Philadelphia, July 1920.
"Eliza.you're a little later than I had expected." Cal said, standing up to greet his ward as she entered his study. He studied her furtively. She seemed a lot more mature and grown up than she had the last time he had seen her. Her hair was down her back, and her green eyes were bright, and her skin was clear.
"The train was delayed." Eliza explained. She was tired from the long journey, but she knew that this conversation was about to decide her fate, and wanted to be clear of mind. Since the letter from Cal the other month she had been dreading this moment, but at the same time she had been looking forward to it, wanting to know what was going to happen to her. She'd decided that Cal would let her go into the world, thinking that he had done enough for her over the years. More than he should have maybe?
"Take a seat Eliza." Cal said, gesturing and then seating him back behind the desk that Eliza had always thought was so big when she was younger.
Eliza sat.
"Well, as you know I've been in Europe the past few months on business. It's starting to pick up again, although I must admit there is some trepidation by a lot of business men here to deal with the Germans on matters of steel." Cal said.
Eliza nodded politely, not sure where this was heading.
"Anyway, whilst over in Europe I decided to branch out to the European market. London in fact. What this means, in practical terms, is that I won't be here for the next year or so. Therefore the idea of what you should do becomes a major issue for me. My first thought was to take you with me.."
Eliza felt her heart begin to race. Go to Europe on a ship. She couldn't! There was no way in the world she was going to get on a ship, not after her parents dying on one! Her mind went back to that night in April 1912, eight years ago:
What stood out most in her mind was the noise. People calling to each other, the officers directing the crew in getting the boats down, and the noise from the boats themselves. "Stay here darling." Her Mama told her. "I am just going to run back down to the cabin and get something we will need for America." Eliza knew what it was: the one thing of real value her family owned-an engagement ring her Grandmother had left to her Mother. "Now promise me you won't move an inch. Daddy is just looking for a boat for us. DON'T MOVE!" Her mother hurried off, leaving her there. Tears fell from her cheeks as she waited. Why were they taking so long? Why weren't they getting off the boat? She was so scared! So scared! "Please!" One of the officers called. "I need more women and children." And then her Daddy was there and he leant down. "Where is your mother?" Eliza told him and he said he would go and hurry her up. "Don't move." He repeated to her. And she was left waiting again. And this time it was for even longer. She watched, scared, as people were running about the place and getting hysterical. Tears fell even harder, and now she started to cry. Why were her parents taking so long? "MAMA!" she cried. "MAMA!" And then he was there. Cal. He looked at her, and then started to move off, and then he turned back, and leant over to pick her up, awkwardly patting her on the back. "There, there." He said, and then he carried her to a boat, whilst she cried wondering where her mother was? "Please, I'm all she has in this world." He told the crewmen, who then waved him into the boat. As the boat was lowered she cried, and cried for her Mama and her Papa.
"Eliza?" Cal's voice brought her back to the present. "Are you alright?"
Eliza swallowed hard, and nodded slowly. She couldn't tell him what she had just remembered, and even if she could she didn't have the words to describe it properly. Cal had saved her life, yes, but he'd taken her without her parent's permission. They may have come back from the cabin to find her gone, and then they had drowned on the ship!
"Anyway, like I was saying that was only my first thought. I am not sure what I will be doing over there, and I don't think I can have the responsibility of you also." Cal explained.
'You should have thought of that before you took me off the sinking ship!' Eliza thought, but didn't speak.
"So I'm going to have to leave you here." Cal said, tapping his fingers on the desk thoughtfully. "Now, I did think about what kind of work you could do? I don't want to leave you as a servant or maid somewhere, so I was wondering-how would you feel about becoming a governess' assistant and then becoming a governess yourself? You got excellent marks in all areas of schooling."
Eliza struggled to bring her mind back to the present, and not to a cold April night. "A governess?" She repeated, remembering her old governess. It didn't seem like it would be hard work?
"A governess." Cal confirmed. "Are you sure you're alright Eliza? You're acting strangely."
Eliza took a deep breath. She realised then that she had two options. She could tell Cal what she had remembered and confront him about it and succeed in having herself turned out onto the streets with no idea about how to survive. Or she could swallow her memories, and take the opportunity that he offered? As a governess she would be able to earn her own money, and then get away from Cal.
"A governess would be good sir." Eliza said. "But do you think I could do something like that? I'm not exactly...a lady sir."
Cal frowned. "Eliza if I didn't think you could do it do you think I would offer? It just happens that a friend of mine has a governess who is prepared to accept you as her assistant. If you learn from her then you can be a governess yourself in a year or so. I have spoken to your headmistress about this, and she thinks that it would be a good idea also.." He looked at her thoughtfully. Why was she acting so strangely?
"I would like that sir." Eliza said formally.
Cal nodded, glad it was settled, and knowing that he could go off to Europe for the year knowing that she would be alright, but wondering what was wrong with the girl? She was acting so coldly and strangely all of a sudden! Thank god, he thought, he didn't have children of his own if they were so hot and cold!
