Forever Young Birth Of A Nation by Gerald Simpkins Read Free Book Online

near Marseille.”
    “Oh my! This is so exciting, Ian! How did
you come to know her?”
    Chuckling at her near-childish enthusiasm he
replied “She was taken as a child of twelve years, an orphan
really, kidnapped off of the streets of Marseille. I took some
friends and we rescued her along with four other girls from two
kidnappers in Marseille. She lived with us at Chateau de Lafayette
for a while until we found her Aunt who then raised her in Paris.
In fact she attended my wedding when Cosette and I were
married.”
    “My, what a tale! How exciting, Ian! I take
it the kidnappers were punished?”
    “Hmm. Yes they were.” We killed those
vampires on the spot but you do not need to know that he
thought. He continued then, saying “Celeste is like a daughter to
me. I was there when she married Cosette’s brother and when she
gave birth to her daughter as well.”
    “Ian, just how old are you anyway.
You do not look old enough to have done all of these things.”
    Smiling he replied “I am thirty one,
Rebecca” as he thought but I am forever going to look like I am
twenty three because we vampires never age .
    Her mouth dropped open causing him to laugh
aloud as she said “I took you to be James’ age, or a bit
older.”
    “James is twenty.” He told the lie smoothly,
thinking that there was no need to put James to where he would have
to change his identity any sooner than necessary. James was
actually thirty one also, having crossed over some eleven years ago
at the age of around twenty.
    “I just cannot believe that you are so much
older than James” she said, her eyes sparkling as she laughed
delightedly. She thought look at me hanging on his every word!
He is so delightful to talk with, and I simply love his Scottish
accent and the sound of his voice. What is it about this man that
captivates me so?
    “Ah lass, it is said that living in the
Mediterranean area can keep some people looking younger than they
are.” And there is no way that you will ever know why I still
look like I am twenty three he thought. The music ended about
then and Rebecca stood gaping at Ian as he offered his arm to walk
her to her seat. She was shaking her head and laughing at the same
time as they rejoined Grundy and the others. Grundy stood
unnoticed, a sour expression on his face. As quickly as they
rejoined her group she began to tell everyone that Ian knew the
European Nightingale personally, and that provoked a flurry of
conversation because Celeste was known internationally, even in
America by some.
    For some twenty minutes then Ian had to
field questions about Celeste and his touring Europe with her. The
celebration then tapered down and guests began to leave. Ian said
goodbye to his hostess and both Laura and her mother. He knew that
James wanted to stay awhile and visit with Laura so he quietly
departed.

Chapter 6
    The merchantman Elsie’s Cloud plowed
through moderately heavy seas in the north Atlantic. A three-mast
galleon, she moved through the sea exactly as she had been designed
to do. The rain had quit during the night and they were now one
week out on their voyage to New York City. Angus McCloud stood at
the helm, wearing his black wool seaman’s coat buttoned securely,
its collar pulled up against the wind over his right shoulder. Lost
in thought, he gauged the sails and the effect of the northeasterly
winds on their progress pretty much automatically, a skill born of
a lifetime of sailing experience.
    A lovely lady came up the steep steps
leading to the aft deck, her honey-colored hair blowing wildly in
the wind. She carried a steaming mug of coffee and did not even use
the handrail for balance although the ship rolled rhythmically.
This was the second day that he had seen her without her
wide-brimmed hat and gloves. The sky was solidly overcast without a
single break in sight, just as it had been yesterday.
    “Good morning, Angus” she said with a cheery
smile as she handed him the steaming oversize mug of