War of Hearts, A Historical Romance

by Lynn Hubbard

“Her status is unknown; we can’t count on her.”

  Jonathan stepped forward. “I can count on my brother,” he spoke as the men added their own thoughts.

  Tristan held his hand up and the men’s grumblings subsided. “Until help arrives, what food and water we have will be rationed. We need men to build shelters and gather wood. Get to it.”

  “Sir?” a voice called out to him. Tristan looked over at the pox-scarred man; he barely had enough strength to stand, but stand he did. “It may seem folly; however, I want to thank you and the miss for rescuing me.”

  “Hmmpf, you were rescued only to die on this God-forsaken land.”

  “If it is his will, however, I believe he has other plans for me. If I do die here, it will be as a free man, not as some vermin that the British tossed aside.” He wobbled a bit and Sarah went to his side. Tristan watched, deep in thought as they moved slowly down the beach.

  “You should be resting,” Sarah scolded.

  “And miss all the excitement?”

  She shook her head. “I could live happily with a little less excitement in my life.”

  “But you chose this, did you not? Why did you save us?” he asked, settling down on the sandy blanket to rest.

  “When all this ruckus began, it wasn’t my fight. Not until it fell on our doorstep. I still did nothing, even when my parents were killed. When I lost my brother, it all finally made sense to me. That it is my fight, and not choosing a side, is choosing a side. So I finally stepped up, to do whatever I could. When I heard about the prison ships, I knew I had to help. How did you end up on the ship anyhow? You don’t look like a soldier.”

  “Well as you said, I chose a side. Now it seems a bit silly. However, at the time, I thought what I was doing was right. When the British took over New York, it really didn’t affect me at all. I had a shoe shop and business was booming with all the brass in town. Then the fire happened. They demanded not only my house, but my shop as well to house the military. I refused, and ended up in a warehouse of some sort for a while. When it grew too crowded of unruly citizens, and what poor chaps they hadn’t run through on sight, I was moved to the prison ship. Hadn’t seen daylight in months. So being on this here island is a pleasure.”

  Sarah shook her head. “I’m sure it is. You need to rest.” She stood and checked on the other men. Most were in good spirits; the only ones grumbling were Tristan’s men. And they were mostly angry with themselves for being duped.

  Fatigue was catching up with her and she made her way back to her enclosure to rest. She looked for Tristan as she walked, but did not see him. She pulled back the sail flap and lay down to sleep.

  She woke to the feeling of something moving. She sat up with a start, only to find Tristan hunched over in the small space next to her. “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded and regretfully pushed herself up to a sitting position.

  “I will get us out of this; ships come by occasionally. We can get help,” he insisted.

  “Tristan, I’m sorry about the Vixen. I can’t help but feel responsible. You were only trying to help me.”

  Tristan shook his head. “Don’t give me so much credit. Sarah, I’m an ass. I had no interest in changing my allegiance, or saving anyone. I only cared about myself, and I used you for my own gain. I wanted you, so I did whatever I had to do to get you.”

  Sarah shook her head. “No, Tristan, that isn’t true. You have done so much more than I have ever asked of you. I’m not sure what lies in store for my future, but I know that I want you in it.”

  “Then I will be,” he replied, closing the short distance for a kiss. It was very soft at first, as if he was seeking her acceptance. As if he couldn’t believe her words. Feeling her respond to him, he shifted his position in the cramped space and pulled her down next to him.

  Sarah hesitated for a second, concerned with others being close by. Only the sail separated them from view. But it was a sturdy sail and she needed this as much as he did. She felt cool air against her thighs as he pushed her dress up. She sighed as he slowly filled her. He moved gently, almost as if he was caressing her inside. Her breathing increased and she found herself lifting her bottom to match his movements. He whispered her name, clutching her tightly to his chest, and their bodies shuddered together as their needs were sated.

  She woke some time later to the call of tree frogs. The night air was cool and Sarah moved closer to Tristan for warmth. “I’m still sorry for the Vixen,” she whispered.

