phantom knights 04 - deceit in delaware (56 page)

The girl took the parcel from me and marched into the alley. The other children, seeing her, began shouting her name. Mariah. The appearance of the first bread sent the children into a frenzy, but Mariah gained control over the mob with a few authoritative words.

She had them form a line, and even the women came closer at the prospect of food.

Mariah distributed pieces of food to each child, and then moved on to the women, offering them larger portions for their families. Once all of the goods were gone, including my own bread, Mariah returned to me.

“Is this where you lived?”

Mariah nodded, pointing to a hovel at the end of the alley.

“My mother lived with that man who was trying to sell me, until she died of the fever.”

“Do you have any other family?” I asked.

“No, sir.” There was not a tremor of emotion in her voice. She was a stalwart girl to be sure.

“Mariah, I would like to offer you a place in my family.”

Her brows slowly rose as her head tilted. “As your servant?”

Biting my lip to keep from smiling, I shook my head. “No. My wife and I adopt children without family, to raise, and teach how to read and write, as well as how to act as a proper lady or gentleman.”

She appeared as if she wanted to agree immediately, but she took her time. “What is expected of me?”

“You will be expected to behave with manners, and to help Bess, Jack, and Levi with the milking of the cow, the brushing of the horses, and the collecting of the eggs from the chickens. In exchange for your cooperation, you will be taught all manner of things. My daughter and sons will accept you as their sister, and you will never go without food, clothing, or a place to live. If you are agreeable, my ship is waiting for us at the harbor.”

She considered me from my boots to my hair, and then nodded.

We began walking toward the harbor, but something made me halt. “Do you not wish to fetch your things before we depart?”

She actually laughed. She pulled out the sides of her too large dress that was filthy. “This is all that I have in the world.”

That would not do at all. Changing our direction, I escorted her to the nearest shop that could sell us something for her to wear. Turning her over to the proprietress, she clothed Mariah in a fitting, fresh smelling dress that had been in the window of the shop. She also provided us with bolts of fabric which I selected and knew that Nell could transform into something suitable for the girl to wear. After buying her a bonnet, shoes, and a sweet stick, we set out for the harbor.

For all of my days would I remember Mariah’s wide eyes for the entire journey to the farm, and how my family took to her the moment they met her. She and Bess became friends, as I had known that they would, and Mariah even took to her training.

The next child to join our family was Jericho, and his appearance was different from the rest. I was riding into town one day when a little boy stumbled across the road, frightening my horse. If I had not kept a tight rein, my horse would have trampled the child.

He stared up at me with scared eyes before disappearing into the woods. There was something in his eyes that made me dismount and follow him.

He ran as swift as the wind, and I lost sight of him quickly. After returning to my horse, I rode on to town, not expecting to see the boy again.

When I reached town and made my way into the only store to be had for miles, I came upon the child, as he was trying to depart. He bumped straight into me, and then stumbled back. His wide, haunted gaze had me staring after him as he left the store.

After placing my order with the owner, I went to pay for my supplies and found that my purse was gone. Then it struck me what must have happened.

Incensed, I stormed out of the store and went in search of the boy that I was certain had swiped my purse.

For a long moment I did not believe that I would find him, until I heard someone shouting.

Moving toward the sound led me to the tavern. Out the back, the barkeep was chasing the boy away from the kitchen door.

He turned away from the door, but I would not allow him to escape me. Running forward, I caught the boy just as he was about to reach the woods beyond the town. He fought me like a savage as I picked him up and carried him toward the tavern. Walking into the kitchen, the barkeep was about to shout, until he saw me, and then nodded. Placing the boy upon his feet at the table in the kitchen, he instantly tried to run, but I caught him again and forced him into a chair.

“Now, where is my purse?”

He stared at the floor with his arms crossed over his small chest. As I stared down at him, I noticed some interesting things about him. First was that he was wearing moccasins. Second was that he was not as young as I had first suspected.

After ordering some food from the barkeep, I sat in a seat across from the boy. We neither of us spoke until the food had arrived.

A plate of chicken was set before him, and his brown eyes widened their length. A small line of drool dripped from the side of his mouth, and then he attacked the food as if he was a wild animal.

After the third piece of chicken was consumed in less than three minutes, I spoke. “Slowly, boy, or you will make yourself sick.”

He eyed me with hostility as he bit off a piece of chicken.

His hair was the color of golden straw, but his skin was tanned, from hours in the sun I would guess. He wore a stained shirt that appeared to have dried blood upon it. His brown trousers were too small for his body.

It was only after he consumed all of his and my chicken that he returned my purse, saying that we were now square, and there was no need to involve the constable.

“What are you running from, boy?”

That caused him to turn mulish.

“If you will not tell me, that is your business, but do you have a place to stay? The woods are not safe for someone so young.”

“I am not afraid,” he retorted.

I could see that he was not.

“Are your parents nearby that I can see you home?”

He did not move, did not speak.

So, no parents that he would confess to.

“I suspect, from your stealing of my purse, that you have no money of your own. How do you propose to survive?”

“By my wits.”

“I have a better solution for you.” He eyed me with suspicion. “I am prepared to offer you an honest wage in exchange for some work. I am in need of someone to take care of my horse for me. Do you have any experience with horses?”

He gave a curt nod.

“If you would be willing to work, I can offer you a warm place to sleep that will keep the rain off your head.” I could see that he was still wary of me, so I told him about my children, and my wife’s cooking abilities.

When I rose to take my leave, he stood and offered his hand.

“I’m agreeable.”

That had yet to be seen, but I shook his hand. When I asked his name, he said Jericho.

