Part V

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"The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be common, nor the common heroic." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet (1803-1882).

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July 5, 1776

Philadelphia, PA

Pemberly House (Evelyn's Uncle's House)

"Hello." Rick said to his one-day old son. He was in love. For the second time. He couldn't believe his fortune. When he had laid eyes on Alex he fell in love with him. This was something that he and Evelyn had created together and he wasn't something that someone could take away from him. Alex was his link to the future and his link to Evelyn. They would always be connected because Alex was theirs. He had sat up and looked after Alex for most of the night, well the few hours that Alex did sleep. He had been hungry and ornery from the moment he had left Evelyn's body.

He couldn't really move, but Rick saw that look in his son's eye that he often saw in Evelyn's eye when she got an idea in her head. He was in trouble if Alex acted like his mother. Big trouble. Right at the moment though Alex had been asleep for a few minutes and Evelyn was taking a much deserved nap. A soft tap on the door alerted Rick to the presence at the door and when he looked up Jonathan popped his head into the doorway. "I was wondering if I could have a look at my nephew." Rick smiled, "Of course you may."

Jonathan smiled and walked over to where Rick was and very carefully Rick got up out of the seat making sure not to jostle Alex so he wouldn't wake up. He gradually and very carefully placed Alex into Jonathan's arms where he sat in the chair that Rick had just evacuated. "Now watch his head." Rick whispered. "I am." Jonathan whispered back. This was his nephew. A pride had welled up in Jonathan that made him want to shout from the mountain tops. He too had fallen in love with Alex and he loved the feeling. "Be careful." Rick warned. Just like all new papas he was overly cautious, but it was only to be expected. "I am." Jonathan whispered again. "Are you sure?" Rick asked. "Yes." Jonathan answered again. "I am not going to drop my nephew, I am perfectly capable of..." Jonathan stopped quick when his butt started to slide off of the polished wood beneath him.

Rick rushed to him (though it really wasn't that far) and took his son back. Rick gave him a look when Jonathan tried to get Alex back. "It was the chair. I still had him and if I needed help I would have asked." he pleaded. "Maybe later." was Rick's response. "You've had him all evening and yesterday and I would like to see him. He is my nephew after all." Jonathan whined. "Well he is my son and you almost dropped him." Rick stated as if it were final. "Please Rick. I promise you I will just stand up and not move, please?" as if he were just a child. "Rick, please give Alex to Jonathan. You two are going to have to learn to play with our new toy or neither of you is going to play with him." Evie said from bed as she had listened to the argument.

Rick, not wanting to relinquish his son grudgingly gave him over to Jonathan. "Fine." he said and then went back to his favorite 'toy' of them all. "How are you doing? The doctor said he would be here in a few hours." "I'm okay. Very soar and I would much rather be standing up than laying down, but I understand that you were talking to the doctor and he gave orders." she sighed. When it came to her Rick wouldn't let her do anything that could possibly, just perhaps, give her some sort of injury. She would laugh about it if she wasn't so vexed half of the time. Still he loved her and she loved him. That much was true and now they had a son.

Jonathan who had smirked at Rick when he had to give Alex over was now ready to give him back to his parents. He was starting to fuss and before Jonathan could reach his sister's side the child began to wail. The first scream had actually scared Jonathan and he had given a bit of a jump at which Rick had dived toward him at an alarming speed and caught his son and soothed him while he gave him over to Evelyn. Rick gave Jonathan a dirty look who gave him one back and Evelyn breast fed her son for the seventh time. The first time she had done it she didn't know what to expect, but now that she was use to it, she loved the pleasures that shot through her body. She rubbed Alex's almost non-existent hair, smelling that wonderful baby smell. As she smiled at her son who couldn't fixate his eyes on her she told her brother and her husband to stop it. At which they both felt chastised and quickly looked at Evelyn and Alex. Jonathan quickly looked down. Seeing his sister exposed like that could make any man blush. "I shall go and see what we are having for breakfast. Would you care for some breakfast Evie?" he asked. "I would love some, thank-you."

