CHAPTER 2: MANY MEETINGS
Amanda was again dozing as the carriage pulled up and went down between two beautiful tree rows. Robert smiled as the carriage stopped before the house. "Mandy, my love, we are there."
She did not stir. He gently shook her shoulders. "Mandy? Walela?" He said. Her beautiful emerald gaze lifted to look at him. "We are there."
She sat bolt upright and began to put her hair into place. Robert took her hands in his giant ones. "Mandy they are family, not the King of England. We have traveled. They will understand some disorder."
She looked at him. He smiled and bent forward to kiss her. He then pulled his travel cloak about him as he opened the door and stepped out. He looked up from his cowl at the tall broad man standing under the porch out of the rain.
He smiled. He then turned and offered a hand to his cloaked and hooded wife. He lifted her over a puddle at the end of the steps. He did the same for the cloaked nurses. The two women were surprised, but allowed it. They held their charges in their arms under their cloaks.
Robert turned as a group of servants came to take the baggage. He walked up the stairs and threw back his hood and extended his hand. "Father." He greeted.
"Is that a greetin' fur yur father lad?" He asked. He pulled Robert into a fierce hug.
Amanda watched the exchange from where she stood in her cloak. The rain fell down to the earth as it struck the heavy cloth. She knew who the man was. There was no doubt. He looked like an older version of Robert. His father was still very handsome even with his years.
Robert turned. "There are some people I wish to introduce to you." He beckoned to Mandy. She came up the stairs slowly. When she was out of the rain she lowered her hood.
"Who is this charmin' lassie?" The elder Bordon asked with a heavy Irish accent.
Robert took her cool hand in his. He kissed it and then turned to his father. "This is my wife Amanda Janeen Tavington Bordon. Mandy allow me to introduce my father, Iain Patrick Bordon."
"A pleasure Amanda." Iain smiled as he dipped his head. He then pulled her into a strong hug. "Welcome to the family." He said in her ear. He pulled back and kissed her cheek lightly. "Call me Iain lass or father or Papa." He smirked. Iain looked past then. "Good Lord Robert. Are they yours?" He asked.
"Yes." Robert said without turning.
Iain walked up to Fiona. "Hullo my dear."
"Hello." She said and curtsied lightly.
Amanda smiled. "They are our nurses." She said softly. She pushed back Fiona's cloak to reveal a bright eyed yet very quiet Abigail. Erin showed him Will who was asleep. Iain fell in love with his grandchildren. He reached to hold one. Mandy nodded to Fiona. She laid Abby in his arms. He held her close and wrapped her blanket tightly about her. He held her with the ease of an experienced father and grandfather. Mandy smiled at how he smiled and caressed the small cheek. Although born within minutes of each other. Abby and Will were greatly different in personality and in look. Will was like a weed. He was growing quickly. Abby was slow, in fact she had lost weight in her first month. Robert had been concerned as was the doctor. She, however, gained it back and was now relatively healthy. She did have her down days. Robert was always there to help his wife.
Iain looked up. "Come in 'fore you all catch cold." He said. He led the way. Mandy and Robert removed their boots at the door. The nurses followed suit. Fiona helped Erin.
He led them to the family room. There were several adults and many children playing. The men in the room stood in greeting. A young woman rose from a couch. She rose and leaned back. Her belly was very large. She smiled warmly and waddled forward to meet Amanda. She embraced her. Amanda stiffened in surprise. The woman had not waited for Robert to introduce them.
"Welcome sister." The woman said in her ear. She pulled back and smiled. "I'm Jessika. Call me Jessie. Welcome to the family Amanda."
Amanda relaxed and smiled. "Thank you." She said softly. "Forgive me. It will take me sometime to put names to faces."
Robert smiled. "It will take me a while as well." He said. He saw a boy of about eleven. "And who is this lad?" He asked leaning down to look him in the eye. His hair was cinnamon brown. "Keean you have grown since the last time I saw you. My God you were only six then. Where is you sister?"
