Chapter Six: Discovery
Matthew had Sarah Elizabeth stay in the barn in a warm spot among the hay he had laid flat for her in the loft, and fetched all the extra blankets he could find so that she would not grow cold.
He worked as usual the next day, saving his breakfast and his lunch in a hidden place when his adopted father was not looking, and when he got a chance, he hurried out to the barn to give the food to Sarah Elizabeth.
All throughout the day Matthew made mental notes of the things they'd need for their journey, money being the main thing.
He knew Mr. MacNamara kept money in a small box in his bedroom that was intended for Matthew's education. It had been left by his father. It wasn't much, but Matthew figured that plus whatever he could sneak from the shop would be enough to get them to America of he played their cards right. He had to.
That night, after all the town was asleep, Matthew had already gathered what money he could during the day, including the money left to him, and quietly gathered clothing of his own and food into a sack, then hurried out to the barn. He found Sarah Elizabeth asleep in the loft, bundled under the blankets.
He woke her gently, and they started on their way. It was a long journey to the sea, and Matthew was unable to carry Sarah Elizabeth as he longed to with the large sack over his shoulder, which he had added the blankets in the barn to. He wasn't sure how far she could go, being as weak as she looked, but she made it surprisingly far.
Most of the time he held her hand tightly, as if trying to pass some of his strength to her, but he would not touch her other than that.
They walked for two days, resting at night in the woods under the blankets. It was very cold, and Matthew new they couldn't walk the whole way, so he was able to get them a ride on the back of a potato wagon that was heading in the direction they were going.
After that they only walked half a day until finally reaching the docks, where Matthew arranged passage for them on a small ship bound for New York City.
"Have you sailed before?" Sarah Elizabeth asked as they ascended the ramp onto the boat. She had by now changed out of her white robe type dress and was now wearing some clothes of Matthew's, which were somewhat long and baggy on her, but he'd rolled the sleeves and pant legs up for her, and also given her some shoes.
"Not that I remember". Matthew was saying as they stepped onto the boat deck.
"Come on, lads, hurry along! All passengers below deck!" A middle aged sailor was shouting, and the two young people were ushered along with all the other steerage passengers, the only passengers on the small cargo ship, to a flight of stairs. These stairs led down to a large room with bunks filling every wall and a few tables here and there.
Matthew pulled Sarah Elizabeth beside him as he quickly maneuvered through the crowded room and claimed the first free bunk he could reach, which fortunately for them was a bottom one of the sets of two. The top had already been claimed by a young woman and her young son, who couldn't have been more than two years of age.
The beds were made up of sections built into nearly every square inch of the walls, so that they would not take up space in the room. Each bed contained a thin straw mat, nothing more.
Matthew tossed the heavy sack onto the bed and had Sarah Elizabeth sit down, though this was a struggle because the bottom of the bed above was so very low. The room itself had a very low ceiling.
"How long before we'll get to America?" Sarah Elizabeth asked then, and Matthew shrugged. "I don't know, it could be weeks".
"Weeks!?"
Matthew nodded, sharing her look of discomfort. "We'll be fine." He reassured her. There was a long pause then as they watched the people crowd into the room, claiming and fighting over bunks and tables and spaces on the floor. It was quite a while before the crowd began to settle, and Matthew figured the boat had already begun moving by now, or at least he hoped it had.
"I've decided to forgive them".
Sarah Elizabeth's voice caught Matthew's attention, and he looked at her, letting what she had said sink in. "You have?" He asked.
"Yes, as the Lord forgave us". She said, and Matthew nodded once, giving her hand a light squeeze before releasing it again.
Though she had been able to forgive them, he wasn't sure if he could.
Three weeks they were at sea, it was a long and hard journey, but they finally reached the docks in New York City. When they arrived, Matthew decided that it would be best to change their names after they got settled, he wasn't exactly sure why. He took his fathers name, Gabriel, and had Sarah Elizabeth simply shorten hers to Sarah. It was at this time that Sarah Elizabeth began to have strange pains other than those of her wounds, which had pretty much healed, so Matthew took her to a doctor.
"She's what?" Matthew said, not quite sure he'd heard right.
"She's with child, young man, as far as I can tell". Said the doctor, an elderly man. Sarah Elizabeth was in the back room where he had examined her. "But... (Pause)...Good Lord..." Matthew hunched over where he was sitting, burying his head in his hands.
