Chapter 8. Morning In the Garden

Kathryn Parker was greatly relieved and encouraged knowing that Lord Gilmore was willing to book his return passage aboard the same vessel with Abigail and Mrs. Pickering when he discovered Abigail’s plans to visit Hannah. She found it somewhat odd that in the entire week he spent with the Parker family he only briefly mentioned his fiancée. Of course he spent much of his time traveling about in his rented motor car with Durston, Noah and Father looking for horses to purchase at various horse farms. He didn’t seem like a man in love at all according to the speculations of Aunt Olivia and Rose Marie. Callie concurred.

When he had completed his task of purchasing horses, precisely eight of them, Durston then took on the enormous task of making arrangement for them to be shipped to England. Four were purchased from the Sutton farm where the annual summer dance was held. Mr. Sutton held the belief after the transaction had been made that the sale was owing to both the quality of his horses and the kind words Aunt Olivia had put in for him and his farm. Aunt Olivia hadn’t spoken two words in his favor but when Mr. Sutton appeared for tea a few days later to thank her, who was she to burst his bubble? It would seem somehow a slight to deny it. Ever mindful of his feelings and the importance of having good manners, she simply sipped her tea, accepted his gratitude and changed the subject while she breathed in the fragrance of the large bouquet of roses and lilies he’d brought her.

Noah and Jordan watched him leave the parlor whistling “Oh Susanna.” In fact, they could hear him happily whistling that tune as he drove away in his buggy and even as he turned the corner from the drive onto the lane. Mr. Sutton’s admiration for Aunt Olivia seemed to have grown ten notches in Jordan’s opinion after that visit.

“I am sorry to hear about Jack running off with my sister,” Frank Richards was saying to Abigail as they walked alongside each other through the various paths in the garden. She was surprised by his visit and even more surprised by all that he had to say. It was nice to see him though it had only been since Sunday last. He had stopped by the manse specifically to ask if she would overlook the fact he had once been Rose Marie’s beau and be willing to enter a courtship with him. She was hardly past the fact it would make her a sister-in-law to Helen and thus, a permanent member of Jack’s family. She couldn’t even wrap her mind around it even though she was desperate for a father for her baby and a way to save her family from social ruin because of her past moral depravity.

Not knowing how to respond, it seemed best only to say: “It was a terrible shock.”

“It wasn’t right what he done,” Frank went on in his Kentucky drawl.

…If he only knew the half of it. “Yes, I agree. It’s so kind of you to consider my feelings in all of this, Frank. How very sweet you are. At least Jack has shown his true character now and not when it would have been too late. I hate to think if I had become legally bound to him what the result might have been in the years to come.” Abigail was thankful for the quiet afternoon so they could stroll through the garden without interruption. All of the males of the Parker household had gone fishing and later, the ladies would be joining them for a picnic not far from the banks of the lake. This time Abigail had much to look forward to, including the fact that Rose Marie’s family, Elizabeth’s family, Peter’s family and Mrs. Pickering would be joining them. She would enjoy time to discuss last minute preparations for the journey ahead.

“I don’t see how he can live with himself after what he’s done. I really don’t expect we’ll see much of the two of them after this. He’s probably too ashamed to come home to even visit his Ma or Pa.” The sound of Frank’s voice snapped her back into the conversation at hand. She was growing weary of even thinking of Jack. She thought she had finally overcome it and here was someone reminding her of it.

“I’m afraid they are heartbroken over all of this,” she said weakly and somewhat distractedly.

“What am I doing talkin’ about this any further?” He asked as he noticed a look of discomfort in her eyes. “Just consider my offer of courtship, Miss Abigail. Take your time about it. You don’t have to answer me right now. But I just know someone else is going to come along and sweep you right off your feet and I’ll be left heartbroken myself.”

She smiled and fluttered her fan coyly. Frank was kind, decent, handsome and homegrown. He would one day inherit his father’s farm of over three-hundred and fifty acres and he had his own home and a hundred neighboring acres on land that backed right up to his parents homestead. He was about as fine of a husband as any might be. Though he was a good seven years older than she, Abigail had best consider his offer very seriously. She needed a husband… and fast. Something however nagged at her soul that she must be on board that ship to England no matter what her response to Frank.

