The Fancy (19 page)

fit to go outside.

“We shal continue this upon my return.” He

winked and promised, slipping on his trousers and

stockings to let the animal out. Suga rose from the

bed with the sheet to her chest looking around for

something to put on. She would not dress because

she needed to bathe after a night spent making love.

Shrugging her shoulders, a contented smile playing

about her features, she wrapped the sheet around

herself and made her way downstairs to heat water,

shivering at the chil that met her there; so it would

seem, their day had begun.

They sat at the kitchen table, watching the

heavy fal of snow outside, after breakfast. Before

Suga – the bible; Quinton had just finished reading

several passages of it to her concerning Abraham

and Abraham’s wife – Sarah.

Finishing with, “I dreamt that we were home,

back in England and I cal ed you, Sarah. Also, Sarah

is Hebrew for, Lady – or princess of the multitudes.”

She sat back, blushing, giving it some thought,

and leaned forward looking at the name in the bible,

seeing it written there, realizing that she could read

it. Suga smiled and nodded, “Yes, I like it.”

“Sarah, it is then? Sarah Caine.” He informed

her.

Chewing the corner of her lip, thinking about it,

she admitted she'd thought of one she liked as wel ,

"Can I have two names, like you?" Quinton smiled,

"Most certainly."

"I like Sarah, and Abigail."

He tapped the tip of her nose, "Lady Sarah

Abigail Caine. I like it, and that my wife, you shal

be."

Suga sat back, looking and feeling lost; already

a bal of nerves, the palms of her hands covered the

cheeks of her face in dismay, “Oh Quinton, I’on want

nobody-…”

“Ah ah ah, stop – think – say that again

properly.”

She sat thinking about it, and once more

stated, “I do not wish, to be addressed, in that….

uhhh … manner.”

He smiled, caressing her cheek, “You are my

wife now Sug-…” He smiled, correcting himself,

“Sarah, they
will
address you that way, or feel my

wrath!”

“Nooo Quinton.” She complained.

“Yes, absolutely.” He insisted.

“I’m just a slave.” She moaned.

He banged the table with his fist so hard,

Moose sat up at attention, “You are -
not!
Do you

hear, you – are – not! I wil get that nonsense out of

your head if it is the last thing that I do! You wil learn

to read, fluidly! You wil learn the proper manner in

which to speak, and you wil speak without

hesitation! You wil walk with your head high,

shoulders square, and eyes direct! I insist, do you

hear? I expect nothing less than what I know you can

deliver! Do you understand?!” He pressed firmly,

refusing to budge.

Head down, Suga nodded.

“Sit up straight, look at me, look into my eyes.”

She fol owed his orders.

“You are not, common. You are not, a slave.

“You are not, common. You are not, a slave.

You are, Lady Caine! When you hear that title, or if

you hear the fol owing, they al apply to you. They are

madam
, which wil come from some servants and

others would address you as Your Ladyship or even,

Lady WhistHirst, Countess of WhistHirst, al apply to

you now – that is who you are and that, my wife, is

who you shal be! In this – I wil not give, there shal

be no compromise – from this moment forward –

Suga, the slave, the fancy – exists no more!”

If she thought he tenaciously rode her before,

he did so doubly from then. Day in and day out, al

through the day, reading, writing, pronunciation; how

she was to walk, how she was to stand, how to

curtsey, how to nod, how to greet, who were the

monarchy, in what order they came in, how one

addressed each; how to write a letter of invite, how

to sign her salutation; how to address her servants,

who of the servants were in charge of what, and what

were their titles.

On and on, the more he gave her to learn, the

more frightened of it al she became. There was a

particular order to a place setting at the dinner table,

because they didn’t have al of the utensils present,

he used various items in place of the real ones to

teach her their uses until they had the real things. For

a large dinner party, she was in charge of arranging

the menu and what was to be served first; thus she

must learn which piece of silverware was used first.

At a large table, the importance and status of the

guest dictated where they sat at the table.

For Lady Caine, al that she must learn came to

her in form of nightmares that quickly replaced al

others she once had.

She had had no idea how much of a difference

there was in being a servant and being of the elite

class with al of their social graces.

Al manner of rules came into play surrounding

proper etiquette, protocol, conversation and

address.

Her only respite came when he took Moose out

for his walks. Even though he regarded the dog as

hers, he treasured the animal just as much. From her

place at the window, she observed many

conversations between him and their pet. Yet, when

he returned, back to the drawing board of al the

things that she must learn, the one thing that brought

her pleasure was learning to dance. For this, Moose

learned early on to head for the hal way or risk being

stepped on.

Humming a familiar tune, Quinton showed her

the proper steps of two popular bal room dances.

She giggled a lot through them, causing him laughter

as wel – keeping them fun, they danced together

each evening, with Quinton watching her form,

making sure she kept her neck straight and high in

the midst of it, making sure that she learned to

address him before the servants formal y as, My

Lord and he would address her as, My Lady. Those

times, when he stood beside her, holding her hand

high, leading her in the steps she would take, Sarah

did indeed feel like a grand lady – because Quinton

treated her as one. She had never known this

incredible thing that he did daily - existed for

someone like her – he cal ed it – respect. As he

danced with her, he assured her that al that knew

her would treat her with the utmost respect; respect

of the lady she was to him. To Quinton, she was that

and more, she deserved it, like no other woman he

had ever known and would accept no less than that

from those of his household.