As Jonathan came back upstairs he noticed three men in redcoats at the door. He quickly went upstairs and got Rick, "There are some men downstairs that have redcoats on." he told Rick. He nodded to Jonathan and turned back to Evelyn and Alex, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Jonathan will bring your breakfast." he told her and kissed her cheek. He flew out of the room at a fast pace and beat Jonathan down the stairs where the men were still standing. He opened the door and took assessments of the men in front of him. He knew two of them. One, an old "friend", Bernard, or Bennie and then a most dreaded man, Ira Tep. The third he did not know and really in all honesty did not want to find out.

"Can I be of some service?" he asked. "Mr. O' Connell." Ira acknowledged and came into the house the other two men following him. "We are in need of quarters." Ira told him. Rick looked over at Jonathan who had a look of annoyance on his face, "Jonathan could you please get your sister some breakfast and I shall be up there shortly." he requested. "Yes, Of course. Forgive me gentlemen." he bowed down and went toward the kitchen. Rick turned back to the three men, "Quarters?" he asked. "I hate to enforce myself on your good nature Mr. O' Connell, but my men and I need a place to stay." "Of course you do." Rick sneered. "Thank-you for your kindness Mr. O' Connell." Rick who knew he didn't have a choice, but he had to keep his son safe and bowed his head letting those that would come in.

It was only a few hours later when Evelyn and Jonathan's uncle came back home that trouble had once again sought and found the O' Connell's. He had been away on a mission back to Boston to get the rest of the supplies from his former school. When he came in there was no one in the front parlor or drawing room. He started up the stairs and ran into Jonathan who was coming down with Evelyn's breakfast. "Good Afternoon Uncle." Jonathan said as he stopped in front of Oliver. "Good afternoon Jonathan. Where is everyone?" he inquired. "Evelyn is upstairs as is Rick. Perhaps you better go up there and speak to them. I believe they have much to tell you and some might not be the pleasantness that you might have hoped or expected." He explained and left to his own chores.

Oliver knocked on the door and when he heard no response opened the door slightly. He saw his niece on the bed asleep which of course would not be unusual unless for she was in the last stages of her delicate condition. He opened the door even further and saw Rick holding something to his chest and rocking gently. Rick looked up when he heard the squeak of the door and motioned for Oliver to come in. "This is Alexander Jonathan O' Connell." he whispered. Oliver looked at the boy and smiled. His great nephew. Nearly bald and would have blue eyes. All babies had blue eyes. Not that he had seen many right after their birth, but he knew it just the same. "Jonathan said you had news to tell me that might not be pleasant, but a child is always pleasant." Olive whispered sitting himself on a chair near the rocker.

Rick looked down to his son and smiled. He really didn't want to think about it. They had started the war the day Alex was born and he knew he was going to have to leave, but to leave with such men in the house was not something he wanted to think about. "Yes, it seems Ira Tep, Bennie, and an officer Petty need quarters and I had no ability or power to refuse them. They are in the kitchen as we speak." Rick told him. Oliver looked surprise. He hadn't seen Ira since they were young. Very young. Ira had always been a quiet child, not playing with the others. He went to work with his father most of the time and learned early on the 'value' of money. Although if Ira learned any scruples himself, it had not been seen.

On the outside Ira looked like a good man. He rarely had a severe word for anyone, including the servants. His father was a counselor to the King and Ira had taken over the job before moving to the colonies to look after the colonists. It was just that no matter what the man did, there was something that made most people scared of him, or more importantly his motives. No one and including Oliver knew what it was. Maybe he was evil from birth, but he didn't seem evil. No, it was something else entirely, but Oliver had yet to figure it out. However the worst part was that now the man was living under his roof with his followers. It was not a good situation to find oneself in and now with a new child in the home it scared Oliver. For Ira had always taken an interest in Evelyn and it set his teeth on edge.

