Coming Home
The Ship had docked, and Lady Townshend was helping Ash, and I organize our belongings, making sure we got everything. Once we thought we were finished, Lady Townshend had our things taken out by the crew. I already told Pa how many trunks I had stored on the ship, while we were in Sydney. He disembarked right away, to arrange an additional wagon. He said he didn’t want to keep them stored in town.
“Ashley, do I look ok?” I asked as I flattened down the flyaway hairs, from where they had been whipped around my face, from being up on deck earlier.
“Yes, and what about me? I feel so nervous.” Ashley looked up from tying her cape and attempted to do the same thing I was, with her hair.
“You both look lovely; now let’s get off this ship.” We didn’t argue we were all ready, for this voyage to be over. Both Ashley and I followed Lady Townshend, through the narrow passage that led us out onto the lower deck. Lord Townshend was waiting for us at the top of the loading plank.
“Welcome to Van Diemen’s Land Ladies.” Lord Townshend said as he gestured for us to precede him down the plank.
The dock here, looked much like the one in Sydney, only on a smaller scale. But although a smaller operation, there were still people every where. Sailors were moving around, unloading cargo, and also, other passengers. Either looking for relatives or trying to search out what they were to do next. It wasn’t so busy that we were getting crushed, but I felt I a little disorientated with all the noise. Just as, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed, I saw Pa’s face emerge from the throng of people.
“Payton, Ashley over here.” I turned around to make sure Lady Townshend had seen Pa too, and was following us, which she was, followed along by Lord Townshend. We emerged from amongst the activity, to end up on the side of a dirt road. Pa was standing next to a wagon.
“I can’t believe we're here Pa, it feels so good to know I’m actually here, with you.” I walked over and gave him a quick hug. After a moment shared with my Pa, I heard a throat being cleared behind me.
“Um, excuse me my lady. I turned, and automatically started a quick scan. There were a few men standing by Lord Townshend but my eyes didn’t focus on anyone, except the handsome Captain, who was in front of me preforming a gentlemanly bow.
“Oh, yes Captain Jefferies, but, please, call me Payton. We’ve spent too much time together, for you to be using such formalities with me.” I said, with a warm smile on my face.
“I just wanted to say, fair well, I understand you are leaving tonight for your father’s house, and I will be leaving the day after next.”
“Yes, well that is very sad indeed.” I was genuinely having a feeling of loss, at saying goodbye to this captain. I put out my hand so that the he could kiss it, as he was gesturing for me to do. When his kiss met my hand, I felt my cheeks flame, I was sure he lingered longer than he should have. His eyes drew up and met mine. Our journey together was at an end. He was such a good man, if my life had been different, well who’s to know. I personally think, I would have made a fine wife, to a captain such as this. Goodness knows I’ve had the time to ponder it.
“Whenever, I am lucky enough, to witness an especially beautiful sunset, over the ocean. I shall always think of the seventy three days, when I was privileged enough to have had shared them all with you.” I blushed again, I know I did. What wonderfully, poetic words coming from such a man and they were mine to keep. I smiled and put my hand to my heart, to show him, that what he had said to me, touched me. He raised himself, slightly nodded, and, moved his attention to Ashley.
It was then, that I looked about me more consciously. I could see Pa out of the corner of my eye, his face was unreadable. I wondered how he took the Captains attentions toward me. He actually hadn’t seen me as I was now, a women, around a gentlemen before. Especially when, there was one showering me with such sentiments, right In front of him. I scanned for Lady Townshend, more for comfort than actually needing to know where she was. When I found her in my gaze, I saw that two men were beside her, looking at me. I looked behind me, and then back at them, feeling a little self-conscious. They were both tall, as tall as Will, but much more muscular in their arms, you could see that right off, and Will was very well formed, these men filled out the button up farmer’s shirts they wore. Then my gaze lowered, and I could tell that they had powerfully built torsos and legs. I blushed again; this was not good I was starting to feel over heated, around all these males. My eyes took in their faces. They were both so handsome, and exceptionally masculine, one with brown hair, and the other with Black…
“Oh my Goodness!” My hands flew to my mouth and cupped it. Tears started to run down my cheeks. These were not boy's’ as my Pa had kept referring to them as. These were two men. They were two, of the very men, which I travelled over an ocean, to see. And now that I could see them, I wasn’t sure what to do. My legs wouldn’t move in my shock. But it didn’t matter; Nash came forward first, and grabbed me by my shoulders, and pulled me into his arms. Mine flew around his middle, and we tightly held each other, while our bodies shook with tears of joy. Mine, for finally seeing my brother.
