Reviewers-I have been sick and momentarily forgot to reply...
Anne Shirley Blythe-Thank you! your words mean so much to me! Truly they do, to know what I am aiming for in this is what a reader is experiencing. I hope you will continue to enjoy this.
Guest-I didn't think I was the only one to pursue this as I have, though through maybe through the reasonings but I do love that you have that sort of faith in me. I am glad that writing is doing what I hope it to do!
A small break in the normal for a trip to Toronto.
Ithaca-the island home of a hero.
Toronto
Going home felt strange, two days on a train and his parents waiting for him at Union Station when he arrived. They gather his luggage hugging him and drive him home, while his ankle twinges from being stiff from the train he is glad to see them. It wasn't until they got home, that his father looked at him, looking solemn and worried. Ken looks to his father letting out whatever he was holding onto the past weeks. It was neither of their ideas, but Ken gulped down a sob and hugged his Father. When was the last time he hugged his father?
"Why don't we all go talk in the sunroom?" His mother says to them.
Ken only nods his head. Trying to wipe away the emotions of the last few weeks.
It comes tumbling out as their maid brings them tea and leaves quietly. He doesn't know what to do, so he just breaks up his mother's shortbread cookies as he tells the tale of the summer.
"I didn't know what else to do, I just couldn't just watch her…if I had just kept her near me or attention on her," Ken says elbows leaning on his knees.
"It's not your fault Kenneth, men like…men like that don't need an excuse but this-this won't be easier for her and you adjacent. What she endured…that will stay with her entire life." His mother tells him.
"How do you know that?" Ken asks her.
"You know that I was married before I met your father. What you don't know, is that I was married off like chattel so my mother could pay off the mortgage she could not pay for. Dick Moore was not a nice man and for a year I lived in terror of him." Leslie Ford tells him
"You mean?" Ken looks up in horror at his mother.
"Without any consequence to his conscience," Leslie says looking at her husband. "All I wanted was to go to school, go to Redmond and instead I spent twelve years trapped in a marriage that was a fraud without even knowing it."
"Mom," Ken says in shock looking to his father who only nods his head.
"I know Rilla doesn't plan to go to school, but this has changed her entire life dear and you need to understand just how much it has changed her I want you to make sure that if she ever does want to do anything in her life to support it."
"Of course I will," Ken says simply. "Where is Persis? Does she know yet?"
"She stayed over at Aline's house, but we haven't told her yet, we thought you may want some more practice in before you get to school?" Owen his father says shaking his head.
Ken nods his head. His father was oddly quiet on the subject so far. "You think I shouldn't have, that it was foolish of me?"
Owen looks at him, and then his wife. "It's not a question of foolishness, what you did was very brave and sincere, I just hope that you are ready for it and that your marriage will be a happy one when you go back for her." n
He watches his Mother look at his father, her husband and rub his arm.
"Dinner is at the usual time," His mother tells him. "Go rest up and bathe, Persis will be home soon enough," she adds before standing up. She kisses the top of his dark hair and squeezes his shoulder.
Persis jumps to hug him when she arrives home, at eighteen she is three years younger than him, and three years older than his now wife.
"Ken!" She exclaims. "When did you get back?! Though cutting it close to school starting for you though!"
"Yes I know but there were things that kept me on the island longer than anticipated," he says turning around from the desk he was at in his room. He looks at her, in a morning dress of light pink checks and bits of embroidered edges and lace.
"Oh like what find some lady to tease and lead on," she teases him. "How many broken hearts this year?"
"Perse, you should sit down for this one," he says sighing.
"Dear lord, you didn't get someone in trouble, did you? Is that way momma and pops are looking so confused lately?"
"Of course not, who do you think I am?" Ken says indignantly.
"I don't you know but everyone is acting strange right now," Persis says with a shrug.
"Well that didn't happen, but something big did happen," Ken says taking a deep breath. "I got married."
"Oh very funny who would you marry out there? the twins are like sisters and Ethel Reese is technically a cousin on our mother's side somewhere. Also, you have school to finish?" Persis laughs. "And where is she then?"
"She's still on the island, she going to stay there as I finish school up," Ken says quietly.
"Seriously my goodness you didn't marry little Rilla Blythe did you?" Persis jokes running out of options and Ken just looks down at his hands unable to speak.
"No, no," Persis shakes her head. "She's a baby what did you do?!"
"What did I do? I did nothing, Persis! How can you even ask that?" Ken balks at his sister.
"I don't know but Katrina Simpson has always been said to enjoy time with you driving or necking in your car," Persis comments.
"Trina is twenty years old and not bloody fifteen Persis! I would never….with Rilla! We danced at the dance together and she's a pretty young thing…" Ken stammers
"Yet you're married to her now?"
