While reading some fics….I noticed that no one has written any that dealt with the Friends in Revolutionary times. Which is where I step in….The good news is that I have one or two more chapters written. The bad news, I am at a block for my other fics….But hopefully will write later. Or finish them.
And I do not mind constructive criticism about my fics, I do not like nor appreciate….OOC fiction whiners
This is fiction. If you do not like it then ok, but I never claimed to be a writer of Friends magnitude. And I just write what I want to write about. So unless the reasons are valid or the like, like watch punctuation and spelling or your history needs to be boned up on, then it is not constructive and will be ignored.
Not constructive is , they are not in their character or that would never happen, etc. It is fiction, not fact or the TV show! So live with it or ignore it! And BTW: I will write how I want to write and no one is going to tell me that is a wrong match! It is my prerogative gotta love that song
Disclaimer I do not own Friends, the characters or the concept, I am only borrowing them.
Now all will be explained in this fic, if you read it…..All I will say is that it is set during the American Revolutionary time.
~1765~
Atlantic Ocean
Dawn was breaking over the horizon, as the giant mass of land that was known as the "New World" or the Colonies came into view from the almost deserted deck of the ship, Atlantis. The huge sailing ship was nearly finished with her seven-month journey to the Colonies.
Monica Geller was on the deck of the ship during the mid morning, standing close to her father, when she saw the Colonies come into view. Her mother would not come out of the bottom of the ship. She'd barely left the cramped cabin that the family had been given. Trying to deny that they had left England. Meanwhile, Ross had been suffering from seasickness the entire trip, so he barely came up at all. The times that he did, he ended up throwing up over the side of the ship.
At first the land was just a speck in the distance, but the speck grew and before Monica knew it, they'd arrived in the New York shipyard. It was a huge and very busy place. On the land, people were working hard on the docks, while at sea, there were many different ships around, as well as other kinds of sea traffic.
There was one English Navy ship docked to receive supplies, river traffic, which were ferries and a lot of fishing boats, but the yard was mainly occupied by English merchant vessels that traveled from many different lands, filled with many different cargos. If any other ships came into the shipyard from other countries, then they would have to pay a hefty charge or tax, and that was why most people had some goods smuggled in. It was illegal but very profitable.
Among those cargos were molasses, sugar, raw materials, food, and much more. At least that's what Monica's father had told her. He used read books and newspapers in the library near their former home back in London. A bittersweet smile touched Monica's lips when she thought of her life back in London. She was going to miss all of her family, as she knew that they were going to be separated once they landed on shore, and she was never going to see them again.
All she would have after today were the memories.
Monica breathed in the sea air and sighed, remembering how she and her family had come to be indentured servants. Her grandfather on her mother's side, had bet a lot of money on seven different horse races, much more money than either family had. In short he had bankrupted both families into poverty. After doing so, he took a pistol to his head and ended his life, leaving Jack Geller to pay off his father-in-law's debts.
Even with them selling off all of their land and other investments, including her father's huge blacksmithing shop and his shipping business that he had inherited, and all of their possessions, there was no way for him to pay off the money that his father-in-law owed. Finally, the courts ordered them to be sold as indentured servants and sent to the Colonies to work off their debts. Which would take seven years.
Jack, who was forty-two, took the news sadly, but he grew up working hard to make his blacksmithing business the best in the land. He was not new to hardships and he was resigned to his fate. But he was worried about the others.
Judy, who never had to work a day in her life, except to cook and to run a household, took the news the hardest, as she was used to all the good things in life. And this servitude would undoubtedly have nothing but labor. She wanted to stay in England, but none of her 'friends' would help her out. So she had cried for a long while before, during and after she was sold on the English docks to the ships captain who bought them all, then alternated between shock and denial during the whole trip to the Colonies.
Ross, who had just turned twenty, was still under his father's roof and was also sold. He was the most educated of the family. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could work in a library or as an accountant for some wealthy landowner or lawyer. If not, then he would have a job as a farm hand, something which he was never trained for.
Monica was just fourteen and a half, and could be trained as anything. She already knew how to run a household and how to cook. And thanks to her father, she was educated. He taught her how to read, write and speak two different languages, history of all kinds and geography. Not to mention, he taught her about government, politics, and complicated numbers. (Something that was frowned upon as unladylike during that age and time)
Out of everyone, Jack was worried about Monica the most. She was young and pretty. A man could buy her and use her in any number of ways. As a maid, an assistant cook, a personal attendant to his wife or daughter, a laundress, a tavern wench, or she could even be bought as a wife for a man or a mistress for another. She was pretty enough for that. With her small and thin stature, dark hair, pale skin and blue eyes, she would undoubtedly grow to be a beauty. But what really worried him was that Monica was too strong willed, and would speak her mind. And because of that, she would likely feel the back of a hand across her face. Her father hugged her and sighed.
"Monica, listen to me. When we get sold, you are to always keep your temper in check and mind your master and mistress is that clear? Do you understand?" Monica had a tendency to give everyone her opinion on everything. Often not thinking when she did so.
"Yes, dad." Monica replied hugging him back. She wanted to stay with him as much as she could. Who knew when or if she would ever see him again?
~*~
Bing Townhouse, New York
A tall, fairly well built, tanned nineteen-year old man entered a room, carrying a three-horned dark blue hat. He wore a very fashionable suit. The overcoat, britches and vest were dark blue, and his shoes were also the same color. He wore a white shirt, socks and a powered wig. The suit's color brought out his blue eyes more.
Since it was a hot day, Chandler Bing took off his overcoat and vest and threw his three cornered hat and wig on the table. After taking it off, he then tied his brown hair in the back with a blue ribbon, much the same way that most people wore their hair. While in the city, he wore the uncomfortable formal clothes, and when he was at home on the farm, he wore the simpler casual clothes.
Chandler then sat down at the table and started to enjoy a cup of tea and began reading a newspaper, the Boston Gazette. Even though it was New York, Chandler ordered his paper special from Boston. To him, the New York papers were too easy on the English government and ready to give a conservative opinion of everything around them. At least Boston had some free thinkers, who expressed their opinions.
He sighed heavily. When would the king and Parliament ever learn that their policies were not making anyone favorable toward them? Things like the Stamp Act and Sugar taxes were doing nothing except alienating the government from the people. Although they had been repealed, Chandler felt that things would not change in the government. It seemed as though as time went on, their policies kept getting worse.
It was then that Chandler's good friend Joey ran in. "I have the list of the indentured servants that are to be sold off that you wanted." Joey had many friends that worked on the docks and at the auction, so Chandler got the lists ahead of time, before anyone else did.
Joey was the same age as his friend but a bit smaller in stature than Chandler, and had a stronger build. He was tanned, a bit darker than Chandler, had black hair and dark brown eyes. While Chandler begrudgingly wore formal clothes, Joey was able to wear simpler, and lighter clothes. Which included brown cotton britches, with a white shirt and a simple three-cornered brown hat and a pair of brown boots.
Joey was Chandler's best friend, and was the one who ran the plantation if Chandler was gone. Joey had grown up the son of an immigrant on the plantation, who happened to be the barrel maker for the county since he had worked off his indenture, and Joey was thus trained with Chandler how to run it, and the two were almost inseparable.
They not only were taught how to run the plantation, but how to ride, shoot and fish. Often, when they were growing up, you could find the both of them riding, wrestling, racing, fishing, swimming or even hunting. When they grew older, they also got drunk together, spending a lot of time down at the tavern and they even got into their first fight together. Although Joey's reading was not very good, he could still read and write a little, which was a lot more than a lot of others in the colonies at that time, but only the very basic. And that left Chandler with the business of doing the accounting books.
They had both traveled into New York from the plantation. Chandler, to meet his mother who was visiting him for two days from Philadelphia, and Joey to sell the harvest for money and to trade as well. So they could buy supplies that could not be made on the plantation and to put the rest of their earnings back in the bank. Almost everything on the plantation could be made, so they would not be in town long.
In fact, they were going to have to go back first thing in the morning. Both of them hated to leave the plantation for long periods of time. Even though Joey had just arrived there that day, he had already sold all of the harvest. Chandler had just arrived three days earlier, mainly to see his mother who had stopped by the city on one of her trips. Nora Tyler Bing liked nothing better than to go to the bigger cities. In the Colonies, Nora often traveled to Boston in the north (although it happened to be a little too strict for her) Charlestown and Richmond in the south, (which were both too laid back), and New York, which was the metropolitan center of the Colonies, but lacked the liberal attitude of Philadelphia, which was where she made her home. She would also travel to Paris or London. Out of the two, she preferred Paris, because she lived to buy the latest fashions, materials, furnishings and delicacies.
The plantation was so big, it was like a small town, and needed a blacksmith to live on it full time. A blacksmith would not only make horseshoes and shoe the horses but also repair wheels and spokes, and even repair other equipment and tools. The blacksmith was a very integral part of the plantation. He would even have his own shop and his own house separate from the other buildings. So he was looked up to and many families tried to get their children apprenticed under him. Chandler knew he needed to find an accomplished blacksmith, one that could begin working right away.
And since the housekeeper, Mary was getting older, Chandler had decided that it would be a good idea if she had someone to train to follow in her footsteps of running the house, so that after she retired, which would be doing in about three years, there would already be someone who would know how the plantation was run, and he would not have to go and hire someone new.
Besides his Grandfather and Grandmother, Mary was the person who really raised Chandler. His mother was off in other cities, and had no time for him, and his father was often in London, lobbying for the colonies. Chandler barely even knew his father when he was growing up. Chandler was raised with more liberal values, and always provided for his employees when they retired, whether it be a home with some land or some money and a ticket to anywhere they wished to go.
Mary kept track of everything, from the servants, to the food, the preparation of what was cooked, how everything was cleaned, preparations to be made for winter with the storage of foods, kept tabs on all the household help, and the cooling house, the weaving shed, the spinning and the sewing room, and the smokehouse, the springhouse, where the hams and other meat was smoked and prepared, and the ice house. Every winter, the servants would go and cut into ice on the river and bring blocks of it home and store it up in the icehouse.
The servant auction would not start for another three hours. So Joey and Chandler sat down and talked over tea and some cold roast beef and vegetables. Their conversations included everything from neighbors, politics, the Farmer's Almanac, and even the auction and what kind of people they were looking for.
An hour after they had landed, Monica and the other women were led into a room at the docks to get cleaned up and to put on some better clothes. The men were also taken into another room and washed up to try and get clean and look presentable. They then all ate a bit of food, before being taken to the auction block.
The auction house was overflowing with buyers looking for what they needed. This could be anything from a strong back for field service to a nurse, to skilled labor. There were also animals that were going to be bid on. Unfortunately, a lot of people were more willing to pay much more for a horse than they were for a servant.