Nash leaned away from me, but didn’t let go. His voice was low and deep as he said. “You’re all grown up imp, how did that happen? I was expecting to see a little girl.” Then he kissed me on my forehead and held me close again.
“Nash, I…” I couldn’t finish, words wouldn’t come out. I was too over whelmed. Then he pulled away and handed me his hankie. I wiped my cheeks and eyes. Nash gave me a light pat on the back and moved along to Ashley, who, I could hear was weeping also. When I was done trying to fix my face, I looked up and saw Charlie. He was watching me, his dark eyes felt as though they were boring into my very soul. He had his hands on his hips, which were cocked to one side. I looked at him trying to find the Charlie I knew. He had grown facial hair since the last time I saw him, and he sported a slight afternoon shadow. I found it to be very rugged looking. Like Nash, he seemed to have the same features I remembered but more manly. His right eyebrow had a scare running through the middle of it. I remembered the day when I tended that brow. Right now they were deeply furrowed. I wondered if he were taking in my appearance, as I was his, and maybe he found me lacking. I was starting to feel unnerved at the thought. Then he lifted his hands off his hips and opened his arms to me. I laughed with pure joy as I took the few steps forward to close the gap between us, and threw myself into his embrace.
“Ahh Payton, I’ve missed you.” He was holding me so tight. I could feel the warmth from his body, soaking right through to my bones. He was rubbing his head over my hair, and I could feel where his tears had soaked a spot.
“Charlie, I’ve worried every day over you, my heart ached for your welfare right until now.” I said into his shirt. He smelt heavenly, through the layer of a freshly bathed person, I could smell the musky scent, of a man who worked hard. It was heaven. I sighed deeply feeling, at last, after eight long years I could finally rest. Charlie was well, and I could see that he wasn’t any worse for wear, after his ordeal of being carted away. Experiencing the horrible things I had heard stories of, from some of the crew on the Mayland, that the convict ships put their prisoners through. I sighed deeply.
“Um, Charlie I hope you keep some of that hug for me.” I laughed and wiped my eyes, as I pulled away from Charlie, to share him with Ashley. She giggled and ran over to hug him. Nash came up behind me and slung his arm over my shoulder.
“Come on little sister, let’s get you home.”
It was all confusion for me then, through my teary eyes. I saw Nash and Charlie start to load my trunks. And then help with the Townshends. They seemed to have a few helpers of their own, maybe some hired hands. Lord Townshend must have someone out here, to work his land while he was away, I thought. I was hugged in turn by all the Townshends. I started crying again in full force when Ashley and I embraced. Then all too soon, I was loaded onto a wagon and placed in between Nash and Charlie, while Pa drove the second one. Nash was driving, and when he got the horses under control, as we were headed out of town, each man beside me put an arm around my shoulders. I felt so safe and warm.
“I feel as though I’ve said goodbye to my family, but then I look at you two and remember, that I’m with them. It’s almost as hard to see Ashley go as it was to have you two taken from me.” I leaned my head onto Nash, then Charlie. Charlie pulled me away from Nash slightly and bought his other arm around me. I did the same.
“Well we aren’t letting you go now Payt, you’re all ours.” Charlie said.
“Just wait till she starts bossing you around Charlie, then you won’t be so pleased to have her here.” Nash was about to raise his hand up to ruffle my hair but stopped midway “hmm spose I can't do that anymore.”
“Be nice Nash.”
“Yes be nice to me Nash, and I don’t boss, I kindly instruct.” I said, and we all laughed.
