“At last! And right on schedule. A man could easily set his clock by her.”
Uriah let the curtains close and headed to the foyer. “Here she comes,” he shouted, his voice echoing through the house.
In a flurry, Uriah moved a chair to the center of the sitting room and appointed places for John, Polly, Thomas and Rose to sit as they entered the room. Twice, he changed his mind and moved Polly. “Try not to breathe. I tell you, the woman can hear a sigh at twenty miles.” He hurried back into the foyer, pulled the sitting room doors shut and then turned with his back to them. Whistler took hold of the doorknob, waited for Uriah to count the footsteps and then opened the door just as she was about to knock.
“You quite enjoy that, don’t you?” Emiline sneered, glaring at Uriah while she handed her musket and hat to Whistler.
“Indeed I do.”
“I’ve baked a pie,” she said.
Uriah put his hand out and started to take it from her. “How thoughtful.”
“Not for you, for Polly.”
Behind the sitting room doors, the family burst out laughing. “Polly?” he asked, ignoring them.
“Yes, Polly. Now, are you going to let me in?”
Uriah rolled his eyes, pushed both doors wide open and stood aside. “How did you know? Do you now admit to peeking in our windows?”
“No, I don’t,” she shot back. “You are never so clever as you think, Uriah Carson. You lent me Isabelle to help in my shop. Then you sent Seth to fetch her. Seth said John had a wife and her name was Polly.”
“Good heavens, I forgot to warn Seth,” Uriah groaned.
Emiline handed the pie to Uriah and walked straight past. “Dearest Polly, and John, aren’t the two of you a handsome picture.”
“Thank you,” John said. “Allow me to introduce...”
“Dear me,” Emiline interrupted, looking at Adam’s feet. “Do sit down, sir, you look in terrible pain.”
“Blisters,” Adam answered, taking his seat and then easing his feet back in the washtub.
“I’ve just the thing for blisters. I’ll go and get it right after tea.”
“Indeed?” Uriah asked. “You offered no such relief when I suffered new shoes.”
Emiline sarcastically grinned. “That’s because I enjoy it when you suffer.” Next, she turned her attention to Rose. “John, who’s this?”
“My dear cousin, Roselee, her husband, Adam, and their son, Christopher. And this is Thomas Rodes of Shrewsbury, England.”
“I am charmed, Mrs. Puddifoot,” Thomas said, curtly bowing. He took the chair from the center of the room and put it next to his. “Do sit by me, I’ve so anticipated our meeting.”
“Have you?” Emiline asked, taking a brief moment to glare at Uriah. “Tell me, are you related to him?”
Thomas quickly lied, “Not in the least.”
Emiline smoothed her skirt and sat down. “Then I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. Now, I don’t suppose anyone is interested in the latest news from Harrodsburg. It is Monday, you know.”
Uriah set the pie down, closed both doors, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. “If you must, I suppose.”
“There’s been more than one wedding in Kentucky. Mister Dawson has himself taken a wife, and who do you think it is?”
“Who?” Thomas asked.
“The Widow Purdy, and the sheriff not cold in his grave these four weeks.”
“Sheriff Purdy died?” John asked.
“I’ll tell you later, John,” Uriah said.
Emiline smirked and lifted her chin. “Well, I’ll tell it now. Mister Chester called La Rue out, and La Rue shot just as the sheriff stepped between them. Bang, he was dead, shot in the heart. Polly dear, will you come on Sunday and sing for us? We’ve greatly missed your singing.”
“Thee honors me, Mrs. Puddifoot,” Polly said.
“I say, Mrs. Puddifoot, might I be allowed to come?” Thomas asked.
“Well, of course, Mister Rodes. We might have another duel. Mister Chester has not yet shot Jacque La Rue, you see.”
John glanced at his father then winked at Polly. “Emiline, will you stay for dinner?”
“Now he’s done it,” Uriah mumbled.
“Oh please do,” Thomas said. “I so enjoy your manner of speaking. It’s so very...”