It was a month before I discovered that his parents had been murdered by an Indian raid upon their farm. Jericho had only survived by having been in the woods playing when the attack occurred. He had been tracking the Indians until he lost their tracks during a rainstorm. He had continued on, always searching.

When I offered him a place among our family, he was hesitant, until I promised him that I would assist him in searching for his parents’ murderers. He agreed and our first meeting caused me to add a new feature to our training. Picking pockets.

The last two to join our family were brothers Benjamin and Henry. Henry was the oldest at seventeen, but he was eager to learn. Benjamin was of a softer disposition than all the other children, but he was dedicated to learn everything that I taught. He was thirteen, the same age as Bess, when he joined.

Their parents had died of yellow fever when they were younger. Pierre had been the one to find them upon one of his trips to Charleston.

Having Pierre’s approval was enough of a recommendation for me.

It was after I had sent them each out upon their first mission, and they had each returned successful, that I deemed them worthy of deputy names. Pierre and I had discussed at length the strengths and weaknesses of each deputy, and had come upon the perfect names for each child.

Nell, Pierre and I arranged lanterns in a circle out in the field, far enough from the cabin that the children could not see it. That night, we held a masking ceremony.

Once the full moon rose in the sky, we summoned the children. As the children reached the circle that Nell, Pierre and I were standing inside, we halted them from joining us.

Wearing the mask that Abraham, a young man from George’s plantation, had crafted for me, it was dark brown and had the texture of tree bark so that I could blend in with the woods at night. My children would not know where their masks came from, nor would they know that there was another team forming in Charleston, until the time was opportune.

“My children, on this most auspicious night, we have summoned you here because you each have been successful in your first missions and have proven yourself worthy of your masks.”

The children each reacted in different ways. Levi danced from one foot to the other, the youngest on the team and full of excitement. Mariah stood still and taking it all in. Jericho stood beside Mariah, having grown to be the tallest of all of the children over the last year. He had made himself the protector of both Bess and Mariah, though they did not require protection. Each could fight with the boys and come out successful.

Henry smiled with eagerness. Ben and Bess were the only ones who appeared as if they would rather be anywhere else, but I knew that not to be so. Ben would go wherever Bess went, and Bess would never allow others to fight without her. She had shown herself capable of true leadership over the last few months, succeeding in all of her training. She was more determined than all the others, and it was for that reason that I had chosen her to one day succeed me as the leader of our family of spies. She, out of all of my children, favored me the most.

“Your position in this family is not to be taken without consideration, which I offer to you now. If you are of sound will to take upon yourself a calling of great import. To vow to protect the good on which this nation was founded. Step into the circle.”

My son Jack was the first to step forward, his head held high. Levi followed Jack with a great leap. Henry stepped in without hesitation. Jericho and Mariah exchanged a glance and then each of them stepped inside. Bess inhaled a breath that I could hear, and then stepped forward, with Ben following her lead.

Once all of my children were inside the circle, I removed the first mask from the box that Pierre was holding. Stepping toward Jack, he tilted his head back to meet my gaze.

“My son, as the first to step forward, you have shown what I have always known. You possess the capabilities of true leadership. For that reason, your name shall be Loutaire.”

Jack’s brows rose, for he knew that my name was Loutaire.

“Lou comes from your grandfather, a great man while he lived, and taire means silence. You will move as swift as the rain and strike as silent as the dropping of a feather.” I held out Jack’s mask. It was black leather, crafted to appear as three stacked feathers on each side of the slits for his eyes to show through.

Jack took the mask and placed it over his eyes. Once it was tied into place, I held out my hand for him to move toward his mother.

“Welcome, my son, Loutaire, to the family of protectors.”

Jack joined his mother and I turned to Levi. Pierre stood beside me with the box and I removed Levi’s mask. His name was perhaps the simplest for me to choose. After the way we met and the conviction that had come upon me as I had watched him fight, I knew that he could have no other name.

“Levi, my son. When you came among us, I knew that before me stood a great fighter. A young man of courage and strength. You will fight with a will to win, and you will strike with the fire that I know lives inside of you. For those reasons, I dub thee Hades. May you always strike like fire and burn for our cause.”

Levi’s mask was of fine black leather that had two raised points that came off of the top of the mask and swirled points that stuck out from each side. As Levi placed the mask over his face and tried to tie it, it slipped down his nose. Bess stepped over and tied it for him. Grinning at her, and then at me, I knew that he would serve me well. Stepping aside, I welcomed him to our family as I had Jack.

Next was Henry. His mask was gray and appeared as stone with what looked like palm leaves trailing across the top of the mask.

“Henry, the eldest of my family, you have proven yourself to be a strong force. You have shown me from the beginning that I never need to doubt your courage and strength.” Handing him his mask, he grinned. “Welcome, Zeus, to the family.”

“Thank you … Father,” Henry said softly, reverently, before joining the others.

Moving to Mariah, her name was almost as simple as Levi’s had been to choose. She had taken up the bow as one who had been born for such a weapon. Her mask was different from the others, being plain black leather. As I drew it from the box and presented it to her, she showed her disappointment by the slumping of her shoulders.

“My dear, turn the mask over.”

She did as I requested, and then smiled. One side was black, but the other side was white and had a pearl design over the eyes.

“From the moment that you showed yourself capable with a bow, I knew that you could only be Artemis. The goddess of the hunt, but also of the moon. May your arrows fly true, and your heart remain pure. May you always live to protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

She moved to the others and I moved on to Jericho. His mask was made of brown leather and crafted as the face of a wolf.

“Jericho, you are perhaps the fiercest warrior that I have yet to come across, though your kindness outside of battle is well known to your family. It is as if you can transform when the battle strikes, and for that reason I name you Fenrir, after the great wolf beast of the Norse mythology.”