Flight of Fancy: Cora's Daughters (56 page)

He ordered and then once more turning back to Broc, “I will hear now why you assisted Asiza north over pay to finish the job.”

Broc nodded, “I will spare you nothin’ yo’honor, however – it ain’t for the delicate ears o’women - I ask they be excused, an’ I’ah tell all that I learned on the matter.”

The idea that the women needed to be excused, heighted the judges curiosity, slamming his gavel, “Ladies… out! Into the hall, the rest is a matter before men.” He ordered them.

“She’ll run again!” Nathaniel shouted.

Della turned then speaking up again, “Your honor, Asiza wishes to be free, once and for all. She knows, to run now, means never being free.”

The judged nodded his consent, allowing her to leave with the other women to sit outside the doors as he learned the truth of it all.

Broc then went on to tell the judge everything, all that he’d learned from the undertaker who knew of the dealings surrounding the mayor, the banker and the plantation owner. How extreme they were in their sadistic deviant perversions, all these acts, from supposedly God fearing men.

Outside, all of the women sat around Asiza, giving her moral support. Listening, they were stunned at all the yelling back and forth, from Broc, Nathaniel and sometimes the judge. At times there were low mumbles, and murmurs it was impossible to understand.

Moments went by, more talking and then yelling once more, and a bit of a racket followed by more shouting from Nathaniel Beck.

The next thing they knew, the women were startled from the doors being thrown open, with Mr. Beck hanging and struggling between the sheriff and his deputy, yelling every bit of the way as he was roughly carried from the courtroom. Behind them, Mr. Billows rushed out red faced and humiliated with Jack Tanner not far behind. Next to exit were the men of the north, laughing, ribbing and insulting the men from the south. Mr. Burdock, Mr. O’Brien – Broc and a few others - all upbeat - walking by the women. Asiza had eyes for only one of them, her husband – who cut her a quick glance, wink and a smile while pretending to head out – his duty done.

The last to stick his head out of the door was the judge, shaking it he looked at Asiza, “Young lady, it is my honor to inform you, that you are
free
… to go.”

Della and all of her supporters shot to their feet cheering and squealing in jubilance! Asiza sighed with no strength left to cheer. Everyone had tears in their eyes hugging her, and saying, “You free!”

“Didn’t you hear… you free!”

“Aren’t you happy – you’re free now, it’s over.”

She stood on unsteady feet, tired and wanting to sleep, while the rest spoke of celebrating. Surrounding her, they all made their exit from the town hall. Newt was there to hand those that rode there with him up into the carriage.

Hope turned before Asiza, hugged her and whispered, “I’ve been instructed to have you come to Ramsey Manor and your favorite chalet, it’s waiting for you. You can ride back with me.”

Asiza sighed, nodded her head and turned to find Della, who already knew. She winked at her, “Go on… you’re free to come and go as you please.”

“Asa?”

“Don’t you worry about Asa, go.”

Riding with Hope in her carriage, the two women faced each other, “Thank you, for everything.” Asiza murmured.

Hope smiled, “I’ve done nothing to be thanked for. Besides, you and I – we are more alike than you know. Having gotten to know you has been a pleasure. My parents adore you, Michael and Broc are becoming fast friends - my mother-in-law says you are a dream. I hope that we too can be friends.”

“I thought that we already are. You wouldn’t happen to know where my husband went, would you?”

Hope shook her head, “He left with the others, mine included. No doubt, seeing to men matters, all I know, is that he wanted you brought to the chalet to be pampered – so you can rest. I can think of nothing better than seeing to just that.”

At Ramsey Manor, Asiza was fed, but could hardly finish what she was served – exhaustion was coming down over her like a thousand quilted woolen blankets. Hope escorted her to the chalet where a bath awaited her.

There, she saw to assisting her through her bath herself and could see once Asiza was naked, that her waist was thick from the child she carried.

They spoke of many things, little things – life, their future, their children, the little village her husband was building – and a bit about Clover Grove, now renamed Whalen Meadows.

Asiza felt strange, surreal – as if she was still in the forest, perched high in a tree, watching all the events of her life pass before her – and that this could not be real – but a dream.

Once Asiza was in bed, and her head hit the pillow, she was out.

Hope left her to sleep for once, in complete peace.

Deep in the night, she woke to her husband climbing in bed next to her. He gently removed the gown that she wore - she could feel that he was completely naked next to her. As if a bit drunk and in a daze she floated on a cloud of delight while he made slow love to her.

Nothing felt so right as his rough hands coursing over her skin, raising goose pimples - touching her everywhere that he could.

His voice, murmuring gently with his Irish timbre at the same time his warm lips kissed and tasted and thrilled her - sending her on a high, one clear up to heaven.

The most incredible moment of all, was when he filled her deep within and rode her until she was sobbing from a climax that sealed her soul tightly to his – where she cried out thanking God – over and over again.

Before she slipped off to sleep again, her husband whispered in her ear, “We’ah never sleep apart again – tomorrow – I take ya’home, no more boardin’ house… no more. D’ya’ hear?”

She nodded, “I hear… my love, I hear.”

“I love ya’lass … no one’ah hurt ya’again, not as long as I live.” She heard him swear – hugging her tight. She inhaled the scent of him, long and deep so that his child too could smell him, know him – that this man was his or her father, and because of him, they were safe and
free
.

Chapter Thirty-Five

True to his word, the next morning, he packed her and Asa up to take them home with him. Onto the land that was their home. Once more Asiza found herself engulfed in hugs and kisses from those who would miss her from the boarding house.

There were a few of them however, who would be joining them – that number included Della.