"Well, these things happen when you're not careful. But I'm sure you'll be just fine". The doctor was saying, sifting through some papers and pulling one out.
"What?" Matthew said, confused by what he'd said.
"I'm taking the liberty of directing you both to an inn during the pregnancy, it's a very nice and well kept place". The doctor continued, writing something on a sheet of paper.
"Wait a minute, what are you saying?" Matthew said, standing.
"You and your wife, I'm referring you to a shelter. You told me you'd just gotten off the boat, so I assume you have no where to stay, correct?"
Matthew nodded somewhat reluctantly.
"Alright then..."
"But she's not my wife".
The doctor stopped then, looking intently at the boy. "She's not".
"No, I never said she was".
"But it's your child, correct?"
"No".
The doctor frowned slightly; this did complicate things a little.
"Well, I'm going to send you to the inn anyway; you'll at least have shelter there".
"We don't have very much money left though". Matthew said, becoming a little irritated. The doctor sighed, thinking for a moment. But Matthew spoke again before the doctor had a chance. "Listen, thank you for your help, but we really need to get going". He handed the man the last few coins he had. "So if you'll just get Sarah Elizabeth for me, we'll be on our way". The doctor stood as if to protest, then paused and sighed reluctantly. "Very well".
"What will I do now?" Sarah Elizabeth asked as she and Matthew made their way through the crowded streets.
"I don't know - why do you keep saying that?"
"Saying what?"
"You say things as if I'm not here, like this isn't something I need to worry about".
"But its not-..."
Matthew stopped walking and pulled her to a stop with him. "It's my problem now, too. It was the moment I made plans to bring you here, to protect you". He said. Sarah Elizabeth looked up at him, not sure what to say. All her life she'd been taught that the outside world was full of cruel and vile people, and by conversing with them would only bring destruction. She'd always believed that, especially after she'd been attacked. But there was something different about Matthew, he was not like the evil men she'd been told to be weary of. Would he really stay by her?
"I'll not leave you". He said, his voice laced with sincerity. The smallest of smiles curved Sarah Elizabeth's lips. "I know you wont". She said quietly. "I know".
The End.
Matthew had Sarah Elizabeth stay in the barn in a warm spot among the hay he had laid flat for her in the loft, and fetched all the extra blankets he could find so that she would not grow cold.
He worked as usual the next day, saving his breakfast and his lunch in a hidden place when his adopted father was not looking, and when he got a chance, he hurried out to the barn to give the food to Sarah Elizabeth.
All throughout the day Matthew made mental notes of the things they'd need for their journey, money being the main thing.
He knew Mr. MacNamara kept money in a small box in his bedroom that was intended for Matthew's education. It had been left by his father. It wasn't much, but Matthew figured that plus whatever he could sneak from the shop would be enough to get them to America of he played their cards right. He had to.
That night, after all the town was asleep, Matthew had already gathered what money he could during the day, including the money left to him, and quietly gathered clothing of his own and food into a sack, then hurried out to the barn. He found Sarah Elizabeth asleep in the loft, bundled under the blankets.
He woke her gently, and they started on their way. It was a long journey to the sea, and Matthew was unable to carry Sarah Elizabeth as he longed to with the large sack over his shoulder, which he had added the blankets in the barn to. He wasn't sure how far she could go, being as weak as she looked, but she made it surprisingly far.
Most of the time he held her hand tightly, as if trying to pass some of his strength to her, but he would not touch her other than that.
They walked for two days, resting at night in the woods under the blankets. It was very cold, and Matthew new they couldn't walk the whole way, so he was able to get them a ride on the back of a potato wagon that was heading in the direction they were going.
After that they only walked half a day until finally reaching the docks, where Matthew arranged passage for them on a small ship bound for New York City.
"Have you sailed before?" Sarah Elizabeth asked as they ascended the ramp onto the boat. She had by now changed out of her white robe type dress and was now wearing some clothes of Matthew's, which were somewhat long and baggy on her, but he'd rolled the sleeves and pant legs up for her, and also given her some shoes.
"Not that I remember". Matthew was saying as they stepped onto the boat deck.
"Come on, lads, hurry along! All passengers below deck!" A middle aged sailor was shouting, and the two young people were ushered along with all the other steerage passengers, the only passengers on the small cargo ship, to a flight of stairs. These stairs led down to a large room with bunks filling every wall and a few tables here and there.