There was a mixture of indentured servants and slaves up on the block. While Chandler sometimes bought slaves, he would not treat them as such. He thought of them as indentured servants, and he treated them just as well as the indentured servants he bought. After their indenture was up, and they had learned a skill, and they had a choice of getting paid and remaining on the plantation or leaving on their own way.
Chandler's neighbor, Colonel Leonard Green sat beside Chandler, as he looked at the auction sheet. Colonel Green had served the British king during the French/Indian War, no more than ten years ago. So everyone just referred to him as Colonel. Everyone, that is, except his close friends.
The Colonel had three young daughters. His oldest was just fifteen and her two younger sisters were eleven and just barely ten. He needed a teacher for them and they needed a new cook, because their last cook had died two days earlier, of the smallpox that was going around. So, he had to go into town to get a replacement and would be staying a few days more to tend to some business.
As he scanned the sheet, he saw what he needed: A young, educated man to teach his daughters, and a woman that would likely work as a new cook. Experience was a must in that field.
Finally, the men who ran the auction house invited the buyers to come up and look at the merchandise. The people were lined up according to category. Skilled and unskilled. Female and male.
Chandler and Joey walked up to where the blacksmiths were at and looked them over. One was a young man about the age of twenty who did not look like he had that much experience. Another was a man in his mid thirties who looked sickly, and the other was a man who looked to be in his mid forties.
"How much experience have you had and why are you an indentured servant?" Chandler asked the young man.
"My name is Jacob Hunt and I just finished apprenticing and decided that the Colonies were the best choice. So I decided to become an indentured servant to earn my way here." The young man answered, and Chandler nodded. He might buy him and then hire him later on after his time was up as an indentured servant, but he really needed someone with more experience. He then moved on.
"And you?" Chandler asked.
"My name is Don Ford I have been blacksmithing for about twelve years on my own. I was accused of killing a man. But it was either him or me." The next man answered.
Joey and Chandler looked at each other. If he'd really killed out of self-defense, then he wouldn't be in this predicament right now.
"And your name?" Chandler asked the next man.
"My name is Jack Geller. I have been blacksmithing on my own for twenty-five years. I started my own business from nothing, but-" Jack started.
"Why are you here?" Chandler asked.
"My father-in-law bet on some horse races. He lost, then killed himself and now my family and I have to pay," Jack explained with a pained expression.
Chandler looked at Joey, and nodded his head. Jack Geller was just the man that the plantation needed because of his experience. And his background was not shady, as with the other man. Chandler made his decision; he was going to buy both Jack Geller and Jacob Hunt. They wrote down their choice, and then went to talk to the unskilled laborers. There were quite a few women in the next area, and Chandler walked up to what he considered to be the prettiest one. She was small in stature, had black hair and blue eyes. Chandler was mesmerized, and had to fight to hide his fascination with the pretty girl.
"And your name is?" Chandler asked looking down at his sheet of paper at the names. His voice had a barely noticeable edge to it. Unnoticeable if you did not know him well enough. Though Chandler tried to act indifferent to the pretty girl, Joey noticed.
"Monica Geller." Monica said quietly.
"Anything you know how to do?" Chandler asked, looking at her. He hoped that she would know how to do something so that he could hire her without having to defend his actions to Joey or anyone else. But mostly Joey, who would tease him like there was no tomorrow. According to the paper that he held, she happened to be the daughter of Jack Geller.
"Take care of the house and clean and I can bake and cook some, and look after children. And my father taught me how to read, write and do figures." Monica explained. She was on the verge of tears, so she looked straight ahead and swallowed hard. This man was measuring her worth, and that made her feel insecure.
Chandler seemed satisfied with her answers. He and Joey turned to leave. As they were leaving Chandler said to Joey, "Jack Geller would make the best blacksmith and Monica Geller, his daughter, would be good to teach how to run the household of the plantation since she is so young. I am sure she has never run anything that big on her own."
"That is not the reason why you want the girl on your plantation, is it?" Joey teased. Chandler's nervous nature around the girl had not escaped him. Joey knew smitten when he saw it.
"I explained why I wanted them." Chandler said crossly, as he went and sat down under a huge leafy tree to get out of the heat, while fanning himself with the auction paper.
"And the fact that she is young and pretty has nothing to do with it?" Joey asked, still trying to get a rise out of the only man he considered a brother.
"According to the paper, she is smart, in good health and even educated. So she would make a good assistant housekeeper. Besides, I do not want to separate families from one another. Me being separated from my family was enough for me. I am also going to buy Ross Geller to help with the accounts of the plantation and Judy Geller as an assistant to the cook. We could always use the both of them."
"Pardon the interruption, Mr. Bing, I could not help but overhear your conversation," Col. Leonard Green said, as he approached Chandler and Joey, "But will you do me a favor and not bid on Ross and Judy Geller? I need them for my household." The Colonel explained, as he sat down beside Chandler, "And since I am your neighbor, the family can come and visit each other as much as they want. Once they finish with their jobs, of course."
"They would have to make it special visits, since our houses are an hour away on foot." Chandler replied.
"So they will visit each other on Sundays. You two should have no problem with that." Joey sighed. The heat was getting to him as well.
"Very well. But I am still bidding on Jack and Monica Geller." Chandler reasoned aloud.
He ended up buying Monica and Jack Geller, and Jacob Hunt as an assistant for Jack so there wouldn't be too much for Jack to do, and he could train Jacob Hunt better. He also bought another young woman, named Janice, as an assistant cook.
~Three hours later~
Monica and Jack said a tearful good bye to Ross and Judy. They had no idea if they would ever see them again, but at least the whole family was not being separated from each other. It was just being divided.
That night, Monica and Jack stayed at the Bing Townhouse. They were taken into separate rooms and each was given a bath and some nicer clothes than what they had been wearing.
While Monica was bathing, a young woman, no older than herself, came into the room with the clothes and a towel.
"Hi, Monica. My name is Phoebe Buffay."
"Are you an indentured servant as well?" Monica asked as she curled up in the tub.
"No. My job is to look over the kitchen garden, which includes the vegetable and herb garden and the flower garden. Chan…Uh, Master Bing hired me to work for him, because I am the best in the area." Phoebe smiled as she handed Monica a new sleeping gown. She then turned her back so that Monica could dress.
"You are so familiar with him that you use his first name?" Monica asked, surprised.
"Well, he insists. And he will ask the same of you and your father as well. He is actually a very good man. He is patient and has no temper. Well, none that I have seen. He has never hit anyone out of spite. You are lucky that he was the one that bought your indenturtude, and not some other man. Trust me on this." Phoebe then smiled and led Monica to her bedroom. Upon arriving, Monica found that there was a light supper waiting for her.
"Good night, Monica. Go to bed early, as we'll leave for the plantation before daybreak. It will take most of the day just to get to the halfway point. We will most likely need to stay at an inn for the night." Phoebe then smiled and left the room, locking the door as she left. Once Monica heard the key turn in the lock, she ran to the bed and cried herself to sleep.
A day later, Monica and Jack traveled in a wagon with the supplies, and with a young man by the name of Gary. Janice and Jacob traveled in Phoebe's wagon that rode behind the wagon that Monica and Jack were in, while Chandler and Joey rode in front of the wagon, talking about a new invention that a man named Benjamin Franklin had made. Gary was an ex-slave who had been bought by Chandler and now was almost at the end of his service.
"…Just two more years. And I can go anywhere I want and be my own man." Gary was evidently very happy.
Jack smiled. "So what will you do? I mean what skills do you have?"
"I am a carpenter. I could go anywhere to work. But I think I will stay at the plantation and work there. Uh, Master Chandler will pay me enough, and I will have room and board as well. I mean it could be a lot worse. Trust me on this. There are some pretty cruel masters out there. My last owner treated his horses and even his pigs better than his slaves." Gary spat out that last word with contempt.
"And HE is not our MASTER?" Monica asked. The idea that any person should be held against their will was infuriating to her.
"Monica!" Her father hissed. He hoped that Chandler had not heard or if he had, he would not be too mad.
Gary turned to smile at her. "He is a gentleman. He will treat you fairly and will make sure no harm comes to you. I know that you are upset, but you will see in time that he is a good man. And kindhearted to a fault."
While the group was talking, Chandler and Joey looked at each other, shook their heads, and smiled.
"I think that that Miss Geller is going to be a bit of trouble." Joey grinned at Chandler.
"She will come around. Her father will be close by. They will see each other every day. So she will eventually settle down." Chandler smiled, humming a tune as he did.
"I KNEW IT!" Joey grinned looking at Chandler's face.
"Knew what?" Chandler asked.
"There was another reason why you chose her." Joey grinned slyly.
"There was not." Chandler argued back, his reddening face betraying him.
"Yes there is." Joey shot back.
"No, there isn't."
"Yes there is."
"NO, there isn't!"
They continued on arguing like that until they arrived at the plantation.
The plantation consisted of a main building or the great house. Beside the great house there was a kitchen off to the side with a huge pantry attached to it and cellar below it, a smoke house, a weaver and cloth house, a gardening shack and a cottage for the kitchen and flower gardens, where the plantation grew it's own vegetables. In the back there was a blacksmith shop and his house, a carpenter's shop and house, three barns connected to each other, one just for horses with a few donkeys and mules, one for the cows and oxen, the other for the sheep, goats and two grain bins, one of barns had a place where carriages and wagons could be driven into, a huge chicken coop, a hog pin, a leather works, a tool shack where the tools were stored for the fields. The servant's houses, which numbered to be about thirty, were to the left of the main house, away from the river. And they had small gardens of their own to grow vegetables and some even had livestock of their own with small buildings to house them in.
Further on down, a wine cellar and small winery and an alehouse and distillery where alcohol could be made at and warehouse where it could be stored. There was also an apple orchard and then a press where cider could be made. The corn left over from a harvest could be made into corn liquor, instead of it going to waste and the vines that Chandler had growing on the sloping parts of his property which produced grapes could be eaten like they were, dried into raisins, or made into wine.
Then down by the Hudson River was a dock where there where some fishing vessels and a dry dock to fix the boats that belonged to the plantation, but also the other people who lived around there, not to mention prepare the fish for the markets and warehouses to harbor the harvest in. And next to the river was a grain mill, where flour could be made. Then further on, there was a church with the vicar's cottage and a small communal graveyard. Both the Green and Tyler/Bing families gave the buildings and land as a gift, since the property was situated right beside each other. And Joey's father, mother and sisters also lived next to it, which housed the shop where the barrels were made. In a few short years, there was undoubtedly going to be a town there.
