The Uncharted Series Omnibus

by Keely Brooke Keith

  As Adeline walked to the house, Levi tapped his knuckles on the carriage and turned to his brother-in-law. “Did you build this?”

  The man nodded and began to relate the process to Levi. It interested him; however, the two young children pulling at his arms interfered with his concentration. He reached down and tickled the children, then he pretended to snarl, setting off the chase through the yard that he intended. He caught the giggling children and carried one under each arm, but when he noticed his father at the carriage, he stopped walking. He wanted to go inspect the carriage and learn about its construction, but not with his father there. He set the children down and glanced at the carriage, wishing he could forgive his father and enjoy his company like everyone else. Instead, he bent and picked a tiny yellow daisy from the grass and offered it to his niece. She giggled as she accepted the flower.

  Adeline popped her head out of the back door and called them into the house. Little Hannah ran to her mother and Gabe jumped onto Levi’s back, pretending his uncle was a horse. Levi obliged and galloped to the house. Before he reached the kitchen, the aroma of the food wafted out the door, causing his stomach to respond with a growl.

  Lydia handed a stack of plates to Adeline and glanced at Levi as he walked into the kitchen. A strand of hair dropped across her forehead and dangled between her eyes. “Levi, would you please get Aunt Isabella? We’re almost ready to eat.”

  “Sure.” He deposited his nephew in front of Connor. “Gabe, wish your Uncle Connor a happy birthday then show him your loose tooth.”

  Levi scanned the feast that was being arranged on the buffet, then he hurried through the parlor and down the hallway to his great-aunt’s room. The farther he moved from the kitchen, the more muffled the happy sound of the family’s overlapping conversations became. Isabella’s door was closed. He knocked but could not hear whether or not she had responded, so he turned the glass knob and opened the door a crack. “Aunt Isabella?”

  “Come in, Levi.” Her raspy voice came between audible breaths. “Close the door behind you, please.”

  He obeyed but regretted Isabella’s request as it silenced the sound of the family gathering. Her room was dim and stuffy. She was sitting on the edge of her unmade bed. He spoke as he stepped closer to her so she would know he was approaching. “Dinner is ready. The girls really outdid themselves with the food. Are you ready to join us?”

  “Fetch my cane, would you?” She waved her hand in the direction of the armchair where she usually sat to do her knitting, but he noticed the cane was propped against the bedside table.

  He touched it to her hand. “Here it is.”

  She grabbed the cane’s handle and drew it close to her body. “Oh, yes. I must have forgotten where I left it. Is it dinnertime already?”

  “Yes.” He knelt in front of his elderly aunt. “Are you feeling well?”

  “Of course, child. My afternoon nap just went a little long today.” Her eyes roamed as she spoke. “Has everyone arrived?”

  “Yes. Adeline and Maggie are here with their families. They are eager to see you.”

  She nodded. “It does my heart good to have everyone together. And for such a joyous occasion, too—Isaac’s birthday.”

  “It’s Connor’s birthday.”

  “Of course, Connor’s birthday. That’s what I said.” Isabella’s lips continued to move after she spoke, and Levi knew she had more to say. He put his hand on hers and waited. She cleared her throat, but her voice remained raspy. “After your mother passed, I prayed God would allow me to live long enough to see all five of you children find your place in the world. I worry about you so. I just want to know each of you will be loved when I’m gone.” She smiled then. “Adeline and Maggie did not waste time on the matter—both married and already have children—and now Lydia has Connor. Bethany’s beautiful spirit will no doubt collect her many suitors as soon as your father lets her court. However, you… well, I suppose boys are different. It bothers me—your being alone.”

  “Aunt Isabella, I—”

  “You are building that house alone.” She patted his hand. “And look what that got you—not two days ago you tore your hand open. It was only by the grace of God you did not rip it off completely. No salve will reattach a hand, child, I assure you.”

  He nodded before he realized she would not see his gesture. “Please, don’t worry. I was just unprepared to raise the walls by myself. Lydia has already forced me to promise I will be more careful. And Connor is going to help me build while school is out.”

