The Salk Island West Legacy, Gen. 4, Ch. 3

Chapter 3
Nell was one very loved baby! Ben thought, as he held her close to his heart, that having a grandchild was nothing like having a child. It was hard to describe, but it was a totally different mix of emotions. One thing was certain – this baby was probably the most loved and fussed over child on the island at the moment.
Waverider was nearly ready for another voyage, and Jake was visiting his sister, Sal, with a proposition.
“I know Rachel’s desperate for a voyage with us, and I’d love for her to meet my wife and children – her cousins, after all! What about her not only sailing with us on Waverider, but also visiting my family?”
“Oh, please may I?” Rachel cried.
Sal thought about it.
“I don’t see why not. Though it will mean a long absence – I’ll miss you! But yes, it would be lovely to have some contact with your cousins, and I’m not going to get to go there. And with Sarah being older now, we can cope without you – just! Mind, I need to talk to Anders as well.”
Rachel hugged her uncle enthusiastically, while Sal went off to find Anders and tell him about Jake’s offer. She was pretty sure he’d agree to the plan as well.
“Do you think you’ll want to go on Waverider too?” Petranella asked Sarah.
“No, I don’t think so. Rachel’s always wanted to explore, to find out what’s round the next corner. I’m more like my father – I’m content here. And Hannah’s quieter still – we should have named Rachel after Great-Aunt Hannah.”
There were more things to discuss, but the upshot was that Rachel would be leaving the island with her uncle, and wouldn’t be back for quite some time.
“I’ll send messages with any ship we can,” Jake promised his sister. “And you know I’ll take great care of her.”
Siobhan was old enough to be a real help to Morag in the garden and round the house – and Morag was glad of the help. Siobhan, on the other hand, was getting very fed up with how little Bella and Brede did. There was always some excuse on their lips, or some reason why they had to go away and do something more pleasant. And she was worried about Morag, who was beginning to look exhausted. Why didn’t Patrick notice the state his daughter was in?
Mostly because he, too, was so busy. They were storing just enough food, eventually, for the winter, but it was a close-run thing each year. He and Callum were often out from dawn onwards, fishing – or gutting and salting their catch: much too smelly and messy a job to do at home. He wasn’t quite sure why he could never seem to get enough done, so he kept trying harder. Callum was the only child he had any time with any more. Bella didn’t want Brede to learn to fish yet – Brede was too little, she said.
Morag had been out one day, looking for wild plants to bring home for the garden. Tired and thirsty, she realised she’d ended up near Tobias and Barnabas’s little house, which was looking very smart now, with a fine productive garden at the front. She could ask them for a drink.
She went to admire their plants first, before knocking on the door, but Tobias saw her and came out to greet her.
He was shocked by the change in her. She looked grubby, uncared for – and, worst of all, worn out. Why?
“I haven’t seen you in ages, Morag. How are you doing? And where have you been hiding yourself?”
Her sad eyes looked back at him
“You know how it is. There’s always so much to do…I never seem to have any free time. Could I beg a drink of water, please?”
Barnabas came back (from visiting Bianca. Again), and hugged Morag in welcome. She felt too thin in his arms. Tobias vanished inside to find her a drink, and Barnabas chatted for a while, taking in her general air of exhaustion.
“Sit here for a bit – you look so tired. I’ll find you something to eat as well.”
By the time the two brothers came out of the house, Morag was asleep.
“This isn’t right. Poor Morag looks dreadful.”
“I know. What can we do about it?”
“I know what we can do,” Barnabas said. “Next time I visit Bianca…”
“Like tomorrow?” Tobias teased.
Barnabas blushed, but didn’t deny it. “…I’ll have a word with Brigit. This is her grandchild, after all.”
“And talking of Bianca – she’s just said, yes, she’ll marry me!”
Tobias hugged his brother and congratulated him heartily.
“I need to go and live there, though – since Carlo died, they’ve had no man around the place. Do you mind?”
But Tobias knew that his brother was right. “I can handle stuff here now – we’ve done all the hard work together. And they do need you.”
