La Belle Christiane

By Lyn Cote

All rights reserved.

Chapter Four, Scene 2

“Well, my dear, though we try hard not to become involved, it is nearly impossible not to be aware of the news. Things are not going well for the Continental Army. The British general, I believe his name is Howe, landed his troops from ships in the harbor. The two armies just fought a battle a few days ago. Washington must have lost because I heard that they had to pull out of the Heights.” The woman sat down beside Christiane to pat her arm and to try to soften the news.

Christiane’s dismay was clearly etched on her face. “Then I must go as soon as I am able. Jakob may need me.”

“And thee has come all this way to join him?” The kind woman frowned. “Poor child, to have such a burden. Thee still should be protected in thy own home.” She made a clucking noise to show her distress.

“That was what Jakob wanted, but it was not possible.”

“My dear, I understand thy desire to be with thy husband. I should feel just the same if I were in thy place, but thee must get thy strength back first. Thee cannot help thy husband if thee faints upon arrival. You would only burden him.”

Sarah bit her lip. “Thee knows,” she went on, “they have been fighting since the end of August over in the city. The fighting moved there after Boston was retaken by the rebels.”

“You mean, you mean Jakob might already be…be beyond help?” Christiane asked weakly. The woman nodded soberly. Christiane stared into space briefly. Death seemed to loom up on both sides of her, behind her at Rumsveld and before her in New York. Tears came to her.

Impulsively Sarah put her arms around Christiane. “Thee does have a home–here. Thee and thy dear son and thy husband will always be welcome here.” Christiane hugged her back, unable to answer. How gracious, how generous were these Friends.

#

Nearly a month passed before Christiane knew it and October 1, 1776, Jean Claude’s first birthday arrived. That evening after supper Sarah Anne surprised Jean Claude with a birthday cake, shining with one candle. Christiane was even more thrilled than her son who took this with his usual cheerfulness. There were presents. First there was a blue pair of thumbless mittens, joined with a string, and a matching blue hood, both knitted by Sarah. Second was a pull toy, a bright yellow, wooden duck that Josiah had fashioned himself. Of course, Jean Claude, squealing with joy, ignored the knitwear and clutched the duck.

“Oh, Josiah, how clever of you!” exclaimed Christiane. “He has never had a proper toy before! And, Sarah Anne, thank you for the mittens and hood. They will help keep him warm this winter.”

A kind of shadow passed over the Richardsons’ faces almost simultaneously. The shadow passed instantly and made Christiane wonder what caused it.

The next few minutes were spent in exclaiming over Jean Claude’s antics with his little duck. He licked it, chewed its tail, yanked its string, banged it on the floor. In short, without pulling it an inch, he thoroughly enjoyed it. Finally he began to rub his eyes drowsily and Christiane whisked him away to put him in his night shirt and tuck him into their bed. She waited till his eyes finally closed and then started back down to help Sarah clean up.

As she came down the steps, she noticed in the flickering firelight that the husband and wife had their heads together in deep conversation. So she went quietly about the room straightening it.

Shortly the couple finished and turned to her. Josiah spoke, “Christiane, will thee come and talk with us?” Christiane sat down silently and looked into their concerned eyes.

“Christiane,” Sarah started softly, “we would like to share with thee.” She cleared her throat and began again. “Having thy little son here these past weeks has taken us back to the time when our own two little sons were about his age.”

“I didn’t know you had sons.”

“We did have,” Josiah answered. “But both of them were taken from us before their second birthdays.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Christiane murmured.

Sarah continued a little briskly, “That is why we are so concerned about Jean Claude. Our sons are safe with God, but Jean Claude is alive. We wish him to stay so.”

Christiane waited, watching them intently.

“To come right out with it, we are worried about thy taking him to the army encampment.”

“But I must find my husband.”

“We understand that completely, but must thee take Jean Claude with thee?”

“But I have no choice.”  Christiane’s fear tautened around her heart.