  “And once the house is built, you will live there alone.” She raised a finger before he could reply. “That’s your choice and I do not wish to inflict guilt, but it’s time you sought a wife. Perhaps no young ladies are available in Good Springs. There are seven other villages in the Land. Go, Levi. Search for a wife. It’s not good for a man to be alone.”

  He chuckled and stood. “Before I do, may I eat dinner?”

  Isabella laughed and held his arm. She steadied her cane in front of her and took slow steps toward the door. “Of course, you could save yourself all the trouble of traveling and simply try again for Miss Foster’s affection.”

  “Thank you, Aunt Isabella.” He forced a smile as he spoke and refrained from letting out the heavy sigh that weighed upon his chest, knowing his aunt drew conclusions from the slightest perceptible clue. With each step they inched closer to the door. Relief washed over him when he opened the door and the sounds of the family celebration flowed from the kitchen.

  Levi escorted Isabella to her usual seat at the nearest end of the long kitchen table. Lydia had filled a plate for Isabella at the buffet, and she set it in front of their aunt. Levi sat with Isabella until the rest of family came to the table with their plates. Only then did he go to the buffet and fill his plate. He returned to the table and took his seat next to his father with his back to the hearth. With extra chairs squeezed in on the table’s long sides, and his brother-in-law and Gabe sitting nearby on the seat-level stone hearth, Levi was amazed the whole family fit in the kitchen.

  Before they ate, John Colburn said a prayer; his tone was the same blend of authority and humility he used during his weekly church sermons. The tone evidenced John’s belief in his status over the people and under God. After the prayer, forks clinked and compliments flowed to the cooks.

  Levi glanced from one face to the next as he ate. The new blend of the growing family left few similarities in features. Adeline resembled their mother. Lydia shared his coloring—light brown hair and light brown eyes. People always told Levi he had his father’s build and mannerisms, though even the slightest comparison to his father rankled. He looked over his shoulder at his nephew seated on the hearth and thought Gabe resembled a Colburn, though the boy’s father was a McIntosh.

  John tapped his spoon against his glass, commanding the party’s attention. “We gather today to celebrate Connor’s birthday.” He looked at Connor. “Though today you celebrate thirty years of life on earth, it is the last two years of your life in the Land that are my cause for celebration. Your providential arrival here saved you from the misery of a world at war. It also blessed me with your friendship, blessed my daughter with your love, and blessed our village with your knowledge. I thank God you were brought into my family. May He bless you all of your days. Happy birthday, Connor!”

  * * *

  Mandy shielded her eyes from the morning sun as she walked past the Colburn property. Gravel pebbles crackled under her heels with each step. She stopped on the road and smiled when she spotted Lydia stepping out of her cottage door.

  Lydia waved. “Are you going to the market?”

  “I’m on my way now.” Mandy raised her voice to carry across the yard. “Do you need me to get anything for you?”

  Lydia lifted the front of her skirt and hurried to the road. “Maybe a trader has brought my order of glass from Stonehill. Do you mind if I join you?”

  “Please do.” Mandy resumed her walk to the village
once Lydia came beside her. The breeze blew a salty scent in from the nearby shore. A wagon rattled down the road behind them, so they stepped into the grass along the side of the road and waited for it to pass. Mandy did not recognize the man driving the wagon, but he winked at her as he passed. She responded with a playful smile, and then looked at the village ahead. She loved the Saturday market in Good Springs and felt excited as she watched the crowds gather in the distance.

  The morning sun lit the steeple and the front of the white chapel as they walked through the shadow of the stone library. Many of the village’s farmers, craftsmen, and artists were at their booths in the sandy lot beside the library. Mandy raised her heels for a better view as she scanned the market hoping to see a particular traveling trader among the vendors.

  “What are you looking for?” Lydia asked as she too gazed about the crowd.

  “I need strings.” Mandy lowered her heels. “I was hoping the trader from Riverside came today; he sometimes has catgut.”

