MANIFEST DESTINY Chapter 5.1

CHAPTER 5

         Ainsley stood at the rail and watched the final preparations as the crew loaded the cargo into the hold before they left London.

         Gareth found her there and watched his men.  “If I recall, you were just as excited when we arrived.”

         She gazed at him, splendid in full captain’s uniform.  “I want to see your home.”

         “Yours too now.”

         “Tell me about it.”  Her voice showed her eagerness to know all about her new home.

         “Not much to tell.  There are trees everywhere you go.  Some settlements, skirmishes with the Indians, and the shipyard where I spend most of my time, so you might not see me very much.”

         Her eyes grew wide.  “Indians?”

         “You have nothing to fear if you follow the guidelines of the community.”

         “What kind of guidelines?”

         “Never wander anywhere alone outside the village, never wander alone at night, and always let someone know where you are going, such as the community store.”

         “Is it a big place?”

         “Yes.  There are stories about an ocean past the mountains, but not many people have gone past them, mostly explorers, traders, and the like.”

         “That is why you are in the colonies?”

         “Partly.”  He turned and stared at the ocean, quiet for a long moment.  “My parents came from Wales.  When it got bad for them, they found passage to the colonies.  They died two years after we got there.  I was ten.”

         Ainsley saw the lost look on his face.  She could not imagine how he felt losing both parents at such a young age.  She found it hard without her mother, but to lose her father too, unimaginable.  “I am sorry.  How did you get by?”

         He turned back to her.  “The family I was with took me in.  He taught me my sums and how to read.  When I was old enough I left him, and went north to Delaware Colony, and started working in the shipyard, doing anything and everything.  I was soon sailing on ships between the colonies and England, looking for cargo.  I worked my way up to cargo master, sailing with the captain and getting contracts for cargo sold in the colonies, and even the islands to the south.  I made a percentage of each contract I helped to sign when we sold the goods.  In this way, I was able to start working my way up, until today I am part owner of the shipyard.  It will be fully mine when we reach Delaware Colony.  I design and build the ships, and buy and sell the cargo that fills the holds.  I take each ship on its maiden voyage, testing it for seaworthiness.  The holds are full to capacity, which I sell to the various ports we stop at, then on the return trip I stop here and elsewhere and fill her holds again.”

         “Sounds like you have an interesting life.”

         “At times, but mostly it is a lot of hard work.  Speaking of which, I must leave you.  We are ready to get underway.”  He stole a light kiss, and left her to stare out at the ocean, Jedidiah behind her.

         Ainsley turned her attention to the activity.  She watched as the sails filled with the light breeze, and the gangplank raised.  Ian joined her as they left the dock, and began to head down the Thames River.

         “I’ve heard a lot about this land we are going to.  Some of the sailors are saying it is a savage land.  Tear the heart right out of you.  Harsh cold winters, blazing hot summers, sickness that leads to death.”

         “Just remember who got us into this.”  She eyed her father.  “If it had not been for your love of the cards, we would still be back in Scotland.”

         “And you would be a spinster.  Look at you, eighteen years old and only now married, with a wee bairn to bring into the world.”

         “I was perfectly happy with my life.”  She had to admit there had been more excitement since she was married, even if she still knew next to nothing about her husband, outside of what he had just told her, and what she read in the manifest each day while he was on duty.

         “I am reminded of it every day when I see your husband standing there so tall and sure, as he directs his crew.  He is a good man.  I’ve heard many things about him from the sailors.  They would stick with him through anything.  He is fair-minded, in everything including the discipline.  But aside from that, I hear you have the sickness.”

         “If you mean I am sick at the smell and sight of food, yes.  It makes me wretch just to think about it.”

         “Your mother was the same way with you.  It lasted most of her pregnancy, but then you were born, and all thoughts of discomfort were gone from her.  You were such a beautiful baby, and so determined.  Even as an infant you seemed to know exactly what you wanted.  You were charming, and I could not deny you anything.  Now look at you, a wee bairn of your own on the way.”

         “You loved mama a lot.”

