Little Women
30 March 1774
Caroline couldn't be prouder of the picturesque landscape greeting her as they arrived in Davenport during the early morning. There was no cloud cover in the sky, leaving only the blinding golden orb of the sun keeping watch over them. The heavy tree coverage of the untamed forest filled their noses with different scents of aromatic leaves and wood. Soon, the trees would be ready to have their sap removed and maple syrup would be made to be enjoyed by everyone. The clear blue sky greeted them as puffy white trails of smoke left several of the homes on the sloping land. She could hear the sound of tools upon lumber in the near distance, already imagining her uncle Terry giving orders, and knew Mr. O'Donnell was at work with his fine craftsmanship across the hills.
She was home.
Her arms squeezed Ratonhnhaké:ton's midsection with joy and it was hard for him not to feel like a pastry being molded. He'd only felt her polite hugs of welcome until the previous night where she'd embraced him tightly as if life depended on it. There had been no question who was the more amorous partner and he'd been left a blushing mess with disheveled hair . . . but worn the happiest smile in years. She made him feel that he was worth something in the large world and not merely a living weapon to better mankind.
Caroline smiled as she watched the green grass ripple with small birds foraging for seeds and missed the beautiful sights that Boston lacked. She wasn't like Martha that dreamed of strong brick walls and cobbled streets that spelled modern civilization. True, their parents aspired them all to be the best that they could but Caroline was happy being a country girl that could roam barefoot with her hair unbound. Unfortunately, she couldn't do the untamed hair part anymore since ladies grew their hair long and it would more than likely obstruct her vision. Her chin rested on his left shoulder as they neared the small hill that represented the purest sense of home for her. Roger's clacking hooves on the dirt trail only heightened her heartbeat as they ascended the path to reach the familiar white picket fence.
The empty dusty trails, the echo from the roaring river to the east, and their rural homestead had everything she missed in Boston.
It wasn't long before Elijah bounded up to greet them as his acute senses picked up the visitors. His black ears were erect as he caught sight of Roger and his happy bark was known to the horse, leading the thoroughbred to neigh in greeting. Just as the human residents had formed friendships, so had the animal companions of each individual begun to trust each other. Ratonhnhaké:ton led Roger closer to the small log cabin as Elijah followed suit, his shaggy tail flicking to the sides with happiness. Two out of his three family members had returned and he would loyally await the last like any faithful dog. The sound of hooves and barking soon had Catherine exiting the house with commanding steps to investigate while Samuel followed suit with his unofficial 'man of the house' title. The young boy was never far from his mother whenever Godfrey left as he assumed his chores and that meant protecting his family.
Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled with amusement to seeing his chest puff out as he strode after his mother. Catherine, however, stopped at the front door steps when she realized who it was and little Samuel ran into her in his haste to follow. The redheaded boy relaxed instantly at seeing familiar faces and quickly apologized to his mother with a sheepish smile. Ratonhnhaké:ton dismounted Roger to help Caroline down and greeted the Burnett matriarch, "Good morning, I was in Boston and ran into the rest of the family in town. Caroline was most insistent to return to help with the chores and Mr. Burnett allowed her to journey home under my protection."
"She bargained until her father caved in, didn't she?" Catherine questioned with a knowing gleam in her eye and Caroline flashed an innocent smile. Although she didn't question Caroline's devotion to their family, she was concerned for her coincidental meetings with Ratonhnhaké:ton. If the two didn't say something to either her or Godfrey, she'd take matters into her own hands to remind her daughter of decorum. Nonetheless, she was glad to have one of her chicks return home safely and Caroline had never been one to shy away from work. She and Amelia were her best little workers after dedicating her time to teaching them the skills required of them once they were grown ladies.
Caroline leaned down to cup Elijah's shaggy head in her hands to shower him with affection and grinned cheerfully, "Who's a good boy? You've done such a good job looking after mama and the girls."