  “Shhhh, you are worth so much more.”

  ***

  A warm kiss woke her the next morning, and a groan escaped her. She wasn’t sure if it was lust or irritation. She was still tired even though she had slept deeply.

  “Come on. Wit made breakfast,” he urged.

  “Wit can cook? That is worth rising early to see,” Sarah said, crawling out of the lean-to. She felt a hand on her bum and swatted it away. She stood up quickly to gain a safer position and was immediately hit by nausea. Covering her mouth, she hurried into the woods, Tristan following with concern.

  “I’m fine,” she answered his unspoken question.

  “You should have been better by now. Do you think you caught something from the ill?” He grasped her face and lifted it up to meet his. Tears were shimmering in her eyes and she hurriedly wiped them away.

  “I’m fine,” she repeated.

  His hand went to her forehead, feeling for fever; she was cool. He released her, but his face was still etched with concern.

  “Sarah, I cannot lose you.”

  “You won’t, now let’s get some food before it’s all gone.” She grasped his hand and led him toward the beach.

  The men seemed to be in surprisingly better spirits. Wit stood and greeted them when they approached.

  “Thought ya was gonna sleep all day,” he winked. “Jonathan and some of the others gathered bunches of plantains, I gotta fire going and roasted ‘em. Not too bad,” he replied, holding out the strange looking fruit on a stick to her.

  She took it and smelled it before taking a small nibble. It didn’t have much taste at all but not too bad considering. She took another bite and watched Tristan as he ate his. She sat on the sand next to Wit and watched the water lick its way up the beach before retreating back. The constant motion intrigued her. She was very glad to be off the boat, even if they were trapped. Of course perhaps that was not why she had been ill after all.

  She was able to exclude anything else due to lack of symptoms. That left one option. She was with child. Just thinking the thought terrified her. She was not oblivious to how children were procured; nevertheless, it was still shocking to even contemplate. She glanced over to Tristan; he was in a deep conversation with his men. How could she tell him? Doesn’t he have enough worries?

  She felt her throat burning as tears formed. She forced herself to calm down. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the cool breeze and slowly regained her composure. She looked down at her bare stick and went to roast another plantain. She needed to keep her strength up.

  She jumped as a blanket was draped over shoulders. She looked up at Tristan, who sat next to her. “I don’t need a blanket, I’m not cold.”

  “You aren’t used to the sun; you will bake here on the beach. Stay covered or stay in the shade.” He handed her a canteen and she sipped at the precious water.

  “Thank you.” She moved to hand it back to him, but he shook his head.

  “You keep it; I’m going with some others to see if we can find some fresh water. If we can’t we’ll have to be very sparing until the next rain.”

  Sarah grasped his hand as he stood. “I’m glad you aren’t giving up hope.”

  “Me too.”

  She watched him move off and turned her gaze on the horizon, searching for specs.

  ***

  Two days had passed, no fresh water had been found, and Sarah was growing weaker. Her stomach had finally settled and she faintly wondered if it was due to lack of fluids
to expel. Her lips were dry and she licked them with what little moisture she had on her tongue.

  The weather had been hot and the men were suffering as well. She spent most of her time in her shaded retreat, trying to conserve her energy. The less exertion, the less food that was needed to sustain her.

  The wind picked up and she watched the boughs shudder on their branches. She heard a shout from far away and sat up in concern. She reached out for the curtain and gasped as it was flung open by Tristan. He had a wide grin on his tanned face. “A storm is coming!”

  Sarah pushed her way out, wanting to see for herself. Once standing she could make out the dark bank of clouds off in the distance. Lightning flashed in its wake and Sarah was too excited to be frightened. Water.

  “The men have set up barrels to catch the rain, soon you’ll have as much water as you can drink!”

  Sarah hugged him tightly and he kissed her hair. They stayed like that, clinging to each other as the rain started to fall. It was just a drop or two to begin with, and then it was as if the sky opened up. Buckets seemed to fall from the sky and Sarah leaned her head back as if she were a child and drank from the heavens.