Bella was stirring a pot of stew – Patrick and Callum would be home soon; the sun was setting. Brigit had always done most of the cooking too – Bella wanted her mother back! It didn’t seem fair that Brigit should be helping to look after a stranger’s children, instead of her own daughter and grandchildren.
Patrick had arrived to find Siobhan still at work in the darkening garden.
“All on your own? No Morag?”
“She’s gone out foraging,” Siobhan said tersely.
“Oh – and I suppose Bella’s stopped to make a meal.”
Siobhan snorted. “You can’t stop if you haven’t started.”
Patrick frowned at his daughter’s rudeness, but decided not to make an issue of it. She was probably just tired – he knew he and Callum were.
Now Patrick thought about it, there didn’t seem to be the same happy atmosphere that he’d once known in his home. Siobhan was glowering, Callum didn’t look particularly cheerful – and where was Morag? And why hadn’t Brede come downstairs in time for tea?
And when Brede eventually sauntered in, it seemed to Patrick that she was altogether too sure of her welcome. He looked at his wife, and wondered if she’d noticed these things too. He’d always left the child-raising to Bella, while he’d attended to the practical side of things – she’d loved having the children round her so much. But maybe it was all proving more than she could handle now? If only he wasn’t so tired!
Astrid and Petranella had been forced inside by the rain. Like everyone else on the island, they had been busy from dawn till dusk, harvesting, drying, smoking, salting – anything and everything to have enough food to see them through the winter.
“Though it’s not so much the winter,” Petranella said reflectively, “as that lean bit before all the new stuff starts growing again.”
“Yes – there’s fresh fish again, but not much else!”
“How’s the new wine cellar coming on?”
“Nicely. We’ve paid over all this year’s vintage to the Waverider crew, for their help in building it, but Jon says it’ll make such a difference in years to come that it’s worth doing it.”
“Do you remember what this place looked like when we first came here?”
“It was a total ruin, wasn’t it?”
“You do remember!”
“Oh yes, easily. But your memories go further back than anyone else’s on the island now. Petranella, you should tell them to me, and I’ll write them down for us to keep. There’s only you and Brigit remember Jon and Nell now from when they were young. I only knew them as grandparents.”
“And now you’re a grandparent! I have to say, you’re wearing well.”
“Hmmm. I tell you this, I’m beginning to feel the difference. I don’t have any problem believing I’ve got grown up sons.”
“I know what you mean. I am beginning to feel like the last of my line. I do miss the others – though I’m not lonely really, with so many other people around all the time.”
“That first night here at this house, and all of us eating outside – it was ages before we could eat inside: remember?”
“I remember that too – David and Ingrid were still children.”

“What else do you remember, Astrid? You should write down your memories as well as mine – and then one of your grandchildren might add theirs one day…”
“Mostly, how hard we worked, to get enough food! But I do remember some very happy times doing that as well…”
The two of them sat there, both thinking about times gone by. Petranella was right, Astrid decided – she would write down the history of the island, starting with Petranella’s memories, and carrying on with her own. This would be worth doing.
Barnabas and Bianca couldn’t get married until the end of the harvest – everyone was much too busy before then! But once every last bit of food had been gathered in, and winter began to steal across the island, they did get married. It was the first indoor wedding on the island, and the Luigli house was as full as it could be. It was looking like a snowy winter, and this would be the last chance all the families would have to get together, before the weather closed them into their homes. Carla and Jon watched their sister and brother get married to each other, and both thought, “We’re not the only ones now!”
After the wedding, Brigit asked Barnabas what he thought about how Morag and her other grandchildren were looking.
“I did have a word with Patrick – but everyone was so busy with the harvest, it was no wonder Morag looked tired. He looked pretty exhausted too. But I’m still not happy.”
“Me neither. Tobias is nearer them than we are, and he’s trying to keep an eye out for the children – Morag in particular.”
“I wish I knew more about what was going on. Morag had hardly anything to say to me. I know she was always quiet.”
“You asked the wrong grandchild. Siobhan says plenty!”

Barnabas imitated Siobhan rather well.
“Morag’s wearing herself out, because she believes Bella when Bella tells hger she should be able to get things finished. I’m being run ragged, and Bella does next to nothing except play with Brede and look at the cot and sigh about how much she wishes she’d had more babies…”
“Right. That settles it. Once this winter is over, I’m going there to give my daughter a piece of my mind. And Patrick as well, probably.”
