scrutinised the boy’s face in the firelight, and his gaze softened. “Continue with your Bible studies and you shall lead us in prayer soon,” he said. “We remember when Edward asked the same of us, do we not, Katherine?”
“I am sure you remember too, Edward,” Katherine said.
“If I have shown Samuel the way to honour God I am content,” said Edward.
He frowned at Meredith, who had raised her eyes heavenwards with a less than devoted look before shaking her head in frustration. “Well,” William said, “let us honour God by eating what He has provided for us.”
Katherine dipped a ladle in the steaming pot above the fire and filled a dish with a generous portion of stew. “Master Kane,” said William, “you are our guest. You must sit in judgment on my Katherine’s skills as a cook.”
Kane thanked her for the dish she handed him. The Crowthorns must have bought the mutton in some village they had passed through. There was little enough of it, but Katherine had cooked it tender and seasoned it with herbs. As Kane swallowed the first mouthful, warmth and energy coursed through him. “Mistress Crowthorn,” he said, “I believe this is as fine a meal as I have ever had.”
Katherine’s appreciative smile revealed a dimple in her cheek, and only Edward looked suspicious of a fib. Kane waited while the family was served, and then he ate hungrily. “I see you have found your appetite, Master Kane,” Katherine said.
“My Katherine’s cooking could bring a man back from the dead.” Perhaps William felt this strayed too close to impiety, because he was quick to add “She can make a feast from anything. One time I do believe she served us leather shoes and nettles.”
“I certainly did not,” Katherine protested, but with a laugh.
“Tasted like it,” Samuel said.
His mother cuffed the air well short of his head while the family joined in his mirth. Edward contributed a grunt more dutiful than humorous. Kane felt he should not presume to be included, and bent his head to his dish. The laughter dwindled to a giggle from Samuel, and as it petered out Katherine said “Samuel tells us you were a ship’s captain, Master Kane.”
Kane looked up to see all the firelit faces watching him. They might have reverted to ancient times, when listeners clustered around a fire to listen to a storyteller. Eagerness glinted in Meredith’s eyes and Samuel’s. “He spoke the truth,” said Kane.
Samuel gulped down a hasty mouthful so as to be able to ask “Did you fight the Spanish?”
Kane recalled himself at Samuel’s age, impatient to see a world of which he knew so little and to set his mark on it. While there might be glory in discovering far lands, he had found no glory in battle. Worse, he had been deluded that he had, by himself or by the Devil. “I have fought men of every nation,” he confessed. “I have served many masters, even the French.”
“A man should have only one master,” Edward declared, “and He does not reward our service with earthly wealth.”
Samuel was too hungry for Kane’s tales to be inhibited by his brother. “Did you find treasure, Solomon?” he urged.
“Such as I found I gave to the church. Your soul is worth far more than any booty, Samuel. Perhaps your treasure is your life with your family.” Kane saw William and Katherine appreciate the suggestion, but Edward seemed to feel that Kane was intruding, while both Meredith and Samuel looked disappointed by the turn Kane’s reminiscences had taken. “I once voyaged with Admiral Drake,” he told them.
Meredith’s eyes grew brighter, and Samuel cried “Admiral Drake!”
“You speak of him as if he were a saint,” Edward said.
Kane was unsure whether the reproof was aimed at him or Samuel if not both. He had meant only to restore a little of Samuel’s fancies and Meredith’s, which were surely harmless enough, but now he was beset by memories of carnage, of the light he had extinguished in the eyes
“I am sure you remember too, Edward,” Katherine said.
“If I have shown Samuel the way to honour God I am content,” said Edward.
He frowned at Meredith, who had raised her eyes heavenwards with a less than devoted look before shaking her head in frustration. “Well,” William said, “let us honour God by eating what He has provided for us.”
Katherine dipped a ladle in the steaming pot above the fire and filled a dish with a generous portion of stew. “Master Kane,” said William, “you are our guest. You must sit in judgment on my Katherine’s skills as a cook.”
Kane thanked her for the dish she handed him. The Crowthorns must have bought the mutton in some village they had passed through. There was little enough of it, but Katherine had cooked it tender and seasoned it with herbs. As Kane swallowed the first mouthful, warmth and energy coursed through him. “Mistress Crowthorn,” he said, “I believe this is as fine a meal as I have ever had.”
Katherine’s appreciative smile revealed a dimple in her cheek, and only Edward looked suspicious of a fib. Kane waited while the family was served, and then he ate hungrily. “I see you have found your appetite, Master Kane,” Katherine said.
“My Katherine’s cooking could bring a man back from the dead.” Perhaps William felt this strayed too close to impiety, because he was quick to add “She can make a feast from anything. One time I do believe she served us leather shoes and nettles.”
“I certainly did not,” Katherine protested, but with a laugh.
“Tasted like it,” Samuel said.
His mother cuffed the air well short of his head while the family joined in his mirth. Edward contributed a grunt more dutiful than humorous. Kane felt he should not presume to be included, and bent his head to his dish. The laughter dwindled to a giggle from Samuel, and as it petered out Katherine said “Samuel tells us you were a ship’s captain, Master Kane.”
Kane looked up to see all the firelit faces watching him. They might have reverted to ancient times, when listeners clustered around a fire to listen to a storyteller. Eagerness glinted in Meredith’s eyes and Samuel’s. “He spoke the truth,” said Kane.
Samuel gulped down a hasty mouthful so as to be able to ask “Did you fight the Spanish?”
Kane recalled himself at Samuel’s age, impatient to see a world of which he knew so little and to set his mark on it. While there might be glory in discovering far lands, he had found no glory in battle. Worse, he had been deluded that he had, by himself or by the Devil. “I have fought men of every nation,” he confessed. “I have served many masters, even the French.”
“A man should have only one master,” Edward declared, “and He does not reward our service with earthly wealth.”
Samuel was too hungry for Kane’s tales to be inhibited by his brother. “Did you find treasure, Solomon?” he urged.
“Such as I found I gave to the church. Your soul is worth far more than any booty, Samuel. Perhaps your treasure is your life with your family.” Kane saw William and Katherine appreciate the suggestion, but Edward seemed to feel that Kane was intruding, while both Meredith and Samuel looked disappointed by the turn Kane’s reminiscences had taken. “I once voyaged with Admiral Drake,” he told them.
Meredith’s eyes grew brighter, and Samuel cried “Admiral Drake!”
“You speak of him as if he were a saint,” Edward said.
Kane was unsure whether the reproof was aimed at him or Samuel if not both. He had meant only to restore a little of Samuel’s fancies and Meredith’s, which were surely harmless enough, but now he was beset by memories of carnage, of the light he had extinguished in the eyes
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