Three Angry Women

Grandma Lu continued the story with a chuckle. "That Lady Kathleen had no experience with children or with friends. She had followed her father's footsteps and had become a pirate on the ship line that he had left her. She was a woman alone. Yes, she had a huge palace to live in. She had everything that anyone could ever dream of, but she had no one to love. Love makes you smile or cry or be mad, and many other feelings. If you love a child you cry when they are hurt or sick.
You get mad at them for pulling all the dog treats out of the cupboard and feeding them to their dog. (The children and grownups laughed.) You laugh when they say their first words, or make their first steps or smear birthday cake all over their faces. You cheer when they hit their first home run or ride a bicycle for the first time. She had no one to make her feel anything except her sailors. But now Lady Kathleen was experiencing fear. She was afraid for little Marlee and she didn't know why. She just knew that she had to protect her.
The lighthouse had warned them of the rocky shore that they were heading towards so she ordered the helmsman to turn about and had avoided a crash.
Lady Bonita's ship captain had also seen the lighthouse lanterns and did the same. They would soon be docking in the same area. Many ships docking at the same area was not unusual. Many men to unload ships were always there waiting for their return from the sea.
She had put on her fiercest pirate clothes to look like she meant business. The whole thing is, Geoffrey had boarded her ship unnoticed. He blended in perfectly with her crew. He was looking and looking for Marlee. Finally he spotted her. He quickly picked her up and got off the ship and headed for the lighthouse, where Lexie was waiting for him. His plan had worked perfectly.
Lady Bonita had docked and she was walking around looking for Lady Kathleen's ship so she could find Marlee, her granddaughter. "Oh no, there goes Geoffrey with Marlee on his shoulder. I must stop him!"
Lady Kathleen had crawled way up high to what is called the crow's nest on the ship. Birds fly really high don't they, well that's why the pirates called it that. She looked all over the docks and couldn't believe her eyes. There was a pirate carrying Marlee on his shoulder, but there was another pirate chasing him! She had to get on her land legs and run as fast as she could. She had to get to Marlee before that bad man got away with her. Grandma Lu stopped for a minute and explained a couple of things. She said, "Land legs are legs that need getting used to being on the ground after a long time on a ship. They feel kind of weak and shaky at first.

If you remember the keeper of the lighthouse had a name that meant 'defender of man kind'. Lexie was her name. She was looking out the lighthouse window with her spyglass. She was not a bit happy with what she saw. She knew the man carrying a little girl was Geoffrey. He was dressed as a pirate. She couldn't believe he would do that. It was hard to see because it was a dark stormy night, but she kept him in her line of sight. Then she saw another pirate running behind him. She was angry to say the least. She loved children. She had a hunch that he was up to no good. She had to squint her eyes to see through the rain. She knew that little girl. She was sure she did. She and her mama used to live on the streets. She had seen her sleeping on the ground where she used to sleep near the docks. She was dirty and her hair was covered, but she just knew it was a girl called Marlee. She had to think of something quick to protect this little girl. Then Lexie let out a yell, "Oh no, they are gone! I can't see them any more. Oh, I have to do something quick. She ran down the many many stairs and opened the door to see a pirate looking her right in the eyes. That pirate looked really angry. "Where is my granddaughter. I want her right this minute or I will call the constable and have him put you away." (In those days there were no police, but some places had a man that they called a constable to put bad people in a building with locks on the doors.)
Lexie said, "I wouldn't let you have her if she was here, but I am telling you she is not here."
Lady Bonita said, "I saw a pirate running towards the lighthouse with my own eyes, now give her to me!"
About that time Lady Kathleen came running in the door shouting at Lexie. "Give me me that little stowaway. I am going to take her home right now. Now where is she, lass?"
Geoffrey and Marlee had taken a short cut through a tunnel in the water and climbed many steps to get to the lighthouse. He was so tired. He had to stop to catch his breath before he went into the lighthouse with Marlee. When he leaned against the cold wet lighthouse he heard yelling and threats. "Well, little one they are on to me. I can't go in there or I will lose the gold that Lady Bonita promised for your ransom. We had better go hide up on higher ground. Marlee started to cry and yell out, but Geoffrey was too slow because in front of him there were three very angry women. Lady Bonita grabbed Marlee and ran as fast as she could.  Lady Kathleen and Lexie pushed Geoffrey to the ground and sat on him until one of Lady Kathleen's men came to see what the ruckus was all about. She had him get the constable to put Geoffrey somewhere where he couldn't hurt anyone again.
Now Lady Kathleen was all alone again, but was she?