***
Silvia had not ridden in a fine carriage since she was a child. She settled against the leather cushion and closed her eyes momentarily.
“Are you quite comfortable, Miss Bradstreet?” Wickes sat across from her, his plump cheeks jiggling with the motion of the coach. “We’ll reach Mr. Leeds office shortly. Mr. Weber made the arrangements hoping you would return. The documents will be ready.”
Puzzled, Silvia opened her eyes. “But how could he? I only met Mr. Weber yesterday. Not a full day ago. How could he have known to have the documents ready? Or for that matter, how could he have known I would come at all?” Silvia stiffened. Had she been hasty? She had heard of young women disappearing from the London streets never to be seen again. What did she know of Mr. Schlange? Or of Weber, or Mr. Wickes?
Her face must have revealed her doubts for Wickes immediately patted the air with his hands and began to reassure her. “Now, now, Miss Bradstreet. I didn’t mean to alarm you. Mr. Schlange made the arrangements for another young lady, but she sent word she had changed her mind. Got a proposal of marriage from her young man.” Wickes stroked his whiskers nervously until he saw the alarm leave her eyes. “‘Tis just a matter of the signature. The agreement will be the same. And of course, if the terms don’t suit...’Tis your choice to sign or not.”
Silvia nodded her consent and settled back to the cushion. She was entirely too nervous to think clearly. The excitement churned in her stomach, a tingling mix of dread and delighted anticipation. She must calm herself before the carriage reached the solicitor’s office.
Wickes breathed a sigh of relief as well. It would have been his duty to find Miss Bradstreet and persuade her by other means had she not come in. She had saved him the trouble and risk of displeasing his employer had he been unsuccessful.
Mr. Leeds was in a building only a few streets away, but in a far more fashionable district than Silvia was accustomed to. An engraved brass nameplate marked his door and the elegance of the furnishings inside astonished her. The walls were paneled in rubbed mahogany and in front of his desk, a plush Turkish rug stretched across the polished hardwood floor.
Wickes introduced her and Mr. Leeds quickly came around his desk to take her hand. With a flourish, Leeds directed her to a sitting area in one corner of the room where high backed chairs done in crimson velvet were grouped around a teak table. Sparkling decanters and glasses covered the surface of the table. Sunlight filtered through the window and broke into the colors of the rainbow as it shone through the bottles to spread a fan of light on the wall.
“Will you have a glass of sherry, Miss Bradstreet, while I read the agreement to you?” Leeds was a tall slender man, graying and with a long nose that had a hump in the middle. His chin was clean shaven and pointed.
“A glass of sherry would be delightful, Mr. Leeds,” she said lifting her eyes to meet his. “And I can read the document myself as I both read and write,” she responded warmly, taking a seat in one of the tall chairs. Behind her Leeds stiffened and licked his thin lips nervously while he shot a cautious look at Wickes’ gaping face.
“Of course, Miss Bradstreet. Forgive my presumption,” he admonished smoothly. “Mr. Schlange is fortunate to indenture such a refined and educated young woman.”
He treated Silvia like a lady, pouring her a second glass of sherry, politely asking about her family and childhood and expressing his sympathy that she had been orphaned. He brought her the documents and inquired if the light was sufficient for her to read. Silvia smiled politely. She liked Mr. Leeds and was favorably impressed though it did disturb her a bit that his eyes darted all about when he talked.
While she read Leeds returned to the desk and busily looked through his papers. Wickes restlessly paced the length of the carpet, his lips pulled into a cynical smile.
“This is far better than I expected,” she commented pleasantly when she had read the document. The agreement was largely in her favor. A term of five years rather than seven. She would have a day off each week, to be decided mutually. But grandest of all, the wages were far above her expectation and Mr. Schlange would give her fifty acres from his estate at the end of her term.
Wickes and Leeds exchanged a knowing glance. “Then you will sign the agreement, Miss Bradstreet?” Leeds asked, a faint smile twisting his mouth.
