by Laura Glenn
Something was terribly wrong. Kaitlyn’s heart seemed to cease beating as she strained to make out the words being spoken. Her stomach turned in fear and the hair on the back of her neck stood up straight.
She pushed herself away from the washbasin and rushed outside, praying that it wasn’t news of Gabriel being injured once again. “What’s happening?” she demanded, her voice shaking as she approached the group.
All eyes turned to her and Mary reached out, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“We seem to be in the path of a retreating company of British soldiers,” she explained, pursing her lips together. “We must leave immediately.”
Kaitlyn’s throat started to close up as panic built within her. She shook her head. “We can’t go. What about the house? The cattle? Your garden?”
“All replaceable, my dear,” Mary emphatically stated as she grabbed Kaitlyn by the shoulders and faced her squarely.
“But what about the baby?” Eileen asked, obviously understanding what Kaitlyn’s true fear was. “You were just saying, Mama, that the baby would come any day now.”
“That is why we must leave now. We have to get Katie to a safe place.”
Mary released her hold on Kaitlyn and immediately began hurling orders to everyone around her. Kaitlyn instinctively grabbed Mary’s hand and leaned her weary head against the older woman’s shoulder, all at once feeling like a small child as her newly built world was threatening to crumble around her.
Mary gave Kaitlyn’s hand a tight squeeze and proceeded to direct Elizabeth into burying their valuables in the field beside the barn. Then she instructed Paul to turn the cattle out into the pasture and leave the feed out for the chickens.
Kaitlyn was guided inside and sat down on a bench in the kitchen while a flurry of activity surrounded her. Her mind whirled endlessly, wondering where they would go and if Gabriel would know. She racked her brain, unable to recall any incidents from her research that indicated anything violent having happened to the civilians in this area at the hands of the British.
The money Gabriel had given to her for emergency purposes suddenly entered her mind and she ran upstairs, dashing toward her bedroom. By the time she flung open the door, her lungs were burning from the exertion. She grabbed the door handle and inhaled deeply, her eyes blurring from dizziness. Once she finally caught her breath, she ripped open the top drawer of her bureau and reached into the back, withdrawing the small pouch she kept the coins in.
Opening it, she peered inside and saw the note James Clark had given to her. She had forgotten all about the money he loaned her. She pulled out the paper and unfolded it, staring blankly at the various addresses written upon its surface. She made a movement to toss the paper aside but then thought better of it. Quickly refolding it, she stuffed the paper back inside the pouch and proceeded to hide it just inside the hem of her skirt.
“Katie!” Eileen’s voice called from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you up there?”
Kaitlyn called back and grabbed her black cloak from the wardrobe. She quickly walked down the hallway, her heart threatening to leap from her throat out of fear.
Eileen met her halfway and helped her to tie the cloak around her neck. She then handed Kaitlyn a bundle of food and led her outside where Paul had George saddled up and waiting for her.
George’s eyes were wide and he snorted impatiently, almost as though he understood what was happening. Eileen and Paul helped Kaitlyn onto George’s back. She hadn’t ridden George in months at the express request of Mary who had nearly been beside herself with worry that Kaitlyn could get thrown off the horse.
As Kaitlyn was settling herself on top of George, her stomach tightened, causing it to look as though she had stuck a basketball underneath her skirts. She gasped in surprise, her hands immediately clasping the sides of her abdomen and feeling the rock-hard muscles underneath. As quickly as it came, it faded, leaving her with a strange sense of foreboding deep in the pit of her stomach.
Mary coaxed her horse over to Kaitlyn and worriedly placed a hand on her abdomen. “Was it a pain?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Kaitlyn glanced up at her, seeing the worry knitting Mary’s brow. Kaitlyn shook her head. “No, it didn’t hurt. It just surprised me is all.”
Mary nodded, gently rubbing the front of Kaitlyn’s belly. “The time is drawing near. We must get you to safety.”
Kaitlyn’s eyes widened as Paul handed a pistol up to Mary. The matriarch nodded her thanks and laid the weapon across her lap, telling Paul to leave for home so he could warn his parents.
Kaitlyn brought George into line behind Mary and took one last look at the place she had come to call home over the past few months. It was difficult for her to think that all of it might be gone by the time they came back, burnt to the ground or abused by looters. The house, which Gabriel had built with his own two hands, seemed so desolate and silent, as though it was determined to wait for as long as it could possibly stand for all of them to return home.
She hadn’t ever thought she could become attached to a house but she found that she was to this one. It had nearly come to represent Gabriel himself—strong and noble. She felt safe under its roof and now that roof’s fate was being left to chance.
Eileen pulled her horse up next to George and reached out to squeeze Kaitlyn’s hand. “We will be all right. We made it here by ourselves, remember?”
Kaitlyn smiled weakly and nodded, the memories of traveling here with Eileen still burned into her memory as though it were just yesterday.
“We will come back,” Eileen assured her with a wisdom that far exceeded her years. “No matter what happens, we will return.”
* * * * *
After staying the night at a safe house Eileen had used on more than one occasion, the women set off once again. As they reached the main road leading to Philadelphia, they joined a long line of refugees all heading toward the city for shelter from the retreating British troops.
