“We have money to pay for our passage,” Maximiliano said.
The captain shrugged. “We found it in your luggage. Danish money from San Tomás is of no value to us, whereas the pirate’s pistol is a fine weapon.”
“Keep it,” Maximiliano replied. “As a small token of our gratitude for saving us.”
“And who is Roland Stephenson?”
Heidi took a deep breath. “We were traveling with him to Florida. He was an American sugar magnate who married my aunt.”
“Was?”
“The pirates killed him,” she explained with as much sorrow in her voice as she could muster.
“Condolences,” came the reply. “But you are in luck. We are bound for Florida. You can return his pocket watch to his widow. No doubt it will mean a lot to her.”
She accepted the engraved gold watch he held out, careful not to look at Maximiliano lest her sorrowful demeanor crack.
“We can all be glad Lázaro is gone for good,” the captain declared.
“Ja,” Maximiliano agreed. “He’ll not rise from the dead this time.”
Epilogue
New York, 8 months later.
Standing by the font, Maximiliano watched with pride as Heidi placed their wide-eyed son in the nervous priest’s clumsy hands.
The words of the Latin rite came back to him as if fifteen years hadn’t passed since the last time he’d been in a church.
Predictably, his son squirmed as the priest poured the water over his forehead.
“Orlandus Stephenson de Aguero y Monzón,te baptizo in nomine Patri et Filii et spiritus Sancti.”
Orlando cooed his agreement, eliciting indulgent smiles from his mother and godparents.
When the ceremony was over, Heidi bundled the babe up in several blankets and they made their way to the door of the church.
Maximiliano braced himself for the blast of cold air that greeted them as they stepped out of St. Peter’s. Heidi’s Danish blood had adapted well to the New York winter, but he doubted he would ever get used to the cold.
He helped his wife and son board her aunt’s comfortable enclosed carriage, then turned to assist his aunt-by-marriage. Heidi’s uncle climbed to sit beside the driver for the short ride home. When everyone was settled, Maximiliano took his own seat across from his wife, tucking a warm blanket around her legs.
“Thank you,Tante,” Heidi said as they set off for her aunt and uncle’s house. “The historic church was a wonderful setting for the baptism.”
Margit Andersen beamed at her grand-nephew. “My pleasure. The bishop is an old friend.”
The rocking of the carriage lulled Orlando to sleep as Maximiliano and Heidi smiled contentedly at each other.
Nanny Birgit took charge of the babe once they arrived at the Noho mansion whose grandeur had been a surprise to Heidi when they first arrived. She’d had no idea her aunt had married a very wealthy man.
Butler Freddy relieved them of their winter garments.
“Our guests arrive in an hour,” Margit said primly.
Maximiliano wiggled his eyebrows. “Time for a nap, wife?”
They peeked in to the nursery where Orlando lay fast asleep in his crib, then retired to their ornate bedroom.
“That went well,” Heidi said after they disrobed and got into bed.