Percy only stayed a few days at a time when he visited Four Oaks. He told Gladys that he and James had to be very careful when he visited Four Oaks, but since he had no servants looking after his flat in London, they could relax there and be themselves. “I think things are a little safer in France, so we may purchase a summer cottage with a sea view there soon,” he said.
“Perhaps when you have that, James will allow me to have Eliza.”
“I shall talk to him about it,” Percy promised. Gladys gave him a hug.
When Gladys mentioned to James that she would like to go into Sandwich and browse some of the shops, James said that it might be too embarrassing for them both. He explained that it had taken awhile for the gossip to die down after Gladys and Eddy had left him. Only when he let it be known that he and Gladys were permanently separated, did the residents offer their sympathies and welcome him back into the church and his cricket team.
“Although I invited you and Eddy to stay here, Gladys, I think it would be better for all concerned if we limited your visit to the confines of Four Oaks.”
“Eddy and I are just happy that we can be here with the girls, James. We don’t need to go to town, but surely the servants will have let everyone know we are here.”
“Yes, I am certain they will, but I still think it is best if we don’t flaunt your presence.”
Gladys hardly thought going to a few shops could be considered flaunting, but she didn’t want to cause James any more embarrassment than she had to, so she didn’t argue.
Gladys had given Eliza a pretty pair of Native American moccasins. They had fringe around the sides and were decorated with beaded flowers. Eliza didn’t want to take them off, even at bedtime. Dolly was given the same, but she was afraid to wear hers in case they would get soiled. Gladys’s gifts to Percy and James were beaded, leather headbands which they put on display like the artwork they were. She brought Jean a pretty beaded broach.
At first Jean thanked her, but there were days when she didn’t recognize Gladys. On those days, she would show her the broach and say, “Look at this lovely broach my fiancé has given me.” Those days were outweighed by her coherent days, but it was troubling nonetheless. Even on Jean’s bad days, she would recognize Gladys as soon as she began to sing or play the piano.
Gladys loved Eliza dearly, but when she saw how much she enjoyed letting others wait on her, and even think for her, she worried that she lacked spirit and determination. She had a very different personality than Dolly or Eddy. She wasn’t the least adventurous or inquisitive, but she was a happy child. Gladys thought that she would probably only absorb as much education as required to be accepted in society. Although she wasn’t a vain child, she insisted on wearing dainty frocks instead of pinafores, and her hair had to be kept curled and bowed. Nevertheless, she had expressed a desire to go to America along with Dolly and that made Gladys feel better.
Chapter Thirty-Five
After Gladys had left for America and James and Percy had renewed their friendship, Bob and Tina Rudyard and Mary Baker often came to visit. Mary was a very perceptive woman and she had known as soon as she saw Eddy that he was not James’s child. Now she was beginning to see that James and Percy’s relationship was not what one would consider normal.
Surprisingly, it didn’t disgust her, and she intended to keep it to herself. She could now understand why neither man had been attracted to her, and she thought she might be more understanding toward Gladys as well if she hadn’t moved away, but she never expected to see her again. Then, one rainy evening, the Rudyards and she paid an unexpected visit to Four Oaks and were surprised to find Gladys had returned.
They naturally assumed that she had come back to stay. The Rudyards were pleased, but Mary thought Gladys had once again come back to take advantage of James and she greeted her coolly. Then Eddy came running into the parlour. James felt obliged to say, “Eddy, do you remember, Mr and Mrs Rudyard and Mary Baker?”
After saying, “I think so, Uncle,” Eddy shook their hands.
Gladys noticed the look on their faces and she sent Eddy up to play with Eliza. Then she said, “James, do you mind if I explain?” He shrugged his shoulders, so she continued, “I think we owe the three of you an explanation. Obviously, James hasn’t told you, but he and I are divorced. I am now married to Eddy’s father, Angelo Matthews. I know that is difficult to comprehend, so if you can be patient with me, I shall tell you how it all began.”
When Gladys finished her story, she mentioned that James was kind enough to allow her to come and have a visit with her girls, and she hoped she could do it often. “I also am hoping to have the girls visit me when Eliza is a bit older and Angelo and I have a house of our own. Right now, we live in a small flat above the restaurant we are buying.”
Mary was relieved and she wanted to know all about the restaurant and New York. Gladys answered questions for over an hour. The rest of the evening Gladys played the piano and they sang. It was like old times, only more relaxed.
Angelo’s letters were short, but he wrote often. He had never written a letter before, so Gladys was amazed at the number she received, and he always added a separate one for Eddy. He wrote that he was working late every night, because he didn’t like being in the flat without them.
He mentioned that they were so busy they were probably going to have to hire another cook and serve meals all day long. He said Victor’s friend Ike was trying to talk Victor and him into joining the Union League, so they would be ready to help support the war effort if a war did happen. He went on to write, “Victor, Lottie, the twins, and I went to the Ruttens for a short visit last Sunday and I learned a lot about the underhanded methods of our city’s politicians. Unfortunately, the Democrats run almost everything, and they do not want to see the end of slavery. It makes me think I should join the Union army and be ready to fight those southerners. What do you think, Gladdy?”
