A Weather Eye on the Horizon

A Weather Eye on the Horizon (6)

sorry its been so long!! here u go:

June 2, 1720

Dear little book,

I am so tired of staying on the grounds. I long to go down to the beach and run through the waves, then go through the worry of having to wait till the hem of my skirt dries. I am thinking about sneaking down there sometime. After all, there can hardly be any pirates there, can there? It does not seem probable.

In the meantime, I have been sewing a patchwork quilt. Grandma is helping me. I am nowhere near done, but I have all summer to work on it. It is growing warm; the corsets, which before were just bearable, have now become heavy and burdensome. I hate wearing them, but Mama says that as a young lady I must. They are going to kill me one day!

June 3, 1720

Dear little book,

I’ve been thinking about the name of our house and ground: Seagull’s Perch. I guess it’s because in the summer, especially in storm season, seagulls like to perch on our roof. It is quite bothersome, actually. Their caws are rather annoying.

I wonder whether there are any good shells on the beach now. I want to go down there, but Mama has forbidden it, and she doesn’t seem to be thinking about changing her mind. Oh well. I shall just have to occupy myself with other things. It is not as though there isn’t anything to do. I could sew, embroider, knit, crochet, walk around the plantation, cook, help Mama… Loads of things, really. I wish I could feel the waves between my feet, though. Father says I have the sea in my blood, which I think is a bit confusing, because while I love watching the sea, and wading in it, I have never actually sailed anywhere. I have never been offBarbados. I know my friend Jane has, though. She tells me it was awful, that she got seasick. Perhaps I do not want to go to sea. However, John tells me it is quite enjoyable – “When you are not chasing down pirates, that is!” he says. I asked him whether he had ever actually caught any pirates, and he became serious. He told me he had, and he would never forget the experience. He even saw them hanged! Ugh. To have that on your conscience would be dreadful.

Not that I will. I do not think I will ever go to sea, so I do not have a problem with pirates.

But I do wish I could go down to the beach.

June 5, 1720

Dear little book,

I think I am going to do it. I will go down to the beach. It is not that dangerous. And I know when I am going to do it. Mama is taking Grace and Joanie to town with her tomorrow, and Davy is working with Father to get a taste of the plantation. Grandma naps in the afternoon, and I know Luke won’t care that I go. In fact, I shall just tell him I am going on a walk. He might even come with me… but I do not think I will ask him. He might react the wrong way. You never know with him.

June 6, 1720

Dear little book,

I did it! I went to the beach. I snuck out this afternoon, and all Luke did was look up at me, say “Good bye, Annie,” and then ignore me. I walked to the cliff, then as quickly as I could, I went down the steps, hitching my skirts up. How I wish I could wear trousers like Luke and Davy! I suppose not, though. It is not very ladylike. And they would look strange on me. But they are quite convenient, I suppose.

It was actually quite boring, though. Without Luke there, there was not much I could do. I looked for shells, but soon tired of that. After a while, I simply stood, skirts bunched up in one hand, and stared out at the sea. It was beautiful: light blue-green and gorgeous. I never grow tired of staring out at the ocean. It is the prettiest thing in the world, I think, after Mama, of course.

Perhaps next time I shall ask my brother to come with me. It was quite dull with no one else.  

June 7, 1720

Dear little book,

This time Luke went with me. We went for a walk this afternoon when Mama did not need us, and I do not think she even missed us. It still was not that enjoyable, but more fun than yesterday.

Luke informed me that he probably was not going to come with me anymore, because he now has a job in town. He is going to be the next owner of the plantation, but he thinks he might do something else. He wants to be in the Navy. The Navy! He is ambitious. I think he got the idea from John Lorrington. He is always telling tales of the sea whenever he and Sarah come over. I suppose those stories went to Luke’s head and now he is seriously considering a career in the Navy. I wonder if he’s told Father about this idea of his. I do not think Father would approve.

He might, though.