My Sister's Prayer (14 page)

Swallowing her pride, Celeste glanced at Jonathan. His blue eyes were as vivid as ever, but his face had grown pale. “Celeste! What…what are you doing here?”

“Mr. Edwards bought my contract.”

He opened his mouth, but no further words came out.

In that moment she wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms, but she knew it wouldn't be proper—not to mention that she was covered in porridge. Instead, she just gave him a meaningful look and tilted her head toward the side, as if to say,
Meet me out back, where we can share a proper greeting in private.

But first she had to clean up the mess she'd made in the dining room. Moving as quickly as possible, she deposited the bowls and tray in the kitchen, grabbed a bucket of water and a rag, and then ran back toward the inn, brushing away clumps of porridge from her hair and clothes as she went.

By the time she got to the dining room, rag and bucket in hand, Jonathan was already gone. Panic rising in her throat, hoping he would know to wait, she worked as fast as she could, scrubbing furiously. Once she'd finished, she hurried out back, but he was nowhere to be seen. Confused, she flung the dirty water onto the ground and stepped around the side of the inn, looking out toward the street.

There he was, on the other side of the fence, near the bench.

Unfortunately, Captain Bancroft was with him, the two men deep in conversation. No doubt, the captain was explaining the situation with Berta.

Celeste placed her bucket and rag on the ground and hurried around the fence toward them.

As Jonathan turned, Captain Bancroft bowed. “Miss Talbot. Lieutenant Gray. I'll leave the two of you to speak in private.”

Looking up into Jonathan's blue eyes, Celeste hoped for a kiss—even a hug. She needed some sign of his affection. She stepped closer, but he didn't reach for her. Or bend his head to kiss her. He wouldn't even meet her gaze.

“The captain explained what happened.”

“Do you two know each other?” Celeste asked.

Jonathan's face reddened. “He introduced himself just this morning.” He cleared his throat, still not meeting her eyes. “Did Berta say why she followed you onto the ship?”

Crestfallen, Celeste answered. “She didn't come of her own free will. She was abducted and forced aboard.”

He exhaled. “Who would do such a thing?”

Celeste shook her head. “We have no idea. Once you buy our contracts, we can figure out a plan.” She hoped Jonathan could settle things with Mr. Edwards immediately. She didn't want to have to endure another minute of servitude. Then, as soon as he did, they could head to Norfolk together and rescue her sister.

His face grew red. “About your contract…I wasn't able to save the money I'd planned to.”

“I thought you already had the money.” She couldn't be certain of his finances. At times it seemed his family had lost everything, but at others it seemed he had some funds tucked away.

“I had expenses…”

Mr. Edwards stepped around the side of the inn. “What's going on?” He seemed more confused than angry. “Miss Talbot. Why aren't you working?”

“We were discussing Lieutenant Gray's plan to buy my contract from you.”

“Who said it's for sale?”

Celeste's hand went to her throat. Surely the man would allow it once Jonathan had the money. And she hoped that would be soon.

Mr. Edwards turned toward Jonathan. “You can afford to hire any maid for your new house. I don't know why you'd want this one. She's clumsy.”

“Maid?” Celeste stuttered. “No, we're betrothed.”

Mr. Edwards's eyes narrowed. He shook his head. “Miss Talbot,” he said. “Please get back to work.”

“Please, sir, with your permission, I need another moment.” She
turned quickly before Mr. Edwards could reply. “J-Jonathan,” she stuttered. “Explain who I am to you—”

“Some complications have arisen.” He kept his voice low. “We need to talk this through, Celeste, but not now.”

She swallowed hard. “When can we talk?”

“Soon.”

“Miss Talbot, I need you to finish serving breakfast.” Mr. Edwards's voice was firm. “No matter what's going on between the two of you, I bought your indenture. You need to uphold your end of the bargain.”

She knew he was right. She gave Jonathan one last look. He frowned and turned away. Her stomach fell. This wasn't the man who had vowed to love her forever. Who had begged her to follow him to America.

She stumbled off as Mr. Edwards demanded, “What did you promise the girl?”

Celeste stopped and turned, wanting to hear Jonathan's reply. But he didn't say a word. Instead, he simply left, marching toward the town square as the rat-a-tat of the snare drums started up again.

The beat heightened her anxiety. She swallowed, trying to calm herself even as her fears grew in intensity, along with the drumming.

Not until breakfast was finished and the crowd was gone did Mr. Edwards see to Celeste's clothing situation. He appeared at the kitchen proffering a skirt, chemise, cap, petticoat, shift, apron, and straw hat. They weren't new, but at least they were clean and pressed.

“After you change, go down to the cobbler and get fitted for a pair of boots,” he said. “You'll need them by the time winter arrives. The shop is across from the square.”

She bit her tongue to keep from responding that she wouldn't be in his service by then. Somehow Jonathan would find a way to make all of this right. He'd promised her on his life that he loved her and would care for her, always.

“Put your dirty clothes in the laundry house. The housemaid will get started on them soon.”

She thanked Mr. Edwards and hurried up the ladder. Once she had completely stripped, she scrubbed herself as best she could with the lukewarm water. When she was dressed, her pouch tucked inside the clean petticoat, she carried the pile of dirty clothes to the laundry house and then headed down the street to the cobbler, hoping she would see Jonathan again.