The faithful dog licked her chin before yipping at Samuel as the young boy ushered him to his side. Ratonhnhaké:ton looked to Catherine as he hoped he hadn't done anything wrong and asked respectfully, "I hope I haven't overstepped any rules in place by offering to escort her home-"
"My only concern is where you two spent the night?" Catherine questioned calmly as a mother but there was a sharper tone entwined since Caroline was a young woman. If they were a married couple, she could care less where the two wandered but her daughter would be the proper girl she'd raised her to be. She didn't want her oldest near dangerous areas of the forest nor fighting any kind of carnal temptations. Ratonhnhaké:ton shrank under her gaze since he'd only known her as the kind mother, not the overprotective one. This was one of the moments he feared when his feelings for Caroline came to light and didn't want to be shooed away from their home.
Caroline grabbed her mother by the shoulders to calm her nerves and spoke honestly, "We pitched a tent in the forest to save money and nothing ludicrous happened. You've raised me better than that, mother, so please don't underestimate my actions. There's nobody in this world I trust more than Connor outside of this family."
"And I hold her life more valuable than my own" Ratonhnhaké:ton piped in to reassure her that Caroline would never come to harm under his watch. He was more than ready to protect her to the death against all danger and proved it during the attempted robbery. Of course, he wouldn't say that without risking a fracture with his trusting relationship with Catherine.
"I do trust you both, child, but I wish you would speak honestly with me about certain facts" Catherine stated firmly as she saw her husband's fiery nature peeking through in her oldest. She might've been a Blackburne in looks but her demeanor was purely fitting of a Burnett's. Caroline thinned her lips as she prepared herself to reply that she was being truthful until she realized that she wasn't. Keeping secrets from her parents had never occurred until she began her secret courting and truly did regret hiding that. She didn't want to be the type of person that hid things from her. Catherine looked her daughter square in the eye to remind gently, "Not all children are lucky to have a mother with an open ear but I am here for you."
"It's not that, mother, it's just . . . timing" Caroline replied simply since they were always busy at home or at the mill. Amelia's test had also put everyone on edge and everyone was eager to know what the end result was. Catherine directed a skeptical look to both of them, leading Ratonhnhaké:ton to wince but Caroline assured, "After Amelia returns, I promise to speak to you about everything. It isn't my choice to keep quiet but this is her time and we need to grant her that. If she fails, she will need us more than ever and if she passes, we have to prepare ourselves for her leave."
Catherine sighed softly as she remembered her second daughter, the one who was not as rebellious as her oldest. Nobody said motherhood was easy and with six chicks to guide, she had a lot of work cut out for her. She forgot her tense debate with Caroline for the moment and asked worriedly, "How is Amelia faring? You girls fluster me now that you're grown."
"She's handling everything as best she can" Caroline answered honestly since Amelia entrusted her with all of her worries just as she did. She wouldn't tell their mother about her flickers of insecurity to prevent motherly worries. Her parents raised her to be honest but sometimes, certain truths were best kept to protect your loved ones. She was learning new ways of thinking as she aged and immersed herself in being an adult, for better or worse. Her mother nodded quickly as her concerns surfaced for a moment but her daughter eased gently, "She finished her test before they called the time and only wondered about a few questions so I'm certain she passed. Boban told me he'd take her around Boston to see the new changes so her trip wouldn't be all about that test."
She removed the pearl brooch from the collar of her dress to place it back in her mother's hand where it rightfully belonged. Noticing flour caked on her mother's right fingers, she quickly switched to her nondominant hand to drop it in her palm. She'd forgotten that today was baking day in the Burnett household. Catherine glanced at her child with amusement and Caroline smiled, "And father sends his love as always, along with a few gifts."
Catherine chuckled to her husband's tendency to always provide her with a small gift from the city, whether it was new fabric or dried meat. During their first year of marriage, he'd bought her gifts to maintain their new home and her own femininity. Both came in handy when her back ached horribly during her last months of pregnancy with their first child. When they were poor and traveling in between log camps in the colonies, he promised to always bring their small family a trinket to maintain hope as they put their children first. Now that their children were growing up and they had built their dreams, he kept that tradition and Catherine's love never withered.