There was also a forest and Chandler even ran a small lumber mill. After reading a few books, he would go and use selective harvesting technique to ensure that the forest would be around for generations. He owned more land than anyone else in the county, and didn't even farm one quarter of the land that could be farmed. The majority of the harvest was corn, wheat, oats, rye and sometimes beef. But when those crops did not do well, the plantation relied on the lumber, wine and ale or beer and the fish that the river was able to provide.
Once they arrived at the plantation, Monica and her father were reluctantly separated. He and Jacob Hunt were shown to the blacksmithing shop and house by Joey who also gave them some very sturdy new clothes and explained their duties, then introduced them to a servant they had working for them, as well as two apprentices in training. Meanwhile, Monica was shown to her room in the main house by Chandler and introduced to the housekeeper, Mary Rawlings. Soon after, he left to change into some more comfortable clothes and then to start on his account books.
"Well, small enough aren't you? I guess we had better get you some new clothes, and will show you around and to your room. Now how much do you know about running a house?" Mary asked.
"I know a bit," Monica answered her.
She was then taken to a bedroom that was right next to Mary's and given some bed sheets and covers and some much nicer clothes, befitting those of the house help. Monica followed Mary through the massive main house, taking in all that Mary was telling her about the house and her duties.
But as she walked the elaborate halls, Monica could not help but to feel trapped, caged like a bird in a deceptively beautiful prison. While the house was lovely, and the people were kind, Monica still felt as though she were in the worst place on Earth. She didn't care what the others said about Master Bing. He was holding her freedom, and for that, he would always be nothing more than a monster.
As the women entered the grand foyer, they ran into Chandler, who was exiting his study. He was wearing a light brown pair of pants, a white shirt, and a pair of boots that stopped just below his knees.
"Good Afternoon, ladies," Chandler smiled warmly.
"Good Afternoon, Chandler. Monica and I were just finishing our tour of the main house."
"Are you finding everything to your liking, Monica?" Chandler asked softly.
"Everything is fine, Master," Monica said, as she fought to hide her irritation. She kept her face turned down to the floor.
"Please, Monica, address me as Chandler. I really do despise formalities."
"You are my owner, Master Bing, not my friend. Please do not ask me to pretend otherwise." Monica turned her face upward to glare at Chandler. Chandler stood in stunned silence for a moment. He was not quite prepared for the young girl's blunt honesty. While he knew he should be offended, he could not help but to be intrigued.
"You do whatever makes you comfortable, Miss Geller," Chandler smiled, and shot Mary a knowing glance, before walking out the front door.
Once the heavy door closed, Mary turned to Monica. "Monica, I know that you do not want to be here, but you were quite lucky to have been bought by Chandler. I suggest you watch yourself. Chandler is a very patient man, but every man has his limit."
"Everyone keeps telling me that I should feel lucky that this man bought me! Well, I do not feel lucky, not at all! I do not want to be owned, by him, or by anyone!" Monica felt her emotions get the better of her. She quickly excused herself, and ran toward her bedroom, as angry tears streaked her porcelain face.
After he left the house, Chandler walked to the blacksmith house to see that Jack Geller and Jacob Hunt were situated in comfortably. The blacksmith shop and shed where the extra iron was stored at was off by itself, with a well just outside of it and the house stood to the side of it. It was a one and a half story, mini replica of the main house that had a loft for the apprentices to live. It contained a kitchen/sitting room with a fireplace and three bedrooms.
While he was walking, Chandler could not help but feel sorry for Monica. Jack had informed him, soon after he bought him, that the courts had left it up to him to decide if they were to be sold or not. If they were not to be sold, they would be forced into a penal colony and they may never make it out alive, ever. But were they to be sold as indentured servants, they had a chance at freedom, eventually. Jack decided that it would be better if they were sold as indentured servants in the Colonies, so he had signed over the papers that agreed to their servitude. Monica did not know that, nor did the rest of her family.
Upon arriving, Chandler saw Joey telling them a story about a horse, which had all of the outdoor servants laughing.
"Jack, do you have everything that you need here? If not, then we have at least four more harvests to sell this year, and I am sure we can get what you need." Chandler smiled at Jack. He had let it be known that with Jack's experience, he was to be the one in charge.
"This is all we will need. The blacksmith's shop is well stocked, and everything appears in order. If I need anything, I will inform you, Master Bing."
"Please, call me Chandler," Chandler hoped that Jack was not as 'spirited' as his daughter.
"Ok, Chandler. How is Monica doing?" Jack asked worried. He hoped that since he was close by, she would not be so hard for Chandler to deal with.
"She will eventually come around and settle down." Chandler tried to smile convincingly.
The smile did not work on Joey, who knew the look on Chandler's face told a different story. Jack picked up on the tension, and knew that his daughter was unhappy, and that her temper had gotten the better of her.
"I must apologize for my daughter's insubordination. I know that she is unhappy about all of this, but there is no excuse for her behavior."
"Your daughter has done nothing wrong, Jack. She is fine, trust me." Chandler smiled warmly, then made his way toward the plantation offices.
One day later….
Ross and Judy sat together in silence, as the Green carriage rumbled toward the plantation. Ross glanced at his mother, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"Mother," Ross turned to look at Judy fully.
"Yes, Ross," Judy mumbled.
"Do you think we will ever see Monica and Father again?"
"I don't know, Ross."
"I overheard the Colonel saying that the other Plantation was not far from here."
"I suppose," Judy sighed, then closed her eyes, in a vain attempt to shut out her new reality.
Ross sat back and watched his mother for a moment. She was not taking any of this well.
**
The carriage pulled up to the main house about mid morning, and the Colonel jumped to the ground, only to be greeted immediately by three young girls.
"Daddy!" the youngest girl squealed, and hopped into the Colonel's arms.
"Oh, I think you are getting too old to do that, pumpkin." the Colonel laughed.
"Who did you bring, Father?" the middle girl asked curiously, noticing that there were some people in the carriage.
Leonard opened the carriage door, and Judy and Ross stepped out slowly.
"This is our new cook, Judy Geller, and your new tutor, Ross Geller," the Colonel smiled, "Ross, Judy, these are my daughters, Amy, Jill, and Rachel." He indicated the youngest, second youngest and then the oldest.
The younger girls giggled and ran toward the house, while the oldest walked back, acting like a lady, as Ross and Leonard turned to pull the bags from the carriage. Ross turned toward the house that he would now be calling home, and sighed deeply. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.
The three-story house was a beautiful feat of English architectural work. The great houses of England had nothing on it and it's beauty and it's stature. Even though most of the great English homes housed nobles, their homes seemed almost run down compared to this newer house. But while the nobles and aristocrats coffers were being slowly drained, the rich here in the new world were thriving off of their new money.
**
"He has funny hair," Amy scrunched up her nose dramatically.
"I think he's dashing!" Jill replied in equally dramatic fashion.
"What do you think, Rachel?" Amy asked her eldest sister, who was watching the new additions to their household from the picture window in the parlor.
"He's…bookish," Rachel said nonchalantly. But inside, she was as enthusiastic as her sisters. Ross was indeed quite dashing. Rachel smiled. She was suddenly very much looking forward to her schooling.
~*~
After Ross and Judy were shown to their rooms, Sandra Green took Judy on a tour of the kitchens, pantry and cellar. She was given her duties and introduced to the kitchen staff. The only ones that would have say over her were Leonard and Sandra Green, the head cook and the housekeeper.
Ross was going to be looked upon as a very valuable person in the house. He was to give the girls their schooling in reading, writing, numbers or figuring (which Sandra was not too fond of) Italian and French languages, history of England and some of the world, geography, and music, including playing the piano, singing, and dancing.
Leonard showed Ross the library where he would be teaching the girls. The walls were lined with books, manuscripts and maps. There was even a globe of the known world, and a huge table and brick fireplace.
"So, does the room meet with your standards?" Colonel Green asked.
"Yes sir, Master Green. It is the best library I have seen in quit a while, it rivals my father's back home." Ross blushed and looked at the floor.
"Why were you sold anyway?"
"My grandfather owed a great deal of money, which he could not pay, so he killed himself. And the family had to pay it." Ross sighed.
"I see. Well Ross, I am not a demanding man, and my only requirement is this; my daughters are to be educated. You are to get your orders from me, not my wife. No one else is to tell you what to do, understand. You are to only concern yourself with my daughter's education. Jill is the youngest, and she is easier to teach than the other two. Amy is going to be difficult, as she would rather be at a ball, at tea, visiting or shopping. Rachel who is the oldest, is a quick learner, but even quicker with her temper, she will argue with you on subjects that she feels passionate about. But I consider her to be the smartest one of them all. Although Jill is smart for her age." Leonard Green then looked hard at Ross. "But, I am warning you, if you attack or have a liaison with any one of my daughters, I will have you punished most severely and you will find yourself back up on the auction block as will your mother. Understand?"
Ross nodded. "I would never even think it."
"Good. I will send the girls in and you can introduce yourself and get started. Oh, and breakfast starts exactly at eight in the morning. If you do not make it, you do not eat breakfast, it is that simple. Same with lunch which is at twelve and dinner at six. And you are to dress formally for you are to eat with the family. Or if you wish, you can eat in the kitchen with your mother. It is your choice. Perhaps I will see you later on at the table," Leonard smiled curtly, then left. Soon after, the girls entered.
"Good afternoon, ladies. My name is Mr. Geller. I am to be your new tutor."
"We KNOW that," Amy sarcastically spat.
"Ok. Where did your last tutor leave off?"
"Uh oh." Jill replied.
"Jill shhh." Rachel replied. "We were discussing English and Roman government. And making comparisons between the two and how they differed."
"No sister dear. You both were having a fierce argument on the English government." Amy grinned. Hoping to see a display of fireworks like the previous tutor and Rachel had, in short causing the tutor to leave and them not to have to do any schoolwork.
"Really? And what were you arguing about, Miss Green?" Ross directed the question towards Rachel.
"How tyrannical and arrogant the king and Parliament are being." Rachel stated. In her mind, they were evil dictators who had no idea what it was like over in the new world.
"England is the mother country and her lands in her empire are her children, so everyone owes her their respect. She is to be the ones making the decisions and directing their affairs, and should be punished accordingly if the mother country sees fit." Ross concluded his little speech smugly.
"Here it comes…." Jill stated as she and Amy sat down to listen to what Rachel was about to say.
"They have no idea our problems or anything else that is plaguing us. And I say that the 'Colonies' as you call them, are old enough to get out from under their 'mother' so that they can do their own governing."
"That is treason!"
"That is the truth! The king and Parliament will not allow representatives from the colonies in the meetings as to decide our future and laws so why should we listen to them? They could care less about our situation over here!" Rachel fumed.
"They care. They are just tired of people telling them how to govern their empire."
