by C.P. Murphy
Amelia’s Story
C.P. Murphy
Everett Moore Books
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and should not be construed as real.
Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by C.P. Murphy
Cover design © Radial Design Group
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1482762686
PUBLISHED BY EVERETT MOORE BOOKS
Printed and bound in the United States of America
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Sally, whose fate is still unsolved, my father, James Everett Poole Sr., who taught me who Sally was, and for all the cold case victims whose cases had been forgotten in time.
Does youth, does beauty read this line?
Do sympathetic tears breast their alarm?
Speak, Heavenly Spirit! breathe a strain devine,
E'en from the grave thou shalt have power to charm;
Tell them that tho' it is an awful thing to die,
' Twas e'en in thee,- yet the dread path once trod,
Heaven lifts its everlasting portals high,
And bids the pure in heart behold their God." Sally Hamilton August 25 A.D., 1813, in the 20th year of her age.
(Written on the tombstone of Sally Hamilton)
Join Team C.P. Murphy and receive a FREE copy of Love Everlasting just for subscribing! Thank you!
Part One
Chapter One
Summer, 1813
Dust flew up and dirtied the bottom of Amelia Samuels’ dress as she made her way through the village of Millersport, New York. Her aching feet couldn’t get her home fast enough. If she hadn’t frolicked the day away with her friend, Emma, she’d have plenty of time to prepare the evening meal. Judging from the descending sun; she knew it must have been after 4 o’clock. As luck would have her, the sign on her father’s apothecary store read, ‘open for business.’ Amelia lowed her pace.
“Good afternoon, Amelia,” a villager greeted her as she passed.
She nodded her head and smiled at the gentleman in return. Millersport was a pleasant community. She couldn’t help but think about it as she passed the constable’s station. She saw him through the opened door; his crossed legs upon the desk and his hat lowered over his face. Amelia laughed and wondered why the village, a safe place to raise a family, had a law enforcer.
A breeze came along as she neared the river. Amelia raised her arm and sheltered her face from the blowing dirt until the moving air stopped. Though the breeze brought the Earth to her, she was thankful because it was a relief from the steaming sun. As she walked along the street closest to the Hudson, a sudden quietness happened around her and a chill went up her spine. She felt a cold hand grab her arm. Amelia turned her head and hissed at the man. “Thomas Van Martin, what do you want?”
Standing in front of Amelia with his hands in his pockets, Thomas grinned. She was the only girl he ever wanted, but she rejected his every offer. “Be kind, Amelia. We have to spend more time with each other,” he told her, while he blocked her from advancing passed him.
“No thank you,” she replied. He was the last person she would ever spend time with. The Van Martins’ were the wealthiest family in Millersport. Thomas was the most highfalutin of them all, rubbing his fortune in everyone’s face. He nauseated Amelia. She was just the opposite of him and didn’t mind working hard for the material things she possessed. There was no reason good enough to make her agree to spend time with him.
Thomas’ grin grew to laughter. She was the object of his affection and he would stop at nothing to have her. His parents, Daniel and Catherine, gave Thomas everything wanted. They couldn’t buy Amelia and that made things difficult in the Van Martin home. Thomas would throw his temper around and tell his parents they weren’t trying hard enough to woo the girl of his dreams.
“Won’t you walk with me and hold my hand,” he asked as he moved closer to her. She pulled away, and he continued, “After all; you will be my wife!”
Amelia laughed at his joke. “Thomas,” she stated, “You are becoming bothersome. Now please leave me alone.”
He circled around her as she walked, kicking the dirt to continue to annoy her. She didn’t understand what her fate. Her father already gave him her hand. It was just a matter of time before she found out for herself. He promised not to say anything to her when he talked to Henry Samuels, but he kept his fingers crossed behind his back. Thomas glanced at her scowling face and toyed with her a little. “Oh, forgive me. I thought you knew,” he put his arm over her shoulder and walked in step with her.
She pulled herself away from him and wondered why he was acting stranger than normal. “Knew what?” She quizzed.
“That you and I will get married after your twenty-first birthday,” he said with confidence.
Amelia’s stomach tightened. She thought for sure she would bring up her breakfast. She got herself together and continued to walk away from him. He was wrong and didn’t know what he was talking about. Marriage was the last thing on her mind. “Look,” she snapped as she picked up her pace to free herself from his presence. “I don’t have time for your jokes.”
