Chapter 2
Two
Victoria, Vancouver Island
September 1863
A s Sage stepped off the steamboat landing stage onto the wharf, relief and gratitude mingled within her chest and brought a sting of tears to her eyes. She wanted to fall to her knees and kiss the ground, but she held herself stiffly and properly behind Miss Lennox.
After one hundred twenty days of voyaging halfway around the world, they’d finally arrived in Victoria. Their ship had actually dropped anchor in nearby Esquimalt Harbor on Vancouver Island the previous day, but they’d been detained along with all the other passengers until a steamboat was available to transport them into the shallower waters of James Bay.
With the morning sunshine warming her back, Sage took shaky steps down the wharf.
“Come along now, Sage.” Miss Lennox was already two steps ahead with her long stride, her sights fixed upon the sprawling town of Victoria on the gently sloping embankment. “There’s much to be done today.”
“Yes. I’ve got the list.” First thing that morning, Sage had compiled the usual list outlining their day.
“I do love your organization.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” At least in that one area, Sage had excelled in her new lady’s maid job.
The voyage across the Atlantic Ocean had been difficult with tumultuous seas and storms, particularly around the Falkland Islands near the tip of South America. Sage had tried not to be seasick, but against her best efforts, she’d become violently ill during the rough weather, as had most of the other passengers.
As an experienced world traveler, Miss Lennox hadn’t been bothered by the ship’s swaying or the sea’s swelling. She had instead proven herself to be a compassionate and charitable woman, tending to not only Sage but also to many other passengers.
Thankfully the journey through the Pacific Ocean north had been calmer. When they’d reached San Francisco, Sage had been feeling almost normal again—normal enough to go ashore with Miss Lennox and spend a few days touring the bustling American city.
Even though the experience in San Francisco—truthfully, the entire journey—had been unlike anything Sage had ever known, the first sights of Vancouver Island had surpassed everything else she’d yet encountered.
The miles and miles of pine forests had been the most startling of all. It seemed that everywhere she looked, every inch of land was covered in thick woodland, so rugged, so wild, so open, and so different from Manchester that it was almost as if she’d arrived in another world altogether.
The mountains, too, were awe-inspiring. To the south of Vancouver Island, the distant peaks of the Olympic Mountains rose in all their glory. To the west on the mainland of British Columbia were more mountains that led to the Fraser River Valley where apparently miners had flocked for a recent gold rush.
Sage wanted to pause on the wharf, spin in a circle, and take in the full view of the grandeur—the blue-green waves, the rocky coastline, the lushness of the land, and the sea gulls circling overhead. But she’d learned Miss Lennox, a woman of purpose and mission, rarely stopped to dawdle. Sage had also learned over the past four months of working for Miss Lennox that a lady’s maid didn’t dawdle either—or gape or do anything else that could be construed as ill-mannered.
From the start, Miss Lennox had instructed her on everything she needed to know about her position. While exacting and even demanding at times, the woman had proven to be a kind and considerate employer. And extremely generous.
Sage’s wardrobe was testament to how generous. Miss Lennox had given Sage cast-off garments that didn’t fit or were no longer the latest fashion. Sage had needed to shorten the skirts and let out the seams in the bust of most bodices. But once done, the gowns were more beautiful than anything Sage had ever imagined owning, along with the shoes, stockings, hats, gloves, and other items from Miss Lennox.
What would Willow say about the fancy clothing and the fashionable bonnet? Would her sister recognize her?
Sage scanned the waterfront and the smattering of fishing boats and canoes that remained in the bay while the majority were gone for the day. The shore was crowded with piers, wharfs, and warehouses, where longshoremen were loading and unloading barrels and crates of goods.
She hoped for a glimpse of Willow but knew she was being too wishful to think that she’d be able to see her sister the moment of her arrival. But maybe she’d see Caleb, Willow’s friend, who’d also traveled to the colony. It was possible he’d taken a job along the waterfront.
As she stepped off the wharf onto the grassy embankment, Miss Lennox halted and perched her hands on her hips. She pursed her lips and peered at a nearby barn-like building that had the word Livery painted above a door that was wide enough for a wagon to enter.
A set of stately brick buildings stood off to one side—the government buildings, according to one of the other steamboat passengers. The rest of the town was made up mostly of white wooden-framed buildings that lined wide streets. Although the streets were unpaved and had lots of ruts filled with puddles, the town had a tidiness about it that was refreshing and different than overcrowded and dirty Manchester.
“I hope Jackson will be home this morning.” Miss Lennox strode forth again, this time making a line directly toward the livery. “What if he’s away? Perhaps even out of town working on one of his projects?”
Sage scurried to keep up. “If so, he will need to return soon for the wedding.”
Miss Lennox had explained during the long days of the voyage that her brother, Jackson, who was twenty-nine and two years younger than her, had been living in the British colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia for the past four years working as an engineer, building roads and bridges. Before that he’d resided for five years in Manitoba, designing roads and bridges for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Miss Lennox had only seen him once in the nine years he’d been gone.
With as much as Miss Lennox—Augusta—had spoken of her brother, mother, and father, Sage felt as if she knew them all well, almost as if she’d met them already. Augusta’s mother was Lady Catherine Lennox, the daughter of an earl, and her father was Jackson Thomas Lennox, who had made his fortune during the early days of the Hudson’s Bay Company when fur-trading had been a lucrative business. He’d also been an explorer and had located important trade routes in North America and the Arctic, for which he’d been knighted.
