The woman came at her call instantly. She must have heard the fear. “Captain Wyatt has come to tell us to make a bed ready for Captain Lovell. He is ill.”
“Lord have mercy.” Portia breathed a prayer and called to Emmanuel. The two of them hurried up the stairs and Rose was left to stand in the huge foyer, all thoughts of celebrating gone. But, she scolded herself, do not borrow trouble, Ireland Rose. She turned in time to see several men coming up the stairs of the wraparound porch. Before she could move four young men carried her husband in on a stretcher, Captain Wyatt at one corner. She laid eyes on her husband and noted his color was white but he opened his eyes and winked, then held up his hand in greeting ever so slightly. They stopped for a moment and she could see that he was very ill.
“Welcome home Captain Lovell.” She willed her voice to be strong.
Rose wanted to cry, but would not. She must be brave. Suddenly something inside her began organizing. “Up the stairs, third door to the right.” She pointed and then picked up her skirts and followed the men. She noted how carefully they maneuvered her husband around the corner at the top of the stair.
Portia and Emmanuel had already turned down the bed linens and stood off, one on each side of the room and let the Captain be lifted and put on the bed. The men murmured their greetings to Rose and she tried not to look into their eyes. They saluted to the Captain one by one and immediately left the room, Captain Wyatt right behind them. In a moment she turned and saw Captain Wyatt out in the hall talking to two of the men. When she drew close the men left.
“Sir, what happened?” She asked quietly.
“There were high winds and strong gales nearly all the way across. Captain Lovell was not yet well enough from the fever and he fell ill again. This time from complete exhaustion. The airs were wet and many of the crew are sick from the salt in their lungs and no sleep trying to keep the ships afloat.”
“I’ll call for Doctor Case. How long has he been ill?”
“The day after we sailed we ran into bad weather. He has not been well since the first day. I fear he has consumption.”
“I see.” She said quietly, her hands tightly entwined at her waist.
“Ma’am” He lifted his hat and was gone. Rose’s brain noted Captain Wyatt seemed always to be fleeing this house. She realized she had spoken aloud.
Portia flew past her and down the stairs before she could think what to do. She heard her say, “Thomas go for Dr.Case right dis very minute.”
“Rose honey, now you just goes and sits in there by yo husband and talk to him. See what he says ‘bout how he feelin’ and all. I knows what to do…” She hurried away.
Rose picked up her skirts and walked up quickly, then entered the room, pulled a chair next to the bed and sat. Emmanuel was already gone. “You’re awake.” She smiled at him drawing near.
“Aye, ‘tis what I longed to see. My wife and my home.” He said, his eyes drooping closed.
“You are safe and glad I am of it. Close your eyes now and rest. Dr. Case will be along in a few minutes.” She said in soothing tones.
Rose smoothed the covers and gazed at him. He was thinner by nearly half it seemed. Her heart sunk and she prayed, “Lord keep him safe.”
What seemed like forever, Dr. Case arrived. “Several passengers just off the ship were in bad shape.” He said as he hurried in.
Rose lifted herself, moved the chair away and waited in the hall so the doctor could examine her husband.
“Looks like consumption.” He said quietly when he came out into the hall. “He’s quite weak. Captain Wyatt said he had Yellow Fever in London.”
“Yes.” Rose said.
“He will need water, bed rest. And he is not to be disturbed nor is he to be out of this bed.” The doctor ordered. “I have given him some laudanum so he will sleep. Shut the door and all the windows. Tell Portia to put a poultice on his chest. She will know what to do.” He shut his case and shrugged into his coat.
“Yes. Thank you Dr. Case.”
“Of course Mrs. Lovell. And do look for signs of breathing problems…if he rasps or coughs overmuch send for me. I’ll be back tomorrow. Perhaps if he rests tonight we will be able to arrest the weakness in his lungs.”
Rose nodded and smiled a little and Dr. Case was gone. Portia came rushing up the stairs with Lily in tow. “Now you just sit in dat chair over by the window and I’ll nurse Captain Lovell.” She pushed at Rose when she did not move.
