by Sandy Raven
“How many girls are you talking about? Two? Three? Hopefully they are older and will be able to help you with the babe.”
“No, they will not be baby nurses. They will be daughters. All seven of them.” Caroline wanted to make sure her mother understood this from the onset. These girls needed love and affection, education and direction. Just what she and Trey had to give. They wanted this together so very much.
“Seven!” The color drained from her mother’s cheeks.
Caroline rushed to taker her mother’s arm. She hadn’t thought the news would affect her so drastically, but then Mama was already overexcited about the news of the babe, so perhaps that explained it.
“I think… I might… need a chair.” Mama’s voice quavered as she groped behind her, as if reaching for a chair arm. Caroline helped her so she wouldn’t fall. It was possible that her mother was being a bit dramatic, though Caroline doubted it.
On a beautiful spring morning two months later, as new leaves were blooming on the trees and green shoots of future colorful garden plants were just starting to pop up out of the ground, Trey stood with Caroline at the base of his front steps, ready to greet the young ladies about to enter their new home for the first time. He hoped the girls were as happy to be coming here as he and Caroline were to finally have them here. The oldest girl, Rose, had written to Caroline and said that all seven of them had agreed to the adoption. Mrs. Donalson had also sent a letter stating she was confident that the path ahead was clear for adoption as her brother’s agent in Kentucky found no record of the girls’ father arriving in Frankfort with the party from Richmond. Trey was relieved to have that obstacle out of the way. Legally there was no barriers to adopting the children.
Because of this, he sent for his friend the earl of Camden so that there would be a legal record of adoption for their new daughters.
Caroline’s parents, Lord and Lady Randolph waited in the saloon, near the fire as the spring air still held a nip to it.
The two heavy traveling coaches rounded the curve to Oakwood, now visible to all the family and staff. Anxious now that the moment was upon them, Trey reached for Caroline’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Neither one of them slept much the night before, both nervous about the arrival of their new daughters. Of course, his wife had the added physical changes their child caused in her, and at night when he held her close, he could feel their babe move. Each time she complained about the babe moving, Trey thanked God for the child growing within her. He was infinitely grateful and thankful for his wife, and all their children.
“How do you feel?” He was going to have to be extra vigilant over her because his wife had a tendency to try tackling everything she had on her plate, and she usually succeeded with ease. But he didn’t want Caroline to risk her health or that of the babe by over-exerting herself. At five months along, Caroline wouldn’t appear to the average stranger to be carrying a child, but at night when he held her, he felt his babe cradled there in her womb. Lately the babe had been making his presence known, too. He’d told Caroline this was his son, and she laughed. She didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl, she’d told him. It was theirs, and that’s all she cared about. “Just as the seven flowers will be ours,” she’d added in her slumberous whisper just before falling back to sleep.
“I am so nervous about meeting these young ladies we are about to call our daughters.” She turned her face up to him. “Did you ask Lord Camden to come out this weekend? Will he bring the papers for Mrs. Donalson and us to sign?”
“I did, and he is.” Trey gave her a smile. “He and Elise will coming out with Charlotte.”
The lead coach was drawing nearer, and Caroline began to shiver. “Tell me again what each girl looks like so that I will know who is whom.”
“Are you cold, perhaps you should wait—”
“I will wait with you,” she insisted. “Now, how will I tell them apart?”
“I was never officially introduced. I just saw them—once—while I was seated in Mrs. Donalson’s office. But they were—” Trey struggled to find the right words. The group collectively reminded him of his childhood, as a middle child of eight, a third son with three brothers and four sisters, his siblings were his friends, co-conspirators in mischief and confidants. He sensed this in this group of sisters. “They’re all adorable and their personalities—what I could determine of the older girls’, reminded me of my sisters when I was a child—stubborn and determined. They are all reddish-blonde of some sort. One of the middle girls has a riot of curls, and— Well, you’ll soon see.”
The coaches pulled to a stop before the wide stone steps. Groomsmen rushed forward to hold horses while the coachmen stepped down from both vehicles. The steps were lowered and the doors opened. Mrs. Donalson was the first to disembark and she came forward to greet Trey and Caroline. Finally the little ones’ journey was over.
“Captain Wilson, it is a pleasure to meet again.” The woman’s warm smile and calm mien reassured him. After six days in a coach with seven little girls, the woman wasn’t ready to dump them on his porch and flee. She’d communicated in the last letter that the girls were happy to have found a situation where they were allowed to stay together. Trey knew the girls could be happy here if they would give him and Caroline a chance.
“Mrs. Donalson,” Trey said, “may I present my wife, Lady Caroline Randolph Wilson.” The woman greeted Caroline, and his wife immediately asked after her comfort and that of the children.
“The girls had never been in coach before,” Mrs. Donalson said, “so we had some settling issues early on, but once the girls learned not to request toilet breaks every ten minutes, we were able to make good time.
“I did bring one of the children’s nurses with whom the little ones are familiar. She is willing to remain, as she grew up a resident of the home and has no family. But if you have another nurse already, she can return with me.
