with me.”
When they entered the second-floor sitting room that Olivia
and Martha shared, Tess sat him down in an easy chair and went to a large trunk
in the corner. She took several items from the humpbacked chest, which smelled
of camphor and age, and settled herself on the ottoman at Dan’s feet.
“Here is the Bible Laffite gave to his daughter Violet.” She
opened a wooden case that was about ten by twelve inches. Inside the worn,
velvet lining was a remarkably well-preserved Bible. She opened it carefully. “This
is the date of Violet’s wedding. And here are the names of her parents.”
“But it says her father was named Theodore Lucas.”
“I’ll explain that later. Look at all these dates that are
recorded.” She pointed out the birth of twin daughters, Electra and Amelia,
born to Violet the year after her wedding. Also listed were various births and
deaths and marriages of the generations up to the birth of Tess’s mother Anna,
the death of Anna’s father in the early days of Viet Nam, and Anna’s marriage
to Robert Thomas Cameron.
“Aunt Olivia told me her grandmother Casey Prophet, the one
who was married to the Texas Ranger, died several years before I was born. She
must have recorded the last entries, and then the Bible was packed away with
her things.”
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with the
pirate.”
“Privateer,” Tess corrected. “Be patient and I’ll show you.
Notice the front of the Bible case.”
Dan closed the wooden box and looked at the crazed surface
with seven multicolored stones embedded in a meandering rainbow trail. “What am
I supposed to see?”
“I’m coming to that.” She handed him two sheets of yellowed,
worn paper encased in plastic. A corner of one—the sample she’d sent to Dr. Staats—was
missing. “This is the letter that was in the Bible.”
Dan looked exasperated. “It’s in French .”
“I know that! Laffite was French.”
“What does it say? In English, please.”
Tess laughed. “In essence, it’s written to ‘My darling
daughter’ and says that he had left her because he had many enemies intent on
doing him harm. Her mother’s family had told Violet that Theodore Lucas ,
her father, was dead, because they didn’t approve of his privateering. Although
he assures her that it was an honorable endeavor and he always secured the
appropriate letters of marque. He says that he had thought of Violet often and
that now on the occasion of her marriage, he wanted her to have this Bible,
that would provide for the spiritual and material benefit of herself, her
children, and her children’s children. Each time she looked at the stones on
the case she was to remember the wealth of love that her father felt for her.”
Dan frowned. “It’s a very nice story, Tess. But I haven’t
heard anything that convinces me her father was really Jean Laffite. During
that period there were lots of privateers.”
Tess handed him a photocopied sheet of paper. “This is a
page from a translation of Laffite’s memoirs which were written between 1845
and 1850. The original journal, in French, is in a museum near here. Don’t
raise your eyebrows at me, Daniel Friday. I’ll admit that there is some
controversy about its authenticity, but several prominent historians, including
Dr. Staats, believe that it’s genuine. Notice the highlighted area. He says
that he gave his name as Theodore Lucas to some English captain. It was one of
the many aliases Laffite used.” She smiled smugly.
“Does the journal mention Violet or Contessa?”
Her face fell. “Well, no. But I’m sure there’s some
plausible explanation.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. His eyes were
gentle and his expression tender. “Honey, I’ll admit there are some strong
coincidences, but don’t pin your hopes on something so flimsy. I don’t want you
to be hurt.”
Tess should have felt warmed by his concern, but she didn’t.
His condescending attitude
When they entered the second-floor sitting room that Olivia
and Martha shared, Tess sat him down in an easy chair and went to a large trunk
in the corner. She took several items from the humpbacked chest, which smelled
of camphor and age, and settled herself on the ottoman at Dan’s feet.
“Here is the Bible Laffite gave to his daughter Violet.” She
opened a wooden case that was about ten by twelve inches. Inside the worn,
velvet lining was a remarkably well-preserved Bible. She opened it carefully. “This
is the date of Violet’s wedding. And here are the names of her parents.”
“But it says her father was named Theodore Lucas.”
“I’ll explain that later. Look at all these dates that are
recorded.” She pointed out the birth of twin daughters, Electra and Amelia,
born to Violet the year after her wedding. Also listed were various births and
deaths and marriages of the generations up to the birth of Tess’s mother Anna,
the death of Anna’s father in the early days of Viet Nam, and Anna’s marriage
to Robert Thomas Cameron.
“Aunt Olivia told me her grandmother Casey Prophet, the one
who was married to the Texas Ranger, died several years before I was born. She
must have recorded the last entries, and then the Bible was packed away with
her things.”
“I still don’t understand what this has to do with the
pirate.”
“Privateer,” Tess corrected. “Be patient and I’ll show you.
Notice the front of the Bible case.”
Dan closed the wooden box and looked at the crazed surface
with seven multicolored stones embedded in a meandering rainbow trail. “What am
I supposed to see?”
“I’m coming to that.” She handed him two sheets of yellowed,
worn paper encased in plastic. A corner of one—the sample she’d sent to Dr. Staats—was
missing. “This is the letter that was in the Bible.”
Dan looked exasperated. “It’s in French .”
“I know that! Laffite was French.”
“What does it say? In English, please.”
Tess laughed. “In essence, it’s written to ‘My darling
daughter’ and says that he had left her because he had many enemies intent on
doing him harm. Her mother’s family had told Violet that Theodore Lucas ,
her father, was dead, because they didn’t approve of his privateering. Although
he assures her that it was an honorable endeavor and he always secured the
appropriate letters of marque. He says that he had thought of Violet often and
that now on the occasion of her marriage, he wanted her to have this Bible,
that would provide for the spiritual and material benefit of herself, her
children, and her children’s children. Each time she looked at the stones on
the case she was to remember the wealth of love that her father felt for her.”
Dan frowned. “It’s a very nice story, Tess. But I haven’t
heard anything that convinces me her father was really Jean Laffite. During
that period there were lots of privateers.”
Tess handed him a photocopied sheet of paper. “This is a
page from a translation of Laffite’s memoirs which were written between 1845
and 1850. The original journal, in French, is in a museum near here. Don’t
raise your eyebrows at me, Daniel Friday. I’ll admit that there is some
controversy about its authenticity, but several prominent historians, including
Dr. Staats, believe that it’s genuine. Notice the highlighted area. He says
that he gave his name as Theodore Lucas to some English captain. It was one of
the many aliases Laffite used.” She smiled smugly.
“Does the journal mention Violet or Contessa?”
Her face fell. “Well, no. But I’m sure there’s some
plausible explanation.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. His eyes were
gentle and his expression tender. “Honey, I’ll admit there are some strong
coincidences, but don’t pin your hopes on something so flimsy. I don’t want you
to be hurt.”
Tess should have felt warmed by his concern, but she didn’t.
His condescending attitude
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