Chapter 6. A Great Many Visitors, From Near and Far

All of Garfield seemed abuzz with the news concerning Abigail Careen Parker. The fact she was soon to embark on a voyage across the Atlantic on a journey to England seemed perfectly natural to everyone since her sister Hannah lived there with her husband, Wilson. Wilson had been a dearly beloved intern and assistant pastor at the Methodist church, training under Father, the Reverend Calvin Benjamin Parker. Reverend Wilson Carpenter now did evangelistic work throughout England and parts of Europe. The life he lived with Hannah seemed like a grand mission to Abigail and everyone who knew them well. The gossip concerning Jack and Helen seemed to fade into nothing as people contemplated this exciting voyage Miss Abigail Parker was about to undertake. It wasn’t often that anyone in the small town of a rural county in Kentucky had the opportunity to travel to England. This was rather extraordinary gossip for Lincoln County.

Noah’s news brought great relief. Once it was established that Mrs. Pickering would be willing to chaperone Abigail, everyone seemed to breathe easier. Mother, Callie and Olivia set about sewing a fashionable travel suit and a new day gown for Abby from the fabric she’d chosen at the general store. Abby tried to calculate how soon she might be able to have her trunk ready and packed and began to contemplate which dates of embarkation might be possible.

Two childhood friends of Hannah’s, Geneva and Annabelle, came to call for tea a few afternoons later. Both had long since married and had growing families of their own. They were hopeful that Abigail would share their latest news with Hannah and excited about the prospect before her. They enjoyed seeing her new hats and hearing about the patterns for her new travel suit and gown. Everything seemed to be falling into place and Abigail began to feel less fearful about her situation, though pale and tired from the morning sickness. Mother believed her health issues to stem from her broken heart concerning Jack. Abby longed to confide in her but could not bring herself to do so. In a way, she was growing more excited by the day at the prospect of so many new possibilities. She had almost begun to wonder what she’d ever seen in Jack. Bouts of morning sickness brought a grim reminder of the reality of her situation but she was determined to remain hopeful in every respect. She tried to spend a little time each day writing something in one of her writing journals. It helped keep her mind off her circumstances. She continued to pray and sometimes she spent a few moments reading her Bible, though she was inconsistent because of her own preoccupations with daily life. She did find however that she was particularly drawn to the Psalms when she did find time to set aside for the Lord.

Elizabeth was most surprised and delighted about Mrs. Pickering’s willingness to chaperone and spent much of her time assisting with preparing her boarder for the journey. She wondered why she hadn’t thought of Mrs. Pickering before as a possible chaperone but chose to waste little time berating herself; she was far too elated and overjoyed at this solution to the problem of a proper escort for her sister to travel across the sea to a world far away from all she knew.

Mr. Sutton also came to call at Brookside Meadow Farm again but Aunt Olivia could only set aside time to chat with him on the front porch over a glass of sweet tea. She had her sewing to get back to and didn’t want to give Mr. Sutton the idea that she was available at his beck and call. He seemed satisfied to have a short visit with her and showed understanding when she explained all that she had undertaken to prepare her niece for her journey. He seemed a little disappointed that his visit with her was shortened but left undaunted, promising to return in the near future. He hadn’t brought flowers this time and Aunt Olivia informed Callie and Mother that she wasn’t impressed that he had forgotten something she considered so crucial to the development of romance.

A letter from Hannah arrived explaining that the Viscount, to be addressed in writing as Lord Sheldon Gilmore, and his personal valet, would be arriving in a fortnight for the express purpose of purchasing horses while in Kentucky. She wrote that she hoped Father, Peter and Noah could be helpful in this regard and asked if they would assist her neighbor in his endeavor and offer him shelter if at all convenient. The letter had been delivered much later than the date on which it was penned. Mother calculated that their visitor from England would be arriving very soon, perhaps any day now. Hannah’s letter had crossed in the mail with Abigail’s letter explaining that she would be coming to visit her in England soon.

“Isn’t he the son of a Countess?” Callie asked, never looking up from the hem she was sewing into place on the new garment for Abby.

“No, but I believe he is engaged to the daughter of a Countess,” Mother replied as she tucked Hannah’s letter into the pocket of her work apron.

Aunt Olivia stood up and set aside the garment she’d been sewing neat and tiny stitches into. “I’d better make tea.”

And so began Aunt Olivia’s making of endless pots of tea, something she always did when she was nervous or worried.

Two days later, Abigail tossed her writing journal aside after another attempt to finish one of her short stories. Deciding to steer clear of the ladies gathered in the kitchen sewing over the past few days, she was finished packing for the most part. Noah had graciously brought an old trunk down from the attic. Her clothing had been freshly laundered, ironed and folded neatly and placed inside along with her shoes, hats and gloves. She’d made a list of other items she would need and had placed most of them in the trunk already.

She rather missed riding Gabriella but she had the baby to think of now. It was safer for her to walk and good exercise. Perhaps a stroll into town would do her some good. It was a lovely day, neither too warm nor too cool. She decided she would visit Mrs. Pickering and Elizabeth and take the steamship brochure along. Together, perhaps they could choose a date of embarkation. The brochure listed travel dates through the next three months.

She raced upstairs to her bedroom and changed from a serviceable beige but rather boring day dress into a lightweight white dress that skimmed the top of her brown walking shoes. The dress belted at the waist with a blue satin sash and had just the right size bustle at the back to flatter her youthful figure. She was thankful that as yet, she showed no signs of being with child other than the waves of morning sickness that occurred each morning and a bit of tiredness most afternoons.

