Travels through Time, part eleven
by Jamie

There was plenty of more talk in the kitchen about Amy and
Archie after their walk alone through the woods.
Eleanor, who hardly voiced her opinion, pulled Amy aside and
said, "I hope this young man has asked you to marry him. I
don't care for the talk, I hear from the other servants,
because they are not nice. You are a good woman, Amy, I have
seen the difference you have made in the children's lives.
Especially the difference you have made in Paul's life. He
says that when he grows up he wants to be a sailor, like his
father. He wants to have some of the drudgery work of
swabbing the decks filled with song. Personally, I think he
enjoys your games. I have heard the children sing this
'hokey pokey' song."
"I have noticed that, as well, but I don't think it is the
children, that you want to talk to me about. Mr. Kennedy and
I are friends. I would love it to be more than that, but I
am just a servant and he is the son of a Lord," Amy told
Eleanor.
"If you think that, you should stop your relationship right
away. It would be the best for both of you."
"But, I love Archie!" Amy protested.
"You love Archie? This is what I having been trying to
explain to you, lass. I do hope you haven't gone far with
this man. I see that you have gone somewhere with him by
that mark on your neck."
Amy quickly put her hand to the hickey, which Archie had
given her. She whispered, "All we have done is 'neck', I
mean, kiss. He has invited me to the Officers Ball. Lady
Pellew sees nothing wrong with my relationship with him. I
don't understand why everyone else does. What of Marianne
and Davey? Do you protest about that, too?"
"Davey is a common seaman and a gardener's son. Mr.
Kennedy is an officer and a member of the nobility. Therein,
lies the difference."

"Are you telling me that if Arch-- Mr. Kennedy was the son
of a dirt farmer instead of an Earl, you would not mind me
seeing him?"
"All I want, is that he makes a promise to marry and keep
you. I don't want to see you ruined. I have seen many a
girl spoiled for loving above her station, only to be left
high and dry once the man found out she was with child."
Amy was about to protest, when she realized that if Archie
wanted to make love to her, she would not resist him. She
would, in fact, welcome him into her arms. What would Archie
do, if she did get pregnant with his child? Would he marry
her? Would he leave her? What would happen?
Archie didn't seem the type to love them and leave them.
Archie did say she was confused by her behavior. One moment
she was saying, 'no' and the next, she was saying, 'yes'.
What if he thought she was a love and leave them type and
treated her as such?
Eleanor spoke to Amy and asked her, "You haven't answered my
question. What would you do if your Mr. Kennedy deserted
you with a child?"
"I would have the child, of course," Amy said without
skipping a beat. In the 20th Century, it was common for
unwed mothers, but she was no longer in the 20th Century, she
was in the 19th Century. Times were different back then, or
should she have thought -- back here?
"Keep the baby? What about the scandal? How are you going
to care for a baby and yourself without a man's support?"
Eleanor demanded.
"I would manage somehow. I am sure that I could still take
care of my child and the children here."
"You think that you will be able to stay here in the
Pellew's employ? They would send you packing. I have seen
it happen. They would give you some money and then send you
on your way. They did that with a young woman, who fell in
love with a Lieutenant Thorne. He told her that he loved her
and would take care of her. When he found out that she was
with child, He dropped her flat. The girl was so ashamed.
She tried hiding the fact, but could not hide it for long.
Lady Pellew told her that she could not keep her in her
employ, because it showed a bad example for everyone else.
Milady explained that, if the Lieutenant had married her, she
could stay here, while he was at sea. Since, that wasn't the
situation, the poor girl left in disgrace. I never did hear
what happened to her. I can't even remember her name. I do
know that what she did is not tolerated in this house.
Please, watch out for yourself, Miss Amy. You are too good
to let this happen to you."
Amy dropped her jaw in shock. She always assumed that no
matter what happened, she could always stay with the Pellews.
All Amy could think of was a
'what if' question. 'What if, heaven forbid, Archie
perished before he could marry her and she was with child?'
"My dear, I can not tell you how to live your life, but no
lady should completely give herself to a man before she is
married."
"I used to feel that way, until I got to be over thirty."
"You are over thirty years of age? I thought you were no
more than five and twenty. You look so young for you age and
I know that your Lieutenant is younger than thirty years.
Why should you be going after a man younger than you?"
"Haven't you paid attention to Mr. Kennedy? He is quite
handsome and likes me. Why should I let age get in the way?
It is all right for an older man to take a younger woman, but
not the other way around?"
"I am nearer to forty and never look at men younger than
me."
"You can't tell me you do not notice attractive men, no
matter their age. You sound like my friend, Debbie. I have
a friend at home, who is a year younger than me in age, but a
lot older in the way she behaves. She never looks at a man
younger than she is, even if the man is really cute. Are you
that way, Eleanor? If a man showed interest in you, would
you give him the time of day?"
"We aren't talking about me, you are changing the subject.
I am too busy to be concerned with men, anyway."
"Come on, Eleanor, just us women, tell me. Have you ever
been in love?"
"Once, a long time ago. But, he only wanted to be friends.
He didn't realize that I felt more than friendship. He
married someone else."
Archie had told Amy that Lt. Bracegirdle was recently
widowed. Maybe if Archie and her could get Eleanor and
Bracegirdle together, things would be different. Maybe the
focus of everyone's attentions would be on Eleanor rather
than on her.
"If the right man came along and wanted to be with you,
would you agree to see him?"
"Yes, but that man no longer exists. What do you have
brewing on that mind of yours?"
"Nothing, just nothing. I can promise you I won't do
anything to put me to shame and leave the household. I am
sure that as time goes by, Archie will pop the question to
me. I can wait. Thanks for the pep talk, Eleanor."
With that Amy left the room and went to find Marianne.
Archie had written that he wanted to see her and Marianne in
town. It would be her chance to ask him about Bracegirdle
and if, he had an escort to the ball. Eleanor could be that
escort. Why not? Maybe it would brighten Eleanor's spirits.


To Be Continued. . .