed the food, and thanks were given for the traveler's safe return.

Even though, Katherine was brimming with questions, she was a gracious hostess first. Once all were settled and eating in small groups all around the yard, she joined Marcus, Violet, and Betsy in their spot in her yard. Chauncey and Pastor Fielding were beside them, Brutus was with his large family to the other side, joined by Bart.

Bart and Josh's under crews were scattered here and there around the families.

Everyone knew that the food came first, then the stories. Sometimes the crew's stories were better told once the children were back at their play, so all ate, and the town's residents told their stories of hunts and fishing tales. They shared everyday tales that included any humor, such as when Pastor had overslept one Sunday, and all had waited an hour in the pews for him to grace them with his sermon. Red faced and blustering, he could be heard to say, "But it only happened the one time."

All laughed at his indignant response, and he, in the end did too, a bit sheepishly.

The children finished their dinners, and they wanted to go see the lambs in their temporary pen until dessert was served. Paulie volunteering to watch over the wee ones.

Out of hearing distance, Pastor Fielding opened the storytelling, "I would like to know what happened to put me in the sea today."

Violet grinned, then looked at Bart and Brutus, electing to let them begin the tale.

Brutus cleared his throat to start, as Bart waited for his part to come about.

"It all started with three days of calm like we have never seen before, nary a wave beset us, the water's swirled an' ebbed, and we knew a storm approached us. From the front or behind, we knew not, but upon the third morn, the skies were red as blood. I knew we would have a rough time ahead of us, so I went below to get my sleep while I could." Brutus looked to Bart to continue.

"We had not reached the storm yet, but we could see the head of it out in front of us, directly in our path. I was manning the nest an spotted a ship to our starboard side. I alerted Violet, and we saw 'twas a fearsome slave trader."

The gathering gasped as a group, all knew of the Barbary's that hunted the coasts to the south of them, reigning terror upon villages and small ships.

Bart warmed to his tale, "A huge ship, the likes ye've ne'r seen, many square sails, all of a dark color, then it changed it's own course to hunt us down." He needed no extra flair or drama, as all were terrified for them just listening to the tale.

Violet sat there grinning, as Katherine slapped his arm, not knowing how he could not be as terrified as she was. Betsy giggled at her and received a stern look from her husband's mother. She tried to make her visage serious and ended up having to hide her face in Violet's other sleeve.

Brutus picked up the tale again, "I had woken from my sleep and gone to the galley for my coffee. I found Elizabeth,".

Every eye in the yard then found Betsy, and she smiled and nodded at them, as Katherine continued glaring she and Violet's way, still fearful of the Barbary's. Marcus patted Katherine's hand and she smacked him too.

"Elizabeth was in the galley leading the rest of them in the Psalms. We thought 'twas only the storm we need fear, we did not know about the Barbary's just then." He looked at Violet to continue.

Violet arranged his face in a more serious mien, remembering the chill and the fear he had felt, "The storm was approaching quickly, lighting was sheeting the clouds, I saw the Barbs drawing nearer preparing to run us down. I told Pete and Samson to trim the sails and gain us as much speed as they could, hoping to run into the storm's fury and mayhap discourage a fight, yet we were not sailing nearly fast enough, as they were coming quickly upon us. I yelled at Bart to get down from there, as we were going under the clouds charged with bolts, and ye all know the nest is lined with metal." He looked to Bart to continue.

"I flew down as fast as I could, gathering my men to man the guns for when the slave trader came in range." He looked to Brutus next.

"I gets my coffee, and stand listening to Miss Elizabeth, as the boys troop down and join the ones in the galley. Miss Elizabeth is still reading from the psalms, ever one repeating them as she goes line by line."

Pastor Fielding and Katherine both reached out to pat Betsy's hand, they ended up patting each other, Betsy had a hard time containing her giggle at that.

"As she's readin' that good book, I felt a presence move through the galley, such as I have not felt before, it was not as a wind, yet that is all I can think of to compare it to."

Katherine's and the pastor's eyes widened as they looked at Betsy, she looked at Brutus, smiling wistfully.

Violet spoke, "'Twas after that Brutus came to the helm with my jerkin, as I put it on, he told of what he had felt down below with the others. As he said, they were just praying about the storm, only the boys knew of the Barbs, and they had not told, as the children were down there also. I had prayed that God would deliver us, not knowing how He could, yet the next time I looked, the ship had vanished. It was simply gone. I do not know how to explain it, other than we were miraculously delivered."

Pete and Samson nodded and grinned.

"Amen", this from the pastor and Katherine in unison. Betsy grinned at them both, as Katherine finally sagged in relief.

"'Twas then I felt the Spirit come upon me, and I found Elizabeth to ask what she had been reading,'twas the forty sixth psalm."

