Wellington Cross (Wellington Cross Series) (28 page)

I took the meal over to the dining room and wished we had a
servant’s underground walkway like at Wellington where it was cool.  I
briefly wondered if we could hire someone to at least cook for us.  I wish
I could steal Cora away or at least one of the girls, but I wouldn’t want to
separate them as a family, and I certainly wouldn’t try to take them away from
Clarissa and the rest of the family.  Perhaps one of the girls could come
over during the day with Lillie, and at least teach me how to cook.

I spent the rest of the week trying to avoid conversation with
Mr. Brown.  He seemed to be nice, but I didn’t want to talk about Ethan
and why we weren’t together anymore.  He didn’t pry any more after that
first day.  He worked hard around the plantation and was already a big
help to Jonas.

I began getting into a new routine at Magnolia Grove. 
Jonas had started a small vegetable garden out on the other side of the grape
arbor, next to a meadow where the horses grazed.  This garden needed daily
care, and I took it upon myself to tend this since I’d had experience doing
that at the Washington’s farm.  I did that first thing every morning after
breakfast when it was cooler.  I carried water back and forth from the
well on rain-less days, and pulled any weeds.  Horse and human manure was
used as fertilizer, and I handled this, as well, though William had to help me
with that one morning after heaving.

Clarissa gave us one of the hens I had brought with me when I
first came back, so that we could have eggs.  I checked for the eggs first
thing every morning so we could enjoy them for breakfast.  As soon as
possible, I wanted us to get a cow or a goat so that Lillie could have fresh
milk.

Clarissa brought Lillie over every afternoon after dinner, the
midday meal.  Lidia came over also one afternoon to help me get started
with cooking.  After three days of helping me with basic cooking, I told
her she didn’t have to come any more if she was needed at Wellington, as I was
getting the hang of it.  Some days, Clarissa would stay long enough to
have tea.  Then I would take Lillie outside with me to start working on
the grapes, flowers, and herbs.  Clarissa brought over small cuttings from
the roses, lilies, and lavender, which I promptly put in jars of water and sat
on the windowsill of the kitchen, on the sunniest side of the plantation, to
try and root them.  I pulled weeds and dug in the dirt to get it ready for
planting, once the cuttings rooted.  I broke off some tree limbs to use
for the grape arbor and tied them together, and then trained what grape vines
were left to go up the new poles.  I had to get William to help me with
the tall ones that were over my head.  I wanted it as tall as it used to
be so that one could walk under it.

After working in the garden a while, I would take Lillie inside
and she would play while I cleaned house, different rooms every day. 
Mid-afternoon, she would start yawning, and I’d take her upstairs to my
chambers and let her sleep on my bed, surrounded by pillows, and I’d sit up
beside her while reading or mending clothes.  She would curl up and lay
her head on me till she got too hot and moved away a bit.  The open
windows helped a little with the heat, and we’d actually be a little glad for a
rainy or cloudy day when the sun wouldn’t be beating against the brick house.

In the late afternoon, Clarissa would come to get Lillie and
take her back to Wellington Cross before supper so that I could still cook for
the men and not have to carry Lillie around the kitchen.  We’d always talk
more in the late afternoons, sometimes while I cooked.  She would tell me
what was going on over at the other plantation, especially about Ethan. 
She was a sweet lady, keeping me informed of what was going on with the man I
loved, but it also pained me to think about him, wishing I were there with
him.  She would ask how I was doing, and I’d say I was as well as could be
expected but admitted that I missed Ethan terribly.  Clarissa would hug me
and encourage me to keep the faith.

William joined us at the manor for meals.  We didn’t feel
right making him eat by himself in the bachelor’s quarters.  So with the
extra mouth to feed, and with taking care of Lillie in the afternoons by
myself, I knew I needed another woman around here to help out.  I thought
about Catherine.  I now knew that it had been Catherine I saw at the New
Year’s Eve party.  She was much younger than Clarissa, I remember, and she
had little Virginia, who must be 8 or 10 years old by now.  Since
Catherine was already having problems keeping her farm in Bellwood, perhaps she
could come live with us here, and help me out with cooking and cleaning. 
Virginia would probably make a good playmate for Lillie, as well.  I
decided to approach Jonas about it first.

