Grandmother's Namesake

by Cathy Bryant

  William found himself laughing along with the ladies at the stories concerning Susanna’s grandmother. For a moment, he had all but forgotten his fears regarding the identity of Susanna’s grandmother. Just as he was beginning to relax, however, he observed a look of sorrow flash across Susanna’s face. Seeing this, William could not help but to ask how long it had been since Susanna’s grandmother had passed. From the young woman’s expression, he had a sinking feeling that his greatest fear would soon be a reality.

  Maddie spoke up first, “Just over a year.”

  William’s heart sank at the realization that the time frame fit perfectly. His mind then began to spin as he attempted to conjure up some other reason for the parallels between the Susanna Martin who had been murdered and Susanna’s grandmother. Rehearsing the similarities in his mind, he recalled that their names were the same, their deaths occurred at a similar time, and their lives were taken needlessly. With all of the facts staring him in the face, he suddenly felt sick and begged to be excused.

  As he rushed from the room, Maddie and Susanna wondered what had happened to cause such a hasty departure. To them, one moment he seemed fine and the next . . . well, they were not quite sure.

  Chapter 5

  William agonized all night over the prospect that his assumptions had been correct. His parents, in all likelihood, were amongst those responsible for the death of Susanna’s grandmother. His heart ached for the young woman. Though overnight his hope had diminished to being almost nonexistent, he continued to hold onto the minutest possibility that his suspicions were wrong. Just maybe her death had some other cause. There was one thing, however, of which he was sure; he was falling in love with Susanna. It saddened him to think that if what he suspected turned out to be true, they might never have a future together.

  Rising early, he struggled throughout the morning over whether or not to discover the truth once and for all.

  Upon his arrival at the Osgood farm late the following afternoon, Maddie approached to inquire after the reason for his hasty departure on the previous evening. “We were concerned for you, William. Your countenance changed so quickly. One moment you were laughing along with us, and the next you had grown pale and extremely quiet.”

  “I am sorry to have worried you. I have had something on my mind for a few days—the nature of which I am reluctant to reveal. I must consider upon it further before discussing it with you. Once I am prepared to share my concerns with you, rest assured, I shall come and explain.”

  “Of course, William. I have no desire to press the issue. I was just concerned, that is all.”

  “Thank you, Maddie, but I am quite all right. Please do not concern yourself any longer.”

  With that, they parted. Then Maddie set off in search of Susanna to set her mind at ease, regarding William. As soon as she found her, she recounted her conversation with William. However, it was apparent that Susanna’s concerns were not alleviated, for there was, indeed, something troubling him. She had suspected as much when he left so abruptly the night before.

  Maddie sensed, by Susanna’s reaction, that she was developing deep feelings for William. Furthermore, from what she had witnessed of his behavior of late she was quite certain of his regard for Susanna as well. Believing them to be a good match, she smiled at the thought of her young friends developing a fondness for each other.

  Everything went on as usual in the days following the unsettling evening Maddie and Susanna had experienced with William. In fact, things had gone on as though nothing out of the ordinary had even occurred.

  Early one morning, seeing that Susanna’s stay with Maddie was scheduled to come to an end, Esther and John Jameson came to collect their daughter. Though this was Susanna’s wish at the start, Esther had been secretly hoping that her daughter would change her mind about leaving so soon. It was her belief that if anyone could lift Susanna’s spirits it would be Maddie.

  Spotting her parents just after they had arrived, Susanna quickly made her way over to them.

  “It is good to see you, Susanna, my girl,” said her father, smiling as his daughter approached.

  Coming in close for an embrace, Susanna smiled, “And you, Father. I have missed you.”

  Kissing her forehead, he inquired. “Have you been enjoying your visit with Maddie?”

  “Indeed, very much.” Glancing over at her mother, Susanna asked, “Is Jane at home with the girls?”

  “Yes, the children’s care is consigned to Jane. Elizabeth was down for a nap so Jane offered to stay behind,” replied Esther. “I informed her, before we set off, that we should not be gone very long.”

  As father and daughter approached the house arm in arm, Susanna said to her father, “As a matter of fact, if it is all right with you and Mama, I should like to stay on for the rest of the summer.”

  To this, Esther and John exchanged a smile and a look of relief. They had not been looking forward to returning home with a despondent Susanna in tow. They had each been praying that this visit would help to heal their daughter’s broken heart. Nothing else they had attempted had served to lessen her pain and suffering.

  “Of course, sweetheart. Nothing would please us more than for you and Maddie to have the summer together,” replied Esther, with chin quivering for joy. This was the first sign she had seen of the old Susanna in quite some time.

  William approached just as the group was heading into the house. Though he had planned to be out in the field by now, he was running a little bit behind schedule.

  “Esther, this is William Gage,” informed John.

  “Happy to make your acquaintance, Mr. Gage . . . William,” said Esther with a smile. “John has informed me that you have been assisting Maddie with her land and so forth.”