         “Your mother was my life.  When she died a year ago, she took part of my life with her.”

         “Do you think I will find that love?”

         “I think you already have, you just have to realize it.”

         “Do you think so?  There is so much I do not know.”

         “I see the two of you together.  So has the rest of the crew.  There is not a man among them who would not say their captain is not in love with you.  You can see it in his eyes.  Even with that row you had when we first reached London.  He looked like a defeated man, he did not know how to go about redeeming himself, then suddenly he was redeemed, and there you are.”

         “I know.  I read the manifest each day.  He has a good strong penmanship, easy to read.”

         “Does he know you read the manifest?”

         “He has never seen me.”

         “You are a rare one, you know that?  Not many women have been taught to read like you were.”

         “I wanted to know how.”  She remembered when she had come home angry over something said about her, she could not remember what, but she had been very upset at the time.

         “You insisted on knowing.  You would not stop asking until I took you over to the vicar and he taught you himself.  I never was good with my letters, and your mother never learned to read, but there you were insisting on something neither of us could give you.”

         “Yes, I remember.”  She looked back to the past and her daily trips to the church to learn first her letters, then how to make words with them.  She read the Bible the vicar had on the altar, and before long had read it all the way through, but it had taken a lot longer for her to understand what it said.

         The stories fascinated her.  She loved the story of creation, and David with his slingshot against Goliath.  She made a slingshot after she read the story, and tried to learn how to use it.  She managed, but never found a real purpose for it, so she put it away.  It was stored in her trunk at the end of their bunk.  She smiled as she remembered Gareth’s raised eyebrows at the different things that found their way into the chest but said nothing about them.

         Then there was the story of Daniel in the lion’s den, and those three boys in the fiery furnace.  She went to the corner baker to see the furnace.  He wondered why she was so interested, but she only said she wanted to know how hot it got.

         Then there was the story of Jesus birth, it made her very happy, and she wondered what it would be like to have a baby someday.  She looked down at her stomach and began to feel the excitement Mary felt while she carried the Christ child.  His death saddened her, but only for a moment.  When she read about his resurrection, she had more questions, which the vicar could not answer, but she persisted with them anyway.

         She looked up from her remembrances, to find they were well on their way.  “I am going to my cabin and rest for a while.  Will you join me for lunch?”

         “I would be most happy to.”

         Jedidiah followed her to the cabin and opened the door for her to enter.

         “If my husband wants me, I will be resting.”

         “Aye mistress.”

         She changed out of her dress, and put on a light wrapper.  She felt tired, and wondered if it was just another sign of her pregnancy.  It made her happy as she thought about the child she carried, especially since it belonged to Gareth, and she knew he was most happy.  He told the whole crew after he told her.  Everyone congratulated them before they went to their cabin.  She knew she was fond of him; perhaps her father was right.  Time would tell the truth of it.  Her eyes closed, and she dreamed of a faraway place with lots of trees and big ships.

         There was a knock on the door.  Through the haze of sleep, she rose, secured her wrapper and opened it to find her father there.  “Is it time for lunch already?  Come in, I am going to change.  I expect Gareth will be here shortly.”  She turned to Jedidiah.  “Would you please bring some lunch for my father, and if there is some broth, please have some brought for me.”

         “Aye mistress.”  Jedidiah hurried away.

         Ainsley changed into a muslin print gown with tiny roses patterned on it in red, green, and burnt orange.  She came from the dressing chamber to see Gareth and her father at the table.  “I hope you don’t mind, I asked father to join me.”

         “Jedidiah told me as he hurried to get your lunch.  I had him bring me some as well.”

         Jedidiah knocked and at the bid to enter, came into the cabin with two full rations of food and a bowl of broth, which he set on the table.

         “Is that all you are eating?” said Gareth.

         Gareth seated her, as her father took the other vacant chair.  “I will be happy if I can keep that much down.”

         He took hold of her hand and prayed over the meal.  “It is good to have you share our table.”

         Ian sat on the other side of his daughter.  “How long do you think the crossing will take?”

