Riverbreeze: Part 3 (18 page)

It hadn’t been any fun and the girls certainly loved to have fun. That had been obvious when the twins had shown off their new moccasins and cavorted around in the keeping room for everyone’s amusement. Robert was glad to see his wife so happy. He would do anything for her now, anything at all, including sitting through a potentially boring afternoon with his sister and brother-in-law.

However, much to his surprise and delight, that boring afternoon never happened.

Someone must have been watching for them because they didn’t even have to knock. A cheerful Phillip answered the door with Maureen hovering behind him. She appeared slightly nervous to Robert and while the group lingered in the hallway as Phillip took their coats and cloaks, hats and gloves and handed them over to a male servant to take them away, Maureen avoided meeting Robert’s eyes. Every time he tried to get her attention, her eyes shied away from his.

Instead, she greeted the twins and Abigail and Jamie with warm hugs and kisses and then directed Sally to escort the women and Jamie, who was carrying the plates of gingerbread, into the kitchen where they could set down their dishes. Nathan and Dolnick, along with the dogs, were sent to the servants’ quarters where they would receive instructions from Phillip on what they were to do until supper was served. When the children came for Robin, so happy to see him, Robert put him down and with Martha and Phillip Jr. each holding a hand, he toddled down the hallway with them towards the children’s room. Maureen followed a few steps to watch Robin, turning her back on Robert. Robert couldn’t be positive but it appeared she may be weeping.

Phillip whispered in Robert’s ear. “She’s been so worried about seeing you and Robin again. I wish you would’ve come sooner. I told her I would bring her to your place to see how Robin was getting along but she didn’t want to intrude. Ease her mind, will you? For Christmas?”

Robert nodded and waited for Phillip to leave. He went out through the front door, heading for the servants’ quarters.

Robert went up to Maureen and gently put his hands on her shoulders. She was trembling slightly, quietly weeping and holding a handkerchief to her mouth. Phillip was right; he should have visited sooner. That’s what a good brother would have done. Or at the very least, he could have sent word that Robin’s burns had healed and that there hadn’t been any permanent damage. What a louse he was.

“Maureen, I’m sorry. ’Tis all right.” He said softly. “He’s fine.”

The children disappeared into their chamber and Maureen turned around. There were tears streaming down her face, tears of joy. “He’s walking. He can walk.” She cried, meeting Robert’s eyes now. “I’ve been so worried, and blaming myself.”

Robert took her into his arms. “No, no. ‘Twas an accident, that’s all. I do not blame you.”

“Thank you.” She said, but then she pushed back a little to look up at him, this time with a spark in her eye. “But you could have told me sooner!”

He smiled a crooked smile. “I know. Forgive me?”

She smiled in return. “Of course.”

He hugged her again. “Happy Christmas.” He said. “You look so pretty today.” He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, then touched her curls at her shoulder.

“Thank you.” She preened a little. Proudly, she added, “We have three special guests today.”

“What? We’re not special?”

“Of course you are, but three extra special guests.” She said teasingly.

“Who, pray tell?”

“William Burcher, the man who helped Elizabeth when she got lost in the woods looking for the Billings’ boy…”

“He’s here?” Robert asked, totally surprised. He thought the man was a recluse and avoided any socializing.

Maureen nodded, looking pleased. “And John Tradescant—“

“John!” Robert gasped, shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” He turned quickly to go into the keeping room to see his old friend.

However, Maureen quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Wait. The governor is here also.”

That stopped Robert in his tracks. He turned back to Maureen as if in slow motion. “Sir William?” He gasped in complete shock, although he was not displeased.

This was an enormous surprise though, the Archers hosting the governor on Christmas. It must have been Phillip’s idea—while Phillip didn’t hold any political position as yet, he was trying to win the governor’s favor, perhaps even reaching for a seat on the Council, which Robert highly doubted would ever happen. It was a wonder even why Sir William would accept Phillip’s invitation. Perhaps it was because Phillip was Francis’ son-in-law and Francis had been a loyal friend of the governor’s.

