The Governor's Daughter (Winds of Change Book 1) (8 page)

The girl cried out. Her cries cut through Cathryn like a knife, but Cathryn encouraged her. She talked to the girl to get the young one’s mind off of her pain. Cathryn talked of Elm Bluff, her horses…her father.

Mary said nothing, but she calmed the more Cathryn spoke. All the while, Cathryn never took her attention away from on the young girl, so delicate and frail, and becoming weaker by the minute.

Time passed slowly in the dim, dark room bogged down in heat and pain. Perspiration poured off of every inch of her being, but Cathryn didn’t leave Mary’s side.

“Momma,” Mary mumbled. “Momma.”

Cathryn’s heart broke for Mary. Then, a blistering blood-curtailing scream burst forth from the girl. Cathryn panicked watching the linen’s turn red, spreading down the bed.

Leaping up, Cathryn directed Tacy, “Get the medical officer, now.”

“But Miss Cathryn, the girl?”

“Blast it all, Tacy! She’s delirious. Go get him—now!”

“Mary, I want you to listen to me,” Cathryn said gently to Mary. “I want you to look only at me. Listen to me. Do you understand? Trust me. Please.”

Glancing over at the officer when he entered, Cathryn realized he understood the girl’s condition without saying a word. Cathryn did her best to hide the officer from Mary’s view, but the girl was beyond caring.

Mary screamed, cried, moaned and then silence.

Faint sounds that reminded Cathryn of the noise of a young kitten emerged in the silence. The baby had been born.

Without warning, the officer handed Cathryn the bundle. “Keep him warm.”

Suddenly, the young girl’s eyes rolled back in her head and she fell back on the cot. Blood was everywhere. At first, Cathryn thought the girl had died, but her chest heaved.

Everything turned into a blur. Fanny Peterson bustled back into the cabin. Cathryn felt Tacy’s arms direct her out of the room, down to the common way where she sat with the infant.

The rough seas had calmed. The storm was over, Cathryn didn’t seem to notice. She felt as if she was in a fog, watching all the activity whirling around her. She sat there, so still with the infant, so tiny and small.

Cathryn rocked him gently and sang sweetly. Her hand gently caressed the infant’s face and touched his little fingers.

At some point, Tacy returned. “Is something wrong, Miss Cathryn? You don’t look right. Why don’t you let me look at the wee one?”

Cathryn stubbornly refused to release the babe, cradling him in her arms. The tears began to flow. She found no words to say that the infant had only taken a few breaths. He had died in her arms.

* * * *

Cathryn had no idea how long she held the little one or why she didn’t want to let go of him. All she could think about was how unfair life was!

Somewhere in the distance, she heard murmurs, but she paid no one any mind. Only Tacy who told her that the girl would survive. More than once, Tacy bent down and tried to take the infant. Cathryn refused and held tight to the lifeless baby.

From the corner of her eyes, Cathryn saw see Mrs. Montgomery and Mrs. Peterson whispering together. Both must have thought her strange, but no one moved toward her.

Cathryn pulled back the blanket and studied the babe. He looked so perfect, much like a china doll. A beautiful round face, five small fingers.

“Cathryn,” a voice called to her. “Cathryn, may I sit by you?”

She nodded slightly, but her eyes stayed fixed on the infant.

“Cathryn, they need to take the babe. There is nothing more that can be done. I’m sorry. Truly, I am.”

She nodded again and caressed his tiny cheek.

“He’s not even mine. I don’t know why I’m behaving in this manner,” she uttered in a voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s understandable, but they need to take him now,” Lieutenant Pennington said in a gentle voice. He reached over and tenderly removed the infant from her arms. He handed the small bundle to Tacy who stood nearby.

Cathryn glanced up. The look the two exchanged wasn’t lost upon her.

“I need to go back to my cabin,” Cathryn said. She tried to stand, but her legs trembled with fatigue and strain. She wavered.

The next moment she felt strong arms around her. She made no protest, but turned her face into his shoulder and cried, uncontrollably. He stroked her hair and whispered softly to her. At first, she attempted to withdraw, but then took refuge in his strength.

