“What stories did your father fill your head with to make you hate me so?”
He looked up and into her blue eyes. “He did not need to tell me anything. You abandoned your family.” And he did not hate her. Just resented her decisions.
“Is that how you saw it?”
“There was no other way. Father returned to England; you remained here.”
She nodded and took a sip of tea.
Perhaps this was the end of what he feared would be a fractious conversation and he would be able to enjoy his tea and sandwiches in peace.
“Did he offer no explanation?” she inquired.
“We asked, of course, and he only said that you stayed behind.”
His mother harrumphed. “Did he tell you that he was the one who left me here?”
The cup was halfway to his lip when Sterling stilled. Was she going to blame Father?
“Why would he do so?” Sterling could think of no reasonable explanation for why his father would leave his wife behind.
“He was eager to return to England and I will admit that I was not,” she offered.
Even though he had always known that she had chosen the Cape Colony over Southampton, it still hurt to hear her admit it.
“I missed my sons, terribly, but not England. I also knew that the visit would likely be the last that I had with my family.”
Yes, it took practically half a year to sail to and from Wyndview Farm to England, but that did not mean that his mother would not have another opportunity to visit.
“We argued, but I knew that despite my wanting another sennight with my family that I would be required to leave with my husband at the date and time dictated by his schedule.” She set her cup aside. “Wewere packed and I was ready the day before the ship was to sail. That evening, I went to visit my parents in the home they had built down the road. Your father knew that I planned on sleeping over because I anticipated a late night as we said our goodbyes. He was not pleased, of course, because he feared that I was the cause of a delay.”
That sounded very much like his father, who had liked to keep an exact schedule.
“I woke the next morning before the sun and allotted myself more than enough time to return, said my tearful goodbyes and hurried home,” she continued. “He had already left.”
“Father was punctual,” Sterling reminded her.
“Yes, and we had allowed for more than enough time to leave here and arrive at the ship before it was set to sail. However, he left earlier than he intended and informed the servants that if I did not arrive at the ship in time that he would leave without me.”
“Why would he do so?” Sterling demanded.
“I assumed that it was because he was angry with me. He accused me of making decisions difficult for him when all I wanted was a little more time with my family.”
Sterling’s heart thawed, but only slightly. He understood and he would have been sympathetic to her reasons, but the fact that she never returned to England was inexcusable.
“By the time a footman found a wagon that could be used, and then had it loaded with my trunks, which your father also left behind, and drove to the port, the ship had sailed.”
Sterling frowned. How long had she been delayed?
“After I returned here, hurt, upset, and uncertain as to what to do, I found a note from the captain on his desk stating that they intended to sail hours earlier than originally planned and gave a time that we should arrive at the port.”
“Father cannot be faulted for you not being punctual.”
“Yes, he can!” she nearly yelled. “That missive was receivedafterIhad gone to my parents. He knew what time I intended to return and he could have sent word but he never did. It was a test to see how punctual I would be.”
Bloody tests!
Father had become fond of them after they moved to England. He had gone from being a gentleman farmer who laughed with his wife and enjoyed time with his children the Cape Colony to a strict task master of schedules and responsibilities to be adhered to by all in the household in England. That was when he began giving tests to see how prepared each of them were for the slightest shift in circumstances.
