Receive Me Falling (33 page)

           
“You’d better go,” said Mary.
 
“The rain is coming.”

           
Catherine looked up and saw it was
about to storm.
 
She bade Mary farewell
and hurried back toward the lagoon.
 
Along the path, Catherine found some large red
flowers that she thought she would bring to Esther.
 
The rain started to pat on the trees above
her. Catherine picked the flowers and ran up the path. As she neared the house,
a movement drew her eyes to the window of her father’s room.
 
She stopped as she saw Esther closing the shutters
of Cecil’s chambers while he stood behind her with his hands on her
shoulders.
 
Catherine released the
flowers she had collected onto the wet ground beneath her.
 

Catherine
prepared for dinner before her mirror.
  
She felt numb.
 
Leah appeared
behind Catherine, startling her out of her thoughts.
 
Leah’s face was ashen and the bundle of linens
she held before her looked heavy and burdensome.

           
“I am here to lace up your stays.”

           
Catherine stared at Leah until she
realized why she was dressing at all.
 
Catherine moved to the bed and grasped the wooden poster as Leah
positioned herself behind her mistress.
 
Leah
finished quickly and disappeared from the room as fast as she’d come.

           
Catherine finished preparing
herself, and moved down to the drawing room where Cecil, Albert, and James
waited.
 
Cecil summoned the carriage as
soon as she arrived, but as the party prepared to leave, James drew Catherine
back to him.

           
“You do not look well, Catherine.
 
Will you be alright?”

           
“I’m fine.”
 

           
Catherine smiled and led James out
to the carriage.

The
mood in the Ewing household was cold as the
guests arrived.
  
Like Cecil, Mr. Ewing
was drunk, and appeared belligerent from the start.
 
Edward was formal and frigid with the party.
  
Dinner was heavy and uncomfortable, and
Catherine’s only solace was James at her side. After a lengthy silence, Edward
addressed Albert and James.

           
“Have you learned a sufficient
amount about plantation life to start one of your own on St. Christopher?”

“We have learned much,” said Albert.
 
“After we get our affairs in order, we plan
on returning to St. Christopher in six months to set up our sugar plantation.”

“Word has reached us that a ship departs for England
in two days’ time,” said Edward.
 
“Will
you be on that ship or will you wait until the end of the week?”

           
“I am needed here until the
conclusion of the week.
 
We will leave on
Saturday after all of our business is settled,” replied Albert.

           
“I am sure you are eager to return
to England.”

           
“Though I look with great pleasure
upon returning to our beloved home, I will certainly miss the wonderful
hospitality of the inhabitants of Nevis, along
with its breathtaking landscape and views.”

           
The silver rang on the plates and
the diners studied their meals.
 

           
“And will the marriage be performed
here or in England?”
asked Edward.

           
All parties ceased dining and stared
at Edward.
 
Catherine felt the hot color
rising up her abdomen to her neck and face.
 
James looked at Edward with anger.
 
Albert narrowed his eyes, and Cecil began to laugh.

           
“And of what marriage would you be
speaking, Mr. Ewing?” asked Cecil.

           
“Why the marriage of Miss Dall and
Mr. Silwell of course.
 
It is clear how they
feel about one another.”

           
Cecil’s look of confusion contorted
to anger.
 
He slammed his drink to the
table and turned to Catherine.

           
“What on earth is he talking about,
Catherine?”

           
Catherine began trembling with fury.

           
“This is a family matter that clearly
has not been addressed until now, Mr. Ewing,” said Albert.
 
“I am sure you did not mean to provoke a
discussion on a subject that is no business of yours.
 
This can certainly be discussed later.”

           
“It can certainly be discussed now,”
said Cecil.
 
“If any marriage was
scheduled to occur, I should have thought it to be between Mr. Ewing and
Catherine.
 
I have given no consent to an
arrangement between Mr. Silwell and my daughter.”

           
“Mr. Dall,” said James.
 
“I had hoped to discuss this deeply difficult
and pressing matter with you under your own roof behind closed doors, but since
Mr. Ewing has forced the subject I suppose I must now ask your permission to
marry Catherine.”

           
“Marry Catherine?
 
