Chapter 2 - Aunt Katie
In silence the pirate and his son made their way along the path towards Bath Town, with Annie and their treasure of tobacco.
Kevin broke the silence, "Da, how much farther?"
"When you start to see oak trees instead of pines, you will know we are close."
The silence returned as they plodded along. Finally, Kevin saw his first oak tree laden with spanish moss.
"Look Da - look an oak tree."
The pirate smile; "Aye Kevin we are close."
The pirate at once became quiet and sullen. Jack's thoughts drifted back in time. I have to give Kevin a real chance in this world. He can not follow in my ways and he can not live with my curse. Jack had buried two wives and four children. His first wife and four children he buried in Scotland after that dreadful day. And Maggie he laid to rest in this hard red Carolina clay. This is my boy's last chance, it would be his only chance, Katie had to keep her word. Katie would give the boy a chance. Katie would raise him as her own. She had to keep her promise.
The path began to widen but not by much. As they turned the last bend in the road, they spied a row of seven houses and small dock - Bath Town.
"Look - Da! Bath Town - look! Is that Aunt Katie's ship? Is it Da?"
"Aye son that's her ship, the Concord."
Those were the only words Kevin needed to hear. He took off like a shot heading straight for the fly-boat, Katie's ship, the Concord. Kevin flew by the row of houses towards the dock. On the deck of the Concord stood a fair red headed woman. She was overseeing the stowing away of hogsheads of tobacco. She held a ledger book in her hand counting each hogshead as it was lowered away. She was all business and the crew knew it. Although she was a kind woman, no one dared defy her, no one dared to cross her, a tongue lashing from Kathleen O'Donnell Lewis was more feared by the crew than a lashing from Captain Lewis's whip. Her steady hand kept order on the Concord. Her business was interupted by the voice of a small boy.
"Aunt Katie! Aunt Katie! It's me - Kevin!"
Kate turned and slowly crossed the deck towards the gangplank. There on the dock stood Kevin just staring at her, taken aback by her sight, standing tall with her blue eyes fixed upon him and her long red hair flowing in a southern breeze. Kevin thought , she looked like him, she was him, she was his family.
"Well are you just going to stand there on the dock! Come aboard and give your Aunt Kate a kiss."
Her Irish accent sounded a bit queer to Kevin's ears but he knew the meaning all too well. He lept up the gangplank and fell into Katie's open arms. As she held Kevin in her arms, a small tear fell down her cheek. Kevin is Maggie's boy, oh how I miss her, but now I hold my dear sister in my arms once again, she thought. He looks like Maggie, he looks like me, he is my family. She held him just a little longer, I hope Jack keeps his promise, I hope he remembers, he has to keep his promise.
"Kate, who do we have there," called out the Captian of the Concord.
"To be sure, its our own Kevin, my dear sister Maggie's boy. Kevin, do you remember my husband, Captain Aaron Lewis?"
"Uncle Aaron!" shouted Kevin with a bright smile on his face.
The man stood still, staring at Kevin with a hard look. Kevin squirmed just a bit under the long stare of this man of the sea.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity the man of the sea bellowed at the boy, "CAPTAIN LEWIS! On board the Concord, you shall address me as CAPTAIN LEWIS!"
Kevin trembled, "yes sir, yes sir, Captain Lewis, sir."
Kate stood tall and defiant, "Aaron Lewis, stop that nonsense now, can't you see you are giving the boy a fright!"
Captain Lewis broke into a huge belly laugh, and he knelt down with his arms wide open. Still laughing Aaron called out "I had you lad, didn't I? Get over here and give your Uncle Aaron a hug."
Kevin ran towards the captain and lept into his arms. Kate smiled at the sight, and thought again about the promise, Jack had to keep his word.
"There's a good lad. Now where is your father, where is Jack?" asked the captain.
All three turned their eyes towards the end of the dock and saw the pirate standing still, with Annie by his side. Jack beheld the sight of Kate, and Kevin being held by Aaron. She had to keep her promise, she had to give Kevin a chance.
"Kate, shall I go handle this business first?" Aaron asked.
"No, its bad business, and it would be best if I handle the matter. Take Kevin and show him about the ship, I will deal with Jack."
Kate approached Jack, with ledger and purse in hand. To Jack's eyes she looked like Maggie, but not Maggie, she looked like Kevin, but not Kevin, she was Kevin's chance and hopefully soon Kevin would by hers to raise.
"Jack, you look old and tired." she laughed.
"Kate you look young and alive."
They embraced.
"He is an angel of a child, Jack, a true angel of a child."
"Aye, and you will keep him that way."
