MANIFEST DESTINY Chapter 3.1

CHAPTER 3

         Ainsley’s excitement spilled over as she watched Destiny’s Promise nose its way along the Thames River to its berth along the dock.  People waited and watched the ship make its way into port, ready to lend a hand.

         Lifting her nose in the air she smelled the tangy mixture of salt, fish, tar, and brine, along with the aromas of food, hawked from the various vendors.

         Above the din, she heard a dog bark, and soon spotted him beside a gnarled old sailor who ignored him as he barked at everyone who ventured near his master.

         She directed her gaze towards Gareth on the quarterdeck.  A blush suffused her cheeks as her thoughts roamed to the past week.  She had not known what to expect on her wedding night, but Gareth had been gentle with her.  Since then she had come to respect the attention he had shown her both in private and in public.  Because of it, a bond began to form between them.  He looked down at her, and she detected a look of admiration in his eyes.  She blushed further as she turned away and saw her father coming towards her to join her at the rail.

         “He is good to you?”

         “Aye, Papa.  Do not worry, he is a good mon.”

         “Are ye happy?”

         “Aye, Papa.  Ye ask me the same question every day.  I am happy.” 

         With his ship berthed, Gareth joined Ainsley and her father.  “Are you ready for a trip to the shops?  I would like to get started immediately.  It will take some time to get you outfitted with a new wardrobe.”

         “I wish you would not.  It is not necessary, but I would like to see the sights of London.  It looks as fascinating as Liverpool was.”

         Gareth turned to Jedidiah.  “You will take care of the matter we discussed earlier while we are gone.”

         “Aye, Captain.”

         He turned back to her, took her by the elbow, and escorted her and his father-in-law to the dock, where he found a carriage to take them to the shops in the center of London.  “Sir, I can see you are also in need of a new wardrobe.  I have a shop that sees to all my clothing needs.  He will see to yours as well.”

         “I am grateful to ye,” Ian said.

         As they entered the shop together, Gareth held her elbow in a possessive manner.  She did not understand why it was so important they had new clothes.  Though, as she studied her father and saw the wear of his clothes, she knew it would be good for him to have better.

         The clothier entered from the back of the shop at the sound of the overhead bell.  “Captain Taliesin, good to see you again.”

         “Monsieur Henri.  May I present my father-in-law, Mr. Ian MacPherson.  I will need a complete set of clothes for him.”

         “It is my pleasure, Captain Taliesin.  Would you come this way, Mr. MacPherson?”  He turned to Gareth before he disappeared with Ian.  “What do you have in mind for him?”

         “Make him up a complete highland kilt, and several sets of seaman’s clothes.  He is a fisherman by trade.”

         “It will be my pleasure.”  Monsieur Henri led Ian out of sight.

         “Now let us take care of your wardrobe.”  Gareth led her back to the carriage and instructed the driver to the next shop.  There he presented her to the matron, a well-known couturier.  “Madam Harrington, may I present my wife, Ainsley.”  He turned to her.  “Madam Harrington will see to your new wardrobe, which I insist upon.”

         “Captain Taliesin, you have a most beautiful wife.  I will take her in back for measurement, while you look through the fabrics you would have me make up for her,” Madam Harrington said.

         “Thank you.”  He watched as Madam Harrington ushered his wife to the back of the establishment.

         Ainsley felt rushed along in Madam Harrington’s wake as she took her in back.

         “I will need you to take your dress off.  It is the only way I will be able to get proper measurements,” Madam Harrington said.

         Ainsley blushed scarlet.  The only person she had ever disrobed for was her mother, and recently in the privacy of her cabin, her new husband.  Madam Harrington was all business as she measured every square inch of her person, wrote down the measurements, and then instructed her to put her dress back on, which she hastened to do.

         Ainsley again followed in Madam Harrington’s wake back to the main shop area and rejoined Gareth.

         “Ah, Captain Taliesin, did you find some worthy designs for your wife?  With her complexion and beauty it will not be hard to find a number of designs that would compliment her.”