You have barely had an acquaintance of a
month.”

           
The room was quiet, until Catherine
finally spoke.

           
“Father, I intend on moving to England
with James at the conclusion of the week.
 
I was hoping we could be married before our departure so that you could
give me away.”

           
Cecil looked with disbelief at the
entire party.
 
He slowly began grinning
as he finished his glass and laughed aloud.
 

           
“I see, my dear.
 
This is a joke on your silly, drunken
father.
 
Well done, everyone!”
 

           
The elder Mr. Ewing
and Cecil began laughing until they saw that none of the other faces matched
their amusement.

           
“It is not a joke, Father.
 
I love James and wish to marry him and
accompany him to England.”

           
“England?
 
What of the property on St. Christopher?”

           
“Mr. Dall, I’ve never intended on residing
at that property,” said James.
 
“It is a
business venture.
 
My residence is in England.”

           
“I will not allow it!” replied
Cecil.
 
“You cannot leave this place.
 
You have grown up here all your life,
Catherine.
 
It is in your blood.
 
How could you think of deserting your father
and slave family for a man you have only just met?”

           
The guests shifted in their seats.

           
“We have no firsthand knowledge of
this man’s family or property,” continued Cecil.
 
“And how many times have you said you would
never marry?
 
You are going to throw away
your entire life, and move to a gloomy, dismal country you have never seen to
be someone’s housewife?”

           
Catherine stood from the table. She
walked over to Edward and slapped him across the face. She then strode from the
room leaving the men in a stunned silence at her retreat.
 

           
As soon as Catherine left the house
she began running down the drive, past the carriage where Thomas called after
her, and toward Eden.
 
She heard her father’s voice shouting after
her, but continued running away from the Ewing
plantation.

           
A storm began as she ran down the
road with the wind choking her gasps and the rain mingling with her tears.
 
Her hair fell from its pins and flew at her
face.
 
After making her way with some
confusion toward her home, at last the warm glow of candles from within Eden beckoned her to its
safety. She ran with increased speed to the Great House and collapsed with exhaustion
on the front veranda to allow her breathing to regulate itself.
 
She remained on the porch for some time, but
then gathered herself up and entered the quiet sanctuary of her home.
 

          
Closing the door behind her,
Catherine gazed up the long stairway to the balcony above and leaned on the
door, wondering how she could think of leaving Eden.
 
She inhaled the sweet scent of flowers and looked over her familiar surroundings.
 
As Catherine began climbing the staircase,
she ran her hand over the smooth, wooden railing and felt the carpet sink
beneath her muddy shoes.

           
Catherine felt frantic and
conflicted.
 
On one hand, the plantation
had always been home to her, and the thought of leaving Cecil, Leah, and Esther
was weighing heavily on her.
 
But the
thought of marrying Edward sickened her.
 
And how could she continue to run a plantation on slave labor?
 
It was evil.
 
Traveling to England
with James and his father would be a great adventure, and Catherine felt
certain that she loved James.
 
She
thought of Mary’s words, and James’ face, and resolved to go against her
father’s wishes, and leave Nevis.

The pure white linens, rugs, drapes and netting in
Catherine’s room glowed in the darkness.
 
She struck a match to light a candle, and began to remove her soaked
clothing.
 
She peeled away the sodden
layers of material clinging to her body, and pulled on a soft, dry, warm, white
nightgown.
 
As the garment met her shoulders
she stopped abruptly and strained to listen.
 
Faint singing reached her ears, causing her to shiver.
 
She finished putting on the nightgown and
lifted her candle.
 

           
Stepping into the hall she gazed
toward the guest wing.
 
Blackness met her
eyes, so she turned and looked toward her father’s room.
 
Catherine gasped when she saw that the door to
her mother’s room was ajar, and a candle was lit within.
 
The humming drifted out of the door on a cold
breeze and caused Catherine to shudder.
 
Her heart began pounding as she approached the doorway.
 
She reached out her hand and pushed the door.

           
The first sight to greet Catherine’s
eyes was the open window.
 
The storm
moaned outside as rain poured in, soaking the wall and rug.
 
As Catherine entered the room to close the
shutters, she cried out when her eyes met their second sight.