Oh, the sight she must look. Blood had splattered all over her; her hair was disheveled. She could well imagine what Mrs. Montgomery must think of her. But before she took a step back, her head began to spin and she lost her balance.

Her eyes flickered as she fought off the feeling of complete exhaustion. Lieutenant Pennington laid her down upon her bed while Tacy fussing around her. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Mrs. Montgomery.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. She has been through so much,” Mrs. Montgomery said. “It was a shame I wasn’t able to help with being indisposed as I was. Still not feeling well, but when I heard about the harrowing delivery, I made the attempt. Mrs. Peterson said Cathryn was solid as a rock until after the babe died. Said she talked the poor child through it all.”

Cathryn opened her eyes to find the lieutenant looking down at her. He smiled and wiped her stray hair back off her face. His hand lingered upon her cheek. She didn’t know why she found it comforting.

The lieutenant straightened himself and turned to Mrs. Montgomery. “If you have need of anything, please let Miss Blankenship know, I’m at your disposal at all times.”

“Thank you so much, Lieutenant,” Mrs. Montgomery answered. “We will take care of her from here.”

Slowly, Cathryn drifted off to an exhausted sleep, a restless sleep with haunting dreams.

Flashes of people who had passed emerged. She could see so clearly her mother and young brother. She tried to call to them, but they didn’t answer. Then, through a mist her father materialized. He was walking beside them. He turned and smiled at Cathryn.

She cried, “No, don’t leave me. Father, come back!”

“Miss Cathryn! Miss Cathryn!” Tacy’s voice emerged out of the darkness. “You’re dreaming. Child, wake up.”

Cathryn bolted up and hugged Tacy so tightly that her maid couldn’t breathe properly. “Oh, Tacy! I dreamed my father was with Mother and John Steven.”

“It’s just a dream, Miss. I’m not surprised with all that happened, but your father is fine. It was only a bad dream. Go back to sleep.”

Cathryn nodded and lay back down, but she couldn’t dismiss the ominous feeling that gnawed within her.

* * * *

By the time Cathryn woke the next day, the sun shone brightly through the small cabin portal. She had long ago lost track of time. The events of the last day merged into a cluster of haze. Pain stabbed her when she remembered the babe, so little, so vulnerable.
Oh, his poor mother!

Then, her mind wandered to Lieutenant Pennington. How safe she felt in his arms! She shook her head. She needed to collect herself with the reminder that she was his mission, nothing more.

Cathryn sat up. The bloodied gown she had fallen asleep in sat on the chair in the corner. Not only had she been washed, she wore a clean gown. She must have been exhausted for she had no recollection of Tacy doing so.

She swung her feet onto the floor when the door burst open. Tacy entered with a breakfast tray.

“Oh, Miss. You have woken,” Tacy said, setting the tray down on the table beside the bed. “They’re having a simple service for the babe and the girl is asking for you. That is, if you’re up to it. Such a young thing, she is.” Tacy hesitated, lowering her voice. “You won’t believe what I have found out about the poor girl, Miss. It is a shame, total shame.”

Cathryn took a bite out of a piece of toast, but gestured for Tacy to continue.

With the encouragement, Tacy sat down on the edge of Cathryn’s mattress. “It seems that the child, the young girl, Mary, for that’s what she is, a child, was under the guardianship of her stepfather. Do you know who it is?” Tacy didn’t wait for an answer. “Franklin Chelton. Can you ever imagine? Him being who he is and all.”

Cathryn nodded that she knew the man, but what in the world Tacy was talking about, she hadn’t a clue. Franklin Chelton was one of her father’s acquaintances. If she remembered correctly, he dealt with shipping.

Swallowing, Cathryn asked, “I know the man, but what has he to do with the baby?”

“He was the father of the babe, Miss,” Tacy said bluntly. “Mrs. Montgomery told me herself. Scandal it is. Mary’s mother died when the fever went through last winter. Mary was her only child from her first marriage. And him taking advantage of the young girl!