His letters always ended saying that he hoped they were having a good time and how much he loved them both. Gladys knew he wanted to ask when they would be coming home, but he had promised she could stay as long as she liked, so he was leaving it up to her to set the date.
Gladys and Eddy had only been in England for just over a month when the American Civil War began on the twelfth of April. Gladys knew she should book her passage home in case the government began limiting the number of passenger ships allowed in the harbour, but she couldn’t bear to leave the girls so soon. Besides that, she was enjoying herself. Although she didn’t regret leaving England and going to America with Angelo, she had been too busy to realize what a luxurious life she had given up until she came back to it. The thought of returning to her work as a waitress, dishwasher, and housewife was not as appealing as it had been.
When James announced that he was going to London for a few days and inquired whether Gladys would like to come, she asked if she might take Eddy, Dolly, and Eliza with her and stay in James’s flat. James agreed that it would be a good idea.
At first Eddy wanted to stay and play with one of Richard Ellison’s boys, who was about the same age as Eddy, but when Gladys mentioned they were going to visit the Crystal Palace to see the dinosaurs, he changed his mind. There were a number of life-sized replicas of dinosaurs to see, and even James and Percy went along. It proved to be the highlight of Eddy’s vacation, and he bought dinosaur figurines for both the twins and Angelo.
Because James didn’t believe in importing non-indigenous animals into the country, James and Percy didn’t go with them when they visited the Zoological Gardens. Eddy remembered where all the animals were housed and played the role of guide. He had a great time pointing out the cages to Eliza.
Gladys hadn’t received a letter from Angelo for two weeks, and she was beginning to worry. Then, on the last day of April, a letter finally arrived. It wasn’t written in his usual tidy handwriting, which worried Gladys greatly. He had written it in a
hurry, and Gladys had to read it several times before she could completely understand it. Although Angelo hadn’t planned on asking her to come home, he wrote that he had no alternative.
He said that the war had already brought an astounding amount of change to life in New York. There were already many garrisons of Union troops stationed in the city, and most were housed in the forts that were constructed along the waterfront. This meant that the restaurant was kept so busy that everyone had to work twice as hard, which was making them become irritable. They had hired two more cooks but they were not good enough to suit Sandy and Lottie, so they had to train them in the evenings.
They also needed more waiters, but, because there were more jobs than workers, good help was becoming difficult to find, and they were terribly short-handed. They had knocked down part of a wall—the wall with the American paintings on it—and had put more tables in what was once the storeroom. Ike Murphy was letting them use a room on the bottom floor of his building for their storeroom, but there hadn’t been time to decorate the old storeroom. They were afraid that the board of health would be around to shut them down.
Gladys knew this could happen whether it met sanitary standards or not, because the restaurant was a favourite with the unionists. But what disturbed Gladys the most was that Angelo had mentioned how much he admired Ike Murphy for joining the 79th New York Volunteer Infantry. He wrote: “There’s times when I think it’s time we should all follow his example and stand up for what we believe in.”
Gladys was so upset that she showed James the letter. After he finished reading it, he could understand why she was so disturbed. He remembered her telling him about her first husband, Tom, and how he had lost his life while fighting a war in India without seeing his daughter, Dolly. Now Angelo had written and hinted that he might be thinking of going off to war. No wonder Gladys was distraught.
“I think you had better leave soon, Gladys. It seems you are needed on that side of the ocean as much as you were needed on this side two months ago. The girls shall miss you more than ever, but they are well looked after so you needn’t worry. This war may not last long, and you can come back. You know, I’ve been talking to Percy about it, and I think I am ready to share our daughter. Soon she shall be able to stay with you for as long as you like, but I rather think I would feel a good deal less anxious if we were to wait until that blessed war is over. What do you say?”
“You have no idea how wonderful that makes me feel, and I confess that right at the present I don’t have room for Dolly and Eliza, but we are working hard to save for a house so they will have a place to come to.”
“I’d like to help with that if you would allow me to. How much money would you need for a down payment on a home over there?”
Gladys laughed and answered, “Oh, James!’
“What is so funny about that?”
“It’s just something Angelo said one night when we were having a little argument. Thank you, James, you are far too generous. We shall manage, but it will just take more time.”
“Well the offer is there any time you want it. I shall miss you and Eddy. I like Eddy, Gladys. He is intelligent, thoughtful, and has a good deal of determination, but I cannot say I admire his diction. Please, tell me, is the expression, ‘okay,’ an acceptable substitute for ‘yes, sir’, in America?”
“I am afraid so, James, but I will admit, I haven’t been paying enough attention to his grammar lately, but I intend to from now on.”
James looked in the paper to see which ships were sailing in a week’s time and found that Bob’s ship was leaving in ten days. Gladys sent a message to him, asking him to reserve a cabin for her and Eddy. Once things were arranged, she explained to Dolly why they had leave. When Gladys told her that James planned to allow Eliza to travel to New York soon, Dolly was pleased. It gave her something to look forward to.