"NO! They are just afraid that they will lose their empire or 'children', eventually if they gave us our own voice. But I tell you they have already lost us. Soon enough people here in this land will have enough of their ways and soon England will have to pay. For we will get our independence and will have our own country and no king will ever sit on a throne over here! I swear it!" Rachel spoke not only prophetically but passionately and with such assurance that it would happen, that Ross was left with his mouth hanging open.
Finally he found his voice. "B-but that is treason. People have been hanged for saying less!"
"Maybe over in merry OLD England, but this is a whole different land! And I will not be so cowardly! I will live to see this land become a free country without England telling us what to do! And my descendants will also have the same freedom that we will soon battle to achieve! And it will be soon! I have seen too many signs of what is to happen. People are speaking their minds and openly criticizing the royal government for not paying them any heed. I tell you this, my father, my neighbors and I have all chosen sides and soon you will too." With that Rachel walked out of the library, her head held high and very sure of herself and her ideas.
Ross pondered over her commits for a moment. Finally he cleared his throat. "Ladies, I think we will now begin our lessons on the English government and how it is the best in the world. And how we owe everything to it, our mother country," Causing Amy and Jill to groan and roll their eyes.
After walking out, Rachel went directly to her father's study and rapped on the door. "Enter." Rachel then quietly slipped in. "Rachel, why are you not with your lessons?"
"He is not to my liking." Rachel huffed.
"What are you talking about?"
"He was defending the king and Parliament!" Rachel screeched out.
The Colonel sighed. "Rachel, he probably has no idea of what they are doing to us. Give him some time. He will come around."
"What if he does not? I will have to listen to his long winded speeches about how great they are, when in reality…."
"Rachel, we know how they are, because being over here, we know what they are capable of. There, we are traitors and treasonous rebels, with no education or sense into how the law really is."
"But, I will not sit quietly by while this man who does not know anything pretends that everything is perfect over here with England governing us!" Rachel defended her views.
"Well, prove him wrong." Leonard Green calmly eased his way into the fray.
"How?"
"That is for you to decide. You call yourself a Daughter of Independence? Then prove it by converting another member." Rachel smiled and thanked her father and left.
Leonard Green was left there smiling at her retreating form. He'd heard the argument that she had with her new tutor, as it was very loud. Consequently, he had been expecting her, and he was prepared to tell her to compromise. Which he could only hope she would strive to do. He wished that it would be that easy to work with England.
But over in England, not too many people would side with them, or the outlying colonies about representatives. So he was guessing that it would be interesting to see how everything would be played out in the months to come. It should be quite interesting to say the least.
~*~
Life on a colonial farm began early; a bit before the sun came up.
Mary would have the children gather the eggs from the chickens and milk the cows and then carry in firewood and water, then carry them into the kitchen, where the maids would skim the milk and make it into cheese and then take some of it and make it into butter by putting it into a butter churn, while the cooks started to make breakfast. Breakfast included biscuits, gravy, eggs, steak, cheese, and butter.
The younger children would not have to work as hard, so they got to relax before starting their day. Then, after all of their chores were done, all of the children would gather in the study for their lessons that Chandler was insistent about them having.
During this time, Mary held a meeting with the other household help, which Monica now had to attend. She would go over the daily cleaning and other daily household chores. And then she would also go over anything extra that she needed done.
Saturday was when all of the baking would be done, Friday was ironing and sewing day, when all of the seams and rips would be repaired, Thursday was wash day when all of the clothes would be washed in and hung out to dry, Wednesday was the time that all of the rugs were taken out and beaten or washed, Tuesday was when the whole house was totally swept clean, more so than the rest of the week, and Monday which was the beginning of the week was when the household goods were repaired or made. Sunday was their day off.
Of course there were special projects going on for different times of the year. Summertime had berry picking and preserving, the fall had canning from the vegetable garden, and the winter sewing and repair work. In spring, Mary oversaw the young boys painting the different houses and talked with Phoebe about what to plant in the vegetable and herb gardens. And oversaw other household repairs that had to be made.
Chandler's day began with him also waking up before the sun, then he would quickly inspect the house and buildings with Mary and Monica and instruct them on what needed to be done. Then while Mary held her meeting, he would meet with Joey who would go over what was to be done that day around the farm. They would then go to eat breakfast, which was ready promptly at seven.
They checked out the barns and the equipment and if it needed to be repaired they would have one of the craftsmen to repair it; usually it was Jack or Gary. Then they would go to the farm office and recap on what needed to be done that day. At eight, Chandler and Joey mounted up and for five hours, they rode around the plantation checking on everything from the stock to the different fields, with Chandler making notes as they went along. At one, they would come back, got washed up and ate lunch. Then they would go out to the different fields to oversee the planting or the harvests. And then they would check over the barns and stock before retiring that night.
It was two weeks after Chandler had 'bought' her, and Monica was still mad, so she started thinking. Why don't she and her father just leave? She confronted her father about her idea.
"Monica, NO! Chandler is very good to us. Besides we owed a debt and he is helping us to repay it." Jack stood there furious. If they left, they would be hunted and brought to justice. Living on the plantation was the best thing that happened to them. They were well fed, well clothed and they were not mistreated.
"Well, I am getting out of here, with or without you. I will follow the river to the city since they will be looking along the road for me." Monica turned to go back to the house to get her bag.
After she left, Jack went to the north field where Chandler was. "Um, Master Bing, could I talk to you in private?" Jack asked nervously.
Chandler looked puzzled at Jack. "Sure." Once they were far enough away. "Talk. And please call me Chandler."
"Promise me that you will not beat her." Jack hoped that Chandler would not.
"I have never beaten anyone…." Chandler laughed then got serious. "Jack what happened?"
"Promise me that you will not hurt her." Jack pleaded.
"Monica." Chandler guessed. "What happened?"
"Chandler, please." Jack groaned.
"I will not hurt her." Chandler agreed.
"She has run off."
"WHAT? Where did she go?" Chandler asked, his head spinning from a headache.
"I don't know." Jack answered truthfully. "I think she said something about following the river to New York."
"But that is dangerous. All of those thieves and river trash that live along the river… I have to go and get her before she gets really hurt." Chandler ran over to the horse that he brought with him to the fields and got on it. "Jack tell no one what you told me, understand?" With that, he rode off toward the river.
After talking with her father, Monica had collected her bag and had snuck out. Then quickly and quietly walked toward the river missing the docks so that no one could follow her. After forty minutes of brisk walking, she made it to the river down past the docks and a little past the church.
Ten minutes later, she was still following the river, moving as quickly as she could. After walking for ten minutes more, there was a rustling in the bushes up ahead. She jumped back startled. Then there was no more movement. She sighed with relief. Then started to walk at an even pace. When she got past the bushes she heard another noise.
"Well…look here. We got a visitor, Ishmael." A gruff looking older man came out of the bushes holding a musket.
"Wow, pa. She sure is pretty. I want her as my wife." A younger dirty man walked out into the open carrying a musket.
"Yes she is. But, since your ma passed on, I am lonely and it would be nice to have a nice warm body to warm my bed. And you could have a brother." He leered at Monica. Monica felt instantly revolted and sick.
"But, pa…I want her as my wife. And she could give you a grandson." The younger man started to circle her, sizing her up.
"Boy, don't you back talk me! I said she is mine!"
"I called her first."
"I am the father and I said she is mine…."
Just then a shot rang out. "She belongs to me. I have two pistols aimed at the both of you. Now who wants to be gut shot?" Chandler asked holding two pistols aiming at the two people's hearts. They had been too busy arguing to notice that someone had ridden up to them.
The older man grinned, "Why, if it isn't the high and mighty Mr. Bing. She belongs to you? I did not know that. You had better keep a shorter leash on that slut of yours if you don't want someone walking off with her."
Chandler's eyes glowed with pure hatred, and his voice dangerously low, "If you do not get out of here, I will shoot the both of you while you are standing there." He then raised his voice angrily, "Now BEAT IT!"
He did not have to tell them twice. As both man scrambled away, Chandler turned his horse toward Monica and then grabbed her and pulled her up in front of him. "We are going to have a little talk Miss Geller." Chandler said between clenched teeth.
Instead of riding toward the plantation he rode the horse for ten minutes away from the river then went toward an empty meadow, stopped the horse and climbed down while still holding on to Monica. He then took her over to a tree, pushed her down on a log and told her to 'sit.'
He turned away and ran his hands through his hair. To get a hold of his temper he took a deep breath. What was he going to say to her and how was he going to get his point across? He closed his eyes. Counted to ten in English and then Latin. After he got his temper under control he turned back toward her.
"What in the world do you think you were doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous the river is?" Chandler sighed heavily. "No you don't, or else you would not have tried something that stupid." Before she could interrupt, Chandler stopped her. "Not a word. You WILL listen to me! I ask only a few things from each one of the people who work for me, and the one thing I ask is for people NOT to run away. I am going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer them. Have I ever beat you or misused you in any way? Treated you badly, do you go to bed hungry? Answer me!" Chandler was almost yelling.
"No." Monica glared at him.
"Then why in the world would you try your best to get yourself killed? Those two people are the worst around this area. That older man said that his wife passed away, didn't he? What he didn't say was that she died because of a fever brought on by him beating her senseless. His son is just like him in that respect. He punched the very girl he was courting all because she did not agree with him. Between them, you would have been beaten to a bloody pulp." Chandler sighed.
"What is the difference between you and them?"
"I would never hit you, ever. I have never raised my hand to anyone except in self defense." Chandler squatted down in front of Monica. "Monica, please promise me that you will not try to run away again." Chandler caressed the side of her face and smiled weakly. "And promise me that you will come to me and talk to me if something is wrong. Please."
Monica squirmed away from Chandler's touch, and nodded stiffly. He sighed and stood slowly, helping Monica to her feet and back up onto the horse. They rode back to the plantation in silence.
Once they arrived, Monica went straight to the blacksmith shop, while Chandler went to his office. After a bit, Chandler entered the house, he then took her and Jack to one of the back rooms, closed the door and bolted it.
"I am going to say this one time more Monica. Do not run off again."
"I would have gotten away if someone would have kept silent." Monica glared at Jack.
"No, those two would have had their way with you. And if you let out any protest, they would have stated that you are a runaway. And as a runaway, you would have had to wear this iron ring around your neck. And also that they would have gotten some money as a reward. But not before they had their way with you."
"What?" Jack asked.
"Monica will fill you in later." Chandler showed Monica what he had grabbed a hold of when he went to his office. "You see this? It not only shows that you are an indentured servant, but you are also prone to run. If someone else catches you, then this may be your next piece of jewelry.' He dropped it to the table with a thump. "Now I am going to go and eat. Good night to the both of you." He then left Monica and Jack to talk and went to the kitchen at the main house to get himself something to eat.
