Zeke stilled against the wall. Daughter of a pirate. A princess. Heir to a throne. Here in Virginia.
“Are ye gonna take it?” Mose’s lack of filter did come in handy sometimes. “Cause I do not think I would. I mean stuck in a castle all day, ordering people about. Intrigues. Murders. Uncertain food. Poisonings.”
“Hush.” Aggie gave Mose a little push.
Beti smoothed escaping tendrils from her face. “I think I will retire for the evening. It has been a long day.” Beti retrieved her basket once again and turned and headed toward the door. Zeke pushed away from the wall and followed her outside.
“Did they bring any documentation to prove who they are?”
Beti looked up into his face. “I did not ask them. Honestly, I was so surprised I have not asked them anything yet. Out of the blue, two men have told me that they came all this way to see if I am willing to go home with them to my mother's kingdom. I hardly know what to think.”
“Ye are right to be skeptical.”
“Sure I am. Right now I just need to be quiet. So many things…” Trembling, she sank down onto the same half log bench where they had sat not an hour before. Toby and Nellie arrived. The dog settled on Beti’s feet.
Toby pulled the hat off his head crunching it in his hands. “Miss Beti, I thought ye should know that I care not a wit who ye father was, as if ye had a choice. I will be staying with ye as long as ye have need.”
Zeke felt a little spark of thankfulness for the man. He suspected the same emotion was responsible for the little hitch in her voice when she responded. “I thank ye, Toby.”
“Will we be leaving in the morning with the wagon train?”
“I will let you know shortly.”
"I will see to the sheep." He disappeared into the gloaming. He’d misjudged the man. Well things like that could be fixed. He’d see to it directly. After he was done taking care of Beti.
The night air was refreshingly cool. Clouds moved across the sky taking the rain east. Beti said nothing as she sat peering at the night. Zeke tucked his coat around her shoulders to give a little warmth to calm the deep shivers that rattled her frame.
“I think I'm just going to sit here for a few minutes before I climb into the wagon.”
“Take all the time you need.”
They sat there as clouds blew across the sky. Laughter and boisterous voices leaked out of the tavern. Rhythmic stomping accompanied the twin fiddles which started up again. The shaking in his coat eased.
“I believe I owe you an apology,” she said.
Zeke waited. She needed to talk. He would listen.
“All the time I was growing up I sort of knew my father was a pirate, but I didn't really know what that meant. After my mother died. He moved us to the sea. I don't think he ever stopped longing for the sea.” She looked up to the clouds that were scuttling across the sky. “Men would come looking for treasure. We called them looters.” She glanced at him then. Vulnerability lit by the soft candlelight just beginning to glow through the windows shown from her. Her need to unburden herself chained his arms to his sides.
“Red would laugh when they asked him where the treasure was. It’s here.” She pointed to her flat palm. “It was his Bible. He would tell them about Jesus. I was always surprised at the number of people who’d never heard.”
He pointed with his thumb toward the outhouse.
“Yep,” She continued. “More of the same. I think they are the ones who dug up his grave the day we buried him.”
He broke the chains and put his arm around her shoulders. Beti shrugged a bit to sit up straight. He brought his hand to rest between her shoulders. “I thought I had grown accustomed to being a bit of an outcast.” A sigh escaped. She studied her fingers. “I should have accepted that and not attempted to be friends with people who would not in good conscience befriend me. For that I am sorry.”
The door slapped closed behind Aggie. “I thought I might find ye here.”
Beti glanced at her and went back to gazing at the sky.
“I came to see how ye faired.”
“I am well.”
Aggie gave him a look that he supposed meant he should leave. Zeke folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. The women could talk if they would, but he would not leave Beti Boatman’s side. Beti Boatman. Daughter of a pirate. A family had much to do with the forming of a man, but Toby was right. She had no more say in who her father was than he had. No longer could he wonder at her courage. He would have loved to see the old pirate’s face as he told looters the treasure was in the scriptures.
He still hadn’t worked out what he was going to do with her yet, but there was time, and no matter the outcome, tonight he would not leave Beti Boatman until he knew her rudder was righted.
“Ye started a split in the train.” Aggie leaned against a pillar,
“Aye.” Thomas Swift added as he came through the door followed by his sister. “Just about down the middle. The Captain says ye can stay, and Edwards says ye should not.”
Beti paled, and a little shiver returned. Zeke refrained from hauling her up close to share his warmth. She didn’t need anyone giving credence to a bad reputation.
“Ye have a place with us should ye wish it.” Alice’s soft voice was laced with concern. Zeke was grateful to the two for the offer, but he hoped Beti would continue west to her dream. The hardships she’d endured so far on this trip were nothing to what her upbringing had been like. Surely she would choose her western dream. Her becoming queen of a faraway country was unthinkable wasn’t it? Of course it was because he wasn’t ready to separate from her yet. While it must be inevitable since he was in no condition to have a wife, it did not mean he was ready to give her up. No sir. He was going to stay right by her side until she decided what to do. Then he would try to honor her wishes.
Fourteen
“We are going to our wagon now,” Alice said, and Beti looked up into her face as she spoke. “We will leave in the morning, but not before we hear ye answer. I will pray for ye this night and look for ye at first light.”
Beti could do no more than nod at her new friend. Warmth sprang up in her heart at the thoughtfulness of the Swifts. Would that she came across more people like them, honest about their faith and faithfully adhering to its principles.
Thomas handed Alice down the steps, and the two slipped into the twilight.
“Shall ye go with them?” Aggie asked.
