VOYAGERS! - The Voyager Chronicles
TASTES OF FREEDOM - BOOK 2
(Sequel to Discoveries)
By DA Daugherty (VoyagersFan)
March 2007 (Revised 05/2009)
Previous disclaimers apply
Chapter 10 – THE ARRIVAL AT MONTICELLO
By this time, darkness had come. Bogg and Jeff continued down the road guided only by the light of a quarter moon. Having been on horseback for almost 4 hours, the two were tired, sore, hungry and in desperate need of a soft bed to crash upon.
Jeff nudged his partner. "Bogg, can we stop for a moment and rest?" He asked.
"Sure, kid!" Bogg replied. He pulled back on the reins and yelled "Whoa, now! Whoa, boy!"
Once the horse came to a stop, Jeff gingerly got down off of the beast.
"Thanks, Bogg. I needed that. I have a big pain in my backside."
"Really!" Bogg said with a smile. "I always thought I was the pain in your backside."
"C'mon Bogg, get serious! I think I have blisters back there."
Bogg slid down off the horse, walked over and stood by his partner. "Sorry kid. If it's any consolation to you, I think I have a few blisters too."
"I would say we shouldn't have too much farther to go." Bogg reassured. "Once we arrive, we can find a BIG cushion for you to sit on. Wait, make that two…I'll need one also."
"Bogg!!!"
"If you have quite finished nursing your wounds, we need to get going. " Bogg teased.
Jeff sighed. "I guess I'm ready."
The two climbed back atop their horse and proceeded down the road. Minutes later, a faint beam of light could be seen in the distance.
"Hey, kid, look!" Bogg exclaimed.
"What?"
"Over there…you see it, kid? A light!"
"Yea, I see it. It's a house. Bogg, it's Monticello!" Jeff shouted.
"Hang on kid!" Bogg yelled to his partner. He snapped the reins and yelled a loud "Yah!" and the horse began to gallop faster.
Minutes later, the two arrived outside the front gate of the mansion. Bogg pulled back on the reins and exclaimed "Whoa, boy. Whoa!" The horse obeyed and gradually came to a halt.
Soon after Bogg and Jeff slid down off the horse, they were met by one of Jefferson's slaves, the stable boy, who had heard the two as they rode up.
"Who be you two?" The slave asked.
"The name's Bogg, and this is my son Jeffrey." Bogg replied. "And who might you be?"
"I'm massa Jefferson's stable boy." He replied. "Wha'yu two be doin' out d'is time of night?"
"Well, sir, we have been sent here from Philadelphia to see Mr. Jefferson." Bogg said. "We've been riding for two days to get here."
"It's a wonder the pair of you wuzn't eaten by somethin'. Lotsa hungry critters roam the wood dis time of night. Y'all just wait here, I'll go and fetch massa Jefferson."
The slave walked toward the front door and just as he stepped upon the porch, the door opened and Mr. Jefferson peered outside.
"What's all the noise?" Jefferson asked.
"Massa Jefferson, two strangers are here to see you." The slave explained.
"Well, show them to the door and then get about your work." Jefferson ordered.
The slave walked back over to Bogg and Jeff. "Massa Jefferson wants to see you, he be waitin' for y'all on the porch."
"Thank you, sir." Bogg replied. He and Jeff walked to the porch and stepped upon it.
"Gentlemen. Who are you and what are you doing here at this time of night?" Jefferson asked somewhat critically.
"Well, sir. It's a long story. My name is Phineas Bogg and this is my son Jeffrey. Dr. Franklin and Mr. Hancock sent us here from Philadelphia. We've been riding for days to reach you."
"On horseback? With a child? All the way from Philadelphia?" Jefferson replied with great astonishment. "Why didn't they commandeer a carriage? It would have been more comfortable for you both."
Bogg attempted to explain their stroke of bad luck to the learned scholar.
Mr. Jefferson, when we began our journey, we were in a carriage lent to us by Mr. Hancock. However, about 4 hours ago, we ran into a deep gully in the road and the carriage flipped over."
"My heavens, were you hurt?" Jefferson asked.
Jeff spoke up. "No,sir. We were just bruised and battered."
After hearing what the two had gone through just to visit him, Jefferson welcomed them with open arms into his home.
"Gentlemen, please do come in and make yourselves at home." He said warmly. Bogg and Jeff stepped through the door and stood beside Jefferson as he closed and fastened it.
"Come gentlemen." Jefferson said as he walked down the hall to the door of the parlor. "After you." He said as he waved the two to enter.
Once they were inside, Jefferson pointed to the beautiful Victorian settee near the fireplace. "Gentlemen, please make yourselves comfortable. When was the last time you two have eaten?"
