OLIVIA
Chapter Eighteen
May, 1914
The train platform was bustling
with activity as Olivia, Cal, Cal’s ever-present manservant, McBride, her
parents, and Emma made their way through the crowd. Olivia glanced back over her
shoulder at her sister, who looked so forlorn and despondent that her heart
went out to her.
"Come along, Olivia. I don’t
want to dawdle about here all day," Cal said next to her.
Olivia turned sharply to him and
furrowed her brows. "Have you no compassion at all? My sister is being
sent away for a very long time and I can do nothing to stop it."
"Stop playing the dramatics,
darling. Your sister will be fine. This is the best thing for her."
"I don’t happen to think so,
but it’s quite obvious my opinion means nothing…to you or to my mother,"
she accused bitterly.
Cal sighed and adjusted his hat
before turning away from her in dismissal.
"Emma." Constance said
her younger daughter’s name in reproach. "Stop slouching and stand up
straight, for goodness’ sake. You act as if you’re going to your
execution."
"I wish I were," Emma
bit out as tears welled up in her eyes again.
"Nonsense." Constance
lowered her voice. "I will not hear another word about this. As soon as
you’re settled, you’ll see this was the right choice. Edenbrook School for
Girls is the most exclusive school for young ladies in all of Europe. Only the
most influential and wealthy families send their daughters there."
Olivia stood back and watched the
conversation between her mother and Emma with disdain. She wished she could
step in and support Emma, but Cal had made his feelings clear on the
subject…she was not to interfere. The very fact that he had let her come to see
Emma off at all was remarkable. She still shuddered with humiliation at the way
she had to beg him to allow her to come and when he finally relented, he made
it clear that he would be accompanying her.
As she turned to look up at him,
she saw something with the corner of her eye that caught her attention. A young
man with scruffy blond hair was nearing them, twisting his hat nervously in his
hands. Olivia watched as he neared them and wondered what he was doing.
Suddenly, he drew himself up in a proud stance and called out Emma’s name. Emma
turned, her face turning pale and her eyes widening.
"Joshua!" she
exclaimed.
Constance blanched at the
outburst. She sucked in her breath as she wheeled around to face the young man.
"What are you doing here?"
"I’m here to see Emma before
she leaves," he answered firmly, unwavering against Constance’s glare.
"Young man, how dare you
show your face? I insist that you leave this instant."
"No," he said as he
stepped forward. "You can send her away, but you can’t keep me from saying
good-bye."
Olivia smiled at the actions of
this scruffy young man. So, this was Joshua. Emma was right. He wasn’t of their
social standing. His clothing alone told that story, but still…there was
something about him, something that was proud and strong, strong enough to come
against Constance Barlow in all her fury.
"Emma." He said her
name and held out his hand. Emma slowly put her hand in his as he led her away
from them.
"Charles, do
something!" Constance let out a strangled whisper as the young couple
stopped some distance away and began talking to each other.
"Constance, calm down."
Charles shook his head. "The lad is not whisking her away. He’s saying
good-bye. Let him have his say and he’ll leave."
Olivia smiled even wider at her
father’s response. She was glad to see that he didn’t always conform to her
mother’s wishes. Constance drew herself up stiffly, her faced pinched with
anger.
"What are you smiling
about?" Cal growled in her ear. "I suppose you find this to be
acceptable. That ruffian should be horsewhipped."
"He’s done nothing wrong,
Cal," Olivia defended him.
"I should have known you
would say that. You’re all the same--all of you. Let some gutter rat come along
and you’re seeing stars. Well, I won’t stand for it!" he spat, and started
to move.
"What are you--" was as
far as she got before he stalked over to Emma and Joshua. "Cal!" She
stepped forward, but was restrained by McBride. Angrily, she tried to free her
arm from his vise-like grip, but he held tight.
"What do you think you’re
doing?" she questioned him hotly. He stared down at her and shook his head.
Olivia couldn’t believe he had the audacity to touch her.
"Stay here," he
instructed as he moved towards the trio.
As Olivia watched, Cal grabbed
Joshua by the arm and spun him around. "This has gone far enough!" he
declared angrily. "You were asked to leave and I suggest you do so
now."
Joshua jerked his arm away from
Cal’s grasp. "Get your hands off me. I don’t answer to you."
Cal stepped back for a moment,
seemingly surprised by the young man’s defiance. Then, his anger returned and he
snarled as he gripped his fists at his side. "If you don’t leave
willingly, then you’ll leave forcefully, by whatever means necessary."
"Your threats don’t worry
me," Joshua countered. "I don’t answer to you. You may be rich, but
that doesn’t give you the right to push me around." He turned to Emma’s
parents. "And that goes for all of you. I love Emma. Right or wrong, I
love her. You can send her away, but I’ll still love her and she’ll love me.
You can’t keep us apart forever."
"You!" Constance
hissed. "Do you think I’m going to allow you to ruin my daughter’s life?