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Rick had to leave to join George Washington in the last of August. There were rumors flying out of New York of possible sieges and it was time for them to fight the British. Evelyn had cried. They had made love the night before. Even Jonathan was leaving with Rick. They looked very handsome in their dark blue coats with gold buttons and their flawless white breeches. She didn't care if she had just had a child nearly two months, she wasn't letting her husband leave her without a proper good-bye. He had given her a kiss and whispered good-bye and joined Jonathan on the porch. He gave Alex a kiss on the forehead and left.

They had tried very hard to conceal Alex's birth, but in two weeks time it was impossible. The men had come back and found Evelyn in the drawing room with Alex. They had congratulated the couple, but it still made Rick uneasy. Oliver had promised to look after Evelyn and Alex when Rick left, but he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wouldn't have left them if it weren't such an urgent need that he be there with General Washington.

Bennie, seeing that Rick had left didn't let the golden opportunity pass him by. He went into the drawing room where Evelyn was at and sat down in one of the settee's. "He is getting more handsome Mrs. O' Connell." "Thank-you sir." she said and looked back to where Alex was laying on his stomach sleeping. "When is your husband to be back sir?" he asked. "I do not know Bernard." she answered. She found it surreal that as her husband fought against the British that the very enemy had taken rest in their own home. It was a capital offense that Rick had left and had to do so in secrecy, but they really had no choice. She had a feeling that was part of the reason Ira was here. Anything she got would be looked at by him. It was only a matter of time.

"I shall go and see what cook has fixed for us madam, would you like the food brought in here?" he asked. A spinally little creature that Evelyn loathed. Rick had told her many stories of Bennie, and she didn't like him anymore now than she did then. "Yes, thank-you." she said. Anything to get rid of him. He came back soon and had a look on his face. "Madam, I believe you have need to be in the kitchen ." he said. "For what purpose?" she asked. "There is someone there, and I believe that you need to be aware of that presence." he told her. "Very well." she said and got Alex and stood up. "I could look after him for you." he told her. "Thank-you for your kindness Bernard, but I wish to take my son with me." she told him and left. There wasn't a power near her that could make her leave her son in the 'watchful care' of Bernard, or any British officer for that manner.

She came into the kitchen and was surprised to see a new servant. He was Negro man and wasn't anyone that she had seen before. Hatti, looked surprised to see the mistress and didn't know what to do next. "Hatti, could you please introduce me to your friend?" Evelyn asked as she swayed back and forth with Alex. Hatti looked down and called the man over, "Mistress O' Connell, this is my nephew, Isaac, who we call Izzy." she said. "It is a pleasure to meet you Isaac. Are you working here with your Aunt?" Evelyn asked. "Yes, mum." if that is all right with you." he said. Evelyn, whose heart was generous could not stand to see the young man put out. "It is all right with me Isaac. Hatti should be able to tell you what to do. If not for her I am afraid that this house might have collapsed long ago." she praised. "You are too kind Madam O' Connell." Hatti said. "Yes, Madam O' Connell, thank-you very much." Izzy said. "You are more than welcome Isaac." Evelyn said and turned to leave, "It is Izzy, please madam." "Very well, Izzy it is. Welcome to Pemberly." she said and left.

In the wee morning of the hours Evelyn awoke. She had been asleep for a few hours and that worried her. She had either heard a noise, or not one and it had alerted her senses. She got up and walked to the crib to where Alex had been asleep and found it without her son. She searched everywhere and could not find him. She got frantic and called for her uncle, "Uncle!... Uncle!... Alex is missing!" she screamed. Her uncle flew out of his room in his night attire, bewildered at what his niece was screaming. "Alex is missing Uncle!" Evelyn cried. By that time every servant had heard and was coming to the mistress's need.

Everyone had searched everywhere and they could not find Alex. Nor could they find Bennie. Ira had left a few days ago and Officer Petty had left with him. Izzy who understood what was going on came to Evelyn, "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. "Yes, please go and get my husband and brother. Do you know who they are?" "Yes Madam." he answered. "Good, please Izzy, please help me find my son." she cried again and collapsed in her uncle's arms.

Izzy left and started toward New York.

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End of Part V