Matthew pulled Sarah Elizabeth beside him as he quickly maneuvered through the crowded room and claimed the first free bunk he could reach, which fortunately for them was a bottom one of the sets of two. The top had already been claimed by a young woman and her young son, who couldn't have been more than two years of age.
The beds were made up of sections built into nearly every square inch of the walls, so that they would not take up space in the room. Each bed contained a thin straw mat, nothing more.
Matthew tossed the heavy sack onto the bed and had Sarah Elizabeth sit down, though this was a struggle because the bottom of the bed above was so very low. The room itself had a very low ceiling.
"How long before we'll get to America?" Sarah Elizabeth asked then, and Matthew shrugged. "I don't know, it could be weeks".
"Weeks!?"
Matthew nodded, sharing her look of discomfort. "We'll be fine." He reassured her. There was a long pause then as they watched the people crowd into the room, claiming and fighting over bunks and tables and spaces on the floor. It was quite a while before the crowd began to settle, and Matthew figured the boat had already begun moving by now, or at least he hoped it had.
"I've decided to forgive them".
Sarah Elizabeth's voice caught Matthew's attention, and he looked at her, letting what she had said sink in. "You have?" He asked.
"Yes, as the Lord forgave us". She said, and Matthew nodded once, giving her hand a light squeeze before releasing it again.
Though she had been able to forgive them, he wasn't sure if he could.
Three weeks they were at sea, it was a long and hard journey, but they finally reached the docks in New York City. When they arrived, Matthew decided that it would be best to change their names after they got settled, he wasn't exactly sure why. He took his fathers name, Gabriel, and had Sarah Elizabeth simply shorten hers to Sarah. It was at this time that Sarah Elizabeth began to have strange pains other than those of her wounds, which had pretty much healed, so Matthew took her to a doctor.
"She's what?" Matthew said, not quite sure he'd heard right.
"She's with child, young man, as far as I can tell". Said the doctor, an elderly man. Sarah Elizabeth was in the back room where he had examined her. "But... (Pause)...Good Lord..." Matthew hunched over where he was sitting, burying his head in his hands.
"Well, these things happen when you're not careful. But I'm sure you'll be just fine". The doctor was saying, sifting through some papers and pulling one out.
"What?" Matthew said, confused by what he'd said.
"I'm taking the liberty of directing you both to an inn during the pregnancy, it's a very nice and well kept place". The doctor continued, writing something on a sheet of paper.
"Wait a minute, what are you saying?" Matthew said, standing.
"You and your wife, I'm referring you to a shelter. You told me you'd just gotten off the boat, so I assume you have no where to stay, correct?"
Matthew nodded somewhat reluctantly.
"Alright then..."
"But she's not my wife".
The doctor stopped then, looking intently at the boy. "She's not".
"No, I never said she was".
"But it's your child, correct?"
"No".
The doctor frowned slightly; this did complicate things a little.
"Well, I'm going to send you to the inn anyway; you'll at least have shelter there".
"We don't have very much money left though". Matthew said, becoming a little irritated. The doctor sighed, thinking for a moment. But Matthew spoke again before the doctor had a chance. "Listen, thank you for your help, but we really need to get going". He handed the man the last few coins he had. "So if you'll just get Sarah Elizabeth for me, we'll be on our way". The doctor stood as if to protest, then paused and sighed reluctantly. "Very well".
"What will I do now?" Sarah Elizabeth asked as she and Matthew made their way through the crowded streets.
"I don't know - why do you keep saying that?"
"Saying what?"
"You say things as if I'm not here, like this isn't something I need to worry about".
"But its not-..."
Matthew stopped walking and pulled her to a stop with him. "It's my problem now, too. It was the moment I made plans to bring you here, to protect you". He said. Sarah Elizabeth looked up at him, not sure what to say. All her life she'd been taught that the outside world was full of cruel and vile people, and by conversing with them would only bring destruction. She'd always believed that, especially after she'd been attacked. But there was something different about Matthew, he was not like the evil men she'd been told to be weary of. Would he really stay by her?
"I'll not leave you". He said, his voice laced with sincerity. The smallest of smiles curved Sarah Elizabeth's lips. "I know you wont". She said quietly. "I know".
The End.