“Ruined her he did. The family sent her to England to have the baby, but it was too late. All of Charles Town knows of the disgrace now. Of course, it’s Mrs. Peterson. She couldn’t keep her mouth closed, Mrs. Montgomery said.”

Cathryn wanted to stop and asked her how he could be the father. Not that Cathryn understood everything about such things. She well had figured out two people didn’t have to be married to produce a babe, but Mr. Chelton was an old man and Mary but a child. Tacy would find her ignorant and tease her if she asked. So she said nothing.

Tacy leaned closer. “But Mrs. Montgomery said that it was Mr. Chelton’s dead wife’s brother, Henry Peterson, that found out. Had a fit. Was the one who put his foot down! Otherwise, that man would still have the poor girl within his house, hidden away probably.”

“Tacy, devil be gone! What are you talking about?” Cathryn’s patience had worn thin. “I haven’t understood half of what you were saying.”

“For someone that is so worldly at some things, you are so naïve at others. The poor girl was taken advantage of by her stepfather, Miss. He had his way with her and then she was left with a child and shame of the situation, although no fault of her own. It is the burden of the woman to bear.”

“That is awful!” Cathryn declared, horribly shocked. “Why would someone blame that poor girl?”

“It is life, I’m afraid.” Tacy’s voice trailed off. “Now, Mrs. Peterson says she doesn’t know what to do with the young one. They got no family in England, only friends of Mr. Peterson’s that were going to care for the babe.” Tacy stood and straightened her skirt. “Well, now, we don’t have much time to get you ready, Miss.”

* * * *

Cathryn didn’t have a black dress. She hadn’t packed any mourning clothes. The darkest dress she had was her green, which she chose.

Tacy worked endlessly with her hair, which desperately need to be washed. Sweat, grime from the day before made it hard to work with, but Tacy worked a miracle, brushing out all the tangles and powdered down her hair so it would look presentable. She pulled it back in braids, framing her face.

In the late morning air, the funeral ceremony commenced with the captain officiating. Cathryn studied the young girl, who had left her sick bed to say goodbye to her baby.

The girl’s face was thin and pale with pain written in the lines of her young face. Tears of grief trickled down her sunken cheeks.

Not far from Mary, Lieutenant Pennington stood watching near the Montgomerys. Feet stilled, hands folded.

Captain Sanborn read the words from the Bible in an attempt to give the ceremony a semblance of religion. “I am the Resurrection and the Life…and whosoever…believeth in me shall never die.”

Cathryn thought the choice of that passage strange and gave little comfort to the young mother who had just lost her child. The baby barely had taken a breath. How could he have believed in anything!

But in the next instant, Cathryn stood aghast! Her attention had lain with Mary when she heard the splash. Mortified—they had thrown the babe’s body overboard!

Her mouth opened wide. She wanted to scream, but no sound emerged. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lieutenant Pennington had moved to her side.

“It is how it is done at sea, Miss Blankenship. Someone should have warned you,” he said in a soft voice. “It was good of you to come for the girl. I understand you did her a great service.”

“Nothing more than most would have done, I am sure.”

“In that, I would have to disagree with you,” he answered. “You surprised me, Miss Blankenship. I find you are different than I imagined.”

“I’m not sure what your meaning is, Lieutenant. I am only who I am. If someone asked for help, do you not at least try?”

“You are much as your father. Are you not?”

A small smile emerged upon her face with the reference. “I feel I must apologize though, Lieutenant, for my behavior yesterday. I still don’t understand why I behaved in that manner.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Miss Blankenship. You were hurting. You cared and there is never any reason to apologize for caring. I hope to see you later.”

He bowed slightly and reached for her hand. His hand lingered on hers. She shivered with his touch. Confusion suffused through her as she watched him walk away.

* * * *

Cathryn spent the majority of the next week within the fold of the Montgomery family. The boys, eleven and thirteen, were a bundle of energy ready to explode as they had fully recovered from their sickness.