Against All Odds

by Marian L. Jasper

  “Yes, I saw George earlier on and he said that he would be going with you,” said Liza.

  “We keep one another company for occasions like this,” said Angela.

  “See you on Saturday then, Angela, bye,” said Liza.

  “This place is back as it should be now that you’re back here, Liza. We heard about your troubles at sea and I’m so pleased that you got out of it all safely. It must have been very frightening for you, but of course, you’re no stranger to fear, are you?” said Angela.

  “I’ve had my share of fear, but it’s all over now and I have no reason to be frightened of anything again,” said Liza.

  Angela nodded but she wasn’t convinced, she knew that the arrows still found their way into Liza’s grave at her parent’s house on occasion. Brave Eagle only had to find out that she was still alive and he would find her, hurt her and then kill her and probably young Matthew also. No, thought Angela, you may feel happy at the moment Liza, but there must always be an underlying fear in you. Why didn’t you stay in Ireland where you were safe? I suppose it really is because you love living here with Patrick.

  Liza made her way home with the boys and Zelma had their meal ready, although they had eaten so many sweets that their appetites had suffered. Si had joined them and they were looking forward to seeing Patrick to find out what he had been doing through the day. So was Liza and she was also interested to find out what his day had been like after being away from his army duties for so long.

  The boys came running down the stairs; they had heard Patrick ride up and put his horse in the stable. He walked in the back door and they threw themselves at him and he was overjoyed by the welcome that they gave him. Liza did not get a look in as the boys were all over him demanding to know if he’d caught any criminals or Indians, or had to shoot anybody.

  “No,” he said, “I’ve only been on a very short patrol today to get me used to working again and I have to say that I found it hard being in the saddle all day. I’m sure I must have saddle sores.”

  Liza laughed, but the boys asked if they could see if he had a sore bottom. “You boys always want to look at the most disgusting things,” said Liza.

  Patrick moved over to her, kissed her and whispered, “My bottom isn’t disgusting, is it?”

  “I bet it looks red and sore, I’ll bathe it and put cream on it for you later,” said Liza smiling mischievously.

  “We can help you do that,” said Matthew.

  “Don’t worry, boys, it’s not really hurting. I was just exaggerating a little. Liza, this is getting out of hand,” said Patrick.

  “Doesn’t it always? Anyway, tell us what you’ve been doing today,” said Liza skilfully changing the subject.

  It hadn’t been a very exciting day for Patrick, he was just following up on reports that there had been a couple of escaped prisoners in the area and they had found them and brought them back to the fort. There was nothing else and he had been sorting paperwork for the last hour of the day. He would be permanently assigned to the fort at Benson in a couple of months when his replacement was reassigned to Lansdown, but in the meantime, he would be doing virtually nothing and pen pushing until then.

  “I suppose it will get you gradually back into the swing of things, but it’s not what you want really. How’s Sean, I didn’t see him at the fort today; were you out with him?” asked Liza.

  “Yes, it was good to get back with him, even though it was such a short patrol. We’ll be working together again permanently in a couple of months or so, but as I say, until then I’m on call for anything and everything. It’s good to be back here, Liza and everybody is looking forward to the party on Saturday,” said Patrick.

  Liza told him who she had seen that day and that she had made her peace with the colonel. She hadn’t had time to visit Ada and Bea, but she would go the next day to see what she could do to help with the party.

  “Did the colonel tell you that Felicity had a little girl a couple of months ago?” asked Liza.

  “No, but surely it wasn’t due until now,” said Patrick sounding rather puzzled.

  “I did think she looked rather large for the time that she had said it was due. I said that Edward must be delighted and the colonel didn’t comment and Captain Graves looked very embarrassed. I’m surprised that Ada didn’t tell us yesterday. I have a feeling that I shouldn’t mention it, but it’s rather awkward with Edward being such a close friend. I don’t quite know what to do,” said Liza.