         “I did find several I thought would become her very well, but I will leave it to her discretion.  My dear?”  Gareth pointed to the fashion magazines.

         Ainsley stepped forward and looked through the various sketches.  She lingered over several she thought would look nice on her, but was reluctant to say anything.  The whole idea of a new wardrobe was new to her.  She gave up in the belief that each design was far too rich for her, and turned to him, “I think my simple wardrobe would be just fine.  It is serviceable.  What more could I want or need?”

         “Madam, you need to look like the wife of a well-reputed merchant captain.  I will not have my wife going around in beggar’s clothes.  You are not a beggar, you are my wife, and I expect you to garb yourself in like manner!”

         Gareth looked around the shop.  “What do you have made up at the moment that I may look at?”

         “Let me show you.”  Madam Harrington led them to a small room where she had several dresses ready.

         He looked through the selection, and chose several.  He took one in particular, a dress in mint green, and gave it to her.  “I want to see you in this.”

         “This is not necessary, truly.”  Ainsley sensed the expense of the dress, but squashed any further argument by the look in his eyes, as she took the dress to try it on.  Madam Harrington helped and soon had her buttoned up.  The fabric was rich brocade and felt like heaven.  She glimpsed herself in the full-length mirror, before she went out to her husband.  What she saw startled her.  Gone was the common look she had with the other gown.  In its place she saw a woman who knew what she was about, even if she was uncertain herself.  The dress complimented both the creaminess of her skin, and the color of her eyes, and showed up her rich red hair.

         “Your husband has very good taste,” Madam Harrington said.

         She did not say anything and went out to get his opinion.  She saw instant approval in his eyes.  “We will take it.”  As Ainsley turned to go back into the small changing room, she heard Gareth tell Madam Harrington, “She will wear that one.”

         She tried on the other dresses he selected for her, and found them added to the one he insisted she wear.  Madam Harrington added her own approval with each dress.  When at last she had tried on all his selections, she put the first dress on again, and wrapped up the dress she had worn to the shop.  It was the best she had, and put it with the others.

         While she had tried on the various dresses for his approval, he had matched the fabric he had chosen for her new wardrobe to the designs she had selected.

         She also tried on several accessories to go under the dresses.  She turned crimson on a number of occasions, but he simply ignored her, as he selected the fabrics and the designs they would go with.  By the end of the day, she had several new sets of clothes which he carried away from the shop with him, and had an appointment for fittings in the next several days for the rest of her new wardrobe.

         Her father was also ready when they arrived to pick him up from Monsieur Henri’s establishment.

         When they arrived at the ship, Gareth left her at their cabin door, and went back on duty.  Inside she deposited the parcels on the bunk, and proceeded to open the wardrobe to add her new dresses.  What she found caused her to spew a stream of expletives in heavy Gaelic.  Gone were the dresses she had brought with her.  The door to her cabin opened and Jedidiah entered, and then made a hasty retreat.

         She looked up when Gareth opened the door and stepped inside to see what the trouble was.  Tears streamed down her cheeks.  Her eyes pleaded for a reasonable explanation for what she found.  She then stood to her feet, and went to the new clothes he bought her, and threw them at him, and flew out of the cabin into her father’s cabin, and into his arms.

         Stunned to see her thus, Ian looked up as Gareth entered the cabin just behind her.

         “What is it noo?”  Ian held onto his daughter who cried in his arms, as he stroked her back, and tried to soothe her.

         Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she told him in Gaelic what happened.  Ian looked up at Gareth with sympathy in his eyes for his son-in-law.  “She always reverts to Gaelic when she’s upset.”

         “Come with me!”

         Ian looked her in the eyes and nodded his head.  “Ye cannot come a-runnin to me when ye ha’e trouble noo, Ainsley, me sweet.”

         Despite the tears, which streamed down her face, rage still filled her eyes, as she went back to her own cabin.  Gareth closed the door behind him, and went to her, to try to reason with her.  “You needed new clothes.”

         She turned her fury on him, as she spoke a stream of Gaelic, and came at him, fists raised.  He grabbed her raised fists, and turned her away from him, as he held her firmly against his chest.  “English!”

