| Subject: The New World - Part #34 |
Author:
Wanda
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Date Posted: 10:54:49 06/18/03 Wed
PART #34
Bow asked, “Are you going to stay on here at the plantation?” Catherine said, “I guess it will be necessary to stay until all the legalities are taken care of here. After that is completed, I thought I would return home to England.” Catherine noticed a look of sadness come over Bow’s face when she told him of her thoughts of returning to England. She asked, “Bow, what do I know about running a plantation and a lumber business? This is something you really should be doing. After all Joshua was your cousin. If you were the only living relative, you actually have more claim to the plantation then I do. Why don’t you think about selling your ship, and staying on here at Lake Charles? You would know more about taking over the plantation, and running it then I would ever know. You’ve lived here all your life, and this is a brand new country for me.”
Bow thought for awhile; and said, “Catherine, the sea is in my blood. I don’t know if I would be any good at working land, and running a lumber business. If you decided to stay, I would try to help you as much as I could to learn about the plantation. I have been here enough to know the men who worked for Joshua. Perhaps some of your family could come, and help you.”
Catherine said, “Bow, my family are all silversmiths. My family members would know nothing more about running a plantation then I would know. Bow asked, “Is there someone who would be willing to learn?” Catherine said, “Well, there is my cousin, George. He is always looking for some new adventure. He is intelligent, and he might take to the Americas.” Bow asked, “Is he a silversmith as well?” Catherine laughed, “Oh yes, we come from a long line of silversmiths.” Bow questioned, “Catherine, is George someone you can trust; and work with closely?” Catherine thought for a moment, then said, “George is honest, and he is hardworking. We usually butt heads because he tends to think he knows everything. He’s a very stubborn man once he makes up his mind. So, he can be somewhat frustrating to try to work with at times.”
Bow smiled inwardly; and thought, “Hm, it must run in the family.” He doubted that Catherine saw that trait in herself. He wasn’t sure he had ever seen a woman who was so stubborn once she made up her mind. He was afraid the two of them working together would be a force to reckon with, and felt sorry for anyone who might happen to get in their way.
Bow suggested they both think over their options while he contacted Joshua’s lawyer, and set up an appointment. He told Catherine he was going back to Lake Charles, and he would bring her money to her the following day. She said, “Bow, I have one more question; and it has to do with Joshua’s ashes. What do you think I should do with them?” Bow said, “There is a family mausoleum here on the plantation. I will take you to see that tomorrow. I would suggest his ashes be placed there with his departed family members.”
After Bow left, Catherine thought about her options. Did she want to remain here in the Americas? She certainly had some bad experiences here in the Americas thus far. She finally decided she would work through settling the estate, and let time help her decide what to do. It was true that she would need help running the plantation if she decided to stay. If Bow were determined to go to sea, she would need someone here with her. Would she be able to work side by side with George, her cousin? Most of the time when they were growing up, he would do things that would agitate her. Her parents had tried to tell her that was the way with many boys, and not to fear he would eventually mature enough to stop such foolishness. She didn’t like his superior attitude, but he was a hard worker, and he was honest almost to a fault. She hadn’t seen too much of that characteristic in people since she had come to the Americas.
She decided she would write George, and feel him out. She would ask him to come visit the Americas, and to see what he thought of this new country. She would suggest that the Sheffield family might consider extending their business of silversmithing into this new country. Perhaps George would want to establish a busiess here in the Americas. Catherine knew that George liked a challenge, so she would wait to see how he responded.
Bow took the carriage back to Lake Charles. He thought much about Catherine as he rode along. She didn’t seem like she was grieving that much over the loss of Joshua. He was wondering if she had really loved him. She certainly did not give that appearance. There were a number of questions he would have liked to ask her, but didn’t feel like he had the right.
Catherine seemed like an intelligent woman. Why hadn’t she realized the sort of man Joshua really was? How had Joshua gotten such a hold over Catherine that she would marry him when she knew he had lied to her about the painting? Should that not have told her enough about the man to serve as a warning? When he thought about Joshua, he realized most of his life had been a sham. Most people had no clue of the depth of depravity that man had sunk to, and lived. Few people knew Joshua as Bow had known him. Joshua never felt like he had to pretend with Bow. After all, Bow was the son of a notorious pirate. He would understand. Bow laughed bitterly, “I will never know how he thought it was all right for him to live the way he did, and justify his own behavior.” It had always amazed Bow how Joshua could excuse every evil deed he was involved in, just because he was the one doing it.
To be continued...
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