CHAPTER VII
KATE PLANS
It was nearly an hour before Kate and Mr. Newcombe returned, and whenthey came back they did not look happy. Dickory observed their sadvisages, but the sight did not make him sad. Kate took Dame Charter bythe hand and led her to the bench.
"You have been so kind to me," she said, "that I have almost come tolook upon you as a mother, even though I have known you such a littlewhile, and I want to tell you what I have been talking about, and what Ithink I am going to do."
Mr. Newcombe now stood by, and Dickory also. His mother was not quitesure that this was the right place for him, but as he had already doneso much for the young lady, there was, perhaps, no reason why he shouldbe debarred from hearing what she had to say.
"This gentleman," said Kate, indicating Martin Newcombe, "sympathizeswith me very greatly in my present unfortunate position: having no hometo which I can go, and having no relative belonging to this island butmy father, who is sailing upon the seas, I know not where; andtherefore, in his great kindness, has offered to marry me and to take meto his home, which thereafter would be my home, and in which I shouldhave all comforts and rights."
Now Dickory's face was like the sky before a shower. His mother saw itout of the corner of her eye, but the others did not look at him.
"This was very kind and very good," continued Kate.
"Not at all, not at all," interrupted Master Newcombe, "except that itwas kind and good to myself; for there is nothing in this world whichyou need and want as much as I need and want you."
At this Dickory's brow grew darker.
"I believe all you say," said Kate, "for I am sure you are an honest anda true man, but, as I told you, I cannot marry you; for, even had I madeup my mind on the subject, which I have not, I could not marry any oneat such a time as this, not knowing my father's will upon the subject orwhere he is."
The sun broke out on Dickory's countenance without a shower; his mothernoticed the change.
"But as I must do something," Kate went on, "a plan came to me while Mr.Newcombe was talking to me, and I have been thinking of it ever since,and now, as I speak, I am becoming fully determined in regard to it;that is, if I can carry it out. It often happens," she said, with afaint smile, "that when people ask advice they become more and morestrengthened in their own opinion. My opinion, and I may say my plan, isthis: When my father told me he was going away in his ship, he agreed totake me with him on a little voyage, leaving me with my mother's brotherat the island of Jamaica, not far from Spanish Town. In purposing thishe thought, no doubt, that it would be far better for me to be with myown blood, if his voyage should be long, rather than to live with onewho is no relative of mine, and does not wish to act like one. This,then, being my father's intention, which he was prevented, by reasonswhich I know not of, from carrying out, I shall carry it out myself withall possible dispatch, and go to my uncle in Jamaica by the earliestvessel which sails from this port. Not only as this is my natural refugein my trouble, but as my father intended to go there when he thought ofhaving me with him, it may be a part of his plan to go there any way,even though I be not with him; and so I may see him, and all may bewell."
Clouds now settled heavily on the faces of each of the young men, andeven the ordinarily bright sky of Dame Charter became somewhat overcast;although, in her heart, she did not believe that anybody in this worldcould have devised a better plan, under the circumstances, than thisforsaken Mistress Kate Bonnet.
"Now there is my plan," said Kate, with something of cheerfulness in hervoice, "if it so be I can carry it out. Do either of you know," glancingat the young men impartially, but apparently not noticing the badweather, "if in a reasonable time a vessel will leave here for Jamaica?"
Dickory knew well, but he would not answer; Kate had no right to putsuch a thing upon him. Newcombe, however, did not hesitate. "It is veryhard for me to say," he made reply, "but there is a merchantman, theKing and Queen, which sails from here in three days for Jamaica. I knowthis, for I send some goods; and I wish, Mistress Bonnet, that I couldsay something against your sailing in her, but I cannot; for, since youwill not let me take care of you, your uncle is surely the best one inthe world to do it; and as to the vessel, I know she is a safe one."
"But you could not go sailing away in any vessel by yourself," criedDame Charter, "no matter how safe she may be."
"Oh, no!" cried Kate; "and the more we talk about our plan the morefully it reveals itself to me in all its various parts. I am going toask you to go with me, my dear Dame Charter," and as she spoke sheseized both of the hands of the other. "I have funds of my own whichare invested in the town, and I can afford the expense. Surely, my goodfriend, you will not let me go forth alone, and all unused to travel?Leaving me safely with my uncle, you could return when the ship cameback to Bridgetown."
Dame Charter turned upon the girl a look of kind compassion, but at thesame time she knit her brows.
"Right glad would I be to do that for you," she said, "but I cannot goaway and leave my son, who has only me."
"Take him with you," cried Kate. "Two women travelling to unknown shoresmight readily need a protector, and if not, there are so many thingswhich he might do. Think of it, my dear Dame Charter; to my uncle's homein Jamaica is the only place to which I can go, and if you do not gowith me, how can I go there?"
