Chapter XIV
The House that Jamie Built
The House that Jamie Built
"But mother why must I go to school?" Quenting asked, "You could teach me more, and I would rather be here then at that school with Mr. Havern. I don't think he likes me."
"Nonsense," Jamie said, as they set down to play some chess.
"Because Quentin with two babies, the inn, and the house, when would I have time to teach you as you should be taught," Octavia sighed.
She went in to help Jack, the inn was full of guests, and Jack had started things but she was to mind them until he returned from market. He did not trust Jenny not to burn his good work.
"Father, must I go?" Quentin pleaded.
"You must," Jamie said.
Octavia stood at the kitchen door listening, she really thought Quentin would enjoy school and it would put her mind at ease, she would at least know where he was. Not off with Piper spending hours wandering around alone. Jamie had assured her it was perfectly normal for a boy to do.
"But father, why must I go?" Quentin sighed, parents just didn't understand.
"Because going to school is good for you. You will meet other children with which to play and you will learn new things. Everyone says Mr. Havern is an excellent teacher, he has much to teach you," Jamie explained.
"But father I can write and read, do sums, Chester says I can read and write better then most the men that come in here, I have seen them make an x for their name, I can write mine out," Quentin said.
"Don't be impertitent Quentin, you are an itelligent boy but there is more you must learn, and more to being a man than the writing one's name, you are very privilaged," Jamie said, studying his son and not the board. Quentin seeing an opening took it.
"What does privilaged mean?" Quentin asked.
"It means you have opertunities others do not," Jamie said simply.
Quentin thought maybe he was right, but now he wanted to try to keep his father from beating him so quickly.
The next day Quentin rode into town with his father, and walked to school from the inn, Jamie told him to come back to the inn after school.
His mother had wanted him to wear his best suit, but he wore his work clothes, after all he was going to be in prison for six days a week with a man who disliked him he might as well be comfortable. Jamie told her to allow him to go as he was.
Quentin was glad Mr. Havern was free, they had caught Mr. Bean with the items from the church trying to sell them to a silver smith in Rivers Edge.
The red school house was supposed to look cheerful Quentin guessed, but to him it looked like a charnel house that Chester told about in one of his scary stories QUentin loved so.
Some girl threw leaves on him and giggled. It was bad enough going to school but there were girls here, and both Justin and Roscoe had warned him girls were trouble walking.
"Who is that boy?" Alexander Swensen asked.
"Quentin Warwick," Roland said, he had been with his father Neils at the inn once and had met Quentin who was Alexanders age.
"He looks like a sheepherds boy," Alexander snorted.
"Don't judge a book by it's cover," Roland said sagely, he knew Quentin was Octavia's son and probably smart.
Quentin was put into beginners group with three boys and a girl, Alexander Swensen, Alvin Timberlane, Josiah Martian, and Betsy Coates. Josiah was the only one who knew how to write anything
Quentin was bored practicing what he knew.
In the four days of school three boys visited the woodshed and came back in tears, even the oldest and toughest of the boys.
Mr. Havern had no tolerance for high jinx or tom foolery.
On Friday, Quentin was seriously thinking of running away from home to avoid school, then he saw Mr. Emmerson the caretaker in his garden with his feist dogs playing in his garden. Maggie and Chester were always talking fondly about Biscuit the feist they used to own, and about getting another one.
Quentin thought about how nice it would be to get them one as a present, he wondered how much they cost. He had saved 43 pence. He was scrawling absentmindedly on his chalk board.
He glanced up to see the puppy wondering if Mr. Emmerson would sell such a grand little creature for so little. When the unthinkable happened his chair tipped over and he spilled out onto the floor. Right at the feet of the tutor.
"Woodshed now," Havern said, then he looked at the boys block letters on his black board which read, I wonder how much pence a fine pup would cost.
Havern erased it and told everyone to finish their lessons.
Alexander giggled and Roland shot him a warning glance from where he sat with the other big boys.
Quentin had known it would be only a matter of time and he would get the rod, he dreaded but yet he knew Havern disliked him and would find any excuse to give him a rodding. He thought about running away again. Then he thought would his father think of him, and Jack and Chester, no he would take his stripes like a man. No one had ever struck him but he knew it would hurt.
"You are bored, answer me honestly boy," Havern said seeming too large for the small shed.
"Yes sir," Quenting said puffing out his chest and daring to meet Haverns eyes, as his father told him he must do. For Quentin was in the habit of looking down when he talked to adults, something he had picked up from Roscoe without realizing it.
