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The thought only made him more at ease with the idea of his only remaining nephew going out as a merchant seaman. Their craft and skills and mindset wouldn’t change. The merchant ship would always be steeped in its heritage and it would always be a sure means of acquiring skills. Yes. His name sake would be well served working as one of theWind and Pearl’screw. But maybe not Mia’spiratefather’s crew. He’d speak to her aboutthat.
Chapter 12
Mia ledthe group over to the sandy pit where a cannon was placed like a statue to decorate the grounds. Several children played there though more of them climbed over Grim than the hunk of iron. Peals of laughter rang out and Mia lifted her hand to wave at the other mothers who stood bywatching.
It took her some convincing that Grim wouldn’t hurt the children in any manner, but now most barely paid attention trusting the man would be quick to pull them from trouble. Grim had little use on land, and little use for it, but his sails were always full around children. He could play with them at any age, even infants were safe in his hugehands.
Suddenly Mia couldn’t wait to have her own. The longing swelled up for the first time in her life. A child created by her and Devin. A child raised by all the wonderful people she’d been raisedwith.
“You are a newlywed dear, they’ll come,” the elder Mrs. Winthrop said, stepping up. “I didn’t have Richard until I was wed three years and then they came one after the other for threeyears.”
“Devin doesn’t speak about his childhood,” Mia said and watched Mr. Hong help a child get a kite in theair.
“It wasn’t the best of times,” she said her eyes following the bright paper as it was lifted on the winds. “His father was a bastard for many years. He and Robert were always struggling with eachother.”
“You mean Devin? I hardly remember his given name is Robert, he never uses it,” Mia said, wonderingwhy.
“It was his father’s father’s name. That man was evil. Not mean, evil. Devin is my family name,” she said dropping her eyes to her hands which she twisted together nervously. “I left him twice after he sent Robert… Devin,” she corrected, “to sea. I told him to choose his drink and his mistress, or his family. I was afraid without Devin there to focus his rages on… Richard is a good man with a strong back but his heart is soft and Ronald… he’s weak but he’s clever. They wouldn’t have been able to hold up like Devin did and knowing Devin was safe at sea didn’t mean I wanted my other children gone, too.” Mia heard a sob slip and the woman’s voice cracked. “I thought… well it doesn’tmatter.”
“You thought Devin would come home eventually?” Mia said and looked to see the woman looking at her withtears.
“He never did. We didn’t hear from him. For years I spent every day at the news house waiting for the lists of the men hurt or killed. I expected to see his name. Maybe even hoped I could reason he was dead and couldn’t write or come home. As awful as it sounds, I thought it better than to have to know my own son hated me so much he wouldn’t be bothered.” She sniffed and again turned to watch the children playing. “But then the war ended, and he didn’t come home or write. I didn’t know if he was alive or dead until we saw the story in theTimes of Londonabout the hero’s welcome hereceived.”
“It’s customary for any of a ship’s officers to remain with the same ship throughout the commission of the ship. Devin made office some time ago, but his own captain wasn’t ready to leave service. His election to command theIron Roseprevented him simply coming home.” Mia explained. “We’ve been ashore for almost three months. Why didn’t you come sooner? Send a letter of your own?” Mia didn’t mean to accuse. The family had been through a lot given what they said happened. But they knew three months ago Devin was home and where he was and they waited until now. When they wanted something fromhim?
“It took a great deal to come to this decision to send Robbie off. It’s only been fourteen months since we lost the children, then came Caroline’s death five months ago,” she trailed off and shook her head. “I don’t know how any of us are stillstanding.”
“That boy, right there.” Mia pointed at Robbie who Grim was helping climb a tree. “He’s how and we’ll do right by him. If he truly wishes to take to thesea…”
“He always used to ask me about his namesake. Even when he was very little. ‘Tell me grandmother, tell me.’ And oh, when I brought that paper home with the story about Devin. You should have seen him. He told everyone in the village about his hero uncle,” she said and chuckled a bit. “Boy never even met himbut…”
“Well, he’ll have some time to get to know him now,” Mia said and put her arm around the woman’s shoulder. “Papa’s ship is a while out and I don’t think any of mine are due in for at least aweek.”
“Oh child, we can’t impose on you so long,” Beth Winthrop said, sounding much like Devin did when she said something he foundhorrifying.
“Well, stay today and maybe tomorrow we’ll see where the winds head us after that,” Mia said, knowing if the boy was going to be sent away the family needed to be as close as possible for as long aspossible.
“Look at him, Mother,” Ronald said, stepping up beside them with everyone else. “I haven’t seen him play so in over ayear.”
“Grim can make any child laugh,” Mia said and laughed herself when Grace cried out as her son leapt from a branch into the man’s arms. The boy was barely on the ground when another boy tossed himself from the tree to be caught. A third was almost to the same branch. “Don’t worry, it’s how I started only it was the mainmast I jumped from,” Mia said then swung around and set her hand on Grace’s arm. “But don’t tell Devin, he already showed me how much he disapproves my jumping from things.” The woman’s eyes flared wide. “Don’t want to have any of that from himagain.”
“Mama, Mama,” Robbie raced up and flung himself against his mother’s legs. “Did you see me? I was way up in the tree. Everyone says you have to be a good climber to be on aboat.”
“A ship,” Mia corrected, “and yes you must be able to climb like a monkey up all the masts and lines.” She watched Mr. Hong say goodbye to the mothers as Grim knelt and hugged a big group of children to him before heading towards them. “Shall we start forhome?”
“We thought to take a room some place,” Mr. Winthropsaid.
“Devin and I have a room, and…” She held her hand up to halt the man’s protest. “There’s much to discuss if you want the boy to go tosea.”
“Am I going on a boat, Father?” Robbie asked, and Mia heard both fear and excitement in hisvoice.
“Ship,” Mia corrected, “and your family must speak on it. It’s nothing to take lightly. Every member of the crew may someday be responsible for the lives of those he sails with. Only men make goodsailors.”
“I’m almost a man. I can be a good sailor,” Robbie told her then maybe realized it was a boast he didn’t know if he was ready toprove.
“Well, good sailors make the best men, so let’s hope you are such,” Mia said then led them towards the large wagon Mia used to travel in so Grim wasn’t forced to walk or ride hunched up like a knotted net. There wasn’t much conversation on the ride home and Mia started to doubt their conviction in the matter as they kept the subject on the house and its furnishings even after Devin arrivedhome.
It was the sound of weeping that drove Mia out and down to the shore later that night and when Devin joined her to silently watch the waves rolling into the little cove, she could feel the weight of hisgrief.
