The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Twenty One Part One

Violet moved about the galley and set a cup of tea to steep. He then leaned forward, arms crossed atop the counter, to watch the play going on at the serving tables.

Closest to him, at the end of one of the long tables, Paulie and Jonah were seated next to one another, a crock on the table in front of them, dough in their hands. They were making shapes and critters, laughing and encouraging one another, enjoying the simple playtime together.

Pete and Sam, Michaels, Luke, Bart and Brutus had joined the boys, playing rummy. They sat in three groups, each group consisting of four players. They had clustered at the far ends of the tables, their cider and sweets were within reach.

Pete, Tim, Jesse and Bart were playing one game, Sam, Phillip, Michaels and Davey played another. Brutus, Luke, Elias and Zack made up the third grouping.

The evening almost had a holiday feel about it. Violet was amused, observing his family in front of him, laughing, joking, calling each other out in fun. The tempting sweets and the smell of the spiced apples in the air, made Violet smile in contentment, as he enjoyed seeing them all so happy and relaxed.

Violet just stood, enjoying watching them for a few moments. Timothy seemed to have relaxed a bit as the weather put off the meeting with his grandfather for a little while. Violet could understand Tim's fears of the unknown, of having to tell a man he had never met, that their father was gone. The fear Tim carried of not knowing if his grandfather was a kind man, or not, or whether the man even still lived, was also a concern. It was a lot for a child to have to worry about. Then add in Tim's concerns for Jonah, whether he would thrive and be happy there, if the man did still live and wanted them to stay with him.

Violet wished there were more he could do to ease Timothy's mind, but this present camaraderie he was watching between the men and boys, was helping for now. Katherine would get ahold of him before too long, she usually had the perfect touch with these things.

Violet grinned as Pete got caught cheating and the boys piled atop him looking for more hidden cards. Pete laughed as he fished a card from Jesse's shirtsleeve.

"I thought we was just all cheatin'!" Pete laughed, as the boys then turned on Jesse, searching for other hidden cards.

Pete settled them back down quickly suggesting they start the game over. Violet noticed the other boys paying close attention to those two, for any more slight of hands.

Vi chuckled, and picked up Betsy's tea, "Play nice, boys." Violet advised, as he set the cup on a tray, then came around to pilfer some sweets to take back to his cabin.

He left the men and boys to their play and made his way down the hall to where his wife awaited him. Holding the tray atop his palm, he opened the door then shouldered it closed behind him.

He set the tray upon the table as Betsy came out from their inner cabin to join him.

He turned towards her as she came right into his arms. He held her and rocked her slowly, side to side, as she let her hands slide around his middle and up his back.

Eyes closed, they both absorbed one another's presence, their bodies warming where they touched, pressed against one another. Violet rubbed his hands up and down his wife's back slowly, then lifted one hand to sweep it from the back of her head, down her back, atop her silky tresses. He let his fingers sift through the soft mass, as he pulled her in, holding her as close as he could.

Betsy sighed with pleasure, being wrapped in his arms was so comforting and warm, she felt she could be happy to reside there the rest of her days.

Violet moved back to release her arms from around him, then scooped her up. She wound her arms around his neck and they kissed, and they kissed, and then they kissed some more.