Part 14 (2/2)
”Well, miss, he was a big baby as I remember, about ten pounds or so at birth. Mr. Hale was so excited about having a boy that we all thought he'd bust a gut. Pa.s.sed out good Jamaica rum like it was water, even to the grooms-that's what I was, then, a groom. Then Miss Virginia-that was Master Jon's mother, a real fine lady, she was, too-up and died. For a while there it looked like Mr. Hale might die too, of grief, or drink. But he didn't, though it might have been better for Master Jon if he had. After Miss Virginia's death Mr. Hale was a changed man. He was bitter, you see, and after a time we all saw that he blamed Master Jon for his mother's death. Mr. Hale got some women in to care for the boy, but none of them lasted long and Master Jon was sort of just pa.s.sed around amongst the servants. His daddy wouldn't hardly even look at him. He was a real quiet, solemn little boy, miss.”
Poor little boy, Cathy said softly, picturing Jon unwanted and unloved. Then, toPetersham , ”Go on, please.”
”Well, Master Jon sort of had to grow up on his own, if you know what I mean. He was about ten when he startedhangin ' around the stables-no place else around there that he was welcome. Like most boys, he got into his fair share of trouble-just pranks mostly, nothing really bad. But Mr. Hale, he didn't see it like that. The only time he hardly noticed Master Jon was to wail the tar out of him for something he'd done wrong. Then one day Master Jon got big enough to fight back, and the whippings stopped. Things got a little better after that, because Mr. Hale found a pretty little girl he wanted to marry. Mr. Hale thought the sun rose and set with that woman, and Master Jon liked her too. Followed her around like a puppy-dog with its master, though she wouldn't hardly give him the time of day. Considered him a nuisance, I guess. Master Jon was sort of tall and gangly as a boy, nothing like as handsome as he is today.”Petersham broke off to look at Cathy. ”You want to be patient with Master Jon, miss. He didn't haven.o.body to love him growing up, and he's suffered because of it.”
This last was said very earnestly. Cathy blinked away the moisture that was starting to form in her eyes. She would love Jon and her baby doubly hard to make up for everything Jon himself had missed as a child.
”And then he left?” Cathy asked softly.Petersham shot her a wary look.
”Master Jon told you about that?”
Cathy nodded wordlessly.Petersham shook his head.
”I didn't think he'd ever tell anyone about that. The only reason I know is becauseIfound him throwing up his toenails afterwards, and when I threatened to get his daddy to bring a doctor to him he told me what had happened. I told him not to take it so hard, but I guess he did anyway. The next morning he was gone. Mr. Hale didn't much care for a couple of days, but after about a week the folks in town started asking after Master Jon. So Mr. Hale sent me out to see if I could find him and bring him back. Well, I found him all right- signed on board a brig called the ”Merciful” as a deckhand. Master Jon was set on going to sea, and said point-blank that he was never going back toWoodham again. Seeing as how I couldn't change his mind I went with him. I didn't blame him for not going back. The ”Merciful” wasn't much, but it was more than he'd had at home.”
”Was Mr. Hale rich?”
”He had some money, but he was real stingy with it where Master Jon was concerned. Why, the stabieboys had better looking clothes than he did, and sometimes more to eat. Mr. Hale spent his money on cards and women. He even let the place go to ruin, last we heard.”
”Has Jon ever been back?” Cathy asked slowly, her heart aching with pity. She had had so much as a child, love as well as material things, and Jon had had so little. She wished that he was here now, this second, so that she could make up forall that he had suffered.
”Never,”Petersham said shortly. ”And I doubt he'll ever go. He likes the life here.Suits him just right.Me, too.
Cathy was silent for a while, thinking over whatPetersham had told her. It explained so much about Jon- his distrust of women, his toughness, his fierce posses-siveness. Having had so little, he had become determined to take what he could, and keep it.
”And-and how did he becomeapirate?” Cathy asked finally.
Petershamtook up the tale again.
”Well, working on the ”Merciful,” Master Jon saved enough to go partners with this other fellow in a lugger . We sailed it up and down the coast of North America, taking as cargo anything we could get. Master Jon was captain on this one voyage, and our cargo was guns. Somehow some pirates must've got word about what wewas carrying, because they attacked. Naturally, not being trained in fighting and the lugger having only one gun, we lost. Anyone who refused to join up with 'emwas killed on the spot. Master Jon's no fool, no more am I, so we signed where they told us and took up pirating. Master Jon had a real talent for it, and liked it, so we stayed on. No reason not to. It's a good Life, and we have more now than we ever did.”