  “Well, my Liza; that will be a first for you, not knowing what to do,” smiled Patrick. “It is rather awkward though, I would have thought that they would have been delighted grandparents. I hope she’s not still saying that the child’s mine and that word has filtered through to here. But even if that was the case, they are quite capable of adding up and working out that I wasn’t even there when the child was conceived, besides they know how I feel about you.”

  “I suppose I had better wait until Ada talks about it. I dare say there is a letter on its way to me from Amelia and Wendell and that will tell me everything I need to know,” said Liza.

  The next day Liza took the boys to the fort to visit Ada and Bea, hoping that she would hear from Ada about Felicity’s child, but it wasn’t mentioned. They discussed what was needed for the party the next day and Liza was told to do nothing as it was in honour of her and Patrick. She was also told that children were welcome and they were going to set up the small room off the main area so that if they got too tired, they could lie down there and be watched over until they were taken home.

  Liza saw Patrick as he rode out with a few men to check a two mile perimeter around the fort and he said that he would be back early that evening, she waved to him as she went in to see the colonel. She had decided that as he had mentioned the birth of Felicity and Edward’s daughter to her the day before, she was going to ask him why Ada had not told her about it and if he was not prepared to tell her then she would tell him that she would not mention it again. It was all very mysterious to her. The boys were being entertained well by those getting the assembly room ready, so she had a short while to have a private conversation.

  Ben was pleased to see her and he showed her into the colonel’s office. He was alone for once and after initial pleasantries, Liza asked him about Felicity’s daughter and explained that it was embarrassing as Ada hadn’t mentioned that the child had been born.

  “I don’t know whether I should be congratulating you and Ada or not. Is it that Ada believes that I already knew that you were grandparents? And if you tell me to mind my own business, then that is precisely what I shall do,” said Liza.

  The colonel was quiet for a short while and it was obvious that he was trying to make up his mind whether to tell Liza something or not. He finally said, “There has been a problem with the child.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. What are the doctors saying about her?” asked Liza.

  “It’s not that, Liza, the child is not ill; she is perfectly healthy for a child who was born nearly three months early,” said the colonel.

  “She must have got her dates wrong, that’s all,” said Liza.

  “No, Liza, I’m afraid it’s not Edward’s child. Apparently that would have been impossible as Edward was in Liverpool at the time that the child was conceived and besides, Edward doesn’t have bright red hair,” said the colonel.

  “Oh, but Felicity has fair hair and red hair can come from that and babies can come early, there can be many reasons why she arrived and looks like she does,” said Liza trying to placate a situation.

  “My dear Liza, I’m telling you that the child is not Edward’s; I’m afraid there is absolutely no doubt about that,” said the colonel sadly.

  “I’m sorry I intruded on something that has absolutely nothing to do with me, you can rest assured that I will not mention it to anybody, including Patrick, and most certainly I shall say nothing to Ada. If in the future she wishes to talk to me then I will be happy to listen and try to ease what m
ust most certainly be a great unhappiness for her and of course, for you. I’ll leave you now and once again, I apologise for intruding on a private matter,” said Liza.

  “No, please don’t go Liza, and please I feel you should tell Patrick as his name was one that was bandied about as the father as well as Lord Edgeworth and countless others,” said the colonel. “But you knew that, didn’t you? From what we have gathered from Amelia’s letter to us is that you have been the butt of Felicity’s vindictiveness even before she left here with Edward after their marriage. I appreciate that you have always kept that to yourself. Amelia went into chapter and verse about her misdemeanours towards Edward, the Fuller family and not least you, Liza. I am so sorry that we foisted such onto you with Ada’s daughter.”

  “I’ve already said that it is none of my business, but you are obviously washing your hands of Felicity and I think that is unfair of you to describe her as ‘Ada’s daughter’. You can’t just blame Ada for this, Felicity is yours also, isn’t she?” as she was saying that the truth dawned on Liza. Felicity wasn’t the colonel’s daughter.

