Chapter Seventeen

Maggie broke the seal on her mother’s letter and unfolded it eagerly, anxious to read her mother’s voice.

My dear Maggie,

What luck that you found this letter! I wanted to put it in with your stationery but Daddy thought that would be too obvious and you would find it before you even left England. We thought we were being very mysterious and covert by hiding it in the lining of your trunk.

Maggie wiped a tear away, a happy tear though. She could just imagine her parents quarrelling over where to hide her letter.

I hope you are well, my darling. I hope you are safe and happy and are being cared for properly and I hope this journey is everything you wished it to be.

I know your troubles, Maggie, and I know you often believe that we do not understand what it is like to be different. I know you often resent being different. But you are only different to those you do not know you. You are not different to me. You are beautiful to me. I do hope that one day you will cease to pay attention to those small minded people who ignore or talk across you. I look forward to the day that society is so diverse that we will meet folk from different cultures and religions every day.  

I know you accept your father and me as your parents, regardless of your birth, but you cannot stem your curiosity regarding Mr Isaac Lavelle. I would just like you to know that it is alright to have this curiosity. It is alright to wonder about where you came from and what might have been.

Just please do not forget that, no matter what, you will always have a place where you belong and where you fit perfectly. No matter where you go or what you do, your home will always be with us.

So while you are finding yourself, dear girl, we will be missing you, even your brother!

Maggie chuckled at that.

And I know you will miss us as well. I do not know when we shall meet again, but I pray it will not be long.

Godspeed, Maggie.

All my love,

Your Mama.

Maggie traced her mother’s words with her fingertip and felt such incredible nostalgia and longing. What she would give to be in her mother and father’s arms. But she had come to America for a reason and that was to get to know her father while viewing her inheritance.

While it had become apparent that Isaac’s intention was to leave the plantation to Zachary as Maggie husband, Isaac was still a very ill man. Could she really leave a dying man, her father, in his hour of need? Her conscience simply would not allow it.

And when he did die, there would be many formalities that she would have to go through to have the plantation put into her name. If she were to leave then Joanna and Zachary would most likely to everything in their power to secure the plantation.

Maggie decided to stay. She would help Isaac in whatever way he needed to remain comfortable, but as soon as she was satisfied that the workers’ futures were ensured and Joanna and Zachary were barred from any controlling role, she would return home to England.

Though she had not heard Zachary’s side of the story, only his aunt’s and Isaac’s. Was he a willing participant? Or was he simply expected to adhere to the wishes of his elders like Maggie was? Perhaps they had something in common in that respect. She needed to speak with him anyway. She needed to tell him that there would be no formal arrangement between them.

She was simply not ready to be married to anyone regardless.

Maggie decided to go and speak with Zachary. She would then speak to Joanna and Isaac to tell them what she had decided to do. She did not appreciate being deceived and they would learn that very soon.

Maggie put the letter back in her trunk for safe keeping and then went to unlock her bedroom door. She descended the staircase and was surprised to see Janna waiting patiently in the atrium. Joanna had disappeared from the sitting room and there was not one person around.

“Afternoon, Miss Maggie,” Janna said cheerfully. She was dressed in her Sunday best, most likely having just come from a church service. But what would bring her to the plantation on Christmas Day?

“This is not a good time, Miss Janna,” murmured Maggie. She knew it was not the most polite reception but if Janna was aware of the goings on then Maggie was sure that she would be sympathetic.

Janna frowned. “Well, I have not come to visit you,” Janna replied curtly. “I have come to call on Mr Montgomery.”

Maggie remembered that Max had never actually denied the question that Maggie had asked him regarding his intentions towards Janna. Even though she had no intention of marrying Zachary, there was every possibility that he intended to court Janna.    

“I do not know where he is,” Maggie told her patiently.

Janna nodded. “Well, if you see him, could you tell him I am here? I need to speak with him about something.”

