An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Page #4

-Have you gone insane?

I hope you don`t treat

all your suitors this way.

Don`t blame the poor boy.

The idea was completely mine.

-I can`t. I must work at Mr. Carterud`s.

-lt`s been taken care of.

They put the pig`s head on the table,

and the King, considering it a great honor,

plucked out the eye and gave it to me.

Did you eat it?

You`ve gone your whole life

without fine food.

One day will not ruin you.

Nor one shopping expedition.

That`s a good one.

Ladies. An unforgettable day.

-lt was.

-Good.

-Wow.

-Wow, look!

-ls this for us?

-Thank you.

And this one`s for you.

-Thank you.

-Perfect.

Land ho! I see land.

Pilgrims. They`re having a feast.

Sweet potatoes. Cranberries. Turkey!

Not like that.

-Not like how?

-Like how you`re doing it.

Patience, child. You must allow

an old woman to find her way.

Perhaps patience is overrated

as a virtue after all.

Mother.

Look what we`ve done.

Here.

Come.

Go on. Go on.

She bought us everything.

We shall have our Thanksgiving.

It`s lovely.

Please, Mother. You`ve worked so hard.

Just enjoy it.

It`s wonderful. Now if you`ll excuse me.

-Where were you?

-With the Yules.

How are the children?

I can`t tell

whether they`re getting better or not.

Well, you mustn`t keep going there, Mother,

putting yourself at risk.

Mr. Yule risked his life

and saved your father`s in the war.

-We owe them our best efforts, at least.

-Please, Mother. Don`t go back again.

-You look tired.

-lt`s been a long day.

It`s not wrong, what you did today.

Your mother is a person of unflagging piety.

It might not be possible to equal her.

Maybe we should try.

Father once said Isabella`s mistake was

assuming he wanted money.

What he really wanted

was my mother`s heart.

A treasure far too fine

to be traded for gold.

``My Dear Mary,

``No doubt you will be surprised

to receive this,

``knowing me to be

a man who does not write.``

But I have been lucky enough

to make the acquaintance of a Mr. Abel Yule,

who has agreed to take on the task

of our correspondence.

Our paths crossed on a march

through Charleston, South Carolina,

where I found Mr. Yule

endeavoring to free a small child

from his hiding place in a drainpipe.

Mr. Yule would not escort the boy

to the Union camp as ordered.

He took him instead to the Confederates,

hoping the child would find his family.

The soldiers were so astonished

they let us all pass without harm.

-His act of kindness saved us all.

-``His act of kindness saved us all.

``Until we`re together again. Love, Ellis.``

Mrs. Bassett. What a happy surprise. Please.

-You`ve just missed your lovely mother.

-I see.

Yes, she`s taken Mrs. Hopkins

on a shopping spree.

We hope to free her

from these tiresome frocks.

Mrs. Caldwell has brought a great deal of life

to this house

at a time when I had resigned myself

to seeing my wife mourn for all eternity.

-I have come about the rent.

-My dear lady, do not trouble yourself.

Since Mr. Bassett`s death

you`ve been most generous.

As you have been with my son.

My mother appears anxious

to interfere in my affairs.

I`m afraid she might approach you

about settling my account.

I`d prefer not to be indebted to her.

The rent, Mrs. Bassett,

is no longer my concern.

I met with your mother this morning.

She purchased the farm outright.

It belongs to her now.

We do not choose our fate, Mrs. Bassett.

This much I have learned.

One day a man has a family

and the next his house is a tomb.

Therefore, when a bit of good fortune lands

on your doorstep, don`t turn it away.

Chapter Six. Devil`s Bargain.

At what price do we secure our dreams?

Mrs. Caldwell told him

ostentation is our only goal.

-You have succeeded admirably.

-Mrs. Bassett.

We were trying the effect

of Mrs. Hopkins` dress.

-I have been entirely carried away.

-I think it`s lovely.

I`m told you purchased the farm.

Perhaps this can wait?

-This farm?

-With what in mind?

In my opinion, it is too far gone

to be properly repaired.

-I plan to remove it.

-Good heavens.

And where shall we live?

-New York City. With me.

-No.

-Look at the time. Gideon, we should go.

-We`ll find other lodgings.

Don`t let your resentments

make you insensible.

-Resentments!

-Your children will be fed and clothed.

Educated. Exposed to culture and art.

Do you want all of them, or just Tilly?

Because if you only want one

there`s no point in buying three!

Your mother does have

an impeccable pedigree.

-Does she?

-Mary.

My mother was born

in a hovel, Mrs. Hopkins.

The sort of place you`re afraid to set foot in.

Later in life

she became my father`s nursemaid.

They married when he became

too senile to object,

after which she persuaded him

to leave his fortune to her.

His children spent years

trying to contest the will.

But as luck would have it

she bore him a child.

This made it difficult

to have the will thrown out,

as I was living proof

of a legitimate marriage.

My mother`s pedigree has been collected

by using her considerable charm

to acquire associations

like others collect works of art!

Stop it!

Whatever you say, she has made us happy.

Anyone who is unhappy is free to leave!

Tilly!

Did you really dislike it that much?

Everyone`s looking for you.

I knew where to find you.

-What possessed me?

-You were angry.

I shouldn`t have taken Grandmother`s part.

It wasn`t right.

Your mother was humiliating her.

This isn`t why. I want to go.

-Go where?

-Anywhere.

I`ve been wanting to go

ever since my father died.

The world is not quite so grand a place

as your grandmother claims.

My father used to say

I was born for adventure.

Do you remember how the three of us

would go to the woods?

And he`d get us to imagine

what it would be like

to be a mackerel in the lake

or a bee in a hive?

-Don`t go.

-Gad, I do love you.

Marry me.

I`m not ready.

I`m only at the beginning.

I couldn`t find her.

I don`t know why I thought I would.

The other two I can reach,

but Tilly, she has her father`s spirit.

Ever since he died she`s been pulling away.

Maybe it`s time

you stopped holding on so tightly.

You`re not like me, Mary.

You won`t fail her if you let go.

I`m more like you than I thought.

The way I went after you today.

It`s nice to know you have some fight.

We should get the constable.

This isn`t drink.

Let the driver take him.

Stop putting yourself in harm`s way.

So you have decided to return.

Your mother was worried. As was l.

You shouldn`t have done it.

My mother and father made this farm.

It wasn`t yours to take.

-How long will she be gone?

-She didn`t say.

It`s not that many days till Thanksgiving.

We won`t be ready.

Why does Thanksgiving

matter so much to you?

Because it`s how we`ll know we`re all right.

Sweetheart, we are more than all right.

-Look!

-How pretty.

You see?

You`ve something to be thankful for already.

-I don`t see why.

-Tilly.

People get trapped in it.

One winter, an entire family froze.

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