Daughter of the Raven Read online

  Daughter of the Raven

  By Cherime MacFarlane

  Copyright  2013

  Copyright Notice:

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, events or locales is completely coincidental.

  Author's Note: I have taken as few liberties as possible with dates and the developments of the period. Many momentous things were taking place in that period of history

  If ever a story was taken over and played out by its characters, this is it. Two decided they were not as I had first thought them to be. One did not even exist in the original book I planned. Yes, it is long but blame it on those pesky characters.

  Smashwords Edition, license notes:

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Artwork: me

  Dedicated to:

  All my daughters and grand daughters never lose heart regardless of the obstacles faced.

  Dmitri wondered at the changes time wrought in one's life. Here he was on the deck of another steamship with his wife and three children waiting to dock in San Francisco. The wonder of it was, he and his family would be staying with Camille's aunt and uncle. Considering how he and Samuel Devins had first become acquainted a little over eight years ago, it was a wonder he had not killed the man at the time. Now they were to be Devins' guests until their own residence was ready to be occupied.

  His son wiggled impatiently, as he looked up at his father. "Poppa! I cannot see!"

  "Well now." Dmitri Bressoff took off his hat and handed it to his eldest daughter, Anya. "Would you hold this please?"

  With a nod, she took his hat with one quick glance at it, unwilling to miss anything. The father lifted his eight year old son up onto his shoulder.

  The boy wobbled a bit and grabbing anything to stabilize himself, Dmi tangled his fingers in his father's blond hair. "Ouch! Dmi, I have you!" The child released his hold.

  Camille looked over at her husband. "I do not believe he pulled too much out."

  "Hopefully not." Dmitri responded to her with a smile. Camille stood beside him with their daughter, Alexis, firmly planted on one hip.

  Ilyia, one of the village girls from their island in Alaska, stood slightly behind Anya. She was staring at the city laid out before them. Her eyes were huge in her pale face. Camille glanced over at Ilyia with a bob of her head. It was a bit overwhelming after several years on the island.

  She was sure Leontine, her Aunt, would be at the pier to greet them. Camille was anxious to see Leontine and more than ready to be out of the press of city traffic and safe in Leontine's home.

  Dmitri, having traveled on and off throughout the past eight years was less effected by the sights and sounds. Anya was almost trembling in her excitement to be in the thick of it all. She had spent one year with Leontine, seven years previously. Anya had not been particularly happy to return home. The young woman was ready for the social whirl, which would now be engulfing the small family.

  Alexis had slipped a bit downward. Camille readjusted the little girl back on her hip. Lexie was a bit small for her age. She appeared to be three years old rather than four. The little blond had her father's coloring but her mother's bone structure. Leontine had never seen Lexie, or Dmi. This would surely be an emotional reunion.

  Her aunt's last letter also hinted at a surprise. Camille was eager to learn what it might be. The family had made this journey at Leontine's urging.

  As the ship tied up at the dock, Camille spotted Leontine waving frantically. Samuel Devins stood quietly next to her. The gangplank was lowered and they were the first to disembark. The other travelers gave the slightly rambunctious family a wide berth.

  Lowering the boy to the wharf, Dmitri reached down to take his hand. Retrieving his hat from Anya, Dmitri anchored it on his head with a sharp tap. There was a stiff breeze blowing and Bressoff did not wish to be put to the bother of chasing a hat.

  Leontine, Camille and Anya immediately hugged. Then all three women were talking at once. Dmitri with Dmi firmly in tow, stopped in front of Devins. Samuel Devins looked slightly uncomfortable until Dmitri offered him his hand.

  "How have you been Samuel?" Dmitri was careful to inject a certain amount of warmth into his tone. The past was the past. And after all, if not for Devin's intervention, he would not have Camille and two more wonderful children to brighten his life. After a slight hesitation, Devins took Dmitri's offered hand in a firm handshake.

  "We are both well, Leontine and I. How was the voyage?" Devins asked quietly.

  Samuel Devins was the Captain of one of the ships which regularly plied the Pacific Coast. He and Dmitri were partners in a joint venture. They provided lumber to various ports from Alaska to Southern California. Their company was known for providing the best spruce on the coast.

  "We had good weather." The child pulled at his father's hand. Dmitri looked down at Dmi, his sandy blond hair was being teased by the brisk wind.

  "Dmitri I want you to meet your Uncle Samuel. Mind your manners please."

  With a short nod, Dmitri Ivan Osvic Bressoff III extended his hand. "Uncle Samuel, I am pleased to meet you."

  Samuel Devins bent at the waist and shook the little boy's hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well."

  Dmitri glanced over at the women who were still intermittently hugging, crying and attempting to speak all at once.

  "Samuel, I think we should get the ladies home so they can at least be comfortable while catching up."

  "Quite right Dmitri! I have two carriages, one for the ladies and another for the luggage and us. I assume your ladies travel with as much as Leontine?"

  Dmitri and Samuel rounded up their womenfolk and got them settled in one carriage. The driver, an employee of Devins', was instructed to get his passengers safely home. The tall Russian placed his son into the second vehicle.

