Patriots and Loyalists, Secrets and Romance

One

"Do you know yet when the wedding will be?" my best friend asked me excitedly.

"I don't know yet, Patience. And you've asked me about ten times already. I think your parents gave you the wrong name." 

She laughed. "Maybe you're right. I'm not very patient. But my best friend is getting married to one of Lord Dunmore's nephews. I'm excited!"

Lord Dunmore is the governor of Virginia. He used to be the governor of New York but he had to change to Virginia a couple years ago and he didn't want to. But he had to and then Lady Dunmore and their children joined him and ruled the Virginia Colony now. I often passed by the Governor's palace and wondered what it looked like on the inside.

Patience is my best friend, but unfortunately, she's also my maid.  She came to work for my family when we were both about 10 years old, which was six years ago since we are both 16 now. 

She lives with her family, but she comes every morning to our house on Duke of Gloucester Street and stays until dinner time.  Because we were the same age, it was only natural that we began chatting with each other, and soon enough we were as close as sisters, even though my mother did not approve of me being friends with a member of the working class. 

After Patience went home, I went into the dining room for dinner. My mother frowned at me. "I don't think you should be spending so much time talking to a maid. Your father is one of the most well-respected businessman in the colony, and your mother comes from the landed gentry. You are above being friends with a servant."

I frowned. "Mother, she is my friend. And it seems foolish to not be friends with someone just because their family doesn't have as much money as ours. Money says nothing about what kind of character you have!"

My mother smiled. "Well, I don't approve of it but I suppose I am glad to have raised a daughter who has a kind heart. As long as Patience doesn't think she doesn't have to do her job because you are talking to her."

I did not like having servants- I am pretty self sufficient and would rather do things for myself- but having servants was better than having slaves- my mother's parents lived on a plantation and had slaves. It really bothered me a lot, but there wasn't anything I could do to stop them, but I was so glad that our family didn't do that.

At dinner I asked who had come to the door earlier. I had heard the knock but had been changing clothes and so I didn't know who had come. 

"It was a messenger. He brought a letter for your father. I think it was probably from Lord Dunmore's nephew James again."

I perked up. "What did it say?"

"I don't know, " my mother answered. "He hasn't come out of his study almost all day."

"It would be nice," I said, "If the letter were addressed to ME, considering he is MY fiance."

My mother smiled. "He'll send you letters soon enough, but for now the families have details to arrange."

"Do you think James will mind moving here? I don't know how different Virginia is from Scotland. Where is he from again?" I asked.

"Perthshire," my mother said. "That's where the Dunmore's come from. I don't know but I am glad he is moving here and we won't have to say goodbye to our darling girl and have you move so far away!"

I smiled. "Me too. If I had to move there I'd find someone else to marry, because I don't want to leave my family here."

Then my father came in. He said, "I had a letter from the Dunmore's."

"In Scotland?" I asked.

"No, here. Lord and Lady Dunmore want to ask us to come visit them."

"In the palace?!" I asked.

"Yes," my father answered. "Since you are marrying their nephew, they said we should get to know each other better. Lady Dunmore asked you and your mother to drop by for tea tomorrow, and also asked our family to come for dinner next week."

Our cook began bringing dinner in. We talked until dinner was over and then we went into the parlor.

I was working on embroidering a fire screen. It would go in the parlor of my new house- the one James and I would move into after our wedding.

Finally I got tired and decided to head upstairs to bed. Tomorrow I would be going to the governor's palace.