“Miss Janna, Max is a truly wonderful person,” Maggie informed Janna firmly.

“I know he is,” Janna replied.

“No, you don’t.” Maggie would not accept that Janna knew just how wonderful Max was after a few conversations on a porch swing. “He is the most devoted and loyal man and you are lucky to have his affections.” Her eyes narrowed. “Just know if you hurt him, my precision with a bow and arrow is startlingly accurate.”

A smile spread across Janna’s face. That was not the reaction that Maggie had been expecting after she’d threatened the woman with murder. Was it a sin to threaten a life on Christmas Day?

“I have no intention of hurting your friend, Maggie dear,” replied Janna. “I simply can’t.”

Maggie cocked her head in a confused manner. “I beg your pardon. How can you not?” To Maggie, Janna seemed as if she were all smiles and falsities.

“I can’t hurt Max because he is in love with someone else,” Janna said slowly.

Maggie’s jaw tensed as her teeth gritted. Max was in love? That was simply impossible. If he had such feelings for someone then he would have shared them with her. They were the best of friends, after all. And when did he have a chance to meet a young woman? He was by her side nearly every minute of the day … except for when Miss Janna Sunderland graced the Lavelle Plantation with her presence. “Max is not in love with anyone,” Maggie retorted. “If he were, he would have told me.”

Janna laughed, this reaction again surprising Maggie. “You really don’t know, do you?”  

Her reaction to Maggie’s threat was simply odd, but what was she talking about. “Know what?” she asked.

“Sweetheart,” Janna began with a coy smile, “the poor boy is in love with you.”

Was she talking about Max? But he couldn’t, that was – “Oh, my word.” She gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. How could she have been so blind? He was always there, caring and comforting her. He was always there for her. He was always by her side. “He came to America with me,” she whispered to herself. He had practically put his entire life on hold for her.

Almost every one of her childhood and adolescent moments passed through her mind. He would always laugh at her jokes and help her with her school work if she needed it. He would listen to her practicing the pianoforte for hours and he would always draw her.

And as they grew older he would always comfort her as her realisation to her differences came to her attention. He would always defend her and he would always be on her side, even when she was behaving irrationally.

And then she’d asked him to cross the Atlantic Ocean with her. No mere friend would agree to that. She suddenly recalled a conversation they had back in England that had puzzled her.

He had said: “If I were ever reckless, Maggie, we would no longer be friends.”

At the time she hadn’t thought about the statement in depth, or perhaps she hadn’t been ready to, but it was so obvious now. How could she have been such a fool?

The reason for why he hadn’t told her was completely apparent as well. He was convinced that it would be the end of their friendship. And it might have been for a long time. But now …

“How do you know that?” Maggie demanded to know. Where was Janna’s evidence? The last thing Maggie wanted to do was to confront Max without having the appropriate facts.

“He confessed to it,” replied Janna, “after I observed his longing glances towards you.”

So it was true. “But his attention was on you!” Maggie protested. She was feeling very overwhelmed. There had been far too many revelations on this day! First the plantation, then the intended marriage between Zachary and herself, and now this!

“Come on,” urged Janna, “let us sit down.” She led Maggie into the sitting room and the two women sat down beside each other. “I can assure that his heart was never with me. I shouldn’t be telling you this but if I don’t, I doubt he ever will. You two deserve a chance.” She smiled kindly and released Maggie’s arm.

“Nobody can be that attentive with only friendship in mind,” Maggie realised. “He must think me so foolish, so unobservant.”

“Maggie, he is that attentive because he cares about you. You are his favourite person in the world. A blind man could see that he would do anything for you regardless of his romantic feelings.” Janna rubbed Maggie’s forearm comfortingly. “My question, and you do not have to answer, is do you reciprocate his feelings?”

Maggie didn’t know. She adored Max. He was her favourite man next to her father and she knew she could always depend on him. She relied on his advice and she valued his opinions. There was nothing about him that she did not like. She adored his strengths and she accepted his flaws. Was that love?

