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November 1862
London
The cobble stone streets of London were cold, but the snow had yet to grace the pavements of Cheapside. Katrina and Adeline settled in quite well making their new home, the home of Madame Douvaine, which sat on Grace Church Street. They were becoming quite the actresses and one had changed her name. Adeline was now Adeline Proctor and the two were marketed as sister actresses, which gave Katrina great joy. For she very much wanted to have a sister and she and Adeline had grown very close.
“Oh Katrina, I am not sure if this bonnet will do well for this occasion,” Adeline nervously tied the bonnet ribbon under her chin.
Katrina gave her a soft laugh, “Adeline you look quite well in it, and we are simply going for a walk in the park with our employers. I think no one will scrutinize your bonnet on such an occasion.”
“Oh, if you say so Katrina. I am just not use to London manners and London fashion.”
“Well I can assure you that we should not think of them as higher above our station simply because we are country folk. We are the daughters of a gentleman and that is all there is to it.”
“Oh how I feel so silly when you put it so directly,” Adeline smiled.
“Come. Let us go, as our employers must be waiting for us downstairs, and I know Mr. Douvaine would love to return before tea in order to have his fill on biscuits,” Katrina teased. Adeline laughed and together the two joyful girls made their way down to the foyer where indeed their employers waited in coats and hats.
“Dear girls you shall have us rushing on our walk if we are to make it back in time for tea. Come, come,” Mr. Douvaine said opening the door. Katrina gave Adeline a look to validate her assumption on Mr. Douvaine’s adoration of biscuits, and the two tried to restrain a smile.
“You both look lovely, my dears. Oh, any of the men that cross your path on our walks will wonder who you are,” Madame Douvaine whispered to both of them.
“And we shall wonder just the same, as all men here are but strangers to us, quite a departure from what we usually experience in Hertfordshire,” Katrina whispered back.
“Oh that is not true, actress, as new men come through Hertfordshire at times. Why, what happened to that Mr. William Dawson and the party he brought with him? Your mother spoke highly of him in a letter to my husband many months before. He was new to your society was he not?” Madame Douvaine said as they walked out of the large front door onto the pavement.
Her words nearly stole the breath from Katrina. Here she was trying to get Adeline to forget all about that miserable and disrespectful Dawson and all it took was Madame Douvaine muttering a few words to bring it all back.
“Yes, but his visit was of short duration. Madame Douvaine. May we make our way toward the river this walk? I would very much like to see the Thames River and the tall towering mast of the ships,” Katrina quickly changed the subject.
Mr. Douvaine, who walked slightly ahead of them, stopped and turned to this request. “Katrina, that is a fine idea. I myself would like to do the same. This way,” he held out his arm, and Madame Douvaine took it. The pair walked ahead of them, giving Adeline and Katrina some distance and privacy.
“Adeline, are you alright?” Katrina asked in a quiet manner.
“Yes.”
The one-word answer allowed Katrina to know that her sister was not fine. Oh, how she wished that she could give Dawson a piece of her mind. If she were to ever run into him again, or when he did return to Linwood Manor, she knew that she would not be able to hold her tongue then.
“What do you say to a bit of shopping on Bond Street this week? Do you think the Douvaines would take us?” Katrina tried to change the subject as quickly as possible. For questioning Adeline’s obvious sadness was not going to help the situation.
“I do not see why not. We could ask and see how they react,” Adeline answered.
“How far do you think it is from Grace Church Street?” Katrina was doing her best to keep Adeline’s mind occupied on anything but Mr. William Dawson. “Walking distance?”
“No. I think we should need the carriage for that,” Adeline replied.
“Yes, as so much to carry our parcels on the way back,” Katrina laughed.
“Yes, that is true, as we should also have to buy for our friends. Oh, how they would love something from Bond Street,” Adeline replied.
“And what do you think we should get them?”
