Sarah Anne's Faithful Friends (Unshakable Faith Book 4)

by Cathy Lynn Bryant

  Once Sarah Thompson had made the introductions, Simon explained that he needed to take his leave for now. He had yet to convey the family that had come along with them to their destination. “Sarah, I shall be staying on in Amesbury for a few days. If it is satisfactory, I’ll call again before leaving town.”

  Sarah reluctantly agreed. I shall keep Esther by my side to ward off a private conversation when he returns.

  Since Mr. Hoyt was more than ready to rest his weary body, he said much the same about returning another day and soon took his leave as well.

  Once the other travelers had gone, Martha and Esther began questioning Sarah about why she had not sent word of her coming. In a scolding tone, Mr. Swyndhurst instructed them to allow Sarah to settle in for a few days before bombarding her with questions. He then took Sarah by the arm and led her to the parlor, while Peter, one of the servants, carried her belongings up to her bedchamber.

  Mr. Swyndhurst sensed right away that something was wrong. Having no desire to press her, especially since he had just chastised the servants for doing much the same, he simply sat there with his arm around her.

  Sarah leaned into his embrace. Her first husband’s father had always made her feel cared for and safe, just as his son had. Being back in this home, sitting here with her father-in-law caused her emotions to rise to the surface. Unexpectedly, tears came trickling down her cheeks.

  Still, Mr. Swyndhurst remained silent. Tomorrow, he thought, she will tell me what is troubling her tomorrow.

  As Sarah lay in her bed the next morning, a bed she had not been in for some time, she studied the room. Though much had changed in her life, the room had remained virtually the same as when she had first arrived at Alexander Swyndhurst’s estate some five years earlier. There were still fluffy, lace covered pillows on the bed, the same soft, blue quilt, a small settee by the window facing the front yard, and an alcove containing a maple-wood washstand, as well as a low to the ground wooden cabinet with the concealed chamber pot within.

  Sarah turned over on her stomach and as was her habit when staying in this room, began tracing the rose-petal carvings on the oak bedstead with her finger. As she thought about her life, she realized yet again that nothing other than God was certain. When you least expect it, change inevitably comes, she thought. Exhausted from all that had happened, Sarah fell back to sleep.

  When she awoke a little later, she found her maid-friend, Esther, hovering over her with a smile that stretched almost to the width of her face. Seeing this caused Sarah to chuckle.

  Esther plopped down on the bed next to her friend. “I have missed you so,” she said, a little tearful. Paying no heed to Mr. Swyndhurst’s admonishment to wait before questioning Sarah, she asked, “How long can you stay? No, no, don’t tell me. Knowing will only make me fret rather than enjoy the time we have.”

  Sarah was glad Esther had not pushed for an answer. She had no desire to give an account of what had happened that led to her decision to come.

  Esther helped Sarah ready herself for the day. Martha was not to be excluded from this happy occasion; consequently, there soon came a knock at Sarah’s bedchamber door. Letting herself in before anyone had answered, the older woman entered carrying a tray of food.

  Sarah grinned at the sight. Martha would, of course, wish to prepare food for her. She expected no less from her faithful friend. “Martha, I have missed you so.”

  Setting the tray aside, Martha responded, “Not more than I. Even as I look at you, I cannot believe you are actually here.” Sitting herself down on the edge of Sarah’s bed, she watched as Esther pinned Sarah’s hair.

  Sarah smiled at her two friends. It shall be as though I never left. Now to keep myself busy so as not to think of Daniel and the boys.

  Esther and Martha saw Sarah’s countenance change to one of sadness, if only for a moment. They knew their mistress well enough to comprehend the instant she had schooled her face to appear happy once again. While glancing at each other, the younger woman gave a little tilt of the head to the older, who then returned the gesture.

  Sarah, none the wiser, stood to her feet and said, “Let us go down to the kitchen.” Gathering up her tray, she made her way from the room, then down the stairs, with Martha and Esther close behind.

