Signs of Love and Deliverance Read online

  SIGNS OF LOVE AND DELIVERANCE

  A Deliverance Society Novel

  Volume 1

  Tracy Kay

  Through the stormy seas of life sails Deliverance.

  Copyright © 2017 by Tracy K. Heeren

  2nd Edition 2018

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced or distributed in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. While there may be references to actual historical events, people and existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 1546455515

  ISBN 13: 9781546455516

  To my husband, Dan, without you this story would never have been finished. Your love and encouragement mean the world to me.

  Mom, we love and miss you. You sing with the angels now.

  CONTENTS

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  THE INTRODUCTION

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  EPILOGUE

  DELIVERANCE FAMILIES AND CHARACTERS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Thank you to my readers for thinking this story is worth a few hours of your time. But be forewarned: This novel contains harsh language, violence, sexual situations, and adult themes. If any of that offends you, please don’t read this book. All the characters I created, their names and titles, are fictional. The events I created are all fictional. Any resemblance my characters have or created events have to an actual person/s or event/s is by coincidence and unintended. This novel takes place during the Regency time period, but I do not consider it a typical Regency romance novel, more like a Regency romance/drama/soap opera. The story wanted to be written in this time period, but it is its own alternate reality. I took great liberties regarding the rules of peerage titles and the etiquette of the time period to make things interesting in my story, and yes, it is all very complicated. It is enough to make this American girl’s head spin and I am sure I didn’t get it right. For those of you who find the blatant mistakes, some of which are intentional and some of which are not, shake your head in derision and try to enjoy the story despite my errors. Although I try to be as historically accurate as possible, I have taken some liberties here as well with places, people, events, customs, and language. All of this is intentional and I am fully aware of these inaccuracies. This is just how the story played out. So, please forgive me and enjoy the story anyway. This is my first finished novel and I have loved writing every word of it. I am madly in love with my characters and their many trials and tribulations. I hope you fall in love with them too.

  THE INTRODUCTION

  The Deliverance Society began when two young men, Conrad Morgan, the captain of the ship The Deliverance, and Raven, the first mate, started rescuing and helping people who were in trouble. Their first rescue was Brandon Cathcart. His mother had died in St. Thomas, leaving the boy to his own defenses. A year later, Damon Spencer was rescued from the captain of a slave ship who abused him. Maxine Stuart joined the crew after her grandmother died, leaving her with no family or money to care for herself. Cassandra Bradford was running from tragedy when Conrad and Brandon found her. They heard her story and added her to their crew. Chameleon went aboard The Deliverance disguised as Conrad’s new cabin boy. Upon discovering her duplicity, she, too, became a permanent member of the crew.

  As the years went by and with the funds from the Countess of Ravenleigh, the Deliverance Society created a network throughout the world, which helped men, women, and children who were abused, abandoned, enslaved or wronged. The Ravenleigh Shipping Line was developed for their cover. The Deliverance Society included many taverns, shops, and other establishments with dedicated people. However, Conrad, Raven, Brandon, Damon, Maxine, Cassandra, and Chameleon formed a bond which would guide them through tragedy, secrecy, and survival, and lead them to family, love, and destiny.

  PROLOGUE

  Summer 1802, America

  Damon Spencer’s mother died when he was two while giving birth to his dead sister. His father drank and hit him too much. His father worked when he was sober, which wasn’t often, and they barely had enough money to survive. Damon was always in trouble and ran with the street boys. When he was caught stealing, his father beat him close to death, and at eight years of age, Damon ran away to join the merchant ship The Flying Manna as a cabin boy. Damon was tall for his age and easily passed for the age of ten. Damon didn’t know it was a slave ship. He didn’t know it would be worse than living with his father.

  The Captain, Reginald Flint, was a dirty, slovenly, mean man and so was his ship. The crew followed his example and was abusive to the slaves and those crew members weaker than they. Damon was one of those weaker members.

  Besides serving the Captain’s every whim, one of Damon’s duties was feeding the slaves. The food he was told to give them was usually rotted or dotted with weevils. He did his best to smuggle fresh food to them, but he wasn’t always successful. Damon hated seeing the slaves huddled and chained together in the damp, rat infested hold, hated watching the defeated women being taken to and from the captain’s cabin. Every time he was caught helping them, whether it was giving them fresh food or a kind word, Damon was beaten with the whip for his efforts, but the beatings didn’t keep him from helping those defenseless and terrified people. A cabin boy couldn’t offer much and the little kindnesses he could give them weren’t nearly enough. The whippings and beatings, no matter how severe they became, were worth seeing a brief smile of appreciation appear on an empty, desolate face.

