~4~
The moon shone in through my open balcony, casting a silvery glow across the floor of my bed chamber. I lay under the canopy in my bed, reading to myself, while thinking of William. I wanted him to be a part of my life more than ever; if only he would let me.
I heard a soft knock on my door and looked up to see my brother smiling at me, the twinkle gleaming in his eyes. I laid my book down next to me and smiled back at him. He came over and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Ah, reading as usual," he said glancing at my book.
"It helps take my mind off things," I answered back sweetly.
"That reminds me, Janie, next time you come to London with me, I will have to take you to see the plays they put on. They're fabulous and I know you would love them," he said to me.
"I'm sure I would like them very much," I answered him back sweetly, "When are you going back?"
"Not for a while I am afraid," he said looking down sadly.
"Why, where are you off to this time?" I asked curiously. My brother was always traveling. It was part of helping my father run his business.
"Well," Frederick began, "I already talked to Father, and I have a special task to do for him and the king that will take me miles away from here."
"What is it?" I asked anxiously waiting the answer.
"Do you know why I went down to London this time?" he asked smiling.
"To help father with business, as usual," I said.
"Exactly," he cheered, "And this time, his business is taking me miles away to the New World."
"What? You're going to America?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, I'm going to govern a new colony there. You see, the king wanted Father to govern it, but we both know that he is getting too old to make the voyage across, so with Father and the king's permission, I will be ruling my own colony in America," he said smiling, pride in himself written all over his face.
"That's marvelous!" I said excitedly.
"Isn't it? Oh, Jane, once you are out from under the wrath of Mother and Father, I will have to take you with me. Can you imagine living in the New World? It's going to be such a wonderful experience. A new start to my life," he said.
"I'm so happy for you," I said, "But, when will you come home?" I was ecstatic for my brother, but I didn't want him to leave me here all alone with my parents. Even though he traveled much, it was never across an entire sea.
"I don't think I will be able to," he said glumly, "But I promise, I will write you every day when I can just to see how you are faring with Mother and Father."
"Will you really?" I asked him hopefully.
"Of course Jane. You're my little sister and I'm going to miss you terribly," he said, scooting himself closer to me, and wrapping his big arms around my small little body. "Now, get some sleep," he said kissing the top of my forehead.
"Good night," I muttered, flashing him a smile before he swept out of the room.
I blew out the candle that lit my room, and lay back on my bed to get some sleep. I laid awake for hours, thinking of the ball I would have to face and my overwhelming parents, my brother leaving me for America, and William.
It had just been a disappointing trip to the village. I had gotten no farther with William and I began dreaming about our history together. The way we had been so happy in our past. It was almost like a fairytale.
I had known William Berkley since I was a little girl of 7 years. I went out into the garden as I usually did in the hot summer air, my pale pink dress billowing behind me and my long brown hair waving in the wind. My nurse had just went back into the house and I ran through the gardens and out past them, until I found myself in the thickets of bushes and brush in the woods, anxious to get away from the estate and find freedom from my strict homelife. I walked through the brush until I found myself glaring at my reflection in a tiny pond. I picked up a tiny pebble and watched the splash it made into the water, when I heard a tiny laugh in front of me. I looked up to see a young boy, at the age of 8, laughing at me, with wavy dark brown hair and shiny blue eyes, on the other side of the pond.
"What's so funny?" I called to him, angry at the way he was laughing at me.
"Nothing," he said looking down and trying to hold in his laughter.
"Well, then what are you laughing at?" I asked him, hostility still in my young voice. I had never been acquainted with any young boys before and I wasn't sure if I liked this one who stood there gaping at me.
"That's not how you skip stones," he said, taking the bucket beside him and scooping up water from the pond in it.
"Well maybe I wasn't trying to skip stones," I said defending myself.
"Well then what were you doing?" he questioned curiously.
"Just throwing a pebble into the water, that's all," I said.
"Skipping stones is cooler," he replied.
"I have never skipped them before," I said, looking down and ashamed at not having done something so interesting before in my youth.
"Here, I'll show you how," Will said, and he began crossing the pond to come next to me, dragging his bucket with him.
Will crossed the pond to my side for many years to come. He lived on the outskirts of the village of Brighton and his family owned the bakery. He wasn't poor, but he didn't have nice clothing or a nice estate like my family did. His mother had died when he was born, and his father and siblings only earned income through their bakery. Will would go out to the pond to bring back fresh water, where he would meet me, and we'd end up playing until sundown.
We began to learn about one another, and up until I was 14, we were the best of friends. We would play in the pond, run through the gardens on my estate, and talk about our different lives. By the time I was 14, Will's father became sick, and Will could no longer meet me at the pond. He had to help his older brother, Peter, run the bakery while his father was sick, leaving no time to meet me in the woods anymore. Besides, my mother and father were starting to become curious as to where I disappeared to in the woods every day. I never told them or anyone about Will because they would never approve nor understand.
Just before my sixteenth birthday, I had gone into the village of Brighton with Elsie, and was surprised to come across Will. I had long since forgotten about him, but while we were shopping, I found him baking bread in the bakery. He agreed to meet me that night in our spot on the pond, and I had to sneak out at midnight just so I could see him. We caught up on our lives and he told me how his father had died so his brother and he were in control of the bakery, barely making enough money to live on. I told him about my life living in a wealthy family, and he seemed a bit touchy and bitter about that subject, so I never said much about it. I went to the pond every night hoping to see Will there waiting for me in the moonlight, but he only came once in a while.
I came to go in the village frequently after that, just so I could see Will again. He was usually busy, but I enjoyed just being next to him while he worked. Eventually, my mother put a stop to my secret village trips. She had gone into the village herself when I had snuck out one day. She saw me sitting in the bakery with Will laughing, and helping him carry flour, and made a very public outburst about how I should not be anywhere near boys like Will. She told me it was no way for a real lady to act, and she dragged me back home. I saw the sadness and embarrassment on Will's face as I walked away at the heels of my mother. I continued to sneak out to the pond every night, hoping to see him there, but he never came once.
I then remembered the last time I had secretly snuck into the village, only a month previous. I had met Will outside his bakery, stacking bags of flour, and he took my hand and pulled me into his arms, telling me he didn't think he would ever see me again. I can still feel his arms entwine around my slender body, and the magic it sent through me. I wanted that feeling to last forever, but unfortunately, it had to come to an abrupt end. I wanted to stay in his arms forever and talk to him, just as I had when I was little, but reality had gotten in the way. I had accidentally let something slip about how boring and annoying my life had become with countless parties and social gatherings and he had taken it to offense. He told me I didn't belong in the village anymore and it was time for me to grow up, just like he had. His words cut me to the core, as he walked away without even a goodbye, and that night, I snuck out to the pond, hoping to see him there and take me up into his arms again, but he wasn't. After that night, I decided to give up on Will, because he was never going back to the pond and his childhood, or to me.