Chapter 26
Arriving back at the house James helped the guys take the packages and pram inside.
Mike carried his sleeping baby sister up to her new bedroom.
He returned down a minute later alone.
“Where’s Eddie?” Junior asked noticing his younger brother was nowhere in sight.
“He was tired,” Mike replied, but then explained. “Because the leg and walking around all day.”
Junior nodded his head in understanding. Him, the twins, Joanne and Adam were all sat in the front room with a pot of tea.
“I told him to take a nap with Cookie. You know how she is about waking up alone. Not to mention, she is in a new place and seems to have taken to him.”
They all agreed.
“I like your brother,” Joanne told her fiancé, who she was sat beside with her head on his shoulder.
“Yep,” Luke agreed. “He’s like a nicer version of his older brother.”
“You are a cheeky git,” Junior glared. “I am very nice! I didn’t throw you overboard when you first appeared on the ship, did I?”
“Oh, yes. I beg your pardon. You are so nice,” Luke replied sarcastically and they all laugh except Junior.
“Damn right, I am.”
**
“Five children?” Ettie asked wide-eyed.
Matthew had told her and Tilla everything that happened, both women were in tears. But surprising believed him without question.
They said he couldn’t know so much about electricity and other modern things. Not to mention, the fact that he and his sons were planning on creating dumb waiter on the ship – something that was around but it was rare in Briton.
“Yes. Adam, twenty-five, he was born less than a year after I had been there. Luke and Mike, twenty-three, they tend to be a little boisterous. But I have seen a great change in them since coming here. Joanne – Annie – nineteen, she is an amazing Godsend. She was always be my little girl.”
The women smiled.
“And then there is the newest one, Contessa – Cookie, two. She was a little shy at first. But now she is a spitfire… Feisty,” He corrected remembering they wouldn’t understand the meaning and they smiled.
“But she loves everyone and hugs and greets everyone she meets. She is really intelligent for a baby. She is the one I told you about earlier.”
Both women’s expressions turned angry.
“I dislike that woman. How can a mother abandon her child like that?!”
“I wish I had a little girl…” Tilla said sadly.
But due to a childhood illness Andrew’s had been told it would be unlikely he would ever father children.
“Do not get the wrong idea, I love my sons and I thank God for them every day. But I would love to have a little girl.”
“I know, love,” Her husband rubbed the back of her hand. “I, too.”
“You don’t have to worry on that score.” The group all looked confused be his slang.
“What I mean to say is that you and Andy both do not have to worry all my kids are at your house. The girls already treat and call Andy papa. I’m sure you’ll be a new mum for them.”
“Matthew!” His sister gasped and he rolled his eyes.
“I forgot how over dramatic you could be, Ettie.” He knew it was unheard of in them days – at least publicly – but if his children were happy, what did it matter?
“I am not. Tell him, Derek!”
“Who do you think Millie takes after?” Derek said quietly, but she still heard him.
“Derek!”
“On a positive note,” He said ignoring his wife’s glare. “I think the children will be able to teach Millie some manners.”
“The girls will get along,” Ettie glared at her husband but then smiled proudly to her brother.
“She has many women lining up for her friendship and many men vying for her attention too,” She bragged proudly.
Matthew rolled his eyes. He loved his sister, he did, but she so often live in a dreamland.
Like the time she thought the Mayor’s eldest wanted to marry her. She had told their parents and even began the planning. After a word with the man in question, Matthew had learned that he had merely greeted her and wished her well with her studies – he was a nice chap like that and Ettie did so often live in a young girl’s dreamland.
“Speaking of Millie and the children, I have some news to tell you and Tilla,” Andy spoke this time.
“Is this about Junior and Millie?” Ettie guessed and he nodded.
“He has finally decided to settle down?” She guessed and again he nodded his head, but before giving him a chance to elaborate she began talking again. Matthew could see the cogs turning in her head, obviously the wrong way.
“This is very exciting. I told her he would change his mind. She will be so happy. She is already-“
“No!” Matthew cut her off. “He is getting married, but to my Annie.”
“But…” Her mouth opened and closed. Do not get the wrong idea, he was happy to see his sister again, but now he remembered why she drove him so insane as a child. He couldn’t help but feel more than a little happy to have made her speechless.
“He choose her?” Tilla questioned surprised.
“Oh, yes. He was planning the wedding within minutes of meeting her,” Her husband half joked.
“You should see how he is with her. I would never have believed it possible if I had not have seen it with my own eyes. He quite literally kisses the ground she walks on.”
Both women looked surprised but smiled.
They began chattering excitedly about the wedding and finally being family.
