Bertrice Small - Besieged

Sir Christian took the baby roughly from the woman, and thrust her into Johnathan Kira's arms. "Here is the child who is now doomed to roast in eternal hellfire!" he spat at his antagonist.

"Thank you," Johnathan Kira said calmly. "And if you read your Bible correctly, Sir Christian, you would discover that we Jews are called God's chosen people. It is also a fact that Yushua of Nazareth, whom you call Jesus, was also a Jew. Good evening to you, sir." Johnathan Kira walked from the house with his prize, and handed her up to the Leslie captain. "Let us return to Queen's Malvern now," he said. Then he chucked the baby under the chin. "You have had quite an adventure, little one," he remarked. "Well, you are safe now, and on your way home to your mother, praise Yahweh!"

"Ma-ma!" Aine said forlornly. "Ma-ma."

He smiled a kindly smile at her, transforming his usually severe features. "Yes, Mistress Aine. You are going home to your mama."

They rode back through the spring twilight, the smells of newly turned earth, early blooming bushes, and flowers, cleansing the air and tickling their nostrils. Fortune was awaiting them at the door, and snatched her child down from the captain's arms, clutching Aine to her bosom, and sobbing softly.

"Ma-ma!" Aine's small voice was now happy.

"Aye, baby, I am your mama, and you are safe home." She kissed Aine's red head. Then her eyes went to Johnathan Kira. "Your son need only come aboard the Cardiff Rose with his personal supplies of food. Everything else he will need will be supplied for him, I promise you. You will transfer immediately one quarter of my funds to his care, Master Kira. And when we are settled in Mary's Land, another quarter is to be transferred. The other half I will leave here in England. You and your son will have my everlasting friendship for what you have done this night. But how?"

"Sir Christian inherited a tumbled-down house, my lady, with his title, but nothing more. He needed funds to restore the house, and invest in a venture that would make him independent enough that he might attract a wife with a good dowry. He came to the Kiras, and now he is in our debt. He had to decide whether he would lose everything he had gained this night, or return your child. Fortunately he chose wisely."

They walked back into the house. "Thank God you were here with us else I might never have regained my daughter without violence," Fortune said softly. She kissed the baby again, and handed her to Rohana to put to bed.

"Your serving woman?"

"She regained consciousness, and told us that Sir Christian and another man, probably his servant, had attacked her. The first blow they hit her with did not render her unconscious, and she saw them. She tried to scream, and they hit her a second time, but she recognized them," Fortune explained. "She will, with rest, be all right, thank God. I do not know how I would have told her Kevin if anything had happened to her. Come into the hall and have a goblet of wine. You can have it, can't you?"

"In my own cup," he chuckled.

"How long have our families been associated?" Fortune asked him curiously. "It has been many years, hasn't it?"

"Aye," he told her. "Your stepfather's revered ancestress, a great and powerful woman, made friends with my revered ancestress, Esther Kira. The two women aided each other in many ways, and through the influence of one, the other grew powerful and wealthy, too. That, I am told, is how it all began over a century ago. Then your mother's grandmother began dealing with us, and we found that she, too, was a woman of great intellect, honor, and ethics. That was over seventy years ago. Then parts of the two families intertwined in marriage, continuing to deal with the Kiras. It has, my lady, been a successful collaboration."

"May it continue to be so in the New World," Fortune told him sincerely with a smile.

"Amen," Johnathan Kira intoned. "Amen to that, my lady."

Once again Fortune stood at the rail of the Cardiff Rose watching with interest as the landscape of her new homeland came into view. The beauty of it was so incredible that she almost wept. There was this strong feeling of belonging that she had never before experienced. Kieran had been right. This was home. It was unlike anything she had ever before seen. The bays through which they now sailed were huge. The waters very, very blue. Above her the sun shone in a cloudless sky. How different from their departure from England a month and a half ago.

The late spring day had been gray and rainy, and Fortune Lindley Devers had found herself suddenly afraid. She stood with her mother, and the only father she had ever known upon the ship's deck prior to their departure. Jasmine's eyes were red with evidence of weeping although she now seemed calm and in control of herself. Even James Leslie was unusually silent as he held Aine in his arms.

