Dear Kate
Jamie discovered he was pretty good at painting and plastering something he had never done but had read about but had never had a chance to try his hand at. He was also handy when it came to repairs. His father had once told him that his grandfathers brother was a ship builder, and a very good one.
He had redone the Inn and everyone who came in remarked about how nice it looked. The Dawson’s were very proud of the way it looked.
People started asking who had done the work. Jamie would answer he did. That was when Chester Dawson decided to allow him to hire out to farms and keep almost all the money except for a bit to pay his board on days he worked solely on a farm or at a house.
One day he was working at the Coates home and he heard this most breathtaking sound. Music so pulling to his heart and making him pine for Octavia in a way he hadn’t, it also made him wish to see his mother once more. She had played the harpsichord, but never as beautiful as this.
The door was open, there was a young woman sitting there playing the instrument, and Jamie at once thought she was very dear, she was not a daughter of the house, she was dressed as a servant in gray.
The music she was playing was almost a hauntingly beautiful melody that made Jamie think of home, and longed to be there, to confront his brother to find the maid and her child and insist she tell the truth.
She must have sensed him because she turned.
"Hello, you must be Jamie, I am Kate." She said smiling, but it was a sad smile, there was deep pain in her beautiful blue eyes as she met his eyes, he knew that pain he had seen it in the mirror when he shaved in the morning.
"Good to meet you Kate, I must go finish up the job," Jamie said thinking that Kate was the first woman he had ever looked at since he had kissed Octavia that last time.
Kate came outside as he was cleaning up his tools.
"Hello Kate," Jamie said managing a smile.
"I was wondering if you liked to picnic and fish, I know it is bold of me, but I really need some time away from the house, and they don’t like me wandering off alone, but it is my afternoon off," Kate said almost pleading.
"Are you sure your mother would want me to walk with you, I am an indentured servant," Jamie whispered.
"It would be fine, Mr. Coates would have not hired you when he has two daughters if he was not certain of your character," Kate said smiling her little sad smile.
Jamie had finished painting the and repairing the porch, and he had no other work, and he really felt like it would be nice to talk to someone besides Lewis and the Dawsons.
"All right then," Jamie said smiling, thinking she was so very dear.
"Wonderful tomorrow morning then, I shall meet you behind the inn," Kate said.
"Sounds fine, I must hurry along Chester is expecting me he has a new book," Jamie explained.
Kate was dear, they didn't talk much during the fishing. But the lunch smelled delicious, and she told Jamie she had made everything but the bread.
"Who owns this land it is beautiful here," Jamie said, worried slightly they might be trespassing.
"It is for sale has been for a while, I think the Amberlys own it." Kate said.
"That luncheon sure smells delicious." Jamie said after a while,"What do you do for the Coates?"
"I am a maid," she said, "It is a good job."
"I thought you would be cook as good as this food is," Jamie said.
"I help cook out from time to time and I learned some from my mother," Kate admitted.
"Where is your mother?" Jamie asked, asked between bites of the delicious meal she had spread.
"In the grave yard," Kate said sadly.
"I am sorry, you are so young to have lost your mother." Jamie said.
"She died four years ago, when I was twelve, by then we were at the Coates and safe," Kate sighed.
"I am sorry," Jamie said softly, thinking again of his mother.
"She is in heaven, for her life on earth was hell," Kate sighed.
"I am sorry the Coats are bad people?" Jamie asked.
"Oh no, they are kind good Christian people, it was the man from before, the one who purchased my mothers ticket," Kate said swallowing.
"I am sorry," Jamie said, realizing most were not as fortunate as he and Lewis had been, in fact the only other ship mate the had seen was Carl and he was worked hard and looked exhausted, but he was fed well and not abused really.
"When she was my age, she saw no prospects the second daughter of a family of twelve children, so she indentured herself," Kate explained, "Thinking in the new world she would work in a nice home never be hungry or dirty or cold again."
"She indentured herself? Why?" Jamie asked shocked, giving up ones freedom seemed like the worse thing one could do.
"For a better life, for her and her sister, the sister died on the ship and mother almost did, and most days she thought her sister was the lucky one. When the man purchased her ticket, she was happy, but then when he took her to his home, where he lived with his elderly father and two brothers she learned that her new life was Hell and their were worse things than dirt, hunger, and cold. When I was born, the eldest brother wanted to knock me in the head like a unwanted kitten, but his younger brother had some soul and plead my case, so mother was allowed to keep me." Kate said tears in her eyes.
"Why didn’t your mother run away?" Jamie asked.
"She did they caught her, and beat her, but that was before I was born." Kate sniffed, trying not to cry, why was she telling this young man all this?
"How horrible what humans do to each others," Jamie sighed.
"Yes it is, well when I was six, and strong enough she did, we ran and ran, I thought I would never sleep peaceful or be warm and full again," Kate sobbed. "I was so frightened. But I didn’t know the youngest brother had helped us escape. He also left but went another direction, so his brothers would think we were with him. Mother told me this much later."