Caroline remembered the same but from a different perspective as her jolly father gave her a stick of candy or new ribbons for her hair. Living in log camps hadn't been her happiest memories when brawls broke out constantly, deaths occurred every once in a while (in which she prayed every day for her father's safety), and remaining within her mother's sight was crucial. The winters had been harsh to the point that tents and wagons were traded for log houses to be shared by multiple families. Throughout all of that, the love her parents sheltered her with provided that sliver of hope that Godfrey never gave up on.
Samuel stood on the tips of his toes to untie the brown potato sack from Roger's saddle but Ratonhnhaké:ton kept an eye on him. His smaller fingers fiddled with the stubborn knot as he bit his lower lip in concentration but glanced at his friend to ask, "How long until I start growing faster? I feel like I've been waiting forever."
"In a few years, time will go by fast so you'll be tall before you know it" Ratonhnhaké:ton assured kindly since being the youngest meant Samuel would be seeing all of his sisters grow before he did. Colonial families appeared to depend with sons rather than daughters when it came to hard labor and leaving property, not to mention reputation. Being a good friend, he admitted with a modest tone, "Trust me, when you start outgrowing your clothes every month, you will detest those growth spurts."
Samuel's face wrinkled since he hated being measure for new clothes by his mother and his face fell when he caught Catherine's sudden glee. Whenever it came to sewing new clothes, she talked her children's ears off to bask in the private mother-child bonding since she'd be working for hours. He looked to Ratonhnhaké:ton for refuge against the inevitable and groaned, "I don't want to grow anymore."
3 April 1774
Caroline had not experienced such a moment of uncomfortable silence since the decision to move to Davenport. She stood with her siblings, alongside her mother, as they watched Amelia and Godfrey descend from the wagon. There had been sheer delight and relief as they watched their loved ones return to complete their family but a larger question ended it once they stepped out of the door.
Had Amelia passed her examination?
Catherine swept her daughter into her arms the moment she noticed dark circles under her eyes and held her tightly out of concern. Had she slept well? Eaten? Or was it due to bad news? Amelia melted against the embrace with a shaky smile after missing all of them for days. The scent of burning wood and fresh dough was a comforting smell of home on Catherine's apron. Her stay in Boston wasn't complete without her entire family and simply being in their presence again brought tears to her eyes.
Godfrey walked past the two to allow their reunion and smiled at the rest of his children with twinkling eyes, "Ye wee bairns are a good sight for these tired eyes."
The five Burnett children swallowed their father in hugs as he laughed to their affection. During his own childhood, sentimentality for family was to be kept at a minimum as everyone kept a stiff upper lip about all matters. It was not only tradition but what religion dictated but the moment he'd seen his first child smile at him, he'd cast tradition aside. How could he not dote on his children once in a while? Even as they grew as tall as he and Catherine, they would always be the crying, salivating, and giggling babies they'd been years ago in his eyes.
"That's better, turns those frowns upside down" he encouraged to lift their nervous spirits since Amelia's success or failure was taken as their own as well. Alice and Samuel smiled widely to prove their happiness at their return, leading the others to chuckle at their enthusiasm. He placed his right hand over Caroline's head since he'd been worried about his wanderlust child and sighed with relief, "It's good to see you safe at home, Carrie."
With her family safe and sound, she had to ask the question in all of their minds, "How did she do, boban?"
"Well, that's a question only-" Godfrey began as he turned around with his three youngest still hugging him to look to his wife and Amelia. The two women had shifted from their tearful reunion to beaming smiles that would soon become giggling from the looks of it. The children followed his gaze as they began to assume it was good news and he smiled to chuckle softly, "It seems she's already given the answer to your mother."
Elizabeth broke away from the group to run to the women and grabbed Amelia's left arm. Catherine would've chastised her bold behavior but she was over the moon in happiness to Amelia's news. The young Burnett jumped up to nab their attention and declared with urgency, "If you're laughing at a failed test, Connor will have to build an asylum here for us."
