Chapter 5

Abigail lay in bed staring at the ceiling of the bedroom she shared with her brother Thomas. The events of the preceding two nights were unsettling to her. The attack on her uncle in the wood, his subsequent illness which had confined him to bed the entire next day, and finally him attacking Abigail's mother and fleeing into the woods...none of it made any sense. Now she worried about her father as he and the servants searched the countryside for her uncle's attackers. She could sense danger in the air. Sounds occasionally came through the wall from the main room. It was her mother...still awake. The urge to rise and go to her mother to ask about her father was overwhelming.

Abigail turned onto her side and looked at her brother asleep in his bed. She smiled as she listened to his breathing. It was such a normal everyday sound in the midst of the abnormality. Her little brother, asleep and dreaming was the way it was supposed to be. Her smile faded quickly as her mind returned to how much she wished the rest of her life would return to normal.

She turned onto her back and closed her eyes...wishing elusive sleep to come.

Nathaniel rushed through the trees at top speed. His only thought was that he must return home before François got there. Several miles flashed past him when finally a thought hit him like a bolt. Nathaniel abruptly halted as emotion overcame him.

"Is this some contrivance by the pirate l'Olonoise? Does he mean to trick me into returning home...knowing full well that I may be at the mercy of this abominable allurement to harm my family?"

Nathaniel grasped a nearby tree with both hands and leaned his head against its thick trunk. He felt as if no matter what he did, it would end in tragedy. Panic began to rise in him. ...Or was it the hunger he felt? His mind was cluttered with thoughts of heartbeats, the loathsome face of François l'Olonoise, and his family.

After a few moments, Nathaniel was able to focus his thoughts. "Is it my very existence that brings this peril to my kin? Would they be safe if I were able to snuff myself out?"

Instinctively, Nathaniel reached to his belt. The blunderbuss pistol was not there of course. But then he remembered that the pistol had only temporarily disabled l'Olonoise and he wondered aloud, "Can I die?"

Nathaniel held fast to the tree as the powerful urges within him, both to aid and harm his family, pulled him eastward. He knew l'Olonoise had threatened to kill him, so there must be a way. Nathaniel also reasoned that the pirate would not surrender that bit of information lightly.

"But then, who can stop l'Olonoise if I am dead?...There must be a way!"

Nathaniel faced east, steadied himself, and lit out toward his former home.

Hannah glanced at the longcase clock in the corner of the room. Midnight. The swinging pendulum held her attention as its lazy motion marked the passage of time. It had made the journey to the colonies with her and had marked the minutes of her family ever since.

A soft knock on the front door interrupted her reminiscent moment. Knowing that Gabriell would not knock, she rushed to the door assuming a servant had returned with news. She opened the door quickly.

An unfamiliar face greeted her. A tall angular man with a long hooked nose, ornate clothing, and adornments. As Hannah stared at him with surprise, he looked at her with an amused expression and boldly examined her from head to foot. Hannah felt a sense of menace emanate from him and stepped backward involuntarily.

Hannah's sense of decorum returned quickly, "Pardon me sir, I was expecting...someone else."

The man calmly replied to her with the barest hint of a French accent, "Think nothing of it, madam. It's quite understandable at this late hour. I bring news from your husband." He gestured toward the door, "May I enter?"

Hannah's instincts screamed at her to refuse him. But he appeared to be a civilized man. She could think of no logical reason to doubt him. Of course news of Gabriell was foremost on her mind. Slowly, she nodded her head.

The man's expression changed slightly to a look of irritation. But he smiled at her. There was something artificial about that smile, Hannah thought.

"My apologies Madam, I could not hear you...did you mean to say I could enter your home?"

Hannah nodded again but caught herself this time and realized her impoliteness. She moved away from the door and gestured for him to enter.

"Of course sir...forgive my manner...you may enter."

Now the smile on the man's face seemed to broaden as he stepped into the main room. He looked around the room a moment.
"A very agreeable dwelling for the so-called 'New World'".

He moved with an easy gliding manner to the door of the children's bedroom and peered in at them. Both children were now asleep. He looked back at Hannah.

"Such comely little moppets! I hope to get to know them soon."

Hannah watched him inspect the home with a puzzled expression, but was eager to hear the news.
"Good sir, if I may press you...you mentioned that you conveyed news from my husband?"
The man turned to face Hannah with that amused expression on his face again and bowed to her with a flourish.
"Ah! But of course! Naturally you would be eager to hear that your husband and his band of underlings are even now knocking about among the trees looking for the attacker who fell upon your brother-in-law." Here he paused, "But if I may say so, they aren't proving very capable at the task."

Hannah was taken aback by his sudden rude manner and bristled at the remark. Her normal good temper was proving difficult to keep in check in the presence of this man. "I would thank you to keep your opinions on that matter to yourself, sir. Do you have any news or is the purpose of this visit only to relate misinformed evaluations of Master Berkley to me?"

The man seemed to rise to the challenge. "Interesting! Do you assume my opinion is misinformed, Mrs. Berkley?"

Hannah stood firm against the man's withering stare. "Yes...yes I do. You should know that my husband is a renowned officer in the Royal navy who had many successes against the Barbary corsairs and in manhunts for disreputable pirates off the shores of the Colonies. The very land you stand upon was a gift from the English crown for his services."

Here the amused look on the man's face was accompanied by a chuckle.
"Indeed. I'm sure that is all very true. Do you recall your husband ever speaking of the pirate François l'Olonoise?"

Hannah frowned. She considered asking the man to leave, but her manners prevented her from doing it. The memory of Gabriell relating the stories of the wicked l'Olonoise years before came back to her. He was perhaps the most vile pirate to ever exist, known for torturing his captives and even cutting them into pieces while they screamed in agony. It was said he even ate the heart of one victim while he was still alive.

"Yes...that detestable marauder eluded my husband for a while, but met his end nevertheless."

The man leaned forward, "So l'Olonoise escaped your husband and so has the one who attacked your brother-in-law...yes?"

"I only have your word on the latter...and I must pronounce your view less convincing than you seem to believe. The idea that a lone attacker was responsible is difficult to believe in the first place. But if my husband is in pursuit of a villain, that villain would do well to depart lest he be awarded the punishment earned!"

The man considered Hannah.
"You are unfailing in your confidence I see!"
He paused before continuing with a boastful tone, "Would you be surprised to learn, milady, that I am the man your husband pursued in both instances? That I...am François l'Olonoise?"

Hannah was confounded by the odd claim. Who was this man? Was this a tasteless joke? Without a thought, she blurted out her thoughts.
"That of course cannot be so. That heinous pirate met his just end many years ago on an island in the southern seas. Your outrageous claim is not amusing if that was your intent."

"Naturally you doubt me, but I have allegedly died many times over many years to serve my own ends. Being believed dead is quite useful."

While he spoke, Hannah glanced around for the long rifle that was kept close at hand by the fireplace. The man's manner was disturbing and causing her to trust her first instincts about him. Suddenly she felt very alone.

l'Olonoise observed her with disdainful amusement.
"Do not trouble yourself with thoughts of aggression. You are but a child compared to me."
With that l'Olonoise was beside Hannah and holding her firmly in his grasp.
"Let us drop all pretense. You are the type of haughty insolent woman I would normally be only too happy to torment and feast upon, but I have other uses for you this night."

Hannah was too shocked to utter a sound. The power of his persona and his grasp overwhelmed her. "Let us be off, shall we?"

With that, he moved... Out the open door, through the grass in front of the house, and...into the air. Hannah was overwhelmed at the sight of the treetops rushing by beneath her. She finally closed her eyes...sure that she was dreaming.