for two years pocahontas had kept sweet the ingle-nook at varina for her husband. then she was crowned with the diadem of motherhood. a baby boy came to weld into an indissoluble bond their loving hearts.
when night stole over the plantation and the tallow candles were lit in the sconces rolfe would sit by the fire puffing clouds of smoke from a curiously carved pipe presented by nantaquas, and plan for the education of the little son lying asleep in the cradle which pocahontas kept in motion with her foot while she sewed on tiny baby garments.
“lily, we will take him to england and place him at cambridge. there he will grow into a famous man, and by and by take a wife as his father did before him.”
with a jealous movement she bent over the sleeping babe, as if to protect him from unknown dangers.
“nay, john, pocahontas will not give her son to any maiden. he is her own, and she will not let him go from her across the seas.”
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“ah, lily, you are like all mothers, jealous of every maiden as soon as a son is born to her,” he laughingly replied. “i would not separate you from our boy, he needs his mother too much. whenever he goes, you shall accompany him. your kindness to the colonists, when they were in suffering, has long ago reached england. all london rings with your fame and they long to see you. wealth has come to me through my tobacco plantation, and my darling shall have rich robes of gorgeous hues to enhance her loveliness and vie with the jewels glistening in her hair.”
then a slender form, gowned in sober gray, with smooth bands of light hair under a plain cap, flitted before his vision. with a frown of impatience he quickly banished the unwelcome vision.
the words spoken half in jest, half in earnest by rolfe, came true. one day he came running into the cabin waving a letter in his hand.
“lily, i have just received this letter commanding me to bring the lady rebecca”—bowing low to her as he spoke—“to england, along with her attendants. she is to be presented at court under the chaperonage of lady de la warre, and will be the guest of the london company. 170 what has my lady to say to her humble husband concerning her preparations for departure?”
“the will of john is the will of pocahontas,” answered the obedient wife.
“then, sweet one, we must make all haste possible, as we travel with governor dale a week hence. the plantation must be left in charge of my man hunter, and we will get mistress laydon to come over now and then to look after your goods and chattels so that your housewifely heart may be at rest. i shall be glad to see old england again, and proud to show my darling to my relations over there.”
busy was the week that followed, both for rolfe and pocahontas; he making arrangements for a long absence and she putting in order the dearly loved home.
all jamestown was agog with the news of pocahontas’s presentation at court. a halo of new interest surrounded her.
riding home from the fields late one evening, rolfe saw adam clotworthy leaning against the gate.
“ha, adam; i am right glad to see you. have you come to take a look at the boy?”
“yes, master rolfe, and i find that it is harder to part with him than i thought. you know he has been dear to me ever171 since his birth. i feel as if i owned some part of him, seeing that madam, his mother, was so gracious as to choose me for her god-father. i came to ask if you would not take me to england as your serving-man, and a sort of under-nurse to the boy.”
“well, adam, i will take you. your devotion to the boy weighs heavily in your favor.”
“thank you, master rolfe, you will never have cause to repent of your kindness as long as the boy is above ground.”
