The Story of Mary Shelley and Isabella Baxter

The Story of Mary Shelley and Isabella Baxter Part 2

The Story of Mary Shelley and Isabella Baxter

Chapter 2

In September of 1797, at dusk, George Don and his wife Carolina gazed from the comet in the sky to the surrounding view of the landscape they could see from the little hillock they stood on. Carolina carried a baby in her arms and her little toddler girl sat on the grass. They had just taken on a ninety nine year lease on the hilly land that slopped down towards Forfar loch at that time.

As Carolina laid down her baby on the grass beside her toddler sister, George ran down the hill towards the loch, stopped, then looked back up towards Carolina, calling.

"Can't you just see it Carolina? I shall build a wall there, and have a pond over here, and when I've finished creating the botanical gardens, people will come from all over to purchase the best medicinal plants in Scotland," he said excitedly.

"Wonderful! Perfect, botanically, but first, I need to know where my house will be," she replied. George ran back up the hill and gathered his wife into his arms saying, "Wherever you want it, I shall build you the prettiest little house you've ever seen and it shall be the happiest home in the world with you in it. Aye, and filled with love, it shall be called "Dove Hillock" to honour our love, Carolina. you've made me the happiest man alive."

"It's the perfect place to bring up the children, George. I'm so proud of you, becoming the town physician. You're so clever," she replied.

"Oh love, it's all down to your patience, giving me the time to go off and learn all the botany I needed. My friend, David Booth, told me about this bit of land. He has an orchard in Newburgh and a brewery. Father and I supply him with fruit trees. He's a Forfar man himself, and he knew it would be a good piece of land," said George.

George swept up his daughter placing her upon his shoulders whilst Carolina carried the baby and the happy family walked over their new land into Forfar as the sun set.

-0-

Suddenly Isabella woke up to find herself back in 25 South Street, St. Andrews in 1851, in a comfy seat by her sitting room fire. She smiled as she realized where she was and gazed at the flames in the fireplace. "My father told me that Mr Godwin never really got over the dath of Mary's mother," she said aloud, "Why, even after he remarried, he had his first wife's portrait hung above the fireplace in his study where he and his second wife had their book business. My sisters and I were all fans of Mary's mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. But his second wife! Huh! Let's just say - to Mary, she was a mortal enemy. Mary detested her. She used to say that it was her duty to make life as difficult as she could for anyone who tried to take her mother's place. She certainly tried her step-mother, Mary Jane Vial!"

Once again, the chiming clock in the hall reminded Isabella it was time for action and so she left the comfort of her memories to go upstairs and get dressed.

-0-

Ilchester Prison 1799

In 1799, the woman who was to become young Mary's step-mother and William Godwin's second wife, was sitting in a prison cell writing to the father of her new born baby girl about her imprisonment and lack of money. She had been left destitute by Sir John Lethebridge and she was appealing to him to write to a magistrate and arrange her release so that she could at least receive some bread from the county. Just as she finished writing, her cell door clanked open and Sir John's solicitor entered the cell. Mary Jane held the letter up towards him.