None of the soldiers were in sight. Or the sailors. It seemed Captain Bancroft and his crew had returned to the
Royal Mary
. She prayed that Hayes would actually deliver her letter. A wave of grief swept over her at the thought of her family. How could she have decided so carelessly to leave them forever?

After the cobbler fitted her feet, she waited for a moment in the street, looking in every direction for Jonathan again. Dejected, she turned back toward the inn when someone called out her name.

She stopped.

“Celeste!” It wasn't Jonathan. It was Spenser in a wagon filled with furniture. Two horses pulled the load.

She waved and hurried toward him.

“I'm headed to the barracks,” he said. “I thought I'd ask about Jonathan.”

“I saw him this morning.”

He leaned toward her as he grasped the reins. “He already bought your contract, then?”

Celeste wrinkled her nose. “We didn't have a chance to speak for long. We still need to sort things out.”

“Oh, that's too bad. I thought the new clothes meant your new life had begun.”

“These are just work clothes from Mr. Edwards.” She looked down at her apron. They were the simplest she'd ever owned. “I'd better get back.”

Spenser sat up straight. “It's good to see you.”

She nodded in agreement and then bid him farewell. She moved quickly down the street, knowing Sary needed her help.

Once she arrived, Mr. Edwards instructed Celeste to tell Sary to fix the rest of the venison into another stew and make sure not to burn the bread. It took several minutes for Celeste to find Sary, who was in the drying shed, hanging fresh herbs.

When they returned to the kitchen, Sary told Celeste to chop the vegetables while she braised the meat. Then she tossed everything into a pot of broth. Benjamin came in with more water and filled the second pot on the fire while Sary stirred the stew. The savory smell made Celeste's stomach ache.

Sary cleared the table and soon the stable boy came in. Behind him was a housemaid, a young Irish woman who introduced herself as Aline. She was pretty, with auburn hair and lively brown eyes. After her came Benjamin and a man who was likely his father. Sary served them all, and then Mr. Edwards came in and said a blessing before everyone started to eat.

“Miss Talbot, you'll have your meal once your work is done,” he said to Celeste before grabbing two pitchers and heading back to the inn.

Celeste followed him with plates of stew and the bread. A few businessmen sat at the tables, all speaking in respectful voices, a scene entirely different from the rowdiness of the night before.

An hour later, as she cleared the last of the dishes, the front door to the inn opened. Spenser stepped inside and motioned to her. Celeste glanced at Mr. Edwards, who was across the room, sitting at a table with two other men. He sighed but then nodded his head.

“Sorry,” Spenser said. “I debated whether to tell you this or not, but when I delivered the furniture to the barracks I asked the supply officer about Lieutenant Gray.”

Celeste pursed her lips together.

Spenser whispered. “Should I continue? I won't if you don't want me to.”

“No, you should,” she said, even though her first instinct was to cover her ears with her hands and run away.

“I have no way of knowing whether this information is accurate or not,” Spenser said, “but the supply officer told me Lieutenant Gray has been courting a young woman in the area.”

Celeste felt as if she'd just fallen overboard the
Royal Mary
. “Courting?” she managed to sputter.

Spenser nodded, the expression on his face pained. He reached out to steady her. “But like I said, I don't know that it's true.” She nodded again at his muffled words, her ears stopped with fear.

Spenser continued. “Perhaps when you see Jonathan, you can ask him about the—”

“No need to ask the lieutenant,” Mr. Edwards interrupted, standing near them now. “It's true.”

“Who is she?” Celeste leaned her hand against the wall to steady herself.

“Ask him yourself,” Mr. Edwards said. “But I've seen him with a young woman plenty of times. That's why he bought the carriage.”

Celeste gasped. Had he spent the money he'd saved on that? She managed to thank Spenser and assure him he'd done the right thing to tell her. “I'd better get back to work,” she added.

Mr. Edwards nodded, and Spenser slipped out the door. Perhaps Jonathan had already been given the land grant and that was the reason for the carriage. Perhaps he was only being kind to the other young woman. That's what she tried to tell herself as she scrubbed the dishes in the unbearably hot kitchen, sweat dripping down her cheeks like tears.

C
HAPTER
N
INE

Maddee

W
ell, look at that. You're alive after all,” Nana said as she opened her front door on Saturday morning. Her face was pinched, and I realized she was peeved with me.

I glanced at my watch. “I'm not late. We said between ten and eleven.”

“I'm talking about yesterday, Madeline.”

Uh-oh. Full name and everything.

With a huff, she turned and crossed the solarium to the living room, where she sat in her usual chair and returned to what she'd obviously been doing when I arrived, going through Nicole's medications and getting them organized into a travel case.

And today had started out so well, my heart light despite the burden I was about to take on, my soul filled with purpose and a sense that this was God's plan for me to care for my sister. I wasn't going into this blindly, and I knew there would be at least some drama ahead, but I hadn't expected it to come right away—and especially not from my grandmother. What was going on?

“I assume your appointment went well?” Nana asked through tight lips. “With Dr. Hill?”