The Sins of the Fathers

Chapter Fifteen

Pelican Point Church

Sanibel Island

Florida

Lady Forbes was taking much more notice of her surroundings during her second visit to the Island church, and of the other worshippers. Seven days before, she had been dreading being questioned about her experiences with Ralph Winstanley, and walking around in a bit of a daze as a result. But second time around, accompanied by sweet Brianna again, with the surprise addition of Grace, and encouraged by the good news from London, she was starting to relax a little, and acclimatise. If she was granted a compassionate release from the Order as promised, she would be free to live as an American, possibly with a new identity, or go anywhere else that would have her, if she chose, so she was looking at her future, seeing how things really worked in the land of the free.

"My old keeper would have a fit if she saw what some of these people are wearing...and to Church? It is quite shocking?" She whispered as a young woman in a knee length skirt and a tee shirt got out of a car just in front of them, wearing sunglasses and calling out to a friend like a fish wife. Bare arms, and legs, and hair, all crimes in Britain, and the young lady was unaccompanied, apparently. "I would have been kept blind for the walk to church, and for the service too, no doubt...such temptations?"

"It is a culture shock...I felt the same when I got back," Brianna agreed, holding Mena's arm as they strolled towards the white wooden building, built close to the sea. "But Florida has fairly relaxed decency laws...only excessive amounts of visible cleavage and flesh above the knees is banned...with special dispensations for beachwear? And the police would take into account where you were, if they even bothered to stop you. It is so hot here most of the year...and tourism is an important part of the economy?"

"But the Church? I would have expected the Pastor to insist upon a dress code?"

"He would have a quiet word if he was concerned...and he does expect the men to wear formal shirts and ties, but female fashions are so confused nowadays and he could be sued if he tried to demand anything beyond state laws?" Grace pointed out, walking slightly behind the two older women, wearing one of her Boston gowns. "But my mother-in-law would be horrified as well, believe me? She would be tut-tutting all day! The fifty states are all so different, and she gets the same culture shock if she flies out west?"

"And she is insisting that you attend this morning?" Mena queried, glancing back at the young woman that she was becoming increasingly fond of. Brianna was so lovely, and their shared experiences had made her an ideal confidante for Mena, but her pretty daughter was funny, irreverent and constantly encouraging. Mena was very fond of her.

"Brett is simply incapable of lying to his mother...she already thinks that I spend far too much time down here, whilst her precious son is left alone in Washington, and when he told her that I had never attended church on the island, she went berserk! She really wants us to move to Boston, and live with her...so that I can start producing little Stoddarts...especially as Stuart will be retiring at the end of the year?" Grace explained, sounding none too pleased about Mary Stoddart's interference, or her future prospects as a wife and mother. "That's what this extended visit is all about...showing me off to her friends and trying to convince Brett to make Boston home?"

"Mr Stoddart is the Secretary of State? Working closely with President Fletcher...and he is a Reformist?"

"Hmm...Stuart and Sean are political friends...allies...and Stuart Stoddart is much less of a Christian Reformist than his wife...Mary?" Brianna said, squeezing her arm, all of them buoyed by the news from London in their own ways. Gideon Palmer had told them all about the Chinese intervention and the promise of a pardon for Skylar and release for Mena, and although he had warned them not to celebrate until the lawyers had done their jobs, it was all such a relief. Mena would be free. No longer a fugitive, she would not have to hide away and she could start to live again. Brianna was happy for her. "Sean and Stuart have always been players in Washington, and if you want to succeed on Capitol Hill, most people do a little God-bothering...as Sean calls it, on a good day...because unless you were with the Rosen's and firmly on the side of secular Republicanism, you were working for Christians of one sort or another. And Stuart first rose up the career ladder under Aaron Lumsfield...the first Reformist President, who succeeded Sharon...he adopted a political pose?"