When Kaitlyn first laid her weary eyes upon the disheveled mass of mostly women and children, her heart nearly broke in two. Most of them had fled on foot, carrying what worldly possessions they could in knapsacks that they threw over their shoulders. Food was somewhat difficult to come by and it showed on the hollow cheeks of the refugees’ faces. Even the children, who would normally be expected to see this journey as a great adventure, were quiet and subdued, probably due to hunger and lack of proper sleep.
A wave of guilt washed over her as she gazed into their empty, desolate eyes. She had certainly lucked out. If Gabriel hadn’t found her and taken it upon himself to make certain that she was cared for, it could very easily have been her walking along this dirt road on blistered feet and with a rumbling belly.
Kaitlyn’s stomach began hardening again. Throughout their ride yesterday, she had experienced many painless contractions but today was different. With each intermittent tightening of her abdomen, the pain gradually increased. It was nothing she couldn’t handle but just the thought that her child might be choosing to make its entrance while they were on the run was enough to send her into a panic.
“Mama!” shrieked a child’s voice from somewhere behind her. “Mama!”
Startled, Kaitlyn jumped in her seat and turned around, her eyes landing upon a little girl with tears streaming down her dirt-smeared cheeks. Instinctively, Kaitlyn drew George around and trotted over to where the child was shivering against an old, gnarled maple tree.
“Mama!” she screamed again, her chest heaving with sobs.
Kaitlyn reached down toward the child, offering her hand. “Are you lost?”
The little girl swiped at her nose with the back of her hand and nodded pitifully before grabbing onto Kaitlyn.
“What’s your name?” Kaitlyn asked as she lifted the surprisingly light child up onto her lap.
“Anna,” she shyly whispered as she attempted to snuggle against Kaitlyn’s protruding belly.
“Will you let me kn
ow if you see your mother?”
The little girl nodded and wrapped one skinny arm around Kaitlyn’s stomach as she settled her head against Kaitlyn’s chest.
Kaitlyn smiled down at her and guided George back toward Mary and Eileen.
“I had wondered where you went off to, Katie,” Mary said as she reached out to give Anna’s leg a pat. “Lost are we?”
“Do you want me to take her?” Eileen offered.
Anna started to frantically shake her head. “I want to stay with you,” she whispered as she looked up at Kaitlyn with watery blue eyes.
Kaitlyn brushed the girl’s brown hair away from her face in a motherly gesture, wondering if she would soon be able to hold her own child in this manner. Almost as if in answer to her musings, her abdomen contracted again. The tension in her belly caught her by surprise and she gasped quietly, her whole body tensing in reaction.
“Is it becoming worse?” Mary eyed her worriedly, glancing back and forth between Kaitlyn’s face and her stomach.
Kaitlyn smiled and forced herself to relax, determined to not scare the child sitting so trustingly in her lap. As the contraction finally subsided, Anna reached up and ran her fingers through Kaitlyn’s hair. When Kaitlyn flashed her a smile, Anna giggled and snuggled into the crook of Kaitlyn’s arm.
“Are you certain you are all right with the girl on your lap?” Mary asked, her brow crinkled in concern.
“I’ll let you know if you need to take her,” Kaitlyn replied, reluctant to hand Anna over when the girl had already refused to be moved once.
Within minutes people in the front of the pack began shouting that Philadelphia was within sight. Kaitlyn’s eyes peered into the distance, half expecting to see skyscrapers and freeways laid out before her. She nearly laughed at herself when her eyes met an expanse of houses clustered together and dotting the horizon.
It didn’t take long for the flock of refugees to reach the center of the small city. Most were so relieved to see their destination that they caught a second wind and began rushing forward into the city and packing its main street from one side to the other.
Kaitlyn’s senses became overloaded. People were swarming all around her, shouting and shoving. Babies screamed and cried inconsolably. Little Anna’s blue eyes widened in apprehension and she buried her face in Kaitlyn’s chest, her whole body shaking like a leaf.
Kaitlyn felt someone tug on her arm and she turned. Mary motioned toward one end of town, not bothering to speak over the clamor. Kaitlyn nodded her understanding as she attempted to ignore yet another contraction vying for her attention.
She began to guide George through the crowd behind Mary’s horse when a woman began screaming Anna’s name. The little girl’s head perked up and she anxiously began looking all around her.
Kaitlyn brought George to a halt and joined Anna in her search of the crowd. The screams kept coming and finally Kaitlyn spotted a woman several yards away with five other small children in tow. When she saw the woman scream for Anna once again, Kaitlyn looked down at the child in her lap and pointed out the woman in the crowd.
“Is that your mother?”
Anna nodded, tears filling her wide, blue eyes. “Mama!” she shouted, gripping Kaitlyn’s forearm with surprising strength.
Kaitlyn guided George toward the woman, waving at her frantically. The woman finally turned and spotted them as Anna shouted once more. Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she rushed forward and held her arms up to Anna.
Mother and daughter sobbed against one another, both elated and relieved. The woman thanked Kaitlyn profusely and Anna turned long enough to shyly wave at Kaitlyn before burying her face in her mother’s neck once again. Kaitlyn smiled down at them as a wave of warmth permeated her heart.