  “I despise that word.” Lydia gave a small shiver. “Come. I think I see the trader over there.” Lydia tugged at Mandy’s sleeve and guided her through the crowd.

  As Mandy approached the trader’s booth, he held a finger up to the man speaking to him. Both men smiled at her, and she felt a jolt of satisfaction from their obvious delight in her appearance. Noticing the trader’s strong jaw and broad shoulders, she made sure her posture presented her figure well. The trader and his customer both eyed her with desire, boosting her enjoyment in the nonverbal exchange.

  The trader tilted his whiskered chin toward her. “Ah, it’s the Land’s best luthier. Have you come to make a trade?”

  “I have.” Mandy smiled and leaned toward the trader, then she heard Lydia click her tongue. She ignored Lydia’s sound of disapproval and pulled a curl through her fingers. She gave it a slow twirl. “I need strings. Have you any catgut today?”

  “I have.” The trader grinned, revealing a row of rotten teeth. He bent and rifled through a crate on the ground then stood holding a wound heap of the particular type of string she needed.

  Disappointed in the flaw she found in the man’s appearance, Mandy dropped her curl and stepped back beside Lydia. She glanced at the string then at the trader. Her voice omitted its usual sultry inflection. “What do you require in trade?”

  “Have you any new instruments available? Your work is requested in every village.”

  Mandy knew her instruments claimed more in trade than the strings she placed on them. She glanced at Lydia then looked back at the trader. “Do you have the doctor’s order of glass?”

  The trader shifted his gaze to Lydia. “Three crates from Stonehill?”

  Lydia nodded. “Yes. Medicine jars.”

  “I have them,” he confirmed.

  Mandy moved forward. “One violin for the catgut and the order of glass.”

  “I accept.” He grinned again, causing Mandy to blink and look away. He looked at Lydia. “Are you the wife of Connor Bradshaw?”

  “I am,” Lydia replied.

  The trader stooped to a crate on the other side of his booth and produced a burlap-wrapped package about the size of a dinner plate. He handed it to Lydia. “This was sent to your husband by the overseer of Stonehill. He said it is private and of utmost importance.” She accepted the package and hugged it to her chest while Mandy finalized the arrangements with the trader.

  When Mandy and Lydia walked away, Mandy glanced at the package. “What do you think it is?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You are holding it as if it’s precious.”

  The edge of Lydia’s mouth curved up. “I am simply delighted to be a wife entrusted with an important package.”

  “And private. Don’t forget that detail.” Mandy grinned and reached a finger to the cord tied around the package. “Let’s have a look.”

  “Stop it.” Lydia laughed and pulled away. “Connor is at the chapel with my father. Surely you can behave yourself long enough to deliver a package.”

  Mandy followed her through the crowd at the market, across the cobblestone street to the church, and up the chapel steps. The church’s tall doors were propped open with wooden wedges, and the women stepped inside. The dim sanctuary smelled like candlewax and old books. When Mandy’s eyes adjusted to the change in light, she saw Connor walking out of John’s office at the opposite end of the long, empty chapel. She watched his face as he spotted Lydia. He lowered his chin and grinned as he moved toward his wife. When he reached Lydia, he drew her into a kiss. Mandy tried to be polite and look away; still, her lips pressed together in response to the affectionate display. She began to imagine what it would feel like to kiss a man she truly loved, but knowing she could never allow herself to love like that, she stopped the fantasy at once.

  Lydia gave Connor the package and relayed the trader’s message about its importance. His brow creased as he unfolded a small note attached to the package. Mandy’s curiosity stirred. She stepped closer. “Perhaps it’s a late birthday present.”

  “Nope.” He leaned his shoulder into the wall and crossed his legs at the ankle as he read the note. Then he looked at Lydia. “It’s from Wade Vestal, the overseer of Stonehill. He says this object was found in a creek bed near their village.”

  Mandy watched as Connor untied the cord around the package and drew a strange piece of black matter from the burlap. He held the object in one hand and looked at it, then he flipped it over and studied the other side. The edges of the object looked as if it had been through fire.

