Saved By The Pirate (Book One)

31. Madeline

Madeline

Madeline waited for Christopher's arrival. Ever since her husband Charles died, Christopher had been the one to provide for the small family. Though Madeline worked as a housemaid, it was still not enough for her growing children Emma and Thomas.

She felt horrible for accepting charity, especially since she knew the money Christopher gave her came from someone else. But every time he handed her the much-needed dollars, she pushed back the guilt and accepted it, saying that it was for her family. She needed to survive, and it was her dive right as a mother to provide for her young ones.

She wished things were different. She wanted to depend on her parents, but they were long dead and left no money. She wished she could rely on her husband, but he didn't have anything to his name. Christopher was her last hope.

The young pirate had been a friend of Charles since he stepped in their house, carrying her drunk husband, who had one too many at the tavern that night. Ever since then, Christopher was a family friend.

But it was Christopher who had volunteered to support her family financially. Why? She didn't know why. He was a pirate, a single man with no worries in the world. Why would he dedicate his time and money for a single mother he didn't even have to see again?

Christopher was a kind soul, that, Madeline saw. She knew that he was more than what everyone said a pirate was, but it still baffled her to take that road in the first place. He was a good man; it made no sense for him to be stealing when he was so good at giving.

That evening, she waited by the window for the approaching carriage that usually stationed itself outside her little home. It was dark out, and her children were fast asleep. She hadn't seen Christopher in three months, and she wondered if there was anything new that happened to him.

There has to be something out there that that man is looking for, she thought to herself. I hope he found whatever that something is.

A silhouette of a carriage and horse approached, and she watched as it stopped and the door opened, and a person got out - a person she already knew was Christopher. But there was something different. He paused at the carriage door and looked back inside, standing there like he was talking to someone.

She watched as Christopher stood there for several more minutes before shutting the door to the carriage and crossed to her house.

Who was that? He never usually brought along anyone, so why now?

Suddenly, she heard the knocking of the door, and all the thoughts of the crazed ideas of who could be in that carriage disappeared but never left her mind as she opened the door. She greeted the pirate with a warm, welcoming smile and invited him inside, taking a quick peek at the carriage before seating her guest.

"It's good to see ye, Captian," she said, respectably sitting down. Christopher smiled and took a seat in the armchair beside her.

"It's good to see you too, Madeline," he said. "How are Tommy and Emma?"

Madeline returned the smile. "Very well. Tommy has taken up piano and is already becoming like his father. He's excellent."

"I'm delighted to hear that. I hope Tommy's not considering playing in taverns like his father," Christopher laughed.

Madeline lightly chuckled at the silly thought. "No, Tommy strictly said he wants to be a world-class pianist. He's so determined."

Christopher stuck a hand in his pocket. "Well, I hope this will help him achieve that dream of hi," he said, pulling out a beautiful pearl necklace, holding it up so Madeline could see.