******************
Constructive reviews welcomed. Whinny reviews and such cheerfully ignored!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I do not mind constructive criticism about my fics, I do not like nor appreciate….OOC fiction whiners
This is fiction. If you do not like it then ok, but I never claimed to be a writer of Friends magnitude. And I just write what I want to write about. So unless the reasons are valid or the like, like watch punctuation and spelling or your history needs to be boned up on, then it is not constructive and will be ignored.
Not constructive is , they are not in their character or that would never happen, etc. It is fiction, not fact or the TV show! So live with it or ignore it! And BTW: I will write how I want to write and no one is going to tell me that is a wrong match! It is my prerogative gotta love that song
Disclaimer I do not own Friends, the characters or the concept, I am only borrowing them.
Now all will be explained in this fic, if you read it…..All I will say is that it is set during the American Revolutionary time.
~1765~
Atlantic Ocean
Dawn was breaking over the horizon, as the giant mass of land that was known as the "New World" or the Colonies came into view from the almost deserted deck of the ship, Atlantis. The huge sailing ship was nearly finished with her seven-month journey to the Colonies.
Monica Geller was on the deck of the ship during the mid morning, standing close to her father, when she saw the Colonies come into view. Her mother would not come out of the bottom of the ship. She'd barely left the cramped cabin that the family had been given. Trying to deny that they had left England. Meanwhile, Ross had been suffering from seasickness the entire trip, so he barely came up at all. The times that he did, he ended up throwing up over the side of the ship.
At first the land was just a speck in the distance, but the speck grew and before Monica knew it, they'd arrived in the New York shipyard. It was a huge and very busy place. On the land, people were working hard on the docks, while at sea, there were many different ships around, as well as other kinds of sea traffic.
There was one English Navy ship docked to receive supplies, river traffic, which were ferries and a lot of fishing boats, but the yard was mainly occupied by English merchant vessels that traveled from many different lands, filled with many different cargos. If any other ships came into the shipyard from other countries, then they would have to pay a hefty charge or tax, and that was why most people had some goods smuggled in. It was illegal but very profitable.
Among those cargos were molasses, sugar, raw materials, food, and much more. At least that's what Monica's father had told her. He used read books and newspapers in the library near their former home back in London. A bittersweet smile touched Monica's lips when she thought of her life back in London. She was going to miss all of her family, as she knew that they were going to be separated once they landed on shore, and she was never going to see them again.
All she would have after today were the memories.
Monica breathed in the sea air and sighed, remembering how she and her family had come to be indentured servants. Her grandfather on her mother's side, had bet a lot of money on seven different horse races, much more money than either family had. In short he had bankrupted both families into poverty. After doing so, he took a pistol to his head and ended his life, leaving Jack Geller to pay off his father-in-law's debts.
Even with them selling off all of their land and other investments, including her father's huge blacksmithing shop and his shipping business that he had inherited, and all of their possessions, there was no way for him to pay off the money that his father-in-law owed. Finally, the courts ordered them to be sold as indentured servants and sent to the Colonies to work off their debts. Which would take seven years.
Jack, who was forty-two, took the news sadly, but he grew up working hard to make his blacksmithing business the best in the land. He was not new to hardships and he was resigned to his fate. But he was worried about the others.
Judy, who never had to work a day in her life, except to cook and to run a household, took the news the hardest, as she was used to all the good things in life. And this servitude would undoubtedly have nothing but labor. She wanted to stay in England, but none of her 'friends' would help her out. So she had cried for a long while before, during and after she was sold on the English docks to the ships captain who bought them all, then alternated between shock and denial during the whole trip to the Colonies.
Ross, who had just turned twenty, was still under his father's roof and was also sold. He was the most educated of the family. Maybe, if he was lucky, he could work in a library or as an accountant for some wealthy landowner or lawyer. If not, then he would have a job as a farm hand, something which he was never trained for.
Monica was just fourteen and a half, and could be trained as anything. She already knew how to run a household and how to cook. And thanks to her father, she was educated. He taught her how to read, write and speak two different languages, history of all kinds and geography. Not to mention, he taught her about government, politics, and complicated numbers. (Something that was frowned upon as unladylike during that age and time)
Out of everyone, Jack was worried about Monica the most. She was young and pretty. A man could buy her and use her in any number of ways. As a maid, an assistant cook, a personal attendant to his wife or daughter, a laundress, a tavern wench, or she could even be bought as a wife for a man or a mistress for another. She was pretty enough for that. With her small and thin stature, dark hair, pale skin and blue eyes, she would undoubtedly grow to be a beauty. But what really worried him was that Monica was too strong willed, and would speak her mind. And because of that, she would likely feel the back of a hand across her face. Her father hugged her and sighed.
"Monica, listen to me. When we get sold, you are to always keep your temper in check and mind your master and mistress is that clear? Do you understand?" Monica had a tendency to give everyone her opinion on everything. Often not thinking when she did so.
"Yes, dad." Monica replied hugging him back. She wanted to stay with him as much as she could. Who knew when or if she would ever see him again?
~*~
Bing Townhouse, New York
A tall, fairly well built, tanned nineteen-year old man entered a room, carrying a three-horned dark blue hat. He wore a very fashionable suit. The overcoat, britches and vest were dark blue, and his shoes were also the same color. He wore a white shirt, socks and a powered wig. The suit's color brought out his blue eyes more.
Since it was a hot day, Chandler Bing took off his overcoat and vest and threw his three cornered hat and wig on the table. After taking it off, he then tied his brown hair in the back with a blue ribbon, much the same way that most people wore their hair. While in the city, he wore the uncomfortable formal clothes, and when he was at home on the farm, he wore the simpler casual clothes.
Chandler then sat down at the table and started to enjoy a cup of tea and began reading a newspaper, the Boston Gazette. Even though it was New York, Chandler ordered his paper special from Boston. To him, the New York papers were too easy on the English government and ready to give a conservative opinion of everything around them. At least Boston had some free thinkers, who expressed their opinions.
He sighed heavily. When would the king and Parliament ever learn that their policies were not making anyone favorable toward them? Things like the Stamp Act and Sugar taxes were doing nothing except alienating the government from the people. Although they had been repealed, Chandler felt that things would not change in the government. It seemed as though as time went on, their policies kept getting worse.
It was then that Chandler's good friend Joey ran in. "I have the list of the indentured servants that are to be sold off that you wanted." Joey had many friends that worked on the docks and at the auction, so Chandler got the lists ahead of time, before anyone else did.
Joey was the same age as his friend but a bit smaller in stature than Chandler, and had a stronger build. He was tanned, a bit darker than Chandler, had black hair and dark brown eyes. While Chandler begrudgingly wore formal clothes, Joey was able to wear simpler, and lighter clothes. Which included brown cotton britches, with a white shirt and a simple three-cornered brown hat and a pair of brown boots.
Joey was Chandler's best friend, and was the one who ran the plantation if Chandler was gone. Joey had grown up the son of an immigrant on the plantation, who happened to be the barrel maker for the county since he had worked off his indenture, and Joey was thus trained with Chandler how to run it, and the two were almost inseparable.
They not only were taught how to run the plantation, but how to ride, shoot and fish. Often, when they were growing up, you could find the both of them riding, wrestling, racing, fishing, swimming or even hunting. When they grew older, they also got drunk together, spending a lot of time down at the tavern and they even got into their first fight together. Although Joey's reading was not very good, he could still read and write a little, which was a lot more than a lot of others in the colonies at that time, but only the very basic. And that left Chandler with the business of doing the accounting books.
They had both traveled into New York from the plantation. Chandler, to meet his mother who was visiting him for two days from Philadelphia, and Joey to sell the harvest for money and to trade as well. So they could buy supplies that could not be made on the plantation and to put the rest of their earnings back in the bank. Almost everything on the plantation could be made, so they would not be in town long.
In fact, they were going to have to go back first thing in the morning. Both of them hated to leave the plantation for long periods of time. Even though Joey had just arrived there that day, he had already sold all of the harvest. Chandler had just arrived three days earlier, mainly to see his mother who had stopped by the city on one of her trips. Nora Tyler Bing liked nothing better than to go to the bigger cities. In the Colonies, Nora often traveled to Boston in the north (although it happened to be a little too strict for her) Charlestown and Richmond in the south, (which were both too laid back), and New York, which was the metropolitan center of the Colonies, but lacked the liberal attitude of Philadelphia, which was where she made her home. She would also travel to Paris or London. Out of the two, she preferred Paris, because she lived to buy the latest fashions, materials, furnishings and delicacies.
The plantation was so big, it was like a small town, and needed a blacksmith to live on it full time. A blacksmith would not only make horseshoes and shoe the horses but also repair wheels and spokes, and even repair other equipment and tools. The blacksmith was a very integral part of the plantation. He would even have his own shop and his own house separate from the other buildings. So he was looked up to and many families tried to get their children apprenticed under him. Chandler knew he needed to find an accomplished blacksmith, one that could begin working right away.
And since the housekeeper, Mary was getting older, Chandler had decided that it would be a good idea if she had someone to train to follow in her footsteps of running the house, so that after she retired, which would be doing in about three years, there would already be someone who would know how the plantation was run, and he would not have to go and hire someone new.
Besides his Grandfather and Grandmother, Mary was the person who really raised Chandler. His mother was off in other cities, and had no time for him, and his father was often in London, lobbying for the colonies. Chandler barely even knew his father when he was growing up. Chandler was raised with more liberal values, and always provided for his employees when they retired, whether it be a home with some land or some money and a ticket to anywhere they wished to go.
Mary kept track of everything, from the servants, to the food, the preparation of what was cooked, how everything was cleaned, preparations to be made for winter with the storage of foods, kept tabs on all the household help, and the cooling house, the weaving shed, the spinning and the sewing room, and the smokehouse, the springhouse, where the hams and other meat was smoked and prepared, and the ice house. Every winter, the servants would go and cut into ice on the river and bring blocks of it home and store it up in the icehouse.
The servant auction would not start for another three hours. So Joey and Chandler sat down and talked over tea and some cold roast beef and vegetables. Their conversations included everything from neighbors, politics, the Farmer's Almanac, and even the auction and what kind of people they were looking for.
An hour after they had landed, Monica and the other women were led into a room at the docks to get cleaned up and to put on some better clothes. The men were also taken into another room and washed up to try and get clean and look presentable. They then all ate a bit of food, before being taken to the auction block.
The auction house was overflowing with buyers looking for what they needed. This could be anything from a strong back for field service to a nurse, to skilled labor. There were also animals that were going to be bid on. Unfortunately, a lot of people were more willing to pay much more for a horse than they were for a servant.
