Pirate of My Heart: A Novel by Jamie Carie Read Free Book Online Page A

a man with a donkey head. Kendra smiled and then a crushing sadness swept over her. She would never sit here and read again.
    Lord, am I making a mistake? I feel as if I’m leaping from a cliff. She turned down a winding path that led into a leafy bower bordered by rose bushes. She stopped under a sunny spot, closed her eyes, and lifted her face into the warmth. Please, don’t let me make a mistake.
    A whirring sound and something tickling her nose made her eyes fly open. There, darting around her, were two dragonflies. She gasped, reaching for the brooch that she had placed on the bodice of her dress that morning. It had been her mother’s gift to her at her birth and she only wore it on the most special occasions or on days like today, when she needed the extra courage and to feel close to her parents. The dragonflies flitted about her, zigging and zagging, swooping near her head and then away. A smile spread across her face as joy flooded her chest. It was a sign. Her parents were with her, watching over her and telling her everything would be okay.
    She twirled slowly around with her arms outstretched. Joy. Thank You, Father. I needed that today.
    “Lady Kendra!” One of the servants called her name.
    She turned and hurried back toward the house. “Coming.”
    Her trunks had been loaded onto a new carriage and she knew her uncle was waiting for her, no doubt pacing and slapping a riding crop against his thigh. She walked through a back door and gave a last look around the drawing room where she and her father had spent many evenings together playing chess or dominoes, drinking hot chocolate while he told her stories of their ancestors’ plights throughout the centuries. The ache of missing him flared into a sharp piercing pain as if someone had just stabbed her. Her throat worked as she swallowed it back, pressing one hand against her chest.
    Joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. She remembered the dancing dragonflies and allowed God’s peace to return to her heart. Her parents may have been taken from her, but God would never forsake her, not even in a place as far away as America. With that thought bolstering her flagging spirits she forced her chin up a notch and walked from the room, closing the door with a soft click behind her.
    The few servants they still had were gathered outside, standing in two short lines on either side of the door in their faded red and gold livery.
    She’d heard Andrew trying to discourage them earlier that morning, saying it would make Kendra’s parting harder, but they had flatly disobeyed him. They didn’t treat her uncle with the same respect born out of love that they had given her father. As Kendra walked down the steps they bowed or curtsied, one after another, several with tears shining from their faithful eyes.
    Kendra smiled at their tribute and bit her quivering lower lip. She wanted them to be proud of her and this was no time to be weeping. Several stopped her progress and whispered oaths of loyalty. “You will be sorely missed, my lady,” and “We won’t forget yer lovely self,” among many good-bye hugs. The cook, Mildred, was beside herself, tears racing down her full cheeks as she stammered out with a quivering chin, “It j-just w-won’t be the s-s-same without you in the k-kitchen, my lady.” At first cook had been appalled when Kendra had rolled up her sleeves to help, but after a time she’d gotten used to the idea of a lady in the kitchen and enjoyed teaching Kendra how to make tasty meals from simple ingredients.
    “I shall miss you too, Mildred.” Kendra patted her arm. She glanced up and saw Andrew picking invisible lint from his sleeve between heavy sighs and some eye-rolling. Kendra turned to look once more at the visage of her home and the good people who were like family to her and said in a loud voice for all to hear. “On behalf of my father and myself, I would like to thank each and every one of you for the wonderful care you have taken