The Books - Chapter One from THE SEAT BESIDE ME

Excerpt from How Do I Love Thee?

(Copyrighted material)

ONE

"I will die soon."

My brother, Edward, leaned to an elbow on the company side of my bed. "Oh, posh, Ba. You've been dying for years and you are still with us."

He was right. Although I had celebrated a childhood of good health, the journey through my teen years, my twenties, and now my thirties had been greatly spent in a position of recline. And decline.

Bro popped a grape into his mouth and sighed. "No one can die here, Ba. Torquay is the happiest place in southern England. The sea will not allow such talk. So I must insist you desist." The grape met its demise and another was plucked as Bro's next victim.

I pulled my shawl closer, leaned back against the pillows, and gazed out the window at the sea sparkling in the May sunshine. We had come here in 1838, and though our initial intent was to stay only one winter here, we had spent nearly two years away from our family's home in London, partaking of the salt air that was supposed to make me well. The situation had transpired due to an ultimatum from Dr. Chambers. He had informed Papa that if I were kept in London—with its soot and fog and unhealthy air—he would not be held responsible for the consequences. And so Papa had relented.

But unfortunately, in requiring such attention, two of my siblings had to accompany me, Henrietta as my helper, and Edward as our chaperon. Other family came and went, and at times there was more family here than in London. I knew the situation was the subject of much tension back home—which was unfortunate—but I was not in charge. Papa was. It was regrettable that propriety forced three of us to be pulled from the family home, but in truth, neither of the others seemed to mind as much as I.

Henrietta—who, unlike myself, found books and learning a bore—always discovered friends and society no matter where she was planted. And Bro . . . he was quite willing to lounge with me at Torquay if it prevented his being sent to our family's plantation in Jamaica, where he would be forced to do more than paint a few watercolors and see to his poor sister's happiness. As the Barrett heir, much was desired from Bro, although, alas, much was not expected. Bro took no interest in and had little aptitude towards carrying on the family business. It was as though he were waiting for Papa to make him interested and able. I loved him dearly, but I knew he was not distinguished among men. His heart was too tender for energy.

When Papa had made murmurings that it was time for Bro to leave Torquay and take on some business responsibility, I, in a rare moment of assertiveness, had insisted he be left with me. To gain my own way, I had even sobbed, begging that Bro be allowed to stay. On his part, Bro, as a true alter ego, had declared that he loved me better than anyone and he would not leave me till I was well. But Papa . . . I never forgot Papa's reply: "I consider it very wrong of you to exact such a thing, Ba." I mourned his harsh words, but my desire—yea, my need—for Bro's company allowed my shame only a short visit, and was far outweighed by my delight in his presence.

And all had worked out well. Our brother Charles—Stormie—had gone to Jamaica in Bro's stead. So for now, we had received a reprieve.

Jamaica . . . the thought of that awful place forced me to pull my eyes away from the calming view of the sea. For my most recent decline had been caused by the news that our brother Sam had died of fever there not three months previous—dead for two months before we even received word. Funny Sam, six years younger than I, boisterous and witty, though admittedly, a bit too fond of drink.

Bro sat upright and pointed at me, making his finger dance an accusatory spiral. "And what is this? Sorrow in my sister's eyes? I will not have it."

I adjusted the cuff of my mourning dress. "I was thinking of Sam."

He used the moment to state his case. "Do you see why I do not wish to go to Jamaica? If Sam succumbed to its temptations, I most surely would—"

Temptations? I had only heard talk of fever. "What temptations?"

I watched regret and panic play upon my favourite brother's face. "I misspoke. Sam died of fever. That is all—"

"Apparently that is not all. As the eldest I demand to know the truth." My bluster was for show. I did not really want to hear the details. I was well aware of the peculiarities of my eight brothers and two sisters and loved them dearly, but in response to my familiarity with their characters, I oft preferred to turn a blind eye to their lesser qualities.

In turn, Bro, who knew me too well, gave me only partial disclosure. "Papa has warned us boys of the lures that dwell in Jamaica. So far from home, with great responsibilities, and no family close to offer support and guidance. . . ." He sighed with great drama—as was his way. "Sam was . . . Sam."

"Ah." I would let it remain at that. I pulled a volume of Balzac's Le Pere Goriot close. "I do long for the day when we can all be together again under one roof. Although I may have found benefit in Torquay at one time, now I am too weak to bear being away. I find it dreadful. Dreadful," I repeated. "I am crushed, trodden down, and death nips at me from afar, but also from far too near." I sat upright to gain Bro's full attention. "What is there to recommend this place when my own doctor has died here?"

Bro looked confused. "Dr. Barry died months ago."

"Which makes his death from fever acceptable?"

"It happens, Ba."

"He was the only doctor I liked as a person. Back in London, Dr. Chambers may be the doctor of the queen dowager, but I do not much like him. Nor others with fewer credentials. Only Dr. Barry was amiable enough for me to call 'friend.' "

Bro offered an incredulous look. "But was not Dr. Barry the doctor who scoffed at your habit of not rising until noon? Did he not command you to get up at an earlier hour and force you outside in the afternoon?"

"Yes," I admitted. "And I hold to my feelings that rising at such an early hour is barbaric, and the fresh air made me fit for nothing."

"After ten days he declared you better."

Of this I could offer dispute. "He declared my lungs better, yet I felt far worse. I was in such lowness of spirits that I could have cried all day if there was no exertion in crying." I thought of Dr. Barry's greatest sin against me. "He was aggravating in that he forbid me from deep study. As a result I was forced to bind my Plato to appear as a novel so he would not ban it from my room. And as for writing my poetry, he claimed the toil of it was too much of a strain. Toil? Writing is my life. It is not toil. And he cannot stop me."

"No. Now he cannot."

Bro could be so . . . so . . . concise. But I would not let him enjoy the victory. I had a point to make. "As I said, Dr. Barry moved me, and now that he has died, his passing grieves me."

Bro crossed his arms and gave me a look of smugness.

I feigned ignorance, though I felt my cheeks grow warm. "Why do you look at me so?"

"This doctor, whom you fought at every ford, moves you, and is mourned by you?"

"In spite of our disparate views, he was the most amiable doctor I have ever employed." I thought of another point. "And for him to die when he had a wife who was with child . . ."

" 'Tis a tragedy, I do not dispute that," Bro said. "But it should not cause you to fear for your own demise . . . all this talk about death nipping at you."

He did not understand. The actual deaths of Sam and Dr. Barry reinforced the shortness of life. I thought of another example to add to my argument. "Then there is the death of Mrs. Hemans, a poetess like myself—though of far further renown—dead at the age of forty-one. I am already four and thirty. The longest years do not seem available to writers of poetry."

Bro stood and set the plate of grapes aside with a roughness that caused many to fall upon the carpet. "Enough, Ba! Enough. Papa may have encouraged your grievous state with his lofty compliments of your 'humble submission' and 'pious resignation,' but I, for one, have had more than enough."

I was shocked by his outburst. During Papa's monthlong visit after Sam's death, he had indeed applauded my bearing during my time of grief. I had never considered my behaviour as anything but appropriate and correct.

Bro was not through with me. "Do you not realize that others in this family grieve too? That perhaps they are in need of Papa's comfort as much as you?"

He had never spoken to me like this. "Of course, I—" (continued...)

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