         “We should land in Delaware Colony in about eight weeks, though it has been known to take longer, depending on the winds.”  Ainsley’s face took on a greenish hue, as she departed the table, and rushed for the dressing chamber, and emptied the contents of her stomach even as he entered the chamber to assist her.  He handed her a wet washrag.

         “I am sorry.”

         “Are you ready to join your father?”

         She nodded her head as he led her back to the table.  “I am sorry papa.”

         He looked up at her unperturbed.  “It is all right, sweetheart, this will not last forever, you will be just fine.”

         “I hope so, papa.  The way things are going, I will not survive this pregnancy.”

         “Do not talk like that.  Of course you will.”  Gareth studied her pale face.  “Do your best to eat the broth.  It will do you good.”

         “I cannot, please excuse me.  You go ahead and finish.”  She left the table, and went to the windows, where she watched the waves as they headed away from England.  Her stomach felt a lot like those waves, ever in motion.

         Gareth went up behind her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.  “Come back to the table.  I want you to eat.”

         Ainsley put a hand over his, and turned to face him.  “Maybe tonight I will be able to eat something.  I cannot right now.”

         “All right, you relax while we finish, and then we will be gone, how is that?”

         “That is not necessary.  I enjoy your company, and father’s.”  Ainsley picked up the sampler from the window seat, and began to work on it.

         Gareth watched her and looked at it more closely.  “I thought it was just a picture, but there is a scripture verse as well.”

         She looked up at him.  “Yes.  ‘There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man and a maid.  Proverbs 30:18-19.’  Below is a picture of the ship, Destiny’s Promise, and pictures of us in each corner.”

         “I was not aware you could read or draw.”

         She watched his expression as he took the sampler in his hands and looked at the detail of the ship.  “I have been able to read most of my life, and drawing comes naturally.”

         “We will frame it and put it over the mantle of our main room.”  He handed the sampler back to her, and went back to the table.  “You taught her to read?”

         “No, the vicar did.  She insisted on learning.”

         He turned to her a note of curiosity in his voice.  “And sums?”

         She looked up, as she plied her needle to the cloth.  “Yes.  I know them as well.”

         He was thoughtful before he turned his attention to Ian.  “Tell me, would it be prudent to pursue trade along the coast of Scotland?”

         “I do not see why not.  Aberdeen is a big shipping port,” Ian said.

         “It is something to think about.”  He finished his lunch.  “Well I need to get back to my duty.  If you are still unable to eat at dinner tonight, I will take it with the crew.  Save you the trouble of smelling the food, as it is laid out here.”

         Ainsley stood to her feet, and went to the door as he prepared to leave.  “I would miss your company.”

         He saw her shawl on the end of the bunk and looked at her.  “Would you like to go on deck for a bit of fresh air?”

         “I would like that.”  He went after the shawl and placed it around her shoulders.

         “If you do not mind, maybe I can find a game of cards,” Ian said.

         “It is possible,” Gareth said.

         As they walked on deck, Ainsley was quick to notice how the fresh air revived her.  “I hope these eight weeks go fast.”

         “And I hope we see no trouble.  I have a full hold.  I would hate to lose it to pirates.”

         “Pirates?”

         He turned her to face him.  “So far I have been fortunate.  I hope to continue with the same fortune.  Do not worry.  The ship has thirty-two cannons on port and starboard for that very purpose, and a crew of a hundred and fifty.  A man has to protect what is his.”

         She was fearful despite his words of comfort.  “I pray you are right this time as well.  I would hate to have anything happen to the baby.”

         “It will be safe.  I promise you that.”

         “I hope you are right as you find yourself dead, this ship at the bottom of the ocean, and myself either dead also, or in the hands of those savages.”

         “None of that will happen.  We will land safely in Delaware Colony in eight weeks.”

         “I am going back to the cabin.  The wind is a little fresh.”

         He gave her an affectionate kiss as she left him.  “I will have Jedidiah take you back.”

         She entered the cabin and went over to the windows and watched the rolling sea, half afraid she would see a pirate vessel if she stared long enough.