And though Brigit looked small and frail these days, Barnabas reckoned he wouldn’t want to tangle with her!
Astrid and Ben were going to become grandparents for a second time! Actually, they were going to become grandparents for a third time as well, because Barnabas and Bianca were expecting a child too. Unlike Carla, Bianca had conceived remarkably quickly.
“But we’re not going to make Bella’s mistake,” Barnabas had said to Jon. “We’re not going to have more children than we can cope with.”
Ben was looking round the fine new cellar that the crew of Waverider had helped to dig and build. The only wine in it at the moment was this year’s pressing, fermenting in the big barrels, but presently there would be bottles on the racks again. He and Jon were getting better and better at making wine – Jon and Astrid had done so much to improve the quality of the grapes, and that made a big difference. And Jon had learnt a lot on his voyage on Waverider: wherever they had anchored, he had sought out local vintners and learned all he could from them.
Life had definitely changed on the island. About four or five ships called each year now, to re-water and to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. They were getting to know what to bring with them, and one of the things they were bringing was books. Nell and Jon had been determined that every child on the island should learn to read and write, and they had succeeded in that, but now there was a choice of books to read!
And there were even books for the very young. Just one or two, and very precious. Jon sat with his little daughter snuggled up against him, and read her the story of the ant and the grasshopper. One day, he’d be reading this to his next child too – another son or daughter.
It was another daughter! Ben cuddled his second grand-daughter and felt the same awe and amazement that had swept over him when he cuddled his first.
“Hello, little Maria,” he whispered into her perfect little ear. “Welcome to the island

The Salk Island West Legacy, Gen. 4, Ch. 2

Chapter 2
Jon watched the sun rise from out of the sea. Today was his wedding day. Today he and Carla would begin a whole new life together – still in this house, for he was the one to inherit the vineyards, but together!
Jon gazed into Carla’s eyes, so full of love for her that he was surprised he wasn’t shining visibly.
And there were so many people there! All the island had come to the wedding, and was milling around outside the house, dressed in their wedding finery.
Barnabas waved at Bianca, who was looking a bit overawed by it all. She’d never seen everyone together all in one place before now.
She caught his eye, and suddenly didn’t feel quite so lost in this crowd of people.
Ben, Tobias and little Luisa – now past the crawling stage – all thought that it was incredibly moving, seeing and hearing Jon and Carla make their promises to each other.
They weren’t the only ones…
Astrid felt a strange pang at her heart – her eldest child was married. She was so happy for him and Carla, but it was still strange to think of him growing up and away from her.
“But I don’t want to hang on to him,” she thought to herself. “This is silly! Or maybe it’s just normal…”
After the promises, everyone broke up into small happy groups. It had been a long time since the last wedding, and it was good to have a reason to celebrate something together, instead of mourning.
Astrid and Maria hugged each other delightedly.
“I’m so relieved,” Maria said. “Jon is such a good boy – he’ll take care of Carla. And Cecelia and Brigit will look after Luisa and Bianca. Oh, Astrid, it was the best thing that happened to us, meeting your son. Thank you so much.”
Astrid could imagine how worried Maria must have been, after Marco and Liesel had been killed, and they’d been left with three children on their hands.
“Well, I think meeting your grand-daughter was the best thing that’s ever happened for Jon,” she replied. “So I’m in your debt!”
Astrid, Ben and the boys had built on to their house, to make an extra bedroom for Jon and Carla. There was plenty of timber on the island, and it was surprising how quickly you could put up a timber-framed building with enough help!
Carlo’s wedding gift to his grand-daughter was a beautiful new bed, and Maria had made them a cover for it, with a pattern of vines embroidered on it. And Astrid, when she saw it, made a mental note to get Maria to teach some of the younger ones her embroidery skills!
Carla sat on the lovely bed, still in her wedding dress that had been worn by so many brides before her, and waited a little nervously for her husband to come to bed as well.
He came and sat next to her, and slid his arm around her shoulders.