“Adeline, Katrina, come take a look,” Madame Douvaine said, turning back toward them. Katrina was glad for it as any distraction was welcomed at this moment.
“What is it?” Katrina said.
“Look,” Mr. Douvaine replied.
Up ahead in the square were two street performers. One juggled items quite well, while another walked on tall stilts in a lavish costume.
“Should we take a closer look?” Mr. Douvaine asked.
“Oh yes. For I adore anything ridiculous,” Katrina said with enthusiasm. She draped her arm through Adeline’s and followed the Douvaines with glee to the square.
“We do not see this in Meryton,” Adeline said once they took their place among the gathered crowd.
“No, I should say not. I am glad that we came, and I glad that you persuaded me to come along with you,” Katrina smiled.
“As am I.”
“Mr. Douvaine,” a deep voice cut through their conversation, drawing the party’s attention toward two young men that came toward them. They were finely dressed, and dare one would say handsome, with pleasant smiles and demeanour.
“Why Mr. Davis, a pleasure sir... a pleasure,” Mr. Douvaine shook the taller gentleman’s hand, who had piercing green eyes and dark hair.
“As is mine. May I introduce you to my brother, Robert Davis,” the gentleman put his hand on the shoulder of the younger man with dark hair and light brown eyes that were not quite green, but not quite fully brown either.
“Mr. Douvaine, it is a pleasure,” Robert said.
“Glad to meet your acquaintance, sir. May I introduce you both to my wife, Madame Douvaine? This is Mr. Andrew Davis, who I conducted business with last year.”
“A pleasure, Madame Douvaine,” the gentleman bowed as Madame Douvaine gave them a curtsy.
“And our actresses who are visiting us for the winter season. I give you Miss Adeline Proctor and Miss Katrina Proctor,” Mr. Douvaine stood beside the girls. They each gave their curtsy as the men bowed with grins that seemed to grow larger as their eyes met the eyes of the ladies.
“It is a pleasure, miss,” Robert said.
“How beautiful that countryside is,” Andrew said.
“Oh, you have visited sir?” Katrina asked.
“I have, but it was for short duration as I passed through to stay at the Inn during my travels one summer. I stayed in a village called Meryton, I believe,” he smiled.
“Oh but that is where we live sir. Just outside that village; we walk there nearly every day if our friends wish,” Katrina smiled.
“Then I feel as though I know you already as everyone in that village was all politeness and not at all of the snobbish nature you find in London, which I found quite refreshing indeed,” Andrew smiled directly at Katrina. The smile in his eyes was of an intense nature and made Katrina quickly look to the ground as though she might blush.
“Well, Mr. Douvaine if you have visitors in London for the winter season than you all must dine at Davis House in Mayfair. Our sister Willameena has just arrived from Paris, and being the only sister, is in grave desperation for the company of young women as pleasant as the Proctor friends. Would you all do us the honour of dining with us tomorrow evening, if it is convenient for you?”
Mr. Douvaine looked to Madame Douvaine with a proud smile, and with it, Katrina knew that these gentlemen were of abundant means, especially since they had a home in Mayfair.
“Why, that would be convenient. We have no other arrangements,” Mr. Douvaine replied.
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“Very well than, it is settled. The hour of six would be plenty of time for us to enjoy the parlour before and after dinner. Our sister plays the pianoforte very well indeed,” Andrew said.
“Six it is then,” Mr. Douvaine said.
“Good. Capital.” Andrew said. Then he bowed to the whole party.
“Madame Douvaine and Miss Proctors, it was a pleasure to meet you all,” Robert bowed.
The women curtsied and then hastily walked away, leaving the entire party in a smiling, positive nature.
“Who was that, Mr. Douvaine?” his wife said, desiring further details on the elegant gentlemen.
“The Davises. They are men of great fortune. My dealings with them on trade last year were quite successful. Davis House in Mayfair is very grand indeed and it is an honour to be invited to dine. In my dealings with them last year I only went to the house to sign papers and conduct business, mind you, but I have heard the dining hall is something to be seen.”