It seemed that it didn’t matter to Tilla who Junior married, she just wanted to be related – sisters – to Ettie.
“We should tell Millie before she finds out the hard way.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
**
“Dad will have to teach you to cook properly, Annie.”
“Or I could just get him to cook for us,” She suggested.
Her brothers laughed and Junior laughed while he stroked her hair.
“He would do that as well.”
They laughed and talked together while waiting for their parents to return.
In the kitchen a celebratory dinner was being prepared as by Andrew’s order and the dining room being catered for over a dozen guests.
Joanne had her head resting on Junior’s chest as he and the guys continued to talk about their future plans, all of them still sat in the front room.
“I actually kind of miss the boat – the work,” Admitted Luke and his twin nodded. “But it’s good to have a little down time.” They had both proven themselves ten times over. Not only surprising their family but themselves.
“Yes,” Adam agreed. “It’s better than a gym.”
“You’re telling me.”
A rattling noise and then the knocker banged against the front door indicating a visitor.
Footsteps as James walked to answer the door. The guys continued to speak until they heard someone enter the room with them.
They didn’t have to ask who it was. She looked just as described to them.
Her blonde hair tied up neatly and dressed in her best dress. Her corset pulled tightly, giving her a unnatural shape – one that none of the men in the room personally desired.
She was beautiful, but she clearly knew it and used it to her advantage. She looked every bit a Victorian lady.
“Millie, what are you doing here alone? Where are my parents?”
“They are in my house,” She answered staring daggers at Annie but quickly hid the look behind a fake excited expression. “Who are your new friends, Andrew?” She gave the men seductive looks but they wore cold expressions. They hated her purely from what they learnt from the history book.
“Your cousins, Adam, Mike, Luke and Joanne. I am engaged to be married to Joanne,” Junior answered coolly.
Millie was too shocked to speak. Not that she would of had a chance.
“Hello,” Joanne said politely now sat up. “I’m Joanne. And before you get the stupid idea of trying to break us up, don’t,” She told her seriously, all the time smiling. She wasn’t planning on dying or letting Junior hurt himself.
“Andrew Junior is to be my husband.” She placed her hand on Junior’s chest, just over his heart. “This is mine…” Then on his leg, he tensed as she moved her hand upwards, stopping only an inch from his privates – which he was struggling to keep dormant. “And this mine, as is every other part of him.” She knew she was probably being childish, but it seemed like the only type of language her cousin would understand for certain.
Millie gaped, “I..I…” She stood staring in shock as he willingly pressed his lips to Joanne’s and stole a kiss.
“Congratulations,” She finally said a minute later with a forced smile. But her eyes told a different story. She didn’t look upset, she was angry.
“I have plenty of suitors,” She bragged.
“They are obviously blind and dumb,” Adam commented making his brothers laugh.
She frowned looking confused. She wasn’t used to men speaking to her in any other way than kindly. Well, minus Andrew Junior, but he was like that with everyone. Even women were normally kind, though a few did act unladylike because they were jealous, but she could deal with that.
“Big headed girls are only good for one thing,” Mike stated.
“He means vain girls are only good for sex,” Luke told her happily with a smile after seeing her confusion.
“I am not a loose woman, unlike some women,” She looked at Joanne accusingly.
“What the hell is that suppose to mean?”
“Just that Andrew would never choose someone like you,” She looked down her nose at her. “Over me unless he had too.”
Instead of getting angry as they all expected Joanne smirked. “Ha, you’re jealous,” She laughed making the other girl frown. “You’re jealous because he choose me. He willingly kisses, touches and pursued me. He chased me and asked me to marry him because he loves me. And yes, I did offer him my virginity many of times – I mean, who wouldn’t?”
Her brothers were a little surprised to hear this, but the fact that he said no only made them like and respect him more.
“He is a stunningly handsome and a kind man. But he is too much of a gentleman and wants to wait until we are married before we do anything.”
Millie stood mouth gaping.
Before anything else could be said more the front door rattled again and a loud knock followed.
“The folks are back.”
Again James answered the door, only this time he was greeted with a raised voice.
“Why the hell was the door locked?!” Andrew exclaimed.
“Master Andrew instructed me lock the door so the baby did not leave the house alone, again.”
The last thing anyone wanted was the tiny girl running into the road and getting hurt or lord knows what.
“I understand. Good idea, continue,” He instructed and several sets of footsteps followed before the door closed.
He was the first to enter, followed by Matthew, Derek and two beautiful looking women in their late thirties, early forties.
Junior moved Joanne’s hand in his. He didn’t want his mother meeting his future wife for the first time with her hand in a unladylike position.
Everyone stood from their seats, ready to greet and meet the new women.
