Read Riverbreeze: Part 3 for Free Online

smoking a long clay pipe.
    All the men but three were gathered around Captain Neale, most of them with swords at their sides and holding their muskets. Neale was handing out little pouches of musket balls to each man and filling up their powder horns with black powder. All were dressed in the clothes they came in; there were no uniforms or armor for this militia although many of the men had thick leather jerkins on substituting for a breast plate.
    The first man who was not with the group was Robert Boyle. He had built a campfire close to the quay and his wife was sitting on the ground in front of it, their quilt wrapped snuggly around her. She had been crying profusely and was clearly exhausted. Her husband was still trying to comfort her, but whether he was successful or not was not apparent. At least she was no longer screaming and yelling. Perhaps it was due to the display of her lovely, but ruined light blue gown and coordinating navy cloak where they had been laid out over two sturdy bushes to dry like advertisements of her shameful behavior.
    How embarrassing , Elizabeth thought. She still felt sorry for the woman no matter how Evelyn or Robert felt. She had a thought that after they deposited their bundles at their quilt, she would go visit with Helen and maybe invite her back to join them. She would ask Evelyn what she thought of that idea before doing it though.
    However, that wouldn’t happen just yet.
    The second man who was not with Captain Neale was Nathan. He was dutifully keeping the dogs on their leashes and walking them at the edge of the field close to a copse of trees. When he saw the Bassetts returning, he started back towards their quilt where the third man not with Captain Neale could be found. It was Roger Wentworth and when Robert saw him and his wife at their quilt, chatting with Abigail, Emily and Alison, his smile went from ear to ear.
    He took Elizabeth’s arm and hurried them along, eager to visit with his best friend and introduce Elizabeth to Nicole and their children, including the new baby.
    “You’ll love Nicole.” He exclaimed. “She’s like no other woman you’ve ever met.”
    Well, that was high praise , Elizabeth thought, frowning to herself. Another saint, along with Maureen. Would she ever live up to these women in his eyes?
    When Roger saw them, he separated himself from the ladies and with a friendly wave and a ‘Hallo!’ he jogged forward to meet them.
    The men greeted each other first with great enthusiasm, embracing and pounding each other’s backs as if they hadn’t seen each other in decades.
    Then Roger kissed Elizabeth’s hand, then Evelyn’s. “Ladies, how wonderful to see you again.” Then with a waggish twinkle in his eyes, he added, “I see you’ve done a bit of shopping. ‘Tis about time your husbands opened their wallets.”
    Elizabeth was certain that that comment was meant to rile up Robert and Jamie, and she was right.
    “What do you mean by that!” Robert snapped before she could say anything. Jamie looked equally insulted, but let Robert do the talking.
    Roger laughed delightedly. “Nicole has already visited Van Dijk’s ship, twice.” He stopped short, realizing that the joke was on him. “Five weeks ago.” He muttered unhappily.
    Now it was Robert’s turn to let out a guffaw. “Twice! Five weeks ago?”
    “Yes.” Roger mumbled grudgingly. “When he came to pick up my tobacco.”
    “Were you his first stop?”
    “Yes.”
    “Oh Roger, he knew.” Robert’s voice turned sympathetic, but he was still smiling in amusement. “He knows you and Nicole and how Nicole is a stickler for fashion. He was smart, giving Nicole the first look.”
    “Mmph.” Roger grunted, but then he turned to look at his wife, still surrounded by Alison, Emily and Abigail. His face went soft with love and he spoke with the softest of tones. “Look at her though. She’s a vision in her new gown, even after giving birth only a month ago.”
    Indeed she was a