“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” J.M Barrie
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Chapter Twenty – Four
Over the next fortnight, Maggie spent time with Mr Craft, signing and finalising all of the legal documents belonging to the plantation. Maggie had nearly fainted when he revealed the sum she would receive every year from the profits.
Mr Craft had repeatedly assured her that the legal documents were iron clad and that Joanna could not contest them in any way. He also promised her that should any misgivings arise, she would be informed immediately. Mr Craft also revealed that he admired her treatment of the Lavelle’s slaves. This gave her great confidence that he would be a good manager to them.
Maggie made sure that each and every one of her workers had her address in England. She wanted them to contact her if ever they had any concerns. It was not through mistrust of Mr Craft that she did this, but through concern for her now employees.
While Maggie was working on the plantation, Nate was making plans for them to return to England. Maggie was more than ready to go home. They would be in New York by the first of May, and in England by August. If the weather was agreeable, perhaps sooner, but it was indeed possible that Maggie could be spending her twentieth birthday on a passenger ship.
But in the midst of all the busyness and the haste, Max always found a way for them to spend time together, as they always had done. Whether it be a simple walk about the grounds or an hour together where he would just draw her, Maggie truly enjoyed getting to know Max all over again.
Concealing his feelings for so many years meant that there was much more to Max then Maggie had known and she loved having him be so open with her.
“Do you really think Janna has gone to Canada?” Max asked Maggie one Thursday afternoon as they sat before the large oak tree before the cotton fields. The beautiful tree was no longer bear, and Max was drawing in the foliage on his previous drawings of it.
Janna’s father had come to the plantation earlier that morning to see if Janna had come to call upon Max and Maggie. Maggie had to suppress her utter joy. Of course, she could not be certain, but where else would Janna go? Maggie hoped that she had gone to Canada and she hoped that her Daniel would forgive her initial hesitation.
The first thing Maggie would do when she returned home would be to ask for her letters. No, she first hug her mother, then she would ask for her letters.
Maggie did feel sorry for Janna’s father though. Mr Sunderland did look a mixture of concern and anger. Janna would most likely write him when she was sure there was no way he could undo anything that she had done. Like a marriage, for example.
“I honestly hope so,” Maggie replied. “I might not have liked Janna in the beginning, but I did seriously misunderstand her intentions. She deserves love with whomever she pleases. I do not believe that families should have a say in who their children marry.”
Max chuckled. “It is a good thing that my family love you and yours love me.”
Maggie smiled deviously. “We are fortunate, are we not?”
“Our lives are going to change when we return, though, you do know that.” Max’s tone became slightly sombre.
“Yes, my mother will no doubt be taking my measurements for wedding dresses before I have had a chance to set my trunks down.” Maggie laughed lightly.
Max joined in. “When we do become engaged, I cannot fathom the amount of input our family will have with the preparations.”
“Did Aunt Rose ever tell you the story of my Mama and her first fiancé?” Maggie asked. She was suddenly reminded of their Aunt Bess’ extravagant wedding planning for Charlotte’s wedding to Eric, her first fiancé before Nate.
“Aunt Charlotte was engaged before?” Max furrowed his eyebrows.
“Oh, yes.” Maggie nodded. She remembered Eric Mornington very clearly. She remembered his cruel mother even better. “She got engaged while Daddy was in America around the time that he met my mother and me. I shan’t go into details,” namely the fact that Eric’s insane mother arranged for her kidnapping, “but Aunt Bess was planning the wedding. Although it was a sham to lure my father back to England to win her back, she had organised Viennese orchestras and French puddings and Spanish chocolates. The dress was being designed by one of London’s finest,” and cruellest, “designers and there was even to be an ice sculpture!”
Max’s eyes widened. “And here I thought Aunt Bess preferred the simpler things in life.”
“She does for herself, but when it comes to others she goes above and beyond. I can imagine our wedding being exactly like that,” she huffed.
Max grinned. “So what?” He shrugged his shoulders.
Maggie furrowed her brows. “What do you mean?”
“Maggie, at the end of the day, the only important people at a wedding are the bride, the bridegroom and the clergyman. If our families want to throw us an extravagant party then let them. Either way, I shall still be your husband when it is all over.”
Maggie just stared at him. How could she have been ignorant of these feelings of his for so many years? “You truly are a good man, aren’t you, Max?”
Max looked a little bashful. “I try to be,” he murmured.
“You are,” affirmed Maggie, “and I consider myself to be a very lucky young lady.” She edged closer to Max and leant her head down on his shoulder as she watched him continue to draw. “Is there anything you would like to do before we marry, Max?” Maggie wondered.
“What do you mean? Like visiting a specific place?” he asked.
“Yes, among other things,” replied Maggie. “When we marry it will be difficult to do the things that you may have wanted for yourself.” Marriage meant children and young children were difficult to travel with.
“Maggie, you speak as though my marrying you will be a burden to me. It won’t. I have wanted a married life with you for a long time. What could you possibly believe I would be missing out on?”
Maggie was again touched. He was so good to her. “Your drawing,” she said, pointing to his wonderful picture of the oak tree. “You never trained with a master. No one knows of your talent or your name. Don’t you want to progress as an artist?”
