Ch. 5
Distractions

Mrs. O'Connell flitted through the crowded commons room, and the terrified citizens who huddled there, as explosions continued to sound outside of the fort. Paying little attention to the noise and the red coated soldiers that occasionally rushed through the room, she continued to search for her charges. Even though both William and Tara were adults and capable of caring for themselves, the older woman needed to assure herself that they were safe. The two were like her own children.

"William!" she called. "Tara!"

"Mary," a voice answered as a hand settled on her shoulder.

The woman turned.

"Cecily," she said, smiling. "How are you, dearie?"

"Quite well, thank you," the young woman replied. "You were calling for William? Is he here?"

She gazed around the room as Mary clasped her hand tightly to keep them from being separated in the jostling crowd.

"I don't know. Governor Giles said that William and Tara were directly behind him in the tunnels, but I've not found either of them and you know how Will feels about those tunnels..."

Cecily worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Yes, she knew exactally how William felt about the New London underground.

"You don't suppose he tried to come here above ground?" the cook asked, mostly to herself.

Cecily was afraid that that was exactally what he'd done and her expression said as much.

"Merciful Lord!" Mary exclaimed, crossing herself.

Racking her brain for what to do, Cecily once more scanned the room, hoping against hope for a glimpse of her childhood sweetheart. Instead, her gaze settled on Left-tennant Alexander Harris as he rushed up the stairs to where the cannons were kept.

"Come with me," she said, and followed after her husband's subordinant, pulling Mary along with her.



"Where are they coming from?" one young soldier asked no one in particular as the brightly colored orbs continued to dart around the streets.

"What are they?" another asked.

"Majick," a third replied.

"Don't be stupid. There's no such thing."

Commodore Riley Finn ignored them all, scanning the streets in search of the origin of the orbs.

"Commodore," the governor's voice broke through Finn's concentration. "I don't hear our cannons. Why aren't we returning fire?"

"And what is it that we're supposed to be firing at, Governor?" Riley asked, turning to the older man. He swept an arm out toward the docks, empty of all but their own ships.

Rupert grit his teeth, it was a cloaking spell, it had to be what with those orbs floating about, but he couldn't tell that to these buffoons. He'd be laughed out of town or locked up as a mad man. A simple reveiling spell was all that was needed but, unfortunately, the ingredients required for the spell were at home, in his rooms. He was still cursing silently when, moments later, Left-tennant Harris appeared at the top of the stairs, followed closely by Riley's young wife and Mary, the cook.

"Cecily," Riley said, stepping away from the wall. "What are you doing up here? It's not safe, go back inside."

Squeezing Mary's hand, the young woman spoke.

"William Giles and Tara MaClay are missing. We fear that they may have come to harm."

Riley's expression darkened at the mention of the other man's name.

"William and Miss MaClay were directly behind me when we entered the underground," Rupert said reassuringly. "I'm certain that they're both here somewhere."

Harris shook his head.

"William doesn't go in the tunnels," he said.

"Well, then he's most likely still at home," Riley replied. "And Miss MaClay with him."

"If it was just him, I'd agree with you, Commodore," Mary said. "But he'd want Miss Tara to get to the safety of the fort. She's like a sister to him, you see."

"And this Miss Tara? She wouldn't be able to convince William to enter the underground?"

The woman shook her head.

"And why not?" Riley continued. "Does he fear enclosed spaces?"

Riley's mother suffered from the same fear.

"No," Mary said. "When they were boys a friend of his, a young Master Jesse, came to a bad end in the tunnels. Master William hadn't gone near them since."

"It's his own fault," Harris mumbled.

"Alexander!" Mary scolded, shocked.

"I was too far away, he should have done more to help."

"Left-tennant," Rupert warned.

"He just stood there!"

"Stand down soldier!" Riley barked, finally tearing Harris from his memories.

The man looked around, regaining control of himself.

"My appologies, Governor. I forgot myself."

Giles nodded.

"I understand."

"And what of William?" Cecily asked, unable to contain herself any longer. "You must send a search party at once."

"You don't give the orders here, Cecily," Riley said, voice low. "I do."

Releasing Mary's hand, the young woman walked the few steps to her husband and drew herself up to her full height. Though she was tall for a woman she could never hope to stand eye to eye with his six foot frame, but she tried nonetheless.

"When it comes to the man I love," she whispered. "I would command the Devil himself."

Forgetting their audience Riley raised a threatening hand, expecting his wife to shrink away, and looked surprised when she did not. Cecily never let her gaze waiver; to back away implied that she feared him, but to her mind fear was only a by-product of the unknown and if she knew anything it was her husband. A spoiled child in a man's body, reacting with fists and temper when things didn't go according to his wishes. A gentle hand pulled Cecily away from her husband and Governor Giles stepped between Riley and herself.

"Commodore, get a hold of yourself," Giles demanded. "This is neither the time nor the place and behavior such as this is unfitting conduct for an officer."

Riley took several breaths, regaining his composure.

"Of course," he said and looked toward his wife. It was a look that said that although the governor had given her a reprieve, it was by no means permanent. Cecily raised her chin defiantly, daring him to do his worst, she was unafraid. Anything he would possibly do to her had already been done and she was no longer the timid young woman he had wed. No longer the girl too afraid to stand up to her father when he chose Riley over William. No longer terrified of the unknown life Will had offered when he had begged her to run away with him. She would take a lifetime of Riley's abuse for just the knowledge that William was safe. Unconsciously gripping the golden pendant around her neck she made a vow; one that she intended to keep.




Left-tennant Harris, who had been silent after his outburst and during the tense moment between the Commodore and his wife, suddenly remembered the reason he'd left his post and climbed to the cannon level in the first place. Holding out the scrap of material he stepped up to the other man.

"Commodore," he said and Riley turned.

"Several late-comers discovered this," he handed the scrap to his commander. "It was pinned to one of the doors with this," he pulled the ornately handled dagger from his boot and handed it over as well.

"That's from William's shirt," the elder Giles said softly upon spying the scrap and heard Cecily gasp.

"There's a message on it," Alexander continued.

"What does it say?" Cecily asked, ignoring Riley's glare, and took Mrs. O'Connell's hand.

" 'We have the brats'," Riley read. " ' Exodus 21:24 ' Signed, The Scourge."

"An eye for an eye," Cecily whispered.

Mrs. O'Connell sank to the ground.

"Merciful Lord," she prayed. "Be with them."