Sat, May 19 2012
Jessica was in better spirits as she saw England’s coast looming in the distance. She had finished her duty to family and had left America, this time under better circumstances. She had been fully exonerated of the charges brought against her and so had her father. Jessica had been given back her American citizenship and could go back to America anytime. Jessica just was not sure now that she would ever want to.
She had given her word to parcel out Shillingworth ranch to the Parkers when she had thought she would never be allowed to return. Now, she decided to let that stand. There was nothing in North Texas to go back to but gravesites. The hardships were still there and Jessica was still a lone widow. It did not pay to be a woman alone on the plains and Galveston had never appealed to her. She would order her father’s home there sold once they were back in England again. Jessica wanted nothing to do with it. The more personal contents could be shipped to England for her to go through later.
She had since told Phileas and Rebecca what had happened between her and Caleb. Phileas had agreed with her judgment. Bringing him back for trial and hanging would cause unnecessary anguish to the Parkers. With luck, he would take his chance and do well.
As Jessica was lost in thought looking out over the sea, Rebecca came up to her side. The ladies gave each other acknowledgment and then watched as their home came closer in silence.
“How is Phileas?” Jessica asked after several moments.
“Doing well according to Verne and Passepartout,” Rebecca said quietly. “He still will not let me into his room.”
“Do you think he will forgive me?” Jessica asked. “The poor man as been locked in his room under care for days.”
“Oh, Phileas will not hold this against you,” Rebecca said comfortingly. “Mr. West on the other hand, who was guiding the chase, will be lucky for being on the other side of the Atlantic.
“I think it a bit harsh to blame anyone for a bit of ill luck, but I can well sympathize,” Jessica said with a touch of amusement. “I had a bout myself as a small girl. Does Passepartout need me to make any more oatmeal suave?”
“No,” Rebecca assured her. “They still have plenty. Verne did tell me it was helping. What were those little black things anyway?”
“Chiggers,” Jessica said identifying the cause for her cousin’s torment. “He must have ridden through a nest of them. If he had been able to get them off sooner they would not have been able to borrow into his skin so and cause this much grief. As it is he was lucky his clothing protected him as much as it did.”
“Will you be staying with us now? You could go back to Texas.” Rebecca asked changing the subject after a long pause.
“Will you stop watching for me to snare Phileas if I stay?”
“I never thought…” Rebecca started but was quickly cut off.
“Oh do not bother,” Jessica said laughing. “I am not interested in Phileas that way and never have been. He is a fine man but he is too old for me. Besides, father’s ghost keeps looking down at me through his eyes and I am not sure I will ever get over that impression.”
“I would love for you to stay,” Rebecca said after a long pause. “I have grown quite fond of you and Daniel.” Rebecca said it, and then mentally verified the sentiment. The two women truly had become friends. Their backgrounds may be very different, but they had found enough viewpoint and attitude in common to begin feeling like sisters. Rebecca still could not believe how much enjoyment she found in playing aunt to the little boy.
“Then perhaps you could help me with a problem,” Jessica suggested. “I met this gentleman in Hyde Park a few weeks before this trip. Actually Daniel met him first,” Jessica went on. “He is a widower with a small boy about Daniel’s age. The three of them play with boats in the pond and have a marvelous time together. We have met them there several times and I have come to like him… I mean them very much,” she admitted shyly. “But I have found out since that he is a Viscount, a rather sought after one, and I find I am not suited to widowhood and… well… I just do not know how I am going to measure up not knowing English society. Do you think you could help me?”
Rebecca turned in total shock as her cousin stumbled through the announcement that she was setting her cap for a Viscount. The Foggs were connected to a few barons but nothing this lofty. Then she smiled thinking of all her American cousin’s assets personal and otherwise and the way the nobility swooned at the sight of beautiful rich Americans. Jessica was beautiful and being an American excused her naivety.
Rebecca spent the next hour going over all the preliminaries required to do London’s spring season, which she explained was just one big exclusive marriage market, and who they could get to sponsor Jessica and…
The End
Chapter 8 | Chapter 9