Happy Be-lated Thanksgiving, everyone! Here's another chapter of my book, which I forgot to tell you the title. 




                                                 A Stranger in England
                                                      By Katelyn Snell




                                                        Chapter Two


      At dinner that night, Georgiana looked at her family’s faces around the table. Lord David sat at the table’s head, with the twins sitting to his left. Georgiana’s 13-year-old brother Thomas sat across from them. Lady Woods sat opposite her husband at the foot of the table. Georgiana took her place next to Thomas. As she sat down, Georgiana looked across the table and sighed. Her older brother, John, was late again. He had missed dinner twice that week already. This new habit had surprised Georgiana when it had first started a month ago, as John had never missed a meal, but she had since grown used to it. “ Where is John, Father?” she asked after Lord David finished praying.
      “I don’t know,” Lord David’s brow wrinkled as he spoke. “Did you see John at all today, Mary?” Lord David asked, turning to his wife. “I was looking for him earlier to help me with some things, and couldn’t find him anywhere on the farm.” 
      “I believe he went fishing with Oliver Crickett this morning,” Lady Woods answered, her face also worried. “He may have stayed at Oliver’s house, although I am not sure why he stayed this late. John knew we would need help preparing to leave for England next week. But I’m sure he will return soon.”
      “John spends a lot of time with Oliver, doesn’t he, Father ?” Thomas’ gray eyes were serious.
     “Yes, Son, he does, and that worries me - greatly.”
     “Why, Father?” Hope’s curiosity was hard to contain.
     “Because Oliver is a Patriot - someone who is against the rule of our King George in the Colonies,” Lady Woods explained to her daughter.

    “Is John a Patriot too, Father?” Hope looked at her father, her confusion evident. “Are we Patriots, or Loyalists, like the Langley’s?” 

     “Your mother and I are Loyalists, Hope. We shall let John decide what he wants - he is old enough to make such a decision,” Lord David looked at his daughter. “However, you, Faith, Thomas, and Georgiana cannot stay here by yourselves, so it would be best if you don’t make any decisions right now.” He stopped as Ann entered the room, bringing dessert for the family.

     After handing out the custard bowls, Ann paused by Lady Woods’ seat. “Excuse me, ma’am, but my son, Josiah, has broken his leg. May I leave now to look after him?”

    “Yes, of course, Ann. And I hope he is not in a lot of pain; I will stop by to check on him after supper is finished,” Lady Woods smiled at Ann, who had accompanied her across a vast ocean 18 years ago, and was now preparing to make the journey again.

    Georgiana sighed. It had been a long day spent packing and tending to her energetic sisters. “Mother, after supper, may I saddle Dusk and go visit May?”

     “I do not mind, as long as your father does not,” Lady Woods glanced at her husband. Seeing his nod of agreement, she added, “ But please see if one of the servants can go with you. I do not want you out past nine o’clock.”

      “Yes, Mother. I’ll be sure to be home by nightfall,” Georgiana promised. She turned to her father. “May I be excused, please? I would like to leave early.”

     “Certainly, Georgiana. Which servant will you take?”

     “I thought I would ask Tom to escort me, if you have no need of him,” Georgiana responded. 

      Lady Mary looked at her husband. “I do not need him to help me pack our things for the trip. Do you need Tom, David?”

      “Indeed not. You may ask Tom to accompany you, Georgiana. If he cannot, you might ask John, or I might be able to go, if neither of them is available.”

      “Thank you, Mother, Father. I will try to be back before eight o’clock.” Georgiana gave her mother a kiss and then hurried out the door to find Tom.

                                                                          

                                                                           ~ ~ ~

“Oh, Georgiana, I will miss you so much! You will write me, won’t you?” May looked at her friend with teasing eyes. “Surely you will not forget old friends, busy as you are bound to be with all of your fashionable London friends.”

      “Why, May Adams! That is the silliest thing I have ever heard you say in all the years I have known you,” Georgiana looked at her friend, then burst into peals of laughter. “Oh, May,” She gasped, “for a moment I thought that you were really put-out with me.” 

       “How could I be mad with my best friend? You know that I can never be mad with anyone; no matter what they do to me.”

       “Oh, really?” Georgiana looked at May with teasing suspision. “Not even when Henry put a wooden snake under your coverlet? Or what about the time -”

       “Alright!” May laughed. “I suppose that I have had my moments of anger like everyone else.” The girls talked for some time before being interrupted by a knock on May’s bedroom door. Mrs. Adams walked into the room in answer to May’s questioning “Yes?”

       “I’m sorry to interrupt, dear, but Georgiana’s older brother, John, has arrived to escort her home.”

       “Dear me, what time is it?” Georgiana asked as she picked up her cloak and pulled on her gloves. “I told Mother that I would be home by eight o’clock.”

        “It is fifteen minutes to then, Georgiana,” answered Mrs. Adams, glancing at the clock on May’s fireplace mantle.

        As Georgiana entered the Adams’ parlor, she saw John talking to Mr. Adams. She waited for a break in the conversation before asking, “John, where is Tom? He brought me over; I thought he was to bring me home.”

       John turned to her. “He was, but Father needed him at home for something, so I came to fetch you home. Are you ready to go?”

       “Yes, I am.” Georgiana turned to Mr. amd Mrs. Adams. “Thank you for letting me have your daughter all evening; I hope I have not kept her from anything.”

        “Not at all my dear. I am sure you had a lovely visit,” Mr. Adams smiled at his young guest. “Please, feel free to come again, you and any of your family, before you leave for England.”

        “Yes, sir, I will tell my parents of your kind invitation; I am sure that they would love to visit you if time permits.”

        “Until then. Good-bye, Georgiana, John,” Mr. Adams said, with Mrs. Adams and May adding their own farewell wishes, along with wishes of a safe journey to England should the Woods be unable to visit before leaving. As they walked down the road, Georgiana looked at her brother. She saw that John was thinking seriously about something. Not wanting to disrupt him, Georgiana said nothing and concentrated on not stepping in any mud puddles.

                                                                                                              

I think this might be all the publicity my book gets. I'm not very diligent about writing, or typing, it. One day, when I'm off from work, I guess I'll just have to sit down and do it, no excuses. Have a good weekend!

~Katelyn~

 Eph. 6:7