She pinned half of her hair back into a mother of pearl clip and left the rest hanging down in long, golden but natural curls about her shoulders. She added the final touch of a matching white parasol trimmed in blue ribbon and a large summer hat trimmed in the same blue of the sash at her waist. She donned a pair of white, wrist- length day gloves and hummed a soft tune of “Dixie” as she fairly sailed down the staircase and out the front door. How far her mood had come since learning Jack had abandoned her! Everything seemed to be looking up and she was determined not to let her circumstances get her down anymore. It didn’t bring much honor to God if she continued to live life with a terrible case of the doldrums she had decided. It seemed that she was beginning to have a little confidence that she could be all that God wanted her to be and that her prayers would soon be answered.

“I’ll be back in time for supper Mother!” she called out as she breezed out the front double doors of the old plantation turned manse. She hummed the hymn Joy Unspeakable as she walked along, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

As she strolled along cheerfully swinging her drawstring purse, her thoughts turned to practical matters to consider from reading the brochure. She must remember to measure and label her trunk “wanted” so that it would board the steamship properly and make the journey along with her as opposed to being forwarded in some other manner and delivered to her destination after her arrival. The brochure said all trunks must be no more than two feet in width and thirteen inches in height or… was it three feet in height and what had the brochure said in length? As she pondered over such matters she was at the same time surveying the rolling and lush meadows and thickly wooded trees about her. How she would miss beautiful Kentucky!

Eventually, her thoughts turned to how nice it would be to see Hannah’s daughter, Melody Joy. Born not long after Heaven Pearl, Melody would be about six or seven years old now. Mother always scanned every letter from Hannah for news of this grandchild who grew up so far away from family that it often broke her heart. It would be so nice to see how she had grown.

Somehow, lost in her thoughts, she managed to lose track of where she was stepping and stepped right into a hole and twisted her ankle sorely. From that point on in her walk, too far along to turn back, she limped along wincing in pain with every step. She was eventually surprised to encounter two strangers driving along in a motor car at a frightful pace. The motor car did thankfully slow to a stop when they saw her walking along after a long bend in the dirt road. The male driver was wearing what appeared to be a ridiculous looking brown leather cap, goggles, brown leather gloves and a long, white scarf. The other male, his hair askew beneath a tweed English cap, looked as though he was holding on for dear life with one hand to his hat. Under his other arm, he was tightly clinging to a satchel. He bore a look that he had just come through great peril and looked relieved for any excuse to stop the motor car from proceeding.

“Hullo there, Miss… uh?” The driver called out over the noise of the motorized vehicle with a distinctly English accent.

“Miss Abigail Careen Parker,” she replied curiously, swinging her parasol around coyly as a sweet smile crossed her face. “And you are, let me guess! Lord Sheldon Gilmore, the Viscount?”

“Right you are!” He replied with a smile that looked relieved someone did indeed know of his arrival and had been able to get his title right. Most impressive for an American girl. Hannah’s letter must have safely preceded him then. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Abigail Careen Parker! This is my man, Durston.”

Durston, the passenger, nodded and tipped his cap in her direction. “The valet,” he clarified. “I echo his sentiments on this fine summer day. ‘Tis very nice to meet you indeed, Miss Parker! We haven’t seen anyone for miles on this road and we’ve come a very, very long way to meet the Parkers.”

“And I echo his sentiments,” the Viscount said humorously. This earned him an angelic grin from Abigail who was most amused by this point in the introductions. She was fascinated with their English accents and perfunctory manners and speech. “We seem to be lost but we were on our way to the Parker household… to meet a Reverend Parker… and you are a Parker, as you stated, are you not?”

“Yes, I am. I’m the Reverend’s daughter, Hannah’s sister.” She emphasized Hannah knowing he would recognize her name. “However, I think I’m happier to encounter you than you might imagine. Hannah did indeed write that you would be coming to purchase horses. We’ve been expecting you. Mother and Father will be very happy to accommodate you both. Welcome to Kentucky, though I’m sorry to say it from the middle of the road and injured as I am, you see, in this state of slight distress.”

“It is so very nice to meet Hannah’s sister! I did notice you seem to be limping.”

“Twisted my ankle a ways back,” she acquiesced and winced just then at the pain when she tried to take a step towards them.

“With these rough country roads I certainly can see how it could happen! Perhaps we could assist each other. Would you like a lift?”

“I certainly would appreciate such a kindness. Your timing along this road is perfect. I won’t make it to my sister’s house after all with this dreadful limp but I was too far into the journey to turn ‘round. I was determined to keep going in spite of the ankle, but I’d much rather join you and return to the manse.”

“Wonderful! Then you can show us the way there. I would be most indebted to you if you would be so kind. We are completely lost and we’ve made a number of wrong turns. You would be doing us the kindness and the favor!” The Viscount hopped out of the motor car before he’d finished speaking. The man he called Durston was already moving into the back seat and before she knew it, Lord Sheldon Gilmore was helping her into the front passenger seat of the very modern vehicle.

When she was settled she gave a little laugh. “This should be great fun—and much easier on my ankle! I’ve never ridden in one of these contraptions before. Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Safe, oh yes! And great fun! You’ll see!” And with those words he was back in the driver’s seat and stepped on the pedal propelling the car forward at a frightful pace that jerked her forward at first.

³ Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:3-5, NIV

2 Timothy 2:3-5, NIV