  A seaman Dmitri had engaged to handle their luggage, appeared with several trunks which were quickly stowed. Samuel and Dmitri boarded the carriage and he sat next to his young son. The driver immediately began moving the horses forward.

  Samuel shook his head with a smile. "Only four trunks? However did you manage to keep them from taking the entire house along?"

  Dmitri stretched out his long legs before removing his hat. "Camille and Anya have every intention of spending as much money as possible. I anticipate the trip home will be made with crates of items, not just trunks."

  Both men laughed at Dmitri's comment.

  "Is everything really well Samuel? Leontine's letter requesting we make this trip and stay for a time, was quite cryptic."

  Samuel nodded. "Yes. It appears that after all these years of being married, Leontine is finally going to make me a father."

  "Well, that is certainly good news!" Dmitri grinned at the older man.

  "Frankly, Dmitri, I am not sure how I feel about it all. For God's sake man, I will be sixty five when the child is twenty!"

  Dmitri chuckled. "Samuel, there is nothing like a child to get an old body moving." He ruffled his son's fair hair. "This young man keeps all of us quite active. Lexie is a bit easier to handle, but she is young. That may well change."

  "In any case," The older man took out two cigars, one of which he offered to Dmitri.
"I think I will be asking your advice on being a father. You seem to have taken on the role quite comfortably."

  Turning his head to the side to avoid the breeze, Dmitri lit the cigar and took a few puffs before replying. "I did not have any choice in the matter. I just do the best I can."

  Samuel shook his head as Dmitri laughed at his own comment.

  A few days later Samuel and Dmitri had taken refuge in Devins' study. The house was in a mild state of chaos. An invitation to a party had been received and Anya was the lodestone around which all revolved at the moment.

  She was convinced nothing brought from the island would be suitable. Camille, Leontine and Anya had visited several dressmakers the day after their arrival. But due to the demands of the season, no gowns were ready in time for this particular event.

  The ensuing turmoil had driven the men to the shelter of the study. They were discussing the state of the nation and the world when a loud scream, punctuated with two not so nice Russian words, startled them both. Dmitri jumped up, he recognized Anya's voice and the curse words.

  "Camille! Dmitri is using my hairbrush on the dog! Miserable little rat! Give it back!"

  Dmi came racing down the stairs with the brush in his hand. Intent on escaping his sister, he did not notice his father in the doorway of the study. Dmitri seized the boy by the collar as he attempted to dash past.

  "Oh, I think not! Young man, get in here!" Dmitri pointed to the chair he had just left. "Sit!"

  On seeing her father take the offender in hand, Anya slowed her mad dash down the stairs. "Thank you father!" She panted out.

  Dmitri stared at his daughter who immediately fell silent. Count Dmitri Bressoff knew how to quell his children when necessary. "Screaming like a fish wife and I do mean a fish wife, does nothing to enhance your appeal. Wait here for a moment, I wish to get to the bottom of this."

  He closed the study door, leaving his grown daughter outside, knowing she would certainly do as he had instructed.

  "Now then! What were you thinking Dmitri? You know you are not to take your sister's things?"

  "I was not really going to use it on the dog." The boy glanced at his father then looked quickly down at the brush he held.

  "Then what was the purpose of this?" Dmitri's one gray eye stared at his son.

  "She had it coming to her." His son mumbled.

  "Explain that!" Dmitri strode over to the chair. Arms folded across his chest, he stood over his son.

  "She slapped me and I..."

  "Excuse me! When did this slap occur? Further, what brought it about?" Dmitri's spoke quietly to the boy who now refused to look at his father. His son's reply was almost a whisper.

  "Yesterday. Momma gave us some cookies." The boy fumbled with the brush. "Lexi didn't eat hers so...I took them."

  "Ah. I take it Anya saw this. So, tell me son, why did she slap you? That is not the whole of the matter."

  The boy took a deep breath before looking up at the man standing before him. "I called Anya a name."

  "What name did you call your sister? Stop fiddling with the hairbrush. I insist on an answer immediately!"

  "I called her a Russian trollop."

  His father nodded. "Dmitri, your sister has loved you and cared for you since the day you were born. That was a hurtful thing to say to her. You took Alexis's cookies and I would imagine she was not happy about their loss."

  The boy shook his bent head. "She cried. Anya heard her. That is why she came over to where we were playing."

  Dmitri picked up his son, then settled himself in the chair with the boy on his lap. "From the beginning you were in the wrong here. You took from someone smaller and weaker than yourself. You hurt your sister's feelings sufficiently to cause her to slap you. Then you take her property in order to make her feel worse. How do you feel about your actions now?"

  The boy looked up at his father. His lower lip trembled. "Not good Poppa."

  Dmitri pointed to Dmi's heart. "Do you feel a little bad in there?"

  "Yes Poppa."

  "You will one day be a man. I want to be proud of you. I want you to be proud of yourself. You cannot be proud of those deeds. But, there is a cure, Dmitri. You are to apologize to Anya and to Lexie as well. There will be consequences. There will be punishment, but once you acknowledge you have done something wrong and pay the price, you will feel better."