“Well, my beautiful wife, we’re finally alone…”
After the excitement of the wedding, everyone settled back down into normal life. Time did what time does, and went on. The rest of Jon’s generation were growing up fast. Rachel, Sal and Anders’ eldest daughter was growing up unbelievably like her grandmother – not only did she look really like Ade, but she also had the same bold and adventurous spirit. When both Tobias and Barnabas had been on a voyage on Waverider, she was going too!
Petranella was definitely old now – though still energetic. She’d taken both Sarah and Hannah out fishing. They were standing very close to the water…
“Just don’t fall in, or Sal will not be pleased with me.”
“You know we can both swim!”
Sal was round the other side of the old mill, looking at its supports, which were more rickety than ever.
She went round and joined the others.
“Just don’t fall in, you two. Maria put a lot of effort into that embroidery on your clothes. Petranella, I think this building’s going to have to come down, it’s so unsafe. What do you think?”
“I think you’re probably right. And there’d be a lot of firewood for everyone from it.”
Morag, Patrick and Bella’s eldest child, was no longer a child, but a rather hard-working young woman. She was so busy in the garden, she didn’t notice the rainbow in the sky: only her wet clothes sticking to her skin.
Patrick had taken Siobhan and Callum with him to the fishing hole, and the same rain had caught them out.
“This isn’t much fun,” Siobhan complained.
“I know, my love, but we have to catch enough fish to eat and to store for next winter. Remember how hungry we’ve been, these last two winters gone? And you’re all getting bigger – you’re only going to need more to eat.”
“And the fish like the rain,” Callum said gamely. “Look how they’re biting.”
“Well, what about Morag and Brede and Mother?” Siobhan demanded. “Bet they’re not wet.”
“I bet they are,” Patrick said. “They’re doing the garden – and that’s outside too! But you’re doing very well, my brave wet darling.”
Siobhan was silent. She loved her father very much – and he was just as wet as she was. And it wasn’t really cold out, just wet. She stopped complaining, and concentrated on her fishing.
“Oh Brede, you are a good girl. You’re making the beds.”
Brede was the youngest of Bella’s four children, and her baby still.
Bella desperately wanted another baby, desperately wanted to feel as happy as she’d felt when she been pregnant with their children, but Patrick wouldn’t hear of it.
“We have enough to do feeding the four we have already. Not to mention doing everything else.”
And it was true. Bella found it hard to make enough time for everything. Clothes for instance – her mother had always made or mended them. How was she supposed to fit everything in?
“I love to help you, Mother.” Brded hugged her mother, and Bella’s heart melted within her.
“Will you read me a story?”
“Well, we ought to be outside, doing the garden…”
“Please will you?”
Out in the wet garden, or inside reading to her baby? It was no contest at all as far as Bella was concerned! She headed for the bookcase.
And outside in the rain, Morag was left alone to do the work of two people, while Brede settled down happily for a story from her mother.
Bianca was happier than she had been for ages. With Cecelia and Brigit living with them, Carlo and Maria weren’t so tired always. And they hadn’t been hit so hard by the cold over the last couple of winters. Maria had the time to make and embroider clothes again. And Carlo’s sense of humour and silly jokes had come back. He’d been teaching her his woodworking skills too, and Bianca had really loved that. She hadn’t got much patience with a needle, but give her a saw or a chisel and she was well away.
And she wasn’t the only happy one either. Working in the garden with Bianca, as the sun set, Cecelia was feeling more contented than she had done in a long time. Her grief over Joshua’s death had faded from its first wild anguish – “as it should,” Brigit had said to her, when Cecelia had confessed that she didn’t feel as sad, and did it mean she hadn’t loved him? And seeing more of her mother had been good for both of them.
It was also deeply satisfying to see the difference she made to the Luigli family, simply by being there and helping them. And they’d made a difference to her as well – Maria had made her new clothes, for a start. When she’d been with David and Ingrid, they’d only ever had time for the most basic of sewing. It hadn’t seemed to matter then, but there was a sneaking pleasure in knowing that she looked good.
Outside, Brigit was raking up a heap of old decaying leaves from the previous autumn. Inside, Maris was preparing a meal for them all. And both, each in their separate ways, were deeply grateful for the lives they now had – Brigit because moving here had given her a new purpose after Joshua’s death, and Maria because she could be confident that her grandchildren would be well looked after when she and Carlo were no longer there for them.