"Elizabeth Jane Burnett!" Catherine exclaimed to her use of the insane and wondered where she'd even learned of it. Her daughter pouted as she touched the border of disrespect and hugged her for a shred of pity. Normally, she'd stand her ground for a few minutes but she needed to know.
Amelia was charmed by her display and drew her away from their mother to smile with relief, "I passed, Elizabeth."
A rabble of congratulations echoed over the small hill as the children wrapped their sister in hugs and kisses. Amelia laughed aloud as they broke free of the restrictions on public behavior to bask in the love her family was giving her. It had been excruciating heading to Boston without them, completing the test, and waiting to see whether her years of study had been worth all the stress. The immense pressure had been relieved when she'd gone to retrieve the results and received her certification. She had cried the moment she returned to the small rented room and her father had set their course for Davenport right away to make his daughter happy.
Everyone rejoiced to her success, even Elijah as he wagged his tail happily, and the noise stirred Diana from her home. Ann was quick on her heels with her new faithful bulldog named Glasgow as the stout brown dog followed the two vigilantly. Godfrey saw the two approaching and Diana smiled at seeing their safe return before the question of the day popped into mind. Alice was faster than her father and beckoned her with a frantic wave of the hand, "Aunt Diana, Amelia passed! She's going to be a teacher!"
Godfrey couldn't help but laugh as the huddled group became even larger and wondered if his Amelia could still breathe. If he was a painter and had time on his hands, he would color the scene onto a canvas to remember that moment. It was a perfect image of unity and as a father, he was proud to see it directed to one of his children. When Catherine broke away from the rabble, she approached him with the same broad smile he'd seen on her face from ear-to-ear when they had been married and she embraced him tightly.
"She did it, Godfrey, our Amelia did it" she whispered shakily as tears stung her eyes but she closed them to maintain a calm face. Holding her husband was enough as he calmed the joy of success and the bittersweet realization that Amelia would now begin to search for a place away from home. Her fingers clung to his shirt to what awaited their daughter as she sighed softly, "She can make something of herself now. We worried for their futures since they were born and now, they're growing up."
"We knew they would grow up eventually, Kate" he chuckled softly since his wife had done a splendid job in parenting their children. His beginnings as a husband and father had been shaky but the determination to give them a better life paid off with endless hard work and dedication. He might not have had the time required to be a father that was constantly by his children's side since the logging camps took him away for long hours but he'd tried his best to be there for them. Rubbing his wife's back, he looked to his six children as they clamped onto Amelia and smiled, "We did the best we could with what we were given on this earth."
Diana looked to Amelia as the young redhead raised her head in order to breathe and chuckled, "Amelia, I hope the certificate isn't tucked under your coat. Hugs don't fare well against paper."
Remembering where she'd placed the envelope, she broke away from the eager hands of her siblings and Ann to head to the wagon. She'd been ecstatic to see her family again that she'd simply jumped off and left the brown envelope on the wagon seat. Quickly, she retrieved the blank envelope that contained the certificate proving her hard work and returned to her parents. Remembering the subdued hints of pride in her mother's voice when she recounted giving her own certificate to her parents, Amelia held out the envelope to her.
Catherine's hands shook slightly before accepting the envelope as she stood on the opposite side as her mother had many years ago. Due to the lack of wind in the early afternoon, she opened the envelope carefully to pull out the teaching certificate. Amelia couldn't help but feel grown-up as she saw her name in fancy calligraphy on the stiff paper and Catherine smiled at the familiarity to her own. She showed the certificate to the small group so they could see Amelia's accomplishment and complimented her second oldest, "I am very proud of you, my dear."
"Look at that, you've just started a family tradition" Diana praised Amelia and squeezed her by the shoulders. Catherine proudly tucked the certificate away for safekeeping and knew just where she would put it to protect it against moisture and dust. It was such a precious piece of paper to everyone, not just Amelia, and it set a happy atmosphere. Diana glanced at Catherine with amusement and asked nonchalantly, "Have you started on supper yet, Catherine?"