“American?” Uriah asked.
Suddenly, both sitting room doors flew open and Jacque La Rue burst in.
“Mademoiselle Lewis,” he said, stopping dead in his tracks.
Startled, the men quickly got to their feet—all except Adam, who merely peeked around Thomas Rodes. Nevertheless, he put his hand nearer to the pistol he’d placed on the floor beside his chair.
“Mister La Rue, will you not take tea with us?” Uriah asked, noticing his odd appearance and wrinkled clothing. La Rue’s hair was uncombed beneath the hat he’d not yet removed.
La Rue did not answer, his wild eyes shifting from Polly to John and back to Polly.
“Mister La Rue?” Uriah tried again.
“Why are you here, mademoiselle?”
“She is my wife,” John answered.
La Rue’s anger was fierce and unchecked when his eyes met Polly’s. “You married the Brit?”
“Here, here now...” Thomas started, taking a step forward.
Uriah quickly moved to stand between them. “He means no offense, I assure you. Everyone knows the French and British have set aside their mutual hatred in America. Is that not so, Mister La Rue?”
La Rue turned his bloodshot eyes on Uriah, “Oui, monsieur, hatred.”
“Why, Mister La Rue, you’re drunk,” Uriah said. “Good heavens, you look dreadful. Has something happened to our dear Eleanor?”
“She is with child,” La Rue answered, his expression unchanged.
“But how glorious,” Uriah said.
“Oui, glorious. She will fill the territory with French La Rues, no?”
Uriah brought a hand up to rub his forehead. “Oh.”
Again, La Rue turned his hostility on Polly. “This, I do not forgive,” he said. He turned and stormed out of the house.
Uriah rushed to the window and watched until La Rue mounted his horse and rode swiftly down the lane. “He’s gone. I’ve never seen the man so enraged. He must love Polly more than I thought. Why did he come, do you think?”
“He came to take thy land,” Polly said, “I have seen that look before.”
“Impossible, we’ve a proper deed.”
“So did my father,” Polly said.
The men sat back down just as Lilly came in with tea. Uriah returned to his place at the door and watched as Adam started to stand up, then thought better of it.
“It is Mister La Rue who has a worthless deed on the Lewis land,” Adam said.
“Truly?” Polly asked.
“My dear Polly, I’ve not spent my valuable time in the Land Commission without some advantages. Before I gave up my wig, I saw the deed to Maryridge duly sworn by men of considerable influence. Furthermore, I did some checking. Mister La Rue bought the Lewis land from Mister Gannon, who bought it from one George Brown. Mister Brown is a speculator who neither settled on the land nor set foot on it. As Virginia so rightly upholds, deeds held by settlers take precedence,” Adam said.
“Then my father yet owns it?” Polly asked.
“Indeed he does, I have seen to the papers myself.”
Uriah’s face was all aglow by the time Adam stopped talking, “And now that Polly is a Carson, La Rue builds a house for Eleanor on Carson land!”
“Papa, what are you up to?”
“Nothing...at the moment.”
THE SWEET AROMA OF baked chicken, fresh-baked bread and buttered squash filled the dining room at Maryridge.
“But without his knowing, Mama was following.” Rose said, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin.
“Do you mean my brother, himself, led her to the rum?” Uriah asked, intentionally seated at the oppo
site end of the long table from Thomas Rodes.
“Aye,” Rose giggled. “And in Mama’s hand was a hammer with which to smash every bottle. Fortunately, he discovered his indiscretion just in time.”
John sat across from Rose. He finished his meal, laid his napkin in his plate and reached under the table for Polly’s hand. “What did he do?”
“What he always does in situations such as these. He kissed her. And he kept on kissing her until she relented the hammer. Then, when he had taken her safely away to their bedchamber, the rest of us moved the rum.”
“Well done,” Thomas said, clapping his hands and grinning at Emiline in the seat next to him.
Uriah rolled his eyes and reached for the last biscuit. “I don’t suppose any of you thought to bring a bottle or two.”