“Frank, will you allow me to consider your offer while I am in England. You know I leave in a few days…” She rested beneath her parasol as they stopped for a moment near a bench where she could sit. “Could I write to you when I have had some time to think this through?”

“Miss Abigail, you take all the time you need. I have thought about this a great deal since this incident with Jack and Helen. I know it might seem awkward and that if you marry me you’d be Helen’s sister by law, but we wouldn’t have to see them often. They live far away from here now and like I said, I don’t expect they’ll be home for a long time except for very short visits. My Ma and Pa, well, they aren’t too keen on Jack now, not after he ran off with Helen in the middle of the night like he did. And we don’t have to talk about them. But if you trust me, I’ll love you so much you’ll forget he ever lived.”

Something about the way Frank said those words and the look on his face gave Abigail great pause for thought. Her heart nearly leapt inside of her. Had it been the heat of the afternoon and the strain of the pregnancy, or was it something else that caused her heart to leap like that? Just based on what Frank had said, she had the faintest in indication that there was more to true love than what Jack had shown her.

She was so stunned by his offer she had to sit in the shade on the front porch in the swing long after he was gone. It was as though he spoke of love in a way she’d never known it before, a love so deep it would run on like a river that would always flourish. When Frank strode out of the garden, leaving her there beneath an oak tree, she realized she was watching a determined, mature man who would truly love and care for her. She just didn’t know him at all and had never even considered him a viable candidate of marriage. These two concepts completely frightened her, but at long last, she had at least one option before her.

Nonetheless, she decided she was going to board that ship for England and see something of the world before this baby was born. She prayed for God to allow Frank to be patient with her until the Lord made it clear what she should do. The idea of being related to Jack and Helen rather daunted her. She was filled with hesitation on all fronts because of this one glaring fact. Her baby would be raised to call Jack her uncle? Could she handle that for the rest of her days?

Though some might feel the baby and Jack deserved to know each other, instinct told her that in this particular case, it might not be in the best interest of the baby to bring him or her into a situation that would only cause further disgrace and complication to everyone involved. She prayed God would show her another way that might provide a completely fresh start in life for the sake of the baby and everyone involved, both now and in the years to come.

The Viscount encountered Abigail one early morning in the garden before the end of the week. She looked positively green from morning sickness though he had no idea what had turned her such a shade. He could see she was unwell and when she nearly collapsed into his arms, the only thing to help her regain her composure and steady her was the strength in his arms and hands as he led her to a garden bench not far away.

“My dear Abigail,” he said when she had recovered. “May I call the doctor for you?”

She shook her head violently and the look of alarm and panic in her eyes was so distraught that he didn’t pursue the offer again. She was hit with another wave of nausea and finding her fan, began fanning herself rapidly and gasping for air in slow, deep breaths.

“What can I do to help you?” He asked instead.

“It will soon pass,” she managed to reply.

“No, you are still green. You are unwell my dear.” His tone was insistent. “What can I do for you? Can I carry you to your bedroom --or the sofa perhaps… in the parlor; so you can lie down?”

She knew from the sound of his voice he was not going to give up easily. Though the idea of him carrying her anywhere sounded somewhat appealing and romantic, all she could think of was the family discovering her predicament if he or any of them called for the doctor. She wanted to beg him: “Take me away from here then! Please, just help me get to England! I need to see my sister Hannah. I shall continue to despair if I do not get to England very soon!”

Instead, tears streamed down her cheeks quietly and she clasped his hand more tightly, realizing she hadn’t let go of it since he’d led her to the bench. She continued to fan herself rapidly and evaded his questions but managed to whisper, “Please don’t call the doctor.” Though it had helped to share her plight with Elizabeth and in prayer to God, she still felt abandoned and without resolution. There was no immediate remedy to her situation and each day seemed a challenge to keep her spirits up and her mood bright and cheerful.

“Let us go for a ride in the motor car. Come,” he said, gently but firmly pulling her slight figure to her feet.

Physically exhausted and emotionally weak from the bouts of morning sickness, she obeyed and clasped her two hands around the elbow he offered for her to cling to as he led her to the motor car. This was no time to worry about chaperones. If she didn’t get away from the manse she was going to burst.

