The Mayflower Bride

by Kimberley Woodhouse

  He moaned but took a few sips.

  “Is he all right?” The squeak in David’s voice made her want to hug him tight.

  She laid her father’s head back down. “He wore himself out talking, David. That’s all.” She didn’t have the heart to share what the surgeon had spoken.

  “Will he get better?”

  “We’ll just have to pray and keep helping him, aye?”

  David nodded and ducked his head. Standing, he wrapped his small arms around Mary Elizabeth’s neck as she knelt beside their father.

  Someone cleared their throat.

  Mary Elizabeth peered out the curtain and saw William hunched outside. “Oh, William, please come in.”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mary Elizabeth, but I think you need to come. It’s Dorothy. She’s taken ill.”

  All sound around her diminished as Mary Elizabeth went to see the Raynsfords. They’d swapped places with another family before everyone got sick. Around the gun deck lay the sick, the weak. Very few sat or stood or walked. Taking in the faces, she felt like time had slowed. What would become of them?

  She felt William’s presence as he walked right behind her, and she wished she had some of his strength.

  The entire Raynsford family rested on their makeshift beds. Still. Pale. Silent.

  “What has happened? Why are they all sick?” She sobbed into the blanket covering her dearest friend in all the world.

  “We don’t know. The surgeon was here, but he’s just as confused as the rest of us. The seasickness has made many people weak, and now scurvy has set in. But just like that young sailor, there seems to be something else afflicting people.”

  “No…no…no …” Mary Elizabeth shook her head. Dorothy had been her lifeline. Her steady encourager.

  The thoughts made her stop.

  That wasn’t true. She sniffed and sat up a little. Gazing down at her beloved friend, she realized that through all the loss of Mother, Leyden, and her church family, she’d grown up and learned a lot. It wasn’t Mother, or Father, Dorothy, or David who had been her strength—had kept her going. It had been God working in her life through those people.

  The words from the eighteenth Psalm flowed over her and exited her lips. “ ‘The Lord is my rock, & my fortress …” As she spoke, her voice grew stronger…her heart grew stronger. “… & He that delivereth me, my God & my strength: in him will I trust, my shield, the horn also of my salvation, & my refuge.’ ” God was indeed her strength. She would trust in Him.

  New determination filled her heart. She would rejoice in this time of trial because trials made a person stronger. Didn’t James say something about that? What was the verse? The words came out in a rushed whisper. “ ‘… Count it exceeding joy, when ye fall into divers tentations, Knowing that the trying of your faith bringeth forth patience. And let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.’ ”

  All her life she’d been timid. A worrier. A doubter. Yet now she knew she was made to be strong in the Lord. Her mother had always exuded such joy and confidence. Mary Elizabeth understood now.

  “Mary Elizabeth?” Dorothy’s voice was just a whisper.

  She looked back down to her friend. “I’m here.”

  “I’m sorry I am…sick.”

  “Me too.”

  “I know this creates more work for you.” Dorothy closed her eyes. “Please take care of Mother and Father.” Her head lolled to the side.

  “I will.” Mary Elizabeth put a hand on her friend’s forehead. It was way too hot. “Dorothy? Dorothy?”

  “Hmm?” Her eyes stayed closed.

  “Can you stay awake?”

  “No…so tired.”

  William laid a hand on Mary Elizabeth’s shoulder. “It’s all right. Let her rest. She’s been working so hard and probably not getting enough rest.”

  She nodded and blinked back tears. William helped her to her feet, and she just stood there, shoulders hunched, staring at the floor. The Lord was her strength. She could do this.

  “Is there any way we can go up for some air?”

  William took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t know, Mary Elizabeth. The waves don’t feel as treacherous right now, but we don’t know what we might face up top.”

  She nodded and walked to the companionway. The steps were wet, but the skies weren’t as dark as they had been in previous days. Sitting on one of the steps, she put her face in her hands.

  A creak next to her made her think that William had sat as well. “I’m just going to sit here with you for a while, if that’s acceptable to you.”

  “Yes.” The words sounded muffled against her skin. There wasn’t anything else to say.

  And so they sat in silence.

  Above them the sounds of the crew shouting back and forth to one another blended with the creaks and groans of the Mayflower as she cut through the water for yet another day. Two months had passed since they’d left Southampton. More than three months since they’d departed Leyden.

  Her back ached from sleeping on the floor and not being able to stand up straight for all this time. Her hands were dirty, her clothes stank, and her shoes were wearing thin.

  “You know, Mary Elizabeth, Mr. Brewster has been allowing me to read his Bible.” William’s voice soothed the frayed edges of her heart. “Lately, I’ve enjoyed the Psalms, and today I read through several. My favorite was the seventy-first. I memorized one of the verses. It says, ‘But I will wait continually, & will praise thee more and more.’”

  She lifted her head and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. He was so close she could feel his warmth and see the light reflected in his eyes.

  “I just wanted to share that with you. In case it could help.”

  “It does help. Very much.” She sucked in a breath. “Thank you.”

  Boots appeared in front of them. “I’m sorry, Miss Chapman. But I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  Mary Elizabeth looked up into the surgeon’s face and held her breath.

