Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley

Author:Vanessa Riley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

After a long dinner with Mamie and Elise, we Lunics return to our quarters. It’s been a good week of everyone getting along. By our small burgundy sofa, Pierre plays with Françoise and the lion he’s carved for her. It has wheels at the base.

Somewhere between Martinique and Guadeloupe, he has found the time to make it. Adélaïde talks to him about geography. All are laughing.

I’m standing at the threshold of my bedchamber, watching my family. For the first time in months, I’m happy. All is turbulent outside, but together here at Place Royale we’re safe. I didn’t know how much I loved this feeling until all of Saint-Domingue battled.

Though Pierre is smiling, he seems distracted. I don’t want to argue about anything tonight. I just want to enjoy him, our family.

After an hour of songs, a quick knock on my door has my heart pounding. With the increasing number of soldiers and raids and rebellions, I’m fretful. I’ve fed people the Colonial Assembly hate. I don’t want to be made an example.

But it’s just Elise at our threshold.

My pulse settles as she enters and calls to the children. “Monsieur Lunic, I’m so glad you’re back. Hopefully your work away is done.”

His lips press into a line. “Most things, Mademoiselle Lobelot. But one can never solve all problems at once.”

Nodding, she takes Françoise into her arms.

“Père!” my baby says with a dribble down her juicy lips.

“Oh, she said it again.” Elise claps. “You’ll talk in gobs soon. Maybe sing, too.”

Pierre’s face is a puzzle. One minute he’s happy Françoise calls him her father. Then his eyes shift, and his smile fades a little.

“Come along, little one.”

Françoise clutches the delicate kerchief of my aunt’s dress. Adélaïde follows and smooths the yawning child’s green-printed pinafore.

Elise and Adélaïde will talk politics and read more renegade stories. The Moniteur General de la Partie Française de Saint-Domingue is the current source. All the newspapers keep shuttering. Their owners must not be able to sort out Le Cap’s politics, either.

When all have left and our quarters are quiet, I sit beside Pierre. “What didn’t go well? I can tell something is wrong.”

He threads his large hands together. “Nothing is wrong.”

Pierre tugs at the ribbon in his hair. Dark locks with a spattering of silver fall. “Everything is great. What I have to say can actually wait.”

He puts his arms about me and I hold him tighter. “The world has been crazy. Many are hurt and hungry. I miss having you here. Please don’t be angry at me for serving my ministry.”

“I understand chasing dreams. I’ve chased you for a long time.”

Has he? The past few months it seems I exist only in the moments between his projects. Yet this has shown me I can miss him, miss him terribly. The regular sharing of a bed has become more than pleasant. I’ll not deny the feelings he evokes when his hands slip to my hips.

He dips his head and teases my lips.

The kiss is soft . . .

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