  Damon was always getting into trouble. He earned many scars from the whippings and untreated wounds. The Captain never allowed him to leave the ship when in port because of his defiant nature. Damon tried to be obedient, but the crew always blamed him for their misdeeds, and besides, he had difficulty being good. He had a mischievous personality and could not help himself. When someone dared him, he could never turn it down. It was two years before he was finally allowed to have off-shore privileges for his good behavior; however, he was instructed to stay with the crew members. He was not allowed to leave on his own.

  At a small tavern in the Carolinas, the sailors teased him about it being time for him to become a man. They tried to get one of the tavern maids to take him upstairs, but all he could do was blush, which caused them to laugh and drink more. He told them he w
anted to learn how to drink like a man first, so they poured him a drink and had another round. Damon bid his time, waiting for them to get intoxicated enough so he could escape. As the evening wore on and his mates became excessively inebriated, Damon began swapping glasses with the sailors near him, praying that they would become so drunk they would not notice his disappearance. He covertly watched each man and the other customers in the room. He believed no one was aware of what he was doing, but there were two young men at the table near the back door who were very interested in Damon’s antics.

  When the second sailor passed out and a third went upstairs with a barmaid, and there were only two sailors left awake, Damon told them he had to take a piss. He got up and went towards the back door, praying he could make his escape. As he walked past the table with the two young men, the blond one put out his booted foot and tripped Damon, who was looking over his shoulder too concerned about being followed by one of his mates than the men in his path.

  When Damon started to fall, he was caught by a young man with black hair and blue eyes. “Steady there, boy. You could get hurt,” he said in a calm, soothing voice.

  Thinking it was his fault, Damon apologized in a rush. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean ya no harm.” Damon again looked over his shoulder and fidgeted, wanting to get away before being noticed. He turned back to the black-haired man, noticing for the first time that the man could not be much more than seventeen or eighteen years old. “Excuse me, but I gotta go.”

  “What is your hurry, boy?” The blond man with steely gray eyes questioned in a soft, silky baritone.

  Damon glanced at him and then back to the black-haired man and decided that the blond man was the more dangerous one. With a shaky voice, he answered, “I gotta take a piss.”

  “That can wait. Take a seat,” the blond stated, as the black-haired man pulled out a chair and pushed Damon firmly into it. “What is your name, boy?”

  “Damon Spencer,” he declared distractedly, looking back over his shoulder.

  “I am Conrad Morgan and this is my first mate, Raven.” Conrad nodded his head at Raven in introduction.

  Damon stared at them both and thought that Raven’s name definitely suited him. “Hello,” he responded, not knowing what else to say.

  Conrad chuckled. “Hello yourself. Now, tell me what all this subterfuge is about.”

  “What?” Damon asked, confused.

  “The switching of drinks with your mates over there. You certainly wanted to get them drunk quickly.”

  Damon shook his head vigorously. “No.”

  “You know what I think?”

  Again, Damon shook his head.

  Conrad gently brushed a lock of Damon’s dirty, brown hair off his forehead and revealed a fresh bruise and sad, lost, amber eyes. “I think you are going to run away. I think you got tired of being hit and being the brunt of jokes. Am I right?”

  “No, sir. I like me mates. I would never run away. I was playin’ see. That is all.” Nervously, Damon looked back at his shipmates, wishing he was anywhere but here with these two scary men. He turned back to them and tried again. “Honest, all I was goin’ to do was take a piss.”

  “Son, don’t lie to me.” Conrad picked up Damon’s hand and pushed his sleeve up to reveal more bruises and a nasty cut on his arm. “You have more like these on you.” It was a statement, not a question.

  Damon lied, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice and the tears from falling. “I fell.”

  “Puppy, I am going to have to teach you not to lie to me,” Conrad pronounced sternly, lifting his hand to Damon’s head.

  Damon shrank away from Conrad, putting his arms up to his head to ward off the blow he thought was coming. “Please don’t hurt me, sir. I promise I won’t lie or run away. I promise,” he begged, as he started to cry.

  “How old are you, Damon?” Raven inquired, watching him closely.

  “Ten,” he answered honestly. Damon sniffed and wiped away the shaming tears.

  Conrad sighed and reached for Damon.

  Damon started fighting him, but he was too scared to yell out for help, which he knew he wouldn’t get anyway.

  “Stop fighting me, boy,” Conrad ordered, as he lifted Damon onto his lap and tucked his head under his chin. As he started rubbing Damon’s back in soothing strokes, he heard Damon suck in his breath. He tipped Damon’s chin up with a finger to see the expression of pain on his face. Without a word, Conrad lifted Damon’s shirt to reveal the fresh welts and cuts on top of old ones covering Damon’s little back. Conrad cursed loudly. “Who did this?”

  Damon lowered his head and the tears started to fall again.

  “Your captain?” Conrad guessed and Damon nodded his head. “Why?”

