“There is no mile as long the final one that leads back home.”  Katherine Marsh, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars

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Chapter Twenty – Five

Nate had arranged for the driver to take them through Charlotte, North Carolina, so that Maggie could visit her mother once more. Once again, Maggie was reminded of the fact that there was a good chance that she would not visit America again.

The journey to New York was a long and agitating one. Maggie was anxious to board the ship. The sooner they boarded, the sooner they would be in England.

Nora and her sons kept them entertained in the carriage. Nate found her Southernisms fascinating. He also enjoyed answering Anthony, Albert and even Nora’s many questions about England.

One night, while travelling through New Jersey, Nate asked Maggie a very unexpected question.

Max was asleep, leaning on Maggie’s shoulder, while opposite them, Nora slept with her arms around her sons.

“I did not ruin your trip, did I?” he asked quietly.

Maggie immediately shook her head. “Of course not, Daddy,” she assured him. “Why would you think that?”

“I was worried you would think that I did not value your independence,” he muttered. “I was worried you would resent me for interrupting.”

“For so long I wanted to know who I was and where I came from,” said Maggie quietly, “and it took coming here to learn those things. But you arrived just when I was ready to go home, and there is no place I am happier at then my father’s house.” Maggie would not burden her father or her family with the difficulties and the woes she faced at the Lavelle Plantation. Zachary would never be mentioned. She could never resent her father. Maggie knew that he had boarded the passenger ship because he had missed her. Maggie loved that her father could not stand to be apart from her, and she knew she would understand the feeling when she was a mother.

Nate’s smiled went from affectionate, to sly. He nodded towards the sleeping Max. “But do you not plan to leave your father’s house upon your marrying?” he asked. “Do you intend to live at Ascot?”

Maggie had not thought about where they would live. Truthfully, living at Ascot would be wonderful as she would see her family every day. But then, Maggie would not like to burden her aunt and uncle. “I do not intend to marry anytime soon, Daddy,” replied Maggie. “Was not Uncle Emmett’s marriage age condition with Mama and Aunt Rose twenty years old?”

“Indeed it was,” recalled Nate, “but Max is not at all like I was when I first wanted to marry your mother. If you wish to marry when we return to England, you may.”

Maggie enjoyed her father’s trust and faith in Max. She had heard tales of her father’s rakish past through her uncle. It was difficult to believe that Nate enjoyed other women in his youth as his eyes never strayed from his wife.

“I am not ready to marry, Daddy. Max knows this. We shall court for a time,” Maggie explained.

Nate smiled a wry smile. “I am glad that there is still a while yet before I must give you away. But you do realise that now that you are courting, the way that you two spend time together will have to change.” This was a serious warning. “You simply cannot be alone together anymore. Before, you were safe in each of our homes as the two of you had been inseparable since childhood. But now, as there is an element of romance to your relationship, you cannot be together without a chaperone present. All it takes is one loose lipped maid in the village and your reputation is ruined.”

“I know, Daddy,” sighed Maggie. It would be disappointing not being able to talk and spend time with Max as she used to, but they would have years to do as they used to. The time they spent courting would pale in comparison to their marital years.

“But you will be happy with him?” he asked, wanting to make sure. “Do not agree merely because your family approves.”

Maggie loved Max. She had always loved Max in her own way it the depth of her feelings had only been realised when she had been ready. She would not be happy with any other. “He makes me happy like no other, Daddy,” said Maggie sincerely. She turned her head to see the sleeping Max beside her. Smiling, she said, “I shall be very proud to be his wife someday.”

“Then I am glad to hear it.” Nate pressed his lips to Maggie’s forehead and sighed. “Letting you go to Max will be one of the easiest decisions I will ever make. I know just how good of a man he is and I know he will take care of you. It does not hurt that he lives but five miles from Montrose.” He chuckled quietly. “Now, Georgie and Lizzie, on the other hand. How do I know that one of them will not fall in love with a Prussian prince who will whisk her across Europe?”

“Well, Georgie and Lizzie have not yet learned to speak German,” hinted Maggie, “if you restricted their language tuition then they shall have nothing to say to any Prussian princes they encounter.” Maggie smirked. “Ich hingegen spreche wunderbar Deutsch,” she teased in German. “My French is appalling, Daddy, but my German is quite exceptional.”

Nate was playfully displeased. “Do not show off, Maggie,” he comically scolded, “and do not speak German around your sisters, oder du wirst bestraft,” he warned.

Maggie grinned. “Of course not, Daddy. Perhaps the girls should only learn Latin?” she suggested. “The likelihood of a Latin prince emerging as a suitor is very slim.” She winked.

Nate laughed heartily, the sound stirring their sleeping passengers.

The next day they arrived in New York City. It seemed as though it had been an age since Maggie had been there. Nate quickly secured them all passage on the next available sailing ship while Max could not stem his curiosity once more as they passed his father’s New York hotel. He wanted to see his mother, just once, and then he would never wonder about her again.

While Nora and her sons enjoyed the sights and the freedom of a large city, Maggie, Nate and Max walked into the lobby of the hotel together. It also made sense to stay in a Montgomery hotel while they waited for their ship.

The man sitting behind the large desk before the great staircase was reviewing the ledger. It almost felt like déjà vu for Maggie.

Max approached him apprehensively. “I beg your pardon, sir,” he said nervously.

The man looked up at smiled at the three finely dressed guests. “Good afternoon. Are you after a room? For how long will you be staying?” He flipped over to a fresh page and dipped his quill in ink.

“We do require lodgings for three nights,” replied Max, “but I would also like to enquire after one of your permanent residents.”

The man frowned regretfully. “I’m afraid, sir, that we are unable to disclose the identities of our guests. We value our guests’ privacy.”