“Now, let me start with the older girls who were riding with me.” She turned back to the first coach, and motioned to the occupants inside. “Come girls, there is nothing to fear.” Their hesitation to exit told him the girls were still uncomfortable with what was taking place. And he could easily understand their trepidation. A skirt shifted and someone moved toward the door. His military training told him this would be the bravest girl.
This was the oldest girl, Rose. She stood quietly behind Mrs. Donalson, and waited. The second, then the third girl came out. Mrs. Donalson went to the second coach and the three girls followed her. Trey couldn’t fault them. They likely felt safe with the woman.
At the second coach, the first to emerge was the nurse, then the toddler jumped into her arms. The nurse handed the little one off to her oldest sister and assisted the other three girls to the ground.
“Oh, Trey, you were right. One look at them and you can tell they are all sisters,” Caroline whispered. “I’m nervous.”
“It will be fine,” he reassured. If he were honest, he was as anxious as she. Except Trey had learned how to squash that fear and boldly go forward into any uncomfortable situation, not just battle. “I’m learning about them right alongside you.”
Mrs. Donalson approached again with the girls in age order to her left. The four younger girls were staring at the facade of the home and whispering, while the older three looked very skeptical, which he thought was normal for the age.
“Captain Wilson, Lady Caroline,” Mrs. Donalson began, “I would like to introduce you to the Matheson girls. Oldest is Rose. She has recently turned fourteen.”
The girl smiled and curtsied. As did twelve-year-old Lily, ten year-old Daisy, eight-year-old Heather, six-year-old Iris. Four-year-old Poppy and two-year-old Violet were held by Mrs. Donalson and the nurse, Enid.
Caroline went down the line and shook each child’s hand and kissed the littlest two on the cheek.
As everyone moved into the house, the children began to whisper amongst themselves. In the saloon, Caroline introduced the children to h
er parents, and all of the sudden the youngest began to chatter unintelligibly, as the nurse tried to quiet her, she began to squirm and cry. The nurse turned to an older sister and whispered into her ear. That child stepped out of the line, and another slipped out with her.
“Girls?” Mrs. Donalson said, “where are you going?”
“Violet left her fuzzy in the coach,” Lily said, “and Enid asked me to fetch it.”
“I’m going to go with her, if you don’t mind,” said Daisy.
“Me, too,” said both Iris and Heather.
Enid had a difficult time keeping the squealing Violet quiet as the girls began to file out of the room. Rose took the child and still she wouldn’t quiet.
Caroline looked to her husband, her eyes asking him a silent question. She wanted to do something, no matter what it was it had to be better than listening to the commotion she littlest one was making.
“Rose, why don’t you take all the girls out to get the fuzzy? Enid, you can watch over them, yes?” Caroline had made her first direction as the children’s mother. She smiled at him, her pride beaming through for all the other adults to witness.
The nurse nodded and ushered all the children out to the front drive to fetch whatever it was. Trey thought it funny that all the girls had to go to retrieve something. But it left the rest of the adults to discuss the matter of whether the girls would be happy here.
“Lady Caroline,” Mrs. Donalson began, “can you tell me if you think your affections toward the girls would change after the birth of your child? Children are very perceptive and will sense any difference in affections.”
The woman asked a question that Trey predicted she would. Mrs. Donalson wouldn’t be a compassionate soul if she didn’t ask it. In fact, he’d told Caroline to expect it. So when it came, it wasn’t a complete shock to his wife and she was prepared with her answer.
Caroline smiled warmly, and answered with confidence. “I cannot see that ever happening, Mrs. Donalson. When I make a commitment, I am prepared to last the duration. When I love, I love with my whole heart, not a part of it.”
Trey was proud of his wife’s answer, and squeezed her hand to show his approval.
“I’m glad to hear that, Lady Caroline, because they can be a handful when they are set on something.” Mrs. Donalson removed a leather folio from her bag and handed it to Trey. “Their father has as of yet, not been found, and I did wait an additional year before considering placing them anywhere. But should he return…”
“Then we would welcome him to come visit his children,” Caroline replied.
Trey was incredibly proud of his wife. Yes, she was young. But she’d been an extraordinary young lady before he met her, and as he had come to know her, and love her, he had realized she was truly special. She had such an even temperament that he didn’t think he’d ever seen her angry. Having grown up here, Caroline knew most everyone. She was always visiting the sick and poor in their village, and helping them as much as she could. When they were together at church or shopping, everyone in the village gave her a ready smile, and asked after her, him, or her parents. Everyone knew her and loved her. And aside from trying to keep the secret of their coming child from him for a few extra days, she had not a deceptive bone in her body.
“Mrs. Donalson, we invite you to stay for as long as it takes for the children to decide if they can be happy with us,” Caroline said. “I will give them all my undivided attention. All I ask from them is that they give me a chance.”
Late that night, the girls’ very first night at Oakwood when all seven of the new residents were supposed to be tucked into their beds and sound asleep, Caroline awoke to the sound of footsteps on the floor above. The children’s nursery was directly overhead, and what the children didn’t know yet, was that there was a staircase from the dressing room to the dormitory-style nursery. It was likely constructed to aid children’s nurses in bringing the infants down to the lady of the house.