"Persis, we danced, we talked or I talked, had cakes and ices and then the war broke out and suddenly she wasn't around, off dancing with others and having the time of her life. But then we couldn't find her and she didn't come home and we all went looking for her. But we didn't find her unscathed Persis. We found her in the most horrific way to find a lady Persis."
"Then why did you marry her?" His sister asks confused. Because Ken could have any desirable, well-bred woman being a Ford in name and charming as he was.
"Seriously Perse? She's a family friend, a good friend's sister…how could I not give her some sort of reprieve for something that she did not deserve? God, I hope to hell if it ever came to such that one of my friends would offer you the same thing I offered Rilla. Kindness and compassion and a chance to have a good life."
"Trina Simpson spent all winter with you, practically being a maid to you and bringing you things. You do realize she was expecting a proposal, Ken. She did everything she was supposed to and didn't even think about her. What about her life and reputation? To be rejected in such a way?" Persis's voice raises in anger.
"Trina knew I had no intentions of marriage until I was through with school, and had a career," Ken tells her, though the idea now lodged in his mind was making him second guess if he had led the lady on.
"Well she did not see it that way," Persis tells him. "Though I am sure the war will excuse you from that now, or is another proclamation you are enlisting?" Persis asks him next
"I- my ankle won't allow it right now but when I can I will and if the war is still going on by then, if I don't come back. At least Rilla will be taken care of and she can have better choices than being ruined in the eyes of society." Ken says looking down at the floor.
He looks at his sister before shaking his head and turning to go to his room. Plunking down on his bed, where he spent most of his fall and winter from his injury.
He rubs his face, and fingers through his hair.
He was married, he was truly married and yet he was here, miles away. Still, confused by his actions and decisions. Especially now if he had potentially ruined another life? He gets from his bed and stalks over to his father's study
"Did I accidentally ruin another girl in my pursuit to save another?" He asked because he could not figure out the answer for himself.
"Trina Simpson?" His father looks up knowingly. "Did you ever speak of marriage? Or perhaps proposals?"
"Not that I know of? I mentioned once that I wasn't planning on anything until I had a career settled. Just so she wouldn't think otherwise, but Persis is saying I led her on, and she'll be known for my impromptu rejection of her?"
"If there was no talk of marriage and if she has half a mind she will know that. If she doesn't and was thinking you were more than what you were, then you should speak to her as soon as you can and let her down as easily as possible. If she is a nice girl she might take pity on the whole story and let it all be and cut off contact, or she may play it off as if it was her choice possibly? But without actual talk and if you were always proper with her, nothing should hurt her. You got caught up in a whirlwind and an old family friend's Daughter needed someone to marry her. You apologize for not telling her about it sooner, but things could not be helped and you hope she can be happy for you? If any ruin comes from this, it would be her own doing or family but you are married it's not like that can change that now." Owen says after a moment.
"Do you think I did the right thing?" Ken looks at his father.
"I think you chose what you thought would be the most noble thing to do for our friend's family," Owen says carefully. "Sometimes, the hardest choices are the easiest choices, and sometimes the easiest of choices are the ones we mull over the most."
"That isn't an answer," Ken looks at his father with narrow eyes.
"My thoughts have no consequence, Kenneth. You made your choice as a grown man, but I caution you to respect your young bride and should things ever evolve, if the war does not last, or if you survive," he speaks carefully.
"What do you mean by that?" Kenneth asks.
"Should you ever find yourself in bed with each other, take your time and make sure that she is ready for you," he says gruffly. "Patience is a virtue, after everything, she will need it. Finding love in such a way after what happened…it can be a lot for a woman."
"Mother's first husband?" Kenneth says trying not to think of what his father was implying.
"Which is her own story to tell if she chooses to," Owen tells his son, standing up and placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Just remember her in moments where you cannot remember yourself."
Ken merely nods his head, watching his father leave the old study.
Ken shakes his head, looking at the canter of whiskey before getting up and pouring himself a swig in a glass before downing it. He goes back to his room, alcohol swirling in his mind.
"Drinking solves nothing," his mother's voice from the doorway.
"Was it that bad?" Ken asks his mother her hair still golden in a long brain. "Your first marriage?"
"I never wanted you children to know such things about my life, you should have never needed to hear or know about my past before your father," Leslie tells her son.
"Please, just give me something to base this off, so I know how to handle things and this?" Ken pleads. 'You can't tell me to be careful and not give me explanations of why?"
"What I know from Anne Blythe it's difficult to know, my experience was cruel, he could be violent but different being married to him Kenneth. A lot of the time it was easier to allow it than it was to fight it. It wasn't…it wasn't labelled as cruelty or assault as it does for Rilla being young and a maiden." Leslie tells him. "She may never fully recover from this, but you can help her learn to not fear you or the world with compassion and trust."
"The littlest things set her off mother."
"Of course things do, and they will for a long time Kenneth, fear is a powerful thing," Leslie tells him patting his arm as she stands up. "Be patient and be her friend, Kenneth, that is all I ask of you."