  Martha and Esther, already having had their breakfast, joined Sarah at the table. When the ladies had all taken a seat, Mr. Swyndhurst entered. “If there is no objection, I should like to join you.”

  “But of course,” responded Sarah, who was delighted to be surrounded by familiar faces, faces she had dearly missed. The conversation was kept to trivial matters. For this, Sarah was most grateful. But later that evening, when she and her elderly friend were alone, Martha urged her to explain what was going on.

  “Martha, I never should have agreed to marry Daniel. All I shall say for now is I shan’t be returning to Boston.”

  Having knowledge of the marriage between Sarah and Mr. Thompson for some time now—as she had attended church with the Thompson boys when they wintered with their grandfather in Amesbury—with eyes wide, Martha gasped. “Sarah, you are married to him now. You cannot abandon him. And what of the children? Have you not a care as to how they shall feel about this?” She had greatly missed Sarah and would love to have her stay, but she knew this was wrong.

  With her hand pressed against her forehead, Sarah responded, “I know, but you do not understand the situation in which I found myself. There are things I cannot divulge to you. And Daniel is quite capable of looking after the boys.”

  Martha could see that Sarah was upset. “Will you not tell me what happened to cause you to leave?”

  “No, Martha, I cannot. Please, trust that I know what I am doing.”

  Mr. Swyndhurst overheard part of the conversation. Even though he was in England the last time Sarah had left home, precisely as Mr. Hoyt had thought, this all seemed a little too familiar to him. When she had run away before, he had left his home in England and had come to Amesbury to be with his son.

  Calling to mind something Sarah’s father had shared in confidence about his wife having had a son before their marriage and his wish that he could have located him, Mr. Swyndhurst now found himself wishing the same. He then remembered the wooden box Sarah’s father had left in his care—stating that, amongst other things, it contained a journal his wife had written. The journal held the entire narrative wherein the woman had been forced to give her son away. Mr. Goodwin had also shared with him that he had always wondered if he should have told Sarah about her brother—adding that there may come a time, after his passing, when his daughter should be told.

  I wonder if the time has come to hand the box over to Sarah, not that she would be able to do what her father never could, that is, to find her brother. If I could but locate the young man myself before I leave for England.

  Lacking any helpful information with which to begin a search—since there had been no exchange of names between his friend and the young woman—per her parents’ orders—Mr. Swyndhurst shifted his thoughts in another direction. Should I go to Boston to speak with Sarah’s husband? he silently questioned

  The thought of leaving Sarah devoid of a man’s protection, be it husband or brother, disturbed Mr. Swyndhurst a great deal.

  Chapter 28

  Sarah had been gone for eight weeks. Before she left, Daniel had been concerned she might be fleeing to Amesbury rather than going for a simple visit and to collect more of her things, as she had said. He was beginning to think he had been correct as to her intentions of never returning. Unlike Alexander, however, he would not be going after her, for he believed he was to blame for her feeling the need to go. He should never have allowed what had happened between them, not after making promises to the contrary.

  Dan and Joseph had asked their father over and over when Sarah would be coming home. As much as it pained him not to run after her, if only for his boys, he knew he could not. They would all have to learn to get along without her. Still
, he was hesitant to inform his sons that Sarah most likely would not be returning. Even with the certainty of the situation growing with each day Sarah stayed away, he kept telling himself there was hope yet.

  One morning as Daniel was fixing breakfast, Mrs. Findley knocked at the door. After ushering her in, he led her over to the table and placed a cup of tea in front of her. While he carried the food he had just finished preparing to the table, the neighbor inquired as to how his wife was faring. Unbeknownst to him, since the kind neighbor had not seen Sarah in quite some time, she wanted to see for herself that all was well. He bristled at the thought of exposing the truth that his marriage was probably over; not in the formal sense, but for practical purposes it was.

  “Well, as you may know, Sarah joined the boys' grandfather on his trip to Amesbury. She had not been to her old home in quite some time, so she felt the need to go.”

