CHAPTER 8: SHREWSBURY

Robert was up and dressed before Mandy awoke. He had gone down stairs to have breakfast. The house smelled yummy as she stretched in the covers.

Fiona and Erin walked in and smiled at her. They held the twins. Mandy took little Abby first and let the tiny infant nurse.

Fiona walked out with Will. Erin stayed near the door for when Mandy called.

Robert returned and smiled at the maids. His past shoulder length hair was loose about his shoulders and back. It was still damp from his bath earlier. He wore a shirt loosely tucked in and a casual set of breeches.

He tapped the door and walked into the room where his wife was allowing their daughter to suckle. She looked up and watched her smiling husband walk forward. He looked like a rogue. Even more so with his grin. He moved like a stalking panther to her bedside. She watched him.

He sat down beside her and watched his little daughters fist move as she fed.

"She has her father's appetite today." Mandy said. Robert moved behind her on the pillows so he could support her and stroke her hair.

"Yes and at one of her father's favorite places." He bantered back.

She chuckled, and he barely blocked the elbow to his ribs.

He smirked and kissed her head

When she was done Bordon took his tiny girl in his arms. Her tiny head fitted in the center on his palm and her body laid on his arm as he looked down at her. He smiled and grinned to her.

"Hello my angel." He said softly. She reached her hands up and wiggled soft against him. She gurgled and smiled at her father

He smiled and gave her his finger. She gripped it compulsively and tried to draw it to her mouth. "No my little one." He said and he would not move his finger even as the tiny slender fingers pulled on it.

He looked down at her tenderly.

Erin walked in with Will. She brought him to the sitting up Mandy. Will latched himself to his mouth to his mother's nipple as if there was a milk shortage and he needed to get as much as he could.

Abby was watching her father quietly and drowsily as she laid in his arms. She was so tiny and yet so wonderful. He could not believe he had had any part in making something so perfect, but he had. He could understand Will. Will was a chubby and healthy baby who looked like a cross between a Bordon and a Tavington.

Abby looked almost exactly like her mother only about 100lbs lighter. He brow her up to his lips and kissed her little cheek. A tiny hand touched him softly. He pulled back and looked at her inches away from him. "So tiny and yet so full of life." He murmured. "She is always alert."

He looked over at Will who was making loud sucking noises, as he demanded more than the nipple would give him at once. He smiled. Such beautiful children. He looked up at their mother and smiled. "I love you." He said softly.

Mandy smiled softly.

Will was finally done and Mandy breathed a sigh of relief. Robert watched as she removed him and laid him on the bed. Will was reaching for his feet and gurgling as Mandy cleaned her bosom of his saliva and milk. Robert then watched his son as Erin lifted him. He smiled as Will wiggled. He smirked. His son was a flirt.

Abby lay in his arms softly and beautiful. Her beautiful green eyes watched his every move, but she was quiet. She hardly cried, but she watched everything.

Robert was dressed casually. His hair was tied back from his face, but not in a queue.

Mandy rose and dressed in a dress of cotton with ruffles and pink ribbon. She wore a matching mop cap. Her hair fell loose about her shoulders and back. Robert watched her gently. He let Erin dress Abby in a small dress. Erin changed the tiny diaper. Fiona had Will and she was dressing him.

Soon they came down stairs. Iain was eating and greeted them. They sat down and eat their fill.

Iain watched on the porch as Andrew and Robert quickly saddled four horses and hooked up a large carriage designed to carry eight people.

Mandy smiled and went down to a mare and pulled herself into the man's saddle before any could stop her. Her dress kilted up to her upper shins. Maggie and Annie gasped, but Iain grinned. "Na lass. You feel you can ride me mare do ya?"

Mandy froze and looked up at her grinning father-in-law. "I didn't…"

"Hush lassie. I will ride in the wagon. It is good to see a lass with spirit like you." He got into the wagon. Erin and Fiona sat to either side of him with the babies in their arms. Andrew and Robert mounted their horses. Joerg helped his wife get into the wagon then he too mounted. Maggie took the rein and Annie sat beside her. Jessie sat beside them watching. Isabel, the cook was gooing with them. She had a huge basket to go shopping at the market with.

With a lurch the carriage was off. Mandy rode with the three men. She then clicked her mount to go faster. Robert smiled and chuckled as he followed her. Andrew rode to catch up, but Mandy rode hard. They came to the crest of a hill that overlooked the city.

Iain was playing with his grandchildren when he looked up and saw Mandy riding toward the city with her body against the horse's neck. He smiled. She was an amazing woman.

She slowed down as she came to an abbey outside of the town. She looked up. A bell was ringing, She smiled as Robert and Andrew caught up. "You ride well Mrs. Bordon." Andrew said.

"You are rather slow." She said with a smirk.

Robert laughed as he nudged his mount closer to her. "Walela." He said softly. He leaned over and pulled her to him to kiss her. "I love you." He said to her his face only a few inches from her.

"I know." She said.

She looked to the side. "So this is Shrewsbury?"

"Aye." Andrew said. "Many Welsh are here. Nice folk for the most part."

They entered the city as a group. Robert stayed close to his wife and children.

They got down and tied the mounts to a post as they began to wander around. Maggie stayed near Robert. Robert held his wife's hand. Fiona and Erin carried the children. Iain, however, insisted on holding Abby for a bit.

Isabel returned to them carrying the basket full of fresh vegetables and various other items.

Iain smiled and lifted and apple. He dusted it on the front of his jacket and offered it to his young daughter-in-law

She smiled at blushed as she took it from him. He smiled and caught her hand. He kissed it and let her hand go with a adorable bow.