She smiled at the sound of Jack's words and knew he would keep his promise.
"Aye, I will keep him that way. But first we have some other business to take care of, the tobacco."
"Tell me Kate, on the way in, the other farmers were all grumbling saying you are only paying one shilling per hogshead, is that so?"
"Aye, the Company sets the price and the Concord is the only ship coming to Bath Town this year."
"But Kate, you know that you will get ten times that amount in London."
"More like thirty times, but Jack tis the way of commerce, tis the way of this world. The men of trade make the money - isn't that what you want for Kevin, to be a man of commerce and not to be a farmer breaking his back and never seeing the money?"
"Aye Kate, that's what I want."
She pulled the silver from the purse placing it in Jack's hand and just as quick entered the transaction in the ledger.
"There it is official. I know Jack you think it bad business but it is just business."
He smiled. He knew he would never be a farmer again. Kate signaled to the crew to come unload the cart and get the tobacco stowed away. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw an old man headed is way.
"Iaian, is that you lad? Iaian, good Lord I thought you were dead." the old man cried out for all to hear.
Before Jack could move the old man was standing before him with his arms open.
Jack sternly looked at the old man who halted his approach perplexed by the pirate's reaction.
"Sir, you are mistaken, my name is Jack." the pirate scowled back.
"Iaian, it is me, James Murray, you know me lad and I know you."
The old man would not be detered, he threw his arms around Jack.
Jack whispered in the old man's ear. "Mr. Murray, you thought Iaian dead, and dead he must remain, for even here at the end of the world the Campbell is still about."
The old man understood the words all too well, as any Highlander would. He let Jack go and said loudly enough so anyone who might have heard him before could hear him now, "Please forgive an old man's eyes. I apologize, the day is long and hot and the heat must have played tricks upon me. Of course Iaian is dead, and you are Mr. Jack ?"
"Just Jack, that's my name."
The pirate turned around and headed towards the Concord. To be sure, his life was cursed and another parting from one who he had known and loved. The old man watched Jack, who had been as a son to him back in Scotland, walk away.
Jack looked up and there before him stood Kate.
"Iaian, is it?"
"That is a long tale that should only be told at night with a bottle of rum."
"Jack, we have finished one bit of business, but there is still another matter."
Jack thought to himself, she is all Irish, she is all business.
"I will go to Kevin and tell him."
"You haven't told him?"
"No Kate, I haven't told him, I wasn't certain you would keep your word."
"Between you and me, its not my word that should be in question, Iaian or is it Jack?"
The prirate smiled, she was all Irish, she was all business, she was Maggie, she was Kevin and soon enough Kevin would be hers. Jack and Kevin sat at the end of the dock. He tried too explain, all of his hopes for his son. How he could not give him what he needed and if he remained the land would break him. Jack showed Kevin the small pittance of silver that they earned for the tobacco. Kevin understood, he tried not to cry, but the tears did come forth. He cried for the leaving of his father, he cried even more because deep inside his heart he was happy to be leaving the farm and going to sea.
Jack stood up and said, "Kevin it is time for you to join the crew."
The pirate held his hand and led Kevin towards the Concord. Kate and Aaron had watched the two talking and now walking slowly towards the ship.
"Aaron, go get the ship's log, it looks like we shall have a new member of the crew."
By the time, Jack and Kevin boarded the Concord, Captain Aaron had returned with the log book and a quill pen in hand. He opened the book and held out the pen.
"Kevin, sign the log book."
Kevin took the pen and stared at the log book. then he stared at Jack.
"Go ahead lad sign the log book." Captian Lewis said encouragingly.
Still Kevin just looked at the book and then back at Jack. Kate knew that look, she knew the problem.
"Jeez, Jack! You never taught him to write!"
She took the pen out of Kevin's hand and gave it back to Captain Lewis. She took Kevin's hand and pulled him off the ship and down to the beach. She put a stick in Kevin's hand, and began to write in the sand. Kevin copied what she wrote, several times, under Kate's watchful and instructive eyes. He was smart a quick learner. He and Kate returned to the ship.
"Aaron, open the book and give him the pen."
"Go on Kevin, put your mark in the book."
Kevin slowly began to draw his mark, the mark that Kate showed him. When he was finished he handed the pen back to Captain Lewis. Captain Lewis looked at the log book and read Kevin's mark. He smiled at Kevin and he smiled at Kate. Kevin had written his first letter, not a word, not his name, just one letter.
Captain Lewis, stood upright and said , "Lets make this official. Stand tall lad. Welcome aboard Cabinboy "K", welcome aboard the Concord, your new home."