Chapter 4 - JAMES SPARROW
Jonathan wasn't fairing as well. Upon exiting the parlor he had been informed that his presence was expected in his father's office immediately. He started the miserable climb up the stairs. The women's apparent merriment was a mystery.
(What was in that tea?)
James Sparrow had been born into "the right family." He had inherited the family properties including interests in the colonies, a plantation in Jamaica and several coal mines all of which had been turned over to the direction of his two elder sons Charles and Adam as his position on the Court of Directors of the East India Company left little time for he family businesses. James considered himself a family man. His wife and children were very important to him. There were rules he expected his children to follow. Obedience wasn't optional. If the rules were followed things were fine. If they weren't it got ugly. Unfortunately for his children James never gave them the entire rulebook. Frequently it was only when they got summoned to the office did they know an infraction of the rules had been made. This was not one of those times. Jonathan couldn't remember his father ever mentioning pregnant women but his thought was that his father wasn't summoning him to offer congratulations.
"You never told me not to" probably wasn't going to work this time. Jonathan likened his trip upstairs to that of a man being led to the gallows and wondered if he would be offered a hood upon entrance. He knocked, was given permission to enter, sat and fidgeted.
Would he ever feel like an adult in his father's presence?
"Jonathan stop talking to yourself."
"I'm not!" He shrank at his fathers scowl. "Yes Sir."
James looked up from the invaluable document of the moment. "Stop tapping your foot."
Jonathan's foot froze. "Yes Sir."
The document again received James' full attention. His father did not look up. "Put that down."
"Yes Sir." The boy replaced the heavy glass paperweight and leaned back in his chair rocking it on its two back legs as he glanced out the window.
"Preferably not on the report I am reading."
"Oh! Yes Sir. Sorry Sir." He moved to bring the chair forward and stand but lost balance. Both Jonathan and the chair fell backward.
Oh my God. Not good, he thought and a second later found himself on his back. Sitting on the chair on his back with his legs in the air he didn't know whether to ask permission to get up or not.
James Sparrow rose from his chair slowly and looked down on his youngest son. "How in the Hell did you ever get a girl pregnant boy?"
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Sparrow lay together on the sitting-room sofa discussing the day they thought would be the most trying day of their lives. Sidi was giddy.
"She wants a church wedding too."
Jonathan frowned. "That would make 3 weddings."
"So?" She was thrilled at the idea. She never thought she'd even have one. "Your father was so kind. I can't believe the darro he is offering.
Oh! Papa is going to like this so much."
"They're not prideful or arrogant people" (and Mother must have threatened him)
He responded amazed at how well his father did react to the situation. His father was not a demonstrative warm man but his children knew he would do anything and everything for them. Jonathan knew that he was his father's favorite.
"He likes you. Obviously he thinks you're worth it." ( and he's got lots of experience in paying for women.. )
The darro was practically nothing. But it was more than he could afford n an apprentice cartographer's salary so he was grateful to his father for his generosity. He was glad that it made her feel so valuable. No more Marime hopefully.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" He detected a hint of amusement in her voice.
Is there any chance your mum was pregnant...." Sidi laughed and hit him with a pillow before he could finish. "Don't you ever tell anyone about that. I promised not to tell." Jonathan rolled his eyes. "As if anyone in all of England didn't know already." He mused.
He rolled on top of her. Romanes lesson he said. "Wife." "Romni" she responded "Husband?" "Rom." He started groping her again. "Well since you are my Romni how about we go upstairs in my room and.uh.what's the word?"
She pulled him up "Oh stop." He kissed her.
Next - Mama and Papa
Jonathan wasn't fairing as well. Upon exiting the parlor he had been informed that his presence was expected in his father's office immediately. He started the miserable climb up the stairs. The women's apparent merriment was a mystery.
(What was in that tea?)
James Sparrow had been born into "the right family." He had inherited the family properties including interests in the colonies, a plantation in Jamaica and several coal mines all of which had been turned over to the direction of his two elder sons Charles and Adam as his position on the Court of Directors of the East India Company left little time for he family businesses. James considered himself a family man. His wife and children were very important to him. There were rules he expected his children to follow. Obedience wasn't optional. If the rules were followed things were fine. If they weren't it got ugly. Unfortunately for his children James never gave them the entire rulebook. Frequently it was only when they got summoned to the office did they know an infraction of the rules had been made. This was not one of those times. Jonathan couldn't remember his father ever mentioning pregnant women but his thought was that his father wasn't summoning him to offer congratulations.
"You never told me not to" probably wasn't going to work this time. Jonathan likened his trip upstairs to that of a man being led to the gallows and wondered if he would be offered a hood upon entrance. He knocked, was given permission to enter, sat and fidgeted.
Would he ever feel like an adult in his father's presence?
"Jonathan stop talking to yourself."
"I'm not!" He shrank at his fathers scowl. "Yes Sir."
James looked up from the invaluable document of the moment. "Stop tapping your foot."
Jonathan's foot froze. "Yes Sir."
The document again received James' full attention. His father did not look up. "Put that down."
"Yes Sir." The boy replaced the heavy glass paperweight and leaned back in his chair rocking it on its two back legs as he glanced out the window.
"Preferably not on the report I am reading."
"Oh! Yes Sir. Sorry Sir." He moved to bring the chair forward and stand but lost balance. Both Jonathan and the chair fell backward.
Oh my God. Not good, he thought and a second later found himself on his back. Sitting on the chair on his back with his legs in the air he didn't know whether to ask permission to get up or not.
James Sparrow rose from his chair slowly and looked down on his youngest son. "How in the Hell did you ever get a girl pregnant boy?"
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Sparrow lay together on the sitting-room sofa discussing the day they thought would be the most trying day of their lives. Sidi was giddy.
"She wants a church wedding too."
Jonathan frowned. "That would make 3 weddings."
"So?" She was thrilled at the idea. She never thought she'd even have one. "Your father was so kind. I can't believe the darro he is offering.
Oh! Papa is going to like this so much."
"They're not prideful or arrogant people" (and Mother must have threatened him)
He responded amazed at how well his father did react to the situation. His father was not a demonstrative warm man but his children knew he would do anything and everything for them. Jonathan knew that he was his father's favorite.
"He likes you. Obviously he thinks you're worth it." ( and he's got lots of experience in paying for women.. )
The darro was practically nothing. But it was more than he could afford n an apprentice cartographer's salary so he was grateful to his father for his generosity. He was glad that it made her feel so valuable. No more Marime hopefully.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" He detected a hint of amusement in her voice.
Is there any chance your mum was pregnant...." Sidi laughed and hit him with a pillow before he could finish. "Don't you ever tell anyone about that. I promised not to tell." Jonathan rolled his eyes. "As if anyone in all of England didn't know already." He mused.
He rolled on top of her. Romanes lesson he said. "Wife." "Romni" she responded "Husband?" "Rom." He started groping her again. "Well since you are my Romni how about we go upstairs in my room and.uh.what's the word?"
She pulled him up "Oh stop." He kissed her.
Next - Mama and Papa