Elizabeth glanced around her just then. "Anne..where's Anne?"
"She left here in a fury of rage, I think to find Sarah and drag her kicking and screaming home."
"No, Anne, don't!!" Elizabeth cried out, glancing in the direction of the horse, "Don't!!" Samuel grabbed her hand and they both raced to the house.
"Where are you going?" Mrs. Radcliffe asked them. "Where ARE you going?!"
"We're going to pick out appropriate outfits for next week," Samuel said. "After all, I can't watch my only child get married in animal skins, now can I?"
"I need a new dress!" Elizabeth cried. "We have to find out somehow where the marriage is.."
"Wait, wait, wait," Mrs. Radcliffe said, "You can't be APPROVING of this?!"
"What other choice do we have?" Elizabeth asked her.
"He's a pauper, he's of LOWER CLASS decent.."
"He loves our daughter, and she loves him."
"He has no socal background.."
"He has talent and motivation, and he has taken great care of our daughter all these years."
"What will society say about this?"
Samuel turned around just then, his eyes blazing with fury. "Emily," he addressed her, "Do us all a favor..GO AWAY, will you?"
"But if you'll just see..."
"No, YOU see," Elizabeth broke in, "For your information, Emily Radcliffe, there are many things about my daughter you do not even know..there are many things about ME that you do not know either!!"
"I only know society can NOT allow a proper, upper-class person to marry a pauper.."
"I WAS A PAUPER!!"
"All together now..." Henri said, trying to conduct the men with fifes and young women gathered around him to provide the music for the ceremony. " And this time, play something romantic..Un, deux, trois, quatre..."
The fifes began to play. One nof the woman stepped forward, "There are many ways, to say.."
"NO, No, sacre blu..ANYTHING but that!!"
The people looked at one another and started again, playing a tender love song. The they played, 'Abide With Me'. Henri nodded approval. "Tre bien, that's good!! We use those.."
"Henri, you're doing far to much," Sarah said, laughing as she came forward.
"Sarah," Henri said, running over to her. "You are back. 'Ow was your interview with General Washington go?"
"Wonderful. Actually, James interviewed the general and I interviewed his wife, Martha. We're going to combine our stories for the front page."
"Actually, mine wil be going first," James said in his very old, cocky way, coming toward them proudly.
"No, MINE will," Sarah said, instinctively leaning forward. Henri gave the musicians a look that said plainly, 'Not again!' He thought they were both all finished woth this competeing and bickering over which story was the best.
"Please, Sarah, let's not forget WHO'S paper this really is."
"But the readers are NOT loudmouths, unlike some people I know."
"Cute, but mine is superior!"
"Oh, can you spell 'superior'?" Suddenly, James grabbed Sarah's face in his hands and gave her a passionate kiss right on her lips. They broke away, then both began to burst into peals of laughter, joined shortly after by Henri.
"You know I'm just kidding," James said, laughing. "Of COURSE your story is going right next to mine. I'd have no one else's there."
"Actually, that broughtt back quite a lot of memories," she said, laughing again.
"It did, didn't it?" James agreed as his eyes began to wander. "Remember that time we were delivering the mail for Dr. Franklin, and we bickered over who was twice the rider?"
"And at the end I said I wanted to kiss you and you said you suffered enough at the hands of the British."
James tenderly drew Sarah close to him. "But I'll take some suffering now. Give me some more suffering."
Sarah smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "How much do you want to suffer?"
"Torture me until I almost die," he whispered as he kissed her deeply and tenderly.He reached down upon the ground and lifted up a small bouquet of flowers. "For my bride-to-be."
"For that I'll kill you," she laughed, kissing him with all the love she had in her heart.
Samuel came into the room, to be greeted by the sight of Elizabeth staring out at the window. He came over to his wife very slowly and put his arm around her. "Are you all right, Dear?"
She shook her head. "I don't think I'm ready for this yet, Samuel. Oh, I know she's of age now and it's time she settled down and married..but I'm just not ready for her to become a wife yet. I mean, these years went by far too quick. It was only yesterday she was a tiny baby who could barely walk..now look at her all grown up, getting married..in only a few days!" She felt the tears come to her eyes. "Oh, Samuel, where DOES the time go?!"
