I blushed as Roger laughed, slapping his brother on his back. However, Roger did not see the gaze of sexual want that James cast in my direction.
He swept all the children up into his arms, to which they all squealed with delight. He had a lovely smile, so they all took to him immediately. I was very glad that I had not met him before meeting Roger, as he oozed masculine sex appeal.
It took us the best part of the day to offload the crates and horses. Manage we did, and finally we had everything loaded on the wagons that James had brought.
Several black slaves were harnessing the horses and loading the last of the crates onto the wagons. I’d read about slavery, seen movies and documentaries about it, but never had I imagined I would see it for real!
I felt a shiver of disgust as I watched the way they were treated, making a mental note to ensure that we would never stoop so low. I was determined never to own a slave, and if I found myself in that position, then I would give them their freedom immediately.
There was a very comfortable carriage for us to travel in, while our own was reassembled and hitched to a team. The men supervised their own mounts, as clearly they were to ride. Roger spoke to the Captain, and I saw him hand over some money. This, I assumed, was to secure Mr Banyard’s safe passage back to England.
Needless to say, Katie wanted to ride her beloved Snowflake and her father relented, so she rode proudly out of the docks with her ever attendant Oliver mounted on another horse slightly behind her.
I sat in the carriage with my children, Abbey and Phyllis and Sophia Banyard. The other carriage carried the rest of the staff. It was a journey of several days to the estates, so I settled down to enjoy it.
That was a mistake, as it was hot, humid and a very rough road. Despite the springs on the carriage, I suffered from motion sickness very quickly, and on the first stop, changed to my riding breeches, and took to the saddle with my husband and step-daughter.
Thereafter, the journey was far more pleasant, despite the fact that I had not ridden for so long, ever. With recent pregnancy and the birth of Emily, I was seriously unfit, so I knew I would pay dearly later. However, my superb body was wonderful, and I was probably far better off than most of the others.
James looked at me often with undisguised admiration, so I had a feeling that there was a potential for problems in the not too distant future. At one point, Roger shared the carriage with the children, and I found myself riding alongside his brother.
“Madam, you ride like a man,” he remarked.
“That’s not the only thing I do like a man. I can also fence and shoot,” I said, to which he smiled.
“You will be much at home here in the colonies. But I fear some of the society ladies will be rather insipid for you.”
“Perhaps, but then one can choose one’s friends, even though one cannot select one’s family.”
“Quite so. I rather wish I had met you before my brother.”
“I understood you to be married, sir?”
He frowned, as if he did not wish to be reminded of the fact.
“I am, madam. I am indeed. My wife is proving to be one of the insipid sorts, I fear.”
He stared at me with such an open sexual longing, that I felt quite uncomfortable.
“Sir. Please be reminded that I am married to your brother, and I am blissfully content with my husband. It would not be right to presume anything other than that.”
He looked away for a moment, as we passed over a small bridge over a stream.
“I apologise. It’s just that I have never seen a woman with such beauty, and who has such spirit as well. I did not mean to offend you, but I find you irresistible.”
“Then sir, you will have to try, for I am another man’s.”
He laughed.
“Odd’s teeth. Jane! You are a fine woman. I am so pleased for Roger. If I err again, be pleased to remind me.”
“Never fear, I shall,” I said, and he chuckled.
We rode for many hours, and I was fascinated at the country we passed through. Farms were interspersed with vast areas of wilderness, with small townships nestling in convenient places at crossroads or by bridges over rivers. I suppose I may well have driven down a highway through this part of the country, but never did I imagine it ever looking like this. A horse is never as fast as an automobile, but I missed nothing being on horseback.
“Does nothing tire you?” my husband asked, interrupting my reverie.
“If the truth be told, I am getting weary. It has been a long time since I rode so much. I think the baby will need a feed soon.”
“We are approaching a town soon, we have rooms at the inn booked, so we will rest tonight,” James said.
CHAPTER NINE
Same old world, new problems.
As I looked out over the dull landscape, I appreciated the slightly imperceptibly warmer climate. We had celebrated Christmas a few days ago, and it had rained solidly throughout. It had been three months since we had come to America, yet our home had only become habitable in the last few weeks. We were planning to move in sometime in the near future, and I for one would be very glad to have a home of our own once more.
We were still staying with James and his wife, Charlotte Rose, in their house on the neighbouring plantation, as the workers struggled to rebuild ours in time. Charlotte Rose fitted her husband’s description, as a pretty, but slightly insipid creature, who rarely ventured forth from her home.
We arrived at their home late on the third day after making landfall. A large white house with columns and a panoramic view of the countryside, welcomed us. Charlotte Rose and the three children came out to greet us, and as Katie and I had ridden in preference to riding over the rough tracks, we dismounted with some relief.
Charlotte was a small woman, only five feet two, and of slight build. The daughter of a prominent merchant from Norfolk, Virginia, she lost little time in telling me how she would prefer to live in a town.
She was fair and very pretty, but somewhat cold and shrew-like, in my opinion. It became very apparent that she mistrusted her husband, seeing in me extra reasons for mistrust. James persisted in flirting with me, and in such an obvious manner that Roger had occasion to call him in check.
I guessed that my brother-in-law wasn’t averse to sowing wild oats amongst the slave girls on neighbouring plantations, and even with the occasional whore in the city, thus fuelling his wife’s jealously and probably causing her cold demeanour.
Katie was several inches taller than her cousin Henry, who was a stocky child, the image of his father. He was a sombre boy, who was thoughtful and serious. Lucy, on the other hand was lively and bubbly, with her mother’s looks and her father’s outgoing personality. She was a year and a half younger than Katie, so I was amused at the awe in which Lucy regarded her new English cousin.
Lastly, Jonathon was six months older than William was, and the two boys had glared at each other suspiciously for a few minutes. However, once the ice was broken, they became firm friends, benefitting more than anyone with the two families coming together.
It was mid October when we arrived, so the leaves were beginning to change colour. Fortunately, the house was large enough to fit us all, and after such an exhausting journey, we retired very early.
Over the next weeks, we explored the plantations, and began to get to know James and his family. Charlotte Rose never really relaxed with me. I was uncertain whether she felt jealous of me, or whether she felt insecure because Roger carried a title, in addition to appearing more confident and worldly than most people she knew.
The fact that I arrived with my own dressmaker and a host of staff, seemed to surprise her. I believe that she had been hoping to portray herself as a gracious colonial hostess over an impoverished English family. Instead, she found me too young, too attractive and far too outgoing. The fact her husband visibly drooled whenever in close proximity to me, may also have been a factor.