I
The Sailor Man
On a February morning in the year 1609, a small, thin-faced man made his way over London Bridge. He wore a leather jacket and a blue wool stocking cap. His clothes were splashed with mud, and mud sucked at his shoes. He could hardly see for the cold rain in his face.
He had been looking for Fish Street, and here it was, at the end of London Bridge. Now he was looking for a house on Fish Streetâa great stone house not far from the bridge.
Here was one with tall chimneys and many windows. It must be the house, he thought. He went around to the back.
A plump, pretty maid opened the door.
âWould this be the Trippett house?â he asked.
She looked at his muddy clothes. âWhat do you want?â
âA word with Mistress Freebold, if sheâs about.â
âMistress Freebold? Oh, you mean Annie. You canât see her,â said the maid. âSheâs sick abed.â
âCould you just let her know thereâs someone here from Americaâ?â
âAmerica?â The maid stared into his face. âThen you must beââ She was gone. He heard her crying out, âAmanda, Amanda!â
Someone came running. Someone cried, âFather!â and a girl was there. She looked no more than ten or elevenâa pale little thing with great, dark eyes.
She stopped. She said in bitter disappointment, âYouâre not my father.â
âI shouldnât think so,â said the man.
âEllie said you were from America, and she thoughtâI thoughtââ
âSo youâre James Freeboldâs girl,â he said.
âOne of them. Iâm Amanda.â She asked quickly, âDo you know my father?â
âI do, and I saw him not many weeks ago. We were together in America, in the colony of Virginia. Iâm a sailor, you see, and my ship was thereââ
âAnd you saw him.â Her eyes were bright again. âWas he well? What did he say?â
âHe was well enough, for all I could see. Heâd built a house in Jamestown. Thatâs the only town there. When my ship sailed, he asked if Iâd stop for a word with his family in London. He thinks of you each day. He prays you will all be together before another year is out.â
Tears came to her eyes. âWhen you see him, will you tell himâ?â
âIâll not be seeing him again,â the man broke in. âItâs a long, hard voyage to Virginia. Iâll not be going back.â
âOh,â she said.
Someone was calling, âAmanda!â
âYouâre wanted,â he said. âIâll take my leave.â
âBut youâll come again?â
He shook his head. âIâve told my tale. Good-day to you.â
He left her. He was gone, and she didnât know his name or where to find him again, and there were a hundred things she hadnât asked. She hadnât even said thank you.
She took a step after him, but Cookâs voice called her back. âA- man -da!â
She closed the door. She went down the long, cold hall and into the kitchen.
Cook was at the table, beating eggs. Her face was red. Her cap was over one eye.
âWho gave you leave to stand in the door and talk all day?â she said. âWho was that man?â
Ellie the maid came out of the pantry. âOh, Amanda, was it your father?â
The door to the back stairs opened. A small boy put his head out. âWas it Father?â he asked.
âJemmy!â cried Amanda. âYou know youâre not to come in here. No, it wasnât Father.â
His head disappeared, and the door closed.
Amanda told Cook and Ellie, âIt was a sailor man back from Virginia. He saw my father there. He talked to him. Father is wellâand heâs built a houseâ and he thinks of usââ
Cook gave a snort. âHe does, does he? He thinks of you so much that he sails off and leaves you for three whole