Cathy digested the story for some time in silence,then turned to smile mistily atPetersham .
”Thank you for telling me,” she said softly.Petersham nodded a wordless acknowledgment of her thanks, suddenly embarra.s.sed by his own garrulity. They sat silently watching the waves. It wasPetersham who spoke at last.
”You have something to tell Master Jon, Miss Cathy?”
The question out of the blue caught Cathy by surprise. She flashedPetersham a quick look,then felt burning color begin to creep up her neck and over her face.
”W-what do you mean?” she faltered unconsciously.
Petershamgrinned. 'You can't hide it from me, miss. I've seen too many female creatures when they're breeding. They get a look about them . . . like you have.”
Cathy felt herself flush even more painfully. The idea of having Jon's baby was still new to her. Even though she was happy about it, she was conscious of a deep-seated shyness. A child was such an intimate thing to behaving-and it was undisputable evidence of the use Jon had for her.
”I-I ...” she stammered,then said more calmly, ”You're right, of course,Petersham .”
”I knew it,” the man said with satisfaction. ”MasterJon'll be as thrilled as a dog with two tails. It'll be the best thing in the world for him.”
”Why do you say that?” Cathy asked with genuine curiosity. Her embarra.s.sment was fading. After all, having a man's child was the most natural thing in the world-except that she wasn't married to the man in question. Like it or not, that did make a difference.
”He's always needed someone to love-and to love him. Now he'll have his child-and you.”
”What makes you think he wants us,Petersham ?” Cathy's voice was suddenly wistful.
”Miss Cathy, the way he feels about you is as plain as the nose on your face. Master Jon may not know
it himself yet, but he needs you. You're good for him. He's been happier this last month or so than I've ever seen him. When he hears about the baby, he'll go over the moon. And he'll do the decent thing by you. You wait and see.”
”I hope you're right,Petersham ,” Cathy sighed, dropping her reserve altogether.
”I am, miss. You can rest easy about that.”
Cathy smiled at him, feeling like she had found a staunch ally. He smiled back. They lapsed into silence
again, staring pensively out to sea. After a few minutes Cathy put her hand up to shade her eyes,
squinting into the horizon. ”Petersham, is that a s.h.i.+p?” she asked excitedly.Petersham looked in the direction she indicated. ”I think so, miss.”
”Is it the 'Margarita,' do you think?” Cathy was beginning to feel a little nervous at the idea of breaking her news to Jon. ”It might be, miss. There's a spy-gla.s.s up at the house. If you'll wait here I'll go get it. Then we'll know for sure.”
”Oh, would you,Petersham ? If it's Jon, I'd like to have a little warning. I-I have things to do.”
”Get yourself all gussied up, eh, miss?”Petersham grinned. ”Well, that's females, lord love 'em. You just sit here and I'll run up and take a look.” ”Thank you,Petersham ,” Cathy said, blus.h.i.+ng faintly at the valet's perception. She leaned contentedly back against the rock as he strode away across the sand. She was almost looking forward to telling Jon, withPetersham's words to buoy her. Still she couldn't help wondering how he would react. What would he say? More important, what would she say? How did you tell a man that you were going to have his baby? Especially when the man wasn't your husband, and might not be delighted at the news?
”Miss Cathy! Miss Cathy!”Petersham came huffing back toward her. ”Miss Cathy!”
Something indefinable inPetersham's voice alarmed her. She got to her feet, shaking the sand from herdress and slipping into her flimsy sandals. ”What is it,Petersham ?” she asked sharply. ”It's not the 'Margarita,' miss,” he panted, coming up to her. ”There are about eight s.h.i.+ps out there, and they're headed this way fast. They were too far away for me to make out exactly what flag they were flying, but they mean business. They've got their big guns trained on the island!”
Cathy stared at him, aghast.
”What can we do?”
Petershamgrabbed her arm, pulling her back alongthe beach with him.
”For a start, we can get off the beach. We're easy targets here, miss, if they start shooting.”
Cathy half ran, half stumbled over the soft sand, then scrambled awkwardly up the cliff withPetersham keeping close behind her. With all her heart she longed for Jon-Jon would keep her, would keep all of them, safe. If the island was actually attacked, she might never see him again. He would come back to find her dead, or vanished-and he would never know about the baby. Suddenly that thought hurt most of all.
As if her prayers had conjured him up, he was anxiously striding through the front room when she and Petersham burst into the house. He was dripping wet, and furiously angry. Cathy uttered a glad little cry, and flew into his arms. They closed tightly around her, holding her against his hard body as if he would never let her go even while he bellowed curses at her.
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