"Eliza.you're a little later than I had expected." Cal said, standing up to greet his ward as she entered his study. He studied her furtively. She seemed a lot more mature and grown up than she had the last time he had seen her. Her hair was down her back, and her green eyes were bright, and her skin was clear.
"The train was delayed." Eliza explained. She was tired from the long journey, but she knew that this conversation was about to decide her fate, and wanted to be clear of mind. Since the letter from Cal the other month she had been dreading this moment, but at the same time she had been looking forward to it, wanting to know what was going to happen to her. She'd decided that Cal would let her go into the world, thinking that he had done enough for her over the years. More than he should have maybe?
"Take a seat Eliza." Cal said, gesturing and then seating him back behind the desk that Eliza had always thought was so big when she was younger.
Eliza sat.
"Well, as you know I've been in Europe the past few months on business. It's starting to pick up again, although I must admit there is some trepidation by a lot of business men here to deal with the Germans on matters of steel." Cal said.
Eliza nodded politely, not sure where this was heading.
"Anyway, whilst over in Europe I decided to branch out to the European market. London in fact. What this means, in practical terms, is that I won't be here for the next year or so. Therefore the idea of what you should do becomes a major issue for me. My first thought was to take you with me.."
Eliza felt her heart begin to race. Go to Europe on a ship. She couldn't! There was no way in the world she was going to get on a ship, not after her parents dying on one! Her mind went back to that night in April 1912, eight years ago:
What stood out most in her mind was the noise. People calling to each other, the officers directing the crew in getting the boats down, and the noise from the boats themselves. "Stay here darling." Her Mama told her. "I am just going to run back down to the cabin and get something we will need for America." Eliza knew what it was: the one thing of real value her family owned-an engagement ring her Grandmother had left to her Mother. "Now promise me you won't move an inch. Daddy is just looking for a boat for us. DON'T MOVE!" Her mother hurried off, leaving her there. Tears fell from her cheeks as she waited. Why were they taking so long? Why weren't they getting off the boat? She was so scared! So scared! "Please!" One of the officers called. "I need more women and children." And then her Daddy was there and he leant down. "Where is your mother?" Eliza told him and he said he would go and hurry her up. "Don't move." He repeated to her. And she was left waiting again. And this time it was for even longer. She watched, scared, as people were running about the place and getting hysterical. Tears fell even harder, and now she started to cry. Why were her parents taking so long? "MAMA!" she cried. "MAMA!" And then he was there. Cal. He looked at her, and then started to move off, and then he turned back, and leant over to pick her up, awkwardly patting her on the back. "There, there." He said, and then he carried her to a boat, whilst she cried wondering where her mother was? "Please, I'm all she has in this world." He told the crewmen, who then waved him into the boat. As the boat was lowered she cried, and cried for her Mama and her Papa.
"Eliza?" Cal's voice brought her back to the present. "Are you alright?"
Eliza swallowed hard, and nodded slowly. She couldn't tell him what she had just remembered, and even if she could she didn't have the words to describe it properly. Cal had saved her life, yes, but he'd taken her without her parent's permission. They may have come back from the cabin to find her gone, and then they had drowned on the ship!
"Anyway, like I was saying that was only my first thought. I am not sure what I will be doing over there, and I don't think I can have the responsibility of you also." Cal explained.
'You should have thought of that before you took me off the sinking ship!' Eliza thought, but didn't speak.
"So I'm going to have to leave you here." Cal said, tapping his fingers on the desk thoughtfully. "Now, I did think about what kind of work you could do? I don't want to leave you as a servant or maid somewhere, so I was wondering-how would you feel about becoming a governess' assistant and then becoming a governess yourself? You got excellent marks in all areas of schooling."
Eliza struggled to bring her mind back to the present, and not to a cold April night. "A governess?" She repeated, remembering her old governess. It didn't seem like it would be hard work?
"A governess." Cal confirmed. "Are you sure you're alright Eliza? You're acting strangely."
Eliza took a deep breath. She realised then that she had two options. She could tell Cal what she had remembered and confront him about it and succeed in having herself turned out onto the streets with no idea about how to survive. Or she could swallow her memories, and take the opportunity that he offered? As a governess she would be able to earn her own money, and then get away from Cal.
"A governess would be good sir." Eliza said. "But do you think I could do something like that? I'm not exactly...a lady sir."
Cal frowned. "Eliza if I didn't think you could do it do you think I would offer? It just happens that a friend of mine has a governess who is prepared to accept you as her assistant. If you learn from her then you can be a governess yourself in a year or so. I have spoken to your headmistress about this, and she thinks that it would be a good idea also.." He looked at her thoughtfully. Why was she acting so strangely?
"I would like that sir." Eliza said formally.
Cal nodded, glad it was settled, and knowing that he could go off to Europe for the year knowing that she would be alright, but wondering what was wrong with the girl? She was acting so coldly and strangely all of a sudden! Thank god, he thought, he didn't have children of his own if they were so hot and cold!