         She stamped her foot into his, and he let go of her.  She ran to the bunk, and cried into her pillow.

         “I told you at the shop that I would not allow you to look like a beggar.  You are my wife, and will be dressed accordingly.”

         Ainsley sat up, “You tumshie!  You took what belonged to me!  This is what I ha’e left.”  She produced the dress she had worn to the shop earlier, and waved it in her clenched fist.  Then she looked up at him again, eyes ablaze with fury.  She stood to her feet and went to where he stood as she emphasized each word.  “Those clothes that you disdain so much were made for me by my mother before she died, except for this one.  I made this one under my mother’s close supervision!”

         “Madam.”

         “Dinna ‘madam’ me!  Ye are aboot to upbraid me fer dishonoring ye before yer crew.  Aye, I remember oor talk fra the other night, but what aboot the disrespect ye showed me in front of yer crew.  Go!”  She turned away from him.  If she ever looked upon his face again, it would be too soon.

         He turned and left her.  Ainsley, left alone as she requested, turned and looked at the empty cabin.  She saw the closed door, stood to her feet and went to the new clothes strewn in a heap on the floor in the middle of the cabin, and selected a very plain white nightgown, and climbed into bed.  She did not realize that as plain as the gown was, she brought out its loveliness in the simple design.  She climbed back into bed, and quietly whispered, “Oh Mama,” then closed her eyes and let sleep envelop her.

********

         Gareth looked over the ocean away from the port.  He could handle any dispute with his crew, but a dispute with his wife was another matter.  He could not fathom how he would redeem himself.  Had she but told him the dresses she had, had been made for her by her mother, he would have understood, and would not have insisted they be gotten rid of.  He was grateful the one dress she carried away from the shop with her, was still in her possession.

         An hour later, he told Jedidiah he could serve their dinner, as he made ready to go back to their cabin.  When he entered, he found it in complete darkness, and lit the lamp on his desk.  He found her asleep, her face tear-streaked.  He doused the lamp and opened the cabin door to find Jedidiah about to bring their dinner.  “I will take my dinner in the mess with the crew tonight.”

         “Very good sir.  Do you want me to let you know if she needs anything?”

         “No.  That will not be necessary.  I will be retiring soon myself.”

         Gareth entered the crew mess and saw surprise on the faces of the crew, very much aware they had heard every word spoken by his wife in her fury.

         Ian sat across from him, and set his plate on the table.  “Do ye mind if I join ye?”

         “Please.  I have not had the pleasure of your company since we left Aberdeen.  Is everything to your liking?”

         “Aye.  Might I talk freely with ye?”

         “You are my wife’s father.  You may say anything you wish.”

         “I dinna knoo why ye insisted on wedding me daughter as terms of that hand of cards, and I ha’e not seen ye sit at table since, but you should understand Ainsley is a very determined woman.  She were determined as a child.  She is also very sensitive.  She were very close to her mither, as she is to me.  When you allowed me to accompany you, believe me ye won her undying gratitude.  So far, I ha’e naw felt the need to interfere with anything atwixt ye.  She said often she is happy and until noo, at least, ye ha’e been good to her.  That is something parents want for their daughter.  One day ye will understand.  Ainsley values many things.  Relationships and tokens she received fra important people in her life.  Her mither taught her to cook, sew, and keep a house, garden, and any number of things I do not know meself.  I dinna know if she told ye or noo, but when ye took those clothes you took a very important part of her life, the part she shared with her mither.  She told me ye are a godly mon.  You must know the Good Book.  Ye will need to look to God fer yer redemption.”

         “She told me about the clothes.  I cannot get them back, I already checked.  She is not vengeful is she?”

         “Nae, but ye saw, she ha’e a temper.  It will take her some time to calm doon.  I would bide me time if I were ye.  I always did when I come up agin it, and when I telt her she were getting married, I come up agin it, but I also needed to ha’e her ken the facts.  She kens facts.  If ye ha’e any facts fer yer actions, she will listen, but I am certain; as she is, ye ha’e noo facts fer what happened today.  By the way, thank ye for the new clothes.  I do appreciate them.”