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The countryside surrounding us was breath taking. Nash and Charlie were both so eager to tell me about the land, and how Pa was granted with it. They both mentioned that they were soon going to claim their own. They pointed out different land marks, and warned me not to venture out on my own. Even though Hobart Town was flourishing it still harboured ex-convicts that, even though they were given their ticket of release, seven years, of manual labour or confinement changed you. I wondered how much of that time changed Charlie. I looked at his profile, he seemed happy enough. It was probably his clear conscience that saved him, I hoped.
After a while, we came over a rise and Nash Pointed out a wooden log house. It was situated on a small clearing with, buildings behind it, those were probably a stable and storage sheds, I could see a coral, and the makings of a chicken coop. I could also see the some of the fields Pa mentioned in the background, and the fences that stretched beyond my view. My family had been working hard. As we got closer to the house, I could see how clean the grounds were, and felt proud that the males I knew were still tidy and clean. It gave me confidence for what I would find inside.
The front of the house had a veranda that came out wide in the front and wrapped around to the sides, and I hoped to the back also. The front door was to the left side, and there were three sets of windows facing this way too. Nash helped me down from the wagon; I still had my eyes on the house. I was extremely impressed. It looked cosy and warm. Pa moved past me, and walked up the stairs, to open the door.
“My lady.” He said as he bowed and took his hat off. I giggled at his silly gesture. I walked into a pleasant sized room with a fire place against the left wall. A large entry way led into a room that held a large table. The craftsman ship of the table was beautiful. I ran my hand over the wood. “We don’t have many comforts. The chairs don’t have cushions.” Pa said as he pointed back to the two, two seater wooded chairs that furnished the room, I just passed through.
“Yes, I can fix that Pa. I started to undo my bonnet, and walked over into the kitchen, I turned and smiled at Pa as I noticed the new wood stove at the back. My eyes moved about my favourite place to be in a house. There was a large island in the centre, shelves along the separating wall for crockery or a hutch. A large pantry and I gasped when I saw the hand pump over a nice big sink. I stood over it and fingered the luxury.
“We just got everything. We knew you would come to us, Payt.” Nash said. Above the sink, there was a window that you could see out to the coral, pens and barn from. I smiled down at the hand pump, that had been installed.
“There is a stream down the way.” Charlie offered. ”No, hauling buckets.”
I was so happy, my hands flew to my cover my heart, and I cried. I was tired of crying, but I again had no words. They thought of me while they build this house. I know that mama would have loved this, and the thought broke my heart. My hands were taken by Pa's, and he led me out of the kitchen, back into the sitting room, and down a corridor.
“This is the wash room Payt, it backs onto the stove, and we've fixed it so it heats the water. You can have a warm bath in there Payt.” He said beaming. “These two rooms to the front of the house are mine and the boys, and this one is yours. He opened a door down from the wash room, and it opened to a lovely airy bedroom. There was a double brass bed in the middle against the side wall, with a lovely table next to it. There was a new, looking wardrobe on the opposite wall. The window that was in the middle, of the back wall had pretty, light curtains framing it. They seemed to match the light patchwork quilt covering the bed. “There are ladies in the town that sell quilts at the mercantile,” Pa said as he saw me touch the quilt. I sat on the bed, and bounced a little to test its comfort. I could feel eyes on me. I turned to see Nash Pa and Charlie crowded in the doorway, looking expectantly at me. I could tell they had tried hard to make this room feminine, and were waiting for my approval.
“It's so lovely, I love you all so much for doing this for me.” They all smiled and started to look uncomfortable. “Like you said, you knew I would come, and I wanted to so dearly, I promise I’ll take care of you all so well. Just the way mama would have.” I saw Pa’s face flicker, with a pain he had long ago taken hold of. I rose and walked over to be embraced by all three men.
“We’ll take care of each other Payton. Now come on, you two bring in those trunks, and I’ll start some supper.” Pa said as he started to direct everyone. He looked down at me. “Now Payton I’m going to cook tonight, but I was wondering if you could take on the chore from tomorrow. I’ve been sorely missing freshly made bread.”
“And a cake.” I heard Nash call out from down the hall.
“And pie, don’t forget you owe me a whole one Payt.” Charlie called out. I looked at Pa again and gave him another big squeeze before he left me alone in my new room in my new home, in my new life.