When they rode up to their land, Broc was driving the wagon and asked, “What do ya’think lass, what shall we call our home?”

“Hmmm,” Asiza first replied and then looked down at Asa, “What do you think?”

“There are woods everywhere.” He’d noted a long time ago among their visits.

“True, indeed.” Broc agreed.

“Well then, we should call it Whalen Woods.”

Asiza and Broc looked at each other, smiled and nodded in agreement with Broc confirming it, “Whelan Woods it is m’young man, that it is.” Asiza hugged Asa close to her, so proud of him as Broc went on to explain, “Now we’ve loads more to do. Our house is’nah finish, but the worse of the winter is over – we’ll be fine as we build. The bes’ part, the roof is up on our home, we’ah be protected from wind an’ rain.”

“I don’t care, long as I’m with you, that’s all that matters – we’ll be fine.” Asiza vowed, including Asa, “Won’t we?”

“Yes ma’am, I wanna be with Broc.”

“Well m’lad, you’ve got yer wish. I’m ya’dah now, we’re a family with a little brother or sister for you on the way, how’s that?”

“I like it jus’ fine, I’ll be a big brother.”

“Yes you are, an’ you’ah have to teach him or her to speak all fancy and proper, like you.”

“I will.” Asa sat tall, smiling and truly seeing Broc as his hero.

Now that Asiza was officially the missus of Whelan Woods, she was happier and played as much a part in getting things done as Broc would allow. Constantly he reminded her that she carried his first born - he was fierce about what she could do in terms of being careful while she was in the family way.

Enjoying the attention of being cherished, she adjusted to living with restrictions and still stayed busy. She could still hunt, fish, cook with Fidel, carve an image in their baby’s cradle that Broc was building and sew. There was gardening to do, she was allowed that which was her greatest joy. Also, she had a ball co-planning Della and Boaz’s wedding along with Hope and Ms. Laney.

The day of the ceremony was a blessed perfect day for it. They jumped the broom at Ramsey Manor, and all went to Whalen Woods to celebrate. The outdoor event was splendid. Wine, mead, and even a bit of moonshine flowed for the newlywed couple. Laughter, dancing, toasts, made the event memorable where the mixed community grew closer, getting to know one another in one of the oldest celebrations of life, the bonding of a man and woman.

Until the home they would build there was completed, Boaz was the second man to take up lodging at the boarding house. He left early each morning to work hard and long hours at Whalen Woods, to return each evening to his wife. Thanks to Broc and Angelo, Boaz was teased long and hard to find that after only two months of marriage, his wife too immediately came to be in the family way. He learned that from them, because Broc was told by Asiza, who Della had shared it with.

As for Asiza, she finally felt that her life had turned around fulfilling her simple dreams. By August of that year, their home and all of its rooms were completed and filled with the furnishings Broc had ordered. After working in the village, Broc would come home to help Asiza and finish up little things that needed doing at his home.

On one particular day, he’d just come home kissing her on the lips on the way in, needing to wash up, relax and have his dinner. Asiza stood on their broad porch, one hand on her protruding belly looking out over their spacious land.

They owned as far as the eye could see and beyond.

She smiled with a sense of pride she never thought she’d be able to claim. A chuckle escaped her when the little one within rolled, kicked and shifted one way and then the other. She loved being filled with Broc’s child, it was her happiest moment thus far. The experience gave her sensations of awe to have a life growing within her body. They lived in a perfect setting to have children. A valley surrounded by woods, a broad flowing stream fed by the river.

The season had them surrounded by lush greens, wild flowers and meadows where rabbits scurried quickly across - where deer eased out nervously looking around to dash by in their need to get to greener, safer pastures.

As far as Asiza could see, this was paradise. At the moment, looking out in the distance where a few of the men were prone to gather in conclusion of a work day, she spotted what appeared to be a stranger in their midst. He looked to be asking them something. They turned and looked towards her home and pointed. He turned from them making his way there. Right away, her comfort turned to suspicion. While she was free, there was still that something in her that made her feel the occasional,
what if?

She stood unable to take her eyes off of him as he covered the distance leading to her home. After her day in court, she had expected to hear something more from Nathaniel Beck or Mr. Billow. After all, she hadn’t expected them to simply walk away – leaving the issue because the judge had sent them packing. She’d mentioned her thoughts to Broc, who’d only said, “No worries there lass, it’s all behin’ us now – they’ah not bother us again.”

Knowing her husband the way she did, she never let
them
, cross her mind again. Yet, here was a man striding to her home, and the moment he was close enough to make out his features, Asiza stood startled. She could not believe her eyes. She was looking at what could easily be her husband in another twenty-five years or more.

No sooner had he put his foot on the bottom step of their porch, than Broc came out behind her to end up standing face to face with his father.
He
, could not believe his eyes. To say the air around them became suddenly tense – the atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife, was no exaggeration.

Carrig was the first to cut it, “Son, been a long time – look at you, what a man you’ve become.”

Asiza immediately noted that this man was well spoken, smartly dressed and appeared to be a gentleman. However, he never gave her a passing glance, at least, she didn’t think so. What she also noticed was that he did not look half-breed, part Indian, however she knew that he was. That his mother was quite dark, as well as his siblings, according to Broc – he came out looking white and took full advantage of it. She and Broc both stood still, unable to find their voices. No words came to them in greeting. In truth, she didn’t feel comfortable speaking to him.

As for his father, he was determined to break the ice, “Guess all of the talk I’ve heard about you must be true, all of this land yours?”

Broc finally shook off the shock to ask, “What brings you here?”

“I came to see you, thought it was about time. Heard you’ve been asking around about me, where I can be found, and – here I am.”