"Early this morning." Bogg replied.
"Well, you two sit and rest a spell. I'll go find the misses and see if she can't make you something."
"Thank you sir." Bogg said humbly.
While Jefferson went in search of his wife, the two voyagers sat there admiring the beauty of the room. After some time had passed, Jeff laid his head against Bogg's shoulder and fell asleep.
A few minutes later, Jefferson came back into the room, his wife Martha at his side.
"My dear. Let me introduce you to our guests. This is Phineas Bogg and his son, Jeffrey." Jefferson said cordially. "Mr. Bogg, this is my lovely wife, Martha."
"A pleasure to meet you ma'am. I would normally rise on occasions such as this, but, Jeffrey has prevented me from doing so."
"I see what you mean." Mrs. Jefferson replied with a chuckle. "Ahhhh. Look at the little guy. He's just worn out."
"I really hate for you to have to wake him, but, I have arranged a small meal for you both. I hope you won't be offended. It's not much, but it's all we have at the moment." She said cordially.
"Mrs. Jefferson, you are most kind. I'm sure whatever it is, it will be more than appropriate." Bogg replied.
Bogg turned to Jeff and whispered in his ear. "Hey, kid. You need to wake up. It's time to eat."
Jeff was so exhausted, he didn't respond. Bogg tried once more to wake him. "Hey kid, are you ready to go to Siberia?"
Suddenly, Jeff woke up and began to speak. "What? Siberia? Oh no, not there!"
Upon hearing Jeff's response, the three burst into laughter.
"Siberia? What's so special about that place?" Jefferson asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Well, sir. Jeff and I have visited Siberia. Jeff was ready to leave the same day we arrived. He doesn't like the cold at all. So, any time I need to get his attention or he starts being mischievous, I just tell him I'm going to take him back there. It always works." Bogg explained as a large smile came over his face.
Jeff gave his partner a hard look. Bogg reached over and put his arm around him and said. "No matter what, I'll always love you, kid. Now let's go get something to eat."
"If you gentlemen will step this way, your meal awaits you in the dining room." Mrs Jefferson said graciously.
Bogg and Jeff rose from their seats and walked into the dining room. Before they sat down at the ornate cherry dining table, beautifully set with china and silver, they stood there for a moment, awestruck, by its magnificence.
Jefferson walked over and pulled the chair out for his lovely wife. Once she was seated, he walked over to the head of the table.
"My good gentlemen, please…be seated." He beckoned.
Bogg and Jeff sat down and unfolded their napkins onto their laps.
"Jennie!" Mrs. Jefferson called out as she picked up a little bell and rang it softly. "We are ready now."
Immediately, a beautiful young slave girl came through the door. She wore an ankle length dress made of dark blue material, accented by a white apron edged in lace. Her hair was pinned up underneath a starched white bonnet. After she slowly and graciously made her way to the table, she poured her master and his wife a glass of wine and then began to serve their guests. Once everyone had been served, she quietly left the room.
Bogg and Jeff commenced to eat. Their appetites were now somewhat overwhelming.
"Mr. Bogg, Jeffrey, I hope everything is to your liking." Mrs. Jefferson implored. "Like I said before, it's not much."
"Thank you again, Mrs. Jefferson. The food is very good and very filling as well." Bogg complimented. "It's just what the two of us needed after such a long journey."
"Mr. Bogg. Why did Franklin and Adams send you here?" Jefferson asked pointedly.
Bogg put down his fork for a moment. "Mr. Jefferson, to put it quite frankly, they sent the two of us here to convince you to come back and finish what you started."
Jefferson began to laugh. "Why should I? I spent weeks sitting at my desk in Philadelphia, writing the most important document ever to be written in these thirteen colonies. And for what purpose? To have every last word of it torn apart by the delegates in Congress. I think not."
"Sir. I…" Bogg began to respond to Jefferson, but had now noticed Jefferson's wife was currently staring at him, with a sort of star-struck look painted on her face. After being noticed by Bogg, Mrs. Jefferson glanced down at her plate and continued to eat. Seeing this, Bogg looked back at Jefferson.
"Sir, I quite understand your point of view in this matter. As a matter of fact, I witnessed some of what you went through two days ago, before you walked out and left Philadelphia."
"If it hadn't been for Adams and Franklin, I would have walked out long before then. They understand the hardships that King George has put upon us. They know all too well, we must take a stand and declare ourselves a free and independent nation; otherwise we are doomed to taxation and servitude. Not only that, slowly but surely, the good King is taking away those the freedoms we so bravely risked our lives to come here for."