"I see, that is a problem. I may have a solution. You can go off and play, stay out of town, don't let anyone see you. Each evening as I have my dinner early in the inn, you come to take my plate if I say excellent, you must come to school the following day. If I say any other word, go and play. You are a smart boy you can remember that.Do not get caught playing about, because I will be forced to give you the rod for not attending or being tardy."
"Yes sir," Quentin said in utter disbelief.
So do you know what a gentleman's agreement is?" Mr. Havern asked, a slight smile on his face, the only one Quentin had ever witnessed.
"Yes sir, we use them all the time at the pub," Quentin said softly.
"So then you and I are entering into such a contract, I trust you not to say I gave you leave, and you trust me not to say anything about you not attending school, if you are caught this is all on you, understand?" Havern asked.
"Yes sir," Quentin said, thinking it was kind of lying but more like a secret he and Roscoe visiting places at night.
"Just for today I am giving you leave, Amberlys closes early on Friday, I need him to have this order for the school before he orders on Monday, they are always too busy on Saturday so I need you to take this to the mercantile," Mr. Havern said pulling a sheet of fools cap from his pocket. "Then go where you like until you hear the school bell and to the inn as your fathers instructions."
"Yes sir," Quentin said, and went into the daylight scratching his head with confusion. He had escaped without a mark, not even a scolding.
Quentin did his chore and Mr. Amberly wasn't there but the clerk assured him the supplies would be ordered first thing Monday.
Roscoe was in his mothers patch pulling weeds, the second harvest was almost ready, but rain had brought weeds upon them.
"I thought you would be at school," Roscoe said grinning at his friend as he started to pull weeds too.
"The most strange thing happened there, Mr. Havern released me," Quentin whispered, "But it's a secret, I know you won't tell."
"No, come lets have a race to see who can get weeds to the manure pile the fastest," Roscoe said, thinking who would he tell.
They were on their way back when Roscoe stopped short, and said "quiet" What is it?" Quentin Whispered.
"Master Amberly," Roscoe said, knowing it would be nothing to see him there but Quentin was another story.
"Why thank you master Amberly, you have a good day," a feminine voice called.
"You too Lizzy it is a beautiful day, not many left I fear," Amberly said smiling.
"Oh master you forgot your hankerchief," Lizzie said rushing after him.
"What is he doing here?" Quentin asked.
"He owns everything here, he comes here all the time especially to see my aunt Lizzie and aunt Treena," Roscoe said smiling.
Quentin thought, that was why he wasn't at the store, he had to come and see about his servants, that was nice.
Suddenly Quentin heard the school bell.
"I got to go, if I am free tomorrow I will see you at the fishing hole," Quentin said, making sure Amberly had gotten on his horse and rode off before he made for the road.
The road led the backway into town, and you could arrive behind the inn or store without really anyone see you. Which Quentin thought was handy.
After Quentin had taken care of Bess and Bow, he came into the pub and tried to keep busy while Mr. Havern ate his dinner. He cleaned the windows and mopped the floor where it looked like someone had spilt port.
Mr. Havern ignored him the whole time. Which was fine by him.
When it came time to fetch the man's plate he finished cleaning the table and casually as he could be heart pounding.
"Delicious," Havern said as Quentin picked up the plate, Quentin smiled and nodded, and went into the kitchen.
Jamie saw this and frowned, why was his son doing Jenny Coates job, the boy should be out playing a bit.
Quentin however was excited tomorrow he would have the whole day to do as he pleased.
Jamie had worries of his own, Chester and Maggie were leaving for the winter before travel became impossible.
Maggie was hoping the mild winter in the South would keep her from becoming ill, and Chester and she wanted to see their other niece and nephew which lived with her brothers on the family plantation.
The cold nights were already bothering her chest and making her feel tired she would have to lie down after the midday meal.
Jamie was worried about running things without them here to guide the operation.
He was no longer Chesters servant his time had been paid, and now he worked for the same wages as Jack did. Jamie didn't seem to think this was unfair. Jack thought Jamie should be paid more as he was the manager. Jack had paid Jamie back ten fold for his ticket, by helping him with the house and other things Jamie could have not done alone.
Jamie was also worried about Jenny Coates, he really liked Cass, but he needed a woman in here that could do more then do passable laundry and make a good bed and flirt with the male clientele.
Octavia had her hands full with their own house and their daughters Maylissa and Delilah.
They were still living in only one room the greatroom. Jamie had built an upstairs but it was unfinished not even a stairs up there yet just a ladder and a trap door. Some day he would finish it. The girls would need their own room and he wanted a master suite and a room for Quentin as well the boy liked his privacy.