"You look the same." The boy answered with a slight accent. He pointed to two young women playing with a small girl. "Hattie and Kelly are there."
Robert went over and knelt by the two girls. The girls looked shyly up at him as he towered over them. "Hello." He smiled.
"Uncle Robert!" The elder cried and wrapped her arms about his neck.
He laughed. "Well, well, Miss Hattie you have turned into a fine lass now haven't you." He said with a grin. He looked at her. She had been a blushing girl of 10 when he had left. Now she was becoming a beautiful young woman as her body grew into towards womanhood.
Amanda saw most eyes were on her. She smiled shyly. Iain stepped forward with Abby in his arms. "Robert was kind enough to brin' his lovaly wife and two angels home." He said.
The adults in the room moved and flocked about Iain and Amanda. The maids gave Will to his mother. Everyone fussed over the babies in the room. Hattie, Jessika's oldest, begged to hold Abby. William was passed around the room. He awoke and smiled at all the girls.
"He is a flirt." His father announced over the shoulder of Annie, his niece who was currently holding him.
Robert introduced everyone to his wife who stood quietly at his side. She smiled and was greeted by all.
Jessika was holding a squawking Will when Robert wrapped an arm about his wife's thin shoulders. He knew this was hard on her meeting so many in one day. Truth be told he was not expecting so many to be there.
"What do you call them?" Jessie asked.
"William and Abigail." Robert said proudly. "Will and Abby for short."
Annie was holding Abby now. "Uncle she looks so small compared to him. She weighs nothing."
"Don't you worry. We will get her a good Irish meal an fatten her up like a Bordon." Iain smiled as he looked at his oldest and newest grandchildren together.
Robert nodded. "Careful. She has been sick lately." He said as his niece shifted her and she whimpered.
Annie froze and Robert bent to scoop her up. "Shhh my little one." He said softly. He kissed her cheek. She smiled at her father. He held her for a time.
He gave to Erin for the moment.
Mandy was talking to Jessie and her husband Colonel Jörg Winter. He spoke with a heavy Tirolean accent, but was very charming. Andrew joined them he was holding little Abby. She looked so small in the strong arms of her uncle. His wife had only spoken a few words to Amanda. She mostly just fixed her with hard stares.
After a few minutes Robert noted how weary his wife was looking. She had not stood up so much since before her children were born and he noted it was wearing on his fair wife. They had spent a couple of hours with the family. Mandy had retreated once to feed the babies, but had returned when they were done.
"Come let us get unpacked. There will be lots of time to talk more later." He said softly, but sternly.
Iain nodded. "Aye." He said. "Rest some lassie. We'll want to hear 'bout yor adventures." He smiled at his grandson in his arms. "We can watch the children fur ya."
She nodded in thank you and allowed her husband to lead her as they followed Andrew up the stairs. Andrew was slightly shorter and broader than his younger brother was. Both men were powerfully built.
Andrew walked down a hall to the last door on the left. "'ere is a stair 'ere for ya to go out from. Yor room is larger than most cause of the babies." He said with a smile. His accent was not as strong. Most likely from living with the English.
He opened the heavy door and stepped in. The room was beautiful. There was a front room with a desk and couch. To the sides were two doors. "One fur you and one fur the maids." He said nodding to them.
Amanda noted their things had been piled in the middle of the floor in the first room. She smiled at her brother-in-law. "Thank you Andrew."
He grinned. "Yor welcome." He then drew her into a hug. "Welcome to the family." He said. He pulled back from his startled sister-in-law who was smaller and quite thin to him. He smiled and turned. He shut the door and left them.
Bordon smiled at his wife. "See I told you they are a well to do lot."
She smiled. "Yes. I like your father. Jessie is wonderful as well."
"Wait until you meet Maggie." He said. "Lord she must be big now. She was just a girl when I saw her last." He smiled. He went to her and embraced her in his strong embrace. He bent and kissed her softly. "Welcome home wife." He said softly.