“A drive in the fresh air of the countryside will do you some good. And I am a good listener,” he added.

Her eyebrow shot up. She hoped so. She decided to trust him and wordlessly gave a slight shrug of her shoulders to signify both a manner of indifference because of her present state of health and some degree of compliance, allowing him to lead her through the garden and past the front porch to the motor car parked under the port cochere. It would take much less energy to simply follow his lead. She was in no condition to waste her meager supply of energy by arguing with their guest. She had to concede that by following his orders, it would distract him from alerting the family and a doctor. Furthermore, she was much too weak and shaken from the nausea to argue with him. Would this morning sickness ever wane?

He opened the door for her. Aunt Olivia would be busy in the kitchen making breakfast, probably entertaining Sheldon’s valet with a cup of orange spiced tea. Father would soon be awake and in his study for time with the Lord in prayer. Mother sometimes helped Aunt Olivia in the kitchen. Soon Jordan and Noah would be awake performing chores in the stable and barn. She was thankful for this opportunity to slip away unnoticed, wondering if the sound of the engine starting would cause a commotion and hoping it would not. It would seem she was making a terrible habit of evading chaperones when with members of the male species.

She lowered herself into the seat slowly and carefully slid her knees into the car, hoping the waves of nausea would not return if she moved very, very slowly. Her feet seemed to follow and he waited to shut the door while she arranged the folds of her gown, making sure it was tucked neatly around her. He didn’t want to waken the rest of the mostly sleeping family any more than she did so he pushed the vehicle far down the lane and told her to turn the wheel when they reached the road. She did so, her eyes wide with relief when the wheels actually turned the motor car onto the road as she turned the steering wheel. He pushed the motor car a little further, stopping only twice to catch his breath. Then he turned the crank and the engine started. He jumped in the car and they were soon speeding toward who knew where. To Abigail, it didn’t matter where, as long as it was away.

“Take deep and slow breaths,” he advised as he drove along the road. He could see she was struggling with another wave of nausea. She took his advice and it worked.

They drove for a long time in silence, away from town. It was refreshing to see more of the countryside. He seemed to drive slowly just for her, avoiding bumps when he could, trying not to aggravate her condition. This was a task not so easily done on a dirt country road.

When he spotted a lake and a clearing beside it he pulled the motor car to a stop. They stared at the silvery lake for a time enjoying the sounds of birds chirping and the sun rising above the water that gently rippled here and there. It was a pleasant sight to behold and rolling hills accented by a three board fence in the distance brought the beautiful Kentucky surroundings to life.

“So now Miss Abigail, tell me what is the matter. Twice I have found you in distress. Something seems to be very wrong and I would like to help you if I can. Talk to me and tell me what is wrong. I sense that something more is troubling you than meets the eye.” His English accent mesmerized her as much as his caring words.

She looked at him warily. Could she trust him? Dare she trust him? As much as she wanted to, how could she burden someone else with so great a burden as she carried? She had the distinct feeling that the Lord in His gracious mercy had brought this man to her so that she could share her troubles with him, but propriety was the something that held her back.

“I want to tell you, but I cannot.” She shook her head and gazed out at the lake. “It is not fair of me to tell you of my distress. It is too great a burden for me to lay upon your shoulders. Perhaps when I have had a little more time to get to know you…”

He was amazed at how perceptive and thoughtful she was- especially if his suspicions concerning her proved to be true. He’d noticed a great many things about her leading him to his conclusions. He decided to give her the space she needed. He was fairly certain of her predicament but he didn’t want to voice his thoughts, especially if he proved to be wrong.

At the same time, he wasn’t sure he wanted her to tell him the problem but he had the strongest urge to protect and nurture this struggling, little sparrow in the seat beside him. In response, he sighed gently and nodded his understanding and placed his hand over hers comfortingly.

“Whatever it is, it will all work out. I hope you will tell me when you are ready.” He withdrew his hand and gripped the steering wheel instead. “You have a friend, when you are ready to talk.”

They sat there a long time looking at the lake and enjoying the sights and sounds of the morning around them as the sun rose to greet the day.

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…

Proverbs 24:16

American Standard Version