“Three actually,” Adam said. “Unfortunately they were on my horse.”
“I might have guessed,” Uriah mumbled, reaching for a small bowl of freshly churned butter.
“Adam, hard as I try, I cannot imagine you as a farmer,” John said. “What do you think to do?”
“I think to stay as far from Assembly men and legislators as possible. I will open a shop.”
“A general store,” Rose added, “he has a barge already arranged.”
John chuckled. “Filled, no doubt, with British shoes. Adam, you are aware the people have no money.”
“I am, but they will someday. In the meantime, I’ll trade for livestock and the food I don’t intend to grow. I will go happily along my merry way without a congressman in sight.”
“My love,” Rose said, “I do admire your restraint. But if you do not immediately tell them, I fear for your health.”
“Tell us what?” Uriah asked, half a biscuit in one hand and a knife loaded with butter in the other.
“It is about Kentucky, I am sad to say. The old Congress has left the duty of granting statehood in the hands of the new Congress.”
“But we have no new Congress,” John said.
“Precisely. Nor will we for quite some time if the Federalists have their way. If the constitution is ratified, it will be months before new congressmen are elected. And if the constitution is not ratified, we’ll most likely go to war.”
“War, oh my,” Emiline gasped, bringing her hand to her chest.
Uriah slapped the butter on his biscuit. “Imagine that, the woman’s become faint-hearted.”
“Then General Wilkinson may be right. We would do well to separate from the Union completely,” John said.
“Wilkinson aligns himself with the Spanish,” Uriah scoffed. “And he has more in mind than just arranging trade through New Orleans. Not that he’ll admit it.”
“You think we are better off aligned with the Federalists?” John asked.
Uriah shrugged. “At least we speak the same language.”
Emiline was still in shock. “Have we no other choice?”
“Aye, we can pray the constitution is not ratified,” Adam answered. “I tell you, we will rue the day it is.”
“What precisely are you saying?” John asked.
“To begin with, this constitution contains no laws for our individual protection. In fact, they have slighted the matter altogether,” Adam answered, his excitability growing with every word. “They intend complete control of the militia and they make no law forbidding the search of our homes. They neglect our right to bear arms and do not grant fair and just hearings. They have not even done away with debtor’s prison. They state no law protecting a man’s right to speak freely and...it does not mention slavery at all. Oh, they promise to abolish it, but not until the year 1800.”
“But that’s another twelve years,” Polly said.
“Twelve more years of this madness,” Uriah put in. “Slavers will bring thousands, perhaps millions in another twelve years.”
Adam wiped his mouth with his napkin and then spread it back on his lap. “They say Virginia put up a good argument against slavery at first. But once accused of wanting only to increase the worth of their own slaves, they gave up the fight.”
“My love,” Rose sarcastically grinned, “now tell them the benefits of this constitution.”
“There are scant few, Rose, as you are well aware.”
“Tell them anyway, and do get hold of yourself. We are out of Virginia now.”
Adam finally smiled and laid his hand atop hers. “Promise you will continue to remind me.”
“Happily,” said Rose, returning his smile.
Adam took a quick sip of tea. “We will have an army, a navy, and we retain the right to vote. We...”
“He means men can vote...white men owning land,” Rose interrupted.
“Splendid,” Uriah said. “Here, a man cannot be certain from day to day whether he owns his land or not.”
Adam watched his wife’s face, then cautiously went on, “Congress will be empowered to impose tariffs, collect taxes, build proper roads, maintain a competent postal service, and set about seeing to national money – made of silver and gold, of which we have little. But without these benefits, we’d have thrown their constitution out immediately,” Adam went on, his voice rising again. “I tell you, they do not trust us. We are Rebels, you see. They fear we will rise up against them and they make laws to prevent it. They find themselves in the same unhappy situation as the king, with millions of people to carefully regulate and no pleasant way of doing it. Therefore, they resort to trickery.”
“Adam, what are you saying?” Uriah asked.