“Yes, of course. I am anxious to do so,” she exclaimed gratefully. She had been right about Mr. Schlange. He was a fine, generous man. Leeds led her to his desk and dipped a pen in the inkwell. “I’ll just enter the dates, March, seventeen hundred and fifty-one ‘til March seventeen hundred and fifty-six. The time will pass quickly, Miss Bradstreet, and you will find Mr. Schlange a just man.” He handed her the pen. “If you will be so kind as to sign several copies, Miss Bradstreet. Mr. Schlange always insists on multiple copies of all documents. An exacting man in business, Mr. Schlange.” Leeds shoved a stack of documents toward her, quickly removing each as she affixed her signature.
Silvia could scarcely focus on the lines, the potency of the sherry had gone to her head when she stood. Nor could she detect the malevolent gleam in Leeds eyes as she swirled her name in glistening black ink forming letters that seemed to wiggle lifelike on the paper.
When the last copy was signed, he took the quill and instructed Wickes to pour Silvia another glass of sherry. She sipped delicately the warming liquid that made her feel a joyful giddiness. Blinking her eyes, she smiled weakly as Mr. Leeds’ features seemed to fade from her vision.
Leeds watched approvingly, then added his signature and had Wickes sign as witness. With a sigh of satisfaction, he blotted the documents and tore one sheet in half. That portion he slipped into a binder and presented to Silvia.
“Your copy of the agreement, Miss Bradstreet. Mr. Schlange will have the other half and the copies save one which remains here.” Leeds smiled openly as he folded the other papers and placed them in a leather pouch.
“Thank you Mr. Leeds. You have made this a pleasant occasion,” she said in a wobbly voice that sounded to her own ears as if it came from far away.
Leeds nodded. “Wickes will drive you to your house and answer all the questions you are likely to have about your departure. Good day, Miss Bradstreet.”
“Good day, Mr. Leeds,” she responded softly.
In the carriage Silvia listened diligently as Wickes told her Mr. Schlange had built a castle on his island estate off the coast of the Georgia colony. He told her proudly that Wilhelm Schlange was sole owner of a shipping company and had a large tract of property in one of the German states as well.
“Generous to a fault, he is.” Wickes said beaming a gratuitous smile. “Looks after those who work for him and are loyal.
Silvia returned his smile. The giddiness was subsiding, though now her stomach felt weak. “I dare say he is and I’ll do a fair job for him,” she said quietly, gently massaging her forehead.
It was done. Her torment at the hands of Uncle Hollister’s tyranny was soon to end. She would surely labor no harder for Wilhelm Schlange than she did for her uncle. In truth, she was little more than a bondservant to her uncle. Every day in his house took more and more from her heart and brought less and less promise to her future. Now she had a chance, a way to build a life, a way to have a future that was not all bleakness and hopelessness. Her uncle’s harsh treatment would soon be but a memory. She would be free.
Though it was just a hint, the smile formed on Silvia’s lips was the first in many months. It lasted but a moment before the dark reality returned. There was fortnight of his domination to endure. She steeled herself with the thought that it was but a moment, hardly any time at all. She would have to be cautious as a mouse on prowl, she could not give a clue of her plans. A shudder, which had nothing to do with the cold, shook her. What dread trouble would it bring if Uncle Hollister grew suspicious?
Wickes informed her the ship sailed at noon on the twentieth and the captain would have her name on the roster. Wickes insisted she tak
e two crowns to purchase whatever items she would need for the journey. Mr. Schlange would not have his people traveling in discomfort.
Silvia tucked the crowns deep into her pocket and tried to tuck the lingering thoughts of Uncle Hollister to the back of her mind. Her exhaustion had caught up with her. She could have closed her eyes and fallen asleep listening to the steady whir of the carriage wheels. Instead she concentrated on staying awake and instructed Wickes to take her back to the shipping office.
She would walk from there. She must bide her time with care. Should Uncle Hollister discover her plans, he would surely vent his rage.
Chapter 2