Caroline climbed this staircase in the dark to listen to the girls’ whispered chatter. She’d never had siblings, nor cousins on her maternal side. The cousins she had on her father’s side were all much older than she. So the experience of gossiping with your friends or sisters is something she’d never had. She hoped, more than anything, that the girls would accept being one family with her, Trey, and the baby when he or she is born.
“I can be happy here,” said one of the middle girls.
She smiled in the darkness. It sounded like they were off to a good start so far. At least according to either Heather or Lily. Caroline knew that eventually she would come to recognize their voices, but as of yet, she was unsure which girl said what she’d heard.
All seven girls were in nursery, but Caroline had offered Rose, as a young lady, a room to herself on the family floor below the nursery. Rose had said that for the time being she would like to remain with her sisters while they adjusted to their new residence. Caroline let her know that it would be available whenever she was ready.
“I wan’ be p’incess w’en I gwows up.” This was from one of the very young ones. Likely Poppy, she had such a bubbly personality. And now she had an idea of what to play with the littler ones. They could all be princesses during their first tea party.
“You will be a princess one day, darling. I just know it.” This sounded like Rose. Rose was determined, decisive. The caretaker. “They are nice people. And as long as we’re allowed to be together, I can be happy anywhere.”
“We stay only until papa comes to bring us to America with him, right?” This was Lily. Or it sounded like Lily. She was definitely more skeptical. She’d be the hardest one to win over. “He’s coming back for us once he’s settled there. He promised.”
“It’s been two years now and he’s never written us one letter,” Rose said. “He said he’d be back before the year was out.”
“He’s working hard to make a home for us,” Lily argued. “He said he would come back.”
“Not one letter,” Rose said. “Not one. I know him better than you. He makes promises and never keeps them. Remember, he told mama he’d quit gambling and drinking. He was going to live a clean life and be the husband she always wanted. He didn’t. He broke her heart again and again. He’d come home long enough to put another babe in her belly and disappear. You don’t remember, but I do.”
These girls had grown up in a far different manner than she had. She needed to be mindful of this in her interactions with the older girls. They obviously will always remember their parents, and love their mother, and quite possibly the father, too.
“Don’t say that in front of the little ones,” one of the middle girls said.
“The captain and Lady Caroline didn’t have to take us,” Rose said. “Be appreciative of that fact.”
Caroline couldn’t hear what came next, but the fact that the oldest was in favor of their adoption made Caroline happy that she had someone in her corner, especially among the three who were influential with the younger four.
One of the middle girls tried to quiet Poppy’s chattering.
“We have to behave until papa comes for us?”
“See what you’ve done, Lily?” Rose chided.
“Poppy, sweetie, papa is not coming back,” Rose said. “This is our home now. We are together, and that’s all that matters.”
“I miss Mama.” This sounded like another middle child. Daisy? She was unsure. Caroline was going to have to come up with a way to discern the different voices. As it was she could only differentiate Rose, Lily and Poppy. Iris, Daisy, and Heather were still indiscernible to her. Violet was likely asleep, as she didn’t hear the babbling toddler.
“Sweeting, she’s in heaven with all the angels,” Rose said, “and Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”
“I want to see her. Why can’t she come visit?”
“Ugh… Here we go again…”
“Mama and papa can’t be here with us to raise you. So I will do the best I can. I appreciate the fact the captai
n and Lady Caroline will allow us to be together. Now, let us be appreciative,” Caroline noticed Rose stressed that word more than once, “that we are in a warm home where there is plenty of food, and clean beds.”
“I liked the mouse in my bed. She was my pet.”
Several of the girls squealed with shock-softly so as not to wake the adults below them. “Heather, I think it’s safe to say there are no mice in our beds here.”
Caroline had heard enough. Rose was more open to giving her and Trey a chance to be their parents, and Lily was still hopeful for their father to return and take them away.
Caroline got what she came for. She’d wanted to know if the girls were happy to be here, and now she knew. She also realized that she and Trey had their work cut out for them, as this was not going to be an easy feat to accomplish. She slid into bed next to her soundly-sleeping husband and decided she’d start with winning the ones over who might be amenable to it, and go from there. Because Caroline Randolph Wilson did not quit when a task got difficult.
It was a good thing that she had an entire lifetime to do it and nothing else to keep her from it. She would face the issue of their father’s possible return at that time—if it ever happened.
Epilogue
Summer, 1826
Caroline walked in the garden with her four younger daughters, as she pushed her almost two year-old son Benjamin in the new buggy her husband had brought from London for her. This one was slightly larger and faced forward rather than to the rear, so Ben could see where they were going, as opposed to always looking back at her. It was the latest trend in child-rearing, and she agreed the child had a better view if they faced forward, but she didn’t necessarily believe the philosophical babble and child-rearing theories attached with the trend. She just knew that her son was big enough to want to see more than just his mama on their walks.
With Rose, now sixteen, Lily, now fourteen, and Daisy, now twelve, in their lessons with the tutor, Poppy and Violet, now six and four respectively, walked alongside her and Benjamin, while Heather, ten, and Iris, eight, walked ahead of them, gossiping about something. Lately those two had been coming up with pranks to play on their older sister Lily.