She turned George back around and froze, unsure of which direction Mary and Eileen were headed. She scanned the crowd hysterically as her throat began closing in panic. They had practically disappeared into thin air.
Kaitlyn doubled over as her stomach tightened painfully, nearly knocking the wind out of her. She fell forward onto her palms, leaning against George’s neck as she attempted to breathe through the long contraction. The reins fell from her hands and her horse snorted as he began to move through the crowd without any direction from her. When the contraction finally subsided, tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.
She sat up, wiped away the tears that had fallen onto her cheek and began looking around once again. Depression settled into her stomach and her shoulders slumped wearily. Mary and Eileen were still nowhere to be seen. The horse’s gait gently rocked her back and forth and she mentally capitulated, allowing George to carry her along to wherever he chose. She felt as though her strength had suddenly vanished and she became acutely aware of the ache in her lower back and groin.
Slowly, George pushed his way through the throng of refugees and citizens of the city. Kaitlyn wasn’t certain how much time had passed before they reached the edge of the crowd and her horse began quickly trotting along a much quieter side street. Several contractions took over her body as she rode along, causing her to groan. Every muscle in her body seemed to be aching at once and she didn’t know how much more of this she was going to be able to endure alone without bursting into hysterical sobbing.
“Kaitlyn, is that you?”
Her head darted up in the direction of a voice, which seemed more than familiar to her. As she recognized James Clark, the sobs that had been building up within her chest spilled forth. Her face fell into her hands as she wept, her hot tears spilling forth into her palms.
George began moving again and Kaitlyn calmed herself enough to look up and see that James had taken the reins and was guiding her down the driveway of a grand, brick home. Relief swept through her at the thought of shelter and a familiar face, bringing on another fit of sobs.
After several moments, her horse came to a stop and she felt gentle hands spanning her waist. She swung her leg over the top of George’s back and allowed James to help her down.
“My dear girl, whatever is the matter?” James anxiously asked as he grasped her arms to steady her.
Kaitlyn groaned as her belly began tightening once more. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and bent over, her forehead hitting James’ chest. She felt him stiffen.
“Kaitlyn, are you…”
As the contraction began to ease, she straightened her back and nodded.
His face paled as he stared at her, his brow creasing with worry. “Did you come in with the refugees from the country?”
She nodded again, biting her tongue as a surge of anger coursed through her at his inaction. Her baby was coming and all he could do was stand around and talk about why she was in town?
His eyes widened nervously and she could only guess that the look on her face had given her sudden outrage away. He brushed her straggled hair behind her ears and wrapped a tentative arm around her shoulders. “Come, let us get you inside.”
Chapter Seventeen
Prudence Ross put a finger to her mouth to signal for quiet as she gingerly closed the door behind her.
“How is she?” James asked, wearily running his hand through his hair.
Prudence smiled gently. “She is tired but well.” Turning to her husband, she asked, “Did you send the Captain a message?”
“I sent it yesterday. Just as soon as you asked, my love,” Alexander Ross replied. “You look weary as well.”
They stood to the side as the midwife and her apprentice exited Kaitlyn’s room. Alexander pressed a few coins into the pudgy hand of the older woman and thanked her for her services.
“I believe I shall check on my little Andrew and then lie down for a while,” Prudence remarked as she stood up on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss upon Alexander’s cheek.
Prudence’s skirts swished down the hallway as both men silently watched her until she disappeared.
James whispered, “You sent him a letter?”
His irritated tone was no
t lost on Alexander. “He is her husband. Just what, pray tell, did you expect me to do?”
James sighed and shook his head. “I never would have left her alone in that condition.”
“She was not alone.”
“The presence of other women cannot take the place of that of a man,” James spat, raising his voice slightly. “If she had been carrying my child I never would have left her side.”
“You are forgetting, my friend, that O’Connor is serving under the General in order to defend us and our homes. I doubt he left her because he wanted to.” Alexander shook his head in sympathy and clasped his friend’s shoulder. “She is married. And she is in love with Captain O’Connor. There is nothing you can do. You need to forget about her.”
James’ shoulders sank in defeat and he nodded.
“Is that you, Mr. Ross and Mr. Clark?” Kaitlyn’s voice called from behind the closed door.
James’ eyes widened apprehensively and he shook his head at Alexander. “I cannot go in there. Not yet.”
Alexander nodded and watched James dash down the stairs before opening the door and entering the bedroom. He gave Kaitlyn a gentle smile as he pulled a chair up to the side of the bed.
“I want to thank you—” she began, tears welling up in her blue eyes.
With a wave of his hand, he cut her off. “You have no need to thank me for anything. I am more than happy to be of service to you.”
She smiled and glanced down at the sleeping bundle cradled tenderly in the crook of her arm. “Prudence is wonderful.”
Alexander briefly glanced down at his hands. “Thank you.”
Kaitlyn exhaled audibly and shook her head. She wasn’t sure what she had expected when she met Prudence but Alexander’s wife had turned out to be one of the most beautiful and well-spoken women she had met in her life. Why would Alexander want to cheat on her?
