Sailing to a New World

By Donna

Faith rose stiffly from the side of the narrow berth in which her sister Hope had finally cried herself to sleep. Poor girl. Gone forever were her hopes of being a part of the social elite surrounding the royal court in London. Hope had been her parents’ darling child, and had been pampered and spoiled almost from birth. It had been hoped that Hope would even marry into a family of noble blood someday, perhaps even a distant member of the royal family itself. Faith shook her head, glad that her parents had not forced her to play the socialite as well. But even so, she had her own disappointments, but Bethany Faith MacDonald had dealt with them quietly within herself.

Their father had been a well respected magistrate in Aberdeen, and their mother one of Lord Keith’s many daughters, a lady of very good breeding in her own right. She had dreamed of obtaining suitable marriages for all three of her daughters, but had not lived to see it. She had died when Faith was just a young child, a fourth son joining her in the grave a few days later.

There were only four living MacDonald children now. One brother had died fighting for the British Crown; the other had been ordained a priest. Faith had adored him, and it had almost broken her heart when he had died of some unknown fever while ministering in India. The oldest son had taken over the family affairs upon the death of their father, and had promptly arranged for all three of his sisters to be married.  

Faith was the youngest MacDonald child, being almost 18. She had wanted to enter the convent on her upcoming birthday, but her eldest brother had completely ignored her wishes, making light of what she felt was to have been her lifelong vocation. She shuddered, remembering the day he had told her that she was to marry the oldest son of one of his American business associates.  Reaching into her pocket, she fingered the simple rosary she kept there, her lips moving silently as she recited her prayers. She firmly believed that she had been spared from that unwanted marriage for a purpose. She just didn’t know why yet.

Her close friend, Joy Campbell, watched Faith saying her prayers from the berth on which she was lying. Joy had been betrothed to marry a prosperous Virginia plantation owner with three motherless children, one of them not much younger than herself. She had celebrated her 17^th birthday while on their journey.  She hadn’t relished the thought of being married to a man old enough to be her father, but Joy was a dutiful daughter. Besides, one did not argue with Squire Campbell. The Campbell girls had learned that the hard way a long time ago.

Joy marveled at Faith’s devotion. She seemed to have the ability to believe that God had complete control over what was happening to them. Joy wasn’t so sure. She hoped that things would work out, but she didn’t have the unfailing trust in God’s love that Faith had. But whatever happened, she and her older sister, Mercy, should remain fairly well off with the hold full of valuable livestock and farming equipment safely below deck. She couldn’t help but smile, wondering what the Virginian would miss not getting the most, the young Scottish bride he had never seen before or the fancy Thoroughbred racehorses, cattle and sheep that were to be part of her dowry.

Faith and Joy both looked up when Grace and Temperance returned to the cabin they were all sharing until they arrived at the place the Captain had called Edan. Seeing Temperance’s pale face, Joy jumped up, offering her the berth to lie down on.

“May Joy and I go up on deck?” Faith asked her older sister. “I could use some fresh air.” Grace told her that she didn’t mind, but Father McBain would most likely chase them right back down again, especially if they got too near the railing.

Giggling, the two youngest girls left the cabin and made their way up onto the main deck. Joy stuck her head out. All she could see was the one that the crew called the Pilot steering the ship. “Coast is clear,” Joy whispered to Faith. She took her friend by the hand and together they ran to the rail. It was dusk, and there was a beautiful sunset, with the clouds bathed in the most wondrous reds and pinks.  

“Isn’t it marvelous?” Faith breathed happily. “It’s just as if God Himself took out His biggest paintbrush and splashed the sky with color just to make our hearts glad and to let us know that He hasn’t forsaken or forgotten us here in this new world.”

“Perhaps He did just that,” a male voice chuckled behind them. The girls turned to find the Captain leaning against the deckhouse, apparently enjoying the view himself. “We are making good time by the way,” he told them. “See that outcropping of rock just up ahead? On the other side is where the river that flows past Edan drains into the sea. It will be a nice bright moon tonight, so we should have no problem at all making our way up river. We should make it to Edan in just a couple more hours ”

The girls clapped their hands gleefully, making the Captain smile at their youthful exuberance.  Faith turned back to look at the painted sky, sighing softly.

“Captain MacLeod?” Joy asked in a timid voice. The Captain’s eyes spooked her a little. They were so terribly intense, and it seemed to her he could see right through her. “What will we find there? Is this Edan a good place?”

“I think so,” Connor said honestly. “Small right now, but growing steadily. With enough challenges to make life interesting.” He was watching the almost mesmerized Faith, whose lips were moving, but there were no words to be heard.

After a moment, Faith turned back to face the Captain. “Is there a church, kind sir?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine not having a church to worship in.

“Yes,” Connor assured her. “And we have two very nice priests who I’m sure you all will like.  You might find it amusing to know that one of them looks like me, and the other like Mr. Blackthorn over there. Three of them in all now in town, counting your friend, the Reverend McBain. We also have a nurse who was a novice in a convent before coming here.”

Faith sighed with relief upon hearing those words. If there was a church, all would be well. It had to be.