Samuel drew her near in a tender hug. "If I remember correctly, your mother was saying the exact same thing when I married you."
"My mother was very understanding of this..why didn 't she think I would be. If I were to oppose of this marriage, I myself would be a hippocrite."
Samuel sighed. "We honestly have to tell her the truth. We should keep it from her no longer."
"Yes..now if only we can find her and talk to her..preferably before her ceremony."
Mrs. Radcliffe burst through the door angrily. "Elizabeth..what WAS that exactly that you just said?"
She whirled around to face her. "You heared me, Emily."
"A pauper..YOU, Elizabeth?"
After a pause, she stepped forward. "Yes..it's true."
Sybil and her family were preparing happily for the ceremony that was to take place in only a few days. Jessica grabbed several peanuts and took them over to the basket to shell. Henri walked past her while he was trying to come up with his toast after the ceremony and he grabbed one, popping it into his mouth.
"Hey, those are for James and Sarah!"
"I only took one peanut, I was hungry!"
"Well, couldn't you wait a few days and eat something else instead, I need those peanuts!"
Henri took the peanut out of his mouth. "All right, I'll put it back." He began to drop it back in the basket.
"Oh, Henri, that's disgusting!" Henri laughed and ate the peanut. Sarah came down the stairs just then.
"You're all working so hard, here, let me help."
"No, Sarah, you've done enough. You're the bride!"
"But let me, I can help you shell or stir.."
"No, no, no. Weddings are a gift, this is our gift from us to both you and James. All you have to do it sit down and let us know if this meets with your approval."
Sarah smiled and sat down as Jessica put some gravy down in front of her. "Let us know what you think of this gravy, Sarah, it's been sitting all night." Sarah took a small spoon and tasted the gravy.
"It's very good."
"Great, we can use it to pour over the turkey and green beans."
"The yeast for the corn bread is ready."
"Good, put it by the window."
"Did you get the ingredients for the cake?"
"They're right in the cupboard, Sybil."
James came in then with Moses and Mrs. Adams. "Hello, all." Henri and Sarah raced over to him. Henri gave him a bear hug, Sarah reached over and kissed him.
"Hello, Sarah," Mrs. Adams said happily.
"Hi, Sarah. So, Henri, are you ready to go for wedding clothes?"
"But Moses.."
"Henri, let's go," Moses said.
"Come on, Henri, you have to have some new clothes if you want to be my best man."
"Don't see why I need a new outfit I will never wear again." he mumbled.
"Come on, James, let's see if we can get you a crevat that fits."
"Oh, but wait, wait," James said, withdrawing a box from his pocket. "I finally was able to save the shillings from the paper and was able to buy Sarah her wedding ring. I just want to make sure it fits." He opened the box and took out a simple pewter ring. It may have been small, but to Sarah it was beautiful. It reminded her of the locket that was still around her neck, so simple, yet so meaningful. Gentily he lifted her left and and slid it onto the left hand.
"James," she whispered happily
"Fits you perfectly," he smiled. "Like it was made just for you."
"I love you," she said simply, tears forming in her eyes. "James Hiller, I love you." James took her in his arms.
"I love you, too." He kissed her deeply. She took off the ring and gave it back to him."Well, Henri, now the ring is in your hands until the ceremony. DON'T loose it!!"
"I promise, I will NOT let it out of my sight!" he took the ring . Just as James was turning to go, the door then burst open and an obviously wealthy, well-dressed woman with brown hair that was mussed up from traveling in the wind stood before them, angry beyond belief..
"SARAH!" She yelled, pointing to her cousin.
Sarah heaved a small sigh as she slowly stood up. She knew she was gonna have to family eventually, but she was hoping it would be a little later.
Like after the ceremony.
She looked at the eyes of her furious cousin. "Hello, Anne," she said, trying to sound normal. "Uh..have you met my friends.."
"Don't change the subject.."
"Oh, you're her cousin," Sybil said, trying to be polite..but Anne shoved her out of her way and almost knocked her into the wall. "Won't you come in?" she asked.
Anne stormed over to Sarah and looked into her green eyes. "Tel me the rumers I am hearing about you aren't true.." she began. "And I promise not to kill you."