“And last year they did not invite you and Madame Douvaine to dine with them?” Katrina asked, confused.
“No, I received no such invitation, but then again I did not have such beautiful young actresses with me,” Mr. Douvaine joked. Then he turned his attention back to the performers and was all smiles and happiness.
Madame Douvaine took the opportunity to whisper to the girls, “See, did I not tell you that every man in London would wonder whom you might be?”
Adeline and Katrina laughed a girlish giddy laugh. Katrina was very happy to see Adeline laugh when only minutes before she had been reminded of Mr. William Dawson. London could turn out to be just the tonic she needed to mend her broken heart, especially since it was obvious that Robert Davis had eyes and smiles for Adeline.
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The borough of Mayfair was quite lavish indeed. The well-to-do lived grandly in this part of town and the homes were extravagant in order to parade one’s wealth to those that promenaded down the pavements on Sundays.
Looking up at the grand Davis home, as the Douvaine carriage came to a halt, Katrina acknowledged that they too wanted to flaunt their wealth. The red brick façade with white trim in the Georgian style was the latest of fashionable homes, and all the bells and whistles to go along with it.
“It is quite grand, is it not? I should dare say it is quite the expanse for a home in town, perhaps better suited for the countryside,” Madame Douvaine remarked on the width of the home that seemed to take up the entire block complete.
“Yes, though it would not be as seen in the countryside, would it dear Madame Douvaine?” Katrina teased and those in the carriage laughed. The door opened, courtesy of the lavishly uniformed footman and the party stepped out.
Adeline nervously fiddled with her peach coloured evening gown and hair.
“Adeline?”
“Oh, Katrina, I should dare say that seeing this grand house makes me quite nervous,” she whispered.
Katrina smiled, “Oh don’t be, dear friend. You look quite fine this evening and it is just a structure after all.”
Adeline smiled with ease, something that her sister was often able to do for her.
“This way if you please,” the footman led them up the stairs and allowed them entry as he pushed open two grand double doors. It was quite the entrance.
“Douvaines, how delightful!” Andrew Davis immediately stepped forward to greet them in his dashing black suit with crème coloured cravat. “And the Proctor friends,” he bowed. The party bowed and curtsied as was fitting.
Katrina raised her head from her curtsy to find that Andrew Davis was staring directly at her. Something that made her feel both odd and excitable at the same time. There was a manner about him that indeed reminded her of Mr. Byers, though he was not proud and arrogant at all. Andrew Davis was all ease and politeness, a demeanour that she found refreshing after the dealings with the scandalous Mr. Byers and his dark secrets.
“Douvaines!” I thought I heard voices. Robert Davis came around the corner of the hall into the foyer, looking just as dashing as his brother in an elegant black coat with a young female trailing him. “How glad I am that you all have come. May I introduce to you our young sister Miss Willameena Davis.”
Once again the party bowed and curtsied at the siblings. Katrina noticed that Willameena Davis was quite the pretty thing. Her black hair was pulled up onto her head and spiralled down in ringlets, and her pale skin only made her green eyes a more prominent feature. She seemed very young indeed, and Katrina would guess she was ten and five years of age by the look of her.
“Oh how delighted I am to meet you all,” Willameena gave a kind and wide smile. “My brothers have spoken of nothing else since meeting your acquaintance yesterday, that I have been on pins and needles all day waiting to meet you.”
Andrew Davis cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Yes, well let us to parlour shall we? This way if you please.” He hooked his arm in Willameena’s and led her quickly as he whispered something to her, to which she replied with a giggle. The Douvaines followed them while Robert stood before the Proctors.
“May I?” he inquired.
“That would be delightful,” Adeline responded. Robert took position between the two friends and they hooked their arms in his as he led them with ceremony through the foyer and down the hall.
