Obadiah and Anna waited until after the evening meal to break the news of their impending departure to the children. As the entire family gathered in the sitting room after dinner, Obadiah told the children, "Sit down and get comfortable, 'cos I got something I needs to tell you."

Looking at one another in bewilderment, the three oldest Hakeswill offspring obeyed and took seats near the fireplace, then waited quietly to hear what their father had to say.

After Anna and Catherine had settled themselves on the couch, with baby Katie in between them, Obadiah cleared his throat and began talking.

"Will, here, done asked me why I wasn't wearing my sergeant's uniform when I first came home," he began, twitching as he indicated his youngest son. "The reason is that I ain't in the army no more."

"Why not, Da?" Barry asked, blinking in confusion.

"Well, you see, when I went to Spain, I ended up serving under this bad officer who don't like your Da," Obadiah explained carefully. "Funny thing is, that I'm the one what recruited him into the army in the first place twenty years ago, but he never was grateful for all I had done for him. The bugger was an officer's pet and ended up cheating to become an officer himself, 'cos normally it's only them born to it who gets to be officers."

Twitching again, he continued, "What happened was that this bad officer blamed me for something I didn't do, so's he could get rid of me for once and for all. Man wanted to kill me, he did."

"I'd kill him if he ever came here," Barry declared hotly. "I won't let no one hurt my Da!"

Looking at his son with genuine affection, touched by his resolute loyalty, Obadiah said, "I knows you would, but Sharpie's a trained killer and I'd not put you in such a position." Looking seriously at the children again, he cleared his throat and continued, "And this brings me to what I have to tell you next."

Sitting down on the floor near the three children, he said, "The army would have executed me for what he blamed me for, so I had to run away so's I could come home to you. The army calls that desertion, which on top of what Sharpie blamed me for, also calls for a punishment of execution." After a pause to note the horrified expressions on their faces, he quickly continued, "I'm not worried about the army coming to look for me 'cos lots of soldiers desert and the army ain't got no time to be hunting down each and every one of us. They got better things to do."

The children, who had looked terrified at what their father had first told them, visibly relaxed when he went on to say that it would be unlikely that the army would come looking for him.

"But that don't mean Sharpie won't come looking for me, sad to say," Obadiah admitted. "He won't be able to come right away, but I'd imagine that in the next few months or so, he'll be able to take a trip to England and he'll come after me then, see?"

"How does he know where we live?" Barry asked, perplexed.

"He don't," Obadiah said, twitching briefly. "But it wouldn't be all that hard for him to find out. The army still has me living at the gatehouse, but it wouldn't be hard for him to find this place from there. So that's why I've decided that we're all going to move away 'til things blow over. If Sharpie ain't able to find me easily, he'll eventually give up and forget about it."

"Move?" Bridget said, frowning. She didn't like the sound of that one bit.

"Where would we go?" Barry put in, not at all happy with the idea, either.

"We're going to Belfast, in Ireland," he replied firmly, his tone of voice final. "It's a good place, 'cos the Irish don't like the English army, so they'd not give us up to them."

"How long will we be staying there," Barry asked anxiously. "We're not moving for good, are we?"

"No, it ain't for good," Obadiah said. "We'll just be hiding out 'til Sharpie forgets about it. The war can't go on too much longer, no more 'n a year or two, then everyone will be forgettin' about it and moving on with their lives. We'll come home then and Aunt Catherine will have the house ready and waiting for us to move back in."

"She's not coming with us?" Bridget asked in astonishment.

"No, dear," Catherine chimed in. "I'll be perfectly safe here with the servants."

'I'll miss you," the girl said fervently. "It won't be the same without you."

"And I'll miss you as well," her aunt said. "But I'll be able to tell more easily when it's safe for you to return and I'll write a letter to your parents then to advise them."

"When are we going to leave?" Barry asked.

"We'll leave at the end of the week," his father said. "Gives us a few days to pack what we needs to take with us. You can each take a few of your favourite things, but you can't take everything. Your aunt will look after whatever you leaves behind."

Sidling over to Anna, Bridget whispered to her, "Will we still be able to give Da the Christmas dinner he missed on Christmas before we leave?"

"I don't see why not," Anna agreed. "I think it's a fine idea. I'll tell Mrs Harris to start preparing for it."

Obadiah gave the two a quizzical look, wondering what they were whispering about.

Catching her husband's expression, Anna said, "Just a bit of girl talk, love. Nothing to be concerned about."

"There's another thing I need to tell you," Obadiah continued, after Bridget returned to her seat. "You can't tell no one that we're leaving or where we're going. It's for your own safety, 'cos Sharpie might go round the village to see if he can find out where we've gone. It has to be our secret. Only a fool tells everything he knows, eh?"

"We won't," the three said, nearly in unison. They could tell from the tone of their father's voice that he was deadly serious.

After Obadiah's big announcement, the two boys went up to their rooms to sort out the things they wanted to bring along, while Bridget followed her mother into the kitchen as she consulted with Mrs Harris about the second, belated Christmas meal to come. She wanted to make sure the cook would make everything they had before, so that her father could pretend that it was actually Christmas day.

