Passing as Elias Read Online Free PDF Page A

daughter.’”
    “ What ?” Elizabeth said thunderstruck, “ who ? Who was it?”
    “George Greenwood, of course!” her mother said excitedly, “the Captain sat in that very spot, and told me that he planned to begin a courtship.”
    “ No, ” Elizabeth gasped, “he never! ”
    “He did!” Her mother was positively beaming, “He asked my permission and all. What a lovely man he is, and handsome too. Why, a captain of the Royal Navy courting my daughter! Wait until Dot hears about this! Her daughter is marrying a tradesman. Ha! You’ll be a proper lady, Elizabeth. Oh my goodness, the children will be ever so handsome.”
    “No,” Elizabeth muttered, “no, he cannot have.”
    “Why?” her mother’s voice became sharp.
    “Because I told him …” Elizabeth’s voice trailed away, and she changed tack “ Because there are far better ladies for him to court. Why would he want a poor girl like me? He has nothing to gain from marrying me.” Her mother need not know that she had informed the Captain that she never planned to marry.
    “Because you are the cleverest girl in town,” her mother rubbed her shoulder, “and he knows it too!”
    “Brains do not matter when all he wants is a vessel in which to carry his children,” she said angrily, the colour rising in her cheeks.
    “Elizabeth, are you not pleased?” Her mother looked shocked, “I thought you would be happy. No one has ever formally courted you before.”
    Elizabeth did not respond. Her mind was ticking over furiously as she tried to think of a solution. Suddenly she remembered what the Captain had said the previous night. He had expressed discomfort – no – dislike at the thought of his sister marrying, for she would lose all of her rights. Did that mean he thought that men and women should have equal rights? If they were to be married, would he allow her to work? Furthermore, would he allow her wage to be her own? And what of his career in the Navy? Would she be destined to stay at home and raise a child alone while he went on month long trips across the sea?
    No , she thought furiously, I shall not be married . Captain Greenwood could court her if he wished, though his attempts would be wasted.
    Elizabeth had never been in love, she had never even had a childhood sweetheart for that matter. Not one person had ever managed to gain her affections. Her coldness towards the male gender had kept possible suitors at bay. Her father had once told her that men did not like it when a woman thought herself more clever than them. “But we all know that you are,” he had added in a whisper, with a wink. Elizabeth assumed most men found her intimidating, or hostile. When she was little, a boy that lived up the road had always called her the “fire-breathing dragon”, for she had a rather foul temper.
    Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Elizabeth said to her mother, “Did he say what he plans to do?”
    “Yes. He asked if he could escort you home after church on the morrow.” Her mother was positively shuddering with excitement.
    “ On the morrow ?” Elizabeth said flabbergasted.
    “Indeed. I shall not bother you of course. I will visit Dot, and leave you two be,” she said as she squeezed Elizabeth’s arm gently.
    “So you accepted on my behalf?” Elizabeth fumed.
    “Of course! I thought you would be pleased!”
    Elizabeth stood, shaking off her mother’s hand, “I am rather tired. I think I might … have a lie down.”  Without another word she left the room, leaving her mother looking after her in bewilderment.
    ~
    Sunday morning’s service came far too quickly for Elizabeth’s liking. When she entered the church she spotted Captain Greenwood immediately, sitting at a pew towards the back of the room. He seemed to have sensed that she had entered the vicinity, for he turned in his seat as she walked through the doors, and stared at her, smiling. Elizabeth avoided his gaze and sat several rows in front of him, her cheeks