Argo

By Sandy Grissom

Argo is the story of a man whose future has been thrust upon him by his father. It is unwelcome and not what he wants his life to be. Then fate intervenes and he is given the life he wished for though it causes a confrontation between the men. In doing what makes him happy, Jason fulfills a destiny he is called to. Along the way he meets a lady he thinks is in the lowest class of people and he fights not to love her. Yet love will have its way. He is shocked when he discovers he made an error and the lady is the daughter of a gentleman with ann estate. The lady knew what he thought but did not want him to treat her above the friendshop they found together. How will he react when he knows who she is?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandy Grissom
• Release date: May 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224692385

Sandy Grissom

Sandy Grissom has loved books all her life. That love began by listening to her older sister read when she was still too young to discover the magic for herself. She's read everything from history to the phone book but her favorite authors are James Michener, Agatha Christie and the mystic William Blake. Over the years, romantic novels became a favorite. The top of that list is Pride and Prejudice. When she retired she had too much time on her hands and spent too much money and trips to the library to get books in order to satisfy her restless soul. It was then she began to write herself. As an adult she held a variety of jobs, all of them grist for her imaginative mind. The occupations in Choppy Waters will hopefully inspire someone to fight for their own dreams, to never give up on themselves or on love. A widow, Sandy recently moved to southern Indiana where she lives near the younger of her two beloved sisters.

Book preview

Chapter One

Jason Hargrove rushed onto the estate of his aunt, Mary Downing. He fortuitously got a carriage ride from the father of a schoolmate. That man brought him to the lady’s manor house door quickly. It was what he needed for he woke up that morning worried about the lady. He hurriedly left the carriage and pushed past the boy who opened the door. He made for the drawing room expecting to find his aunt there. But she was not in the room. He turned back to the boy who had followed him there. He meant to ask her whereabouts. But his actions explained to the young footman who he was looking for.

I believe she has gone out to the garden, he stammered.

He spoke thusly though he was in shock at the man’s action. He rushed in as if the manor house was afire. The boy had no idea who the man was but he had a good reason not to. He had only recently been retained by the estate. Jason’s aunt often hired boys to work on the estate. She had a desire to help boys from impoverished households.

Naturally, she didn’t do the training. She turned the boys over to the butler who trained them to become footmen. Some might keep to Edgewater Park all their days but others might leave to work on other estates once trained.

Servants needed replaced at times on estates. Some older servants retired or passed away. Others left for America thinking to find their fortune there. Some simply looked for a position that better fit them. At times that might be that a footman become a butler. Though such a promotion would only happen in a small estate.

That meant that though the boy who answered the door did not recognize Jason, he did recognize the look on the man’s face. It was obvious he had come to see Mrs. Downing.

I’ll go there then. See to my things, he spoke an instruction.

The man was out the front entrance and gone again. The boy looked around for help as to what he should do. A second footman who was nearby came to him.

Another nephew, he spoke. Do as he says. The housekeeper will need to be notified to prepare rooms for him. Take his things there as soon as she tells you which one.

The boy nodded and moved off to do the tasks suggested. The man brought only a single bag. Even so, it needed taken care of. A liveried footman on the carriage had set it off at the door before the carriage left the property. The boy picked up the heavy case and carried it inside.’

It seemed the nephew had not brought a dresser with him. One would need to be assigned from among the staff. When the task of a room was made ready for the nephew, he would then apprise the butler of the need for a dresser for the man. He wasn’t sure if it shouldn’t be the housekeeper but the males in house nearly always took their orders from the butler.

He moved down the long and spacious hall, watching for the housekeeper as he went. That lady would tell him which room. She would need to have a maid prepare the room for the lady’s nephew. The boy supposed he should have heard if the man was expected. He was surprised that he had not. Everyone in house was aware of the arrival of the previous nephews.

He was just past the main staircase when he spied the lady. A housekeeper didn’t ordinarily give orders to a male servant. That was the province of the butler. Yet this was a boy in training so she turned when he spoke. He quickly explained that another nephew had arrived.

There is only one other, she replied with a quizzical look on her brow. How very interesting, she breathed to herself.

In fact, she had not been informed this particular nephew was coming. Then she recalled the boy standing there and spoke again.

The blue room in the family section. It’s the second door on the third floor on the right side. I’ll send a maid up to be sure it is made ready. He’ll want his things hung up in the highboy and the rest in its drawer. Do that as soon as the maid dusts the highboy.

She knew he brought no dresser for this nephew had been sent to school by his father. She wondered when the mistress sent for him. She had not seen a message go out but then she was not in the entryway much of the time. Her duties took her all over the manor house.

The boy nodded to her and moved toward the back of the house. He had been in house long enough to know he was to take the back stairs. Only family and guests used the grand front staircase. The case was heavy and slowed him down. He was thus not surprised when a young maid rushed past him and into the room where he was headed. As expected the walls were painted a light blue shade.

He expected the girl would soon enough be bringing up water for the guest to bathe in. He would want a change of clothes before he went down to meet with his aunt again. He shook out one set of clothes and hung them up in anticipation of that. He was pleased to get work on the estate. He determined to do whatever was asked of him very well indeed. His family was pleased he was retained by the estate and he knew it relieved a burden for his father.

When he was downstairs again, he saw that all the servants were rushing around making sure of this nephew’s comfort. The boy spoke to the butler about a dresser. Then he rushed back upstairs to hang the rest of the nephew’s clothes. The girl would be done with the cleaning by then. Whomever was assigned as dresser would take it from there.

