"Dirty creatures," Comfort replied meanly. "And they look at me outta the corner of their devil's eyes. I know what they're thinking. They're wondering what it would be like to be on top of me, swiving me, hearing me scream as they hads their way with me."
"They have beautiful women of their own," Fortune responded. "I think, girl, you have allowed your imagination to run away with you. I believe we must find you a husband, Comfort. You are obviously ripe for bedding. Perhaps a strong man in your bed would make you feel safer."
"Already picked my man out," Comfort said boldly.
"Have you?" Fortune was not surprised. "Who is he?"
"Master is the man for me. You'll not be able to live in this New World long. You'll go home to England soon enough, and then I'll have the master for my man. You're too much of a lady to survive here. You're a soft, pampered bitch, and you don't deserve him, but I do. And when I gets him between my legs he'll forget you right enough!"
Fortune slapped the girl hard, astounded by her brazen words. She had known that Comfort had a tendre for Kieran, but thought it just a youthful infatuation. After all he had bought her bond, and treated her with kindness and decency. "Mary's Land is my home, Comfort, and my husband will never be your man. Nor will he ever leave me under any circumstances. We have a child. I am expecting another. I think I must speak to the master about you. Perhaps you would be happier elsewhere than at Fortune's Fancy."
"He won't sell my bond to another," Comfort said smugly. "The master likes me. I see how he looks at me even if you don't."
"Go and polish the furniture in the salon," Fortune snapped. "It is full of dust, and you have been neglecting your duties."
That night as she lay in Kieran's arms she said to him the words he had been longing to hear. "I am with child again, my love."
"Will you give me a son this time?" he asked, as if she could actually guarantee his wish.
"Aye," she said blandly. " 'Tis a lad I carry this time. I know it in my heart. It is not as it was with Aine."
"When he is born," Kieran said, "I shall give you the moon, and the stars, and anything else your heart desires, Fortune mine."
"I should like a down payment on your rash promise," she half-teased him.
"Name your wish, wife," he urged her.
"I want you to sell Comfort's bond to another," Fortune replied.
He was only half surprised by her request. "What has the wench done to displease you, Fortune? I know she is infatuated with me, but she's still just a sixteen-year-old girl, and her life has been so hard. Surely you're not jealous, sweetheart?" He caressed her breasts lovingly.
"There is nothing girlish about Comfort," Fortune said. "She is as old as Eve, and has the cold heart of a whore. Do you know what she had the temerity to say to me today?"
He was almost afraid to ask, but he did, and was somewhat shocked by the answer.
"She has not been doing her housework, and Mrs. Hawkins says she will not help in the kitchen unless absolutely driven to it. She disappears for hours on end, and no one seems to know where she is. She is a discordant note in our home, and I don't want her here, Kieran. I am already affected by the new life growing inside of me. I cannot, I do not, want to cope with the wench."
"It will not be easy to find someone to purchase her bond," he said thoughtfully. "I bought her in Virginia, and the price I paid for her included the cost of her passage. When her term of indenture is up, I must give her fifty acres of land, an ox, a gun, two hoes, a skirt and waist of penistone, shoes, stockings, a blue apron, a linen smock, two linen caps, and three barrels of corn. I don't know if there is anyone here who will have her."
"Then take her back to Virginia, and sell her," Fortune said irritably. "Or better yet, we'll give her a purse, and send her back to England on the Cardiff Rose next time she returns. Who is to know she was transported for theft? She certainly won't tell them else she be thrown back in Newgate. With a purse she can set herself up in a little shop, or find a husband to quell that itch that is consuming her."
"Let me see if I can find someone to purchase her bond from me," Kieran said. "I dislike losing the entire investment, and she has worked off two years of her bond already. I'll not get full price for her, Fortune."
"I don't care if you get nothing for her. If someone can be found to take her, sign her bond over to them gratis. I just want her out of our house!" Fortune said.
"When the harvest is in, I promise you," he said.