Obadiah remained in the sitting room with Catherine, both enjoying some brandy as they relaxed together.

Catherine noticed that he was thinner than when he'd left a year ago and that his face was more careworn. The year in Spain had apparently not been an easy time for him.

"Are you absolutely certain you need to take the family and go into hiding?" Catherine asked Obadiah once Anna was out of earshot. "Is there anything you're not telling us?"

"Can't put nothin' past you, can I?" Obadiah said, cackling appreciatively at her astuteness. "But what more it is ain't nothing fit for the ears of ladies, and it don't make what would happen to me any worse."

"I suppose I'll have to take your word for it, then," Catherine said dryly. "Just as long as you take good care of Anna and the children, I don't care what you've done."

"You know I'll take good care of them," he said quietly, twitching. "They are my life. Whatever good is in me, it's because of them, see? If I had to, I'd give my life for them, but they'll be better off if I don't die, so's I'm going to do all I can to make sure that don't happen."

Reaching over to pat his hand, she said, "I know you will, Obadiah. You've been good for Anna and I've seen over the years what a good father you are."

"I try my best," he said modestly. "I just do what I wish someone had done for me when I was a little 'un, and I try to treat Anna as I wish someone had treated my mother when I was growin' up."

"You've succeeded magnificently, in my opinion," she told him sincerely. "And I will miss all of you when you are in Ireland. Let us just hope that it is not too long. The house will be frightfully lonely with just me here."

"We'll miss you, too," he said. "If Anna writes to you as much as she did to me when I was gone, you'll have plenty to read. More, no doubt, 'cos it don't take as long for letters to go back and forth from here to Ireland. But we'll make the best of it. It will be good for the little 'uns to travel a bit and see new places, and Anna and I can be happy anywhere as long as we're together."

"I expect so," Catherine said, smiling. "But I will be counting the days until all of you return here to your real home."

"Me, too," he agreed, twitching briefly.

Later that night in bed, Anna snuggled close to Obadiah after their time of intimacy. Now that he'd returned to her arms and her bed, everything was right in Anna's world.

"I think the children took your news as well as could be expected," Anna said noncommittally. "Of course, they would rather stay home, but they will adjust."

"It can't be helped," Obadiah said, a touch of irritation in his voice. "I don't want to leave here neither, but it has to be done."

"They'll change their tunes once we are on our way, especially after we board ship," Anna predicted. "I don't think Barry or Bridget remember much about the trip back home from India, and it will be Will's first time at sea. It will be just long enough so that it will be a grand adventure for them and not grow tiresome."

"I hope you're right," he said sourly. "We don't need for them to be sulky, 'cos we'll have plenty of other things to be dealing with."

"They'll adjust quickly," she replied. "Children are quite resilient. They'll be seeing new things and that should keep them from getting bored or sulky."

"I hope you're right," he said, yawning loudly.

"It will all work out fine, you'll see," she said, catching the yawn. "Just as long as we're all together, it doesn't matter where we live." Yawning again, she said, "Let's get us some rest, as we have a busy time ahead of us."

Leaning over to give her a kiss, Obadiah asked, "Sure you don't want to have another go 'fore we go to sleep, eh? I'm quite up to it, see?

"I see a year away hasn't changed you at all," she said, laughing. "All right, one more time, then we really must get some sleep."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Four days later, the Hakeswill family was packed up and ready to set off on their voyage to Belfast. Two days previously, the family had enjoyed a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, which equally pleased both Obadiah and Bridget, whose idea it was in the first place. It was bittersweet for Catherine, as she knew that this was the last banquet she would have with her family for the foreseeable future.

The morning of the departure, Catherine watched from the doorway as Obadiah and the stagecoach driver loaded up the Hakeswills' belongings onto the coach. Though they'd not yet departed, she was missing them already. It would just be her and the servants rattling around in the house for who knew how long.

As the men worked, Anna was rushing around the house to make sure they'd not forgotten anything and also checking to make sure the children were ready to go. After changing baby Katie one last time, she looked all through the house once more before emerging from the front door.

"I suppose this is it." Catherine said as her niece joined her. "It's going to be so quiet around here. I'm going to miss all of you so much. You've been like a daughter to me these last few years, Anna."

"And you've been a mother to me and a grandmother to the children," the younger woman said as tears formed in her eyes. "Obadiah and I are so grateful for all you've done for us over the years."

"You both have given me the family I always wished for, as well," Catherine said, leaning forward to hug her niece. "Promise me that you'll write regularly."

"I will write with our new address as soon as we arrive and I find out what it is," she promised. "You can depend on me to be a good correspondent. I'll keep you abreast of what the children are doing. I'm sure Bridget will want to write as well."

"I'll be looking forward to that," her aunt said wistfully, squeezing Anna's arm again.

At that moment, Obadiah came up to the two women. "We've done finished loading. Time to go, missy."

