by Lynn Wolfe
Now, the light in her eyes grew dim and her words came out barely audible. She’d lost weight and could barely eat. The physician said she had some type of disease for which there was no cure. Most of the people who had fallen ill from this dreaded disease had died within a year. He told her there was nothing more he could do.
When Mary looked once again to her mother’s face, she was surprised to see she had awakened from her sleep and was watching her.
“Mary, do you move your fingers to try to stay awake so you can linger longer? You need your sleep, darling. Please, don’t look so sad. Your father and brother will take good care of you. You’ll be safe and loved. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. Yet, I am thankful you, your brother and your father seem to be immune to this dreadful disease.
“When this is over, Mary, anytime you wish to speak with me, all you’ll need to do is look out into the evening skies and I shall be the brightest star you find. I’ll always be there for you, Mary; all you have to do is look.”
Mary saw the tears her Mother refused to let fall. No one had to tell her it was close to the end. Even as little as she was, she could sense it. She’d not allowed her mother to see the tears she saved to shed at night after she crawled into bed. She had to keep a brave front so her mother could pass with the knowledge she could manage without her.
But she was only a child of eight. She wanted her mother to still give her hugs and kisses. Who would read her bedtime stories and tuck her into bed? As it was now, she went to bed by herself. She pretended she didn’t mind, but that wasn’t true. So many nights she cried and cried until there were no tears left to shed.
Mary tried to be brave. Deep down she wasn’t sure how life could go on when the one person you loved the most dies.
When her mother first became ill, she prayed for God to spare her. But like so many others, her mother would be another death caused from this deadly outbreak that went through London.
“Mama, I don’t want you to leave. But I promise to be good for Papa. When you’re gone, I’ll talk to you every night so you’ll know we’re all right. I shall tell you everything Thomas and I are doing. You’ll always be a part of our lives. I’ll even tell you if Thomas or I have done something bad.”
Mary saw her mother’s weak smile. Her mother nodded but said nothing. Mary knew she should leave for her mother was very tired and needed her sleep. Yet, she feared, as she had for the last few days, when she left her mother this night, she would slip away forever.
Finally, Mary knew she could no longer remain, “Goodnight Mother, I’ll see you in the morning,” Mary whispered as she kissed her cheek. Mary quietly left the room, hoping when she awoke, her mother would be with them for one more day.
When Mary awoke the next morning, she saw her father weeping at the table. She went to him and without speaking laid her hand on his shoulder and cried. He gently reached up and patted her hand. Words did not need to be spoken, for Mary knew her mother was gone.
“It’s over, Mary, your mother passed during the night. Thomas is getting the preacher now.” Her father said visibly shaken. He was always strong and in control. She noticed he had a drink before him. Her mother would not have allowed him to drink so early in the morning. But she was gone now, and her father obviously needed something to get through his pain.
Mary said nothing as she observed the quiet household. She continued to stand and quietly cry. How could this be happening? Now, she must rely on her father to teach her how to become a young lady. Who would be there to comfort her when she was sick or to help Thomas when he had a scraped knee?
Thomas returned with the preacher in tow. As plans were made for her mother, Mary was surprised to hear her mother would be buried in the church cemetery. Normally, the church cemetery was for people who could afford to purchase a plot and stone.
Mary had no idea where the money came from to allow her mother to be buried at the church cemetery. She knew better than to ask her father about money matters. But she was very proud of the fact her mother could now have a tombstone. She would now be able to visit her in the beautiful cemetery not far from their cottage.
They rarely attended church after her mother had taken ill and Mary had not met the new minister before he came to their cottage this morning. She thought the new minister looked nice enough. His eyes seemed kind, his hair had some gray and he was very soft spoken. He wore glasses that seemed too small for his head and he had a small scar on his chin. Mary wondered how he got it.
“Mr. Ball, I’ll have the dates inscribed on the stone as we discussed earlier. Are you sure you wish the stone to read only the name of Mary Ball? The letter you gave me stated her parents wished to have her maiden name included on the stone.” the minister stated.
“Aye, I’m sure. They didn’t want anything to do with her while she lived and frankly I’m surprised they sent enough money to cover the burial. Jane wouldn’t have been happy if she’d known I’d written her parents, asking for money. Let’s leave things as they are. I don’t want to discuss this any further in front of the children.”
Mary was confused. Her father had always told her their grandparents were all dead. She wondered why no one ever mentioned her mother’s parents were alive and why hadn’t they ever come to see her or Thomas.
Mary knew her grandparents on her father’s side had died long before Mary was born. Mary realized Thomas, her father and her aunt were the only family she had left, except now for her mother’s parents, which she’d just learned were still living. For reasons unknown, they were not to be a part of the arrangements.
Before the Minister left, he told Mary and Thomas how sorry he was about their loss and he would see them tomorrow at the funeral service. The house again became eerily quiet.