The redhead shook her head with confusion to her question and the children cheered immediately. Before Catherine could ask what was happening, Diana chuckled to inform her, "Supper will be taken care of by the children and me to celebrate Amelia's success."
"Diana, I can't have you to do that" Catherine gasped with a modest face to Diana's gift but the two had been inseparable as unofficial sisters since their days in Scotland. Their families had been united since Godfrey met Terry during harvest season at the former's family farm and Catherine's addition when she married Godfrey made them a trio. When she introduced Terry to Diana, the four stuck together after their marriage as they set out of town to explore Glasgow for work. Caroline's birth further united them as the older pair became parents and the younger godparents. They weren't related by blood at all but they'd forged bonds to deem them all as family.
"It was set in motion the moment Amelia left so you can't say no" Diana pointed out with a triumphant smile as she bested Catherine for the kitchen. The older redhead had become accustomed to being in front of that fireplace at three in the afternoon every day for the last nineteen years- a habit that was hard to break. Diana wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her towards the Galloway household and smiled, "Besides, Caroline and the children have everything we need."
Caroline had prepared a celebration supper with Amelia's favorite dish, clam chowder, without anyone being the wiser. Whether he sister passed or not, she wanted to make sure a taste of home livened her up. Ratonhnhaké:ton had helped her fetch the clams by the cove since returning to Davenport and had stored them in a net in the river's shore to maintain a cold temperature. He had dropped them off quietly at Diana's home earlier and she'd made the stock with vegetables from her garden and Prudence's.
Elizabeth had happily helped fetch the needed milk and cream from their cow while Alice snuck away churned butter when Catherine wasn't looking. Martha continued helping their mother with the original meal but distracted her by suggesting they make their chicken pot pies first before everything else. This way, there could be a pot pie on the side if some didn't want to have the chowder. Caroline took charge of the chores in order to delegate the children to keep her from seeing them with their hidden goods.
Catherine shot her children a firm gaze as they managed to bypass her vigilance but it disappeared since their secret plans spoke volume. They wanted their sister to be happy and enjoy her day while giving their mother a day to relax since she was the one that had coached Amelia in her studies. Diana pulled Catherine along before she began to wonder what her youngsters had taken and explained, "Now, let me tell you what we've planned. . ."
The Galloway home was filled with laughter and loud voices since Diana had invited their small community to celebrate. Achilles even managed to be pulled away from the manor by Ratonhnhaké:ton to join the dinner and was chatting away with the men around the fireplace. Winter coats of fur, wool, and linen were neatly folded on chairs near the front door while cups of ale, juice, and water were scattered throughout the main room. The women gushed over Amelia for being the first in her generation to find a path in the new land while the children played together on the opposite side of the house as the adults talked.
Elizabeth grinned like the small imp that she was as she watched Martha stand between their group and the women. At thirteen, she wasn't keen on upgrading to the ladies crowd since the fashion was horrid and Caroline's blank expression when the women talked was another bad indication. Martha, however, was itching to make rounds in adult topics to dip her feet in that conversation pool. Elizabeth couldn't help herself as she dipped a piece of bread into her bowl of soup from the children's table and teased, "Face it, you're too young to play lady and too old to be with us."
"I am not, I am merely overseeing Aunt Diana's hostess duties" her sister argued to save face and the last shred of her dignity against her pesky little sister. There was absolutely no way she'd allow Elizabeth to have the upper hand and crossed her arms to raise her head proudly. The younger girl merely laughed and ripped a piece of bread with her teeth to rile her proper and prim sister. Martha grimaced to the lack of manners she displayed and chastised quickly, "Close your mouth at the least."
At the women's area, they sipped hot apple cider that Warren brought as a gift to celebrate and keep them all warm. Catherine beamed at Amelia since she hadn't left her sight for a second and sighed softly to what awaited them, "Now we have to make sure you're presentable with new dresses and you know how Bostonian fashions change so rapidly- it's frustrating!"