  “Ah, Liza, you’ve just seen the light. No, she isn’t my daughter; but I have never had reason to be disappointed in my Ada,” said the colonel with some mystery.

  Tears were welling up in Liza’s eyes and all she could say was, “Well, perhaps her father had red hair.”

  The colonel smiled and said, “I don’t think that was your finest comment, Liza, but it was appreciated as it brought a smile to my face.”

  “You and Ada brought me back from a nightmare, you gave me sanctuary when I needed it, you gave me help and love and I repaid you very badly before I left here last year. You know you only have to ask and I will do whatever I can to help you both, and Felicity and her child for that matter, but I can assure you that now, apart from Patrick, no one will know from me the difficulties that you both are experiencing, and we’ll make sure that Ada enjoys her party tomorrow. She needs to organise it to help her through this bad time,” said Liza.

  “Thank you, Liza, no doubt a letter will be coming to you from either Edward or Amelia shortly, so you would have known then. It is, I suppose, better that you heard it from me.”

  “I suppose it’s too early to know what plans have been put in motion for Felicity and the child’s future, no doubt Edward is devastated and will leave any decisions to others at present. I am so sorry, Colonel, I really don’t know what else to say,” said Liza.

  “It seems as if any decisions are for Ada and me to make; but Felicity is worried as the father wants to lay claim to the child. It appears that he and his wife are at present childless and they would take the child on, but the wife is not a very kindly person, or so I am led to believe,” said the colonel.

  “No child should be without their mother if it is at all possible. But I must not interfere in what are very personal decisions at this time. I’ll leave you now, Colonel and look forward to us all having a very happy time tomorrow,” and Liza went and kissed him on the cheek.

  He watched her leave and felt that a weight had been lifted from him and said to himself, “Thank you, Liza, it is so true that a trouble shared is a trouble halved. I know that you will probably come up with a solution in the fullness of time, but I mustn’t put all that on your shoulders, you have enough to deal with already.”

  Liza went to rescue those getting the assembly room ready for the party from the boys. They had inspected the room where they could rest when they felt tired and had given it their approval, although they had voiced the opinion that they were old enough not to feel tired during a party.

  Ada and Bea were in their element, they loved organising events and they told Liza not to interfere as it was all in her honour.

  “I have no intention of interfering. I shall just turn up at the appropriate hour and be entertained by you all. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Liza.

  “I don’t suppose it will be a patch on the events that you held in both New York and Belfast,” said Bea.

  “It may not be as opulent but it is for me to see all my friends rather than acquaintances and to be able to relax in their company instead of being on show all the time. That’s why I am so looking forward to it. I’m so happy to be back here, it’s where I belong and it’s where I want to bring up our children,” said Liza.

  “Young John,” said Ada, “he seems very on edge when he is near someone he doesn’t already know, and especially men. He looks at Matthew and if Matthew is talking to them then he will join in, but shies away if Matthew isn’t near. Does he have a problem, Liza? I only ask so that we can help if necessary.”

  Bea was nodding to this comment and Liza said, “He has had his problems in the past, which will take time for him to react as he should, but he is happy and content where he is now. In fact, he has seen the very low life and the very high life and he seems to prefer that which is in the middle, which is exactly what I also prefer. He’ll be fine here, I’m pleased to say. But he must be treated as everyone else; otherwise he won’t forget his past, which is essential. I will tell you about him when the time is right, but I need everybody to treat him as a very normal six-year-old because that is precisely what he is. So, I went away with one child and came back with two,” laughed Liza.

  Ada and Bea said nothing to Liza about the fact that they knew that she had lost yet another child whilst in Belfast, and they also knew the circumstances surrounding it. They had gleaned this information from Amelia’s tirade against Felicity’s hurtful comments to Liza when she had nastily pointed out Liza’s inability to bring forth a living child. No doubt she would tell them when she felt able to do so.

  “Have you seen the colonel today?” asked Ada.

