treasonous actions – penpaletteheart

Adeline’s Journal : August 15, 1813

A fictional account of a young woman’s life during the War of 1812.

The story up to this point:

Adeline’s Uncle Andrew was awarded land in Upper Canada after serving in the His Majesty’s army during the American Revolution. When her uncle died his much younger brother, James Price, Adeline’s father inherited the land and moved his family from their home in England to Canada. Adeline has an older brother, William, a younger brother, Henry and a sister, Eveline. Their youngest sister, Virginia, died when she was three years old. William recently married Elizabeth whom he was courting just before the war began. James and William joined the local militia and reported for duty to Fort Wellington in Prescott. While William and James were away, Henry and Adeline were checking on their brother’s property and Adeline happened on a rendezvous of an American spy and two of their neighbours. Adeline was kidnapped by these three men and taken across the frozen St. Lawrence to Ogdensburgh. She was rescued when the English army attacked the town. After recovering from her adventure, Adeline has received and accepted a proposal from Sgt. Charles Houghton, an English soldier stationed at Ft. Wellington.

Thistledown Farm

Sunday, August 15, 1813

DearJanetta,

Oh how I wish I could truly talk to you face to face, Janetta. Mother’s last letter from Grandmother Price said that you were married to a magistrate and living in Bath. How grand! Now you are addressed as Mrs. Janetta Poole-Hasham and travel about in style visiting friends. How things have changed for both of us. I am so happy for you. I wonder if you will learn about my marriage. As the day grows closer, I can think of nothing else, although I must admit that the harvesting and sewing have me quite exhausted. I tried on my wedding outfit yesterday and it is quite handsome. Mother and Evvy are so clever with their sewing. All I can manae are some passable darns and servicable knitted stockings. Ah well, we are not to covet the talents of others.

Today has been a strange day, beginning with an early morning visit from Arthur and his new bride. Yes, I did say bride. Arthur eloped with Kathleen O’Meara, much to his parent’s chagrin, though I think their dismay wasn’t so much about Kathleen’s Irish catholic background as it was about her two brother’s treasonous actions with the enemy. Mind you, they haven’t been heard of since I was rescued from Ogdensburgh.

Arthur and Kathleen are living with old Mr. O’Meara at the moment as he is a widower. Kathleen is just as shy as ever, ducking her head as Arthur introduced her as Mrs. Arthur Randall. Then, just as they were leaving, Arthur turned to me and hissed,” Now, see Adeline, you haven’t hurt or broken my heart at all. Not like you’ve hurt my brother.!”

Honestly, I think Arthur is delusional. I am furious. How dare he insinuate that I gave his brother, Robert, any affection other that of an honest friend! I am convinced that ther is no feeling on Robert’s part, other than brotherly affection so I will give no credence to Arthur’s malevolence. I am truly relieved to know that Arthur will be occupied with things at the fort. Kathleen will be living at home until they find a place closer to Prescott.

The afternoon passed pleasantly enough until the supper hour with it was my chance to put a whole meal upon the table. The pork roast was thoroughly cooked, the vegetables were crisp but, I left the biscuits on the heat too long and they burned on the bottom and didn’t cook on the top. Oh, I despair of ever producing an edible bread for my husband. He will be wishing he’d waited to marry a good English girl with a generous dowry or at least a talent for cookery.

Dejectedly, Adeline.