A Settlers Love (settlers series book 3)

Farewell

Farewell

Nash’s attention was drawn away from me by his father as soon as the fiddler finished. Which served me well. When his hold absently loosened, I stepped away from him, wanting nothing more than to return to William and confide my plans to board his carriage and flee the party with him and, Eliza. Now all I needed to do was find him.

Not only had William disappeared from the immediate area, but Eliza also had. Leaving me feeling utterly alone in a sea of laughter and good spirits. Glancing around, it was apparent that the party was breaking up for the day. Something I hadn’t noticed while twirling around to music, and worrying about myself. I set off to find Payton instead, hiding my ever growing limp as I did.

Payton wasn’t outside anywhere, so I headed right to the house. Glancing over my shoulder only once, my gaze unwittingly collided with Nash’s. I didn’t thank him for the dance and I felt a little guilty about that. He nodded to me, seeming to understand where I was going, and that single action made me feel a little better. I swallowed hard before I broke our gaze, then continued up the porch and into the house.

Inside, there was an underlying buzz of excitement, different from this morning. Not only had Payton come inside, but so had Judith, Mother and Eliza and a few others. I busied myself with handing over food plates to people following me in to say their farewells. It seemed the party, was, in fact winding up for the day. I had been too absorbed in my dance with Nash to realise it may have actually been the last one.

“Ash, come and say farewell to, Judith. Pa is taking her to the mainland.” Payton said when she caught my attention. After wiping my hands on a rag sitting on the edge of the table, I hurried over to, Judith.

When Eliza came over from England, she traveled as a convict with a woman named, Bree. Bree was a shorter than myself, with hair as blond as mine. She married Fathers friend and captain of his last remaining ship, Samuel Jefferies. None of us saw her much anymore. She opted to sail back and forth with her husband from here to the mainland.

“I didn’t get to speak to you much today, Ashleigh.” Bree said as I came to stand amongst the ladies.

“I wanted you all to enjoy yourselves.” I said.

“Yes, but now I must sail back with, Samuel. Not to worry, when we bring the Martins back I am staying at the house for a fortnight. I want Peter to be on dry land, for a while.” Her friendly smile was missed by all of us, and so was her son, Peter. I felt excited to hear Bree and her son would stay with us at the house for a time. I will be a good distraction for me, like it was the last time.

It took Bree a long while to get back on a ship again. Now she seemed to love it. Eliza on the other hand, I didn’t think would ever leave this island. Not after what they both went through to get here.

Smiling fondly at Bree, I wrapped my arms around her as she did me. “I look forward to that time. Perhaps the weather will hold out for a little while longer, and we can teach Peter to swim.” I said. Her smile made her brown eyes sparkle. I could never do what she did, sail back and forth. I liked my feet on solid ground, and I liked having one place to call my own.

I let the ladies fuss over Judith some more, and when it was my turn to say goodbye to her, I found tears welling in my eyes as she took me by the shoulders, drawing me on for a hug. She has been a constant in my life since arriving here. Not only had Judith taken care of our appetites, she had become a friend. The person I first turned to when I wanted to refresh my skills for baking. Even though Enid was lovely, and her cooking was just as good as Judith's. The house was not going to be the same.