"Mother, I'll be fine" Amelia reassured with a chuckle as her mother began to worry more than she. As long as she could appear normal without tears in her dress, it didn't matter. Even though she'd grown up poor, her mother made sure the fabrics they used were of fine quality since they sewed everything by hand.
"A new dress, bear grease, and a pinch to the cheeks will make her ready as any city girl" Diana scoffed to the fussing since she wasn't going into the city to land a politician for a husband. She knew that they had to appear nice and clean, especially if they were from humble origins. There would always be women with fancier attire but as long as the knowledge in one's head matched the job qualifications, it shouldn't matter.
Prudence smiled to Amelia's bashful face as preparations began to be made and reassured, "Confidence is key. You charm them with your skills and why they need you in their employ."
In afterthought, she added in with a warm smile, "And a nice hat. It will keep the sun off your face and you can avoid any interactions you do not seek."
Clapping from the children caught everyone's attention as Terry brought out his fiddle to fill the evening with music. The cheerful notes he played always warmed the atmosphere and the children were full at attention to see what songs he would play. With the company being of all ages, he placed the fiddle on his left shoulder to rest his chin on the end and touched the bow to the waist to begin his melody.
"As I walked out one May morning
One May morning so early
I overtook a handsome maid
Just as the sun was rising
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day
Her shoes were bright
Her stockings white
Her buckles shone like silver
She had a black and roving eye
And her hair hung down her shoulder
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day."
As the adults sang along with Terry, the children danced in their own corner to imitate the lyrics of the song. Since the children totaled four (minus Martha), there were two even pairs to dance alongside the fiddle music. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled as he watched his better half approach him from the right, wondering what she was planning for him. The subtle smile hitching on the right side of her pink lips warned him that she had something in mind. Whenever a fiddle played, she always attempted to achieve one thing from him: public dancing. This time, however, she surprised him by informing him with a cheerful smile, "Fear not, I won't be pulling you to dance with the children."
He looked to her with bewilderment (not to mention relief) and she shrugged simply to reason, "I figured after seeing you play blind man's bluff in Boston, you had enough excitement for the week."
"The mood is quite festive" Ratonhnhaké:ton remarked as he grabbed a tin cup from the table littered with them and drank the contents. Immediately, he grimaced as he realized it wasn't the cup of water he'd drawn himself minutes ago since they all looked the same. Caroline blinked with curiosity to the rare surprised look on his face as his shoulders rose and he frowned to state, "I believe I just drank an ale."
Caroline placed a hand on her forehead as she laughed aloud to his mistake and offered her own cup for him to drink. He accepted it gladly to remove the odd bitter taste from his mouth with the sweet cider and she smiled with amusement, "We wouldn't want our Ratonhnhaké:ton tipsy, now would we?"
As the noise from inside the house grew louder, mostly from the men as the alcohol made them louder than usual, Caroline motioned for them to head outside. Being discreet as always, Ratonhnhaké:ton headed out first under the guise of checking on the horses in Godfrey's stable. Caroline listened in as Amelia told the women news from the city and the changes she'd witnessed. It was information she had already gained herself and the topic of city life didn't particularly interest her as the country did. A few minutes into the mingling, she excused herself to say the noise was starting to ring her ears and headed to grab her brown wool coat near the door. The cold air from the outside could be felt emanating from the partly open door as she retrieved her coat to quickly place it on. The glow from the lanterns allowed her to see the pitch black darkness outside through the doorway and she squeezed through quietly to pull the hood over her head.
Ratonhnhaké:ton's tall figure was outlined from the light that peered outside as he glanced at the crescent moon towering above them. His lone figure against the landscape void of modern civilization was a beautiful serene sight for her. The cold tickled her nose immediately as she approached him from behind and embraced him, her fingers smoothing down the black fabric of his coat. He placed his right hand over hers to squeeze them fondly before returning it to his pocket to keep his fingers warm. Caroline released him to ensure their small moment remained secret and moved to stand beside him to joke, "Don't worry, I'll protect you from hidden ales out here."