He loved every minute of her torture. “Wait up,” he shouted as he raced to catch up with her. She placed her hands on her hips and was about to say something, but he wouldn’t allow it. Before she had the chance, he cupped her face and placed his mouth upon her lips. The kiss lasted for a brief second before he felt her hand slap him hard across his face.
“Don’t you ever touch me again,” she demanded. She had dreamed of her first kiss and never was Thomas part it. Amelia wiped her mouth, to rid herself of his drool, and turned to walk even faster than she already was.
For most men, a reaction such as hers would scare a fellow. It triggered more desire from Thomas. He was proud of how upset he made her. He knew that she didn’t believe him and wished that he could be there when she discovered that his words were true. “Have it your way, my love,” he called out to her. “Go home and ask your father all about our union. You’ll see I’m telling you the truth. The next time you see me, you will acknowledge me as your betrothed.”
Amelia ran the rest of the way to the house and slipped inside. She turned and placed her forehead on the closed door and caught her breath. It was just a bad dream, she told herself. She regained her posture and went straight to the kitchen to cook. No matter what she had done, she couldn’t get the image of Thomas out of her head. His person was so unattractive. He was tall and thin, almost too thin. His head looked too big for his skinny body. His high cheekbones made him look as if his eyes sunk in his skull. The worst part about his face was the smirk he held with his lips. She couldn’t tell if that was his smile or a birth defect.
Amelia could look passed someone’s appearance but in this case, looking passed Thomas’ appearance was even worse than looking at him. He was ornery, meaner than anyone could be towards other people. He treated his family and friends atrocious; his workers and other people of their class like dirt. Amelia shook her head. She couldn’t wait until her father came home to put her mind at ease.
Henry walked in the house and could smell the meal prepared by Amelia. It was a wonderful aroma, he thought to himself. He would often stop, close his eyes, and take a deep breath to take in the scents. She was a good daughter and a loving companion. The bond between him and her had begun years before when he taught her how to help the sick. They grew closer as she helped him nurse her mother before she died and even more since she took on the responsibility of taking care of the household. Amelia didn’t deserv
e the news he had for her. Henry paused again on that thought before he entered the kitchen where he knew his family was waiting for him.
It was his wrong doing and stupidity that put him in the hands of the Van Martin men. They pressured him to make a decision that would affect her future. He knew that she wouldn’t be happy but if things would turn out for the best, he would have to pretend that he was. It was a falseness he knew but sometimes mistakes had to be covered up with even bigger mistakes.
“Good evening, father,” he heard her say as he entered the kitchen. “I sent the boys to wash up then we will eat.” Anxiety was grabbing her throat, but she remained silent hoping Thomas was lying to her.
“Good evening to you, Amelia,” he replied. “And good evening to you, dear Anna.” His youngest daughter already sat at the table, ready to feast.
“Hello, father. You’ll be proud to know, I set the table tonight.” Anna joined the conversation. “How does it look?”
“Beautiful.” Henry felt a sense of guilt as he looked at two of his daughters before him. Though his decision affected Amelia the most, he knew it would also affect Anna. He had another, Minnie, who was younger than Amelia, out of the home and married. The rumors he had heard from gossiping ladies in his store about how Amelia should have wed first had helped him to agree to the Van Martins’ demand.
He returned his attention to the girls in front of him. They were as different as night and day yet they both desired his approval. As he took his seat at the table, he reflected on their differences. Amelia was taller and curvier than Anna who was bone thin from running all the time. She was the most tomboyish girl in the village. Both girls had dark brown hair but yet Anna’s was straight with short bangs while Amelia’s had more of a natural curl to it. Amelia’s eyes were as blue as the sky on a clear summer’s day but Anna’s were black. His eyes, he realized. Anna looked like a young female version of him.
Their appearances weren’t the only thing that made them different; their personalities were just the opposite too. Amelia would do anything to make life easy and her younger sister was the one who always made things difficult. Though they both knew respect, Anna had mouthed off from time to time. And for taking care of the house, Anna wouldn’t have a clue what to do. That thought made him stop and wonder what he would do with her. The announcement he planned on making over the meal would affect her too and she would have to learn the ins and outs of a household, fast.
Within minutes the two youngest children, Henry Jr. and Charles, ran into the kitchen and sat at the table. Charles grabbed a slice of bread and halfway shoved it into his mouth when Amelia grabbed his arm and reminded him that they have not said the evening prayer. Henry said the prayer and everyone said, “Amen.”
