An American Promise (Book 2)

Chapter 1

'With what price we pay for the glory of motherhood.'

-Isadora Duncan

  The sun shone warmly down on Emilia as she sat in the small park watching her little daughter Jane. There was a small pond and ducks strutted around it, fascinating two-year-old Jane who watched them, her blue eyes wide.

Emilia had come to America two years ago. Her father, the Earl of Coventry had cast her out of the house with only a suitcase, twenty pounds and an ever growing child in her stomach. He had paid for her passage to America but once she arrived, she was on her own. She had found work as a seamstress, for her fingers were nimble and despite her high birth, she could work well. She had given birth to Jane three months later. Mrs. Lewis, her employer, had agreed to let her stay on with the child, as long as she kept working well. Emilia had and two years later, she was still working with Mrs. Lewis.

"Careful Janie, don't fall," Emilia said. Jane had come dangerously close to the shallow water and was kneeling, looking at the clear water.

"Fish!" Jane exclaimed happily.

"Really?" Emilia moved next to her daughter and saw the small fish at the bottom of the pond. "Yes, fish, but look, your knees are all muddy."

"Hello Mrs. Fisher," Emilia looked up and saw Fredrick, the eldest son of Mrs. Lewis.

Emilia was unmarried but to avoid scandal, had used her mother's maiden name and invented a dead husband for herself.

"Mr. Lewis," she stood, picking Jane up and smiling. "How nice to see you, I hope you're well."
"I am, is mother treating you well?"

"Oh yes, you know how I adore her," she blushed and looked down.

Despite any common sense she may be in possession of, Emilia had adored Fredrick ever since she met him. He was tall and slender, his green eyes were light and playful. His mouth was small but quick to smile and when he laughed it was perhaps the most glorious sound she ever heard. Any scrap of attention he paid her, sent to her the moon.

"I'm glad, hello Jane, how are you?" He turned his attention to Jane who smiled.

"We was looking at fishes," she said happily.

"Are there fishes in the pond? I've never noticed." He looked over at the water.

"Do you like fishes?" Jane asked, looking grave.

"Oh yes, I used to have a pet goldfish you know," he nodded and Jane's eyes widened even more; this was an alien concept to her. "Shall we walk?" He asked Emilia.

"Oh that would be lovely," she put Jane down and collected her novel before leaving the park and walking with Fredrick.

"Have you heard from your brother?" Fredrick asked as the walked down the cobbled street.

Emilia's older brother Samuel lived in France with his daughter. His wife Phoebe had died two years previously and Samuel had not yet remarried, though Emilia doubted he ever would.

"I got a letter from him a few weeks ago, he's well and may come to see me here."

"I'd be glad to meet him, he sounds like a good chap."

"I'm sure you'd love him, he's wonderful. I miss him ever so much."

"Which reminds me; Max should be coming home soon for his summer break, you remember Max?"

"Oh yes, of course,"

Max was Fredrick's younger brother who was studying at Pennsylvania State University. Emilia had met him once, though she didn't really speak to him much. He seemed to be the studious type, serious and very earnest.