Summary of Chapter 1
Spoiler! :
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They rode far and they rode slow. They wanted to make the most of every moment, for they had a lot to talk about and catch up on, but they each were also trying to watch the time so that Sarah wouldn't fret if she finished lunch and the two still hadn't shown up. They weren't too concerned – after all, the servant was with them, and both Madeleine and Helena knew that he wouldn't let them stay out too late.
For the first part of the ride, neither spoke, taking everything that there was to be seen on the trail that they each had took many times before. It was mid-August, and although the weather was usually devilishly hot around this time, today was cool and breezy. They circled through the premises of their estate a few times before finally heading down the massive green hill that separated their estate from the rest from the rest of Port Royal. As they were heading down the hill, Madeleine spoke.
“Have you thought about any names for the baby?”
Helena shrugged. “I don't know,” she said. “It depends on whether the child is male or female, and what George thinks. However, I would love either Martha or Jane for a girl. Maybe Samuel for a boy.” She shifted her gaze to a nearby palm tree, and then back toward Madeleine. “Of course, George will want to name the child after him or father should it a boy.”
“Is Harris—err, George excited?” Madeleine blushed a little. As she did not know him well, she had been used to calling her sister's husband by his last name, but now that she was with Helena,
Helena paused for a moment before answering, her eyes downward, toward her stomach. “I think so,” she said quietly. “He'll want a boy, someone who can follow in his footsteps.” Again, she looked down at her stomach. “Father would like that too.”
Madeleine tugged on her reins slightly so that Alice would slow down. “What do you mean?”
Helena narrowed her eyes. “Isn't it obvious? Father had you and me,” she whispered. “Two daughters, but never a son. Never someone who he could teach what's he learned in the navy to, never someone who could actually go somewhere in their life.”
“Helena, you know father loves us.”
“I'm not saying he doesn't,” Helena said, “but isn't it obvious that he always wanted a son, not a daughter?”
“What's gotten into you?”
Helena's voice was starting to rise now. “Nothing's gotten into me, Madeleine. I'm perfectly calm. I'm just trying to say--”
“Never mind,” Madeleine whispered. She could feel her eyes shifting away from her sister, and she felt confused. Why had Helena raised her voice like that? Madeleine had said nothing offensive, nothing that could harm her. Instead of dwelling on it too much, Madeleine decided to change the subject. “Helena, how does feel to be out riding again?”
Helena smiled, her eyes beaming as if nothing had happened. “Oh, it's wonderful,” she said quietly. “It's really, really wonderful. It feels so free out here, so open, you know?”
Madeleine gave off a weak smile. She could tell that her sister was about something, but she didn't know exactly what. “I'm glad you enjoy it. I haven't been on this trail since you've left. Didn't we go the night before your wedding?”
“We did.”
“Then it's been six months,” Madeleine said. “Six months since I've really been riding. I mean, I've taken Alice around the premises of our home a few times. But it's not the same when I'm riding with you, on this trail.”
Helena laughed. “That's very flattering,” she said. “Have you taken out Snow at all? I don't mind if you do! Spending all of his days in a stable--”
“Don't worry, I've taken him out.”
“That's good,” Helena said, smiling.
By this time, their horses had come to a denser, more wooded area. The two exchanged glances and smiled. They were getting closer to the beach, which was their mutual favorite part of the trail.
“Has father tried to marry you off yet?” Helena asked.
“Some,” Madeleine whispered. “He was absolutely mad about it a few months ago. Now I think he's somewhat settled down.”
“That's good,” Helena said. “You're only seventeen. You should still have some time before you have to worry about going and getting married.”
“A lot of people do when they're seventeen,” Madeleine said. “Younger, even. You know that, Helena.”She ended her sentence with a slight laugh.
“Do you want to get married?”
Madeleine froze. It had caught her somewhat off-guard; she hadn't been expecting it and thus didn't know how to respond. In her lifetime, she'd never thought about it, really. To her it had seemed to be something was required in life to be a woman and by getting married she would complete her journey from child to adult. However, she'd not thought about it in the sense as to whether she had wanted it or not. If she was of lower class and could marry whom she chose—for love—it was possible that she would have a different opinion. She had read many tales of romance, but she knew that it was unlikely that it would happen to her, that she could marry the man she loved (if she ever did fall in love). Her father would choose her suitor, so it was possible that he could find someone she liked. Maybe then she would want to marry, but it could easily go the other way.
“It depends,” Madeleine said simply. She could feel her throat closing up and her cheeks becoming red. “Do you like being married, Helena?” She instantly regretted saying it. The question had been her mind since she had asked her sister about the baby names and she had responded in somewhat of a harsh manner. She could feel her face flushed with embarrassment. and in waiting for Helena's reply she kept her eyes sorely concentrated on Alice's dark mane.
To her surprise and relief, Helena was not upset. She was not joyous, but her eyes were distant; she seemed to be elsewhere. “That's a difficult question to answer, Madeleine,” she said. “I like George, yes. He's kind and very caring and I know that he will be a good father. At the same time, I miss being so carefree, being so innocent. I miss my lessons, and I miss spending time with you. Since I've been back home, it's like nothing's changed.” Madeleine didn't catch the last sentence. She started to ask Helena what she had said, but then decided against it.