  “I couldn’t climb to the top of the mainmast, sir,” Damon mumbled between sobs.

  Conrad lifted his chin up at Raven. “Pay the tab.” He got up and walked out the front door with Damon in his arms.

  “Where are ya taking me, sir?” Damon peeked up at Conrad questioningly as they left the tavern.

  “To the Deliverance. No one is going to beat you like this again, son. That I promise you.”

  “Am I goin’ to be a member of your crew, sir?” Damon asked tentatively, uncertain if he should trust the man or not.

  “Yes, you are, puppy.”

  “Are ya the capt’n?” He searched Conrad’s features with feelings of fear and hope.

  “Yes, I am, and you are going to be my new cabin boy. If that is all right with you?” Conrad smoothed back the dirty hair off Damon’s face.

  “Yes, sir,” Damon wrapped his arms around Conrad’s neck. “Thank you.” Instinctively, Damon knew he was safe for the first time in his short life.

  “You are welcome.” Conrad gave him a squeeze and boarded the skiff which would take them to the Deliverance.

  Spring 1807 England

  “Mum, can’t we please attend the party for a little while?” The eight-year-old girl with red hair and freckles pleaded with big, brown eyes.

  Glancing at her youngest daughter and two sons, Marion sighed as she paused in applying the rouge to her lips. “Children, you are too young.”

  “But Mum, you are letting Vonnie attend,” reasoned the brown-haired, brown-eyed boy of eleven years.

  “Zachary, she is fifteen and I am not very pleased that she is attending, but she talked your father into it,” complained the thin, statuesque woman with irritation.

  “Oh, but Mum,” whined five-year-old Jeremy, a younger version of his brother, Zachary, and the youngest of her large brood.

  “I said no. However, if you are quiet you can watch from the top of the stairs as the guests arrive, but you must be very quiet.”

  “Thank you,” chorused three excited voices.

  “Now children, let me finish getting dressed,” their mother ordered. As she ran a brush through her long, dark brown locks, they heard a piercing scream. “What now!” Marion grouched, throwing down her brush in agitation, and rushed from the room to investigate with three curious children following her. She turned to them and ordered, “Stay here.”

  The three children stared questioningly at each other, then sat on the bed to wait for their mother’s return.

  The house was eerily silent before the first shot was heard and another scream.

  “Zachary, what do you think is going on?” Joselyn asked.

  “I don’t know.” Getting off the bed, Zachary tugged at her hand. “Come on, we can go see, but be real quiet so Mum won’t know.” He put a finger to his lips as they walked to the railing at the top of the stairs overlooking the foyer.

  The sight that met the three children was beyond their young minds’ comprehension. Many of their servants littered the floor in pools of blood, while men in dark clothing walked through the room waving pistols and knives in the air, occasionally checking the bodies for life. The children watched in bewilderment, while their older brother was shot in the head and their father began to scream
from the pain of a lethal knife carving his tender flesh. The screams from their two older sisters, Vonnie and Diane, and their mother drew their attention. They watched in horror as their mother and sisters were brutally raped when the voice reached them. “Where are the others? Aren’t there two more boys and a girl?”

  “I don’t know, my lord,” replied a voice coming from one of the men on the dance floor.

  “Well, go find them!” The unseen man demanded as Zachary grabbed his brother and sister, shoved them into their parents’ room, and towards the large bed.

  “Under here, and don’t say a word,” Zachary whispered as he rolled under the bed, pulling the coverlet down to hide them.

  The children stayed silent as they heard the men burst into the room. They held their breath when the door was opened and let it out when it was slammed shut. They waited what seemed like hours before the door was opened again and they heard the voice of their Great Aunt Beatrice.

  Summer 1807, England

  Jonathan Cathcart, the heir apparent to the Duke of Warlington, and his wife, Elizabeth Cathcart, did not pay much attention to their children, particularly their troublesome daughter, Madeline. They were always too involved with each other and their social engagements to be bothered. Elizabeth hired nurses and governesses throughout the years to raise their children, and she and her husband were perfectly content with the situation, no matter the cost to their children.

  As a child, Madeline Cathcart loved to play outdoors, climb trees, play games with her brothers and sister, and ride horses. Madeline was a high-spirited child with bright, green eyes and soft, blond curls who found herself in constant trouble. Despite the efforts of her governess, Mrs. Grebbs, a very tall, thin woman with a tight chignon and lips pursed as if she had tasted something sour, Madeline was a bit of a prankster and an easy going, happy child. Madeline’s eyes would sparkle like emeralds when she laughed or planned some new scheme to annoy her siblings. One of her favorite pranks was to put mice or frogs in Mrs. Grebbs’ room. It was a suitable revenge against an unfair woman.