Jamie thought she had been burdened a long time by this story.
"Then Mrs. Coates found us begging on the street and brought us here. I was seven and at first my mother was afraid of Mr. Coates, but he is a kind man and in time she came to be a bit more at ease with him, but then she got sick, and she was so afraid they would cast us out, but they didn’t. I will always miss her but I know she is with God now," Kate sobbed.
"Dear Kate, please, grieve no more," Jamie said then hugged her.
"I guess I needed to grieve once more, thank you for your shoulder kind sir," Kate said smiling, now her past was out in the open and they could go on.
"The pleasure is mine," Jamie said, thinking she was so dear, and soft of heart, but intelligent.
Jamie told his story and their were more tears but none were Jamie’s he felt he had cried himself dry.
"You think she took your advice and went home?
"I think so, I don’t think she would have gone on without me," Jamie sighed, this new world seemed to be no place for a woman, and George wouldn’t have brought her with him without Jamie anyway. She had no choice but to go home to her parents and safety.
Jenny Coats was spying on them, she was so jealous of Kate and Jamie, she wished Jamie had seen her first.
That night however Jamie had another odd dream, in this one he was lost in a maze of hallways and there was a baby crying, Octavia was calling his name. It was jumbled and odd, but at last he saw her holding an infant. There was another man though in the shadows telling her it would be all right.
Jamie did not know what this meant but he awoke weeping for her, he had not cried for a long time. He thought he had ran out of tears.
He was busy for the next few days and then he saw Kate again this time they danced while Madolyn and Eddie too turns playing the harpsicord. They were the Coates children. Both delightful unlike their sulking sister Jenny.
Jenny was so jealous, and when she finally quit sulking and asked Jamie for a dance, he said he had to go do chores.That made her a little angry. But Jamie thought if she would have came down earlier when the Swensen boy had stopped by they all could have danced.
Kate did not look as sad as the first time them met, the visit ending with a hug, and he realized he really liked her, she was a dear girl.
Spring seemed to last so long but finally its blush was gone and summer was upon them.
Jamie painted homes, worked at the pub, wrote letters for Chester Dawson, read books to him. In his spare time he began see more of Kate, their friendship was something he cherished.
Jamie bought a new suit not the blue one that he had seen in his dream but a white one with floral design, he was tired of his drab brown one. The white was really a spring suit but was light and would be nice for summer, for he had been told it was warmer here in summer then in dear old England.
Lewis came in one day, Jamie had not seen him but a couple of times that spring but now with longer days the men would be coming into the pub more.
"Hello Lewis how is the married life?" Jamie asked.
"It is fine all except for that boy of hers, he is a handful." Lewis sighed.
"How so?" Jamie asked, at the wedding the boy seemed to be good natured and quiet.
"He is disobedient and ill mannered, what he needs is a good birch rod, spare the rod spoil the child, I heard someone say that once," Lewis said.
"He is that bad," Jamie said, thinking the quote was from the Bible but since Lewis couldn't read little more then figures and his name, and hated to be reminded of this Jamie said nothing.
"He is that bad." Lewis said, "If she doesn't allow me to take him in hand he will end up to be much as I was before my lover had me arrested."
"I hate to see that happen," Jamie said, "Maybe there is another way you can disapline him, sometimes a caning is not the best answer."
"Really, I wish someone would have caned me a few times for the foolishness I got up to at that age," Lewis laughed.
"Take him under your wing, teach him something make him wish to be with you, and when he misbehaves deny him your company, my father did so and it worked with me," Jamie reasoned.
"Hmm it is worth a try." Lewis said, doubting it would work but he did want what was the best for the boy.
A few weeks later Jamie was doing a chore for Chester taking his horses to the blacksmith, in the bigger northern village of Rivers Edge
Sometimes the smithy was busy and he would have to spend the night at the stable, he didn't mind, he had brought food and a change of work clothes, and a good book.
He went to find a comfortable place where to wait when he saw someone on the hay.
"Jamie," the wretch said in a hoarse voice.
Jack on a pile of hay manacled. He looked awful and he was hurt. Jamie had almost not recognized him, but he spoke his name. Asked for water and Jamie brought him some.
"Tell your master he can have that wretch for 20 shillings." The blacksmith said.
"I will take him but I will have to owe you 8 shillings," Jamie said regretting buying the suit at once.
"Well all right Chester is good for it, but the cash should be here at the end of the week, or else I will come looking for you," the man threatened.
"It will be here," Jamie said, hoping Lewis would help.
Jamie got him cleaned up and some good food that Mrs. Dawson had packed for him, knowing he would not be back in Amberly before night fall. His old clothing and boots, luckily they were the same size about.
"What happened?" Jamie asked. As he drove back home. He was glad that the blacksmith had been idle had had tended the team right away.
"I ran off from the road crew, oh God Jamie, I couldn’t take it they found me beat me and left me chained here, I haven’t eaten much more then scraps for a week," Jack said.