Days flowed, one into the other as more snow

fel , al was quiet in their little corner of the world and

then, a couple of days before Christmas they heard

wagon wheels rol ing into their yard over crunching

snow and the snort of a horse with Moose barking at

the kitchen door non-stop. Quinton had been happily

making a cocktail for Sarah – for her to try for the

first time while she’d been busy the previous two

weeks making ceramic stew pots for al of the

people they’d treated, she wanted to deliver them

with her very best baked breads and their own

custom mixes of tea and tinctures.

The tea and tinctures were more important than

anything; they were fil ed with various herbs to help

them cope with winter. She’d woven carrier baskets

to place each of the items in ready for delivering.

They’d planned to drop off the food gift packages to

al those they’d treated, as a gesture of good wil

from them both. To their happy surprise, one of the

gift baskets could be given immediately as Quinton

opened the kitchen door for the Murray’s.

“Wel wel wel , what have we here?!” Quinton’s

greeting was boisterous, fil ed with joy as he

welcomed them in – he’d been drinking and was to

the brim with exuberance.

the brim with exuberance.

With Moose by her side, Sarah stood back by

the hearth with a broad smile on her face, stroking

the animal’s ear, just as surprised as Quinton that

they were there, especial y considering al the snow

that had fal en over the previous few days and the

cold temperatures.

Smiling, stomping the snow from their feet,

El en and Erwin entered; she carried their infant son,

Erwin carried a basket of goods for them.

“My wife decided that we should go visiting –

you two were at the top of our list; in fact, you were

the only ones on our list.” Erwin grinned, laying the

goods on their table; Sarah took their capes, winter

articles, smiling graciously; “You beat us to it, we

were preparing to do the same.” She returned,

carrying their things into the next room. They both

immediately noted the change in how she spoke,

looking at each other and then at Quinton. He was

smiling broadly, happy, on top of the world.

“As my wife, Sarah Abigail Caine – stated, as

you can see lined against the wal – we have much to

deliver, that basket is yours.” He pointed theirs out

and looked to Erwin, “Drink?”

“Yes, please.”

When Sarah rejoined them in the kitchen, El en

looked at her and nodded, “I like it – Sarah fits you.

You are certainly a Sarah – kind, gentle, caring and

graceful; how very nice to meet you.”

Sarah, looked toward Quinton and then back to

El en, giving her an accepting nod of her head, and

with squared shoulders, direct eyes, she smiled with

a greeting in return, “I thank you for that; it has been

my pleasure to meet, and to know you as wel . Have

a seat, is he sleeping?”

“Yes, peaceful y thank the heavens.”

“Here, let me take him, he wil be in this room –

close enough to be heard, should he awaken.”

El en nodded, handing him over to her; when

Sarah disappeared down the hal into the room,

El en turned to Quinton. “My, what a difference.”

“Yes, my wife has done wel ; this is good for

her, to build her experience in dealing with people,

once we arrive in England-…”

“No… you’re leaving?” El en exclaimed, looking

from Quinton to Sarah who was back.

“I’m afraid so – it is best for us both to make

our home in England. While this is indeed a free

state, I fear that Sarah would always be in danger of

someone trying to take her back into slavery;

especial y now that al know who I am – I have

nightmares of someone harming her, to get back at

me.”

The young couple could see it in the way that

he spoke and treated her, his marriage to her had

truly been out of love, what else could explain it?

“When?” Erwin asked.

“Spring,” Quinton answered, “I expect our

entourage to be here by then…” He looked towards

Sarah, holding his hand out to her, surprising her;

she stepped close, taking his, her face burning from

his show of affection. “…upon their arrival, we wil

depart immediately.”

“Oh no, you two are the only friends that we

have.” El en complained, hating the idea of them

leaving.

Erwin nodded in agreement, “She’s right.

Because of you two, we were happy to have settled

here.”

Quinton pul ed Sarah in under his arm, gazing

into her eyes, “Seems to me, we’ve created a

problem for them; any suggestions?”

“Such good friends, we should take them with

us,” Was her suggestion. Quinton nodded and turned

back to them, “Wel ? What say you to that? I assure

you, there is more than ample space to spare.”

“Pack up al and go to England?” Erwin

considered, and looked at his wife, whose head

titled in thought. “Could we?” She asked him.

Erwin’s eyes went from her to Quinton, “Are you

serious?”

“Loyalty in friends is more valuable than gold.

My wife and I need such loyalty – aye – I am very

serious. What skil s and labor you planned to use

here, can just as wel be used there. My estate is in

need of ones such as you; we shal travel light –

bring what you treasure; what holds meaning for you;

leave the rest, it wil be easily replaced.”

Erwin turned back to his wife, she was smiling

and nodding, chuckling, Erwin stood with his brandy

in hand, “Your Lordship, we shal certainly take you