Rose's Pledge
© 2012 by Sally Laity and Dianna Crawford
Print ISBN 978-1-61626-552-6
e-Book Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-60742-748-3
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-60742-749-0
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.
All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.
Cover credit: Studio Gearbox,
www.studiogearbox.com
Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683,
www.barbourbooks.com
Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses
.
Printed in the United States of America.
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors gratefully acknowledge
the generous assistance provided by:
Abigail Andrews
Washington County Free Library
Hagerstown, Maryland
Sandy Weston
Grafton Library
Grafton, West Virginia
These individuals helped us gather necessary period data
and shared their extensive knowledge of various settings
used in this story. To you we express our sincere appreciation.
Special thanks to fellow writers and friends:
Delia Latham
Sue Rich
Your tireless critiquing of our work in progress, together with suggestions and comments along the way, were an immense help. May the Lord bless you both.
D
EDICATION
This book is lovingly dedicated to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
who blessed this magnificent nation from its founding, and to our
families, whose love and support makes our writing possible.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Bath, England, 1753
T
he
rat-tat-tat
of the brass door knocker echoed eerily through the spacious house.
Kneeling on the kitchen’s stone floor, Rose Harwood started.
Oh no. Please, not now
. She dropped the scrub brush into the bucket and scrambled to her feet, wiping her hands on her long work apron. The pungent odor of lye soap clung stubbornly to them, but she could do nothing about that at the moment. Perhaps the caller would not notice the smell—or worse, her red hands. Never before had she undertaken such menial labor.
Even as she tore off the soiled apron, her frantic gaze searched worktables and shelves until it landed on the spice chest. Mexican vanilla beans could mask the scent. But no …she could not justify the ruination of something so costly to replace.
Especially now.
The knocker rapped several more times. Louder. More insistent. “Do calm yourself, Rose.” Clasping her hands together, she hiked her chin with new resolve. “I simply shan’t go to the door.”
But that wouldn’t do either. Under normal circumstances, if none of the Harwood family happened to be in residence, the hired girl would answer a summons. But circumstances were no longer normal. Several weeks past, Rose had been forced to let Hildy go. Word must not get out, lest people begin to suspect.
Expense be hanged
. She lifted the spice chest from a niche beside the hearth oven and opened it, releasing myriad exotic fragrances into the air. Without so much as a second to savor the sweet perfumes, she snatched the small pouch of vanilla beans, shook two brown stalks out, and rubbed them vigorously over her hands.
A third, more demanding, tapping resounded through the rooms.
Was this to be the day of the family’s undoing? Inhaling a troubled breath, Rose hurried to the front door and opened it. “Constable Bradley.” She swallowed her angst and bobbed a curtsy. “Good morning to you, sir.”
“Good day to you, Miss Harwood. I trust you are in good health.” He touched his hat in a polite gesture. “Is your father at home?”
Rose had never noticed how huge the local official was. In his great winter coat, he quite filled the entry. She shook off the wayward thought. “I am most sorry, sir, he is not. May I be of service?”
“‘Tis gentlemen’s business, miss.” Clutching the edge of the warm fur hat he’d removed, the aging man turned to leave. “I’ll fetch him down at his shop.”
Fetch him? The constable had come to place Papa under arrest!
Her worst fears realized, Rose caught hold of the man’s arm. “My father keeps no secrets from me. Pray, do come inside. I’m sure there must be another answer.”
His bushy eyebrows dipped as he frowned down at her. “Forgive me, miss. I have me duty.”
“Please, sir. I ask but five minutes.”
He hesitated then exhaled in a huff. “Very well. But not one minute more.”
As she stepped aside for him to enter, she glanced up and down the lane. No one seemed to be about, but that didn’t mean that some snoopy neighbor wasn’t peeping out from behind lace curtains. Bath most certainly had its share of busybodies.
She closed the door and turned to the official, who dwarfed the small, tastefully furnished parlor. “Do warm yourself at the fire.”
Moving to the marble hearth, the constable thrust forth his beefy hands toward the comforting glow. But despite his seeming compliance in giving ear to her request, the expression on his heavily jowled face remained dour.
Rose attempted a bit of light conversation, desperate to establish some measure of rapport. “I shall be exceedingly heartened when April brings a bit of spring weather, will you not?”
It was wasted effort, as her visitor did not deign to reply. Instead, he shot her a worried look. “Be assured, Miss Harwood, ‘tis all legal and final. I’ve the papers right here in me pocket.” He patted his coat. “I’m duty bound to take your father into custody.”
“But if you please, sir, Papa is seeking a loan even as we speak. Tomorrow or the next day he’s certain to have the money. See if he won’t.”
The constable shook his head. “Forgive me, miss, but Merchant Solomon, of Bristol, will wait no longer. I’ve been ordered to collect either the money owed by Henry Harwood or the man himself this day. So I’d best get meself down to his shop.”
Rose twisted her hands together and bit down hard on her lip. She could not let such a thing happen. Not to Papa. Especially since none of this was his fault.
She stepped in front of the constable, blocking his path. “You said you were told to arrest him today. Yet the day has scarcely begun. I beg you, please give me until the last hour. I pledge most sincerely that I shall satisfy Papa’s account with Supplier Solomon before the sun sets.”
The officer absently brushed back strands of his graying hair and plunked his beaver hat atop his head once again.
Rose sensed the man was contemplating her proposal and therefore pressed her advantage. “Constable Bradley, you’ve known me my whole life. You know I am a responsible person. I’ve run this household since I was a mere thirteen years of age, taking care of my brothers and sisters, never once straying from my obligations. If I say I will do this, you can be most assured that I will.”
His expression softened. “Ye’ve been a blessing to your pa, that’s certain. A comely lass such as yourself, sacrificing your courting years to help your family. Nevertheless, if your father is unable—”
“I vow I shall see to the matter. I mean this most sincerely.” She met his gaze squarely, despite the fact he’d as much as called her a spinster. She had to remain strong. Do what Papa could not bring himself to do.
The constable sighed. “Very well, Miss Harwood. Ye have ‘til nightfall. Not a moment more.”
Vastly relieved, Rose ushered the official out then returned to take mental inventory of the room. Each familiar article of furniture, every table decoration, and even the exquisite carpets had been carefully, lovingly, selected by her mother. The family had basked in its beauty over the years. But alas, sentiment no longer had a place here. All must be sold. Now. Today. But where? Market day wasn’t until Friday.
In a rise of panic, she pressed her hands to her temples. “Where? Where?”
The Bristol docks
.
“Of course!” Several ships were certain to be in port, with captains looking for quality merchandise to take abroad and sell for profit. Since she must journey there to deal with Mr. Solomon anyway …
She plucked a Chinese jade figurine from the mantel. So much to pack and load. So little time. La, why had Mariah and Lily chosen this day of all days to go visiting? She needed their assistance desperately. With no time to waste, she’d simply have to go and fetch them.
But reality stopped her in her tracks. Mariah was on a mission of her own, to gain a wedding proposal from Lawrence Wirkworth before their family’s calamitous reversal of fortune became common knowledge. Rose shook her head. How typical of Mariah to think only of herself.
In truth, however, Rose had to concede it was essential for her sister to find swift success. Once the family’s finest goods were loaded onto the cart and hauled out of town, all of Bath would see
and know
that something was amiss at Harwood House. “May God help us all.”
