Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
Lucine arrived home to an empty cabin. John saw her to the door before bidding her farewell.
She sighed with relief as she went inside to find neither of her sisters waiting for her.
They had no doubt gone to assist someone who needed their help, and she felt a burning guilt that she had not been here to go with them.
Though their absence gave her time to sort herself out.
She cleaned herself the best she could – she had been so overcome with passion that she had given no thought to the danger she had put herself in.
If she was to fall with child because of her recklessness it would be the end of her.
The Puritans would cast her out; she would be a pariah and the shame she would cause her sisters would be untold.
‘Reckless, hysterical woman, you are a whore and a harlot,’ she whispered to herself.
There was a tap on the window, and she saw the bird watching her. Surprised, she stopped what she was doing and opened the door.
‘What are you doing here? Art thou not happy to have thy freedom. Should thou not be out in the forest finding yourself a mate?’
The bird ignored Lucine and hopped onto the floor, strutting into the cabin through the open door as if he had every right to be there, and she gasped before laughing out loud.
‘Thou art mischievous, dost thou know the trouble you will cause when my sisters come home?’
The bird let out a gentle caw, then hopped onto the ledge of the window it had been tapping on.
‘I see, this is where you will reside, is it? I think Lenora may have something to say about that, bird.’
She broke off some dried bread and crumbled it onto the sill, then filled a bowl with water, placing it next to it. ‘I fear I am in trouble, Hades. I have been foolish and lustful and now I must pay the price and repent or my sin will be my downfall.’
The bird ignored her, too busy pecking at the crumbs then using the water to clean its beautiful feathers.
‘I am in great trouble in more ways than I ever imagined when my sisters return.’
She left the bird and went into her section of the room, drawing the makeshift blanket across to give herself some privacy from Hades’ beady eyes that seemed to follow her around the cabin.
What was she going to tell her sisters? That she had given in to sinful lust and lost her virtue to a travelling man in the forest and been gifted a crow from the natives that she had set free and now thought it was a part of the family?
She shook her head as she changed her slip and washed herself.
She need not have worried about Lenora or Seraphina catching her mid change, as it was several hours before they arrived back. Both of them weary with sadness in their eyes.
‘Where did you go?’ Lucine asked.
‘We could ask you the same question, Lucine. Why were you out there for such a long time?’
‘We rescued Sagamore George and took him back to camp, after Corwin and Putnam came across him. Corwin booted the boy so hard in his side he could barely move.’
A softness crossed Seraphina’s eyes. ‘Those brutes, how cruel they are. How is the boy now?’
‘In pain, but we left him with the tribe. His mother bade us to spend time with them. I had no choice but to do what she asked.’
Lenora was staring at the crow. ‘What is that doing inside our house?’ She was pointing at the bird, who was staring back at her.
‘Ah, his mother gave him to me as a gift. I set him free, but he insisted on following me home and coming inside.’
Lenora’s eyes were wide. ‘Did it now? Well, you can insist on it leaving, Lucine. I do not want that dirty bird in here.’
Seraphina, who had not even looked at the bird, glanced at it, and the crow bowed its head at her. She clapped. ‘I like him, do not be so cruel, sister. After the night we have just endured he is a welcome distraction, is he not? He can stay here as long as he is happy.’
Lucine asked Seraphina, ‘Pray where have you been? What sadness have you been through?’
Seraphina crossed the room and hugged Lucine. ‘Old Mrs Ingersoll passed with a fever so hot we could not bring it down despite using all of the herbs and tinctures we had.’
Lucine felt a cool chill settle over her shoulders. ‘’Tis sad indeed, pray what did the Ingersoll family have to say on the matter?’ She knew how unforgiving they were when it came to matters that were beyond the control of man or beast.
‘They are sad, as we all are.’
‘Did they say it was thy fault she passed?’
Lenora shook her head. ‘No, she was old and had a fever. A hacking cough and a wetness too; a sure sign her lungs were holding water.’
‘That is sad, it comes to us all eventually. Let me make you some supper and you can rest your weary bones.’
‘I am not hungry. I would like a chamomile, lavender tea to soothe me though,’ replied Seraphina. ‘I am sure Lenora would be grateful too.’
Lucine nodded and set about filling the pot with water to put on the fire to make the water hot enough for the herb tea.
She would sit and drink tea with her sisters and pray that her reckless behaviour had not just caused them even more problems than they already had.
For Lucine did not think the Ingersolls would take too kindly to her sisters being unable to save their mother from dying.