The 15th Star (A Lisa Grace History - Mystery) by Lisa Grace Page B

her own. “Ma’am, I knows you didn’t know it was dangerous. I is sorry I wasn’t careful. May God forgive me. I am glad to be back.”
    A tear slid out of the corner of Mrs. Pickersgill ’s eye. “Oh Grace, I’ll do better to keep you safe.”
    They stood that way for awhile, neither one sure of where to go from there.
    Grace decided to change the subject to get Mrs. Pickersgill away from the thought that Grace could have prevented the attack, “But Ma’am, you should have seen your flag raised. It was such a sight, and the sound of it flappin sounded like a fightin angel come down to earth. I never saw nothing that made my heart beat so hard out of gladness. What we do is important. I hads no idea.”
    They both smiled. “You should go rest Grace. I know how hard travel is on a body. Go rest. I’ll have Bethany get you if there is something that just can not wait till tomorrow.”
    When Grace went back to bed, she shoved the desk chair under her door. She was never so aware that she lived in a house of women. She ’d forgotten to ask if Mr. Jenson was around. She took no chances. That evening, after she awoke from a bad dream and the pain in her side, panic hit her and she cowered under her blanket. She prayed hard that night for God to give her peace. Having lived through the event, Grace asked God to not punish her by making her relive it. It took almost to morning before she felt the peace that comes from exhaustion. She had an unsettling thought in the back of her mind, but she pushed it back before it caused a fresh new round of panic.
    ***
    The next two weeks went by quickly. New ship orders for flags and colors had come in and they had more work than they could handle. With the days of fighting ahead, and the war drawing near, every regiment ordered flags. More ships were pressed into merchant service as the larger trade vessels were captured and conscripted into The Royal Navy’s service. Captured Royal Navy ships needed American colors and flags. The new ships being used to carry on for the merchants all required the proper flags and colors. Unfortunately, war was good for business.
    ***
    As Grace was busy sewing a color for another ship order, a loud banging and screaming erupted from the front door. Grace carefully put down her sewing and got up slowly as Bethany rushed past her from the kitchen. Mrs. Mary and Mrs. Rebecca came out of their rooms at the top of the stair.
    “ Mary, oh Mary,” A lady without her hat, crying and heaving, stormed into the parlor as Mrs. Bethany opened the door. It was Mrs. Nichols from down the street. She was one of Mrs. Pickersgill’s friends from church and her husband was the captain of a nice size merchant ship. “They’ve taken him, they’ve taken Thomas and his ship!” Mrs. Nichols fairly screamed the last part out and collapsed into Bethany’s arms. Mrs. Mary came down the stairs and Mrs. Rebecca followed. Caroline was not around as she was visiting at her cousins’, Eliza and Jane Young’s house, this week.
    Mary took over the holding of Mrs. Nichols and gently led her to a chair in the parlor. “Oh my dear! I am so sorry, I have kept your Thomas and his crew and ship in my prayers every night.”
    “ Bethany please get Mrs. Nichols a cup of coffee.” Mary turned her head to dismiss both Grace and Bethany. Grace picked up her sewing and followed Bethany into the kitchen. They could hear Mrs. Mary and Mrs. Rebecca comforting Mrs. Nichols as best they could.
    Bethany muttered words against the British under her breath while gathering a pot of coffee, creamer, and sugar, and placing them on a tray to take them into the parlor. The whole household had given up the drinking of tea in protest against the British and what they were doing to the merchant ships. Life in Baltimore revolved around the merchant ships. The British had been kidnapping the ships and the men for over nine years now, even though the war for independence had been over for more than