Pastor Fielding recited this for the group, as Violet sat there nodding, and Katherine wore a dumbfounded look upon her face. When the pastor had finished, Katherine burst into tears, burying her face in Marcus' shoulder. Violet reached over and rubbed her own shoulder, as she tried to remove the Barbs from her mind.

"Ye are never to get on that ship again, any of you!" She stated, as she let her fear turn to anger.

Betsy scooted close to her and rubbed her back. "But we were delivered, Mama Katherine, and look at all these fine men today."

Katherine raised her head and saw all the men she loved, whole, healthy and saved. What could she say to that? "I am glad you were all delivered, and I am glad it strengthened your faith, but I hate this pirating, and I will not have it any longer, do you hear me Violet Petals? Never again!" She cried vehemently.

"Yes ma'am." Violet grinned at her as she continued.

"I do not care what you say, I will not lose you to the Barbs, I will not sit here and fear that fate for you ever again!,....what did you say?"

"I said, yes ma'am, we are done pirating, Mama." Violet grinned at her.

She grabbed Betsy's hand and looked into her eyes, "He is done?"

"He says so Mama Katy, he says he wants a precocious imp to be married to, and have lots of babies." Betsy grinned, as Violet groaned and put his forehead in his hand.

Katherine laughed through her tears, "Praise God that he found you, child."

"Indeed!" Betsy agreed with that.

Katherine continued, "Just how did you find her, Violet?"

"Pirating." Violet raised his head and grinned, as Katherine groaned and set her own head into her hands.

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The conversations resumed, all began talking at once, signaling Paulie it was safe to return with the youngsters. The children were served their sweets, and Violet stood, reaching out a hand to Marcus.

"Come along old man," Violet teased him, "I am curious about something."

Marcus and Katherine exchanged furtive glances, which Violet missed, as he was holding out his other hand to Betsy.

They both took his hands and rose, Betsy's he kept in his grip, and Marcus, Violet slid his arm around his father's shoulders. "To the stump Marcus."

They walked around the back of the cottage, to the edge of the woods, where a man height stump was riddled with slashes. "My wife has an uncanny knack with weaponry, and I would know how she fairs with the knives."

Marcus looked to Betsy, "What does he mean, you have a way with the weaponry?"

"I can hit just about anything I aim for with a pistol and a sling, I cannot explain it, it just happens that I can do it." Betsy said modestly, a bit taken aback that Violet would choose to laud her skills.

Violet removed the knives from his waist, handing one to Marcus. He then turned to his bride. "Ye have never thrown the knives before?"

She shook her head, then he showed her how to hold it, then he stepped away and demonstrated how to throw it.

He retrieved it and Marcus threw the other, the knives had embedded in roughly the same spot.

Betsy nodded and was handed Violet's knife, which she weighed in her small palm, then gripped it as he had shown her.

She threw it at the stump, where it hit the correct spot but did not imbed in the tree.

"You need more force in your throw." Violet knew Marcus was still impressed, as she had hit with accuracy, if not with strength. He retrieved the knife and gave it back to her.

She bit her bottom lip and then looked to him, "Harder, you say."

"Yes, as much force as you can without affecting your aim."

She threw the knife again, this time it stuck, exactly between where he and Marcus had thrown. She grinned at Violet and he grinned back.

"And you have never thrown a knife before?" Marcus asked, dumbfounded.

"Nay, I never had before." She admitted humbly, yet grinning just the same. "'Tis something I cannot explain, I have good aim I guess."

Marcus shook his head at this small girl. "Yes, I would say that you do."

Violet then told him about the rats, and the sling, as Marcus could not easily believe this little woman could shoot the eye out of a coconut as it was tossed in the air.

"And that was her first time shooting a pistol, she did the same with the sling, 'tis mind boggling, her ability. I cannot figure it out, it took me many months to learn the sling, and weeks to learn the knives." Violet spoke to Marcus, as Betsy had retrieved the knife and thrown again, with the same results.

"It is definitely something out of the ordinary." Marcus nodded and agreed.

"There is nothing at all ordinary about my little wife, this I have come to realize." Violet said with pride, as he looked upon his treasure.

Marcus was filled with longing and joy, longing to claim this young couple as his own, yet full of joy to see his son so happy with his bride. He knew he would have felt the same about Katherine, had he married her.

"Some fencing, old man?" Violet raised a brow at Marcus in question.

"Absolutely!" Marcus smiled with pleasure, as this was one of their greatest pastime's, "I would enjoy that very much!"

Violet put the knives back in their sheaths at his waist, and the three of them headed to the blanket to retrieve the swords.

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;) May your day be blessed with love and laughter!