  Tristan chuckled at her antics and covered his mouth with hers, satisfying his own thirst. Sarah kissed him back and soon found herself clinging to him for warmth as she stood in the cold rain. Tristan pulled her down and into the shelter, holding her tightly. His mouth and tongue caressed her skin, licking off the precious droplets. He moved down her body, peeling away her wet dress as he moved lower. He moved to spread her thighs apart and was disappointed when she grabbed his head, pulling him back up to her.

  “You shouldn’t.”

  He frowned. “Why not? I thought you enjoyed it.”

  She blushed furiously as she debated upon her next words. “I do, I…”

  “What’s wrong, Sarah?”

  She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. “I need to tell you something, but I’m frightened.”

  “You are scared of me? Have I ever done anything to make you fear me?”

  “No,” she squeaked as he moved over her, effectively trapping her with his arms on either side of her face.

  “Sarah, I love you. Nothing you can say will change that.”

  She looked up into his face and saw the truth in his eyes. “I…I’m going to have your child.”

  She felt him tense above her at the news and closed her eyes tightly, fearing his rejection. This just wasn’t how things were supposed to go. She was supposed to marry a local boy in town, and her father would walk her down the aisle as her mother cried and Silas fidgeted with his neckerchief.

  She felt wetness on her face and thought the rain had seeped through. Instead, she opened her eyes to find Tristan in tears.

  “I am so sorry, Sarah. I promise you, we will get off this damned island, and you and our child will be safe. I will never let any harm come to you.”

  She reached up and touched his cheek. “I know.” She pulled his face down to meet her lips. She opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue and he kissed her deeply. He gently parted her thighs with his knee as he entered her, sealing his promise.

  The storm raged all night, but Sarah was warm in Tristan’s embrace. The battered sail had held tight and they woke to a beautiful sky colored with pinks and reds.

  There was a commotion on the beach and Tristan hurried down, leading Sarah behind him. There was a cry of “Ship ahoy!” as they reached the beach. Sarah watched transfixed at the spot on the ocean. Some men scurried to find some dry wood to light; they soon realized it wasn’t necessary, the ship was headed their way.

  Was it friend or foe?

  Chapter 29 Ship Ahoy!

  Tristan ordered the men back into the tree line. They armed themselves with rocks and branches. After the Vixen incident, they were all on edge.

  “Sarah, go back to the shelter.”

  For once she obeyed without question. She didn’t need to cause him further worry. She retreated and stood by the entrance. She was on higher ground and tried peering through the branches to make out any identifiers on the ship. Of course, even if it was the Sea Maiden it did not necessarily mean they were friendly.

  Thoughts of Zack shooting into the water at Tristan filled her with worry. She trusted Gabriel, but many could overtake him. She watched as the ship approached slowly. She could make out the flag on top. It was the same one the Sea Maiden flew the last time she saw it.

  ***

  Tristan easily recognized his ship. With his men back a safe distance, he stepped onto the beach and waved a white shirt in the air. Shouts and waves were repeated from the men at the rail and soon, the anchor was lowered. Tristan, not wanting a repeat of Vixen, pushed the rowboat out into the water. Wit and Jonathan joined him and he hesitated for a second before welcoming their help.

  Tristan scanned the men’s faces, looking for anything out of place. He couldn’t believe he was duped so badly. Perhaps he was a bit more infatuated with Sarah than he thought.

  Sarah; she was again penetrating his thoughts. He reluctantly tucked her away in his mind and concentrated on rowing. Soon enough he reached the ship and a ladder was tossed down. He had Wit stay in the boat as he ascended the ladder first.

  He reached it with ease and was over the rail in no time. His crew met him. They seemed more subdued than usual and Tristan kept his back to the rail. A movement caught his eye, and he watched as Gabriel hurried over to him.

  “Jonathan?” he asked.