Jason was unaware of the confusion his arrival caused as he dashed around the corner of the manor house and out to the garden. He was in that much of a rush to see his aunt. She was the reason he left school so quickly. Naturally he missed her. He loved his aunt along with her husband now gone from this earth.

This morning, however, he awoke with a desperate longing to see her. He felt as if something was wrong. He didn’t know what it could be but he worried that it was so. He stayed in that frame of mind long enough to decide he must go see her. He simply had to know she was all right. Only if he looked in her eyes would he be certain that she was in health.

He would not be content unless he saw her face to face. He hoped to God she was not ill. He could not bear to think of losing her as well as his uncle, her dear husband. They lost the gentleman not terribly long before. It was barely six months he’d been gone. He couldn’t bear to think of losing his aunt, too. He rounded a corner to find the lady seated on a curved metal bench. She spoke before he had a chance to ensure to himself that she was all right.

I heard you rushing around the house, she noted with a smile. I wondered who had come. I am pleased it is you, Jase. But why did you come? It is not a school break, is it?

No, Auntie. In truth, I do not know why I came. I woke missing you dreadfully. I was worried and that concern would not leave me. I simply had to see you. I needed to assure myself you were all right.

Does this happen to you when it comes to your good parents, she asked. Then, No, don’t answer that.

Jason was happy not to reply. He never felt such a desperate need to rush home to his parents. Yet he could not say aloud why that was. He rarely admitted to himself, and never to others, how much he loved his aunt. Along with that how little love he felt from his parents. But then he always felt Mary’s love for him. As well as his uncle’s.

His mother and especially his father taught him but it seemed that was all they did. They were neither one of them affectionate with their children. He didn’t know if that bothered his siblings or not but it bothered Jason. He badly needed affection as a child. Yet somehow they did not see that need. And so he did not receive it.

Fortunately, his aunt and late uncle were quite the opposite of his parents. They saw what he was missing and gave him the love he needed. It was only at Edgewater he felt safe, protected, loved. When he was younger, he guessed they cared for him as much as they did because they had not produced a son of their own.

The couple had only one daughter and no other children. He heard his mother say once that the birth of their daughter was hard on Mary. He didn’t know what that meant until he mentioned it to Edward one day.

He talked to his roommate at school about most things. Edward was just as open to speak to him about matters.

She meant that the lady was not able to have another child. Something happened during the birth to prevent it. I have seen it happen with animals.

Edward’s father was an independent farmer. That is, he did not work for an estate but for himself on land he owned. Jason understood his meaning about his aunt. But it was days later when he realized the changes that might be happening in England.

He wondered if one day there might not be estates for gentlemen to manage. He hoped if it was so, that it was a slow time in coming. He thought it might be long in the future if it happened that way. It was unusual today for a man to own his own farm. In fact, the only one he knew of was that of Edward’s father.

Later on he came to realize that Mary and George simply loved him for himself.

Jase, she implored and he went to her.

By then she had risen from the bench seat. He reached her to find her arms open to receive him.

My boy, she whispered for his ears alone.

Jason smiled though he was so wrapped up in her arms, she would not see it. Perhaps that was the fullest explanation of why he was here, he thought. He was a grown man but he still needed to be loved and Auntie Mary loved him. How could he help but love her, as well?

Well, whatever the reason, I am happy to see you, she told him. Let us go inside.

She was surprised to see him at first glance. Then happiness flowed over her. She supposed like Jason, she had been missing him desperately, too.

They were seated in the drawing room when he spoke again.

I was worried about you. Are you in health, he asked.

Never better, she smiled. It is so good to see you. Are you taller, she questioned.

I have added about an inch since I saw you some months ago, he grinned.

He would not mention that was at his uncle’s going home to God service.

I keep thinking I am done growing, then I discover my trousers are too short again. Thanks be, my jackets still fit.

We shall have to order new outfits for you, she noted.

Auntie, I did not come here to beg new clothes,

I know that, Jase, but allow me the joy.

He shook his head. In truth the lady was better to him than his parents. They never asked if he needed new clothes. In fact, his father sighed as if it was a great impertinence when Jason found he had to request them. He would not have to bother him now. Then thoughts of his parents caused him to suppose he ought to go on home as well as stop here at Auntie’s estate. Yet he was in no hurry to do it. He turned his mind back to his aunt for she was speaking again.

Are you doing well at school, she asked.

She knew he was because he did everything well. It was in his nature to do a thing the very best he could whatever the task, pleasant or unpleasant.

To be perfectly frank, Auntie, I am bored of late. I feel as if I have learned all I need to there. Yet I needs stay for I must have some kind of occupation for my life.

Mary did not reply to that. She spoke what seemed to be another matter.

I sent your cousin, Jonathan, home this morning.

John was here, he asked redundantly.

While you’ve been in school, I’ve had all your male cousins to visit, she replied. One at a time.

Oh, he replied in question but mostly surprise.

None were agreeable to me.

I do not understand, Jason replied in confusion. My cousins are all pleasant to have in house. They are fine companions at meals and have a wide range of topics to speak on. Why did you find them wanting?

Exactly the phrase I should have used. I found them wanting. I never find you wanting, my boy.

I thank you for the compliment but you have not answered why you found them that way.

I have been looking for someone to be the next master of Edgewater. All the cousins are equally distant and my dear husband did not designate one his heir. I have tried to work with the steward since his passing but we are neither of us comfortable with the situation. I did not ask you to visit for I feared it would greatly upset your father. He has always been jealous of the affection I feel for you.

I did not know that, Jason replied. He deals with all his children in such a dispassionate way.

"Your father