He chuckled softly as honed vigilance failed to catch that and realized that he often placed aside his professional skills when in Davenport. The residents brought him idyllic peace away from the conflict outside their borders and he admitted softly, "I am always happy to be here. When I first arrived, this land was void of human life and I longed for my village whenever I stared at the empty fields from my window at the manor. Now . . . I've truly found a new home to keep me rooted."
"Good, otherwise, I'd be tempted to bribe you" she teased with a chuckle as she nudged her shoulder against his with affection. If he left their land without warning, it would leave an excruciating wound in her heart. The sound of laughing voices brought a smile to her face as she glanced at the glowing moon to muse, "We have been fortunate to meet each other in this life. I never would've thought of sailing across the sea and meeting a native of this land who I have grown to care for quite fondly, I might add. It has been a worthy adventure in my young life and I cannot fathom what else life has in store for us."
He agreed wholeheartedly to her sentiments since their lives had not been easy and remarked wisely, "I'd like to believe that each of our tests in life grant a small reward. Mine just happened to accidentally snowball into Davenport."
"That's a colorful way of describing it" she chuckled since each resident of Davenport had been in trouble when he'd found them. Yet, they all managed to come together to build a community that was safe and prosperous.
"I want to see Davenport flourish into a beacon of hope for those that seek refuge from the harsh world" he admitted softly to the vision he had for their small village to provide the same shelter it had given him. Conflicts were growing between the colonists and the crown which didn't bode well for the civilians caught in between. Davenport had vast amount of land to be claimed but he would not turn it into a city resembling Boston or New York. He was a child born to respect nature and his residents followed those ideals, leading him to smile, "Between your father's charisma, my explorations by land and sea, and the women's delicious cooking, we'll have new residents by the end of the year. I would love to have you cook like this for years to come."
Her cheeks darkened since they didn't talk about the future and were still trying to figure out how to admit their courting to her parents. She appreciated his comment because although women were expected to be cooking for life, she didn't mind doing it for him after everything he did for her. It was a mutual partnership as they aged and there was respect on both sides rather than dominance of one over the other. Unfortunately, he took her bashfulness for impropriety and stammered, "Not that I'd assume you would- and I would- no, we wouldn't. I merely meant your food- no, your-"
She silenced him with a soft kiss to his right cheek before he became lost in his words and humored him, "I'd be quite the cook with my wooden spoon, wouldn't I? Only for you though."
"I would be honored to have you by my side" he replied earnestly as the feel of her lips against his cheek felt marvelous. He didn't even care that the cold licked at the moisture left on his skin because she was his Caroline. She accepted him wholeheartedly just as he did and his heart swelled with the same joy it had back in their private camp. The fact that she could see herself sharing a life with him one day erased the years of loneliness he'd felt after his mother's passing.
She smiled widely when he attempted to do the same but a loud echoing laugh from Terry from inside caused him to jerk back at the last second. They were too wrapped up in their own small moment that they forgot they were still within eye range at any minute. Caroline, being the daring one of the two, waited a few seconds before dotting his cheek with another kiss.
"Don't be bashful, Ratonhnhaké:ton" she encouraged with a fond smile to his humble nature and traced a finger down his square chin, "You deserve each of them and many more."
Amelia peered through the doorway as she caught the two and called to them hastily, "Get back inside! It's cold outside at this hour!"
The young couple smiled to each other and Ratonhnhaké:ton grabbed Caroline by the hand to rejoin the merry laughter inside. Caroline squeezed his hand before releasing it at the door and embraced her sister to continue enjoying the festivities. The happy golden times they spent together would soon come to an end as roles would be chiseled to define their adulthood and different roads in life would be taken. The three were no longer the children they had been four years ago and time would only move them forward. For now, however, the young adults would enjoy the carefree music of the fiddle to fill the night with song and laughter.
"Hi! says the blackbird, sitting on a chair,
Once I courted a lady fair;
She proved fickle and turned her back,
And ever since then I'm dressed in black.
Hi! says the blue-jay as she flew,
If I was a young man I'd have two;
If one proved fickle and chanced for to go,
I'd have a new string to my bow.