In the ten days before their departure, Dolly and Eliza scarcely left Gladys’s side. Eddy was excited about returning home to his father and his cousins, but he was sad about leaving Four Oaks. James did what he could to show the boy a good time and even took him fishing on the lake.
The night before she and Eddy were to leave, Freda made a big suet pudding with lots of raisins—Gladys’s favourite dessert. Gladys played the piano while everyone sang some of their old favourite songs, then Freda brought in some currant cakes and hot chocolate. Eliza was allowed to stay up late, but she fell asleep on Gladys’s knee soon after they had their refreshments. Gladys, looking around at the cosy scene, thought how much she would miss evenings like this with all three of her children by her side. For a time, there was only a very fine line that separated her regrets and her passion.
After their company left and Gladys had put Eliza and Eddy to bed, James asked her if she would join him for a drink in his library. The fire was going and they sat in the same high wing-backed leather chairs she had always found so comfortable. They had had some good conversations in that room. Gladys would have said it was her favourite room in the mansion until that ominous day when James had lost his temper and struck Eddy then called him a bastard.
James could tell she was uneasy, so he said, “It took me a while before I could come in here without feeling guilty, so I know how difficult it must be for you. I hope, in time, both you and Eddy will be able to look at me and not see the brute you saw that day.”
“I don’t see you in that way anymore, James, and I am quite sure Eddy doesn’t either.”
“I think he is even beginning to like me. I thought about inviting him in here to show him some books I have about famous ships, but I thought I had better wait until next time he comes for a visit. However, I would like him to have one. Will you take it and give it to him after you leave London? It shall be something for him to read on the voyage.”
“That is so kind of you, James. But I think it would mean a lot more if you were to write a little something inside it.” James agreed, and while Gladys sipped her brandy, he found the book then thoughtfully inscribed what he thought Eddy would like.
Because Gladys and Eddy were told to be onboard the morning of their departure, they made arrangements to stay with Percy overnight, and they left Four Oaks the day before they sailed. Gladys was hurt and disappointed when Dolly and Eliza didn’t offer to come to the train station to see them off. In fact, their farewells were less emotional than the rest of the household. Gladys had expected a sad but loving parting, and now she had to leave with the same feeling of defeat as she had a year ago. It was all she could do to keep from crying.
She felt even more depressed the next morning when Percy didn’t offer to accompany them to their ship. She could tell Eddy was upset as well when he kept turning around to look at the pier as they made their way up the gangplank. Except for two fishermen sitting with their lines in the water and their legs dangling over the edge of the pier, hoping to snag some bottom fish, there was no one in sight. Even Captain Bob wasn’t around to greet him.
One of the crew was kind enough to show them to their cabin which was the same one they had on the way over. He smiled and said that they would not be leaving port until five in the afternoon.
The dining salon wasn’t open, but Percy had made them some sandwiches which they ate while sitting out on the deck in the afternoon. It was a nice day and Gladys was talking to some of the other passengers when Eddy jumped off his chair and cried out, “Holy Mackerel! Look, Mother, it’s everyone. They came! They came!”
Gladys could hardly believe it. James, Percy, Dolly, Eliza, and even Aunt Jean were getting out of a cab and waving. Then Bob came out on deck and waved them onboard. They were all crying, hugging, and laughing at the same time.
“We fooled you, didn’t we, Mommy?” Eliza said after they all calmed down.
“You certainly did, my darling. I thought you were all tired of us and were glad to see us go.”
“We had quite a time kee
ping it a secret. You looked so sad when you left, we almost decided to tell you.” Dolly said. “We would never allow you to sail off without being here to wave goodbye.”
“But we don’t sail until five.”
“Then we don’t leave until then,” James announced.
Gladys had forgotten about Bob until she heard him say that he would have the cook put out a pot of coffee and some biscuits in the dining salon. She was about to introduce him to everyone, but Eddy got to him first. After he had introduced him to the family, Eddy asked him if he would mind showing James and Percy the big wheel that steers the boat. Bob was surprised that both men were as excited with the idea as Eddy had been.
The hours passed far too quickly, and it was time to bid a final farewell. Although the parting was sad, this time they were left with fond memories and no regrets. They knew that they would all be together again in the future, and that was all that mattered.
The voyage was uneventful but not uncomfortable. Gladys and Bob did not spend as much time together as they had on the way over, but they still had some enjoyable conversations. The three of them even dined together in the captain’s quarters a few times.
Eddy was thrilled with the book James had given him, and he read the inscription aloud to Gladys: “To Edward Matthews, May 10, 1861. I believe you shall be a fine and commendable captain one day. I look forward to sailing with you on your ship. Sincerely yours, James Hornsby (Uncle James).” Eddy looked thoughtful for a second then said, “I like him, Mother.”
The book kept Eddy happy for most of voyage, but he became a little restless during the last two days. Then, as soon as New York came into view, he looked up at Gladys and asked, “Are we there, Mother?”
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