  “Yes, and you’ll be pleased to hear that we have made our peace and I’m so sorry that I treated him so badly before I left. But we are again the best of friends,” said Liza. “Now, are you sure there is nothing that I can do to help you for tomorrow?”

  “There is absolutely nothing, just turn up and enjoy yourself,” said Ada and Liza gathered the boys and made her way home thoughtfully.

  She would wait for a letter from either Edward of Amelia or perhaps even Wendell and would only act on whatever was necessary when she eventually heard from them, unless Ada confided in her beforehand.

  Patrick was home early and played with the boys for a while. He was not as sore as he had been the day before and when the boys were in bed and they’d had their meal with Zelma and cleared away, Zelma went to her home and Liza told Patrick that she had something important to tell him.

  “I knew that you have been on edge this evening. Is it something to do with the colonel? I saw that you were making your way there earlier,” said Patrick.

  Liza told him what the colonel had told her and Patrick shook his head in despair. “Does that woman ever do anything right? Oh Lord, I hope they don’t think it’s mine.”

  “No, Patrick, they don’t think it’s yours, or Jamie’s or anyone else that she’s named. The father has laid claim to it and wants to bring it up in his family, but I gather that it isn’t a very happy household. Mind you, neither is the Fuller household at present. I’m expecting to hear from somebody there shortly. Ada doesn’t know that the colonel has told us anything, but he wanted you to know as you had been named as a possible father, and he wanted you to be reassured that nobody believes that,” said Liza.

  “You know that this is something that you can’t solve, Liza, don’t you?” said Patrick and Liza nodded.

  Patrick was quiet for a moment, “Do you remember that auburn haired Greek or Indian that you danced with a few times?”

  “Yes, he was more than auburn; he was decidedly ginger, which was an unusual combination for somebody of his colouring. I have thought about that, but we mustn’t put our own interpretation on anything. The poor girl must have been born with hair for them to be so adamant about her colouring. I remember everyone commenting on Matthew’s hair colour, but in my case, it was
for the better,” smiled Liza.

  Liza did not mention the fact that the colonel was not Felicity’s father; she felt that if either Ada or the colonel wanted Patrick to know then it was their secret to impart to him.

  “Poor Edward,” was all that Patrick could think of saying. He smiled at Liza happy in the knowledge that he had no problems with her and had always been sure of her total affection for him. She had been right, Benson was where she was the most happy. She loved him no matter where they were, but here was home to them. How silly he had been to think otherwise.

  “So, we’ve got to get ourselves ready for a big party tomorrow, and all we have to do is turn up. That’s going to be a first for you. You have always been in the middle of organising such a function. How have you managed to stay out of the way?” asked Patrick.

  “I have been told in no uncertain terms that I was not wanted until the start of the party, and you know me, I always do as I’m told,” said Liza.

  Patrick just looked at her, which told her that he didn’t believe a word she was saying. She was very worried about Edward and the rest of his family, but Patrick was right, there was absolutely nothing that she could do about it and she managed to turn her thoughts to the following day and what she was going to wear and how they were going to cope with the boys and how they were going to get there. She would have to ask Gabriel what his plans were as they would probably go together. She hoped that the three boys wouldn’t get out of hand during the evening. It was the first time she had been to an evening function with the boys so she would have to give them a lesson on how they were expected to behave. She was sure that they would try not to let her and Patrick down, but of course, boys were boys.

  The boys were excited the next day but Liza managed to get them to have a sleep during the afternoon. Patrick had to go to the fort in the morning to make sure that all was in order, and Liza’s dress had been hanging out and had lost all its creases. Patrick’s smart dress uniform was ready, but it occurred to Liza that she had not asked Zelma what she would be wearing and she went to find her. Zelma was smoothing out the most beautiful yellow skirt and top lavishly decorated with delicate beads, as were her moccasins. Liza looked at it and said how well the colour would suit her complexion and she, Patrick and the boys were looking forward to going to the party with her.