Dear Lors, me insides are churning fit to make butter. What if I don’t get it? But Thomas seems so certain, should I not worry? But what will he do if I don’t get it?
Elizabeth gave Isabella the last of her porridge. Thomas would be back within the hour to take her to the barracks. Today she would either be granted her Pardon or not.
“Elizabeth, are you ready?” he asked hurrying through the door.
“Yes Sir, we are ready to go. I just need to wash Issy’s face.”
Walking down the road in the autumn sunlight, Elizabeth made a list in her mind of all that she had to remember…
Don’t walk with Thomas, for goodness sake don’t call him by name. Remember he is Sir! Don’t look insolent, don’t speak unless spoken to. Be grateful, be meek. Don’t let Thomas take Issy, you have to hold her, remind him that it is woman’s work. He is so used to holding her he might just forget.
“Elizabeth, what are you doing? You look like you are going to the guillotine. Stop worrying, you will get it, there will not be any problems.”
“I can’t help it Sir. I know you think all will be well but I haven’t had luck on me side before. I can’t help but think the worse. Please don’t leave me if I don’t get it. Issy and I need you Sir.”
“Elizabeth your worrying is all for naught. It won’t make any difference to me whether you are pardoned now or if you serve your full seven years. You belong with me and I am not about to leave you and Issy now. We have a future to plan and whether you are a free woman or not makes no difference.”
Walking into the barracks following Thomas, she was surprised to find that there wasn’t anyone else around. Where is everyone?
Hearing her name she turned and approached the front of the room. Major Grose was sitting in a chair behind a large table. The soldier beside him started to read.
“Elizabeth Selwyn, sentenced to 7 years transportation. Arrived 14 February, 1792, assigned as housekeeper to Lieutenant Thomas Rowley. Partitioned for an Absolute Pardon on the recommendation of Lieutenant Thomas Rowley of the NSW Corps, this day 8 May 1794. Approved Major Francis Grose.”[1]
Is that all? No questions, nothing! Turning around she found Thomas grinning from ear to ear. Had it all been decided before they got there? I have me suspicions, she thought.
Retuning to their hut, Thomas was full of ideas for the future. All except a future as Mr and Mrs, she thought wistfully.
“Elizabeth, what are you doing? You look like you are going to the guillotine. Stop worrying, you will get it, there will not be any problems.”
“I can’t help it Sir. I know you think all will be well but I haven’t had luck on me side before. I can’t help but think the worse. Please don’t leave me if I don’t get it. Issy and I need you Sir.”
“Elizabeth your worrying is all for naught. It won’t make any difference to me whether you are pardoned now or if you serve your full seven years. You belong with me and I am not about to leave you and Issy now. We have a future to plan and whether you are a free woman or not makes no difference.”
Walking into the barracks following Thomas, she was surprised to find that there wasn’t anyone else around. Where is everyone?
Hearing her name she turned and approached the front of the room. Major Grose was sitting in a chair behind a large table. The soldier beside him started to read.
“Elizabeth Selwyn, sentenced to 7 years transportation. Arrived 14 February, 1792, assigned as housekeeper to Lieutenant Thomas Rowley. Partitioned for an Absolute Pardon on the recommendation of Lieutenant Thomas Rowley of the NSW Corps, this day 8 May 1794. Approved Major Francis Grose.”[1]
Is that all? No questions, nothing! Turning around she found Thomas grinning from ear to ear. Had it all been decided before they got there? I have me suspicions, she thought.
Retuning to their hut, Thomas was full of ideas for the future. All except a future as Mr and Mrs, she thought wistfully.
_____________
1 Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
1 Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons, 1788-1870 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
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