Miss Amanda Vivian Somers stood transfixed at the stern of the ship taking her to freedom. She gathered her pelisse together tightly in front of her in an attempt to ward of the chilling wind that proceeded to rip at her face and racked her body. She was thankful she had chosen to wear her fur-trimmed pelisse with the lamb’s wool lining today. Her kid gloves were fur lined as well and matched perfectly, but offered little barrier to the furious coastal winds which blew into the Carolinas at this time of year. Her gown was a rich emerald green in coloring having been cut in the high empire waistline style. Her pelisse had been cut in a similar style and dyed to match. Amanda chose to wear her thick leather boots today for the intense journey rather than the thin silken slippers she generally wore at home.
Amanda was frightened and a bit anxious about leaving behind the only home she had ever known. Eliza, Amanda’s late mother had been born and raised in England prior to her marriage to her father Devon Somers. Her parents had met during a voyage her father had taken to England in order to trade goods. The Somers’ fortune had been built on the import and export trade with the West Indies, England and various ports up and down the east coast despite various blockades from time to time. Whenever trade had been suspended with England the Somers’ family would pursue trade wherever they could find it, mainly in the west. Devon Somers had been young at the time; he had arrived aboard one of his fathers ships and had befriended a British Officer by the name of Captain James Williamston. Amanda remembered the fairytale romance of how her parents had met with deep sorrow now that she was old enough to understand how rare their love had been. Their marriage had been a once in a lifetime occurrence which had been very short lived. Amanda remembered all to well the fantastical tales her mother would spin her when she was a child about her whirlwind romance with Devon Somers. She learned at a tender age how her father had won her mothers heart while attending a ball during her first season. The couple had eloped a week later and Eliza had returned to North Carolina with her husband to start a new life leaving England behind her forever. Their meeting had been fate as far as Eliza had been concerned. Devon Somers and his family had immigrated to the colonies long before her father had been born and had long since ceased viewing themselves as English. Her father had always considered himself a North Carolinian at heart. A lone tear trickled down Amanda’s cheek as she remembered how happy and carefree her life had been during her childhood when her father was still living. The darkness which currently resided in her heart, mind and soul had devoured all happiness with the arrival of Malcolm Deterr into her life. Fairytales and happily ever after had vanished before her very eyes with the marriage of her mother to her tyrannical stepfather.
Amanda sighed aloud. Her mind was centered on the past as a tempest brewed in the distance heading inland, away from her vessel. She tugged at the stays of her bonnet trying to hold it into place to no avail as a huge gust of wind nearly shook her from her post upon the deck. Her adornment was beautifully made and covered with tiny ornate blossoming flowers in darker hues of blue and green interwoven upon either side to enhance the beauty of the wearer. Her hatpin had become dislodged numerous times. The air was brisk today with the changing climate of the sea. Amanda’s heart beat erratically with each new crash of wave upon the hull of the vessel. She knew she would not be able to relax until she safely reached England. The ever-dimming sight of land behind her was a comforting salve to her fears. To her the ship was more than just a vessel made for transporting passengers and cargo. She was sailing away to a new life. Amanda nervously watched the eastern seacoast fade into the horizon beneath a darkening sky. Her heart pounded in her chest as every muscle in her body tensed. She stood transfixed, unable to pull herself away from the stern, afraid she would see another vessel in pursuit of her own at any moment. Amanda was desperate to reach her cousin Julie in England as soon as possible. She let her mind drift back over the previous month and marveled at her tenaciously brave flight for freedom. Finally, her bonds had been cut and she was free. Well at least for the moment. Never in all of her young life had Amanda fathomed the key to her freedom would come to her by presuming to accept an unsuitable marriage proposal. That forced acceptance of marriage had opened up an unforeseen avenue and given her a guardian angel to guide her from the darkness and torment she had known into the light of freedoms wake. She had been given hope at last for a chance of a life of her choosing.
Amanda continued to mull over the events of the past few months as she stood in the chilled air upon the deck of the ship. She refused to give up her solitary post just yet. Her ship had been the only vessel listed as due for departure for England today from the Port and shipping area of New Bern, but Amanda knew in her heart that if Malcolm and Louis had discovered her destination nothing would stop them from pursuing her. For that reason she maintained her post upon deck until she could set her mind at ease with the fact
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