To Capture Her Heart (7 page)

Heather Flower looked up. She weighed Patience's words before she answered. In no way did she want to endanger Dirk. If only he wouldn't endanger himself, then she wouldn't have to answer questions like this. “He came once, to see if I was all right. He found out I did not go home and he wanted to be sure that is what I wanted.”

“Why would he care?”

“Lion Gardiner instructed him to bring me back to my parents. It was his duty.”

“Did you tell him that you were the one who decided to stay at Winnie's?”

“Yes,
nuk
. I told him not to be worried and that Lion Gardiner knew he had done what was needed.”

Mary's shrill wail reverberated through the house, followed by a moment of silence. They paused to listen. A baby's first jagged cry broke into the world.

Their eyes met, smiles spreading.

Tears sprung in Patience's eyes. “He is here. The babe is born.” She hurried over to Jonathan and Hannah and hugged them both. “He's here!”

Winnie rushed halfway down the stairs just as Jane arrived, a pot of stew in hand. “She has a baby girl! Children, you have a little sister! Heather Flower, go to Elizabeth's and tell Barnabas and Zeke they must come.”

“How is Mary?”

“She is fine, she is wonderful! Now go!”

Heather Flower left quickly and ran down the road to the
Fannings'. Breathing hard, she pounded on the door. It swung open and there stood Benjamin. Words escaped her.

“My mother? The baby's here?” A smile broke loose.

“Yes, Benjamin. You must get your father and Zeke and come.”

Barnabas came to the door. “And Mary? Mary is all right?”

She nodded. “I think she is very happy for everything to be over with.”

Barnabas was already pushing past Benjamin on his way out the door. “Heather Flower, what is it? A boy, yes?”

“No, you have a girl.”

“Heigh-ho! A girl!” Barnabas started out in a brisk pace with Zeke, Joseph, and Jeremy. Caleb and Joshua ran out ahead of them toward home, and Heather Flower and Benjamin took up the rear.

She smiled as she watched them rush back to the house. “The men. You all came to Zeke's house to wait?”

A whisper of a breeze rustled the leaves of the maples, showing their silvery undersides. Dappled sunlight fell across Benjamin's handsome face as they walked the main street. “That's what we do. We stay out of the way and when the women have done their work, we come when we are called. Yes, we do.” A smile spread across his face, a dimple punctuating his cheek. Anticipation shone in his eyes, but Heather Flower sensed his contentment at being with her too.

As they entered the house, she left Benjamin and Joseph behind with their younger brothers and followed Barnabas into the bedroom.

Mary gave her husband a tired smile. “She's a loud one, and look at her. Not one hour old and she looks around like she wants to tell us everything she knows. Which is much, I think.”

Winnie had the newborn at the foot of the bed, wrapped snugly in a blanket. She picked her up and lowered her to Mary's waiting arms. “Good morrow, my little one. Your papa said we would name you Sarah. Are you telling the world you are here?” Her wails stopped and she squirmed in Mary's arms. “Oh, look, she likes her name. Sarah it is.” She looked up to her husband. “She is so beautiful, is she not, Barney?” She ran her finger over her light peach-colored hair.

“She is. She looks like you, yes?”

“She has my hair, I think, but her eyes are yours.” She counted ten tiny fingers, then unwrapped spindly little toes.

Patience came in carrying a steaming bowl of corn pudding, with Hannah right behind. “Heather Flower made this for you, Mary. We knew you would be ravenous.” She set the bowl down carefully and peeked at the new baby. “She's precious. And so beautiful. She has your eyes, Mary.”

Mary laughed. “I suppose 'tis too soon to know.” She sniffed the savory aroma of the pudding and turned to Winnie. “Mmmm. That smells so good. You would think food would be far from my thoughts, though.” She hugged her babe close.

“I know the hunger a woman has after birthing. It must be from God as you will need your strength. You must eat.” Winnie lifted the tiny babe and placed her in her father's arms. “Sarah. Does Sarah have meaning?”

Barney bent his head to his child. “Yes. Princess. It means princess.”

“How blessed you are this day, Barnabas. I am so happy for you.”

“I am.” He looked at Mary. “We are, yes, my sweet?”

“Yes, she is perfect.”

“God gives good things to those who wait.” He smiled at
his daughter and gently tucked the blanket around her. “We waited a long time for you, little Sarah. You have five brothers and a sister, and we all waited just for you.”

Mary ate a spoonful of corn pudding as Lizzie, Winnie, and Patience crowded about, peering at the tiny bundle in Barnabas's arms. “You are like sisters to me. And Abbey—you may be Winnie's daughter, but to me you'll always be my first daughter.” Tears began to gather on her lashes, and Abbey rushed to her side and blotted them with a soft handkerchief.

Sarah began to cry in earnest.

“Heigh-ho, little one, what is that? Methinks she is hungry too, Mary.” Barnabas nodded to Winnie to take the bowl from her and he gently placed the babe in her waiting arms. “Abigail, when she's had her fill, you will bring her to see her brothers?”

“Yes.”

He nodded and made his way to the stairs and the menfolk below.

“We will have the men feast downstairs.” Winnie nodded to Lizzie and Patience. “The we'll bring food up here and celebrate with Mary.”

“Mama, Mama.” Hannah begged to climb on the bed, but Patience lifted the little girl to her hip. “Come with me, my poppet. We shall let your mother rest whilst we gather the meal.” She swooped her out of the room, followed by Lizzie and Winnie.

Heather Flower hung back. She watched as Abbey settled next to Mary, humming a lullaby, and a yearning put an ache in her heart that surprised her. The pain wasn't the same as when she mourned the loss of her husband. It was more an achy emptiness. Two men wanted a place in her heart and each would wait for her. One was kind and patient. The other, kind but eager.