  “It is good to meet you as well. Yes, Maddie and I have come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

  “It must be quite a load to shoulder, managing both properties and all,” John pointed out.

  “Indeed. As a matter of fact, I am meeting with a prospective farmhand later today. If all goes well, I shall have a much-needed assistant. As he lives nearby, having him come to work for me shall be advantageous to us both.”

  “That is good to hear,” replied Maddie, truly pleased. “I have been worried that you are daily exceeding your physical limits. You have been looking rather peaked of late.”

  William knew he had not been sleeping well owing to his concern over Susanna, but he was not aware that it had been discernible. Still, he was relieved that Maddie had assumed it was related to overwork.

  “William, the more I look at you the more I think we may have met somewhere before,” insisted Esther. “You seem awfully familiar to me.”

  William turned to get a closer look at Esther. All at once, he felt as if he would suffocate for want of air, for he realized he had indeed seen her before. It was at the time of the trials. Though he had not attended, he had observed people in town coming and going from the court each day. She had obviously observed him in town as well. Once again, a terrible feeling of dread swept over him, which then caused him to have a strong desire to flee.

  “Well, I ought to get to work,” he said, as he quickly turned to leave. Taking refuge in the barn, he allowed himself to breathe again. “Lord, there is no denying it now. It must be true. Help me to know what to do.”

  Just then Susanna, having followed after William, came into the barn. She had perceived his distress when he hastily departed. He soon caught sight of her moving in his direction. Attempting to collect himself, he quickly turned his face away.

  “William, are you quite all right? You looked as though you felt poorly a moment ago. I believe that Maddie is right; you have been working too hard.”

  With his head bowed low—scarcely able to breathe—he answered, “I am well, Susanna. You need not trouble yourself on my account.”

  “William, you should go home and rest. You shall have someone to help you soon enough, that is, if all goes well today. I s
hall pray that the man with whom you are meeting turns out to be the right one for your needs.”

  William found her concern to be very sweet, but believed that if she knew the truth she would not wish to ever see him again. Moreover, the thought of hurting her with the news of his family members and their probable involvement in her greatest loss was more than he could bear.

  “You may be right. I shall take my leave,” he muttered while making haste for the door.

  A bit stunned by how quickly he left, Susanna wondered once again if there might be more to it than simply exhaustion.

  Maddie, John, and Esther were enjoying a private moment without Susanna present to discuss the young woman. Much to her parents’ delight, she appeared to be doing somewhat better. Maddie concurred with their assessment of their daughter’s state of mind.

  The topic of conversation soon changed to William. Esther and John had noticed how quickly Susanna had followed him when he left so swiftly. Maddie informed John and Esther that she believed a genuine friendship to be developing between the two young people. She also assured them that William was an honorable man and that she had no worries where he was concerned.

  Following her brief discussion with William, Susanna made her way back to the house with a heavy heart for William’s welfare. Upon her arrival, she observed her parents and Maddie in a conversation, which apparently was intense given the expressions upon their faces. However, as soon as they spotted her, a hush came over the room.

  “Well, I take it by the silence that has arisen just now that I am the focus of your conversation,” she giggled, unconcerned.

  “As usual, you are correct,” smiled John, “for you are the most fascinating topic in all of Amesbury and Haverhill.”

  To this exchange, Esther and Maddie laughed and the matter soon dropped. John and Esther remained for the better part of the day before setting off for home. Maddie assured them she would watch out over Susanna and that they should not worry.

  Chapter 6

  The following day, William arose with dread at the thought of seeing Susanna. As he was not well practiced at hiding his feelings, he knew he would most likely be pressed for the reason for his dismal mood. However, he was relieved by one thing—his farm was becoming lucrative. Consequently, he had been able to hire a man to help out. His dream of owning a self-supporting farm had finally come to fruition.

  While he readied himself for the day, he thought about the likelihood of having Susanna in his life once she learned the truth. How could she ever care for the son of those responsible for her greatest loss?

  After setting up the schedule for the day with his farmhand, William reluctantly set off for Maddie’s. He was hoping to go unnoticed until he was well out in the fields curing hay where he would be away from probing questions. That was not to be, however, for upon his arrival, Maddie was presently in the barn.

  As he had feared, Maddie questioned him the moment she saw him. “William, how are you today? Have you quite recovered from yesterday?”

  Averting his eyes from her gaze, he answered, “Please, do not concern yourself, Maddie. I am well.” He hoped she would take him at his word and continue with her work, but that was not to be. She soon moved closer for a more thorough inspection.

  “Are you quite sure? I do not wish to disagree with you, dear boy, but you do not appear much improved. As a matter of fact, I believe you have something weighing heavily upon you. Does it have anything to do with the matter you mentioned the other day—the one you were not prepared to discuss?”

  Maddie’s concern was more than William could bear. He needed to confess his troublesome situation to someone. Keeping it to himself had done nothing to resolve the matter.

  “Maddie, what I have to tell you is extremely difficult. I am not quite sure how to begin.”

  “Let us take a walk so we shall not be overheard,” Maddie responded, sensing the seriousness of what William had to disclose.

