An unrequited love

You are leaving nobody behind per se, nobody who you expect to be missing you. Your mother died when you were young, and your father several years later, both of the consumption. The other workers, as they all lived on the estate, helped to raise and comfort you as a boy, symbolically adopting the local orphan. It was difficult, but you managed. Both deaths were so long ago, you've had time to come to terms with their deaths.

The only true regret you have is leaving Victoria, the owner's daughter. You knew from the start that it was a foolish, a lowly laborer like you pining after a young lady of the gentry, but you couldn't help how you felt. You remember the first time you ever saw her. It was Christmas day, more than ten years ago. Despite the protests of the Puritans, everyone of the property was Anglican, and happy to celebrate. Both of you were just children then. Victoria was with her father (much leaner then), helping him hand out candies and meats to the workers for their Christmas feasts. From the first time you made eye contact with the sweet-faced brunette, you knew that you would never love anyone the way you loved Victoria; innocent, childish, pure love. You stood there, stricken, watching her as she walked off to make the rounds to other houses.

Later that night there was dancing. Victoria was there too, for all were equal on Christmas. She stood off to the side shyly as the adults and other children partied. You were in a similar position, but seeing her alone made you bold. Mustering all your bravery, you went up to her and asked her to dance. She looked down embarrassedly, while her jovial father egged her on to accept. She accepted reluctantly, much to your dismay. In time though, she began to relax, and she began to smile as the two of you flew around clumsily, childishly aping the dances of the adults around you. It was an electric experience, and you've rarely come close to be as happy as you were that night. You don't think that night made much of an impact on Victoria, but it did on you.

You've never seen her much since then. Victoria doesn't spend much time on the farm, mostly spending time with the neighboring gentry girls her age. Maybe, just maybe, if you make something of yourself in the colonies, you can come back and make Victoria your bride.