         “You are welcome.  I will take everything you said in great consideration in the days to come.”

         With their dinner finished, they left the mess.  Ian went in search of a card game, while Gareth went back to his cabin where he found her clothes put away and Ainsley still asleep, her hand folded under her cheek.  The pose was very different from the one he had met with earlier.

         He sat in the chair at his desk, and wrote down the day’s events.  He did not leave out the incident about the clothes, nor his reasons for what he had done, but as a note to himself, he wrote an appendage for his hope of reconciliation with his young bride.

         He closed the manifest, shed his clothes, and settled himself beside her in the bunk.  He did not disturb her sleep, as she turned into his embrace.

********

         The next several days were quiet ones.  Ainsley neither spoke to him nor left her cabin, even at Jedidiah’s suggestion.  On the day she needed to go to the shop, she accompanied him in silence.  She went into the back, and only nodded when Madam Harrington asked her any question.

         Madam Harrington gushed over each dress, and when it was time for them to leave, she gave Captain Taliesin the day and time to pick up the finished designs.

         “Would you care to get something to eat before we go back to the ship?”

         For answer, Ainsley just walked past him to the carriage, climbed in without his help, and waited for him to take her back to the ship.

         “Ainsley, sweet, please talk to me.”

         She looked at him, with tears in her eyes.  “I am hungry.”

         Later when they entered the ship, a smile was on her face as she listened to him.  “Would you like a walk about the deck, before you go back to the cabin?”

         “Aye.”  She wanted to spend as much time with him as she could.  Before they came back to the ship, they had lingered over their meal.  She had learned about what he did.  A lot of what he told her she read in the manifest, but she refrained from any knowledge of the ledgers.  She had also read his apology for his actions, and she cried when she read it, but it was not enough to read it.

         As they strolled about the deck, he pointed out the various duties of the crew, and the importance of each task.  She could see his reluctance when he left her at their cabin.

         Ainsley entered, went into the dressing room and changed into the dress she had made under her mother’s tutelage, and then took up the needlepoint she had started on their first trip to the shops.  She was deep in concentration when Gareth entered the chamber, and looked up to see him watching her.

         “I asked Jedidiah to bring in our supper.”  He turned her face up to his, and gave her a passionate kiss, interrupted by a knock on the door.  “Enter.”

         “You do not mind I am not wearing one of the gowns you bought me?”

         “You made it and that makes it more beautiful than any of the other dresses I bought.”

         Jedidiah entered the cabin and laid the table, a smile on his face and a whistle on his lips.  When he left, Gareth seated Ainsley, took hold of her hand, bowed his head and prayed over the meal.  “I will be right back.”

         Ainsley watched him leave the table, as he went to open the door.  She had seen the desire in his eyes.

         “I will not need you anymore tonight.”

         “Very good, Captain.”

         When he returned, she was much more receptive to him than she had been in the past several days, as they talked about many things of interest to both of them.

         “Finished?”  He held her chair and helped her to her feet.  “Would you like some air before retiring?”

         “Aye, I would.”  She also wanted to be with him as much as possible.  “Let me get a shawl.”

         “Let me.”  He went to the wardrobe and selected a shawl, iridescent in the lamplight as it caught the many colors woven in the fabric, and placed it around her shoulders, then planted a light kiss on her neck before he ushered her out of the cabin.  She turned her face, looked up at him as he led her out of the cabin, and saw the desire in his eyes as he looked in her own.

         They walked in silence, enjoying each other’s companionship.  Her arm rested on his, as he guided her around, and nodded to each sailor.  When they stopped at the rail, she gazed out over the ocean and thought about the changes in her life.  Gazing up at him, a smile on her face, she found herself wrapped in his arms, as his lips came down on hers in a kiss that consumed her soul.

         Looking back out over the ocean, she leaned her head casually into his shoulder, his arm around her.  A contented sigh left her lips as she stared ahead of her.  Soon he guided her back to their cabin, and continued in the same vein.