I asked him about it one morning over breakfast.

“Now, who’s Catherine again?” he asked.

“She’s Ethan’s aunt, Clarissa’s sister.  She’s much younger
than Clarissa, and she has a daughter named Virginia who’s maybe about 10 years
old by now.”  I sipped coffee while he thought about it, looking over at
William, who glanced at both of us, probably wondering whose side to take if he
decided to jump into the conversation.

“And you really think we can feed two more mouths around here?”

“Yes, I think we can manage.  She’d be a great help here
around the plantation, with cooking and cleaning, and we could do all the
gardening.  Besides, I need a proper chaperone around here.”  I
smiled at William when I said that, and he returned the smile.

“I could do more hunting to help feed us all, as well,” William
added, taking my side.

“She can’t afford to live on that farmhouse by herself anymore,”
I said.  “Clarissa said she’s having hard times.  We’d be helping her
out, as well.  I don’t know how she’s been providing meat for her and
Virginia.”

“Well, I can see I’m outnumbered here.  I guess the vote is
unanimous.  Go ahead and invite her and Virginia to come and live with us,
Madeline.  It sounds like a good idea.”

“Thank you, dear brother.  I shall ask Clarissa about it
today.”

On Sunday, Jonas and I prepared to attend worship services at
Westover Church.  The church was an old brick structure that had been used
as stables by the troops during the war.  It sat overlooking Herring Creek
with a graveyard between, under tall trees.  It had been there since the
early 1700s and only recently restored to being a church again.

The rector, Thom O’Loughlin, greeted us at the arched
doorway.  A boy rang an outside bell to summon parishioners to come inside
for the service.  The bell sat atop a wooden pole that was covered with
spiraling vines and big purple clematis blossoms.  The interior of the
church was white, and there was a balcony for the servants to sit.  Mrs.
O’Loughlin greeted me inside and asked if I was still playing the piano. 
She also asked how I was doing since getting back, and I told her briefly about
how I lost and regained my memory.  I also confided that I was living on
my brother’s plantation while Lillie Rose was living with Ethan.  She squeezed
my hands and vowed to pray for both families.

When the Wellingtons arrived, my heart skipped a beat upon
seeing Ethan.  He was dressed in black and gray and even wore a hat. 
He was devastatingly handsome.  He was holding Lillie, and I couldn’t
resist going over to greet them.  He smiled at me, as did Lillie. 

“Mrs. Wellington,” he said softly, nodding a greeting and taking
off his hat.  My heart beat faster, hearing him call me by his name. 
Lillie reached for me, and Ethan let me take her in my arms, our hands touched
briefly during the exchange.  We looked at each other longingly for a
moment.  Lillie was beautifully dressed in an off-white frilly dress with
a matching bonnet.  She greeted me with her usual “mama” squeal and then
planted a slobbery kiss right on my lips.  I held her tight and looked at
Ethan, who watched us intently, and then blinked his eyes and looked
away. 

Jonas came up behind me and took Ethan’s attention away for a
moment, and I took the opportunity to ask Clarissa about Catherine and Virginia
coming to live with me and Jonas.

“Why, Madeline!  What a wonderful idea!  You should
write to her today and see if she would like to do that.  I’ll get you the
post address.  I may write her, as well.  It might help convince
her.  That really would help her and Virginia out, as well as help you out
at your home, I’m sure.  That really sounds wonderful.  Thank
you.  It would mean a lot to me to have her close by.”  She then told
me that Elizabeth was at the plantation resting.  I was glad of that; I
didn’t want to face her anytime soon nor did I want to see her fuss over
Ethan. 

I let Ethan take Lillie back for the service, and I sat with
Jonas behind the Wellingtons.  We sat in the same pews the Wellingtons and
Chambers families had occupied for generations.  Lillie reached back for
me in the middle of the service, and Ethan let me hold her in my lap.

