The Secrets of Springfields

Chapter 1-2

“I don’t know what’s with you Donny, why haven’t you found yourself a wife instead of hanging around with this worthless lot?”

One of the men shouted “We’re of the understanding he has – you.”

Her eyes widened and then she laughed so hard she nearly knocked herself off her feet. “Oh Donny don’t be silly, you and me, never! Don’t even think about it”

Amelia walked away, her anger gone and replaced by hilarity. Her thoughts full of such words; when she marries, it will be to a strong man, a man who knew his own mind, not one who would do as she said, only to lie to his friends about her afterwards. No, her man would be a man, but also gentle and loving, a man she would adore for the rest of her life, a man like Richard. ‘Oh my god, did I really think that?’

Richard knew trouble would ensue if there were to be anything between him and Amelia and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He knew he had to see her again and again and again. In fact he knew deep within his heart he had fallen in love with Amelia and he was going to marry her - how he was going to tell his father, he had no idea, but that was for another day. How was he going to tell Amelia and did she feel the same way, was a question that scared him even more.

Richard had asked Amelia to meet with him and she had agreed. They met in the same place every day for a week, but when the time had come for the clan to move on, Richard was beside himself, “Amelia, do you have to go with the rest of them, can’t you stay here?”

“What would I do, how would I support myself, nobody would give me a job, not one worth having, anyway.” Amelia replied soberly

Amelia was feeling very sad at the prospect of leaving Richard. Even though they had only talked on their meetings, she knew she was in love with Richard and she would marry him in a heartbeat. She looked at Richard sadly, “There’s nothing we can do; we’ll be moving on in two days’ time and won’t be back until this time next year.”

“A whole year! Amelia, I couldn’t bear not seeing you, I love you with all my heart and I know this sounds silly as we have only known each other for a short time, but…” Richard didn’t know how to say the words, fearing that she would laugh at him and said no. “Amelia.”

“Yes, Richard?” Amelia waited hoping he would say what she was hoping for.

“Amelia, would you do me the honour of being my wife?”

Amelia just stood there with her mouth open, she was so happy she didn’t know what to say, until she saw the change in Richard’s face, but as Richard thought it so Amelia said it.

“Richard you know your Da won’t allow it and my Mammy will have a fit; she already told me not to see you again, and I must say I’ve never seen my Mammy so angry before.” You could see the sadness in Amelia’s eyes.

“There must be a way. I’ve less than a year before I finish medical school and I will be able to support us. We can find an area where they are looking for a doctor and set up home there.”

Amelia looked at Richard and all the love she had for him showed in her eyes. Richard melted as she said, “You make it sound so easy, but it’s not. Our families come from completely different backgrounds. Your father is a doctor; mine was a blacksmith. Your Mammy a lady; mine a maker of potions. We are clan and as my Mammy said, we are best keeping to our own.”

“There must be a way,” Richard was pleading with her.

Amelia realised she had just talked herself out of marrying Richard. The one thing she wanted more than anything else, but as always she had seen reason. Amelia knew she had to be the strong one; she moved away from Richard.

“Richard you know this won’t work, I’m very flattered you would marry me, but I’m sorry it would never work, please don’t try to see me again.”

Amelia walked away, as she didn’t want Richard to see her crying. She ran home as fast as she could. Donny saw her running in the woods and thought the worst, as usual. Amelia went straight to bed and cried herself to sleep.

The following morning, at breakfast, Amelia noticed a strange look on her mother’s face.“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Her mother looked at her and sadness came over her face.

“You’ve been to see the gentleman from the village, don’t deny it. You were seen running from the woods yesterday and you were crying. Did he hurt you?”

“No of course not, he loves me Mammy and has asked me to marry him.”

Sylvia took a sharp intake of breath “You said no, I hope.”

Amelia looked at her mother for a while, and didn’t know what to say. Her mother stood in front of her.

“I forbid you to marry this man, Amelia; it can only lead to sadness. The village folk aren’t to be trusted.” Sylvia looked at her, with such an unfamiliar facial expression. As Amelia looked closer, she saw hate in her mother’s eyes.

“Why are you so adamant I shouldn’t marry this man, what are you not telling me?”

Sylvia broke down in tears, “You don’t understand Amelia.”

“Then help me understand, Mammy.”

Sylvia looked at Amelia and decided to get her to understand her fear; she would have to tell her the truth.

“I was about your age when we were visiting a village and I met a boy. He made all sorts of promises, said he loved me, but it was all lies. Once we had lain together I never saw him again, I went looking for him in the village and was humiliated. I was so ashamed when I found out I was pregnant and had to tell my parents. My Da was furious. He went back to the village and spoke with the boy’s Da and of course the boy denied it and I’ve never saw him again.”