“Mary, why don’t you go to Miss Minnie’s shop and make her aware of your mother’s passing. She needs to know it’s finally over. Your mother has left us for a better place.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Do you think you’re able to fix the funeral meal by yourself? I’m not too good in the kitchen, as you know. But I think Miss Minnie might help, if you ask. You’ve managed so far by yourself and neither Thomas nor I’ve made too many complaints, now have we?”
Mary shook her head knowing Thomas and her father ate what little she knew how to fix and rarely complained, even when she over-cooked it. “I know Miss Minnie will help me. I shall not be long.”
Mary walked the three blocks to Miss Minnie’s Dress Emporium with great sadness. Her mother had worked for Miss Minnie since Mary was a baby. She claimed Minnie was like the sister she never had. Miss Minnie would often drop by with food when she visited them after her mother had gotten too ill to work. Mary was always grateful when she didn’t have to prepare the meal and could enjoy the wonderful food Miss Minnie brought.
*****
“Mary, what are you doing here?” Minnie asked after Mary unexpectedly entered the shop, yet, knowing what the answer would be.
“Oh Minnie,” was all Mary got out as she ran to be held in Minnie’s open arms. She hadn’t planned to fall apart. In fact, she was going to show everyone how brave she was. But when she saw Miss Minnie, Mary found she was unable to hide those tears she’d hidden from everyone for the past several months.
Mary knew they’d only need enough food for the minister, her father, Thomas and Miss Minnie, who was her mother’s employer and dear friend. There was no one else they had contact with except their father’s sister, Aunt Bertha, who had refused to come help them in their time of need. Besides, she lived too far away to make it in time for the funeral.
“Has she passed, child?” Minnie asked as she rocked the young girl who was obviously heartbroken.
“Aye, in her sleep last night, what am I suppose to do? I want her back!”
“Everything will turn out fine, Mary, wait and see. I’ll always be here. I promise.”
Mary felt Minnie stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. “Do you think
you could hire me to help you? I know I don’t know how to sew, but I can clean the floors and handle the scraps of material which are left from the cuttings. I can start after the funeral on Wednesday. I fear we need the money. Please, Miss Minnie.”
Minnie knew her own heart breaking as she smiled down and nodded. “Yes, Mary, I think I might be able to use you. If you help me out in the store, I can be sure you are doing alright. I can see you every day but Sunday, the only day we’re closed. As you get older, I’ll teach you the things I know your mother would have wanted for you to learn.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Mary. Your Mother was my dearest friend. I promised her I’d look after you and Thomas and I plan to do just that!” Minnie was amazed by the inner strength shown in such a young child. Strength she was sure had been inherited from her mother.
“I was hoping you could use me, Miss Minnie. I think we need the money to put food on the table. At least, father always said he needed the money mother made. I worry how we’ll pay our bills.”
“Your father will see to your needs, Mary. Don’t you worry any! I’ll start you Monday. How does that sound? You’ll then have a couple extra days to take care of things in the cottage. And I’ll gladly help you with the funeral dinner, if you wish.”
All Mary could do was nod and bite her lip. Thomas had already taken a job at the docks a few months earlier. Their father had found Thomas work once their mother had become too ill to continue with their book learning. Mary took over the cooking and cleaning the house. It wasn’t near as clean as her mother would have had it, but no one complained.
“I miss her, Miss Minnie. I miss her already!”
“I know child, I know. I miss her, too. I always will.”
Chapter Seven
London 1827
Mary had just finished cooking dinner when Thomas and her father entered the cottage. “Sure smells good,” Thomas stated as he started to wash up for supper.
Mary rolled her eyes. Thomas made the same remark every night when he entered the cottage. Couldn’t he come up with something different to say just one time, she thought.
“It’s only some fish and cabbage. Not much I’m afraid. I had to work over today for a fitting for the new banker’s wife. This will have to do.”
“When I spoke with Minnie last, she again told me what an excellent seamstress you have become, maybe an even better seamstress than your mother,” Her father told her as he waited to use the towel after Thomas.
That must have been when you stopped to verify my wages, Mary thought. Minnie had spoken to her about his visit and told her she’d refused to divulge any information to him. Mary knew better than to say anything about his visit. He was already taking more money than he needed from her, in her opinion.
Mary noticed her father had become misty eyed while speaking of her mother. A sure sign he had been drinking too much at the pub, again. The loud belch confirmed it.
“Father, I wish you’d cut down on the amount of ale you consume. You know it isn’t good for you,” Mary gently scolded.
Mary knew on most nights this was what to expect. Her father had made arrangements for Thomas to pick him up on his way home from the docks at the local pub each night after work. Thomas finished his work at the docks usually an hour or two later than her father. Her father always went to the pub for at least one drink or more after his work was complete.
But Mary and Thomas were tired of his drunken behavior. With each passing year he became more dependent on his ale. How he held his job as supervisor for the dockhands was unclear. Mary supposed it was because he could lick anyone in a fight, unless it was three to one, for it took at least three men to handle him, even when he was drunk!
Those times were the worst, for there was hell to pay for Mary and Thomas if Henry was attacked and there were too many for him to conquer. He seemed to take his anger out on them before finding the ones who deserved to be punished. He’d make them all pay for their actions for he always retaliated, he was known for it.
