by Cathy Bryant
As the servants at the Swyndhurst estate awaited the arrival of the children, they bustled about preparing their rooms. Little Mary’s room was to be adjacent to Esther’s, as she would be in charge of her care. For the time being, in order for Mary to feel comfortable in her new home, Elizabeth would share her youngest sibling’s room. Samuel was to have his own bedchamber a couple of doors down from his sisters. Some of the servants resided within the walls of the Swyndhurst estate, while others, such as Peter who lived with his parents, dwelt close by. After he arrived at work each morning, the plan was for Peter to escort the two older children to the schoolhouse and fetch them in the afternoon prior to going home for the day.
Mr. Swyndhurst was pleased to see the preparations for the arrival of the children were well underway. As distracted as he had been while awaiting word from James, he was little help in the endeavor. In addition, he had always trusted Martha’s handling of the household affairs and felt no need to alter the arrangement now.
After a tearful farewell, Alice Strout departed—leaving her children behind with Mr. Swyndhurst and his servants. Though Samuel and Elizabeth tried to hide their pain at being parted from their mother, Martha and Mr. Swyndhurst had sensed it just the same.
The children were soon escorted to their rooms while Martha prepared a meal a bit earlier than usual. If she guessed right, the children hadn’t had much to eat that day and were probably famished.
When they were seated at the table a short time later, as she suspected, they dug right in as if they were half-starved. She had prepared a tray of meat, some potatoes, a winter squash, and fresh bread for their first meal together. The children seemed quite pleased with the spread put before them.
During the meal, Mr. Swyndhurst and Martha glanced at each other multiple times. They were both thinking they had done the right thing; these children needed looking after. Martha felt a twinge of guilt for having berated Sarah so many times for giving so much care to Alice Strout’s children, for she could now see why it had come about. There was no doubt in the elderly servant’s mind that the children’s mother was incapable of looking after them, as evidenced by their bone thin bodies and disheveled hair and clothes. As the softhearted servant glanced at the youngest Strout, she felt the little girl, with her pale face and raspy cough, appeared the most frightening of the children. And all three were clad in filthy clothes. This was never the case when Sarah was around, thought Martha. She had seen to it that they were well fed and clean. How much has changed, the elderly servant thought.
Later that night, with the children tucked in their beds, Martha and Mr. Swyndhurst had tea together in the parlor. Speaking in hushed tones, they talked of Sarah and how delighted she would be if she knew the children were there with them. Having a better understanding of the burden Sarah had felt for Alice Strout’s children, Mr. Swyndhurst and Martha vowed that they would look after them with as much care as Sarah had. They then prayed that Sarah would soon return for her own sake as well as the children’s. As the evening moved forward, both Martha and Mr. Swyndhurst realized what a tiring day it had been, getting the children settled and all. For this reason, they each turned in a little earlier than usual.
James Haddon’s leg was mending well; consequently, Daniel Thompson’s visits were becoming less frequent. James felt certain that, by now, he would have learned whether the man had a houseguest, but Mr. Thompson had successfully evaded the questions pertaining to his home and family every time James had inquired.
On this particular day, Mr. Thompson intended to tell Mr. Haddon that as his leg was nearly as good as new, he no longer required his services. When he arrived at the ordinary, he found Mr. Haddon sitting at a table near the entrance to the establishment.
As the physician approached the man he had come to see, he suggested, “Mr. Haddon, why don’t we go to your room so that I might have one last look at your leg?”
Rising from his chair, James replied, “Very well.” As he made his way along, he felt a little panicked that this was his last opportunity to learn whether Sarah had indeed been staying at the physician’s home. Not only had he been hoping to verify Sarah’s whereabouts, he also wished to seek Mr. Thompson’s assistance in keeping the news of his being in town, on behalf of Sarah’s husband, quiet.
Daniel observed that James had little trouble making his way to the room. This only confirmed to him that the man was no longer in need of his care. He felt relief at knowing this would be the last time he would see the gentleman.
While sliding his back against the headboard of his bed to stretch out his leg, James cleared his throat. “I believe my leg has mended quite nicely. I am much obliged to you for tending to me, Mr. Thompson.”
Agreeing with the man’s assessment of his leg, after taking one last look, the physician responded, “Yes, you are correct in saying that your leg has healed. As I suspected before arriving today, this shall be my last visit. You may now come and go as you please.”
Seeing no way around coming right out with it, Mr. Swyndhurst’s hired man stated, “Mr. Thompson, there is something about which I need to speak with you.”
As he observed the man, who was now moving into a sitting position, Daniel was unsure whether he should make his excuses and hastily take his leave or stay and listen to what Mr. Haddon had to say. As before, he suspected the man might have come to town to find Sarah. But as he thought about it, he would much rather know the man’s intentions than be left in the dark. That way, if it became necessary, he could protect Sarah. Having finished his exam of the man’s leg, he sat up against the back of his chair. “Yes, go on.”
Rubbing his chin while he determined how best to begin, James finally said, “I suspect you have guessed that I have come to town with a purpose—to find my employer’s wife, Sarah Swyndhurst. Her solicitor over at the hat company informed me that she had been to see him. He also mentioned your name in connection with the man who had accompanied her.” Hesitant that he had been so direct, he studied the doctor’s face for a reaction.