Tobias was the first one to spot Barnabas as he returned from his voyage on Waverider. The brothers thumped each other on the back, and hugged each other delightedly.
“Was it as good as I told you it would be?”

“Definitely! Hey – when did you grow that apology for a beard?”
Tobias clouted his brother. “More respect, you young whippersnapper. I was born first!”
Barnabas laughed, and then sobered up. “You always know the answer to this one – how many people on the island now?”
“Now you’re back, twenty-five. But Maria’s looking very frail these days.”
“I was afraid of that. How’s Bianca doing?” Barnabas’s question confirmed Tobias’s suspicions – that his brother was more than a little fond of his sister-in-law’s sister.
“Much better than she would have been without Brigit and Cecelia.”
“Hasn’t Bella had another baby yet?”
“No – and before you ask, neither have Carla and Jon. Don’t mention it – I think Carla’s a bit sensitive about it.”
“All right, I won’t. Is there any weeding that needs doing? – I’d love to feel the earth beneath my fingers again”
Carla was a bit sensitive about the lack of baby in her life. In fact, she was talking to Jon about it that very moment.
“I feel like there’s something wrong with me. I mean, look at Bella…And we’ve been married ages now.”
“Don’t worry, my love. We’ve got plenty of time. You’re still so very young. And actually, between you and me, I’ve loved our child-free time. I’ve enjoyed it immensely. In fact…”
Jon looked out of the window. Astrid, Tobias and the newly returned Barnabas were all in the vineyard. And he knew that Ben was busy too.
“In fact, we seem to have a little time to ourselves right now. Come here, my beautiful wife…”
And as Jon’s arms went around her waist, Carla stopped worrying and just let herself enjoy her husband. After all, Bella looked pretty worn-out these days – and this was fun…
No-one commented on their late arrival in the garden, but every so often they’d catch each other’s eyes and share a swift, secret smile.
“Barnabas and I have a plan we want to tell you about,” Tobias said to Astrid a few days later.
“We want to move out and take on one of the ruined houses together. Though we’d be glad to be fed for a while longer, during the building phase!”
“One day we might want to get married as well – and if we can make a home for one of us, so much the better.”
Astrid was sad at the thought of them going – but, on the other hand, they couldn’t stay here for ever, she knew that.
“We’ll miss you – you know we will. But whatever we can do to help, we will do.”
The twins picked a site where the original chimney and fireplace were still standing. It didn’t look like a home at all – but a few weeks later, it looked quite different.
“So – once we get the daub on this wattle, it’ll stop being so draughty. And we can have our old beds – and a stove when we can trade for one.”

“We’ve done well here, baby brother.”
The twins had gone, but the household gained another member – briefly. Hannah Waverider had come ashore with Barnabas, announcing that she’d made her last voyage. Jake had offered her a home with his wife and children, but she’d said no.
“I want to die here, on this island. And be buried next to Nils, please.”
There was no shortage of offers of a room for her last days, but in the end, Ben and Astrid took Hannah in. They owed her so much. If she hadn’t come looking for Nils – and the rest of the Svenson family – the island and the people on it would never have done so well.
But she was very frail now. Astrid, watching Hannah hobble slowly back to the house, thought that it wouldn’t be long before she was next to Nils at last. And Astrid was right.
Hard on the heels of Hannah’s death came another loss for the family. Maria died too – though, as is so often the case, sorrow and joy were mixed together. Carla had time to tell Maria and Carla that she was pregnant before Maria died, and she carried the memory of her grandmother’s happiness at the news within herself.
And Jon was also a huge comfort to her, when her grief threatened to overwhelm her. The tide of emotions that surged through her at the start of her pregnancy didn’t exactly help matters either!
Jon comforted her, told her she was wonderful, tried to fulfil her whims and fancies, and to be an understanding and patient husband to her. Secretly, he was amazed that they were going to be parents!
Carla had been just about to cook breakfast, when she was interrupted by something! And Jon lost his cool completely!
And the something that had interrupted the cooking turned out to be their baby daughter, Nell.