Katrina noticed how he glanced at her sister as they walked and so she looked in the other direction admiring the tapestries on the walls as though to give them a spot of privacy. The polished marble floors reflected the candlelit chandeliers that hovered overhead and plush velvet benches provided rest along the walls of the grand hallway. Paintings of the Davis family hung with distinguished character, and forced Katrina to wonder where the parents of these Davis siblings were. Perhaps taking rest in a grand country estate for the winter.
“It is just this way,” Robert Davis said as they turned left into a beautiful parlour. It was all that Katrina could do to restrain herself from gasping. The parlour was three times the size of her own family’s receiving room. There was not one, but two enormous fireplaces on opposite sides of the rooms with mantles that were just as tall as she. Three fine crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and a row of floor to ceiling windows looked out onto the London streets. A pianoforte sat in the corner and there were lavish rugs and furnishings throughout the stately room.
“Please have some refreshment. We have sherry, brandy, and all kinds of libations,” Miss Willameena Davis said joyously as she stood beside a banquet table manned by a male servant. He handed her a glass of sherry and Mr. Douvaine was quick to move to her side to claim a fine glass of brandy.
“For you, Miss Proctor?” Mr. Andrew Davis asked in a quiet manner as he came to her side.
“A glass of sherry would be fine, thank you,” she smiled.
“Of course, of course,” he was quick to it as he fetched her a glass and waited for her to have a taste.
“What do you say to it? I hope it is to your liking?”
“It is, thank you ever so much,” she said, as something caught her attention just over his shoulder. He followed her gaze.
“Oh, I see you have spotted my collection. Would you like to take a look?”
“I must confess it did grab my attention. This is your collection?” she asked as together they walked to a wall of books. The rest of the party were making their rounds in conversation, some having taken seat in front of the fire and others taking in the items of the fine room. Lively conversation was being had by all, and since Adeline was in good hands in the conversation of Mr. Robert Davis, Katrina thought it was a good time to have some good conversation herself, and the conversation of books was always one of her liking.
“Yes, this is my collection. I must confess I am quite the bore to have such a thing be of importance to me, but any time I travel I try to bring back a book or two, even when it is in a language I cannot read,” he laughed.
This made Katrina laugh a joyous laugh. “I confess I also love books greatly.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Is that a shock?”
“No, not at all, more of a delightful observation. Since you will be here for the whole winter season than you must consider this your private library...”
“Oh, no Mr. Davis, I could not. Such fine and dare I say rare books and...”
“I insist. Take what you like as long as you return them, so that I may see your face again when you do,” he smiled.
Katrina’s face flushed a shade of pink and she knew that she must get away from this man’s handsome eyes before she made herself ridiculous.
“Thank you sir, that is too kind. I must check on my sister.”
“Of course...” he said and followed her to the rest of the conversation as everyone mingled in delight.
Katrina found Adeline staring up at the fine items on the mantle and was glad to find that Robert had left her side simply so that she could get a word in to her sister in private.
“What do you think, Adeline?” she whispered.
“Such a fine house,” she responded.
“You know of what I speak. I believe that man has eyes for you.”
“Oh Katrina, you are mistaken, he is just doing his duty as host and is all kindness and good manners is all.”
Katrina raised her brows at her sister, who flushed a shade of pink herself.
“Dinner is served, sir,” the footman announced at the door.
“Oh good, good. Very good, thank you,” Andrew said. “This way if you will.”
The party followed Andrew out of the parlour and down the hall. Katrina had Adeline’s arm so that she may whisper. “Should we be dining in a replication of a palace dining room?”
“Katrina...” Adeline laughed.
Indeed Katrina was not too far from such a notion. The silverware covered a long table that was grand indeed. It sparkled illuminating the room with such beauty that also reflected off the crystal and china, and the aromas of hearty food lend to such an atmosphere that Katrina’s mouth fell open slightly. The Douvaines could not hide their astonishment as they commented on the excellent arrangements.
An Alone and Destitute Girl (#3, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 5