Feeling like he had allowed a door to open that he may not be able to shut, Daniel responded, “As you say, I suspected as much. It was just that you inquired so often about personal things pertaining to my family. Will you tell me why Sarah’s husband is looking for her? It might seem obvious, as any man would search for his missing wife, but I must be certain of his motives.”
Seeing that the physician remained cautious where Mrs. Swyndhurst was concerned, James felt he had no other option but to disclose all. “Sir, Mr. Swyndhurst has been in great distress ever since his wife went away without a word to anyone where she was going. Has she apprised you of what happened to her the night she left town?”
Daniel was beginning to think this might have been a good idea after all—the two men finally being honest with one another. “Yes, I am aware that she was attacked. My father-in-law assisted her in her escape.”
“We were not certain that Sarah had actually left town with Mr. Hoyt, but we thought it a real possibility. Before Mr. Harvey contacted me regarding Sarah’s visit to the hat company, all inquiries relating to Mr. Hoyt’s daughter’s whereabouts were unsuccessful, as not a soul even knew her name—only that Mr. Hoyt had a daughter. Thus, once I learned your name in connection with his, I believed if I could just speak privately with you, I could be certain Sarah was at your home. I couldn’t send for her husband until I was sure.
“The poor man has been beside himself with worry. When I injured my leg, I felt that God had given me the answer to my dilemma. I had been asking around where you frequented the most, other than your home, of course, but not knowing why I was looking for you, no one in town would give me a direct answer. I couldn’t just come to your home. Sarah might have seen me. She knows that I work for her husband. She ran away once, I couldn’t let it happen again.” Hoping he had stated the situation well enough to gain Mr. Thompson’s confidence, James then waited for the man to speak.
Nodding his head, Daniel resp
onded, “Yes, the people in this town are quite loyal. They would have been more forthcoming had you needed my services, which, as it turns out, you eventually did. It does seem that God had a hand in us coming together. That makes what I have to disclose easier somehow, or else I would not have been certain it was the right thing for Sarah—telling you where she is.”
James spoke up then. “That is understandable, Mr. Thompson. While you are not acquainted with Mr. Swyndhurst, for all you knew it might not have been in Sarah’s best interest for them to be reunited.”
“Just so, Mr. Haddon. Well, now that I feel it is ‘in her best interest’ for you and I to get this thing figured out, I shall explain what I know of the situation. You see, my wife, Joanna, and I have been looking after Sarah. My father-in-law thought she would be quite safe in our care. As she was frightened of her attacker and she felt her husband would no longer want her, we insisted that she remain with us for as long as she needed. At first we considered sending word to her husband, but it was her wish that her whereabouts remain a secret. Knowing little of the situation between them, we felt we should comply with her wishes.”
His countenance one of relief that Sarah had been well cared for, James explained further. “I fully understand your reasons for going along with her wishes; however, to believe that her husband no longer wanted her…well…nothing could have been further from the truth. Mr. Swyndhurst was heartbroken when he learned what had happened to her in his absence. He was out of town at the time it occurred. He loves his wife very much, and after what happened to her, he has been desperately searching for her to bring her home again.”
“I little believed a man would turn his wife away for such a thing. Moreover, the man would have to be daft to turn his back on someone like Sarah. She is such a treasure.” Daniel was unsure whether he should reveal Sarah’s condition.
“Precisely right! He would not. Not only has he employed me to find her, he himself has traveled to numerous towns in hopes of finding her. The Amesbury constable has been apprised of Mr. Swyndhurst’s suspicions about who he believes attacked his wife. If it can only be confirmed by Mrs. Swyndhurst, the man shall immediately be thrown in jail. When that happens, she shall be quite safe.”
“Yes, well, Sarah has not divulged the man’s name. Though we wanted him cast into jail as well, we felt it best not to press her about it.”
Mr. Haddon nodded. “With all that she has been through, talking about it may have been too difficult for her. Let me say again, you can be certain that Sarah will be quite safe if she returns home to Mr. Swyndhurst.”
As Daniel continued to hear the details concerning Sarah’s husband and his quest to find his wife, he began to believe he ought to reveal what he had been holding back. “There is more, Mr. Haddon. Owing to the attack…Sarah is with child—which only served to strengthen her belief that her husband would not want her home again.”
Stunned, James simply stared at Mr. Thompson. He then suggested, “Perhaps the child is her husband’s.”
Daniel shook his head to indicate that it was not. “You will have to take my word for it. The child could not possibly be his.”
After a few moments, James responded with a sigh, “The poor woman! Mr. Swyndhurst is an honorable man. That she is with child would not deter him from desiring to have her safely back at home where she belongs.”
“Well, Mr. Haddon. I am not sure what to do. If I tell Sarah that you have come looking for her on behalf of her husband, I believe you are correct—she would almost certainly run away again. She hoped he would never learn what happened. I have explained that she owns no part of it, and that I believe her husband would see it the same way; nonetheless, she little believes her husband would accept her back now. And if I do not disclose that we have spoken, when she learns of it, she may feel that I have betrayed her.”