Everyone was quiet while they ate. Henry knew that he couldn’t put off telling his family the news he had. “Amelia, I talked to Thomas Van Martin today.”
She swallowed her last bite of food hard when her father spoke to her. Fear rose deep inside knowing he would bring up the horrid conversation she had with Thomas. “May I ask, what about?” Amelia hoped that Thomas had just been fooling her.
“You,” Henry told her in front of her siblings who were watching like hawks.
Amelia felt a lump in her throat she couldn’t swallow. The news was true, and she almost choked. She could never be Thomas’ wife and felt the need to protest. “Oh Father, no. He has told me I would be his wife, and I hoped that it wasn’t so. I would sooner be sold into slavery than to be with the likes of him.”
Henry’s face had matched the burning coals in the brick oven. The rotten scoundrel promised not to say anything to her, he mumbled to himself. He should have known not to trust the young lad. There was no point in confronting Daniel about his son’s behavior. The Van Martins had him where they wanted him. “I’m sorry about that,” he replied, “He was told not to say anything.” His words confirmed what Thomas had told her.
“Oh father, you didn’t?” Amelia’s stomach felt like it did the first time she’d heard the news. “How could you? Prearranged marriages don’t take place around here. Isn’t that one reason our ancestors moved to America to begin with?”
“Don’t take that tone with me young lady.” Henry hated to holler at her. But, if he would convince the community he was behind this union, he had to convince her first. “You are my daughter and it’s my responsibility to make sure you are well provided for. Mr. Van Martin will be a wonderful husband to you.”
“Father, don’t say that. There will be nothing wonderful about Thomas.”
The other children were silent as their older sister tried to argue with their father. “Don’t argue with me, girl, it will do you no good.”
“Who will take care of you and the children?” Amelia had been the only one to take care of them since her mother’s death.
Henry glanced over at Anna who was getting squirmy in her seat. “It’s about time that our dear Anna takes on the duties around here.” As far as he was concerned, at fifteen years of age, Anna should know how to cook and clean.
Anna didn’t like housework and this sudden announcement brought, “I swan,” out of her mouth. The entire family hushed as they looked at the girl who used such dirty language.
Henry slammed his fist on the table and jerked his head toward Anna. He had a good mind to box her ears for talking the way she did; out of line again. “Watch your mouth, girl, and mind your own funeral,” he was strict when he told her to keep her opinions to herself. Lowering her head, Anna paid close attention as the conversation continued.
“Oh father, isn’t love important?” Amelia pleaded. She often dreamt of falling in love but knew that once her father sets his mind to something he kept it that way.
“Love,” Henry quizzed. “Amelia, I understand that you want someone to love. We all do in our lives. But, you have been busy taking care of others. You took over when your mother died. You gave your time when your Uncle John was sick until he too passed away, and now you’re helping Beth to prepare for the birth of the baby.” Beth married his oldest son, David, and they were expecting their first born. Henry continued, “You’ve had no time for yourself. Let me help you with this. I promise you will learn to love Thomas.”
Amelia felt stumped. There wasn’t a thing she could think of to wiggle her way out of this mess now. “You can’t learn to love someone. When you find someone to love, you know.”
“What do you know about love? Have you ever had a beau, Amelia? Is there something you have hid from me?”
Amelia cried. Did her father think that she would ever court a boy without his permission? “No Father. I’ve never but I believe that someday I will.”
Henry smiled. She would come to her senses. “Yes dear, someday you will love Thomas Van Martin.” He paused as he looked at her distraught face. It was better to keep talking than to look into her watery eyes, he decided. “I told him I wanted you to wait until after your twenty- first birthday. That is a few months from now and Amelia, by then you will love him.”
Determined to try one more time, Amelia begged, “Father, please change your mind. I promise to spend more time searching for the right man. If you want to marry me off, I will court but please don’t make me marry Thomas Van Martin. You know that he is everything I’m against in a man.”
Henry had to stay strong. Her hand was promised to the Van Martins and, for reasons he couldn’t reveal, he intended on keeping that promise. He would not sit there and let her try to talk him out of it. Henry stood up to leave the kitchen and said, “You are my daughter and will do as I say. I told him that outside of the immediate family, nobody is to know. When you see him next, you will tell him how happy you are to be his fiancée.”
He left the room as Amelia put her head on the table and cried in defeat.