"I paid your ticket, after a year with the road crew why couldn’t you take it?" Jamie asked.
"Because they were working us to death Jamie," Jack sighed.
Jamie shook his head again and thought how lucky he was, but worried about what Chester Dawson would say about Jack.
"Lets get you to my masters place, and get a doctor to look at you, that wound looks infected." Jamie said, helping him out of the wagon. "Just leave me in the barn. I want to smell hay and lay on in it, I am too dirty for any bed, Your master is liable to hit you for bringing me.
"Well he can stay in the stable, but I ain’t paying for him," Chester said later.
"I am not asking you to, I am asking you only for the lend of eight shillings," Jamie said.
"Sorry the man is bound to die, that infection is bad, I don’t have money to throw about," Chester sighed, thinking he was sorry for the youth but Jamie needed to know life was not fair and money did not come easy.
Jamie was beside himself not only could he not pay the ticket off he could not afford a doctor for his friend, he made sure Jack was comfortable, and went off to the apothecary to see if he could get some laudanum and sulfur, he had no money now but maybe he could do some work for the man.
He met Kate on the green she was with Jenny.
"Jamie, how do you do . . . is something wrong?" Kate asked.
"My friend is ill, do you know the apothecary, I need sulfur and laudanum for him he is very badly injured. He has been beaten and has an infection." Jamie said.
"Oh I will get the medicine, where is your friend I will bring it to you,"
"He is in the stable at the pub," Jamie said.
"See you soon," Kate said and squeezed his hand.
Jamie went back to the pub and changed, he was hoping to get some cheap whiskey to clean the wounds and sat down with Lewis who was having one of those dreadful toasted sandwiches Maggie was always making.
Jamie had forgotten he had nothing to eat all day, and watched as chester came up to the table. Shook his head and walked on.
"Lewis, Jack is here and he needs our help," Jamie said.
"Jack?" Lewis asked frowning.
"Yes he was your best friend on the ship," Jamie said frowning.
"I don’t have time for the likes of him. I took your advice on the boy and its working," Lewis said, waving the thought of Jack away like a bothersome fly.
"Good, could you see your way to lend me 8 shillings?" Jamie asked.
"I don’t have that to spare," Lewis sighed.
"It’s for Jack, he is sick, needs medicine and I . . ." Jamie pleaded.
"Jamie let him go he is not worth your time," Lewis said.
"He was a prisoner just like you and I, that could be you out there," Jamie said, he was angry but decided now was not the time to fight with Lewis.
Later Jamie found he lost 10 shillings on playing draughts with Seth Martin, the new husband of Clarise Amberly. Jamie felt the little friendship he had with Lewis was severed. What kind of a man gambled away money that would help a friend. Jamie thought Lewis had loved Jack, Lewis only loved Lewis.
Kate and Jamie nursed Jack back to health. He was weak at first but he did scullery work for Maggie, then he began to cook, by mid summer the pub picked up and Maggie who had been a bit ill let him take over the cooking duties, instructing him on preparing meals if he did not know how to make something.
Even Chester admitted Jack was the best cook woman or man since his dear mother had passed. Kate had paid the blacksmith what was owed for Jack, and Jack relieved Jamie of most his duties so he could work outside the pub during the day, and serve drinks at night. Jack was not too good with spirits, and he was too weak yet to lift kegs which now Jamie lifted with ease.
One thing Jack could do Jamie had not mind for was play chess, and he was good at at it. He had learned, one winter from an elderly uncle.
One summer evening Jamie paid Kate the money back, as they sat in the yard swing to chat.
"Thanks, Jack is getting stronger, I hope he is before winter." Kate said.
"He is going to be fine dear Kate, you should come see him, he misses you," Jamie said."You should come by and visit with him."
"We are getting a new governess, she is to arrive tomorrow morn or this evening, so I probably should stay home, but I promise I will come tomorrow after luncheon, it is my day off and I must talk to you Jamie, but not here and now," Kate said.
"What is it dear Kate?" Jamie asked.
"My heart tells me to wait," Kate said, how could she tell Jamie she had fallen in love with Jack. Jamie was so sweet and dear. She wondered what she should do, marry Jamie who she loved as a brother or marry Jack who she had fallen in love with the moment he had lay weeping in her lap as she brushed his matted hair, after washing the blood from it.
"One should always follow ones heart." Jamie said.
Jamie trudged home, three days ago he had asked Kate for her hand in marriage but she said they should wait, he still grieved for Octavia. Now he wondered if Kate was going to refuse him knowing he could never love her with all his heart.
For he knew that his heart still belonged to . . . . "Octavia."
"Sir do you know where the Coates home is?" she asked, not hearing his whispered word.
There she stood, a baby in her arm, a large cream coloured dog at her side.
They stood staring at each other in awe, neither believing their eyes it had been almost two years.
He had thought he would never see her again. But was it really her? Or was he having some sort of fever of the mind.