"I understand your frustration, sir. However, you cannot just throw your hands into the air and give up." Bogg said as he attempted to make Jefferson see the light. "You have to fight, and fight hard until you have no more strength left in you."
Bogg took another bite of his food and as he put his fork down, he once again noticed Mrs. Jefferson smiling strangely at him. Quickly, he again turned to Jefferson.
"Mr. Bogg. I truly appreciate your words of wisdom in this matter. I have not given up, by no means. It's just… Many of the delegates in Congress do not fully understand what we are attempting to accomplish with this document. And those who do understand are too afraid of the retribution that will be brought upon them and their families for being associated with such a document."
"Why is that, Mr. Jefferson?" Bogg asked. "According to what you just said, it all comes down to one sentence. Either you become a free and independent nation or you become slaves to Old King George. I think if it were up to me, I would rather be free."
"It's a pity you are not a member of Congress. I believe if we had more delegates who think like you, this document would have been completed and ratified long ago." Jefferson acknowledged before taking a sip of his wine.
"Thank you Mr. Jefferson. At this point, Bogg pulled out all the stakes and posed the obvious question.
"Now, would it be too much to ask of you to come back to Philadelphia and continue your fight?"
"No, Mr. Bogg. I'm not going back. My task is in Adams' hands now. It's all up to him." Jefferson said as he rose from the table. "And now, if you will excuse me, I must get ready for bed. Please continue to enjoy your meal. Once you have finished, Mrs. Jefferson will show you to the guest room, where you may stay the night."
"Thank you for your kind hospitality, sir." Bogg replied.
As Jefferson walked through the dining room door, he suddenly stopped and looked back at his guests.
"Oh, one more thing. Breakfast is at six am tomorrow. After you have eaten, my wife and I will take you on a tour of the grounds. For now, a good night to you both."
After Jefferson had left the room, his wife rose from the table. Bogg and Jeff stood up as a matter of courtesy to their gracious hostess as she made her way over and stood next to Bogg.
"Gentlemen." Mrs. Jefferson prompted as she looked up at Bogg, smiled and batted her eyelashes. "If you will come with me, I will show you to your room."
With this latest bit of flirting, Bogg was now feeling quite uncomfortable with this situation. He looked at his hostess and attempted to express his gratitude without giving her the wrong signals.
"Thank you, ma'am." He replied somewhat indifferently.
The two followed Mrs. Jefferson upstairs to the guest room.
"You may sleep here tonight. I'm sorry there is only one bed, but, that shouldn't be a problem for the two of you. The summer evenings in Virginia can get a little bit warm, so if you get too hot, you can raise the window." She said as she continued to stare at Bogg, almost lustfully.
Bogg, somewhat shaken up by Mrs. Jefferson's actions, stumbled on his words as he attempted to show thanks to his hostess.
"Thank you… ma'…am." He said warmly.
"Well, good night to you both." She said before she left the room and closed the door behind her.
Bogg sat down on the bed and started taking off his boots. After having some difficulty with one, Jeff came over and began tugging on it. Without warning, the boot slipped off Bogg's foot and Jeff fell to the floor with a thud.
"Hey, are you ok?" Bogg asked.
"Yea, I'm ok."
"Bogg? What was going on at the dining room table earlier?" Jeff asked his partner. "At one point, you had the strangest look on your face."
Mrs. Jefferson's continuous staring at Bogg had unnerved him greatly. A bit confused and stunned by the experience, he snapped at his partner in response to his question.
"Kid, did you see what Mrs. Jefferson was doing?"
"No. What was she doing?"
"She was sitting there staring at me with this, this…oh what's the word for it…this strange grin on her face." Bogg replied
"I didn't see her. Maybe it was just your imagination."
"Well, she did it, twice, kid." Bogg exclaimed. "It was as if she was…as you would put it…'all googley-eyed' at me."
Jeff began to laugh. "Bogg, c'mon, she's a married woman!"
"Shhhh! Jeff, not so loud, or she'll hear us." Bogg said with a quiver in his voice. "I know she's married, but since when has that stopped anyone from doing something like that?"
"Bogg, if it happens again just ignore her." Jeff recommended. "That's how you handle that. Now come on, let's get some sleep."
"I guess you're right, kid." Bogg acknowledged. Without saying another word, he climbed into bed and pulled the covers over him.
Once Bogg was snuggly tucked in, Jeff climbed in on the opposite side and pulled the covers up over him.
"Good night, Bogg!"
"Good night, Kid!"
After a few moments of silence, Jeff leaped up and teased his partner. "Whew! Bogg! When was the last time you changed your socks?"
Bogg turned over and looked at Jeff. "It's been a couple of months or so. Now be quiet and go back to sleep."