Max pursed his lips. “I like to draw, Maggie. The minute it becomes work I fear I won’t enjoy it anymore.” Max flipped over the page to a fresh piece of paper. “Besides,” he grinned wickedly, “I know that this is a skill. I am not vain in any other way, but I do not need to carry pots of oil paint and canvases for a master so that I can receive assurance of my talent.”
Maggie laughed heartily and craned her neck to kiss his cheek. “I am no master, but I shall tell you so every day,” she promised.
When it came time to leave the Lavelle Cotton Plantation, Maggie felt very strange. She had been in residence at the plantation nearly five months, and for all intents and purposes, it had been home.
Maggie had made friends and enemies in Georgia. She had loved and she had lost, and she would miss it greatly.
Maggie did not know if she would ever return to Georgia. It would be several years before she could even contemplate it. In time, she would be married, then she would be a mother and she would be running a household. She would have to wait until the children were grown before she could ever plan a voyage.
Maggie shuddered at that thought, the thought of her future children growing. She still was not ready to be married or a mother. Someday, of course, but not soon.
There was a good chance that she would not ever return to Georgia or to her plantation. The thought saddened her so she decided to make the most of her last Georgia sunset.
“It’s awful pretty here at dusk, isn’t it?” Joanna’s voice startled Maggie. Joanna sat down next to Maggie on the grass, leaving a few feet between them.
“Yes, it is,” she murmured in reply.
Joanna still wore black, though she had abandoned the veil that she had insisted on wearing the first few weeks. Joanna’s blonde hair was pulled back in a severe bun that Maggie was sure was giving her a headache. “You leave tomorrow.” It was not a question, merely a statement.
“I do.”
“I would like to tell you something, Miss Maggie, if you will hear it,” Joanna said quietly.
Maggie was curious. “I’ll hear it.”
“I was sure you were an abomination when I learned of your existence,” Joanna began. Maggie hoped that her speech would improve. “I was sure that you would be the end of one hundred years of prosperity and tradition, and in a way, you were.” Joanna smiled slightly. Since Isaac’s death, she had not smiled at all. “But you made him happy,” she continued. “Those last months were dreadful, but he was happy. We may have had our differences, Miss Maggie, and I know my behaviour was not always brilliant, but you made him happy, and I am grateful to you for that.”
Maggie was glad to hear that. Isaac’s last months were awful and she was glad that she had improved his spirits.
“And I know that we did not always get on. I know that the incident with Zachary was a particularly shameful occurrence and I see now that my reaction to it was not appropriate. We are both women, after all, and it is all of our duties to have each other’s’ backs.” Joanna sighed. “I have not made contact with him in a month. It will stay that way. His mother, my poor sister, would have cursed his name were she alive, God rest her soul.”
Maggie was very happy to hear that Joanna was finally seeing sense with regards to her horrid nephew.
“I also wanted to tell you that after deep thought and pondering, I do respect what you have done with the plantation. I didn’t think that the slaves would stay once they had received their papers but you, and Isaac before you, have shown yourselves to be very compassionate people, a trait I could use more of.” Joanne spoke very sincerely. “I wish you a good journey, Miss Maggie, and Godspeed.”
Maggie smiled genuinely. “Thank you, Mrs Lavelle.”
“Joanna, dear,” she corrected. “You are my husband’s daughter and you may call me ‘Joanna’.”
Maggie only wished that Joanna has been so kind, accommodating and civil when she had arrived. She was to leave in mere hours.
“Thank you, Joanna,” Maggie said, testing the name. She actually quite liked it. She also liked Isaac’s affectionate pet name of ‘Jo’ for her.
“Do write me once in a while, Miss Maggie,” Joanna said as she rose to her feet. “I know I am not the person you would want to write to every week but every so often, take a few minutes to tell me about what is happening in your life. Isaac would have wanted that.” She smiled at her before retreating back to the plantation house.
Maggie rose early the next morning to farewell and hug every member of her staff. They also wished her a safe and swift journey.
Nate helped to load all of their trunks onto the roof of their carriage, as well as the few things belonging to Nora, Anthony and Albert. The boys did not know what to expect, but they were excited. They had experienced fear at the plantation and they were ready for something new.
Maggie received an awkward hug from Joanna, who again wished them all Godspeed. She asked Maggie to write when she returned home and Maggie agreed to.
And before Maggie knew it, they were all packed into the carriage and driving away from the place that in another life was her childhood home.
She was leaving a different person. She had arrived at the Lavelle Cotton Plantation as a young girl who had no idea of who she was. She was leaving as a confident and driven young woman who knew the difference between right and wrong. She knew exactly who she was and she simply was not afraid anymore. She was not afraid to live her life and she was not afraid to live it with Max.
Whatever hole that had been inside her was now filled, filled and then some.
“Homeward bound,” Nate declared once they were clear of the Lavelle gates.
Maggie watched the plantation until it was out of sight. “Goodbye, Isaac,” she said near silently, “and thank you.”
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Hope you liked it :D A couple more chapters to go, I think.
I can't remember if I told you all this but my netball club asked me to take on a team of Grade 3 girls (9 years old) because the parents were really unhappy with the current coach's behaviour. Anyway, so they had thier first win of the season yesterday! I was so proud of them :) They won 10 goals to 5 and they were so excited! They parents all told me how much they'd improved since I took over and I was so ecstatic! We've got training tomorrow so it's back to work but I had to tell you how proud I am of my little girls :D
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