Kissing Anna one last time on the cheek, Catherine said, "Take care of yourself and keep in touch."

Giving her aunt one last look, she said, "And you do the same."

After Obadiah had helped her up into the coach, he turned to his three older children, who were milling around nearby. "Say your goodbyes to your Aunt Catherine, then hop into the coach. Don't take too long now, 'cos we got a long ways to go today."

Each child dutifully queued up to hug and exchange a few last words with their great-aunt. "Be good and mind your parents when you're in Ireland," Catherine told them. "I'll be waiting here when you return, eager to hear of all your new adventures."

Bridget lingered for a moment after her brothers had said their goodbyes and climbed into the coach.

"Are you sure you can't come with us?" the girl said anxiously. "I don't want to leave you here all by yourself."

"I'll be fine, dear," her aunt assured her. "But whenever I play the pianoforte, I will think of you."

"Please play it every day, then, if you would," Bridget urged.

"I'll be happy to."

"Time to go, little flower," Obadiah said quietly from behind her.

After throwing herself into Catherine's arms for a lingering hug, she turned bravely to her father. "I'm ready, Da."

Obadiah lifted the little girl into the coach before turned to say his own goodbyes.

"Take care of them, Obadiah," Catherine said, taking his hands. "Bring them home safely to me as soon as you can."

"You knows that I will," he assured her. "Use that horse however you want and go ahead and sell him if you needs the money. I can always buy another one once we get back home."

"I will," she said. "And thank you for the gold you gave me. It will help quite a bit."

"It ain't all that much," he said, twitching. "But between that and the horse, you should get along all right while we're gone."

"I'm sure I will." Leaning forward, she leaned up to give Obadiah a quick hug before he climbed up into the coach to join his family.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Obadiah had decided that they would depart for Ireland from Liverpool, which was over two hundred miles from their home in Surrey. The roads they would have to travel to reach this port were not the ones he had used during his years of recruiting, so the area was largely unfamiliar to him.

Throughout the journey to Liverpool, Obadiah remained at a heightened level of alertness, watching out for any army patrols along the way. He knew the chances were remote that they'd run into one and the chances of any such patrols containing men who could both identify him and also know that he was a deserter were even more remote. Still, he'd not survived all these years by being careless and taking things for granted,

However, the trip to the coast turned out to be uneventful; four and a half days with little to do. Nevertheless, Obadiah made good use of the time, listening as the children filled him in on what they'd done during the year of his absence. Of course, they demanded an accounting of his time away, which he provided in a highly edited form. Anna didn't say much, but just basked in the glow of the family togetherness she'd been missing for the last year, while her hands were busy with knitting and crocheting.

The family spent each night at roadside inns of varying quality, resuming their journey early each morning. With each passing day, little Katie became a bit more peevish and whiny, so that by the time they rolled into Liverpool early one afternoon, everyone was glad to see the stagecoach trip finally at an end.

After checking into an inn near the docks, Obadiah went off to book passage while Anna settled the family at their lodgings for the night. He returned within an hour, after which the family went out for a good meal and to walk the Liverpool streets to do a bit of sightseeing before leaving English soil. Everyone needed the exercise after being cooped up in a stage coach for so long

The next morning, the Hakeswills boarded a small ship bound for Belfast. Barry and Bridget remembered very little of the ocean voyage home from India, and Will and Katie had never been aboard a ship, so it was a wonderful adventure for all the children.

Two days later, they arrived at the bustling port of Belfast, with an impressive mountain view in the distance as they walked down the gangplank. It was a typical February day, cold and overcast, so Obadiah found temporary lodgings for the family first thing.

Within a few days, Obadiah had rented a small terraced home that had been built within the last ten years and came fully furnished. Despite it being much smaller than what the family had been used to, it was in good condition and in a respectable neighbourhood. Because he knew they'd eventually return to England in due time, he didn't want to spend any more money than was necessary, so this house would do for a temporary extended stay.

He rushed back to the inn to fetch Anna and the children as soon as he'd made the rental agreement.

"I found us a place to live," he told his wife as soon as he entered their room, "Let's pack up our things and go now. There's a carriage waiting downstairs to take us there."

"All right, Obadiah," Anna said gratefully, eager to finally be settled and in a place of their own.

As they pulled up to the house a short time later and went inside, Anna was dismayed to see how small the house was. Though it was neat and well-kept with good furniture, there were only two rooms downstairs and two upstairs, which meant that all the children would be obliged to share a room, but Katie would stay with her and Obadiah for a few months.

Though Anna did not voice her misgivings aloud, Obadiah noted the expression on her face. "I know it's small, missy, but it's comfortable and in a safe neighbourhood where we'll be left in peace. We ain't going to live here forever, so's I thought it was best not to spend too much money while we're here."

"It's fine, Obadiah," she reassured him. "It's much better than our first home in India. And you know I'll be happy anywhere as long as I'm with you. Home is wherever you and the children are."

And, so, the Hakeswills were now at home in Ireland.

'