Angelique's Child

Chapter 4

A year had passed since Barnabas and Angelique were married. Minty rose had reached her first year of bring in this world.

Barnabas walked into his daughter's bedrrom to see Minty playing on the floor with her favorite toy, which was a stuffed bunny that was missing an eye and one of its legs.

"Good Morning my darling.", said Barnabas with a smile.

Minty looked up at her father, instantly getting up. She ran over to her father with her arms up.

"Up! Up!", she said.

Barnabas picked up his daughter and gave her a kiss. She let out a giggle and nuzzled her head underneath her father's chin. He held her close to him

"Lets go get some breakfast.", Barnabas said before taking his daughter into the dining room.

Barnabas sat down on one of the chairs with Minty on his lap. Angelique walked into the room, sitting in the chair next to them.

"Good morning Angelique.", smiled Barnabas.

Angelique smiled back and leaned in to give Minty a gentle kiss on the forehead. She went back to, leaning into the chair once again. A servant came into the room with their plates. There was pancakes and eggs on them. Two plates were set down in front of Barnabas and Minty.

"Here let Daddy cut thepancakes into pieces, so you can eat them.", said Angelique.

Angelique took Minty's plate and began cutting the pancakes into small peices. Once she was finished Barnabas took the plate back and began to feed his daughter.

~~~

Minty was once again playing on her bedroom floor with her stuffed rabbit. She was peacefully playing with it until she heard yelling. It was coming from her parents.

"I won't let you take Minty down to the docks. It might be dangerous.", yelled Angelique.

Minty heard her name and ran to hide underneath her bed, thinking that she could hide from the noise. After a while of her parents arguing, Barnabas stomped into the room.

"Minty can you come out please?", asked Brnabas in a soft voice.

There was still anger in his voice from his argument with his wife. Minty listened to him, crawling out from underneath her bed.

"We're going to the dock today to go see some ships that daddy owns.", smiled Barnabas.

Minty nodded, forgetting that her mom didn't want her going to the docks.

~~~

Barnabas held onto Minty's hand as they walked through the village of Collinsport. Minty was trying to run ahead, but she forgot she had her father's hand in hers.

"You have to stay with me. I don't want you getting hurt.", said Barnabas.

He let go of her hand, hoping that she would obey. Minty stayed beside her father as they walked towards the docks. She hadn't been there before. She hadn't been to town before at all.

"Are the ships big Daddy?", Minty ask, looking up at Barnabas.

Barnabas looked down at his daughter with a smile.

"They are pretty big. I've rode on many of them. I once took one all the way to france and that's where I met your mother.", he replied.

His voice was a little angry sounding when he mentioned Angelique. Barnabas felt like his wife didn't trust him with Minty.

"Will you ever take me to France?", asked Minty.

Barnabas starred ahead to where they were going, but then came to a complete stop. He bent down to reach Minty's height.

"Someday when your older maybe I'll take you to Martinique where your mom was born.", he whispered with a smile.

Minty smiled back at him and gave him a kiss. She jumped up and Barnabas picked her up. He began walking and they didn't stop until they finally reached their destination.

"Okay Minty I have business to attend to. Can you stay by me?", Barnabas said.

Minty nodded. She was standing by her father until he had to leave to go talk to a guy real quick. Forgetting what her father told her she walked to the dock raling and climbed on top of the fence. She peered over the edge in amazement. Minty was so fascinated by it she didn't realize her father had come out.

"Minty get off of there!", Barnabas yelled.

Minty jumped, losing her balance, falling into the water below.  She tried to keep her head above the water, but the current was way too strong. It dragged her underneath.

"Minty! Im coming!", screamed Barnabas.

The father jumped off the dock and into the water. He was a better swimmer than Minty. Barnabas dove into the water and grabbed his daughter, whose eyes were now closed. Panic filled him to the bone. He picked her up, keeping her head out of the water and began to swim towards the shore. One of the ship workers grabbed Barnabas and hauled him and his daughter out of the water.

"Minty! You have to wake up!", screamed Barnabas.

He let out panic wail when she didn't wake up. The child was frozen and her heart wasn't beating. He picked up her head and held it to him. Tears fell from his eyes. Barnabas almost jumped out of his skin when Minty let out coughs. Water gushed out of her mouth. Minty let out sobs as she kept close to her father.

"Its okay Minty. Daddy's got you. Angelique was right you should have stayed at home.", whispered Barnabas.

Minty let out a shiver and inched closer to her father to keep warm. It didn't help to much as he was all wet as well, but she found aarmth after a while. Barnabas rocked Minty in his arms, his head pressed to hers as tears fell off his face. He really had thought that his daughter was dead and if she was it would have been his fault for not have listened to his wife when she said it would be dangerous for her.

"Go fetch her a blanket!", he called to the worker who helped them out of the water.

He disapeared and came back with a soft blanket. Barnabas wrapped his daughter up in it and picked her up and went into the shipyard office.