Dame Charter now shed tears, but they were the tears of one good womanfeeling for the misfortunes of another.
"I will go with you, my dear young lady," she said, "and I will notleave you until you are in your uncle's care. And, as to my boy here--"
Now Dickory spoke from out of the blazing noontide of his countenance.
"Oh, I will go!" he cried. "I do so greatly want to see Jamaica."
Without being noticed, his mother took him by the hand; she did notknow what he might be tempted to say next.
Mr. Newcombe stood very doleful. And well he might; for if his lady-lovewent away in this fashion, there was good reason to suppose that hemight never see her again. But Kate said no word to comfort him--for howcould she in this company?--and began to talk rapidly about herpreparations.
"I suppose until the ship shall sail I may stay with you?" addressingDame Charter.
"Stay here?" exclaimed the good dame. "Of course you can stay here. Weare like one family now, and we will all go on board ship together."
Kate walked to the boat with Mr. Newcombe, he having offered toundertake her business in town and at her father's house, and to see theowners of the King and Queen in regard to passage.
Dickory stood radiant, speaking to no one. Master Martin Newcombe wasthe lover of Mistress Kate Bonnet, but he, Dickory, was going with herto Jamaica!
The following days fled rapidly. Long-visaged Martin Newcombe, whoselabours in behalf of his lady were truly labours of love, as theirobject was to help her to go where his eyes could no longer feast uponher, and from which place her voice would no longer reach him, went,with a bitter taste in his mouth, to visit Madam Bonnet, to endeavourto persuade her to deliver to her step-daughter such further belongingsas that young lady was in need of.
That forsaken person was found to be only too glad to comply with thisrequest, hoping earnestly that neither the property nor its owner shouldever again be seen by her. She was in high spirits, believing that shewas a much better manager of the plantation than her eccentric husbandhad ever been, and she had already engaged a man to take the place ofBen Greenway, who had been a sore trouble to her these many years. Shewas buoyed up and cheered by the belief that the changes she was makingwould be permanent, and that she would live and die the owner of theplantation. She alone, in all Bridgetown and vicinity, had no doubtswhatever in regard to her husband's sailing from Barbadoes in his ownship, and with a redundancy of rascality below its decks. Therespectability and good reputation of Major Bonnet did not blind hereyes. She had heard him talk about the humdrum life on shore and thereckless glories of the brave buccaneers, but she had never replied
tothese remarks, fearing that she might feel obliged to object to them,and she did not tell him how, in late years, she had heard him talk inhis sleep about standing, with brandished sword, on the deck of a pirateship. It was her dream, that his dreams might all come true.
So Kate's baggage was put on board the King and Queen, a very humblevessel considering her sounding name, and Dame Charter's few belongingswere conveyed to the vessel in Dickory's canoe, the cottage being leftin charge of a poor and well-pleased neighbour.
When the day came for sailing, our friends, with not a few of thetownspeople, were gathered upon the deck, where Kate at first lookedabout for Dickory, not recognising at the moment the well-dressed youngfellow who had taken his place. His Sunday costume became him well, andhe was so bravely decked out in the matter of shoes and stockings thatKate did not recognise him.
To every one Mistress Kate Bonnet made clear that she was going to heruncle's house in Jamaica, where she expected to meet her father; andmany were the good wishes bestowed upon her. When the time drew nearwhen the anchor should be heaved, Kate withdrew to one side with Mr.Newcombe. "You must believe," said she kindly, "that everything betweenus is just as it was when we used to sit on the shady bank and look outover the ripples of the river. There will be waves instead of ripplesfor us to look over now, but there will be no change either the one wayor the other."
Then they shook hands fervently; more than that would have beenunwarrantable.
The King and Queen dropped down the stream, and Master Newcombe stoodsadly on the pier, while Kate Bonnet waved her handkerchief to him andto her friends. Dame Charter sat and smiled at the town she was leavingand at the long stretches of the river before her. She knew not to whatfuture she was going, but her heart was uplifted at the thought that anew life was opening before her son. In her little cottage and in herlittle fields there was no future for him, and now to what future mighthe not be sailing!
As for Dickory, he knew no more of his future than the sea-birds knewwhat was going to happen to them; he cared no more for his future thanthe clouds cared whether they were moving east or west. His life waslike the sparkling air in which he moved and breathed. He stood upon thedeck of the vessel, with the wind filling the sails above, while at alittle distance stood Kate Bonnet, her ribbons floating in the breeze.He would have been glad to sing aloud, but he knew that that would notbe proper in the presence of the ladies and the captain. And so he lethis heart do his singing, which was not heard, except by himself.