There was a mixture of indentured servants and slaves up on the block. While Chandler sometimes bought slaves, he would not treat them as such. He thought of them as indentured servants, and he treated them just as well as the indentured servants he bought. After their indenture was up, and they had learned a skill, and they had a choice of getting paid and remaining on the plantation or leaving on their own way.
Chandler's neighbor, Colonel Leonard Green sat beside Chandler, as he looked at the auction sheet. Colonel Green had served the British king during the French/Indian War, no more than ten years ago. So everyone just referred to him as Colonel. Everyone, that is, except his close friends.
The Colonel had three young daughters. His oldest was just fifteen and her two younger sisters were eleven and just barely ten. He needed a teacher for them and they needed a new cook, because their last cook had died two days earlier, of the smallpox that was going around. So, he had to go into town to get a replacement and would be staying a few days more to tend to some business.
As he scanned the sheet, he saw what he needed: A young, educated man to teach his daughters, and a woman that would likely work as a new cook. Experience was a must in that field.
Finally, the men who ran the auction house invited the buyers to come up and look at the merchandise. The people were lined up according to category. Skilled and unskilled. Female and male.
Chandler and Joey walked up to where the blacksmiths were at and looked them over. One was a young man about the age of twenty who did not look like he had that much experience. Another was a man in his mid thirties who looked sickly, and the other was a man who looked to be in his mid forties.
"How much experience have you had and why are you an indentured servant?" Chandler asked the young man.
"My name is Jacob Hunt and I just finished apprenticing and decided that the Colonies were the best choice. So I decided to become an indentured servant to earn my way here." The young man answered, and Chandler nodded. He might buy him and then hire him later on after his time was up as an indentured servant, but he really needed someone with more experience. He then moved on.
"And you?" Chandler asked.
"My name is Don Ford I have been blacksmithing for about twelve years on my own. I was accused of killing a man. But it was either him or me." The next man answered.
Joey and Chandler looked at each other. If he'd really killed out of self-defense, then he wouldn't be in this predicament right now.
"And your name?" Chandler asked the next man.
"My name is Jack Geller. I have been blacksmithing on my own for twenty-five years. I started my own business from nothing, but-" Jack started.
"Why are you here?" Chandler asked.
"My father-in-law bet on some horse races. He lost, then killed himself and now my family and I have to pay," Jack explained with a pained expression.
Chandler looked at Joey, and nodded his head. Jack Geller was just the man that the plantation needed because of his experience. And his background was not shady, as with the other man. Chandler made his decision; he was going to buy both Jack Geller and Jacob Hunt. They wrote down their choice, and then went to talk to the unskilled laborers. There were quite a few women in the next area, and Chandler walked up to what he considered to be the prettiest one. She was small in stature, had black hair and blue eyes. Chandler was mesmerized, and had to fight to hide his fascination with the pretty girl.
"And your name is?" Chandler asked looking down at his sheet of paper at the names. His voice had a barely noticeable edge to it. Unnoticeable if you did not know him well enough. Though Chandler tried to act indifferent to the pretty girl, Joey noticed.
"Monica Geller." Monica said quietly.
"Anything you know how to do?" Chandler asked, looking at her. He hoped that she would know how to do something so that he could hire her without having to defend his actions to Joey or anyone else. But mostly Joey, who would tease him like there was no tomorrow. According to the paper that he held, she happened to be the daughter of Jack Geller.
"Take care of the house and clean and I can bake and cook some, and look after children. And my father taught me how to read, write and do figures." Monica explained. She was on the verge of tears, so she looked straight ahead and swallowed hard. This man was measuring her worth, and that made her feel insecure.
Chandler seemed satisfied with her answers. He and Joey turned to leave. As they were leaving Chandler said to Joey, "Jack Geller would make the best blacksmith and Monica Geller, his daughter, would be good to teach how to run the household of the plantation since she is so young. I am sure she has never run anything that big on her own."
"That is not the reason why you want the girl on your plantation, is it?" Joey teased. Chandler's nervous nature around the girl had not escaped him. Joey knew smitten when he saw it.
"I explained why I wanted them." Chandler said crossly, as he went and sat down under a huge leafy tree to get out of the heat, while fanning himself with the auction paper.
"And the fact that she is young and pretty has nothing to do with it?" Joey asked, still trying to get a rise out of the only man he considered a brother.
"According to the paper, she is smart, in good health and even educated. So she would make a good assistant housekeeper. Besides, I do not want to separate families from one another. Me being separated from my family was enough for me. I am also going to buy Ross Geller to help with the accounts of the plantation and Judy Geller as an assistant to the cook. We could always use the both of them."
"Pardon the interruption, Mr. Bing, I could not help but overhear your conversation," Col. Leonard Green said, as he approached Chandler and Joey, "But will you do me a favor and not bid on Ross and Judy Geller? I need them for my household." The Colonel explained, as he sat down beside Chandler, "And since I am your neighbor, the family can come and visit each other as much as they want. Once they finish with their jobs, of course."
"They would have to make it special visits, since our houses are an hour away on foot." Chandler replied.
"So they will visit each other on Sundays. You two should have no problem with that." Joey sighed. The heat was getting to him as well.
"Very well. But I am still bidding on Jack and Monica Geller." Chandler reasoned aloud.
He ended up buying Monica and Jack Geller, and Jacob Hunt as an assistant for Jack so there wouldn't be too much for Jack to do, and he could train Jacob Hunt better. He also bought another young woman, named Janice, as an assistant cook.
~Three hours later~
Monica and Jack said a tearful good bye to Ross and Judy. They had no idea if they would ever see them again, but at least the whole family was not being separated from each other. It was just being divided.
That night, Monica and Jack stayed at the Bing Townhouse. They were taken into separate rooms and each was given a bath and some nicer clothes than what they had been wearing.
While Monica was bathing, a young woman, no older than herself, came into the room with the clothes and a towel.
"Hi, Monica. My name is Phoebe Buffay."
"Are you an indentured servant as well?" Monica asked as she curled up in the tub.
"No. My job is to look over the kitchen garden, which includes the vegetable and herb garden and the flower garden. Chan…Uh, Master Bing hired me to work for him, because I am the best in the area." Phoebe smiled as she handed Monica a new sleeping gown. She then turned her back so that Monica could dress.
"You are so familiar with him that you use his first name?" Monica asked, surprised.
"Well, he insists. And he will ask the same of you and your father as well. He is actually a very good man. He is patient and has no temper. Well, none that I have seen. He has never hit anyone out of spite. You are lucky that he was the one that bought your indenturtude, and not some other man. Trust me on this." Phoebe then smiled and led Monica to her bedroom. Upon arriving, Monica found that there was a light supper waiting for her.
"Good night, Monica. Go to bed early, as we'll leave for the plantation before daybreak. It will take most of the day just to get to the halfway point. We will most likely need to stay at an inn for the night." Phoebe then smiled and left the room, locking the door as she left. Once Monica heard the key turn in the lock, she ran to the bed and cried herself to sleep.
A day later, Monica and Jack traveled in a wagon with the supplies, and with a young man by the name of Gary. Janice and Jacob traveled in Phoebe's wagon that rode behind the wagon that Monica and Jack were in, while Chandler and Joey rode in front of the wagon, talking about a new invention that a man named Benjamin Franklin had made. Gary was an ex-slave who had been bought by Chandler and now was almost at the end of his service.
"…Just two more years. And I can go anywhere I want and be my own man." Gary was evidently very happy.
Jack smiled. "So what will you do? I mean what skills do you have?"
"I am a carpenter. I could go anywhere to work. But I think I will stay at the plantation and work there. Uh, Master Chandler will pay me enough, and I will have room and board as well. I mean it could be a lot worse. Trust me on this. There are some pretty cruel masters out there. My last owner treated his horses and even his pigs better than his slaves." Gary spat out that last word with contempt.
"And HE is not our MASTER?" Monica asked. The idea that any person should be held against their will was infuriating to her.
"Monica!" Her father hissed. He hoped that Chandler had not heard or if he had, he would not be too mad.
Gary turned to smile at her. "He is a gentleman. He will treat you fairly and will make sure no harm comes to you. I know that you are upset, but you will see in time that he is a good man. And kindhearted to a fault."
While the group was talking, Chandler and Joey looked at each other, shook their heads, and smiled.
"I think that that Miss Geller is going to be a bit of trouble." Joey grinned at Chandler.
"She will come around. Her father will be close by. They will see each other every day. So she will eventually settle down." Chandler smiled, humming a tune as he did.
"I KNEW IT!" Joey grinned looking at Chandler's face.
"Knew what?" Chandler asked.
"There was another reason why you chose her." Joey grinned slyly.
"There was not." Chandler argued back, his reddening face betraying him.
"Yes there is." Joey shot back.
"No, there isn't."
"Yes there is."
"NO, there isn't!"
They continued on arguing like that until they arrived at the plantation.
The plantation consisted of a main building or the great house. Beside the great house there was a kitchen off to the side with a huge pantry attached to it and cellar below it, a smoke house, a weaver and cloth house, a gardening shack and a cottage for the kitchen and flower gardens, where the plantation grew it's own vegetables. In the back there was a blacksmith shop and his house, a carpenter's shop and house, three barns connected to each other, one just for horses with a few donkeys and mules, one for the cows and oxen, the other for the sheep, goats and two grain bins, one of barns had a place where carriages and wagons could be driven into, a huge chicken coop, a hog pin, a leather works, a tool shack where the tools were stored for the fields. The servant's houses, which numbered to be about thirty, were to the left of the main house, away from the river. And they had small gardens of their own to grow vegetables and some even had livestock of their own with small buildings to house them in.
Further on down, a wine cellar and small winery and an alehouse and distillery where alcohol could be made at and warehouse where it could be stored. There was also an apple orchard and then a press where cider could be made. The corn left over from a harvest could be made into corn liquor, instead of it going to waste and the vines that Chandler had growing on the sloping parts of his property which produced grapes could be eaten like they were, dried into raisins, or made into wine.
Then down by the Hudson River was a dock where there where some fishing vessels and a dry dock to fix the boats that belonged to the plantation, but also the other people who lived around there, not to mention prepare the fish for the markets and warehouses to harbor the harvest in. And next to the river was a grain mill, where flour could be made. Then further on, there was a church with the vicar's cottage and a small communal graveyard. Both the Green and Tyler/Bing families gave the buildings and land as a gift, since the property was situated right beside each other. And Joey's father, mother and sisters also lived next to it, which housed the shop where the barrels were made. In a few short years, there was undoubtedly going to be a town there.
There was also a forest and Chandler even ran a small lumber mill. After reading a few books, he would go and use selective harvesting technique to ensure that the forest would be around for generations. He owned more land than anyone else in the county, and didn't even farm one quarter of the land that could be farmed. The majority of the harvest was corn, wheat, oats, rye and sometimes beef. But when those crops did not do well, the plantation relied on the lumber, wine and ale or beer and the fish that the river was able to provide.
