[A/N. I think I made a mistake with the dates. Eliza married Edward in
October 1933, but the last chapter should have said that it was February
1935 not 1934.]
Liverpool, England, August, 1935.
"Mrs. Gracie?" The young woman asked, startling Eliza. Even though she and Edward had been married for nearly two years "Mrs. Gracie" was the term Eliza attributed to her mother-in-law.
"Yes Jessica?" Eliza asked, putting down her knitting and glancing outside at the bright blue sky. It had been a lovely Sunday and she was disappointed that Edward had to work, otherwise they could have taken a walk or something. She was entering her sixth month of her second pregnancy and often felt restless.
"Young Ben is asleep. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go? Do you need me to get you another drink or something so you don't have to move too much?" Jessica asked.
Eliza smiled slightly. Whilst servants in England were an entirely different breed to servants in America as she had found out, Jessica was a real find. Even though she went home to her old mother every night she was there bright and early in the morning and Eliza had never had to punish her for anything. The other servant was the cook who also came in the morning and went home at night. After all the place wasn't exactly big enough to warrant a whole lot of servants. At least it wasn't anything like the home they'd been used to back in America! Plus money was tight with the business still finding its feet.
"No thanks Jessica. It will do me good to get up if I need a drink." Eliza said. "But thank you for asking."
"No problems Ma'am." Jessica said, and she bowed slightly and then left.
Eliza went back to her knitting for awhile, but then realised it was growing dark and switched on the lamp on the table next to her. A glance at the clock told her it was almost five-thirty, and Edward had said he would be home at about fourish. At five to six Eliza heard her husband's footsteps on the path outside the home. When he entered the small living room he threw her a sheepish glance. "I know, I know- I'm later than I had planned."
"That's alright. Was it a hard day?" Eliza asked, and she struggled to get to her feet to get her husband a drink.
"ELIZA!" He scolded. "I can get my own drink. Sit back down!"
Eliza laughed and then flopped gratefully back into her seat.
"So, I had another letter off my Father today. He is convinced that Hitler is going to cause trouble soon, although most of America are sticking their heads in the sand! I mean Hitler violated the treaty of Versailles in March by introducing military conscription. That doesn't sound like he's planning nothing does it?" Edward told Eliza as he sat on the couch nursing his brandy.
"What are Hitler's plans?" Eliza asked. She didn't read the papers very much since Edward was slightly old fashioned in his views that it wasn't healthy for women to know too much about things such as world affairs and politics.
"Who knows what Hitler's plans are?" Edward answered shaking his head. "To me he seems like a madman, but to the German people he's the answer to all their prayers. They too are in the grip of the depression and Hitler is giving them hope. And whatever his plans are for the rest of the world, he certainly seems to have grand plans for the Jews in Germany."
"He does?" Eliza repeated thoughtfully.
"Mmm. Back in 1933 he really began to persecute the Jews- we didn't hear about it too much in America since Roosevelt was taking the view that whatever Germany did within Germany was their right. But since coming over here, where we are a lot closer to the country I've heard a lot more. He opened concentration camps for the Jews, he burnt books which dealt with Jewish history, or were written by Jews, he boycotted Jewish shops.." Edward suddenly realised the way his wife was leaning forward in her chair, entranced. "Anyway, these matters are not matters for ladies ears."
"Just one thing though Edward- we are safe here aren't we?" Eliza asked.
"Of course." Edward assured his wife. "Hitler's crazy, but he's not stupid. He's not about to start a war with other countries."
"Oh well that's a relief." Eliza said, and she got laboriously to her feet, rubbing her aching back. "I'm sorry to be rude sweetie but I think I might get to bed. I'm tired and my back is giving me trouble."
Edward hurried to get to his feet too, and he kissed his wife gently as she went off to bed. He sank back into the chair and wondered if he had done the right thing by assuring Eliza that Hitler had no plans to start a war. General thoughts indicated that Hitler wanted to invade countries near him, such as Poland, and Colonel Gracie had agreed with this in his letter to Edward: "I fear that Hitler could do something sometime. I know everyone is denying it, but as a military man I have my suspicions about him! If anything starts you must come home at once with Eliza and little Ben. My business is not important when faced with my family being in danger." At the moment there was no danger, but Edward was convinced that if trouble appeared imminent Eliza and Ben would be on the first ship back to America!