Mandy bit into her apple and offered it to Robert. She held it up to him. He caught her wrist. He smiled at her softly as he took a bite. He then kissed her wrist. He straitened and chew the apple and swallowed. He stepped to her as he noted the others looking at a shop. His hand wrapped about her waist and he dipped his head down and kissed her deeply. She tasted and felt the juice from the apple splash into her mouth as he kissed her. His tongue teased her. She swallowed the warm sweet gift.

He smiled and pulled back looking down at her. Robert felt eyes on them. Annie and Maggie were watching dumbfounded and Iain was smiling as he bit more into his apple while he held Abby in the crook of his other arm. She was asleep. Her bonnet kept the sun from her face. Robert smiled and kissed his wife's cheek while Mandy blushed.

Iain lead towards more shops. Robert walked with his arm about her thin waist and holding her hand. It was a claim to her person as being his.

Maggie came up and smiled at Mandy. "Would you accept my apology? I didn't know Robbie got married. They never tell me anything. I am sorry I called you a whore." She said through her brogue.

Mandy smiled. "You didn't know." Mandy stepped forward and enfolded her in a hug.

Maggie smiled and hugged her back. Robert looked on and smiled. When they parted her stepped forward and wrapped his arms about her shoulder and rested his head next to hers. "You are the same age. You could be good friends."

Mandy nodded. "I would like that."

"May I hold your son?" Maggie asked noting he was awake and gurgling.

"Of course you may hold your nephew." She said softly. Fiona nodded at Mandy's signal and gave William to Maggie who held him carefully.

"No you must hold him tighter. He moves." Robert said. He wrapped one of her arms about him and the other under his legs. He could see and reach and yet she had him in her grasp.

Maggie smiled. "I want a baby." She confessed to Mandy as they walked to the next shop. "I want to marry and have a baby."

"Do you have a male friend?" Mandy asked.

Maggie nodded. "I am engaged to Airk Williamton, but I have been engaged for a couple of months."

"That isn't bad." Mandy said.

"But I want a baby." She leaned in to talk to Mandy as she sat down in the shade of a tree with a bench around it. "Is there and art to it?" she asked softly.

"It?" Mandy asked looking at her as she sat down with Will on her lap.

"To…" Maggie made sure the family was not near enough to hear. "…making love?"

Mandy smiled at the question. Usually no one would ask such a thing and not in public. The girl seemed very curious. "Yes there is, but mind you that your first time the man will lead and it will hurt like nothing you have ever felt before."

"Hurt? I thought I was pleasure."

"After the first time and after your body settles it is wonderful." Mandy said softly.

"Did it hurt you when my brother…ahem…entered you?" Maggie asked.

Mandy blushed a little as she looked about. "Yes, but he was very tender and loving and waited for it to pass before he continued."

Maggie nodded. "You are the only one I can talk to. With mother dead you are the only person my age. Jessie won't talk to me. Oh I am very curious." Maggie said

"And bold." Mandy said as she watched Will pull her finger to his tiny lips. "He is hungry, again. The boy eats so much." Mandy said softly. She drew out a blanket from a bag and covered her front. She lifted Will and laid him across her lap supporting his head. She pulled down her bodice and chemise to allow Will to eat.

Will made loud sucking noises as Maggie watched fascinated. "May I watch you feed them sometime Amanda?" Maggie asked.

"You really as taken with children aren't you."

"Yes." Maggie said softly.

"Wait until you bear one and give birth." Mandy said. She sighed. "If you wish sometime at home."

Maggie nodded. "Thank you."

It was not long after they loaded up and rode back. They stopped at the Abbey. It was plain and yet beautiful. Simple carving were around the church.

Mandy wandered into the garden with Robert following watching her. She went into a shop. He smirked. "Mandy this is a monk's hut." He said

He stepped in and was greeted by a kiss. He smiled and sank into her embrace.

Neither heard the door open. "Good afternoon lady…and gentleman. Welcome to my workshop." The man said. He was a short rather portly fellow. "My name is Brother Johannes, but you can call me John. Everyone else does." He smiled.

"I am Robert Bordon. My wife Amanda."

"It smells so wonderful here." Mandy said. "Like roses."

"I am making Rose water." He smiled at her. "It is not often that we have such a pretty visitor here." He said with a smile.

Mandy blushed. "I did not know monks could say such things. "I have seen much of the world child. I know beauty when I see it."

Robert smiled and looked about at the various drying herbs. "You are the herbalist."

"Aye and the healer." The Brother said kneeling and beginning to light a fire.

Mandy smiled.

He rose his Benedictine robes swirling about him. He got down a beaker and three cups. He poured and offered them a cup. He took his own and smiled.

Robert took a sip and gasped. "Wine."

"Yes. One of my most wanted recipes." He said and took a swig from his glass.

Mandy drank hers down. "That was wonderful. Thank you."

"You are welcome my lady. Do you live around here? You look very much like a man I know who comes to our church and yet you are taller." He said turning to Robert.

"Ahh my brother Andrew."

"Aye. Andrew. His wife needed my herbs after she gave birth to their daughter." He looked at Mandy who was looking at jars about. "You are Irish then?"

"Yes, my wife is half." He nodded to Mandy.

"Good for you." The Brother said clapping Robert on the back. "You do not sound like you are, but that hair and face." He smiled

"Many years in the British army as an officer sir." Robert said. "I am still a major in the calvary. I will be serving here,"

"Ahh you fought in American then."

"Yes, but I am glad to be home." He looked at Mandy. "Very glad."