  “What is it?” Lydia and Mandy asked at the same time, then glanced at each other and giggled.

  Connor shrugged. “It’s a piece of plastic.”

  Lydia touched the black object. “We don’t have plastic in the Land.”

  “That’s probably why Wade sent it to me.” He glanced at Lydia. “I think it is debris from the jet crash.”

  Lydia raised her eyebrows. “Your airplane exploded over the ocean near Good Springs—Stonehill is one hundred eighty miles away from here. And that was nearly two years ago.”

  Connor drew a breath. “A couple of hundred miles is nothing in terms of a debris field. And Wade said it was found in a creek bed, so it could have been carried there by the water.”

  Lydia bit her bottom lip. “What you think it means for the Land? Do you think we will be discovered by the outside world? Do you think we will be invaded?”

  He tucked the piece of plastic back into the burlap then wrapped one arm around Lydia. “Please don’t worry about this, okay?”

  Lydia looked up at him. “But you always say we should hope the Land remains undetectable to the outside world because of the war.”

  He kissed the top of Lydia’s head and kept his arm around her. “Let me handle it, okay?” His low voice held an intimate quality that made Mandy both happy for Lydia and jealous of her.

  Mandy looked away and hoped another man like Connor would somehow, someday come to the Land. She grinned and looked back at Lydia. “Perhaps another airplane has crashed sending another eligible warrior into the Land?”

  Connor and Lydia looked at each other then chuckled at her.

  She batted her eyelashes and tilted her head. “Well… one can only hope.”

  Chapter Three

  The warm kitchen of the Colburn home smelled like fresh bread and baked chicken long after the table was cleared from the evening meal. Propped open, the back door allowed night air to cool the room. Two oil lamps—one at each end of the long kitchen table—provided the only light as Levi rhythmically dropped playing cards in small piles. “Full deck with a draw.”

  Mandy sat across the table from him and looked at the cards that landed in front of her. “Must we play by Connor’s rules? There are four of us—we could play bluff by the old rules.”

  “Personally, I don’t care.” Connor grinned as he sat in the chair beside Levi. “I will win either way.”

  Isabella snickered in the other room.
She only stayed up late when there was a chance to live vicariously through young people. Lydia sat beside Mandy and smiled, but Mandy only put her chin on her fist and scowled. “Having a draw takes the game from one of chance to one of skill. I prefer bluff. A game is more fun when it’s just chance.”

  Levi finished dealing the cards. Each player picked up the hand dealt and examined the cards privately. Levi rearranged the order of his cards and glanced at Mandy. “But you actually get to bluff when there is a draw.”

  “Yes, and that requires skill,” Connor added.

  “That depends on the opponent…” Levi leaned back in his chair and gazed at Mandy. She was beautiful in the lamplight. She was beautiful in any light, but thinking about her beauty only dimmed his spirit. “It requires skill to discern a man’s bluff. Attempting to gauge a woman’s bluff doesn’t require skill—it requires clairvoyance.”

  Connor laughed. Mandy briefly feigned offense, then her pink lips curved into a smile. Lydia laughed, too, then she looked at Connor and they started to nuzzle. They would not want to play cards for very long.

  Levi groaned and checked his cards—three kings, an ace, and a six. He moved only his eyes as he studied the other players. Connor sighed but otherwise maintained a stoic expression. Mandy’s face was unreadable. She liked to pretend to be incapable of pretending, but he was not fooled.

  Lydia smiled at her cards and asked, “Does a four-of-a-kind beat a flush even if the cards are low numbers?”

  “Lydia.” Connor dragged out her name in mock disappointment and drew his brows together.

  “Oh, sorry.” Lydia bit her lip after she apologized. “It’s been a long time since I played this game.”

  Mandy slid three cards to Levi. He took them and dealt her three new cards. He could feel her watching his face and decided to forgo making eye contact. He looked at Lydia. “How many?”