Everly nodded. “I think so. Before I tell you what happened, will you tell me about Sam? I want to hear all about your love story.”
Ten smiled to himself. Everly was handling the situation the same way he would . It was obvious Maria was looking for Sam Bellamy, but what he didn’t know at the moment was if Maria knew both she and Sam were dead.
“Love story,” Maria said, her eyes crinkling. “The man swept me off my feet, to be sure. I worked at Higgins Tavern, serving drinks to sailors and fisherman. My father was the manager and kept a close eye on me. Many, many men wanted to court me, but he had not said yes to any of my potential suitors. Da wanted more for me than to be a tavern wench. He wanted me to marry above my station so that my husband would not only care for me, but for my father as well.”
Everly nodded along with the story. “My father is pretty strict too. I’m not even allowed to go on a date until I’m sixteen.”
The spirit turned her head toward Tennyson. She seemed to study him for several seconds. “Yer Da loves you very much and would not care to see you hurt, same as my father.”
“Did you meet Sam at the tavern? Was he handsome?”
Maria laughed and Ten got a glimpse of the beautiful young woman she’d been centuries ago.
“Aye, he was handsome. Tall and strong, with dark hair tied behind his back. He looked to be a hard man, one who never smiled or shared a joke. He strode to an empty table and sat down. I approached to ask what I could get for him. I swear his entire face changed the moment I spoke. He ordered an ale. I started to move away from him to fetch his drink, but he took my hand.” Maria stared down at her right hand, turning it over and back again, as if she could somehow feel the ghost of Sam’s touch. “He said, ‘Be quick, lass,’ and released me.”
Everly’s eyes brightened. “Did your heart tingle when Sam took your hand?”
“Perhaps a little,” Maria said, blushing. “I did as he asked and indeed hurried back with his drink. He asked my name and gave his in return. There was to be a dance held at the grange hall that evening and asked if I would be attending. I said I would be and he asked me to save him a dance.” Maria paused, she brushed fresh tears from her eyes. “When Sam walked into the room, he stole my breath. His eyes immediately found mine and he approached to claim his dance. Even though it was not to be done, Sam partnered me for the whole of the evening. I could hear people whispering about us, but I did not care. My father, however, did. At home that night, he forbade me to ever see Sam again.”
“But you didn’t listen to him.”
Maria shook her head. “I did not. We spent every free moment we had together for several months, meeting in secret. Sam told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. I said yes.”
“That’s so romantic,” Everly gushed.
“Aye, lass, it was, until I brought Sam home with me. He asked for my father’s permission to marry me and my Da said no. Samwas a sailor, he worked on ships that traded goods along Cape Cod. He was a poor man and my father would not allow a man of Sam’s means to marry me, but all was not lost.”
“What happened next?”
“My Da told Sam that if he could somehow make his fortune, he would allow us to be married.”
“He wanted you to be safe and happy.”
“I suppose he did, but neither of us wanted to wait that long. Three days later, Sam and I stole away to Nauset and were married in secret there. We spent the afternoon together enjoying a wonderful meal and then pleasures of the flesh.” Maria blushed again. “I should not be telling a young lass such things.”
“Did Sam kiss you with his tongue?” Everly asked.
Tennyson flashed back to Everly telling the story about seeing tongue kissing inTop Gunand nearly laughed out loud. If Everly thought kissing was what people who loved each other did, that was fine with Ten. She knew about the birds and bees, thanks to health class, and hoped she didn’t ask Maria anything more personal.
“Indeed he did, lass!” Maria laughed. It was a beautiful and lyrical sound. “I shall not be telling ye more.” Maria’s demeanor sobered quickly. “The very next day, Sam boarded a ship to the Caribbean to seek his fortune.”
“Then what happened?”
“We wrote letters back and forth. I knew Sam had turned pirate and was filling his ships with enough gold to last our entire lives. He wrote to me of the family we would have and the lifewe would share. What my husband did not know was that I was already with child.”
“Sam must have been so happy to know he was going to be a father.”
Maria shook her head. “I did not tell him. I wanted our child to be a surprise. The child was not a surprise to my father and the people in Wellfleet. I had never seen him in such a rage, saying I had thrown my life away. It did not matter to him that Sam and I had been married in secret, only that I had damaged our family’s reputation. I did not care. I was in love with my husband and was due to have his baby. However, the rest of the townspeople sided with my father and shunned me. No one would offer me shelter or help with bringing my child into this world.”
Ten knew what happened next and wasn’t quite sure he wanted Everly to hear the rest of it, but he stayed silent, biding his time.
“I delivered my child into this world in a barn near my father’s house. My son was small and bluish in color. He did not look like the other babies I’d seen. Shortly after he took his first breath, he took his last.”
Tears slipped down Everly’s cheeks. “Maria, I’m so sorry you lost your baby.”
“Thank you, lass. I’d named him Samuel, after his father. I could not move. I could not think. The idea of burying my precious child drove me insane. I raged, screamed and yelled at God for taking my child from me. I begged him to take me as well, but my pleas were in vain. Word got around about where I was and what had happened. My father brought the constables, who clapped me in irons and accused me of murdering my child. I was dragged to jail. I do not know what happened to my boy. Later, I was accused of witchcraft. I am not ashamed to admit Iinvoked spells in hopes that my child would be returned to me. They did not work.”
Tennyson watched as Everly struggled to come to terms with Maria’s tragic story. He felt her sorrow spark into anger. He listened quietly as Everly ran through several spells in her mind. Her hands balled into fists.