Lily and Portia started their task and Rose got up and went downstairs. She and Captain Lovell had never slept in the same room. She felt like an intruder. Besides, she told herself they could work better if they didn’t have to worry about her.
She took the long-necked water bucket and watered the flowers on the front verandah to keep busy. The noises down at the wharf carried on the brisk winds. She heard shouts of greetings and couples reuniting with the crew or perhaps with those who had crossed the Atlantic from Europe. Charleston was her home now, but suddenly she felt like a stranger.
After a time Portia found her and said, “Miz Rose, Captain is sleepin’. He won’t wake for a long time. That poultice and the doctor’s medicine will be the best rest. You don’t need to worry none. I seen worse than that many times. Yessirree…I shorely have. I’m goin’ to cook up those chickens and make some broth for the Cap’n. You just rest yoself…we’s gonna be sitting next to him all night long, fer sure.
Rose thanked her with her eyes.
“I know chile you disappointed, but you got yo husband home. That’s good ‘nuff for now. Why don’t you get some o’those pretty flowers and we’ll put ‘em in the window for him to look at.”
Rose, glad to be doing something, went up the stairs, tiptoed past his door and put on an old work dress. Down to the garden she went, glad to be digging in the dirt. That was one thing that soothed her troubles and soon she wiped her brow with her gloved hand and realized the sun has nearly gone down behind the bright pink Azalea bushes out back.
“Come on in Miz Rose. We havin’ dinner, same as always.”
Rose went in, cleaned up at the wash bowl. She brushed away dust off her dress and sat down.
“Come on now. That broth be good for you, too. Throw’d in some vegetables and made soup. You’ll need to be strong now.”
Rose picked up her spoon and ate, for once glad to be alone.
A sudden and loud pounding at the door and Rose heard her spoon clatter to the floor.
“Who be comin’ at dinnertime.” Portia came flying out from the back.
“Maybe it’s Dr. Case…”
“No, he be too busy tonight. And we ain’t got no emergency here.” She panted as she hurried to answer.
“Captain Wyatt she at dinner.”
Rose stood, wiped her mouth and tossed the linen napkin on the table. “He may come in, Portia.”
She was standing by her chair when Captain Wyatt entered the dining room. For a moment he gazed across the way and Rose wondered what he saw. Nothing there except several oil paintings that had been hanging since she’d arrived.
Coming to himself, he took off his hat, smoothed his hair and said, “I’m sorry to disturb you at dinner. I’m here to see after Captain Lovell. Has he improved?”
“He is sleeping very soundly, Mr. Wyatt and we have not heard any rattle in his chest.”
“I’m glad for it.”
Rose noted he seemed relieved and waited.
“Thank you.” He bowed slightly and as was his usual custom, put on his hat and walked out the door.
Surprised when he said no more, when she could clearly see he wanted to, she wondered at the elusive Captain Wyatt. His voice was so deep that she felt as though he were her stern schoolmaster and she had just tipped her ink well.
She had also noted Captain Wyatt’s discreet perusal of her untidy appearance.
The next moment, she picked up her skirts and feeling better ran up the stairs to visit her husband. He was in his nightclothes and
sleeping peacefully. Rose listened for unusual breathing noises and heard none. Perhaps he would recover. She prayed it would be so. There was still the discussion she wanted to have with him about Mr. Dalton and the papers she signed.
Chapter 22
Portia and Lily arrived at dark to attend her husband, insisting she stay abed in her own room through the night.
“My mammy was de best doctoress back in the day.” Portia announced. “And taught me ever thing she knew. Cap’n Lovell in good hands, Miz Rose. You go on now and I’ll call ya if I needs ya.”
Rose obeyed happy to say her prayers for the household and wait on the Lord to heal her husband. She felt helpless but remembered prayer was not helpless even if she may be. She turned over everything to Jesus.