Lady Catherine had been ill over the past year, and Augusta had returned home from India to be with her. Upon news of the illness, Sir Jackson Thomas had decided to finally give up his traveling in order to be with his wife because her brush with death had opened his eyes to the fragility of life, or so Augusta claimed.
Now that Lady Catherine had recovered and had her husband there to dote on her, Augusta had been eager to resume her traveling. She’d wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest and had expedited her plans when the family received a letter from Jackson in Victoria indicating he was engaged to be married and was building a fine home named Fairview for his bride-to-be.
The wedding was scheduled for early October, and Augusta had been worried that if the ship had any delays, she might miss the special occasion. As it turned out, they’d arrived with a couple of weeks to spare, and Augusta had been animated during the past few days as she’d prepared for seeing Jackson again and meeting her future sister-in-law.
Animated might not be quite the term to describe the intense woman with her boundless energy and unending drive. Sometimes being with Augusta exhausted Sage. But she’d certainly learned to appreciate and even enjoy the woman’s company.
Augusta halted outside the livery door. “I shall make arrangements for a carriage to transport us and our luggage to Fairview. You watch for the stevedores with our trunks and wave them over here.”
Winded from the quick walk, Sage drew in a steadying breath that was filled with the now-familiar scent of sea and salt. “Yes, ma’am.”
Augusta was already several steps inside the dark interior of the establishment, as fearless as always.
Sage turned her attention back toward the sidewheeler where other passengers were still disembarking and deckhands were unloading cargo from the main deck. The morning sunlight glinted on the bay and on the distant peaks, once again stunning her with the beauty of this remote colony of the Queen’s empire.
Homesickness still plagued Sage from time to time, usually more keenly at night when she was left alone with her thoughts. However, the ache was mostly dull now, not as fresh and painful as it had been during the early days of the voyage when she’d missed her sisters and dad terribly.
Even the ache of missing David had faded. Only once in a while, when she saw happy couples together, would the ache throb harder and remind her of all she’d lost—a future with a hard-working and handsome man, a home of her own, and a house full of children.
“No more,” she whispered as she steeled her shoulders. “Never again.”
She’d made up her mind to become a spinster like Augusta, devoting herself to her work as a lady’s maid.
Throughout the whole journey, Sage had studied the woman, watched her interactions, and admired her strength. Augusta had shown great contentment in being unmarried and untethered from the usual duties required of women. She lived fully and never let anything hold her back, giving much of her free time to charities and helping others.
If Augusta could make a satisfying life for herself outside of being married, then Sage could too.
Maybe she’d never become an adventurous, world traveler. Maybe she’d never be as determined and driven. And maybe she’d never become as independent and self-sufficient. But she’d realized she didn’t need a man in her life to make her happy any more than Augusta did.
After all, men and relationships seemed to bring nothing but heartache and trials and disappointments.
Yes, spinsterhood was the best course for her future. Besides, a lady’s maid’s life was not her own. Sage had learned that from the start of her employment. She was on duty from the moment she arose in the morning until after Augusta went to bed, with only sporadic breaks throughout the day.
Once her sisters and dad immigrated, she would stay busy with them too. And with Willow.
Another thrill tingled through her. She would get to see Willow soon.
“Then you believe he’s home?” Augusta stepped out of the livery, speaking with a young man who followed her outside, leading a team of horses and a conveyance.
“Oh aye.” The young man was more of a boy, probably not older than twelve, and was lean and going through a growth spurt so that his trousers were well above his ankles. “Everyone ’round here knows about Mr. Lennox’s bridge that collapsed.”
Augusta stopped short. “Bridge collapsed?”
The boy halted the team just outside the livery. “Back in the spring. A whole bunch of workers got killed when it happened.”
Augusta’s expression turned serious. “Is that so?”
“’Tis so. And he’s not been seen since.” The boy left them outside to go find a driver.
Augusta nodded absently and peered toward the distant mainland. Her usual no-nonsense expression was gone, and she seemed to be a thousand miles away.
Sage hesitated, not wanting to intrude but needing to show Augusta she cared. “I’m sorry the news about your brother isn’t so good.”
Augusta sighed. “If the news is true, then the tragedy couldn’t have been easy on him.”
“I imagine it must have been very difficult.”
“For him especially. He’s a sensitive soul.”
“Then all the more reason he’ll be glad of your visit. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“Yes, of course. And your sister will be thrilled to see you.”
Augusta had already said that once they were settled, she would give Sage leave to search for Willow. Hopefully, in the small settlement with so few women, Willow would be easy to locate.
After so many months of being in the colony, would Willow now be married? Perhaps even expecting a child? Sage just hoped Willow hadn’t let her friendship with Caleb hold her back. As much as Sage liked Caleb and thought of him as an older brother, she had never approved of how reliant Willow had been on him.
“One thing is certain.” Sage opened her parasol and held it over Augusta to shield her from the morning sunshine. “Willow will not expect to see me here.” Not when Sage had been so happily planning to marry David. Willow had always joked that she’d been given Sage’s leftovers and that Sage had gotten everything good, had the perfect life.
At one time, maybe she would have agreed, back when she’d been arrogant and self-assured and overly confident in herself and her abilities and looks.
Time and God had a way of humbling a person. Now she knew she most certainly wasn’t perfect. She was far from it. And she owed Willow an apology for ever making her think she wasn’t as good.
Yes, an apology was long overdue. She just hoped she would be able to find Willow and give it to her soon.