***
The tobacco was cut in September and hung in the curing house to dry. Then it was tied into bundles, and packed into hogsheads for shipment to England on the Cardiff Rose. The O'Malley-Small trading company now had a small investment in tobacco which was to prove highly profitable. The Cardiff Rose would also take barrels of corn to England. The colony was growing more than it needed, and a cash crop was always welcome. The garden crops were gathered in, the root crops and the cabbages stored in the cellar for winter use. The men went hunting for deer and fowls to be hung and kept for winter's meat. The Highlander returned with three milk cows, two team of oxen, two dozen hens, and a rooster.
Around them were signs of the coming winter. The geese were flocking in great cackling groups that filled the waters of the bay. The trees were turning colors. The maples gold and red. The oaks red and russet. The beeches and birches a wonderful rich gold, almost the same color as the dried tobacco. And Fortune began to bloom with the evidence of her coming child as did her serving woman, Rois.
One afternoon as the two women sat outside the house sewing new garments for their children Comfort Rogers came into view. There was an almost slatternly look about her today. There were pine needles in her hair, and she had a look about her that caused Rois to say, "I wonder who she's been lying with, m'lady."
"God's nightshirt!" Fortune swore. "If she gets herself a big belly Kieran will never be able to get rid of her, the little bitch!"
"Is he going to sell her bond?" Rois asked. "I'm glad! You should see her eyeing my Kevin. Rubs up against him every chance she gets. I'd like to scratch her eyes out, but I'd not make a scene and embarrass you, m'lady. I'll not be sorry to see her go! The bondmen gossip to the other men, and 'tis said for a ha'penny, Comfort Rogers will spread her legs without argument."
Fortune closed her eyes, and swore softly to herself. Then opening them she looked directly at Rois and asked, "Why didn't you tell me this before? The girl is, as I suspected, a trull. We have to get rid of her, and the sooner the better!"
"I can't find a buyer to take her bond," Kieran admitted to his wife when pressed about the situation that evening.
"The wench is lying on her back for any and all, Rois tells me," Fortune said angrily.
"I know," he admitted unhappily. "That is why I can't get anyone to take her bond. No decent woman will have the wench in her house. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I only meant to give you servants as you have always had. I didn't want you to be unhappy in Mary's Land."
Shaking her head ruefully Fortune cuddled her husband on her breasts. "What a coil," she said. "Well, there is no other choice. We will have to send her back to England with a purse to keep her. I cannot have her whoring from our home. It will bring us into disrepute if we appear to be allowing it, and how can we stop her short of shackling her?" She paused. "Perhaps we should so she can't run off all the time where we cannot find her. I think we should have her whipped, and put in the stocks. That will show everyone that we do not condone her bad behavior. Then we will shackle her ankles so she cannot roam."
"It's harsh," he said, "but I agree. The Cardiff Rose is back one final time this year. When she sails for England Comfort Rogers will be aboard her, I promise you, Fortune. We can't be bothered with such a wayward wench."
Fortune called her servants together the following morning. "I am well aware," she began, "of the bad behavior of some of you. You are put on notice that I will not tolerate it any longer. I will sell the bond of any whose behavior is not Christian, or p
roper." She looked sternly at the four bondmen, who, though they professed the Puritan faith, had been as dissolute as anyone else. "Comfort Rogers, you are not to leave the house without my permission. Do you understand me?"
Comfort glared sullenly at her mistress, but was silent.
Fortune did not press the issue. The decision had been made concerning Comfort's fate.
"About time," Mrs. Hawkins said to Dolly, the nursemaid. "I wouldn't be surprised to see her gone, and sooner than later."
"Do you really think mistress will sell her off?" Dolly asked.
"If they can find someone to take the jade," Mrs. Hawkins said. "I'm sick unto death of hearing how master looks at her. The wench needs a good beating, I tells you."
"She probably wouldn't mind if master administered it," Dolly giggled. "Owww!" She rubbed her arm where Mrs. Hawkins had smacked her with a hard wooden spoon. "What was that for?"
"You mind yer tongue, Dolly," the cook warned. "The mistress loves her man dearly, and he, her. I'll not listen to such talk, and shame on you who are in charge of the little ones."
