Riverbreeze: Part 3 (44 page)

On April 2nd, very late that evening, Robert Boyle showed up on their doorstep. He said Helen had just gone into labor and he reckoned they had plenty of time to get back to his place, but Abigail didn’t agree and hurriedly gathered her herbs and things. Once again Evelyn accompanied her and so did Jamie, leaving Elizabeth alone with Robert and Robin.

This is beginning to become a regular thing
, Elizabeth thought sourly. She would have liked to have gone, but in reality, she was jealous of Helen and she couldn’t even leave the house anyway.

As soon as everyone left and Robert closed the door with a soft click, he turned to Elizabeth, a careful expression on his face. They were in the hallway, ready to go upstairs and return to bed. Robin was still asleep and the dogs were waiting to see what their masters would do next.

“Well, it appears we’re alone again.” He said with a small smile.

“Yes, it does appear that way.” She said simply, clutching her shawl tighter around her as if to shield herself against his inevitable advances.

“How are you feeling tonight?” He asked carefully.

“Fine.” She replied softly. She was afraid of what was coming, but she also was afraid if she didn’t respond in a favorable manner, that she would lose him forever.

He moved closer to stand right in front of her and gently took her hands in his. His hands were big and warm and rough with calluses. “Do you remember the last time Jamie and Evelyn and Abigail went to attend a birth?”

“I remember.” She said shyly. She kept her eyes downcast, too frightened to see the yearning in his eyes.

He gently tilted her face up with a finger under her chin. Their eyes met and his were so full of lust she started to tremble. “I want you, Lily. I’ve been extremely patient—“

“I know.” She whispered.

“It’s been six weeks, plenty of time for you to heal—“

“I know.” She whispered again. Her eyes began to tear. Oh, how she wanted to please him, to accommodate him, but she didn’t know if she could.

“Will you join me tonight, in Jamie and Evelyn’s bedchamber, like before?”

There was such hope in his voice and so much longing in his eyes that she couldn’t refuse him. And she wanted to try again; she wanted with all her heart to get over this awful paralysis. “Yes.” She whispered.

His smile could have lit up the night and seeing it lifted her spirits. Without warning he picked her up and swung her around in a circle before kissing her soundly. She felt a moment of panic, but he was only kissing her so far. She concentrated on that, the feel of his warm lips that were so familiar. And she reminded herself over and over again that this was Robert kissing her, her husband, her wonderful, patient, loving husband.

When he released her she was breathless and before she could catch her breath, he scooped her up and carried her up the stairs directly to Jamie and Evelyn’s bedchamber. Away from Robin, they didn’t have to worry about making too much noise and waking him. Even the dogs followed them and Robert immediately ordered them to their cushion in front of the fire. There was no stopping him now.

He gently placed her on the bed and then went to the fireplace to build up the fire. She waited nervously, feeling like a newly-wed bride. She shouldn’t feel nervous, and she shouldn’t be afraid, though. Robert had never hurt her. He had always been mindful and considerate even during his most vigorous moments. She must concentrate on him alone and not let thoughts of that…that…

She quickly shut off that line of thought and watched Robert remove his moccasins and leggings. He left his shirt on which reached to mid-thigh, again mindful of her nervousness. Any other time he would have boldly walked up to her, completely naked and unashamed.

She tried to smile as he approached the bed, but her smile wobbled a little. “Fear not, Lily.” He said, taking her hand. He kissed it lightly.

She nodded, biting her lip.

“May I assist you in undressing, my lady?” He asked.

She nodded again, forcing herself to stand. She was trembling so hard she thought she might fall over, but she put her faith in him and he put his arms around her waist, smiled lovingly at her and undid the ties at the back of her skirt. The skirt dropped to the floor in a puddle around her feet.

“Your bodice?” He whispered.

“I’ll do it.” She said. She wasn’t ready for him to touch her there yet.

With shaking fingers, she started with the top button, but her hands shook so violently, she couldn’t manipulate the small button out of the button hole. He waited patiently, but when she started to let out little cries of frustration, he reached for the button himself.

And that’s when she panicked. “No!” She cried. She pushed his hands away. “No, please. Touch me not!” She started to sob again. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” And she turned and fled the room, abandoning her skirt and running back to her own room. She never looked back to see his reaction, although she could just as well imagine the anger and frustration on his face.

She jumped into bed and burrowed under the covers, sobbing and weeping. Oh, what was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she be a proper wife to her husband? What good was she to him? Why did she even exist?

And then something clicked inside of her. She would not be like her father. She would not give in to these feelings. She would not even think of suicide. Tomorrow morning she would get up and go outside, even if she had to have someone pick her up and carry her out the door, kicking and screaming. She was that determined.

And the next morning it happened. She woke with the first light, getting out of bed and using the chamber pot as always. But today she would take the pot outside and empty it herself and not rely on her sister to empty it for her as she had been doing all this time. Poor Evelyn had been doing this thing for her this past month, but no more. When Evelyn came home, Elizabeth would empty hers.

Robin woke as she was dressing and she helped him use the pot, then helped him to dress. The two of them went downstairs, Elizabeth carrying the covered pot with one arm and holding Robin’s hand with her other hand. She whistled for the dogs and they scampered after her. She didn’t check on Robert; she wasn’t ready to face him yet.

