The gangplank of the newly docked ship from England was lowered, and after the first few passengers disembarked, Gage shifted his one-year-old son in his arm and thrust out an arm to point toward the nattily garbed couple who were vying for a place near the rail. Following her husband’s directions, Shemaine finally located her parents and began to dance sideways along the wharf in an effort to get their attention.
“Mama! Papa! Look this way!”
Camille recognized the familiar voice that reached their ears and promptly scanned the dock in search of her daughter. Upon espying Shemaine, she waved an arm. “We’re coming, darling! We’ll be down shortly.”
In a moment Camille and Shemus O’Hearn, followed by a whole complement of servants, were hurrying down the gangplank and running with open arms toward their daughter. Shemaine hugged each fiercely as Gage and William waited behind her with the children. Andrew was clasping his grandfather’s finger and was not at all desirous of being kissed and hugged by any of the strangers who came near. Then Shemaine eagerly drew her parents forward to meet their new grandson.
“Mama, Papa, this is Christopher Thornton.”
The one-year-old raised an arm to push away the loving caress of the older woman and, turning his green eyes away from her, tucked his dark head beneath his father’s chin, making that one chuckle and hug him close. “Christopher takes to strangers no better than his brother does,” Gage informed the O’Hearns. “But once he gets to know you, he’ll be walking over your toes in his eagerness to get into your laps. He especially enjoys being read to.”
“At such a young age?” Camille queried proudly. “What a smart boy he is.”
“He looks like his father,” Shemus mumbled with some disappointment. He had hoped to see more of his own daughter in the lad.
“Aye, but there’s no mistaking where his green eyes came from, dear,” his wife said sweetly, patting his arm.
Shemaine could not restrain herself another moment. “Is it really true, Papa, that you’ve sold everything and intend to live in Williamsburg?”
The elder tucked his thumbs in the pocket of his waistcoat and grinned. “Maurice said there are great opportunities to be found there for an enterprising man. He’s living there now with his wife, Garland, and thought I should look into starting a business in the city.”
“Oh, Papa, that’s wonderful! Now we’ll live close enough to visit on a frequent basis.”
Shemus glanced up at Gage with an inquiry. “Are you still building ships?”
“Aye, along with my father, who has put in with me,” the younger man replied. “We’ve hired a few more men, and the work is going a lot faster now.”
“Oh, I hope you haven’t given up making furniture,” Camille interjected, suffering some dismay at the thought. “We sold all of our furnishings before leaving England, so we’ll be needing some more as soon as we can find a home.”
“The cabinet shop is bigger now,” Shemaine informed her mother happily. “And Gage has had to hire several new apprentices to help keep up with the demands of all the people wanting his furniture. In fact, we’ve enlarged the cabin and have acquired a servant to help me clean and cook. You and Papa will be able to stay with us and have a guest bedroom all to yourselves whenever you visit. William still uses the loft when he comes.”
“But what about Mary Margaret?” Camille asked her daughter in a muted tone. “I thought she and William were interested in each other.”
“They’ve had a long friendship, to be sure,” Shemaine confided quietly. “But I don’t think they’re too serious about getting married, certainly not at this time. For one who has the wiles of a matchmaker, Mary Margaret is not at all sure she wants to give up her single life as a widow. The two of them play cards together quite often, but they’re also seeing others. William has all the older women simply goggle-eyed over him, and they’re chasing him as hard and fast as the younger ones ever did Gage.”
“With good reason,” Camille whispered behind a smile. “My dear, if your husband looks as good when he matures to a ripe age as his father does now, then you’ll surely have to fight the women off in droves.”
Shemaine laughed, unconcerned. “Gage reassures me quite often, Mama, that I’m the only love in his life.”
Andrew tugged on his father’s breeches. “Gran’pa wants to take Chris and me onto the ship, Daddy. Can we go?”
“Watch your brother carefully now,” Gage urged, squatting down. He stood his youngest son on his feet, and immediately Christopher slipped his tiny hand into his brother’s. Taking hold of his grandfather’s finger, the toddler looked back at his father with a wide grin that was closely reminiscent of the one Andrew had mastered at an early age.
“Bah, Da-da.”
Gage chuckled at his youngest son’s attempt to talk. “Good-bye, Chris.”
Shemus chortled as he took note of his grandson’s winsome charm and, bustling behind the other three, followed them up the gangplank. It didn’t take him long to win the toddler’s confidence as he pointed out the seagulls that were swooping close overhead. Before they left the ship again, he was carrying Christopher in his arms and making him laugh in glee. Camille joined her husband, and together they reveled in the delightful antics of their grandchild.
Gage pulled his wife’s hand through his arm and spoke proudly as he watched their family. “Did you ever imagine, Shemaine, that you would see our parents looking so utterly happy? ‘Twould seem you’ve gifted them with new life by bringing Christopher into this world.”
“I believe you had something to do with it, too, sir,” his wife reminded him with a coy smile.
A smug grin came to Gage’s lips as he nodded acknowledgment. “Aye, we both did well by our son, did we not, my sweet?”
“Aye, my love. Very well indeed.”
Gage leered at her over his shoulder. “And there’s a lot more from whence he came, madam.”
Her eyes glowing with love, Shemaine hugged her husband’s arm close to her breast and felt the steely muscles flex in warm response against the softness. “Aye, Mr. Thornton, of that I have no doubt.”