Her father was only five feet eleven but he was solid muscle and a dangerous foe despite the amount of ale he consumed. His face had been weathered from all the years he worked on the docks. His nose was a rose color which usually happened when one drank too much. His thinning gray hair made him appear older than he was. Mary always figured he stayed in fighting shape due to his heavy lifting of cargo. He could outwork most men. He could also out drink them.
“Mary, my drinking is none of your concern! I’ve told you before you don’t ever question me on what I say or do! As for you, Thomas, I’ll box your ears the next time you tell me to put down my ale and come home in front of my friends, as you did tonight. You’re lucky I was in the mood to humor you.”
“Yes, Father, but you know full well you need your sleep so you can make it to work in the morning,” Thomas replied trying to ease things with his father, but seeing his father’s face was flushed with anger, he warned him, “besides, I’ve become fairly strong myself, and could put up a reasonably good fight, maybe even come out on top. I don’t think you want to push me on this tonight.” Thomas was more than ready to stand up to his father if he forced the issue.
“Aye, your words might be true, Thomas, but I’m the head of the household and I shall be obeyed at all times!”
“We need to eat before the food gets cold,” Mary interjected hoping to avoid any further arguments.
Supper was almost over when Thomas surprised Mary by his next question. “Mary, would you mind if I bring a friend home tomorrow night for supper? I think you’ll like him well enough. He’s from America. His name is James Parker and his father is the owner of The Parker Shipping Company. They do the majority of their business in London.”
“Bah, hogwash.” Henry got out. “That’s just what we need, one of those American know-it-alls coming to dinner. Next thing he’ll be doing is turning your head, Mary, with all his lies about America. For you, Thomas, it’ll be about living in America. We have lost enough Englanders to their ridiculous dreams of a better place to live and more opportunities of getting rich in the new colonies,” Henry spat out spewing food over the table.
Henry continued. “Most of those who got their starts in America were thieves and beggars from England, and we’ve been trying to rid ourselves of those types for years. The men who left here don’t deserve to be called English.”
“James is a gentleman, Father. He has manners and knowledge far beyond this table.” Thomas spoke loudly and angrily. He was a far better person than his father could ever be, he thought.
“Watch your tongue, Thomas. I’m warning you. I’m not a stupid man!”
“Thomas wasn’t saying you were, Father.” Then looking at Thomas, Mary continued. “I think we’ve enough to feed four, Thomas, with a pot roast, cabbage and potatoes,” Mary answered quickly and ignoring her father. She hoped he would come to his senses and stay out of the conversation.
“Could you make a dessert? Something like a cobbler or cake?” Thomas requested hoping for more than their usual fare. They seldom had dessert unless it was a very special occasion.
“It depends on what time I leave the shop. I won’t make any promises. Since we’re having company, I think I’ll spruce the cottage up a little. I’ll try to add dessert if there’s enough time. This will be our first guest in years. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”
Mary knew they lived a meager life. Their days were made up of working, returning home to rest, and then starting back the next day until Sunday came, and at least she got a day off. Henry and Thomas worked all seven days of the week.
Mary spent most of her Sundays cleaning and doing the laundry for the week. They seldom saw their neighbors due to their father being hard to deal with after he’d been drinking. There was little time for outdoor activities and their neighbors shunned them routinely. Mary didn’t mind, because she enjoyed the solitude where she could read a book or mend clothes. She rarely thought of the future being any differ
ent than what she was doing. She had little time to think about having a beau, for there were few men available and none so far that held her interest.
“Thanks, Mary. James won’t mind what our homes like. He isn’t a snob. He’s very knowledgeable about horses and breeding and I’d like to learn as much from him on those subjects as I can. I’d love to someday be able to start a small horse farm of my own in America.”
All of a sudden her father took notice. “What? What did you say? America? Start a horse farm is not even an option. You, Thomas, are a dock worker, and you’ll be a dock worker as long as you reside in this house! I need the money you and Mary bring in. I’ll not tolerate any more talk about a horse farm. I thought you said he worked in the shipping business.
“And I don’t want you, Mary, leaving work early to fix supper for this Parker fella. You two act like I’m not at this table. You think you can talk around me because I’m drunk?” Henry expelled his words the best he could. But his tongue got in the way and his words sounded somewhat slurred, yet his mind still took in the meaning of what Thomas had said.
“Please Father, we meant no disrespect,” Mary got out before her father could say anything else. “But it would be nice to entertain company just once and I’d enjoy meeting someone from America. I doubt if I’ll get another opportunity to do so. All we’ve done for years is work, eat and sleep. The only other people I see are those who come to the shop and the few neighbors we have, and they don’t really acknowledge us, as you are well aware.
“We’ve enough food if I’m careful and I don’t mind fixing a little extra. I’d very much like to learn about life in America and see how different it is from here.” Mary hoped she’d appeased her father at least enough to allow them to entertain Mr. Parker.