She gave Robin a huge smile as she opened the back door. He looked wide-eyed at her. “Mama?” He said.

“’Tis all right, Robin. Mama is fine this morning.” She reassured him, and she stepped out onto the stone step.

For a second she froze, but it was such a beautiful day, the air cool and crisp and fresh, and she was tired of living her life confined in this house. She missed walking the dogs and playing with Robin outside. She missed going to the river and searching for little shells with Robin and she missed going to church and visiting with her friends. She could do this, put one foot in front of the other and move off of this step into the yard.

The dogs were already scampering around, sniffing around the garden fence and Robin had found something on the ground which was clearly quite fascinating. Elizabeth wondered what it was and then as if she forgot to be afraid, she stepped right off the stone step and walked right over to him. It was an ant hill and the little black ants were busily building their new home.

“Look, Mama. Ants.” He stuck his forefinger out and poked at them, causing the ants to suddenly go crazy. He laughed delightedly.

She reacted immediately. “Touch them not, Robin! They may bite.” She didn’t know if they were the biting or stinging kind, but she didn’t want Robin playing with bugs.

He snatched his hand back, looking alarmed. “I get stick then.” He said excitedly.

That she could live with. “All right. I’m going to empty the pot. Be careful.”

Well, never trust a child to heed your advice. While she emptied the chamber pot in the privy, Robin had found a short stick and was poking at the ant hill. By the time Elizabeth returned, he had completely ruined all the ants’ hard work. And they rewarded him by attacking him, crawling up his feet and legs, over his moccasins and under his breeches.

Soon he was screaming and brushing frantically at his legs. “Mama! Mama! Get them off!” He yelled. He jumped around, stamping his feet and shaking his legs.

“Oh Robin, I told you to be careful.” The poor lad…she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She put the chamber pot down and immediately picked him up and carried him, dangling, away from the colony of ants. He continued to kick his feet and tears ran down his red cheeks.

At this point, Robert appeared at the back door. Alarmed, he gasped. “Good heavens! What is it? Bees?” He started towards them.

“Ants.” She replied succinctly, holding back a smile.

Robert’s mouth twitched. “Oh. They’re all over him?”

“Yes.”

“Daddy!” Robin cried, holding his arms out to his father. “Get them off!”

“All right, son.” Robert said, trying not to smile. But just before he took control of the situation, he looked at Elizabeth. “You’re outside.” He said.

“Yes, ‘twas time.” She replied.

“I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.”

Indeed, she was proud of herself too. At last.

Chapter Fifty Two: Treachery and Sorrow

Robert didn’t relish the idea of spending two entire days in church and then again on Sunday, but he had done it before and he would do it again. This time, however, Elizabeth would be at his side and having her with him would make it much more tolerable. Also, he had other things to be thankful for: his family was safe from Wesley, and Elizabeth was recovered from her melancholia and to her aversion to the outdoors.

Today was the holy day of Maundy Thursday and the family was preparing to attend all day services to commemorate Jesus’ last supper with his Apostles. Tomorrow was Good Friday, another important holy day, and Robert was certain that Reverend Gowan would also remind the congregation of tomorrow’s service. Not only would they honor and give thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice, they would also commemorate that tragic day twenty-two years ago when a third of the population of Virginia had been wiped out.

For you see, Good Friday was a sacred day in the colony of Virginia. In 1622, the Powhatan Chief, Opechancanough, and his warriors successfully planned and executed a surprise attack on the settlers, basely and barbarously murdering three hundred forty seven men, women and children. This devilish act was never allowed to be forgotten. Every year since, on its anniversary, every colonist was required to attend church and remember the brave people who were savagely slain that day.

“Tell me about the first massacre.” Elizabeth said quietly in response to Robert’s mentioning it.

Both were in the kitchen having breakfast, along with Robin, the servants and Abigail. Jamie and Evelyn were still upstairs, being lazy, Robert supposed.

“’Tis not a pretty story.” He said, wiping his mouth. “And you’ll hear all about it in church tomorrow. It’s repeated every year.”

Elizabeth shrugged a shoulder. “I want to hear it from you. Please.”

“Yes, do tell us, Robert.” Abigail added. “You have a certain way with words.”

Robert scoffed at that. “Well, I know not about that, but all right.” He scanned the occupants around the table. The servants were also watching him, waiting eagerly for his interpretation of that infamous event. He wondered briefly if he should talk about this subject in front of Robin, but Robin was single-mindedly stuffing his mouth with honey-covered corncakes and would probably not even understand what was being said. Also, Robert realized that Robin would hear about it in church anyway and he decided he would rather his son hear about the massacre from him than from the Reverend. “You know it happened on Good Friday, the 22nd of March, 1622…” All of a sudden he got a strange feeling and he paused, thinking.
Today wasn’t Good Friday, but tomorrow was.
Would Opecancanough attack tomorrow? Would Owasewas come today to warn them?
If he did, they would be in church all day!
They might miss his visit.
Robert hadn’t thought about this matter since his talk with Owasewas. His mind had been so preoccupied with Wesley and then Elizabeth’s condition that he had completely forgotten about that conversation. And besides, Owasewas said he would warn them several days in advance, giving them plenty of time to prepare, or escape.