Perhaps she had been falling in love with him so slowly that she simply hadn’t realised. Or perhaps she had always been in love with him and had simply confused the feelings with friendship. Or perhaps there was only friendship between them.

“I do not know,” Maggie replied breathlessly. “How do you know?” she asked Janna, turning to her.

Janna smiled slightly and looked at her thoughtfully. “I suppose you know you’re in love when there’s no one you’d rather talk to and spend time with first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The person should make you happier than anything, even when you don’t feel like you could smile. True love is being able to smile through the tears, believe me.”

Max was the person she wanted to talk to first thing in the morning. She couldn’t wait for him to arrive at Montrose or for her father to order the carriage so that she could go to Ascot. He did make her smile even when she was upset. He always knew exactly what to say when she was crying and he never failed to lift her spirits. Janna seemed to know quite a lot about love. Perhaps she was in love with him. “How do you know so much about this, Janna?” Maggie asked quietly.

Janna’s face fell a little. “I was in love once,” she replied.

“What happened?”

“I was young and he asked me to run away with him. I was afraid and I refused.” Janna looked as though she bitterly regretted refusing.

“What happened to him?” Maggie asked curiously. Perhaps there was still a chance.

Janna looked away. “My father didn’t believe in killing, so he gave him his freedom papers and sent him on his way, telling him that there was a bullet with his name on it if he ever came back.”

“Freedom papers?” Maggie repeated.

“He was a slave, yes,” Janna confirmed. “We didn’t have nearly as many as your daddy has here, Miss Maggie, but we had a few. Daniel was a few years older than me, but he was handsome, brave and strong. He had to be to romance his master’s daughter. But my Daddy found out about Daniel’s plan to run. I thank God every day that he didn’t kill Daniel.”

“Where is Daniel now?”

“Canada last time I heard,” she replied. “He wrote me a few months ago.”

Maggie did not enquire as to the contents of the letter. That was Janna’s own personal business.

“You seem like a good girl, Maggie, and I like you. Don’t miss your chance like I did. You will regret it every day.” Janna sighed sadly.

Maggie did not want to regret anything. She would talk to Max about this information and hopefully he would help her to realise her own feelings, like he helped her to do most things in her life.

“Thank you, Janna,” Maggie said gratefully. “I believe I was wrong about you.”

“Go and talk to him,” she encouraged.

“I’m right here.”

Both women jumped, unaware that they were no longer alone in the sitting room. But it was not Max who had interrupted them, it was Zachary, his smooth and charming voice was obvious. How much of the conversation had he heard?

“Mr Kincaid,” remarked Maggie, “you startled us.”

“My apologies,” he said suavely. “But I heard voices inside so I decided to see who it was. Season’s greetings to you, Miss Janna.”

“And to you,” Janna replied cheerfully.

Maggie deduced that he had not heard their entire conversation. She did need to speak to him regardless. There was much to discuss with Zachary.

Then she would go and find Max.   

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Me thinks Zachary is not going to be impressed with what Maggie has to say. Me thinks Max will be impressed with what Maggie has to say. So much drama to come!! You all know how I love my dramatic complications! 

Thank you to everyone who gave me your nicknames for the British on the last chapter. Tory, I've decided, is the perfect name and I can't wait to write that little conversation :)

Do you remember that real estate agent that my mum brought into my room when I was asleep? Well he came back last night and the first thing he says to me is "Hey, you're awake!" We also had another real estate agent come around our house that we'd met at an open home and he goes to me "Hi I'm *forgot his name*" and I'm like "We met yesterday". You know why he didn't recognise me? Because I wasn't wearing any makeup so mum, there's your proof that I need to wear makeup! But his after shave was gross. He was in my room for 30 seconds and the smell hung around for at least 2 hours. Ugh. 

Anyways, vote and comment!!