Chester and Maggie had all the arrangements made to travel by coach from Rivers Edge to the port and then by ship to the southern town of Bell's Port.
Chester asked that Quentin not be told, until the night before their departure. Jamie thought this was a mistake but he thought maybe Chester had his reasons.
Meanwhile the day before their departure, Quentin had to attend school for the first time in a week, he was surprised when he had gotten "Excellent" last night but he didn't mind so much.
He was also surprised to find him in group two, doing sentences and practicing sums. This almost made him forget he had a little chore to do, he had a puppy to get.
He remembered what Cheter said about bargaining and had to remind himself no mater how badly he wanted to get a puppy he had to bargain for it. No one respected you if you paid asking price. Now stores were different they had set prices. But the butcher and the people who sold produce on the common expected you to bargain. Had he not gone with is father or Jack to buy chickens or vegetables and heard them offer and counter offer? He himself had never bought a thing except a chocolate for his mothers birthday and his father had gone with him to Amberlys to purchase that.
At recess Quentin stole over to where Mr. Emmerson was raking leaves.
"I would like to buy your puppy," Quentin said.
Mr. Emmerson shook his head, "Sorry but the pup has been sold." Quentin must have looked sad indeed because Mr. Emmerson smilde and said, "Say I know someone else who has pups. Not a feist mind you, no one has feists but I. They are good dogs, go along to see Mrs. Timberlane." Quentin nodded, and saw Alvin Timberlane, nose always dripping and hardly anone to play with.
Maybe it didn't matter the breed, just yesterday Chester was telling his father he should bring Piper by that he was missed. Quentin thanked Mr. Emmerson and trotted over to talk to Alvin.
Alvin liked to play hoops, Quentin got him on that subject then switched to dogs, he had seen men do this a lot at the pub when they wanted something from another man. By the time recess was over Alvin assured Quentin if he came home with him after school he would not go away empty handed.
Quentin was sad when Mrs. Timberlane told him all the puppies were sold or spoken for. But she did have sugar, who was a young adult female barely out of puppy hood.
She explained she had no mate for Sugar, because she was related to all the dogs in town, and none of the sheep herds wanted a white dog they thought it confused the sheep. They liked patterned dogs. So she could let Quentin have Sugar for free.
Free was good and Sugar was a sweet dog, taking his prize to the inn he hid her in an empty stall in the stable and rushed about to do his chores.
He had just came in as Mr. Havern was finishing his supper, the word was very satisfying, so Quentin knew he could play tomorrow.
But he had learned something new at school, he liked sums. Writing words, and spelling them correctly was challenging he had almost enjoyed school.
He finally was alone with Chester and Maggie, and that was when Chester looked at the boy he loved as a grandson and said, "Quentin I have some new that is going to make you sad, but I am hoping you will understand."
"I have some news too," Quentin said thinking of Sugar, locked in that extra stall and not a peep out of her.
"Well good, you see Maggie has been sick every winter for a long time, and last winter was very hard on her, only your aunt Kate's medicine has pulled her through." Chester explained.
"So this winter we are going down to my youngest brothers plantation down south to visit, and hopefully the mild winter will help my chest," Maggie said.
Quentin started to cry. He forgot Sugar, his surprise, and how happy he was hoping they would be.
"There there Quentin don't be so sad, in the spring we will be back," Chester said.
"I will miss you," Quentin said softly.
"We will miss you too," Maggie said hugging him.
"When are you coming back?" Quentin asked.
"Not til after spring has bloomed well my boy," Chester said running a rough had across Quentin's cheek, wiping away the tears.
Quentin had a horrible feeling he would never see them again, something would happen, maybe not bad. Maybe they would like it so much down south they would stay and not come back.
"I want you to promise me something," Chester said.
"All right I will take care of Bow and Bess." Quentin said knowing how Chester liked those mares.
"I know you will because they belong to your father now," Chester said smiling, but that is not the favour I wish to ask. Our little niece Candice, she is a Quaker she will be going to school in the spring session. Even if we get back early you are at school to watch over her not us," Chester explained.
Quentin got a picture in his head of Maggie and Chester sitting at desks at the school and smiled despite himself.
He was so upset he almost forgot about Sugar when it was time to go home.
He went to the stable and took her some food scraps from the kitchen a whole big bone and some meat that was too fat and Jack had put it aside and filled her water bucket.
He would take her with him tomorrow fishing. He didn't know what he would do if his parents didn't allow him to have Sugar.