Once they arrived at the plantation, Monica and her father were reluctantly separated. He and Jacob Hunt were shown to the blacksmithing shop and house by Joey who also gave them some very sturdy new clothes and explained their duties, then introduced them to a servant they had working for them, as well as two apprentices in training. Meanwhile, Monica was shown to her room in the main house by Chandler and introduced to the housekeeper, Mary Rawlings. Soon after, he left to change into some more comfortable clothes and then to start on his account books.
"Well, small enough aren't you? I guess we had better get you some new clothes, and will show you around and to your room. Now how much do you know about running a house?" Mary asked.
"I know a bit," Monica answered her.
She was then taken to a bedroom that was right next to Mary's and given some bed sheets and covers and some much nicer clothes, befitting those of the house help. Monica followed Mary through the massive main house, taking in all that Mary was telling her about the house and her duties.
But as she walked the elaborate halls, Monica could not help but to feel trapped, caged like a bird in a deceptively beautiful prison. While the house was lovely, and the people were kind, Monica still felt as though she were in the worst place on Earth. She didn't care what the others said about Master Bing. He was holding her freedom, and for that, he would always be nothing more than a monster.
As the women entered the grand foyer, they ran into Chandler, who was exiting his study. He was wearing a light brown pair of pants, a white shirt, and a pair of boots that stopped just below his knees.
"Good Afternoon, ladies," Chandler smiled warmly.
"Good Afternoon, Chandler. Monica and I were just finishing our tour of the main house."
"Are you finding everything to your liking, Monica?" Chandler asked softly.
"Everything is fine, Master," Monica said, as she fought to hide her irritation. She kept her face turned down to the floor.
"Please, Monica, address me as Chandler. I really do despise formalities."
"You are my owner, Master Bing, not my friend. Please do not ask me to pretend otherwise." Monica turned her face upward to glare at Chandler. Chandler stood in stunned silence for a moment. He was not quite prepared for the young girl's blunt honesty. While he knew he should be offended, he could not help but to be intrigued.
"You do whatever makes you comfortable, Miss Geller," Chandler smiled, and shot Mary a knowing glance, before walking out the front door.
Once the heavy door closed, Mary turned to Monica. "Monica, I know that you do not want to be here, but you were quite lucky to have been bought by Chandler. I suggest you watch yourself. Chandler is a very patient man, but every man has his limit."
"Everyone keeps telling me that I should feel lucky that this man bought me! Well, I do not feel lucky, not at all! I do not want to be owned, by him, or by anyone!" Monica felt her emotions get the better of her. She quickly excused herself, and ran toward her bedroom, as angry tears streaked her porcelain face.
After he left the house, Chandler walked to the blacksmith house to see that Jack Geller and Jacob Hunt were situated in comfortably. The blacksmith shop and shed where the extra iron was stored at was off by itself, with a well just outside of it and the house stood to the side of it. It was a one and a half story, mini replica of the main house that had a loft for the apprentices to live. It contained a kitchen/sitting room with a fireplace and three bedrooms.
While he was walking, Chandler could not help but feel sorry for Monica. Jack had informed him, soon after he bought him, that the courts had left it up to him to decide if they were to be sold or not. If they were not to be sold, they would be forced into a penal colony and they may never make it out alive, ever. But were they to be sold as indentured servants, they had a chance at freedom, eventually. Jack decided that it would be better if they were sold as indentured servants in the Colonies, so he had signed over the papers that agreed to their servitude. Monica did not know that, nor did the rest of her family.
Upon arriving, Chandler saw Joey telling them a story about a horse, which had all of the outdoor servants laughing.
"Jack, do you have everything that you need here? If not, then we have at least four more harvests to sell this year, and I am sure we can get what you need." Chandler smiled at Jack. He had let it be known that with Jack's experience, he was to be the one in charge.
"This is all we will need. The blacksmith's shop is well stocked, and everything appears in order. If I need anything, I will inform you, Master Bing."
"Please, call me Chandler," Chandler hoped that Jack was not as 'spirited' as his daughter.
"Ok, Chandler. How is Monica doing?" Jack asked worried. He hoped that since he was close by, she would not be so hard for Chandler to deal with.
"She will eventually come around and settle down." Chandler tried to smile convincingly.
The smile did not work on Joey, who knew the look on Chandler's face told a different story. Jack picked up on the tension, and knew that his daughter was unhappy, and that her temper had gotten the better of her.
"I must apologize for my daughter's insubordination. I know that she is unhappy about all of this, but there is no excuse for her behavior."
"Your daughter has done nothing wrong, Jack. She is fine, trust me." Chandler smiled warmly, then made his way toward the plantation offices.
One day later….
Ross and Judy sat together in silence, as the Green carriage rumbled toward the plantation. Ross glanced at his mother, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"Mother," Ross turned to look at Judy fully.
"Yes, Ross," Judy mumbled.
"Do you think we will ever see Monica and Father again?"
"I don't know, Ross."
"I overheard the Colonel saying that the other Plantation was not far from here."
"I suppose," Judy sighed, then closed her eyes, in a vain attempt to shut out her new reality.
Ross sat back and watched his mother for a moment. She was not taking any of this well.
**
The carriage pulled up to the main house about mid morning, and the Colonel jumped to the ground, only to be greeted immediately by three young girls.
"Daddy!" the youngest girl squealed, and hopped into the Colonel's arms.
"Oh, I think you are getting too old to do that, pumpkin." the Colonel laughed.
"Who did you bring, Father?" the middle girl asked curiously, noticing that there were some people in the carriage.
Leonard opened the carriage door, and Judy and Ross stepped out slowly.
"This is our new cook, Judy Geller, and your new tutor, Ross Geller," the Colonel smiled, "Ross, Judy, these are my daughters, Amy, Jill, and Rachel." He indicated the youngest, second youngest and then the oldest.
The younger girls giggled and ran toward the house, while the oldest walked back, acting like a lady, as Ross and Leonard turned to pull the bags from the carriage. Ross turned toward the house that he would now be calling home, and sighed deeply. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.
The three-story house was a beautiful feat of English architectural work. The great houses of England had nothing on it and it's beauty and it's stature. Even though most of the great English homes housed nobles, their homes seemed almost run down compared to this newer house. But while the nobles and aristocrats coffers were being slowly drained, the rich here in the new world were thriving off of their new money.
**
"He has funny hair," Amy scrunched up her nose dramatically.
"I think he's dashing!" Jill replied in equally dramatic fashion.
"What do you think, Rachel?" Amy asked her eldest sister, who was watching the new additions to their household from the picture window in the parlor.
"He's…bookish," Rachel said nonchalantly. But inside, she was as enthusiastic as her sisters. Ross was indeed quite dashing. Rachel smiled. She was suddenly very much looking forward to her schooling.
~*~
After Ross and Judy were shown to their rooms, Sandra Green took Judy on a tour of the kitchens, pantry and cellar. She was given her duties and introduced to the kitchen staff. The only ones that would have say over her were Leonard and Sandra Green, the head cook and the housekeeper.
Ross was going to be looked upon as a very valuable person in the house. He was to give the girls their schooling in reading, writing, numbers or figuring (which Sandra was not too fond of) Italian and French languages, history of England and some of the world, geography, and music, including playing the piano, singing, and dancing.
Leonard showed Ross the library where he would be teaching the girls. The walls were lined with books, manuscripts and maps. There was even a globe of the known world, and a huge table and brick fireplace.
"So, does the room meet with your standards?" Colonel Green asked.
"Yes sir, Master Green. It is the best library I have seen in quit a while, it rivals my father's back home." Ross blushed and looked at the floor.
"Why were you sold anyway?"
"My grandfather owed a great deal of money, which he could not pay, so he killed himself. And the family had to pay it." Ross sighed.
"I see. Well Ross, I am not a demanding man, and my only requirement is this; my daughters are to be educated. You are to get your orders from me, not my wife. No one else is to tell you what to do, understand. You are to only concern yourself with my daughter's education. Jill is the youngest, and she is easier to teach than the other two. Amy is going to be difficult, as she would rather be at a ball, at tea, visiting or shopping. Rachel who is the oldest, is a quick learner, but even quicker with her temper, she will argue with you on subjects that she feels passionate about. But I consider her to be the smartest one of them all. Although Jill is smart for her age." Leonard Green then looked hard at Ross. "But, I am warning you, if you attack or have a liaison with any one of my daughters, I will have you punished most severely and you will find yourself back up on the auction block as will your mother. Understand?"
Ross nodded. "I would never even think it."
"Good. I will send the girls in and you can introduce yourself and get started. Oh, and breakfast starts exactly at eight in the morning. If you do not make it, you do not eat breakfast, it is that simple. Same with lunch which is at twelve and dinner at six. And you are to dress formally for you are to eat with the family. Or if you wish, you can eat in the kitchen with your mother. It is your choice. Perhaps I will see you later on at the table," Leonard smiled curtly, then left. Soon after, the girls entered.
"Good afternoon, ladies. My name is Mr. Geller. I am to be your new tutor."
"We KNOW that," Amy sarcastically spat.
"Ok. Where did your last tutor leave off?"
"Uh oh." Jill replied.
"Jill shhh." Rachel replied. "We were discussing English and Roman government. And making comparisons between the two and how they differed."
"No sister dear. You both were having a fierce argument on the English government." Amy grinned. Hoping to see a display of fireworks like the previous tutor and Rachel had, in short causing the tutor to leave and them not to have to do any schoolwork.
"Really? And what were you arguing about, Miss Green?" Ross directed the question towards Rachel.
"How tyrannical and arrogant the king and Parliament are being." Rachel stated. In her mind, they were evil dictators who had no idea what it was like over in the new world.
"England is the mother country and her lands in her empire are her children, so everyone owes her their respect. She is to be the ones making the decisions and directing their affairs, and should be punished accordingly if the mother country sees fit." Ross concluded his little speech smugly.
"Here it comes…." Jill stated as she and Amy sat down to listen to what Rachel was about to say.
"They have no idea our problems or anything else that is plaguing us. And I say that the 'Colonies' as you call them, are old enough to get out from under their 'mother' so that they can do their own governing."
"That is treason!"
"That is the truth! The king and Parliament will not allow representatives from the colonies in the meetings as to decide our future and laws so why should we listen to them? They could care less about our situation over here!" Rachel fumed.
"They care. They are just tired of people telling them how to govern their empire."