“How does this concern me, Mammy?”

Sylvia answered with regret, “I’m sorry, Amelia, you’re the child.”

Amelia stared up at her mother with a look of total disbelief on her face.

“But you told me my Da had died before I was born.”

Sylvia said in a quiet voice, “For me, he is dead. My Da sent me off to live with my cousins, telling them of the tragic death of my husband and that the change of environment would be good for me. The plan was I’d return to the clan once you were born, telling the same story to the folk here. I suppose in all the heartache, even I believed it.”

Amelia was devastated - she had lived a lie all her life.

“Mammy, Richard has asked me to marry him. We haven’t even kissed, and he has been a perfect gentleman. What makes you think he would be the same as my Da?” Amelia almost spat the last few words at her mother, feeling so disgusted at the lie that had been her life.

“They’re all the same, you mark my words, once you have agreed to marry him, he will start the sweet talk and once you have lain with him, you’ll never see him again.”

“Ma, just because you went against our culture, what makes you think I’d do the same?” Amelia was very angry, she knew that s*x before marriage was forbidden. In some clans even kissing was a shame, unless you were engaged.

Sylvia was desperate for her fate not to befall her daughter. She wanted better for her: a good husband, children, and mostly for her to be happy. The sadness Sylvia had felt all these years had been compensated by the love she had for her daughter. Amelia was the one good thing that had come out of a very bad experience for Sylvia.

“I’ve told Richard it would be impossible for us to marry and even more so now I know I’m a bastard.”

“Don’t say that,” Sylvia shouted.

Amelia hung her head in shame. How could her mother have lied to her for all these years? She felt betrayed. Sylvia looked at her daughter; her tears were flowing freely now. She had nothing more to say.

As Amelia lay in bed that night she asked the spirits, “Why is life so cruel? I finally find the man I’ve always wanted, only to find he’s out of my reach.” There was a strange stirring in the darkness like a cool breeze blowing across her cheek. She looked around the room and a figure appeared, a shiver went down her spine, it was her grandmother. Amelia had loved her grandmother dearly and was devastated when she had died. She had missed her terribly for a very long time. In a gypsy’s life it was the grandmother who would looked after the grandchildren, while the mother worked. It was their responsibility to teach them the ways of the clan. For Amelia’s clan their beliefs were in nature. Taking care to have respect for all living things, be it plant, animal, or human. Her grandmother had taught her how to look for the right plants and how to connect to the plants before cutting them, “Always ask their permission before taking,” she would say. It was through this Amelia had connected to her ‘Knowing’. She looked at the apparition in front of her not sure what to say. Her grandmother smiled, “Amelia, listen to me, don’t hate your mammy, she and your grandda only did what they thought was right and you have to do what you think is right for you, but be aware of consequences and of others who may be involved.”

“If only it was that easy, Granny. I love Richard with all my heart.”

“Everything happens for a reason and only you can know what’s right for you.” She slowly faded away, smiling at Amelia with a familiar smile Amelia loved so much. The same smile she saw in the mirror when she smiled at herself.

Amelia rubbed her eyes and then pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She remembered her granny telling her there were those who could connect to departed souls, but she had never thought much about it. There were members of the clan who did readings for the village folk, it was their part to play, hers was to make potions or so she thought. Up until this point Amelia was a happy, very beautiful and a loving young woman, but now she had lost her natural beauty. As her happiness was lost, so was she.

The time came for the camp to pack up and move on, Amelia hadn’t seen Richard again and as they left the field Amelia looked to see if Richard was there, hoping he would come to say goodbye, but he didn’t.

Richard’s father had asked to see him, but he was impatient to be on his way to say good-bye to Amelia; to beg her once again to stay and be his wife. Richard walked into his father’s study. “Yes father you wanted to see me?”

“Yes Richard, I’ve noticed your books haven’t been touched in the last week, you do realise this exam is your final and most important”

Richard nodded.

“And yet you’re not studying, why is that?”

Richard thought for a while; would he tell his father the truth?

“I’m not sure, Father, I have a mental block and thought if I took a few days off, the block would go and my mind would be more refreshed.”

“So it has nothing to do with the young gypsy girl you have been meeting in the woods?”

Richard was stumped, how did his father know? They had been so careful.

“Nothing has happened, Father, I can assure you. I love Amelia and she loves me, I have asked her to marry me.”

Richard’s father stood up from his chair in total rage. “You will not marry that girl, I forbid it. These people are not of our standing; they are gypsies, a lower class. When you marry, it will be to someone of your own standing, someone who is fit to carry the Mason name.”

Richard was getting angrier by the minute. He couldn’t believe what his father was saying “Well father I would never have thought to hear such derogatory words from you, especially as Mother was not of your standing as you call it, but a common farmer’s daughter.”