Liverpool, England, August, 1935.
"Mrs. Gracie?" The young woman asked, startling Eliza. Even though she and Edward had been married for nearly two years "Mrs. Gracie" was the term Eliza attributed to her mother-in-law.
"Yes Jessica?" Eliza asked, putting down her knitting and glancing outside at the bright blue sky. It had been a lovely Sunday and she was disappointed that Edward had to work, otherwise they could have taken a walk or something. She was entering her sixth month of her second pregnancy and often felt restless.
"Young Ben is asleep. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go? Do you need me to get you another drink or something so you don't have to move too much?" Jessica asked.
Eliza smiled slightly. Whilst servants in England were an entirely different breed to servants in America as she had found out, Jessica was a real find. Even though she went home to her old mother every night she was there bright and early in the morning and Eliza had never had to punish her for anything. The other servant was the cook who also came in the morning and went home at night. After all the place wasn't exactly big enough to warrant a whole lot of servants. At least it wasn't anything like the home they'd been used to back in America! Plus money was tight with the business still finding its feet.
"No thanks Jessica. It will do me good to get up if I need a drink." Eliza said. "But thank you for asking."
"No problems Ma'am." Jessica said, and she bowed slightly and then left.
Eliza went back to her knitting for awhile, but then realised it was growing dark and switched on the lamp on the table next to her. A glance at the clock told her it was almost five-thirty, and Edward had said he would be home at about fourish. At five to six Eliza heard her husband's footsteps on the path outside the home. When he entered the small living room he threw her a sheepish glance. "I know, I know- I'm later than I had planned."
"That's alright. Was it a hard day?" Eliza asked, and she struggled to get to her feet to get her husband a drink.
"ELIZA!" He scolded. "I can get my own drink. Sit back down!"
Eliza laughed and then flopped gratefully back into her seat.
"So, I had another letter off my Father today. He is convinced that Hitler is going to cause trouble soon, although most of America are sticking their heads in the sand! I mean Hitler violated the treaty of Versailles in March by introducing military conscription. That doesn't sound like he's planning nothing does it?" Edward told Eliza as he sat on the couch nursing his brandy.
"What are Hitler's plans?" Eliza asked. She didn't read the papers very much since Edward was slightly old fashioned in his views that it wasn't healthy for women to know too much about things such as world affairs and politics.
"Who knows what Hitler's plans are?" Edward answered shaking his head. "To me he seems like a madman, but to the German people he's the answer to all their prayers. They too are in the grip of the depression and Hitler is giving them hope. And whatever his plans are for the rest of the world, he certainly seems to have grand plans for the Jews in Germany."
"He does?" Eliza repeated thoughtfully.
"Mmm. Back in 1933 he really began to persecute the Jews- we didn't hear about it too much in America since Roosevelt was taking the view that whatever Germany did within Germany was their right. But since coming over here, where we are a lot closer to the country I've heard a lot more. He opened concentration camps for the Jews, he burnt books which dealt with Jewish history, or were written by Jews, he boycotted Jewish shops.." Edward suddenly realised the way his wife was leaning forward in her chair, entranced. "Anyway, these matters are not matters for ladies ears."
"Just one thing though Edward- we are safe here aren't we?" Eliza asked.
"Of course." Edward assured his wife. "Hitler's crazy, but he's not stupid. He's not about to start a war with other countries."
"Oh well that's a relief." Eliza said, and she got laboriously to her feet, rubbing her aching back. "I'm sorry to be rude sweetie but I think I might get to bed. I'm tired and my back is giving me trouble."
Edward hurried to get to his feet too, and he kissed his wife gently as she went off to bed. He sank back into the chair and wondered if he had done the right thing by assuring Eliza that Hitler had no plans to start a war. General thoughts indicated that Hitler wanted to invade countries near him, such as Poland, and Colonel Gracie had agreed with this in his letter to Edward: "I fear that Hitler could do something sometime. I know everyone is denying it, but as a military man I have my suspicions about him! If anything starts you must come home at once with Eliza and little Ben. My business is not important when faced with my family being in danger." At the moment there was no danger, but Edward was convinced that if trouble appeared imminent Eliza and Ben would be on the first ship back to America!