“Uncle, they hold out the right to vote with one hand while stripping us of the same right with the other. They intend a president, a vice-president, a senate, a house of representatives, and judges empowered with final say on all laws. This I ask you - for which of these fine men will we be allowed to vote?”
Uriah broke off another half biscuit. “Which one?”
“We will be allowed to vote for one legislator per thirty thousand men, women and children...and that is all!”
“We are not to vote for president?” Uriah asked.
“They will empower an electorate for the cause, an electorate not of our choosing. We would do better to have a king, you see. The one representative we are allowed to elect will join others, and the lot of them will be divided by three, one-third up for reelection every two years.”
“I see no problem with that,” John said.
“Be patient, you will. They will require only two-thirds to pass a law, you see. Therefore, should we hate the law and vote away one-third of the legislators, the required two-thirds will remain...enough to pass the law.”
“I see,” John said.
Rose took a deep breath and fiddled with a button on her skirt, “Since you are already in an uproar, tell them about the taxes.”
“They will collect a national tax from each state, which they sorely need. Our debt to the French has increased twofold.”
“Ten million pounds?” Uriah gasped, his uneaten biscuit still in his hand. “Great glory, they have borrowed.”
“And from the moneylenders as well.” Adam nodded. “I cannot imagine how we will ever repay it.”
“And if we don’t, do the French threaten war?” John asked.
“Fortunately for us, they have their hands full with the British and rumors of their own rebellion.”
Thomas thoughtfully pondered what Adam was saying. “If the states do not agree to this constitution, what then?”
“They’ll agree or suffer the same fate suffered since the war began—abominable, unbearable confusion. Before, we needed all thirteen states to pass a law, but again they have been quite clever. The constitution only needs a majority of seven.”
“But what if a state refuses?” Emiline asked.
“Congress will be empowered to force them.”
Uriah’s mouth dropped. “You mean attack?”
Rose gently took her husband’s hand again. “My dearest Adam neglects to mention that there is no other solution to consider just now
. The Federalists are well aware they may be hung for their boldness, our own militiamen would never search our homes, nor would they fire upon another state.”
“She’s right, you know,” Uriah said. “After all, we are thirty thousand to one. On the other hand, who can say what these men might do once they taste power?”
Rose smiled. “I say we wait. If we find this constitution intolerable, we can simply rebel again.”
“If we are allowed to keep our guns,” John put in.
Thomas Rodes stroked his neatly trimmed beard. “We might do well to build a hidden reserve just in case.”
“We?” Uriah asked.
“Yes, we. I intend to stay in America.”
“Abandon the house in Shrewsbury?” Uriah asked.
“Even restored, it is a cold and empty house in need of a family. A family which, in my bitterness and resentment, I neglected to acquire. What would you do with it?”
Uriah lowered his gaze and wrinkled his brow. “I had not thought what I would do with it.”
“I would gladly give it back,” Thomas said.
“Indeed?”
The room grew suddenly quiet.
“And would you also gladly give back the painting of my father?” Uriah asked.
“I already have, it is at Mahala,” Thomas answered. “Before you came to the house in Shrewsbury, I hung it in my bedchamber because I feared you would come and go in the night without my hearing you. I thought when you found it gone, you would search the other rooms.”
John stared at Thomas. “It was in your bedchamber?”
“You lit only the candles near my bed. The painting hung at the other end of the room, the dark end.”
“My memories overcame me. I could stay in the house no longer,” Uriah mumbled.
“I see,” Thomas said. “An odd thing, memories, particularly when you are in lack thereof. I had possession of my grandfather’s portrait all those years and never once cared to look at it.”
Suddenly, Uriah’s rage overcame him, “He was not your grandfather.”
“I’m afraid you are mistaken, he was my grandfather and you are my uncle.”
“Impossible! That would mean your father was my brother, and no brother of mine would send away four helpless little children!” Uriah abruptly threw his biscuit in his plate and stood up. “I’ll not hear another word!”
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