Sarah just stared into Anne's eyes, then moved over to James, holding his hand. "Yes..it's true. May I introduce my fiancé, James Hiller. James, dearest, this is my cousin, Anne Phillips."
James stepped forward and held out his hand. "Nice to met you." Anne angrily slepped it away and pulled Sarah away from James.
"What is the MATTER with you?!" she demanded. "Are you INSANE?! You..daughter of one of the most respected majors of London, about to marry THIS person?! He..he's a commonor!!"
Sarah stared with no expression on her face. "That doesn't come as a great SHOCK, Anne. Yes, I'm going to marry a commonor, a commonor I'm in LOVE with!"
"LOVE?! Cousin, you can't be serious!"
"I most certainly am! Did you come for an invitation to the wedding?"
Anne stared, almost as if she couldn't believe what was happening in front of her. "What about Tom?' she asked with all the control she could muster. James stiffened, but Sarah gentily squeesed his hand and gave him a loving look. "SARAH!! Have you forgotten my dearest brother, YOUR OWN COUSIN, who gave his life..his LIFE, Sarah, at the hands of these people!" she pointed to James.
"These people?!" Sarah asked angrily. "James had nothing to do with Tom's death, he wasn't there, he didn't pull the trigger."
"His people did! These Americans, who were responsible for our king going mad, who was responsible fr the death of my own brother..Tom, may he rest in peace...I only hope he can't see you right now and the disgrace you're making of your family.."
"By marrying someone I love?!"
"By marrying someone outside of your breed, someone who is not worthy of us.."
"He's worthy of ME!!"Sarah said.
"How are you living?!"
"I have my own newspaper," James broke in. "It's doing very well." Anne just stared and burst out laughing, making both James and Sarah frown in anger. "What's so funny?"
"A NEWSPAPER?! And, Sarah..you're going to marry..oh you're joking, of course! All right now, the joke is now over. Stop this nonsense and come home."
"It's NOT a joke, Anne."
"A newspaper..Tom dies....your mother brought you up..to marry..a paper boy..nothing more than a PAPER BOY!"
"Hey.." Moses said, coming forward.
"You little, foolish..this is ust about the stupidest..you ave pulled SOME stunts in your life..but this TAKES the cake, I can not BELIEVE what I just heared!! You instantly forgot your dear cousin.."
"I haven't forgoten him..but James had nothing to do with.."
"But you turned away from your own family..from where you grew up.."
'I had to stand for freedom.."
"Freedom..try TRAITOR!! You backstabbing, horrid, disobediant, wench!!"
James stood directly in front of her at those words, angrier than he had ever been. "YOU DON'T TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!!" he yelled.
"I'll talk nto anyone any way I want to!" Anne said. "Who are you to order me around anyway? You have NO RIGHT to tell me that, just as you have no right to put your two cents in this conversation.."
"Anything that has to do with Sarah has to do wit me, too! We ARE getting married!"
'Not if I have anything to say about this! Get out of my face!"
"How about you get out of mine!"
"How about yu get out of this building?"
"EXCUSE ME!!" Henry Ludington said.
"I have just as much right to be in this building as anyone else here!"
"Not according to me, you don't. As far as I'm concerned, you do not even exist in front of me. You can just remove yourself right now."
"Don't listen to him, james," Sarah said, beginning to run to him, but Anne pulled her away.
"Don't you DARE touch him."
Sarah shrugged off her arm. "LET GO OF ME!!"
"Look what he's done to you, did you just hear yourself, SO unladylike!" Anne turned to James, "You see what you've just did?! You have brainwashed my cousin!!"
"I'VE brainwashed her?! I didn't do that!! She's made her own choices, she's made her own decisions, we're getting married, and she accepted me, I didn't force her."
"Yes, Anne, we're getting married in three days!"
"Not if your family has anyhting to say about this!!"
"What makes you think her family's going to know?" Sybil broke in.
Anne whirled around. "Stay out of this!"
"Why should I, they are my friends, this is my house!!"
"This may be your house, but this is my cousin, and like it or not, she is carrying the Phillips's name, a name she is DISGRACING with this behavior.."
"How am I disgracing it?!"