Robert had met Sir William Berkeley twice before, both times in the summer of 1642, in June and then again in August. The first time had been at Francis Tyler’s plantation. Sir Berkeley had wanted to observe Francis’ small silk producing operation. He was interested in many things and had come to the colony with ideas of bettering the economy through agricultural diversity, rather than relying solely on tobacco production. Also, the king had commanded him to promote the cultivation of hemp, flax, rapeseed, dyestuffs, pitch, tar, vineyards, orchards, mulberry trees, silk worms and pig iron. These commands had not been dissimilar to each of his predecessors—even John Smith wrote of the earliest ventures in silk producing in the early years of Jamestown—but Sir Berkeley was taking them seriously.

Berkeley had already seen a silk operation while serving as a courtier in King Charles’ court and he was quite intrigued. Charles’ father, King James, had started the silk operation at the palace of Oatlands when he had first become king. Soon he had appointed John Bonoeil, an expert in silk production from France, to oversee the project at Oatlands. John Bonoeil went on to write an instruction booklet on how to build rooms to keep silk worms in and how to grow mulberry trees to feed them. This booklet was written specifically for the colonists of Virginia, however it became well known throughout England as well.

The second time Robert had met Sir Berkeley was at his own place. Robert was also intrigued with the idea of producing silk and had wanted to follow in his adoptive father’s footsteps. When he had inherited his own land, he had started the process of extracting seeds from the berries of wild mulberry trees already native to Virginia and drying them. The next spring he had planted three dozen seeds in seed beds and left them to sprout for a year. Then he had transplanted the saplings to a prepared site and allowed them to grow further, periodically cutting them back to force them to branch out. Now three years later, the trees were almost producing enough leaves to feed ten thousand worms. He would wait another year or two. He didn’t want to overtax his trees by stripping too many leaves at once and he still had to build the houses where he would keep his worms.

During both visits Berkeley had been polite, congenial, and personable, not at all arrogant or haughty and Robert had been honored to show him around. Despite coming from a well-connected family of the English gentry and serving in King Charles’ court for seven to eight years, he was a likable fellow, witty and intelligent.

Berkeley had arrived in the colony in February of 1642, unannounced and a virtual stranger to the colonists. He was thirty eight years old, in sound health, and very determined. Nobody understood why he had been appointed to the governorship by King Charles. The present governor at that time, Sir Francis Wyatt, had been highly respected for his capabilities and for his service to the colony. Berkeley had had no prior political experience whatsoever. But he had known the king and he had had connections through his family and friends. Recommendations by his brother, Charles Berkeley, and friends, Viscount Falkland and Sir Edward Hyde convinced the king to reward William with the governorship of Virginia, sweeping Wyatt aside.

“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Berkeley said pleasantly as he appeared in the doorway of the keeping room. Obviously he had heard Robert’s and Maureen’s voices in the hallway and came to investigate.

Robert spun around. “Sir William!” He said, bowing formally. “How wonderful to see you again.”

Berkeley bowed in return. “’Tis wonderful to see you too, Robert. How have you been?”

“Very well, sir. And you?”

“Better, thank you. Very well, in fact.” He paused a moment, then continued, his face grave. “Robert, I am sorry for missing Francis’ funeral. Unfortunately I was quite ill at the time and unable to attend, even to the gathering to welcome his nieces to the colony.”

“I understand completely, sir. It happens to the best of us from time to time.”

Berkeley laughed. “Yes, it does, doesn’t it? Yes, indeed. And your brother, James? Is he well?”

“Oh yes. He’s in the kitchen with his wife—“

Speak of the devil, Jamie appeared then with his wife and Elizabeth and Abigail. “Sir William!” Jamie exclaimed, a broad smile spreading across his face. He bowed also, then quickly started to introduce Evelyn to him while Elizabeth moved to Robert’s side.