“The particular guest in question is my mother,” Max clarified, “Mrs Claudia Montgomery.” Maggie admired that he simply did not demand to see her because of who he was, although Derek Montgomery’s employee was about to make that connection.

“Montgomery?” repeated the man, raising his eyebrows. “You are the son of Derek Montgomery, sir?”

“Yes,” confirmed Max, “and I would be much obliged if Mrs Montgomery was fetched, or if I were allowed to visit with her for a few minutes.”

The man’s face dropped and Maggie felt her heart stop as her blood ran cold.

“Mr Montgomery, I am terribly sorry that I have to be the one to tell you this, but Mrs Montgomery passed away about a year ago,” he said sympathetically.

Max froze as Maggie quickly slipped her hand in his. Max squeezed her hands. Nate immediately put his arm around his nephew in support. “You’re … you’re sure?” he whispered.  

He nodded. “Yes, sir. It was cancer that got her,” he said apologetically. “She did not want us to write to her family. She just wanted a nice gravestone and fresh flowers in her room every day.”

Maggie knew that Claudia had not been a very kind woman, nor a good mother, but death by cancer was not what anyone deserved.

“Where is she buried?” asked Max desperately.

“At the church, sir, just head west down the street. You cannot miss it.” He smiled sadly. “She was a nice lady, sir.”

“No, she was not,” replied Max curtly, “but I thank you anyway. Uncle Nate, could you please organise our accommodation? I am sure we will not incur a charge. I wish to see my mother.”  

Before either Nate or Maggie could respond, Max had pulled her from the hotel lobby. Just as soon as they were outside, Max pulled her into his arms and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Maggie held him tightly.

“She was not a nice person,” he mumbled.

“But she was still your mother,” replied Maggie softly. “Come along. Let us go and see her.” She knew that Max had always felt conflicted over his feelings towards his estranged mother. She could feel slight moisture on her neck, as if he had shed a few tears.

Max nodded and took her hand once more. She could see that his eyes were slightly glassy thought it was no obvious that he had cried. Together, they walked in the direction that the clerk had directed them. He had been right, the church was a very obvious building. It was a large, stone building in the shape of cross. Maggie’s mother had always told her that the buildings were in the shape of a crucifix so that God could see his worshipers from heaven.  

To the right of the building was a graveyard which, sadly, had several hundred headstones. Maggie and Max separated in order to find Claudia’s grave more efficiently.

Ten minutes later, Maggie found a familiar name on a marble head stone. She was buried on the outer edges of the graveyard, though the area was beautifully maintained. Her headstone read:

Claudia Yates Montgomery

1803 – 1840

There was no message or a description of who she was. It was sad really. Who would mourn this woman? It was indeed a good lesson, teaching those who learned it to be kind.

“Max!” called Maggie. “She is here.”

Max, who stood a few rows over, immediately came to where Maggie was standing. He then read her headstone and knelt before. His face was very difficult to read as Maggie knelt down beside him.   

“She was not a nice person,” whispered Max again, this time to himself. “But she must have felt such pain…”

“It is alright to feel sad, Max,” assured Maggie, “angry even.” Maggie did not know why Claudia had not sent word of her illness. Her children deserved to know of their mother’s fate, even if they had not existing relationship. “We leave both of our mothers behind in this land,” said Maggie quietly. That was quite a morbid realisation. Both of their mothers were now buried within the land of the continent on which they stood.

“And we go towards the mothers who raised us.” Max sighed and stood up from Claudia’s grave. Maggie joined him. “I always did love her, even though I knew she never felt the same towards me.”

“She was your mother, of course you loved her.”

Max smiled slightly and looked down at Maggie. “She loved Rebecca and me in her own way and she did the best by us by leaving us be.”

If that was how Max wanted to remember his mother, then she was glad. It was not healthy to resent the dead.

“I must tell Rebecca and my father.” He pursed his lips. “You must not say anything until I have spoken to them. I do not think Rebecca will be very upset. She has hated our mother for over a decade. I do not know how my father will react, though. He loved her deeply for a time.”

“I will not say a word. I will make sure my father does the same,” she promised.

“Thank you,” he said gratefully.

She smiled at him and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. He turned his head just in time and captured her lips with his. Their kiss was brief, but passionate, and it was exactly what both of them needed.

Three days later, the New York City harbour was disappearing behind them as they stood on the deck of the packet ship Greenwich. The sea was choppy, which jolted the ship from side to side slightly, but Maggie did not experience sickness unlike her newest lady's maid.

She watched as her homeland began to disappear as the wind took them swiftly away from the harbour.

“Goodbye,” whispered Maggie. She turned her back on the harbour and leant against the ship railing so that she was facing the opposite direction. She knew it was silly, but she felt as though if she squinted, she could see the White Cliffs of Dover beckoning. 

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Before anyone corrects me, I know exactly where the White Cliffs of Dover are and that they're not usually seen by ships unless you're travelling the Channel, but they're a famously known as the last and first thing you see when you're travelling to and from England. They're a symbol of home for travellers. For example, the White Cliffs were the last part of home the WWI and WWII soliders saw. 

Anyways - GERMAN TRANSLATIONS:

Ich hingegen spreche wunderbar deutsch - I, on the other hand, speak German beautifully.

oder du wirst bestraftt - or you will be punished. 

Apologies for the wait. I've had a manic week this week. The award that my netball club won has actually drummed up quite a lot of buzz in my community, so much so that I was interviewed on the radio this week! :) I got there and they were playing 5 Seconds of Summer so yay and then I sat down in a chair and spoke on the radio, it was so exciting!! After I finished I got all these texts and Facebook messages from my friends saying that I spoke so well, even my brother texted me saying that I did a good job which was amazing lol. 

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