  “Samuel Fuller’s young servant has died.”

  “William Butten?” William grabbed her hand. “But he was just a child!”

  She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled.

  “Aye. A mere youth. But he’s gone. I have a man wrapping and weighting the body. We’ll have to get him overboard as soon as we can.”

  Mary Elizabeth didn’t know what to think. There wouldn’t be any prayer service or funeral procession. The boy would be tossed into the sea. And that made her ache even more.

  The surgeon walked away, and William pulled on her hand. “Come, let’s go up before they bring up the body.”

  The tiny thread that kept her emotions in place felt like it was frayed to the very last strand. But there was nowhere to run.

  William kept hold of her hand as he led her to the bulwark on the larboard side. “I’m so sorry, Mary Elizabeth. There are no words.”

  Elder Brewster made his way up the steps, followed by the men with the body of William Butten. The crew joined their little group as Mr. Brewster prayed.

  Two of the crew heaved the bundle overboard, and Master Jones barked his commands as soon as it was over.

  Mere seconds had passed, and it was done.

  The crew went back to work.

  Mary Elizabeth took a deep breath of the salty and damp air as the wind whipped her hair from beneath her cornet. “ ‘But I will hope continually, & will praise thee more and more.’ ” The words came out on a great sob, and she threw herself into William’s arms.

  CHAPTER 16

  The arms around his waist and the head against his chest were unlike anything William had ever felt before. Mary Elizabeth sobbed into him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

  Never had he held a woman. Or anyone else, for that matter.

  Never had anyone held him.

  Words couldn’t express the emotions that ran through him. He wanted to relish this moment forever. He longed to protect th
is woman he held, ease her pain and her fears.

  She shook in his arms, and he remembered the grief and agony she must be feeling. The utter exhaustion. The overwhelming pain.

  William understood loss.

  The last thing he wanted was to lose this. This woman. This new faith and group of people he was beginning to trust.

  But as he held Mary Elizabeth, he thought of all the bickering he’d heard between the Saints and the Strangers. The Saints wanted the others to follow their rules. The Strangers thought the Saints were sanctimonious and self-righteous.

  The only reason the bickering had stopped was because the storms made everyone sick. God had essentially shut them up.

  William banished the thought. That’s not what God wanted for them. Nor was it the way He worked. If he’d learned anything from Elder Brewster, it was that God loved them more than anything else. So much that He sent His only Son as the sacrifice for all.

  But there had to be a way to bring these two groups of people together—especially if they were going to survive as a new colony.

  Mary Elizabeth sniffed, and his thoughts returned to how wonderful it felt to hold her in his arms.

  “I’m so sorry, Mary Elizabeth.”

  She pulled back and wiped the tears from her face. A deep flush filled her cheeks, and she ducked her head. “No. It should be me who is apologizing. That was totally inappropriate for me to…well…to …”

  “You were grieving.” William looked around the deck to see if the crew was still watching them. “Besides, it was nice.” When all else failed, it was best to be honest.

  She lifted her chin, and he got a look into those deep brown eyes. They twinkled in the daylight. “Yes, it was.” Lowering her head again, she gave him a curtsy. “And now I must go back down below.”

  He smiled as he watched her walk away. He needed to talk to her father again. And soon.

  Thursday, 9 November 1620

  “Just a few sips. You can do it.” William lifted Mr. Chapman’s head.

  The older man struggled to swallow and held up a hand to stop. “That’s enough.”

  William nodded and laid the man back down. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No. Thank you.” He grabbed William’s hand—the grip was weak and clammy. “It has been good to get to know you.”

  “And I, you.” William gave the man a smile.

  “Mr. Bradford is a man of keen perceptions and delicate sensibilities. He will be a good adviser.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Mr. Chapman closed his eyes, and his breathing deepened. Again. The man didn’t stay awake very long, and he appeared so very weak.

  William stayed with him until he was certain the older man was asleep. Since the ship didn’t seem to be rolling quite as much, he hoped to get top deck and take in some fresh air.

  As he made his way to the companionway in the early morning hours, a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds and cast a beautiful glow on the steps. William couldn’t pass up the chance. He climbed the steep ladder and stood at the top with his chin lifted to the sky.

  How glorious to feel the sun on his face!

  “Land, ho!” The shout from above his head shocked him. Had he heard correctly?

  “Land, ho!” With the second shout, confirmation was made.

  Master Jones strode purposefully across the deck to the forecastle. He leapt up the steps and pulled out his spyglass. “Indeed! Land, ho, Mates!”

  William ran to the steerboard side and peered over. Squinting toward the horizon, he saw it. They’d made it! The New World was before them.

  Making his way back down the companionway, William couldn’t wait to tell Mary Elizabeth. And John Alden. And Elder Brewster!

  They’d seen land.

  He found Mary Elizabeth sitting with Dorothy. “Mary Elizabeth, they’ve spotted land.”

  She jumped to her feet and hit her head on the ceiling. Rubbing the offended spot, she smiled up at him. “Truly?”

  “Yes.” He grinned back. “I need to tell the others.”