  “Indeed, that was several weeks ago, was it not?” Mrs. Findley disliked prying, but she had to know. Similar to her son, she had been having regrets about not telling Mr. Thompson about his brother-in-law’s cruelty toward his wife.

  “I was, in fact, not expecting her to make a hasty visit.” He was feeling a little put out with Mrs. Findley’s questions. He had never taken her for a busybody.

  Sensing Mr. Thompson’s irritation with her, Mrs. Findley left off with the inquiries about Sarah. Moreover, she wasn’t prepared as yet to break Sarah’s confidence regarding George.

  Dan and Joseph came into the kitchen about this time. They were pleased to see Mrs. Findley. After listening as their kindhearted neighbor offered her assistance to their father for while Sarah was away, the boys both wondered, yet again, when Sarah would return.

  Daniel calmed upon hearing the neighbor’s generous offer. As he thought about it, she had always been a great help to his family. He began to feel a little ashamed of his indignation over her questions. “That is good of you, Mrs. Findley. I am much obliged to you for continuously looking after my family.”

  Having no desire to become a bothersome neighbor by staying too long, Mrs. Findley smiled and rose from her chair to go. “Well, I shall be going now.”

  Dan escorted the neighbor out to the yard and waved her on her way. When he returned, he inquired again about Sarah and when his father expected her home. Having Mrs. Findley offer to come to their house had given him pause.

  Daniel’s steadfast attitude not to go after Sarah diminished a little upon hearing the desperate tone in his son’s voice. Having no wish to discuss the matter again, he said, “Boys, it is time to do your chores.”

  Both boys nodded and took the last couple of bites of their food before heading out to get started. Once they were alone in the barn, they talked of Sarah, wondering what was keeping her so long in Amesbury and why their father had not answered their questions. When she left, they were under the impression that she would be gone no more than a couple of weeks—just long enough to allow for travel as well as a couple of days at her house in Amesbury before returning.

  While Daniel straightened up the kitchen, he prayed once more for God’s will with regard to his marriage. He thought again of Alexander and how his heart must have broken over Sarah’s disappearance. At least this time her location was known, for all the good it was doing him.

  ◊◊◊

  When Daniel and his sons arrived at the meetinghouse on the next Lord’s Day, unaccompanied by Sarah yet again, many eyes were on them. It had been a little over two months since anyone in Boston had seen the new Mrs. Thompson. Daniel wondered if he was only being sensitive, or were people actually whispering about them.

  When they were seated, with some difficulty, Daniel tried to focus on the message. When the service finally ended, his friend, Simon Findley, approached. Daniel noticed that he seemed to be looking for someone. Sighing, he prepared himself for the usual questions about his wife.

  “Daniel, is Sarah unwell? Do not tell me she is yet in Amesbury.” Simon, with little time for visiting, had not been to see Daniel, nor his mother, since his return from Amesbury. Having been to call on Sarah before returning to Boston, he had been satisfied she was truly there to gather up more of her belongings, as well as to have a short visit. They had even talked of George, and she had reassured him that George’s annoyance at her presence in his sister’s home had somewhat subsided.

  “She has not as yet returned, but I expect her home any day now.” Feeling bad about perhaps misleading his friend, Daniel quickly ended the conversation with the excuse that he had a patient to see on his way home, which in fact he did. As they walked toward the door, the concerned husband eased his mind with the thought that he may not have spoken falsely to his friend, for who could know; Sarah may yet return.

  After walking the Thompsons out, Simon patted his friend on the shoulder and promised to visit him later in the week. As he watched them set off down the road, he wished that his next scheduled visit to Amesbury wasn’t so long away—that is, unless someone else hired him in the meantime. He needed to speak with Sarah about her prolonged stay in Amesbury. If George Hoyt had anything to do with it, he had every intention of telling Daniel about his brother-in-law’s contemptible behavior toward Sarah.

  Chapter 29

  Sarah lay there, unable to make herself move. She had been feeling exhausted for weeks, and her desire for food was almost nonexistent. Truth be told, lately she found the smell of certain foods odious. She wondered if it was merely the turmoil going on within her over having left Daniel and the boys, with no plans of ever returning.