"I didn't mean anything," Dolly said, stricken.
"I know," Mrs. Hawkins soothed her, confident she had restored order. "Now be a good lass, and run along. I've a brace of ducks to clean and stuff for tonight's dinner."
Standing in the shadow of the keeping room's outside door, Comfort had listened to the two women. Mrs. Hawkins was an old cow, and Dolly too soft and stupid. When I'm mistress of this house, Comfort thought, I'll send them both packing. I'll be the one selling their bonds. Master Kieran will never send me away. He loves me except he can't admit it because of her. His hoity-toity lady wife with her flaming pate, and white, white skin. Ihate her! What is it the Indians call her? Touched-by-Fire. That's it! I wonder if some big buck with his red-brown body would like rummaging between her milky thighs. Ohhh, she'd scream, she would. If she weren't around Master Kieran would turn to me. Iknow he would! Says I can't leave the house without her fine ladyship's permission, does she? I'll show her! I'll go where I like, and when I like. I'll have no bitch like my old mistress back in London ordering me about. I showed that one, and I'll show this one!
She needed to get away from the house. She needed a man stuffing her full with his want, but now the menservants would be chary of her, Comfort realized. Damn her ladyship! What difference is it to her that the men were swiving me? I wasn't hurting nobody. Ohh, it's all right if her, with her belly, gets serviced, but not poor me. Well, I'll fix her soon enough, the bitch!
***
"Mistress Fortune." Prosper, one of the bondmen, was speaking.
Fortune looked up from the chair before the house where she and Rois were sewing infant garments. "Yes, Prosper, what is it?"
" 'Tis Comfort, yer ladyship. She's going off into the woods again. We saw her from the fields."
Fortune jumped up. "That damned girl! She'll get lost again."
"Nay, yer ladyship," the bondman said. "Comfort knows the woods hereabouts better than any. Every bit as good as the Indians."
"Does she?" This was rather interesting news. Was it possible that Comfort had deliberately pretended to be lost the day they arrived? "Show me where she is," Fortune said. "Rois, go and tell Kieran I have gone after the troublesome bitch, and that tomorrow she goes into St. Mary's to the stocks, and for a whipping."
"She'll come back, m'lady," Rois said. "Don't go after the wench."
"She's deliberately disobeyed me, and in front of the others," Fortune said. "If I do not fetch her back myself, I shall lose control of my household." Turning Fortune followed the bondman.
He led her to the edge of the tobacco fields, pointing out the path that Comfort had taken. "I'll go with you, mistress," he said.
"Nay," Fortune replied. "She will not have gotten far, and I want to bring her back myself. Cut me that switch, Prosper."
He obeyed, handing it to her with a small grin.
Stepping into the woods Fortune followed the barely visible path. About her the leaves were brilliant with their late October color. They fell silently around her, and yet the path seemed clear enough for a distance. Ahead of her she could hear Comfort singing a little ditty, and recognized the tune as "The Miller of Dee." Fortune increased her pace, but she could not seem to catch up with the serving girl. Then she suddenly realized that she hadn't heard Comfort's voice in the past few minutes. Where had the damned girl gotten to? Fortune wondered.
Comfort could hear someone following her. Was it one of the men? she thought excitedly. She hid herself in the brush long enough to discover her pursuer. Seeing Fortune picking her way through the undergrowth Comfort felt a surge of disappointment. Then an idea struck her. She began to sing again, leading her fine ladyship on deeper and deeper into the forest. She crossed a small stream, and hid herself again, watching as Fortune forded the small watercourse, and continued onward. With a smile of triumph Comfort turned back. Her rival had chosen her own fate. She would soon discover herself lost, and she would not be able to find her way back out of the forest. But I will be there for the master, Comfort considered, smiling to herself as she walked out of the woods, and across the fields to the house.
