Chapter 4: New Life

June 1774

Sarah

I do not fit in with American women. I just returned from Boston where I met Mrs. Abigail Adams when Henri and I had to deliver pamphlets. Although I would consider her a high class woman, Mrs. Adams still cooks for her family, cleans her own house and makes clothes for her family. Being raised in England and a noble family, I never learned to do these things. We had servants to cook and clean and Mother always had my clothes made by a seamstress. If I'm going to be living in America for a long time, I should probably learn how to do these things. I just don't know where to learn these things.

"Sarah? Are you alright?" Moses asks. I realize that I have been staring out of the print shop window.

"Yes, Moses. I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"I can see that. What were you thinking about that made you stare out the window so hard?"

Do I tell him? It seems like a foolish thing to tell someone. "I was thinking about how I don't fit in with American women. It seems like the only women in this country who have servants are British Loyalists. I would like to learn to cook and make my own clothes, but I don't know who to ask to help me."

Moses looks at me, hand on his chin. "I might be able to help you, Sarah. I have a friend who lives down the street named Mrs. Reardon. She is a wonderful cook and I can ask her if she will help you."

I am thrilled by Moses' proposal! "Oh thank you, Moses!"

Next day

I am headed to Mrs. Reardon's today. Moses says that Mrs. Reardon and her husband own a tavern here in the city and Mrs. Reardon cooks all the food that is served in the tavern. I walk around the side of the tavern and locate the kitchen door and knock. The door is opened by a short, plump, jolly looking woman with blond hair and brown eyes.

"Oh! Ye must be young Miss Philips!"

"I am. You must be Mrs. Reardon."

"Ye can call me Margaret, lass. Come in, come in."

Margaret's kitchen is large and roomy and very clean. There is a large table in the middle of the kitchen and the counters and cupboards span two whole walls.

"What would you like to learn to make first, lass?"

"I'm not sure, Margaret. There are so many recipes I want to learn."

"Well, let's start at the beginning. What are the favorite foods of the lads ye live with?"

I think about this. "Well, Henri eats just about anything, but he really enjoys pastries. Moses likes fried chicken and biscuits and James really likes pancakes."

"Excellent places to start!" Mrs. Reardon exclaims. "Let's start with the pancakes. They are the easiest."

Mrs. Reardon gets all of the ingredients together. I never realized that there were so many ingredients in pancakes. She shows me how to make the batter and adds blueberries for extra flavor. She shows me how to grease the skillet with bacon grease and we fry the pancakes. Margaret calls her husband in to try them and he says that they are delicious. I feel very proud of myself.

Next Day

James

It is amazing how real dreams can be. I was dreaming that I was sitting at a table that was filled with pancakes. They smelled so good. As I open my eyes, I realize that it is not a dream; I really do smell pancakes. I go downstairs to ask Moses when breakfast will be ready. But it is not Moses in the kitchen; it is Sarah. I thought she said she couldn't cook. I just stand in the door way and stare at her.

"Good Morning, James."

"Morning. Those pancakes smell really good."

"Thank you. I've been learning from a friend of Moses'. She taught me how to make pancakes yesterday. I should be done in about ten minutes."

"Alright," I say as I walk into the dining room. I find this whole situation strange and interesting at the same time. Why would Sarah want to learn to cook? I thought she was too snobby to be able to cook for herself. She always had cooks and servants as a child. Moses and Henri join me at the table, just as Sarah walks in with a heaping platter of pancakes. They smell amazing! We all take some and try them.

"These pancakes are delicious!" I say, forgetting to swallow first.

"Thank you," Sarah says.

"You will 'ave to cook for us all ze time!" Henri adds.

"I agree," says Moses.

Sarah

I am so glad to learn that I have such a talent for cooking. I am going to keep learning from Mrs. Reardon. She says that she will teach me many more recipes, even ones that she cooks at the tavern. The only way that she can teach me though, is for me to work alongside her at the tavern. I feel a little uneasy about this. What would Mother say if she knew I was in a tavern, much less cooking in it. If I want to learn to cook, I have to do it though. Mrs. Reardon also says that she will teach me to make my own dresses. I already know how to sew, thank goodness, but I need to learn how to trace a pattern and learn certain stitches. Mrs. Reardon says I will learn quickly and I feel the same way.