Hi! says the little leather winged bat,
I will tell you the reason that,
The reason that I fly in the night
Is because I lost my heart's delight.
Hi! says the little mourning dove,
I'll tell you how to gain her love;
Court her night and court her day,
Never give her time to say "O nay."
A/N: Thank you to all who've read and stuck with this story since school has taken a toll on me with studies. With graduation looming in June and taking my RN licensing exam to finally care for patients (hopefully, in psychiatry, orthopedics, or cardiology), I'm a busy beaver. Regardless of that, I will continue to update this story and thankfully, my rough drafts make it faster during vacation time. I do hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, this section of the story is still in the lovestruck 'honeymoon' phase for Connor and Carrie but with Amelia's impending leave (which is upcoming), things will be picking up faster. I'll also changing story covers since my free month allowed me to do a few so expect to see Connor and the Burnett children. I switched it to a new Connor and Carrie cover for their upcoming chapter then we'll see Amelia and Carrie for their impending goodbye. :)
Next Time: The Wolf and The Eagle
"Father, I invited Connor here because we wanted to speak to you on a matter very important to us" Caroline spoke politely to get off on the right foot since she wanted her parents to accept her choice. Godfrey motioned for the young man to sit down, reminding him that he was at home but Ratonhnhaké:ton stood beside his partner rather than taking it. She smiled to that silent gesture of commitment and raised her hands to chest level in peace towards her parents to say, "I want you both to know that I love you very much but as I grow older, I will have to begin making my own decisions. I believe you've raised me well enough to make the right choices and to think with a clear and logical mind."
"Now I'm boggled" Godfrey told Catherine as his wife patted his hand with a kind smile. She had to admit her daughter had gumption by performing courting etiquette herself since it usually fell to the man. Ratonhnhaké:ton was not like her Godfrey when it came to demanding attention and displaying confidence but his quiet politeness and kind actions was a strength in itself. Remembering how her husband had been decades ago when he asked to court her in front of all of her family, Catherine smiled encouragingly to Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"First, allow me to say that I respect both of you very highly and thank you for opening your home to me when others wouldn't have" Ratonhnhaké:ton spoke quietly to show that he was not taking advantage of their hospitality to run off with their daughter. Davenport had brought him many opportunities but he never expected to find his other half among those he helped along the way. They had grown alongside each other and that loyal friendship had blossomed into something more. Her family treated him as if he were one of their own without ever asking anything in return and he thanked them wholeheartedly, "I've appreciated your kindness since the day you welcomed me into your home. The love shown in your home has given me a sense of family I haven't felt since leaving my village and there aren't enough words to describe my gratitude."
Godfrey furrowed his brow in thought to the sudden outpour of emotion from the quiet native and asked with concern, "Are you trying to tell us you're moving, Connor?"
The young man shook his head quickly before the Burnetts assumed a different reason for his visit. His manner of speaking was broad at times so he needed to borrow the poise he exuded within the assassin's order that shaped him to be a leader. Squaring his shoulders, he straightened his posture and replied earnestly in a clear voice, "No, not at all. I wanted to speak to both of you today because I am asking for permission to court Caroline with the potential of marrying her in the future."
The children fell into silence since they all knew the word married and to hear it from their friend towards their sister was a surprise. Their parents eyebrows rose in unison to the declaration and he shifted his gaze between both as he continued, "I know my request isn't ideal considering the opinions of society towards me but I truly respect your daughter and I will treat her right. Unfortunately, I don't know very much about Scottish customs but Caroline said I must do this to maintain propriety. I do this not only for her but because we both respect you."
Caroline noticed him wringing his hands out of her peripheral vision and squeezed his forearm to soothe, "Don't get flustered, it's all right."
Godfrey caught the liberty his daughter was taking in regards to personal boundaries. His daughters would always remain the little toddlers they had been years ago in his eyes and he sought the best for them. Now, there was a young man that wanted to care and possibly share a life with one of them. Catherine smiled forlornly to remind him that they were destined to move out of their home one day just like they had when they married.