"We'll have to cast off soon, Cousin," Ualtar O'Flaherty said as he joined them. "The tide will shortly be with us." Then he moved away to give them the privacy they so obviously needed.

"Ye'll come back one day to see us," James Leslie said suddenly.

Fortune felt the tears pricking at her eyelids. "I don't think so, Papa," she told him. "I am not brave, or venturesome, like Mama and India. Once I cross the ocean safely, I shall remain where I am, I fear. Remember," she said, giving him a weak smile, "I am the practical and sensible daughter."

"If you had been sensible," Jasmine said almost bitterly, "you would not have fallen in love with Kieran Devers." Her heart was breaking with the certain knowledge that she would never again in her lifetime see this second daughter of hers and Rowan's. Fortune would be as gone from her as surely as Rowan had been gone all these years. Jasmine could feel the anger welling up in her. Then she swallowed it back. It was not Kieran's fault, or Fortune's fault that this situation had come to pass. It was the fault of ignorant and narrow-minded people who could not accept anyone who was in the slightest manner different from them. People who wanted everyone to look alike, to think alike, to worship alike. Joyless souls who could not accept a God of love, but must have a condemning deity of fire and brimstone to worship. She pitied them, but at the same time Jasmine silently cursed them, for it was their intolerance that was causing her daughter to go.

"Mama." Fortune touched her sleeve. "It is time, Mama. You and Papa must go ashore now. We must say good-bye."

Jasmine turned stricken eyes to her daughter. No! the voice in her head cried out, and then Fortune spoke again.

"I am so grateful for you and Papa, for all the good times we have had together. I shall always remember it, Mama, even if I grow to be an old lady. Do not grieve for me. I am doing what I am meant to do. I love Kieran. I will love our new life in Mary's Land. I will send you letters each time the Cardiff Rose makes the journey between there and here. You will hardly notice I am gone. I know that you want me to be happy, Mama." Then Fortune put her arms about her mother, and embraced her tenderly. "Farewell, Mama. Always remember that I love you, and Papa, and all my family here. Do not forget me." She kissed her mother's cheek. Drawing away from Jasmine she bid the duke of Glenkirk an equally tender farewell. "Thank you, Papa, for taking Rowan Lindley's last daughter, and loving her as your very own." Then she kissed him too, quickly turning away lest her own emotions overcome her and she lose what small courage she had, and they all dissolve into a paroxysm of sorrow.

***

The warm breeze touched her cheek, and Fortune brought herself back to the present. Her eyes were teary with her memories. Their crossing from England had been a relatively easy one. There had been no serious storms, and only a few gray days of drizzling rain. They had first stopped in Ireland to pick up the women and children from Maguire's Ford and Lisnaskea who would be traveling with them. The Highlander had already departed Ulster several days earlier with the horses and other livestock they would be taking to Mary's Land. Still, Rory Maguire was there in Dundalk to greet her, having escorted the colonists himself.

"So, lassie, and yer finally off on yer great adventure," he said, kissing her cheek. "Where is this daughter of yers now? I would see her, Fortune Devers."

Rois came forward with the two children, and Rory's eyes lit up at the sight of them. He took Aine into his arms.

"Ahh," he said softly, "she's a fine lassie, Fortune." Then, as an afterthought, he said to Rois, "Look to the gangway, Rois. Here is yer grandmam. Come aboard, Bride Duffy, and see the fine great-grandson yer lass has had."

"Did you bring the whole village?" Fortune teased him as they walked the deck with Aine.

"Well, Fergus had to drive one of the wagons that brought the women and children, and their goods and chattels. Nothing would do but Bride would come along with him," Rory chuckled, and when he did, Aine laughed too. "So you find that funny, do you?" He tickled her, eliciting even further laughter. His granddaughter! His eyes devoured Aine eagerly, then swept to Fortune. His daughter. 'Twas the last time he would see them, and he had been unable to resist the opportunity to do so. He sighed. Part of him wanted her to know the truth, but he could not, would not destroy her identity to soothe his aching heart. There was always the possibility she would hate him for it. Better the secret remain his burden.