They rode on in silence for a little while longer, and Madeleine soon became aware that Helena was trailing behind her.
“Are you coming?”
Helena shrugged and tugged absentmindedly at her horse's reign. “He isn't going. I don't know why.” She craned her neck downward so her face was level with that of her horse and she began speaking to him in a soft tone. “Is everything alright?”
Snow whinnied softly but refused to move.
Madeleine sighed. All of the sudden, her horse stopped too. She tried a similar approach that Helena had, but Alice wouldn't move. For a brief moment, she shared a confused look with her sister.
It was then that the servant, who was starting to catch up with the girls, spoke. “Perhaps they're tired. Maybe we can take a rest when we get to the beach.” Madeleine was initially alarmed by his voice as he had been quiet for the whole trail and she had forgotten that he was with them.
Madeleine and Helena both nodded; it was a good idea. By this time, they could see the palm trees of the beach of the distance. Helena dismounted Snow and grabbed her horses reins. Madeleine did the same.
“We can walk them the rest of the way,” Helena told her sister. “I suppose there will be a tree we can find and tie their reins to and we can walk along the shoreline. That would be fun.”
“Yes,” Madeleine said. The two proceeded along the remainder of the wooded area, edging their horses on slowly but steadily. “Come on, Al,” Madeleine would whisper to her horse in the special gentle voice she used when talking to her. “It's not far and then you'll get to rest for a while.”
Just as the ground they were walking on turned from mud and fallen sticks to sand, hot and sticky, the servant caught up with them. He too had dismounted his force and was leading it by the reigns. “If I may, I will take your horses for you and find a place where they can rest and will not get away. You two may do what you wish on the beach for a while, but we will have to start back soon.”
They nodded and handed the reigns of their horses to the servant and walked toward the vast blue ocean, where the waves were gently curling back and forth. Madeleine smiled as an idea crossed her head. “Let's take off our shoes and we can feel the water at our feet.”
Helena frowned. “I don't think that would be--”
“Who says?”
Helena gave off a weak laugh and bent down, kicking her shoes off her feet. Madeleine smiled and did the same.
So for a while they walked along the edge of the water, their feet cool, refreshed. They talked and laughed and informed each other about what they had been doing for the past six months. For a minute or so, she had almost forgotten that her sister had ever left. As they walked, they could see the docks looming ahead, just beyond the leaves of a few coconut trees. Despite that they were far, they seemed massive, busy; and they were.
It was then that they noticed a figure walking along the beach. He was a young man, no more than twenty, and by his simple clothes they could tell that he was a merchant. He was carrying a bundle of packages, and appeared to be struggling with them.
“I think he's heading toward the docks,” Madeleine said, pointing to them. They were fairly close by now. “He looks like he needs help.”
“He will be fine,” Helena said quietly. “Besides, I think we need to be getting back.”
“It won't be a minute. If you don't want to help him, that's fine. I'm going to, though.”
When she said this, they noticed the man trip. He dropped the packages and their contents, wood planks, scattered all across the ground. He took a deep breath and frantically tried to start picking them.
Helena sighed. She started to say something but instead simply began walking back toward the servant and their horses. “I'll wait for you,” she whispered.
Madeleine approached the man and started to pick up the wood planks. “Are you alright, sir?”
“I'm fine,” he said, clearly embarrassed. Madeleine noticed that he had a thick Irish accent. “I'm just carrying these packages over to the dock to meet a carpenter who is a friend of mine. I'm a silversmith, and so we help each other with various tasks because we do not have apprentices.”
“Do you want me to help you carry these packages, sir?”
He obviously wanted help, but Madeleine guessed he was humiliated. “Miss, I'll be fine carrying these the rest of the way. I don't have that far to go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Well--”
Madeleine smiled and began putting the planks in the boxes – there were four in all – and sanding them off. “I'll just take one of them.”
“Alright,” he said, blushing as finished putting the wood planks in the boxes. He took the other three boxes and they began to walk. “Thank you for this help, Miss, I do appreciate it.”
“You're very welcome.”
They didn't talk until they started to come into full range of the docks, when he finally asked what her name was.
“Madeleine,” she said. “Madeleine Grey.”
“Grey?” He seemed surprised. “Is Admiral Edward Grey--”
“Yes,” Madeleine said, “Edward Grey is my father.”
“He was decorated by King George I, wasn't he?”
“Yes, and Queen Anne as well.” Madeleine started to laugh.
“Well,” he said, “Madeleine, daughter of the revered Admiral Grey, I consider it an honor you are helping me with my boxes.”
Madeleine didn't know what to say; she let out a small smile.
“Well, err the reason I ask,” he said. “I met your father a week ago. He ordered some candle holders from me. I don't know if he told this to you or not, but they're almost finished. I'll be bringing them by your home soon, so I suppose our paths will across again.”
“I suppose so,” Madeleine said. They approached the docks, and Madeleine saw someone wave toward to the man.
“I think I can take it from here,” he said, “Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure,” Madeleine said.
They waved to each other, and Madeleine began to race back toward Helena and their horses. It was about time, she figured, to be getting home.
I have to say that this version is certainly better, in my opinion. I can see that you took some of the reviewers advice when it came to Madeline's relationship with the Irish man being too fast. The way she's met him this time is far better than the time before. It doesn't seem as creepy that they'll meet up again now. xD
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