  Martha knocked on the door moments after Sarah had decided to sit up with the intention of forcing herself out of her oh so comfortable bed.

  Sarah smiled in her servant-friend’s direction as she made her way into the room. As weak in body and spirit as Sarah was feeling at that moment, seeing Martha somehow gave her strength. “Good morning, Martha.”

  Martha noticed right away that Sarah appeared as though she lacked the strength to even climb out of her bed. “Sarah, are you unwell?”

  Sarah disliked causing Martha any concern thus she responded, “No need to worry, Martha. I shall be just fine once I haul this slothful body out of bed.”

  Martha had yet to ask any questions of Sarah pertaining to her time in Boston. If she could ask but one it would be about the sort of relationship her mistress and Mr. Thompson shared. She had worked for Sarah’s first husband, Alexander, long before he married Sarah. It had taken two years for Sarah and Alexander to live under the same roof. In this marriage with her young friend and Dr. Thompson, Martha had not been present to witness how the couple interacted, and the longer her mistress stayed on, the more she wished she knew more about Dr. Daniel Thompson.

  Later, after breakfasting together with Mr. Swyndhurst, feeling ill Sarah had returned to her bed. Her maid, Esther, had been in to see that she was all right several times throughout the day, each time offering Sarah something to eat.

  By late afternoon, Sarah felt she could attempt taking in a bit of food. After making her way to the kitchen, as she had expected, she found Martha. Her elderly friend was more than happy to prepare something for her. She had in fact already made Sarah’s favorite sweet bread with the hope that it might entice her.

  While her mistress ate a small portion of the sweet bread she had set before her, Martha could not help but stare. She had been around more than one expectant mother in her day. If she had to guess what was wrong with Sarah, she felt certain it was that there was likely a baby on the way. She then recalled something she had heard some time back about Sarah’s chances of having another child following her injuries from tumbling out of a wagon and giving birth prematurely. No, barring a miracle, I suppose it could not be that she is with child.

  Sarah caught a glimpse of the questioning expression upon Martha’s face. “Martha, you seem to want to ask me something. What is it?” What am I doing? I have now left myself open.

  Shaking her head, Martha replied, “Oh, it is real
ly nothing, nothing at all.”

  Sarah sighed with relief that she had escaped any probing questions; but in thinking about it, she realized it wasn’t like Martha to keep silent. Before her friend changed her mind and began asking questions, Sarah quickly ate a few more bites of bread and then excused herself.

  As she rose from the table, she noticed that the little she had eaten was already causing her stomach to feel as if it were warring against her.

  While making her way to the parlor—unaware that Martha had been having similar thoughts—she recalled the last time she had felt this way and shook her head. It could not be. We have only been together once, and Daniel told me when I was injured that it was very unlikely. After reassuring herself that what she had thought couldn’t possibly be, she calmed a little. Thinking about the intimate time she had shared with Daniel made her feel ashamed all over again. Though she was no longer amongst the living, to Sarah, Joanna was still Daniel’s wife.

  Mr. Swyndhurst looked up from his book when Sarah came into the room. Rising from his chair, he said with a smile, “Well, it is good to see you up and about.” He had stepped out for a short walk and had not seen her come down from her room. Still standing, he waved her over to him.

  Having this man whom she dearly loved continue to care about her, even though his son was gone, warmed her heart. She stepped into his open arms and stood there for a moment. Her life was so uncertain at this time, his embrace somehow made her feel as if everything was going to be all right.

  The following day Mr. Hoyt came to call. He had been there a time or two since Sarah’s arrival a few weeks before. Like his son-in-law, he was beginning to believe the young woman intended to stay on indefinitely. He was not exactly sure when it would happen, but he planned to speak to Sarah about her reasons for having left Boston. He also wondered why Daniel had not come for her. With all of this on his mind, with a heavy heart, he followed after Martha to the parlor to see Sarah.