Early in the morning she woke and stretched, listened for voices. Hearing nothing she grabbed a robe and tied it around her waist as she dashed down the hall and eased the door open tiptoeing into her husband’s room. There Portia lay back in her chair, Lily sleeping at her feet on a pallet. No harsh sounds came from his chest. She could smell the vapors nearly causing her empty stomach to climb up into her throat. Rose hurried back to her room and dressed. She needed nourishment so she could take over her husband’s care.
Grateful all was well, she went belowstairs for tea. Emmanuel was sweeping small limbs and leaves off the front walkway. “Good morning Emmanuel. It seems the house is asleep.” She sipped hot tea and ate a scone with cream.
“Yes, Miz Rose. I be thinkin’ thing’s is good if’n we ain’t heard nothin’.”
Rose loved his smile. He was calm as a soft wind.
“Thomas be down at the wharf helping unload. Seems they got themselves some things to carry on up here.” He shot her a quick glance. “Here dey come now. Best you go on and do somthin’ else. Cap’n Lovell’ll be wantin’ to show you his gifts all by hisself, now.”
She smiled and waved, stepped inside. It should be an exciting day. The winds were still blowing and Rose could only imagine the journey had been difficult across. It felt as though a storm may be brewing as the skies darkened. Teacup rattling in the saucer, she climbed the stairs and made her way to her husband’s room. When she tiptoed in she nearly dropped her cup. Captain Lovell was sitting up in bed. Portia and Lily gone.
“I expected…” she began, noting his face was thin and colorless. “That you’d still be sleeping.”
“Come sit.” He motioned. “My sea legs have made me weak.” He admitted. “But I have slept, I believe due to the laudanum.”
Rose set her cup down on the sideboard and noted his breathless demeanor and the way he moved his arms slowly as though they were too heavy. She helped him with the rearrangement of his pillows. “Shall I send for broth and tea?”
“Miss Portia has already taken care of that. The reason I am sitting up, I believe.”
Rose sensed he was putting on a brave front but was weaker than a newborn kitten. “Shall I draw the shutters back? Or will the sun hurt your eyes?”
“Draw them back.” He said firmly. “And then I want to speak with you.”
She did and sat down and waited for him to gather breath. He did it with great difficulty. “Shall I…”
“Stay.” He said and with a hand across his chest, said, “We must speak of things now.”
Rose folded her hands in her lap and waited.
“Captain Wyatt has informed me of the situation with Banker Dalton. I must write. Paper and ink please.”
Rose felt her face flame as guilt crawled down her arms. Her legs felt weak. She hurried to her room and brought back simple stationary and pen and ink. She settled a pillow on her lap and the papers upon the wooden block Emmanuel had made for her. A sort of lap-desk.
“Take this down.” He ordered.
She wrote not really understanding much until the very end, but when he finished, she rubbed her inked fingers. It was his last will and testament. Tears formed in her eyes when she looked at him.
“Do not concern yourself, child. I have kept my word to your father. And glad I am to have someone to leave my worldly goods to. My wife left this world too soon and there were no children.”
She could hardly believe she had not seen the look of knowing in his face until just this minute. Rose was his wife now, but she knew Lucinda was his love. He had given Rose protection to pay back a debt owed to her father. And he had honored it. Tears plopped onto her fingers laced in her lap. She wiped the ink with her handkerchief before it ran onto her good dress.
They sat there, he closed his eyes and laid his head back. Rose imagined it had taken his every breath to finish. The only sound was of the birds outside the windows.
“It is a beautiful day is it not?” He changed the topic and opened his eyes.
“Beautiful.” She agreed, standing to pull the drapery back a bit more and to be busy about the room so he would not see her distress. Her husband was dying. She knew it now.
“Call for Captain Wyatt.” He ordered from the bed, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Send Thomas and tell him to be about it post-haste.” His breath came in short gasps.
“I will.” Rose hurried away then turned back. “Can I get you anything?”
“Send Portia with broth.”
When he didn’t say more, she bounded down the stairs and called for Portia and Thomas. Portia came hurrying around the corner. “What he need?” She asked.
“Please send Thomas for Captain Wyatt.”
“Chile he ain’t….ain’t….”
“No….he wants to take care of some business.” Rose felt her heart flutter. “But he did ask for more broth.”