You’re sadly mistaken if you think I’ll ever let that happen. If I have any
say, you will never see her again."
Joshua nodded his head in
response. "I have no doubt you’ll try. But Emma and I love each other and
there’s nothing you can do about that. Sending her away won’t erase our
feelings."
Emma’s face shone bright, her
love for Joshua beaming forth. Olivia had never seen her sister look so happy,
when only moments before she was desolate.
"We’ll just see about
that!" Constance answered harshly. "Furthermore, you are to never set
foot on our property again. If you do, I shall have no choice but to have you
arrested and thrown in jail."
"I’m not afraid of your
threats, Mrs. Barlow," Joshua told her. "I’m not afraid of you or
your money. I may only be a stablehand for the moment, but I intend to make
something of myself."
"Young man," Constance
drawled, her voice dripping with scorn. "I couldn’t care less what you do
with your miserable life as long as my daughter is not involved. She is far too
young and impressionable to realize what a mistake she is making, so I have no
choice but to take matters into my own hands. I will make sure you never have
contact with her again."
"Say what you will, but one
day we will be together. I’m going to marry your daughter, Mrs. Barlow, and she
will be my wife. If she’ll have me," he said as he turned to a stunned
Emma.
Everyone gasped at the audacity
of this young man who so boldly declared his intentions for Emma right in front
of them. That was when Olivia realized that what she was witnessing, she had
never had before. This was real love, this was passion and devotion, and it was
real. She had no doubt of that.
"I do love you, Emma,"
he said as he cupped her face in the palm of his hand. "I’ll never love
anyone the way I love you. I’ll wait for you for as long as it takes."
Then he lowered his head and kissed her, a sweet, tender kiss so full of love
that Olivia could feel it from where she was standing.
"This is ridiculous!"
Cal hissed as he turned to McBride. "I want you to remove this piece of
filth from these premises and make sure he is barred from re-entering."
McBride responded with a nod and
moved towards Joshua, but Joshua held up his hand. "I wouldn’t if I were
you."
McBride stopped and smiled,
apparently amused by the young man’s warning, but Cal was anything but amused.
"What are you waiting for, you idiot? Remove him now!" he ordered.
McBride flinched for a moment,
but kept his composure. "Yes, sir," he muttered, and continued
towards Joshua.
"I won’t let you do
this!" Emma cried as she jumped in front of her beloved. "Cal, stop
this! Please! I’m begging you!"
"It’s all right,"
Joshua said, taking her by the arms. "I’ll leave now--not because I’m being
told to, but because it’s time."
"No, Joshua!" Emma
shook her head as she turned to him. "Don’t leave."
"I have to, but you have to
make me a promise right here and right now."
"Anything," Emma
responded desperately.
"Don’t forget me. Promise me
you won’t ever forget me."
"I will never forget you…I
promise," Emma answered firmly. "I love you, Joshua Harris. I’ll love
you forever!" she declared as she hugged him tightly.
Joshua gave her one final kiss
and then he turned to leave. "Never forget."
Olivia felt her heart break for
her sister and for herself. As she glanced over at Cal, who was still greatly
agitated, she knew that nothing had changed. Cal lusted after her…when it
suited him, but he had never loved her. Not the way Joshua obviously loved Emma.
"Well," Constance
huffed as they watched Joshua disappear into the crowd. "I have never seen
such an ill-bred young person in all of my life. I hope you are happy, Emma. If
you wanted to humiliate your family, you have succeeded."
"Stop it, Mother,"
Olivia said, stepping forward to wrap her arm around Emma’s shoulders. "No
one has been humiliated. As Father said, the young man had his say and now he
is gone."
Constance narrowed her gaze upon
Olivia. "Don’t coddle her, Olivia. Don’t you see what she has done by
associating with that stable boy? All of our private family business displayed
for prying eyes. Of course we’ve been humiliated. The sooner she’s away from
that boy, the better."
Olivia felt Emma leaning against her,
her body trembling from all that had taken place. She squeezed her shoulders
tighter, letting Emma know she was supporting her, even if only in a small way.
"I have not been humiliated." She spoke clearly. "Stop badgering
her. She’s been through enough. Can’t you see what this is doing to her?"
Constance’s eyes widened for a
moment before narrowing again. "I have had enough of this." She drew
herself up and turned away from Olivia and Emma. "Charles, collect your
daughter and let’s be on our way."
Charles came over to them, his
face softening towards them both. He reached over and kissed Olivia’s cheek.
She hugged him and then turned to Emma and gathered her in her arms for one
last hug.
"I love you, Em. I will miss
you terribly. Make the best of it, and one day, if it’s truly meant to be, you
and Joshua will be together."
Emma pulled back and looked at
her sister as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard. "I love
you, too, Olivia. Thank you."
With one final hug, Emma was led
away by her parents to board the train that would take them to New York Harbor.
From there they would sail to Europe. She didn’t know when she would see her
sister again, but she had a feeling that whatever offering life brought her,
she would be just fine.