  Maddie and William strolled down by the little pond on Maddie’s property. She had always loved the spot with its beautiful flowers and shade trees. What is more, it held fond memories for her, as Christopher was the first to show it to her. Once she and Christopher had settled onto the property, they had passed many happy hours relaxing together in this exact location. Even in the times of her greatest sorrow, such as the time of Christopher’s death, this place had always brought her comfort. She now hoped that the peaceful spot would set William’s mind at ease as well.

  “Let us sit down on that fallen tree over there,” she suggested while pointing to the spot.

  Taking her by the arm, William escorted her over to where she had directed him.

  “How to begin,” sighed William. “Do you recall the day I came to supper and the conversation centered on Susanna’s grandmother?”

  Becoming curious at this point, Maddie responded with a nod. She then remained silent seeing that William was, even now, struggling to speak.

  “It came to me then that Susanna’s grandmother might have been one of those unfortunate souls who were put to death last year in Salem.”

  Maddie’s eyes widened as William spoke. She wondered where the conversation might lead.

  “Tell me; was Susanna’s grandmother, Susanna Martin?” inquired William, with his head bowed low—hoping by some miracle his assumptions were incorrect.

  “Why do you ask?” inquired Maddie, hesitant to respond in the affirmative. For in the past, many people had avoided the family members and friends of those accused. However, she did not believe for an instant that William was of that lot.

  With a trembling voice, he stated, “I shall explain once I know whether her grandmother was, indeed, the one who was slain.”

  “Very well, William. Yes, her grandmother was the very one.”

  Having his worst fears confirmed—absolutely—his eyes suddenly filled with tears.

  “What is it, William? Why does this affect you so?”

  Catching his breath, he lamented, “Two of her accusers were my parents.”

  In shock, Maddie’s face grimaced. Not knowing what to say she quietly listened as William continued with his face buried deep in his hands.

  “Please do not believe for one moment that I condone what they did. I moved here to get away from them in an attempt to have some measure of peace. I pled with them over and over not to do it, but they would not listen. I have had nothing to do with them since that time, with the exception of my last trip to Salem. On that particular day my father, having observed me in town, insisted that I go and see my mother. I had not the first thought at doing so until he told me they were to temporarily remove to Virginia. I must admit, upon hearing the news, I felt a great sense of relief.”

  Maddie continued in her silence, stunned by all that William had disclosed. She had no reason to doubt his sincerity concerning his disapproval of what his parents had done, for the pain it brought him was quite evident.

  “Maddie, I am sorry that my parents were responsible for the loss of your friend.”

  At this point, Maddie slid over closer to him. Wrapping her arm around him, she assured him that he was not at all responsible for their actions.

  William then searched her face for a sign that it could really be true—does she truly not hold me responsible? Sensing that William needed to be reassured once more or even many more times, she repeated her consoling words.

  “Maddie, how can you even look at me? Members of my own family were responsible for ending an innocent woman’s life—your friend’s life.”

  “William, it is obvious to me that you do not have your parents’ heart in this matter. It is not your fault. God does not hold you responsible for someone else’s actions, and neither do I.”

  William wept as he listened to Maddie. After a few moments, he began to feel a slight sense of relief for having shared his terrible secret. However, his heart still ached for Susanna and what her reaction might be.

  “If you shall permit me, William, one
thing is not clear to me. It is simply that I do not recall the name of Gage as having been involved in my friend’s trial.”

  “Maddie, I have taken on another name—one from amongst my relatives—my grandfather’s in fact. I didn’t believe I could ever truly be free of my parents’ reputation unless I changed my name. My parents are John and Mary Pressey. You see, my real name is William Pressey. I know it was wrong to deceive you, but I felt I had no choice.”

  “I understand, William. Let us not speak of it again.”

  “Maddie, I fear that news of this kind shall be devastating to Susanna. She is sure to hate me once she learns the truth regarding my family. What is more, fooling her was not the purpose for which I changed my name. In fact, I didn’t even know she was Susanna Martin’s granddaughter or that you were her friend. As I have a strong affection for Susanna, it would destroy me to add to her suffering by disclosing any of what I have told you. What am I to do? I know I must tell her. I am not scared for myself alone, but for her as well—considering that she is in such a fragile state.”

  “Yes, she has had a terrible time of it. That is why her parents convinced her to come out here to the farm with me. They hoped that a change of scenery might do her good. She took the tragedy so hard and is only now showing signs of improvement. This could set her back more than we know. It might be best if we keep this between ourselves for the time being. I know it is not right to keep secrets, especially of this nature, but for now I think it is best. We shall revisit this when Susanna seems strong enough to consider making the truth known to her.”

  William’s eyes brightened a little with the knowledge that his undoing with Susanna had a reprieve—at least for now.

  “Are you quite sure this is the best course?” inquired William.

  “No, but let me accept the blame if I am wrong. When the time comes for you to reveal all, I shall explain to her that it was I who insisted you wait until she was strong enough.”