  He found John asleep on his bed, the poor man had been repairing barrels throughout the night. “John.” He shook his friend. “Wake up, man. Land!”

  Without waiting for an answer, William went to find Mr. Brewster. But he found several of the men already congratulating each other. They all headed toward the steps.

  While the seas weren’t anywhere near calm yet, they had slowed to a deep roll. So many people couldn’t join them on deck for this historic moment, but William would tell them all about it as soon as he could.

  Back on the main deck, William marveled at the sight of seagulls and the tiny edge of land on the horizon that grew in size as they inched closer. Several other people chattered on in excitement while Miles Standish spoke with Master Jones. It was good to see people standing, even though most appeared exceedingly weak as they leaned on one another for support. The rest of the passengers were still abed, and William prayed for them to recover. They would need everyone healthy and strong if they were going to build a settlement and survive.

  He watched in fascination as Master Jones held up a cross-staff—a calibrated stick with a sliding transom—and spoke to Standish. They studied it, and Standish nodded. Leaving the ship master’s side, he approached Mr. Brewster and Bradford. The men talked for a moment, and Standish called the remaining people on deck to come closer.

  Standish wasn’t a tall man, so he stood on a crate. “It appears, folks, that we are well north of our intended destination of the Hudson River, which as you know is in the northern corner of the Virginia territory. Where our patent lies.”

  Murmurs echoed through the small group as the reality of the situation settled upon them with Standish’s last statement.

  Standish held up both his hands. “Master Jones believes he has calculated our latitude to that of Cape Cod.”

  “Where is Cape Cod?” John Carver voiced the question most everyone probably thought.

  Standish sighed. “It’s in New England. North. Too far north.”

  Gasps were heard, and then several people shouted questions.

  William listened to the discussion and watched the faces around him. Land was before them. But it wasn’t where they were supposed to be. This could present a huge problem.

  Elder Brewster quieted the people. “Let’s not panic. When we reach the shore, if it is indeed Cape Cod, then a decision will be made about what to do.”

  “What’s going on?” Mary Elizabeth’s voice beside him drew William’s attention.

  “I’m so glad you made it up.” He led her over to the bulwark and pointed. “Look.”

  She clasped her hands under her chin. “Oh my. Isn’t it a beautiful sight?”

  “Indeed.” He watched her face light with excitement.

  “What is all the commotion about?” She nodded toward the group of people speaking with Mr. Standish.

  “We’re not in Virginia. Apparently the storms blew us far north. We’re somewhere in what Mr. Standish called New England.”

  “Oh.” Her brow furrowed. “I saw that map when we headed out. Are they certain?”

  “We’ll know more when we reach the shore, but I believe they are pretty sure.” He turned to fully face her. “How is your father?”

  She sighed. “Very weak. But now that we are close to land, he must get better, right?”

  “We can hope and pray.” The wind held a sharp chill. “How is Dorothy?”

  “Worse, I’m afraid.” Mary Elizabeth shivered. “Her parents have been battling whatever illness it is for a long while now. It makes me worry.”

  John Alden joined them at the bulwark. “I just heard that we are too far north.”

  “Yes.” William nodded at his friend.

  “Well, I guess we will have to wait and see what they decide to do.” John bowed to Mary Elizabeth. “It’s good to see you again, Miss Chapman.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Alden.”

  �
��How’s our little David doing?”

  “Quite well, thank you.” She looked around. “I’m surprised he’s not up here.”

  William watched her face turn from joyous expectation to a worried frown. “Would you like me to go look for him? You look like you could use some more fresh air.”

  A small smile lit her face. “I should be the one to search for him.”

  “Nonsense. You stay up here for a bit and enjoy the view. I’m sure John won’t mind keeping you company—you deserve it after all you’ve done to take care of everyone.” William backed away a few steps. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

  “All right.” Mary Elizabeth’s laugh was exactly what his heart needed. To see her truly happy was a wonderful sight, and William hoped he could be the one to keep her happy for the rest of their lives.

  “Father?” David knelt beside Father and reached out to touch his pale face.

  “Da…vid?” The voice was soft and scratchy. Not at all like the normal, strong voice of his parent. “My boy…it’s so good to see you.”

  “It’s good to see you too. I wanted to tell you that they’ve spotted land.”

  “Praise…God.”

  “Today we’ll be at the New World. We’ll find fresh food and start to build a house.” Even if David had to build it by himself, he would do it. He was almost a man now. And it had to be done. For Father and Mary Elizabeth.

  A smile started, but Father’s face went lax again. His eyes closed.

  Fear and uncertainty flooded his mind. Why couldn’t Father stay awake? He began to cry. What could he do? “Once we’re ashore, we’ll find a way to get you better.” Tears dripped down his nose. David laid his hand on top of his father’s. David’s seemed so small in comparison. But there wasn’t any warmth to Father’s hand. It just lay there. He sucked in a breath. He couldn’t be childish anymore. “You’ll see. We’re at the New World, and it will be everything you hoped for.” He bent over and laid his head on Papa’s chest. What he wouldn’t give to hear the booming voice and feel strong arms around him again.

  “David?” A voice outside their quarters made David sniff and wipe his eyes.