Fortune suddenly realized she couldn't hear Comfort's voice anymore. She also could not hear the sound of footsteps padding ahead of her. She stopped. All around her the forest was thick with trees and other growth. I have to go back, Fortune thought to herself. She turned about, and attempted to retrace her footsteps, but while the path had seemed so obvious going into the woods, it was not as definite now that she needed to find her way out. Ahead she heard the sound of water. The stream she had crossed! But as she came upon it she wasn't certain it was the same stream. The one she had crossed was silent-running. This one sang and chattered as it tumbled over its streambed of rocks.
Panic began to set in. I'm lost! she thought, frightened. Fortune stood stock-still. She was suddenly afraid to move in any direction lest she become even more lost. I haven't been walking that long. I can't be that far from home. But which direction do I take? Oh, God! I don't know! She began to cry. She was lost in this New World forest, and no one was ever going to find her. Aine would be orphaned, and the son she was certain she carried in her womb now would die with her. Crumpling to the soft floor of the forest she wept herself into sleep.
"Touched-by-Fire, awaken," she heard a deep voice calling her.
Fortune awoke, and scrambling to her feet found herself face to face with a tall, elderly Indian. She gasped.
"Do not be afraid, Touched-by-Fire. I am Many Moons, the medicine man of the Wicocomoco."
"You speak English?" Fortune was amazed.
He smiled a small smile at her. "Your medicine woman, Glass Eyes, taught me, as I have taught her our tongue."
Glass Eyes? Of course! Happeth Jones with her spectacles! "I am lost, Many Moons. I followed a disobedient servant into the forest, and became lost. Can you guide me back to my home?"
He nodded. "It is the girl with the corn-colored hair you followed? She is a very bad person, Touched-by-Fire. She has brought sickness to several of our young men who were tempted by her. She let them use her as a man will use a woman. Then they became sick."
"Her name is Comfort, although she is anything but," Fortune said, walking by the medicine man's side. "My husband is going to send her away. She claims to be afraid of your people. I am sorry she has brought illness to your men. Perhaps Mistress Jones, Glass Eyes, can help you. I am grateful that you found me, Many Moons. I do not think I could have found my way out of the forest without your help." Fortune could see the trees thinning, and past them the tobacco fields. The sun was close to setting. She had obviously been in the forest most of the day. She was very lucky, she realized.
"Fortune! Fortune!"
Her name was being called. "I'm here," she cried back, and then she exited the woods, running into Kieran's open arms.
"I thought I had lost you," he said, kissing her hungrily.
"You almost did, but thanks to Many Moons-" She turned. "He's gone! Oh, Kieran, I wanted you to thank him, too. The Wicocomoco medicine man who is Mistress Jones's friend found me, and led me out of the forest. Do you know what the Indians call her? Glass Eyes!"
"Why did you go into the forest?" he asked her as they turned to walk back to the house.
"I scolded the servants this morning for their behavior, and then I told Comfort she was not to leave the house without my permission," Fortune said. "Of course she did, deliberately disobeying me. Prosper saw her crossing the fields into the woods. He came to tell me. I followed the wench, but she must have discovered I was coming after her. She disappeared, and I couldn't see or hear her. Then I realized I was lost. I wandered about a bit, gave in to a bout of vapors, and then Many Moons found me," Fortune concluded breathlessly. "I'm starving, Kieran!"
"Mrs. Hawkins will have dinner ready soon. Rois came and told me you had gone into the forest. By the time I learned where you had gone, you had vanished. I skirted the edge of the woods all afternoon calling you. We were just about to send to the Indian village, and ask for their help. What the hell was Comfort doing in the forest?"
"She knows it well, I have learned. She is also not one bit afraid of the Indians despite her claim. She's been lying with several young bucks, and has infected them with some sort of disease," Fortune told her husband. "Did Rois say I wanted her sent to St. Mary's tomorrow?"
He nodded "I've shackled her, and put her in the buttery," he told his wife as they entered the house.
"Ohh, m'lady, thank heavens yer back!" Rois cried as she ran to greet her mistress.
"It's all right now, Rois," Fortune assured her serving woman, "and tomorrow we dispose of Comfort Rogers."
"Good riddance!" Rois said bluntly.
***
Besieged Page 35