“Chile why’nt you say so? He be all right then, if he hungry.” She dashed off to the kitchen and Rose heard the slam of the back screen as Thomas took off at a run. “I be up. You go on up and stay wif him.”
Rose obeyed.
When she walked in again, he was laying back, his eyes closed, the papers laying across his chest in his hands. His breathing was so shallow, she worried biting her lip. Just then he opened his eyes and frightened a scream out of her.
Captain Lovell laughed lightly which started him coughing. Rose grabbed the pitcher and poured water into the glass and lifted it to his lips. It took several minutes for him to get control. And when he did his eyes seemed brighter.
“If I would have had a daughter, I would have wanted her to look just like you.” His wispy words made her want to sob.
He smoothed her wayward curls that were always escaping from her coiffure and relaxed back against the pillows now in charge of himself.
“As you wrote, I wish to leave the Ireland Rose to you. Captain Wyatt will receive the Emerald Star. I have enough funds to correct the error made at the signing of Mr. Dalton’s contract and you are not to let him extract any other monies from my accounts, is that understood?”
“Aye.” She said, wishing they wouldn’t be talking of such things.
“Listen now. I have a house on Tradd Street. It was the first house I bought as a young man, thanks to your father, who saved my life. This house belongs to you. The smaller one I wish to bequeath to Mrs. Jamison in however a manner she wishes to use it.”
Rose nodded, having written it down.
“I am happy to hear that you have become acquainted with the orphanage. It has been underfunded.”
“Yes, it has.”
“Now, I will pay all debts off as soon as Captain Wyatt can do it for me. Also, I have asked him to hire a Captain for Ireland Rose. You need only to follow Captain Wyatt’s orders. We have discussed this. He will be your overseer. If you choose to live here in Charleston you will be well cared for. The income from the goods being brought back from Europe should keep you until you take a husband.”
“But…I…”
Captain Lovell interrupted. “I would have you see that you be careful and be certain of a man’s intentions. They prey upon young wealthy women. Your father taught you well, Ireland Rose and I want to make sur
e you will find a man who will care for you.”
“But won’t you try and get well Captain Lovell?”
“Child it is not for me to say. I have lived a good life. And if not for your father, I would have been thrown overboard many years ago, a young man with no promise and no future.”
Rose sniffed, missing her father, her mother and now she faced losing her husband. Even if it were not a conventional marriage she still belonged to someone. Overwhelmed she stood quickly before she could burst into tears and ran from the room, right into the path of Captain Wyatt.
“Oh…” She gasped and sidestepped him and ran to her room. Now he and her husband would know she was just a child.
Rose spent hours weeping. Lying across her bed, she knew the sun was near setting but she could still hear Captain Wyatt’s voice. They had been conversing the entire afternoon.
She was to be a widow. Sensing that it would not be long…she’d heard that people knew when it was time. She could see it in his kind face. His blue eyes were weary. Her hands covered her face and she sobbed. He was a good man and had given her his worldly goods, been kind to her. Honored her. Protected her reputation. But she would be alone in the world.
It seemed she was living a bad dream. She had prepared for a time when she and Captain Lovell could work together at the Orphanage. He was to show her ways to assist and she wanted to learn. Now this.
Rose prayed for God to save her husband so they could work together.
Chapter 23
Hours turned into days as Rose stayed by her husband’s bedside. Dr. Case made regular visits but she knew by his conduct that there was no hope. Stirred from her reverie, she lifted her eyes and watched Captain Wyatt enter the room after a slight knock at the door.
“Captain.” He greeted her husband and nodded in her direction. “You’re looking good today.” He pulled off his hat and stood across the bed from Rose.
She stayed for a moment, then patted her husband’s hand and left the two to talk. That was the pattern they had established; she felt uncomfortable around Captain Wyatt. He did not like her. She felt his distant manner each time he set eyes on her. Glad for a short reprieve, she wandered out to her garden and picked a small handful of flowers, chose a crystal bowl, filled it with water from the garden pump and gently laid the flowers on top of the water.