"You are from a prominent, upper-class family, wealthy people DO NOT marry poor ones!"
"I dispise that name, and the wealth that goes with it!"
"And instead you would choose to join your life to THIS?!"
"This?! I"M STILL IN THE ROOM!!" James said.
"Maybe you should leave then! Get out you paper boy!! I do NOT want you near my cousin or in MY FACE!! Get back to the dirt where you were raised!"
James stared for a moment as if her harsh words had slapped his face. He turned around and without another word stormed out. Sarah tried to follow him." James, James..James, please, she didn't mean any of that!!" But Anne grabbed her arm again. By the time Sarah shook her off again, he had gone. Angrily Sarah whirled around to face Anne. " I can't believe you just did that!!" she yelled. "How could you hurt him like that?!"
" How could you want to join your life to that?"
"THAT is a man, and I LOVE HIM!!"
"After his behavior just now you are good and rid of him, storming out in such a rude and uncouth manner.."
"Can you blame him?!" Mrs. Adams said angrily. "You hurt him deeply, that paper is his LIFE!"
Anne turned back to Sarah. "Now Sarah, listen to me, you'll forget about him.."
"No, I can't forget him, we're engaged.."
"NO, YOU'RE NOT!"
"YES, I AM!!!"
"You can NOT be, you are not permitted to be!"
"YOU, ANNE PHILIPS, ARE NOT MY MOTHER!!"
"But these are the rules of society, no one of your prestege and wealth would EVER marry someone like him His kind are all the same, no money for themselves, they had to resort to selfish behavior, such as stealing, and these colonies braking away from the very country that bore them, brainwashing people like you, so stupid, so foolish, so selfish..."
That was more than Sarah could bear. "STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!! HOW DARE YOU CALL JAMES SPOILED AND SELFISH?! HOW DARE YOU JUDGE HIM WHEN YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW HIM!! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS AN ORPHAN, AND WHEN I LOST FATHER'S LOCKET, HE TOOK HIS MOTHER'S RING, HIS MOST PRECIOUS TREASURE AND HE MADE ME THIS LOCKET TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER! HOW SELFISH IS THAT? TELL ME!!"
"Are you finished?" Anne said. "Now that that outburst is out of your system, you'll listen to me! Listen to me, a woman of your prestege and your background canot and should not marry a pauper, wether you love him or not."
"NO!!"
"Listen, in a family of our backgroud, love is not an issue. You may have strong feelings for this boy, but you can not have each other. You carry the Phillips name, this name is one we've carried throughout all of England, and it;s a name YOU must carry. For that reason, you and that boy cannot marry, society wil not recongize it. Tom knoew that, it;s one of the things he died for. That's why I must forbid this, society will say you are living in sin, do you want that? As long as you carry that name, you must marry according to your place in society."
Sarah listened, her eyes on the bridge of tears, her hands trembling. "So you see, you can't marry that paper boy.." Finally, she had had it, She raised her arm and slapped Anne clear accross the face. "Yeah, that's your temper coming out all over, you aught to be GLAD he's not marrying you. Now, come home, be a true English lady.." he tried to grab her hand, Sarah shook it away. "Sarah. Let's be true ladies.."
"I DESPISE THAT TITLE OF LADY.."
Anne grew even angrier. "DENY IT ALL YOU WANT, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE!!"
Sarah began to cry hysterically. "I HATE YOU!!" she yelled. "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!!!!!!" she turned and raced upstairs, slamming the door behind her.
"Slam that door all you want to, that's still the truth I'm telling you right now.." Anne called out. She turned around to face the gaping crowd, with their mouths slightly opened. Mrs. Adams came over.
"Anne Phillips, just because your family was rich and pretegous in London doesn't mean you have the power to run the rest of us. Evcer since you came into this house I've been DIEING to tell you just what I thought of you..and now.. Well..this being a Christain house I CAN'T SAY IT!" she raced upstairs after Sarah and held her tightly, letting her cry.
"She's just upset," Anne said. "Just let her get her temper out and she'll be back to her old self again, I'l be here to take her home. Good thing as well..she doesn't have to be with that paper boy.."