"NO! They are just afraid that they will lose their empire or 'children', eventually if they gave us our own voice. But I tell you they have already lost us. Soon enough people here in this land will have enough of their ways and soon England will have to pay. For we will get our independence and will have our own country and no king will ever sit on a throne over here! I swear it!" Rachel spoke not only prophetically but passionately and with such assurance that it would happen, that Ross was left with his mouth hanging open.
Finally he found his voice. "B-but that is treason. People have been hanged for saying less!"
"Maybe over in merry OLD England, but this is a whole different land! And I will not be so cowardly! I will live to see this land become a free country without England telling us what to do! And my descendants will also have the same freedom that we will soon battle to achieve! And it will be soon! I have seen too many signs of what is to happen. People are speaking their minds and openly criticizing the royal government for not paying them any heed. I tell you this, my father, my neighbors and I have all chosen sides and soon you will too." With that Rachel walked out of the library, her head held high and very sure of herself and her ideas.
Ross pondered over her commits for a moment. Finally he cleared his throat. "Ladies, I think we will now begin our lessons on the English government and how it is the best in the world. And how we owe everything to it, our mother country," Causing Amy and Jill to groan and roll their eyes.
After walking out, Rachel went directly to her father's study and rapped on the door. "Enter." Rachel then quietly slipped in. "Rachel, why are you not with your lessons?"
"He is not to my liking." Rachel huffed.
"What are you talking about?"
"He was defending the king and Parliament!" Rachel screeched out.
The Colonel sighed. "Rachel, he probably has no idea of what they are doing to us. Give him some time. He will come around."
"What if he does not? I will have to listen to his long winded speeches about how great they are, when in reality…."
"Rachel, we know how they are, because being over here, we know what they are capable of. There, we are traitors and treasonous rebels, with no education or sense into how the law really is."
"But, I will not sit quietly by while this man who does not know anything pretends that everything is perfect over here with England governing us!" Rachel defended her views.
"Well, prove him wrong." Leonard Green calmly eased his way into the fray.
"How?"
"That is for you to decide. You call yourself a Daughter of Independence? Then prove it by converting another member." Rachel smiled and thanked her father and left.
Leonard Green was left there smiling at her retreating form. He'd heard the argument that she had with her new tutor, as it was very loud. Consequently, he had been expecting her, and he was prepared to tell her to compromise. Which he could only hope she would strive to do. He wished that it would be that easy to work with England.
But over in England, not too many people would side with them, or the outlying colonies about representatives. So he was guessing that it would be interesting to see how everything would be played out in the months to come. It should be quite interesting to say the least.
~*~
Life on a colonial farm began early; a bit before the sun came up.
Mary would have the children gather the eggs from the chickens and milk the cows and then carry in firewood and water, then carry them into the kitchen, where the maids would skim the milk and make it into cheese and then take some of it and make it into butter by putting it into a butter churn, while the cooks started to make breakfast. Breakfast included biscuits, gravy, eggs, steak, cheese, and butter.
The younger children would not have to work as hard, so they got to relax before starting their day. Then, after all of their chores were done, all of the children would gather in the study for their lessons that Chandler was insistent about them having.
During this time, Mary held a meeting with the other household help, which Monica now had to attend. She would go over the daily cleaning and other daily household chores. And then she would also go over anything extra that she needed done.
Saturday was when all of the baking would be done, Friday was ironing and sewing day, when all of the seams and rips would be repaired, Thursday was wash day when all of the clothes would be washed in and hung out to dry, Wednesday was the time that all of the rugs were taken out and beaten or washed, Tuesday was when the whole house was totally swept clean, more so than the rest of the week, and Monday which was the beginning of the week was when the household goods were repaired or made. Sunday was their day off.
Of course there were special projects going on for different times of the year. Summertime had berry picking and preserving, the fall had canning from the vegetable garden, and the winter sewing and repair work. In spring, Mary oversaw the young boys painting the different houses and talked with Phoebe about what to plant in the vegetable and herb gardens. And oversaw other household repairs that had to be made.
Chandler's day began with him also waking up before the sun, then he would quickly inspect the house and buildings with Mary and Monica and instruct them on what needed to be done. Then while Mary held her meeting, he would meet with Joey who would go over what was to be done that day around the farm. They would then go to eat breakfast, which was ready promptly at seven.
They checked out the barns and the equipment and if it needed to be repaired they would have one of the craftsmen to repair it; usually it was Jack or Gary. Then they would go to the farm office and recap on what needed to be done that day. At eight, Chandler and Joey mounted up and for five hours, they rode around the plantation checking on everything from the stock to the different fields, with Chandler making notes as they went along. At one, they would come back, got washed up and ate lunch. Then they would go out to the different fields to oversee the planting or the harvests. And then they would check over the barns and stock before retiring that night.
It was two weeks after Chandler had 'bought' her, and Monica was still mad, so she started thinking. Why don't she and her father just leave? She confronted her father about her idea.
"Monica, NO! Chandler is very good to us. Besides we owed a debt and he is helping us to repay it." Jack stood there furious. If they left, they would be hunted and brought to justice. Living on the plantation was the best thing that happened to them. They were well fed, well clothed and they were not mistreated.
"Well, I am getting out of here, with or without you. I will follow the river to the city since they will be looking along the road for me." Monica turned to go back to the house to get her bag.
After she left, Jack went to the north field where Chandler was. "Um, Master Bing, could I talk to you in private?" Jack asked nervously.
Chandler looked puzzled at Jack. "Sure." Once they were far enough away. "Talk. And please call me Chandler."
"Promise me that you will not beat her." Jack hoped that Chandler would not.
"I have never beaten anyone…." Chandler laughed then got serious. "Jack what happened?"
"Promise me that you will not hurt her." Jack pleaded.
"Monica." Chandler guessed. "What happened?"
"Chandler, please." Jack groaned.
"I will not hurt her." Chandler agreed.
"She has run off."
"WHAT? Where did she go?" Chandler asked, his head spinning from a headache.
"I don't know." Jack answered truthfully. "I think she said something about following the river to New York."
"But that is dangerous. All of those thieves and river trash that live along the river… I have to go and get her before she gets really hurt." Chandler ran over to the horse that he brought with him to the fields and got on it. "Jack tell no one what you told me, understand?" With that, he rode off toward the river.
After talking with her father, Monica had collected her bag and had snuck out. Then quickly and quietly walked toward the river missing the docks so that no one could follow her. After forty minutes of brisk walking, she made it to the river down past the docks and a little past the church.
Ten minutes later, she was still following the river, moving as quickly as she could. After walking for ten minutes more, there was a rustling in the bushes up ahead. She jumped back startled. Then there was no more movement. She sighed with relief. Then started to walk at an even pace. When she got past the bushes she heard another noise.
"Well…look here. We got a visitor, Ishmael." A gruff looking older man came out of the bushes holding a musket.
"Wow, pa. She sure is pretty. I want her as my wife." A younger dirty man walked out into the open carrying a musket.
"Yes she is. But, since your ma passed on, I am lonely and it would be nice to have a nice warm body to warm my bed. And you could have a brother." He leered at Monica. Monica felt instantly revolted and sick.
"But, pa…I want her as my wife. And she could give you a grandson." The younger man started to circle her, sizing her up.
"Boy, don't you back talk me! I said she is mine!"
"I called her first."
"I am the father and I said she is mine…."
Just then a shot rang out. "She belongs to me. I have two pistols aimed at the both of you. Now who wants to be gut shot?" Chandler asked holding two pistols aiming at the two people's hearts. They had been too busy arguing to notice that someone had ridden up to them.
The older man grinned, "Why, if it isn't the high and mighty Mr. Bing. She belongs to you? I did not know that. You had better keep a shorter leash on that slut of yours if you don't want someone walking off with her."
Chandler's eyes glowed with pure hatred, and his voice dangerously low, "If you do not get out of here, I will shoot the both of you while you are standing there." He then raised his voice angrily, "Now BEAT IT!"
He did not have to tell them twice. As both man scrambled away, Chandler turned his horse toward Monica and then grabbed her and pulled her up in front of him. "We are going to have a little talk Miss Geller." Chandler said between clenched teeth.
Instead of riding toward the plantation he rode the horse for ten minutes away from the river then went toward an empty meadow, stopped the horse and climbed down while still holding on to Monica. He then took her over to a tree, pushed her down on a log and told her to 'sit.'
He turned away and ran his hands through his hair. To get a hold of his temper he took a deep breath. What was he going to say to her and how was he going to get his point across? He closed his eyes. Counted to ten in English and then Latin. After he got his temper under control he turned back toward her.
"What in the world do you think you were doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous the river is?" Chandler sighed heavily. "No you don't, or else you would not have tried something that stupid." Before she could interrupt, Chandler stopped her. "Not a word. You WILL listen to me! I ask only a few things from each one of the people who work for me, and the one thing I ask is for people NOT to run away. I am going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer them. Have I ever beat you or misused you in any way? Treated you badly, do you go to bed hungry? Answer me!" Chandler was almost yelling.
"No." Monica glared at him.
"Then why in the world would you try your best to get yourself killed? Those two people are the worst around this area. That older man said that his wife passed away, didn't he? What he didn't say was that she died because of a fever brought on by him beating her senseless. His son is just like him in that respect. He punched the very girl he was courting all because she did not agree with him. Between them, you would have been beaten to a bloody pulp." Chandler sighed.
"What is the difference between you and them?"
"I would never hit you, ever. I have never raised my hand to anyone except in self defense." Chandler squatted down in front of Monica. "Monica, please promise me that you will not try to run away again." Chandler caressed the side of her face and smiled weakly. "And promise me that you will come to me and talk to me if something is wrong. Please."
Monica squirmed away from Chandler's touch, and nodded stiffly. He sighed and stood slowly, helping Monica to her feet and back up onto the horse. They rode back to the plantation in silence.
Once they arrived, Monica went straight to the blacksmith shop, while Chandler went to his office. After a bit, Chandler entered the house, he then took her and Jack to one of the back rooms, closed the door and bolted it.
"I am going to say this one time more Monica. Do not run off again."
"I would have gotten away if someone would have kept silent." Monica glared at Jack.
"No, those two would have had their way with you. And if you let out any protest, they would have stated that you are a runaway. And as a runaway, you would have had to wear this iron ring around your neck. And also that they would have gotten some money as a reward. But not before they had their way with you."
"What?" Jack asked.
"Monica will fill you in later." Chandler showed Monica what he had grabbed a hold of when he went to his office. "You see this? It not only shows that you are an indentured servant, but you are also prone to run. If someone else catches you, then this may be your next piece of jewelry.' He dropped it to the table with a thump. "Now I am going to go and eat. Good night to the both of you." He then left Monica and Jack to talk and went to the kitchen at the main house to get himself something to eat.
******************
Constructive reviews welcomed. Whinny reviews and such cheerfully ignored!!!!!!!!!!!!!