After services, many people in the congregation came up and
greeted me, exclaiming how glad they were to see me, that I was alive and well,
and I was blessed countless times.  It became overwhelming and
wearying.  Ethan came to my rescue by asking me outside where we could
talk in private.  Once outside, he asked me if it would be all right if he
kept Lillie on Sundays so that he could spend some time with her, and to give
me a day of rest.  I agreed, though I didn’t know what I’d do on Sunday
afternoons to entertain myself or keep my thoughts off of him and Lillie. 
I’d rather be spending the day with them.

Ethan had more to talk about.  “So, I heard that you have a
tenant farmer living on your plantation now.  What’s his name
again?”  Jonas must have told him.

 “William Brown.  He fought in the war.”

“Brown.  I believe I know him.”

“He said he lost his farm over in Petersburg.  Did you
fight with him?”

“I believe so.  Perhaps I could come by and meet him
sometime?  I’d know if I saw him.”

“Um, of course,” I said hesitantly. 

“Well, good day,” he said, tipping his hat.

The next afternoon, Ethan arrived, instead of Clarissa, to bring
Lillie Rose to me.  I guessed he wanted to meet William.  He sure
didn’t waste any time coming over to meet him.

“Good afternoon,” he said, picking Lillie up and handing her
down to me before climbing out of the carriage.

“Afternoon,” I said.

“I hope you don’t mind me coming over today.  I wanted to
meet Mr. Brown.”

“Of course not; it’s fine.”  I led him over to the stables
where William was helping Jonas repair the roof.

I introduced them, but they already recognized each other.

“It
is
you,” William said.  “Glad to see you made it
through the war, Ethan,”

“You too, William.”  They shook hands heartily. 

“When I was first introduced to Mrs. Wellington here, I
remembered her name and asked her if she was ‘your Madeline’.”  I glanced
at Ethan, who glanced at me, and then I walked away with Lillie, not wanting to
hear any more.  “I apologize,” I heard William say, as I was walking
towards the kitchen house.  “I understand things are not right between you
two anymore.  I was real sorry to hear that.  I know how deeply you
cared for her…”

Ethan knocked on the open kitchen door a little later while
Lillie was helping me wash vegetables in a deep bowl of water on a long
preparation table.  She was mostly playing with the water, splashing it
with her hands.  I quickly wiped away fresh tears.  “Do you have a
moment?” he asked.  “I’m getting ready to head back home.”

“Of course,” I said, drying my hands on a cloth and then drying
Lillie’s and picking her up.  “Shall we go to the porch?” I asked, leading
the way.

I walked to the carriage-side porch, putting Lillie down on the
floor to crawl around, and Ethan and I sat on the edge of the porch. 
Jonas had only made two rocking chairs, and they were both on the river-side
porch, so we had none to sit on.

“Did you enjoy your day with Lillie yesterday?” I asked.

“Yes, I did.  I took her down to the river and we cooled
off for a bit.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Like I said before, I hope you didn’t mind me coming by. 
I just wanted to come by and meet William.  He is as I remembered him…a
good man.  We’d been friends during the early part of the war before we
got separated in Chancellorsville.  He got injured and had to stay behind,
and then picked up a different troop.”

“It’s good that you know him.  That makes me feel better,
that he’s not just some stranger, or worse, a carpetbagger from the
North.”  I hadn’t intended on revealing to him my wariness, but it was an
old habit, confiding in him.  I’d always felt safe with him.  He was
my protector, had been ever since I fell out of that tree and broke my
arm.  I got the feeling that hadn’t changed.

He looked over at me.  “That’s why I had to come and see
for myself if I did know him and what kind of man he turned out to be after the
war.  War changed a lot of people…my father included.  I don’t know
if you’ve noticed, but he’s been different since the war.  He’s more
paranoid now, always seems to be looking over his shoulder.  He was never
that way before; he’d always been confident.  Perhaps his injury makes him
feel like a lesser man.  Anyway, I had to see if I trusted this man who’d
be living so close to you, and Lillie when she’s here.”