"That 'paper boy' has a name," Moses said. "And I want you to know I'mn sticking up for that boy. You DON'T know him, he's gt talent and determination, and I know he loves Sarah with all his heart. You had no right to say those thing you said!" With that, he grabbed his coat and started for the door.
"Where are you going?" Sybil asked.
"To find James," he called back.
"I'm going with you," Henri called, running after him, only stopping once in front of Anne. "Mean witch," he said, before he left.
"Such manners.." Anne said. "I'm so glad I'm going to get Sarah away from people like him." Sybil slammed her fist on the table. She stared at Anne.
"Get. Out. Of. My. House." she said slowly. Her brother stood up and slowly pointed toward the door. Anne gestured to it, and Derek pointed. She stood up to leave, but turned back.
"Now that's no way to.."
"GET OUT!!!" Sybil cried out. "Anne Phillips, get out of my house!!"
"This nis the door, you may use it," Her father said, opening the door, Anne walked out.
"You can be sure her family will know of this."
"Yes, you tell them," he said. "But also WHY we do this!" He closed the door on her. Mrs. Adams came down the stairs.
"Poor dear is absolutely hysterical."
"Well of of course she is, her whole world just fell apart!!"
The children started to cry. "No weding, no wedding!!"
"What about all oru decorations? Our food?!"
"I wouldn't say NO wedding.."
"What, you heared Anne and those 'society rules', she can't marry him, society can't permit it."
"So, no wedding."
"Well.."Mrs. Adams said carefully. "There might be a way, Sybil, if I give you the address where my husband is staying now, can you go get him for me? Please, bring him here, he's a lawyer, if there is any loophole in these rules, he'll help find it."
"Oh, yes, Mrs. Adams!" She raced to get her shawl.
"The rest of you, don't just stay around here!! We're going to have a wedding!!"
Moses traveled on his horse along the country, closely followed by Henri. "Sacre blu, what am I going to tell Jabert? We come all this way, no wedding."
"Let's worry about that later, Henri," Moses said, concerned. "Right now, let's just worry about James." Suddenly he saw him, sitting on a small grassy hill, doing nothing. Moses moved a little closer, it looked like he was crying. He WAS crying! He slowly dismounted from the horse, followed by Henri, looking a bit frightened. Not only did James rarely cry, it usually took quite a lot to make him cry. "James?' Moses said quietly, moving closer to him and putting his hand on his shoulder. James looked up through his tears.
"You heared her," James said angrily. "You heared what she said, 'get back to the dirt', to the dirt," he looked down. "I've heared that so many times, Moses, and every time it hurts more than the time before," he sighed. "Moses, maybe I was crazy to think that it could ever work out. That I can even have a future with Sarah. We come from different background, she was born wealthy, I was born poor, her cousin practically hit me..and that's just her cousin, can you imagine what her parents would say?!"
"That's no way to talk, James," Moses said.
"Yeah, that's no way to talk, you got to marry Sarah, Jabert spent so much money to come here and get you a nice present!" Moses gave him a look that told him to be quiet.
"That isn't the first time someone told me off like that..the reason the upper-class people treat me like dirt is because I AM DIRT!!"
"James I will NOT have you talk like that, you are NOT dirt!" Moses cried out. "Look at what you've done with yourself. You've learned a trade, you have your own paper. You rose up from the streets and made something out of yourself with your talent and determination, as far as I'm concerned, that is NOT dirt at all."
"But Moses, no matter how good the paper is, I'll never be as prestigous as her family. I'll never rate with them, as far as they're concerned, I'll never be nothing more than a lower-class peice of dirt who has no business around her, despite the fact that I love her and would take care of her..and I would die for her." He felt tears come up again. "Face it, I WAS crazy for even proposing to her in the first place..no matter how much we love each other.. we can't get married."
Moses put his arm around James. "That's just her cousin, we shouldn't judge her entire family on one person who is too blind to see what a decent and intelligent young man you really are. There's only one thing you've said that matters at all, you love Sarah, and she loves you.Sarah doesn't see you as dirt, she sees you for what you really are! Anne is completely judgemental and she has behaved abonimably. She had no right to say those things against you. Sarah still wants to marry you, despite everything." he stood up. "Come on, James, let's go back to the Ludingtons and try to work this whole thing out."