  He put the boy off his knee and set him on his feet. Dmi held the brush out to his father.

  "No, son. You hold it. Go to the door and ask Anya to come here please."

  When Anya opened the door to enter the room, Dmitri noticed Camille and Lexie in the hall behind her. They made eye contact. Camille waited on her husband to call her in.

  "Anya, Dmitri has your hair brush. He has something to say to you as well. Dmitri?"

  His son handed the hairbrush up to his sister. "I am sorry for all of it, for taking things from Lexie, for calling you names and for taking your brush."

  Anya squatted down to his level. "You are forgiven." She took the brush, gave the boy a pat on his shoulder and rose to her feet.

  "Anya, you acted out of anger when you slapped Dmitri. I know he did something wrong, but that does not allow you to meet out punishment. Camille and I are the parents here. We will administer discipline. Understood? You do see how something fairly simple was escalated into something larger, because it was not properly handled?"

  "Yes, Poppa." Anya bent forward to give her brother a hug. "I am sorry I lost my temper with you."

  The boy returned the hug and Anya stepped to one side. Dmitri glanced at Camille. She entered the room, Lexie's hand in hers. Their son walked over to his younger sister.

  "Sorry I took your cookies." The boy gave his little sister a hug and his mother patted his head. "I have not heard the whole of this, but I want you to go to your room, son. Stay there until your father and I decide what is to be your punishment."

  She turned to Anya. "Go along as well. Please take Lexie up to Ilyia for a bath. I will be up shortly to see what we can do about a dress for this evening."

  The children left the study as Camille walked over to Dmitri. "What shall we do here?

  He took her hand as he smiled up at her. "I think a day or so of no toys, nothing but four walls should serve."

  "I agree. Now let me see if I can help Anya to solve the gown problem."

  Dmitri kissed her fingers. Camille closed the door behind her on leaving the study.

  There was the sound of several slow handclaps. "Bravo!"

  Dmitri looked over to find Samuel smiling at him.

  "Tell me how you knew there was something underlying the theft of the brush."

  Bressoff shrugged with a slight smile. "I know my children. Remember we live on a small island. We do not have an army of servants available to watch the children. That duty falls to Camille and myself. Frankly, I was raised that way. I do not think turning children over to a nanny and telling them good night every evening, qualifies one to be a parent. Of course, a bit of help such as Ilyia bathing Lexie is a good thing. But children need parents."

  Samuel put his chin in his hand. He silently stared at his guest for a moment. "That gives me pause. Perhaps I should arrange my business so I spend more time at home and less at sea after the child is born."

  Dmitri re-lit his now dead cigar and took a few puffs. "I would recommend that tactic to anyone who asked. I have not been sorry to curtail my business trips. I enjoy spending time with my family."

  Nearly at the end of her patience, Camille shook her head as she stared at her stepdaughter. "Anya, regardless of the people who have seen this gown in Sitka, none in San Francisco have."

  Camille hung up the aqua silk gown. "It looks much better now that it has been pressed."

  "I suppose it is the best of the lot. I really need some new gowns." Anya sighed as she threw herself down on the bed. "I have this feeling. Something momentous is just waiting to happen!"

  Leontine laughed at Anya's comme
nt. "At your age something, anything that happens is of major importance."

  "Easy for you to say Aunt Leontine. You have not been stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere for years."

  The young woman's thoughts flew off in another direction. "I wish Helena was here! She has such a wonderful way with clothing."

  Camille shook her head. "First, Helena is where she needs to be. She is too old to be traveling long distances. Second, she is enjoying her grandchildren. So miss, you will need to make do with Leontine and me."

  Leontine laughed. It was so wonderful to be sharing these moments. Camille gave her aunt a quick hug.

  "It is good to be here with you! I quite intend to stay at least until the baby comes." Camille placed a hand on her aunt's stomach for a moment.

  Anya smiled at her stepmother and Leontine. "Well, at least I know we shall be here for nine months."

  Leontine glanced at Camille then at Anya. "I am so glad Dmitri brought you all to stay. It is such a nice treat to have you here. But, please, Anya do not say anything to anyone else about my condition. I would not want to be confined to the house before the season is over."

  "Confined to the house?" Anya looked at Leontine in amazement. "Whatever for!"

  "Why, for being pregnant, of course. It is not seemly to be running around in that condition for all to see."

  Anya looked at Camille then at Leontine again. "Are pregnant women really confined to their homes here?"

  Leontine shook a finger at Camille. "Whatever have you been teaching this child? She certainly has no idea of decorum."

  "I fear it is the case. I went all over Sitka when pregnant with Dmitri and Alexis as well. I did not in the least care who did or did not see me."

  Camille's aunt frowned as she shook her head. "That will not work here in San Francisco. Polite society would certainly be appalled. Then all invitations would quickly cease." Leontine shook her head.

  Camille laughed away Leontine's comments. "Oh I recall all the hide this, hide that mentality. It was shoved down my throat until I was fully stuffed with it by the nuns. I am not willing to return to that particular brand of absurdity. It almost cost me...."