“I understand your dilemma. Truly, I do. But I don’t believe we have a choice, knowing that Sarah tends to take flight when she is frightened. What say you to keeping our conversation from Sarah until I have informed Mr. Swyndhurst that I have confirmed her whereabouts, as well as the news about the child?” inquired James.
“Perhaps that is best, though I dislike keeping anything from her. She is only now beginning to recover from what happened to her. I pray that breaking her trust in this way doesn’t cause her to revert back to the fearful woman she once was. It took her some time to even dare step out of doors. As determined as she is, she managed it, but it frightened her half to death the first few times.”
“Let us hope and pray that everything turns out for the best and that, in the end, she understands why you had to keep the information from her.”
Daniel nodded.
Even though the news of Sarah’s condition was troubling, James felt relieved he had finally found Mr. Swyndhurst’s wife. Given Sarah’s condition, however, he believed this kind of news needed to be given in person, not by a missive, and said as much to Daniel. “I know his heart shall break even more for Sarah when he hears about the baby, but he needs to be aware of the situation in advance of seeing her.”
“When do you think your employer shall turn up at my home?” inquired the physician with some trepidation. He felt that he had done the right thing in disclosing all to Mr. Haddon; however, he dreaded Sarah’s reaction at seeing her husband on his doorstep.
“Even though it is my intention to deliver the news in person, it should be no more than a fortnight for me to travel to Amesbury and back again with Mr. Swyndhurst,” the hired man replied. “I am quite certain Mr. Swyndhurst will wish to set off without delay.”
“Very well,” Daniel responded. Though he knew they were doing the right thing, he was still ill at ease about the whole matter.
When everything was settled, the two men parted company. James was relieved at finally finding Sarah, but Daniel left with a heavy heart. As he thought about the fact that he would soon be seeing Sarah, he wondered how he was going to keep her from detecting that something was wrong. He had never been very good at hiding his feelings. He decided to pray that God would help him rein in his emotions before he arrived back at home.
As Daniel walked in the door to his home, he had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. Though he felt convinced that he had done the right thing, he knew Sarah might feel differently. He hoped that, ultimately, it would all work out for her good. All the same, it concerned him greatly that, after this, Sarah might never trust him again. To settle his mind that he had indeed done the only thing he could, he went in search of Joanna. If she agreed that he had not been afforded any other option, he knew it would calm his anxious nerves.
As he entered the house, Mr. Hoyt approached. Aware of his son-in-law’s concerns that one of his patients might be in town to find Sarah, taking Daniel aside, he asked if he might have a private word. Daniel directed him toward his examination room. Once the elderly gentleman was certain they would not be overheard, he inquired whether Daniel had learned any additional information about the man in question.
If not his wife, he knew his father-in-law was the next best person to ask about what he had discussed with James Haddon; therefore, after shutting the door, the two gentlemen made themselves comfortable. Daniel then explained all that had transpired between himself and Mr. Haddon.
While observing his father-in-law for a reaction, he anxiously inquired, “What is your opinion? Did I do right by Sarah?”
As he scratched his head, the elderly gentleman answered, “Yes…considering all that you have told me about Mr. Swyndhurst and his search for his wife, it sounds as though he deserves to know where she is. Sarah may see it quite differently, I’m afraid.”
“She may indeed. That is why I assured Mr. Haddon that I would not disclose our conversation to her. I fear she might make a run for it if she were to learn that her husband shall soon be here. I am also quite concerned that the friendship we have forged with Sarah shall be harmed by all of this.”
“That is understandable.
But in my judgment, you are making the right decision about keeping such news from her, for the time being, anyway. And you should not feel too badly about telling everything to this James Haddon. It appears that you had no choice. And, my boy, is this not what we have been praying for? An answer to Sarah’s dilemma?”
“To be sure. I just hope that I have not rushed things. What if I am wrong and this is not what’s best for Sarah?” inquired Daniel.
Knowing his son-in-law’s heart, Joseph responded, “You mustn’t question yourself. As Sarah’s husband shall not arrive for several days, we have time to pray for Sarah that she shall be prepared to see him when he comes.”
Later that night, while Daniel and Joanna were alone in their bedchamber, he informed her of his conversation with James Haddon. Astonished, she quietly listened while he explained his feelings regarding his part in what had transpired. Joanna sensed that it was no little matter for her husband that he had revealed everything to a man who would be reporting back to Sarah’s husband. Daniel had always been a protector, and she loved him for it. But just now she could see how much that side of his nature was causing him pain.
After sitting there for a moment to collect her thoughts, Joanna finally responded. “Daniel, after what the man told you about Mr. Swyndhurst’s relentless search for Sarah, what else could you have done? The man clearly wants his wife at home, even knowing what has happened to her, which, I might add, is exactly as it should be.”
“Yes, it would seem that he does. And as you say, it is only right that he should want her home. The difficulty for all of us, now, shall be in keeping Mr. Swyndhurst’s forthcoming visit to ourselves. If Sarah were to learn of it, I fear what she may do. Your father and Mr. Haddon agree that there is indeed reason for concern.”