Mrs. Adams had finally convinced Sarah to come out of her room where she had been sobbing for hours and hours. She was now sitting on a chair away from the windows, sobbing quietly to herself."Don't worry, Sarah," Mrs. Adamsa whispered, holding her again. "If you truly, honestly love James, you WILL marry him. You WILL get married, this I promise you..we'll find a way, there's GOT to be a loophole, there HAS to be! "
Mr. Adams had come over as quickly as he could and was now mulling over the problem. "Well..." he began, "This is hard... I can't really think of a way out of this..apart from maybe changing her name.."
"Hey, why don't you tell me something I don't know?" Sybil said angrily. "I don't know that, why don't you tell me?"
"Well," he said, coming over to Sarah, who had looked up with interest. "As far as I can see, the problem just lays in the fact that her last name carries prestiege and upper-class power. If she were to drop that last name and take another one..say, one that had no upper-clas ties to it at all, than the prestege and money would legally no longer be hers..and she might be permited to marry James."
"Well..well..why can't we do that?!" Mrs. Adams said. "What if Sarah changes her name..if she were to take the name of a lower-class person, than she would be reguarded as lower-class..and than, Sarah, you can still marry James!!"
"Yes, yes!!" Sarah cried, standing up. "Yes!! Please, let's do that, I already hate that name and all the unhappiness it's given me! This name almost ruined my life, I no longer want it!!"
"Yes, yes!!" Sybil and her brothers and sisters cried out.
'Ok, OK," Mr. Adams said. "Now, if this is legal..and I see no reason why it wouldn't be..there's just one thing we have to decide on..what last name will she take?" Everyone grew silent, thinking. Finally Sybil cleared her throat loudly, coming over to Sarah. She cleared her throat again, and again.
"Sybil?" Mrs. Adams finally said. "Would you like to give Sarah YOUR last name?"
'Yes, please," Sybil said. "If she would like it."
"Yes, I do, I do," Sarah cried out happily, hugging her happily. "Oh, Sybil, thank you!!"
"So, now you're offically a Lundington. Welcome to the family sister!" She hugged her happily.
Sarah looked around her. "You know...I never had any brothers and sisters."
Sybil smiled. "You do now. It would be an honor for you to join our family..of lower class farmers." Sarah's eyes filled with happy tears. "Hey, come on, don't cry, don't cry." She hugged her happily. "You need your voice to say your wedding vows. Congradulations..and welcome to our family."
The door opened just then and Moses entered with Henri and James. Sarah leaped out of her seat. "JAMES!" She cried, running into his arms and giving him a passionate kiss.
James looked at her with surprise. "What was THAT for?!"
"Isn't that how you're supposed to greet your fiancé?"
"But..we can't be engaged...your cousin..society.."
"As far as I'm concerned, I no loner care about what society or any so-called cousin of mine might say..especially since she is my cousin no longer."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I've dropped my last name, James. We talked with Mr. Adams, and he said if I drop the last name Phillips and take a different name, a lower-class name, than I would no longer be associated with society and upper-class ways, and we can be married."
"We can?"
"You can, James," Mr. Adams said. "That is..if you still want to."
"Are you kidding? More than anything!!" He kissed her passionately. "But..what last name have you taken then?"
She smiled. "My name now is Sarah Ludington!"
He smiled. "Well, in that case, I've proposed marriage to the wrong person!" He cleared his throat and got down on one knee.
"Wait, wait," Mr. Ludington said. He went into his bedroom and came out a few seconds later, holding a small box in his hand. "You'll need a proper engagement ring." James took it and opened it. There, was a perfect diamond set in a pewter band. He smiled and took it. He knelt on one knee and lifted the ring in the air.
"Sarah Lucretia Ludington, will you marry me?"
She smiled. "Yes, James. In front of all these people, I'll marry you."
"Is it me, or did they already do this?" Henri whispered to Moses, who imidiately shushed him. James slid the ring on her finger.
"Do you love him, Sarah?" Mrs. Adams asked.
'I love him so much," Sarah said as James stood up. James had tears in his eyes.
"She loves me," he whispered as if he couldn't believe it. "And I love her..I'd die for you, Sarah." He drew her new and kissed her in front of all the people.