Sadie’s Diary Pt 8
Henrietta Forbes
You must be Granddad the young lady said as she approached me as I sat there watching the children play in and around the Lake.
I am from Spain the young lady told me, I didn’t want to get married so young, to what my parents called a good Catholic man.
“What might your name be?” I asked, before you become married.
“ Why can’t I do things without telling everyone my name?” The young lady seemed to become a little agitated but only in a colourful way, where the colours changed becoming greener.
My Name is Henrietta Thorpes I thought she said so I repeated it to make sure “Henrietta Thorpes” I replied.
No, no, you have got it wrong it’s “Henrietta Forbes”
“ I am sorry I said.”
“ It is to late” she carried on ”I am bound by my parents to marry this man. I was on my way to meet him.”
“ The trouble was leaving my home to travel over the seas to a strange land where I don’t know anyone,”
I travelled many days on those horrid Black Ships with their grubby men scurrying about like vermin, I didn’t know where I was on that nasty ship, now I have arrived here, completely lost”.
“ Try to find your parents young lady” I said,
“No “she came back quickly they said good riddance to me.
“There must be someone you liked, have you got a friend that you can find, Nana or the house keeper” I suggested.
“Who is Nana?” Henrietta came back with, so I just said it is the name we sometimes use for a Grandmother,
“Oh grandmamma she didn’t come to see us very often but I loved her very much.”
At this I said “Is this your Grandmamma?”, as a beautiful lady came walking up to us as we sat there.
“How did she get here?” Henrietta seemed to quietly call out.
I said that she was not to worry, and that Grandmamma would tell her everything, she will sort things out, then you wont have to go and marry anyone.
Off Henrietta went with her grandmamma.
Then the quietness wrapped itself around me seeming to block out the sounds coming from the children, this gradually faded into the children’s laughter as they carried on with their games.
At this I got up and walked up the garden path, just making out the lovely voice of Grandma calling me for tea, as Sadie’s voice came to me saying “Thank you for talking to Henrietta we will talk of more things later”.
I just thought it was lovely and a little chuckle tinkled in my ears.
I turned to Grandma and told her all about Henrietta, she then nodded approval and gently mention that young Sadie had been talking to her about it, I just had to smile.