September 2, 1653

In the midst of Sarah's birth, Jeremy's trunks were forgotten. But not for long. The following day, Benjamin hitched up Star, and he and Jeremy rode down to the dock to retrieve the two trunks.

“Grandmother Horton is doing all right since Grandfather died?”

“Well, yes and no. She is healthy and very much able to get around on the estate. But she misses him, of course. She hasn't been the same.”

“Does she ever think about coming out here with you and living with us? I know we would love to have her here.”

“Nay. She's too old, for one thing. The trip would be too hard for her. But she wouldn't feel right leaving Mowsley. It's where she and your grandfather lived all of those years. It wouldn't seem right to her, I know.”

The Swallow
came into view at the end of the long pier and Benjamin pulled the reins in on Star. When they first came to
Long Island, they had to ride in a small shallop just to get to shore. And even then they waded through the surf the last several yards. But now they had a long, sturdy pier where almost all of the big ships docked.

He tethered Star to a log—not that she'd be going anywhere with that wagon behind her, but they wanted time to wander about the ship. Benjamin was ten years old when they made the trip over, and it had seemed huge to him. Now walking up the plank with his uncle, the ship didn't look all that big.

They went to the shipmaster's cabin where Benjamin had stayed with his parents and Joseph for the journey. “I don't even remember where you slept when we stayed in here.”

Jeremy chuckled. “That doesn't surprise me. Let's go up to the scuttle hatch and I'll show you. It's not so bad—it's where my ship's first officers sleep.”

He walked up the creaking stairs with his uncle, and as they came out into the open of the upper deck, the smell of the sea was fresh and invigorating. “I could almost like this kind of life, Uncle Jeremy.”

“Of course you could.” He clapped him on the back. “But it was Joseph that I thought would want to come out with me at least for a season. He loved the astronomy and he had a head for it.”

“But he met Jane.”

“Women will do that to you. If you think you'd like to sail with me, Benjamin, you best not fall for one.” He winked.

“Too late. I fall for them all.” He laughed at his own joke, but it was almost true. He loved Anna, and he loved Heather Flower. Mayhap he only fell in love with the ones he couldn't have.

They watched the gulls swoop down for fish. Jeremy leaned on the rail. “Did you know there is an island of sand right at the mouth of the Hudson River? The natives called it Gull Island
because of all the birds, but the Dutch call it Oyster Island now. I guess because of all the oysters.”

“I was going to say it's not right for the Dutch to change the name, but I guess we do that too.”

“Oh yes, we do. But why change a name when it is fitting like Gull Island? But speaking of Indian names, tell me more about Heather Flower.” He kept his eyes out on the ocean, but Benjamin knew his ears were on him.

“There's not much to tell. I think I've been in love with her for a long time, and it took Anna marrying Charles for me to see that.”

The gulls were squawking overhead and they looked up just in time to see an eagle soaring high with a fuzzy baby in the clutch of its claws. A gull chased after but was no match for the eagle's speed.

Jeremy shook his head. “She's been through a terrible time, has she not?”

“Yes. I fear too much. And it was that Dutchman, Dirk Van Buren, who found her and was bringing her home until Joseph and I went and got her from Fort Amsterdam. He played quite the hero.”

“Aye. He was to her, I imagine.”

“He doesn't know her like I know her, though. And her feelings are raw.”

“Well, she's with her aunt and I suspect she will heal in time.”

“True. How long will you be here?”

“Not much longer. I'm headed back to Barbados. I'm here just long enough to load up some pelts and get a few repairs on my sails. Then I'm off. Want to come with me?”

Benjamin's face lit up and his dimples deepened. “Yes, of course. But I'd be stuck because you don't come back this way.”

“Aye, you'd have to be in it for the long haul. But think of it, you can go home to England and see your birthplace.”

They walked down the stairs and picked up a trunk on either end and started for the wagon. “I couldn't leave. I guess my heart's here.” They set it down and headed back for another one. “You should move here, Uncle Jeremy.”

“Well, someone has to check in on your grandmother from time to time and go over the books for her and make sure the mill is still running.”

They settled the second trunk in the wagon and climbed up. Benjamin gave a gentle slap with the reins and Star clip-clopped down the road alongside Town Creek.

The latch was ajar and Benjamin shoved the door open with his shoulder. He and Uncle Jeremy hauled the trunks into the parlor.

Patience and Lizzie brought food to share and enjoyed a good visit with Jeremy. Joseph and Jane came over after the meal and the evening was spent going through Uncle Jeremy's trunks. Mary stayed upstairs with little Sarah.

Benjamin smiled at his brothers and little Hannah and remembered how excited he and Joseph were when their uncle came with surprises. It was still exciting.

For Mary, Lizzie, Jane, and Patience, Jeremy brought bolts of silk and brocade, along with silk thread and French lace. He presented Patience with a set of ivory combs in a tortoiseshell box and told her it was for the birthday he'd missed. Pink tinged her cheeks.

After all the gifts were given, Lizzie and Patience took Mary's gifts up to her room. The men down below could hear their murmurs and giggles.

Benjamin settled in a chair and listened to Jeremy tell Barnabas, Joseph, and Zeke about his planned trip to Barbados. His uncle would be leaving on the morrow. He let himself dream a little about leaving with him. It could be good to get away and see something new. A new land with different possibilities.

He couldn't help but allow himself to imagine telling Heather Flower. Would she be sad? Or relieved? He shook his head. What was he thinking? He no more wanted to make her feel bad than he wanted to push her into something she didn't want. But what did she want?