“Yes, thee does,” Josiah put in. “Thee can and should leave him here with us.”

“But—” Christiane began. No, I can’t.

“Please, please just take a few minutes to think. There will be all manner of diseases and contagions in the encampment. Food is scarce and of poor quality. It so easy for a child Jean Claude’s age to succumb. Please, we wish to save thee the heartbreak that we have suffered. Please think.” Sarah put her hand over Christiane’s and pleaded with her eyes.

Christiane sat still and turned the ideas over in her mind. After several minutes of thought, she ventured an objection, “How could I leave him? We’ve never been apart.”

“Is it not better to part for a few days or weeks than a lifetime?” Josiah asked softly.

Christiane’s brows came together. “I suppose you are right. Maybe that is one of the reasons why I have delayed here so long. It took me nearly three weeks to arrive here and I have tarried here another three under the guise of recovering. Maybe I have feared what you suggest. Also…I don’t know…at first I was so eager to rejoin Jakob, but now I’m afraid,” she broke off.

“What could thee be afraid of–a young girl who has traveled alone through the wilderness so many miles?” Josiah asked as if trying to encourage her.

Christiane pursed her lips and forced herself to say it aloud. “I’m afraid he might already be dead. I had not thought about that till I came here. Now I am fearful, so fearful that I may have to face the fact of his being gone.”

Sarah Anne patted her hand sympathetically. Josiah spoke for them both, “Thee is welcome to stay. This is thy home now.”

“Thank you. You don’t know what that means to me. But I must go. It is my duty to find my husband. He may need me. And I must tell him about his son dying.”

“Yes, dear, yes,” Sarah agreed. “Go to thy husband, but then return to us to stay until thy husband’s enlistment is up. And while thee is gone, we will care for thy son.”

“I will take thee to the city myself,” Josiah added.

“No, please,” Christiane stopped him. “I can go by myself. I came this far and I can go the rest by myself.” She could not take him to the site of the war he was so against. It seemed somehow an indecent thing to do.

“If that is what thee wishes,” Sarah agreed. “Go to thy husband and while thee is gone, we will care for thy son.”

Christiane nodded in agreement, her eyes downcast.

“Oh, Christiane, thee will not regret it. I promise I will care for him as my very own.” Sarah folded her arms as if cradling the child.

“I know that you will. I wouldn’t leave him otherwise.” At this, first Sarah and then Josiah embraced her. “I am so glad I stumbled into your meetinghouse that Sunday.”

“God is good,” Josiah agreed and Sarah Anne nodded.

#

Two days later they were all standing beside Nancy, trying not to say farewell. Still early morning, the air was chill and the dew was heavy. “Well, Christiane, thee has all thee needs,” Josiah said after clearing his throat.

“Yes,” Christiane replied, not taking her gaze from her son’s face. She felt as though her heart were being drawn out of her breast and her eyes were dry as though she had stopped blinking.

“Now, Christiane, thee must not worry–” Sarah began.

Christiane held up her hand. “I know,” she stopped. “If…if…I’m delayed coming back—”

“We will keep him as long as need be,” Sarah stated firmly.

“I’ll be back to get him as soon—”

“Yes,” Josiah said.

Christiane mounted the mare. She could not stand to prolong the leaving. “Goodbye, I’ll send word or see you within two weeks as we agreed.”

“Farewell, Christiane. God go with thee,” Josiah answered.

Sarah told Jean Claude to wave to his mother and then helped him move his little hand. Christiane quickly turned, forcing down tears and rode away without looking back.

This scene reminds us I think how different life used to be. Many more children were born then but many, many fewer survived to the age of five. A harsh reality that mothers used to face. Leaving children behind in the care of others also happened often in this time period. Christiane was not the only wife who left her children in the care of others to support her husband as he put his life on the line for his new nation, new democracy.  It’s a humbling thought, isn’t it?