Introductions were made, and finally Maureen got a word in edgewise to persuade everyone to move into the keeping room where John Tradescant and William Burcher were waiting patiently, enjoying a conversation between them.

Robert greeted John first; he was thrilled to see him. It had been a year since he had seen him last. They exchanged hearty hugs and warm smiles and then Jamie greeted him while Robert said hello to William, trying not to cringe when he looked at his face. Robert thanked him for taking care of Elizabeth when she had gotten lost in the woods. He didn’t mention that he thought it was all Burcher’s fault in the first place and she wouldn’t have been out there in the forest if he had only returned the Billings’ boy to them when he had first found him. But it was Christmas so he kept his mouth shut.

Then they all sat down in front of the roaring fire, on chairs, stools or a bench brought in from the kitchen. Maureen had decorated the mantle with evergreen boughs and holly branches and little red ribbons and precious bayberry candles. She had also hung holly over the door to ward off evil spirits and hung a sprig of mistletoe in the doorway. Robert had missed seeing it while coming through the door, his attention had been focused on Sir William and the thought of seeing John, but now he reminded himself that when the opportunity presented itself he would grab Elizabeth and kiss her soundly. All the decorations were very pretty and the twins made a big fuss over them, pleasing Maureen. Elizabeth also noticed the mistletoe and catching Robert’s eye, she communicated a message with her own eyes—she would like to be kissed under that mistletoe. He nodded discreetly, acknowledging her message with his own goatish look.

The rest of the guests also included their compliments to Maureen and when that was out of the way, Sir William asked the twins how they liked living in Virginia being so new to the colony. While Robert had wanted to speak to John and ask him about his latest plant collecting adventures, he was also quite interested in Elizabeth’s answer. She did not disappoint him…at first.

She said she loved it here and her new life with her husband—in fact, she took Robert’s hand and gave him an affectionate smile—however Virginia was quite different from London! This amused Berkeley; he knew exactly how she felt. And then the three of them, Elizabeth, Evelyn, and Berkeley, well, four of them as eventually John joined in even though he didn’t live in the heart of London, they started listing all the things they loved about living in London—shopping, the theatre, people watching, shopping again on London bridge, street entertainers and shopping again at the markets in Cheapside and around St. Paul’s Church where both printers and booksellers were centered. Robert felt his heart sink as he watched Elizabeth and Evelyn rave about the shopping and the theatre—there was none of that here, but then when they started talking about what they hated about London and didn’t miss at all—the filth, the rotting garbage and the stink of it, the horrible traffic on London bridge, the poor wretches in the streets, the pick pockets, the pitchmen, the garbage and waste again—his spirit lifted. At times he felt like he was completely forgotten and exchanged an irritated look with Jamie, (Maureen and Abigail seemed entranced with the conversation), but then he would watch Elizabeth’s beautiful face and her smile that lit up her eyes and he would chide himself for feeling jealous. It wasn’t often that she had a chance to visit with people who had also lived in London and with whom she could share her experiences. And Robert did learn a few new things about the city. He really didn’t care about the place, but the information might be useful one day. Although he had no idea when that might happen!

Anyway, soon Phillip returned and brought everyone cups of wassail. As he handed them out, he wished everyone good health. The drink was nicely warm and sweetened with honey and spices. It was quite delicious and everyone enjoyed it immensely.

In the back of Robert’s mind, he wondered when they were going to eat supper and also if Elizabeth and Evelyn were planning to share their news. He could have made the announcement himself—even Jamie could have said something, for that matter—but both brothers left that privilege to their wives. Perhaps they were waiting for the time when everyone was gathered around the supper table.

They had been in the keeping room for over an hour when Mary finally showed up in the doorway, quietly calling her mother. Maureen excused herself and went to her oldest daughter. “We’re hungry, mummy. When are we going to eat?” She asked quietly.

“Let’s go into the kitchen and see how supper is coming along.” Maureen said to Mary, then the two of them left.