  “Is just fine; he’ll be up in a minute,” Tristan said, motioning for him to climb. The reunion between the brothers was heartfelt, and he wondered if he would ever see Robert again.

  Releasing the embarrassed Jonathan, he again turned to question his friend. “Where the hell is the Vixen? Did she sink?”

  “I wish,” Tristan retorted. “It would have been more pleasant than mutiny. Zach took control while we were unloading, he caught me off guard. I thought you were goners. What took you so long?”

  “We had our own excitement. Had it out with the British frigate in the Bay. They damaged the mast and blow a hole in the hull. Several men were injured. Tom didn’t make it. We were able to patch up the hole and took turns bailing while we limped into New Jersey. We were waylaid with repairs when we saw the French fleet pass and were worried for your welfare.”

  “We weren’t on their list,” Tristan replied.

  “Speaking of lists, we picked up an extra passenger in New Jersey. Several of the men were gravely wounded, and we were fortunate enough to find a surgeon nearby.” Gabriel was unable to hide his grin any longer; He signaled to one of his men who disappeared into the cabin.

  Tristan watched on with apprehension; he didn’t need any more surprises after losing the Vixen. His heart couldn’t take it. A dark shadow filled the doorway and he was stunned as his brother Robert was presented before him.

  “Robert?” he asked befuddled.

  “Thank God you are alright! The news of your stunt was spread from mouth to ear all the way down the coast! Are you insane?” he chastised his younger brother.

  Tristan laughed out loud as the shock left him. He grasped Robert around the middle and hugged him hard. “It was not my idea. But there were some benefits to going along.”

  Robert straightened his vest and stared at him. “Sarah? She is safe?”

  A long forgotten conversation crept into his mind. Robert had chosen her first. “Yes, she is well. It would take more than the British Army to distract her from her goals.”

  Robert grinned widely, relief evident in his normally serious face. “I would like to see her.”

  “Later!” Gabe said, slapping him on the back a little too hard. He sent a knowing look to Tristan who looked a tad worried. “We need to celebrate!” He herded Jonathan and Robert below deck as he instructed his crew to carry relief supplies over to the island. Tristan followed dutifully, even though he would rather be going in the other direction.

  He a
nd Jonathan took turns in explaining the escape. Jonathan gushed over Sarah’s efforts and Robert beamed with pride. Tristan took a sip of ale every time her name was mentioned, which was often.

  “How the hell did you end up on the Sea Maiden?” he broke in, his words slurring slightly.

  Robert chuckled. “That was fate. We had many wounded after the battle of Monmouth. Clinton had retreated and no further action was immediate. So I stayed on with the worst of the wounded. Many could not be moved. They were on their way to recovery when Ethan sought me out. He recognized me and related that Gabriel was headed down to meet you. I arranged for a leave of absence and came on board to treat the wounded.”

  “Wonderful,” Tristan murmured, not sounding as excited as the word was meant.

  “Well enough talking. I would like to make sure Sarah is fine for my own eyes.”

  Tristan took another drink.

  Chapter 30 Reunion

  Sarah crept back down to the beach along with the crew when they saw Tristan wave Jonathan on board. She still held back in the shadows. Her worry for his safety, for their safety, frightened her.

  The men began lowering boats and packages, and she sat in the shade to wait. Her stomach rumbled and she reluctantly grabbed a plantain and peeled back the skin before taking a bite. She was unused to the texture, but she finished it anyway. She hoped they had some meat in those packages.

  She watched the men from the Sea Maiden make repeated trips. She wasn’t familiar with them and stayed where she was, hoping that Tristan, Wit, or Jonathan would return soon. She stifled a yawn and leaned back against a tree trunk to rest her back. Sleep overtook her and she welcomed it.

  She woke to her name being called. The wind twisted it in the air, and the eerie sound gave her chills. The call came again, and sounded somewhat familiar. She fought her way out of sleep and sat up, wiping her eyes. A shadow crossed over her and she looked, expecting to see Tristan.