by Abigail Agar
Where was Miss Windsor? Was she all right? Had this man done anything to harm her? What was going on?
All these worries overwhelmed him, but Jonathan knew he needed answers. He would not be content until he found answers.
“Who are you? What are you doing here? Where is…is anyone else here?” he asked.
The man simply growled in reply, as if angry that Jonathan was confronting him. Jonathan was not finished.
He lunged towards the man, frightening him. The ragged man jumped back and started to look around, frantically, as if for a weapon.
“Get back here! I command you to stop and tell me who you are and what is going on. What are you doing here?” he asked.
The man grabbed for a long piece of wood, potentially the broken leg of a chair. He looked as if he might come after Jonathan, but there was clearly fear in his eyes.
Jonathan was not going to back down. He started to chase the man, causing him to turn heel and run away from Jonathan. It worked. Jonathan ran after him through the corridor until they were nearing the back of the house. It was a small enough house that it did not take long, but the man darted into the dining room, running through, past the table and out the door on the other side of the room which led to the parlor.
Jonathan raced after him on strong legs, his athleticism his greatest asset in that moment. He was not going to allow this man to get away with whatever he had done.
Certainly, Jonathan was still panicking in the back of his mind. He wanted to know where Miss Windsor was, but his first order of business was getting rid of this drifter.
“Get back here! Stop! Who are you? What do you want with this home?” he cried, still trying to reach the man who had quite a head-start on him.
He continued to call after the man as they headed back towards the front door. His heart pounded in his chest as the man ran out the open door and into the day.
“You had best stay away from here! I am warning you!” he called.
He hoped that the man would stay away, but he wasn’t sure. Eager to make certain that the man was not going to return, Jonathan knew that he would have to do something. Something drastic would need to take place in order to prevent anyone else from staking their claim on the home. Whether that was contacting the constable or setting up a fence, he wasn’t sure, but he would do whatever it took to protect the home.
He still did not know exactly why Miss Windsor loved the house so much, but his assumptions were enough. It was clear that she had once lived there. She did not need to tell him that for him to come to the understanding.
If the house meant so much to her, he couldn’t let it be taken over by madmen. He was quite certain that the man he had just chased out had nothing at all to do with the home. It had probably just been a convenient place for him to stop.
Certainly, Jonathan felt a little bit guilty. He wanted everyone to have a place to stay, but this man did not look peaceful. It would not have been safe for Miss Windsor to continue going back as long as he was there.
Jonathan wondered where she was. Had she come to the house? Or was he allowed to hope that she was safely away?
He went back inside and started to search, making sure that he did not find her, but terrified that she would be there in an unconscious state.
Relief washed over him when he saw that she was not present at all. He could rest in the fact that the man had not bothered her there.
He had to hold firm in the faith that she must be all right, somewhere far away.
Because she was not there, Jonathan decided he would go and see Simon. He needed to tell Simon all about this amazing young woman. It was time that he be frank with his friend about the fact that he was interested in someone for the first time on his life.
Once he was confident that the house was all right and the man was not standing outside somewhere, waiting to return, Jonathan climbed back onto his horse and set off for Simon’s home.
The ride was short and sweet, just the perfect length for him to get a good run in without tiring out his steed.
When he saw the house in view, he started to slow. Simon was already outside, sitting atop his own horse and looking as if he might go for a hunt.
“Jonathan? I was not aware you were coming by today. How wonderful! I was just going to head for a ride. Care to join me?” Simon asked.
“I would love nothing more,” he replied.
“That’s the spirit,” Simon said.
They decided to go for a ride down to the lake. The day was cool and breezy, the perfect temperature for such an outing.
Certainly, Jonathan wanted to tell Simon all about Miss Windsor, but he understood the need to work up to such a conversation.
“Tell me, what brought you here today? I am glad for it, please do not misunderstand me, but I am surprised. I thought that your mother had plans for you to meet a new young lady each day until you finally approved of one,” Simon said with a laugh.
“Oh, good heavens. I should hate to imagine that but you are not far off. No, actually, as it happens, she has decided there is one young woman in particular whom I ought to marry now, but it is, as usual, not a young lady in whom I have any interest,” he said.
“Such a shame. Men such as myself are very eager to find the right woman, and then there is you who has so many prancing about before you and yet none of them seem to please you,” Simon said.
“I know. I am quite a dreadful man. Spoiled, yes?” he asked.
“Extremely,” Simon replied, dryly.
“Well, this should make you happier. I have news,” Jonathan said.
“What sort of news this time? Have you been introduced to a princess from afar? Are you planning to marry her at once?” Simon teased.
“Not quite, but also not entirely false. You see, I would call her a princess, even if that is far from her station,” Jonathan said.
Simon looked at him with shock and alarm, jerking his head in Jonathan’s direction.
“Wait. You mean there is a young woman? You have finally met someone who pleases you? When did this happen? Who is she? How did I not know about this? Surely your mother is thrilled,” he said.
“My mother knows nothing of it, nor will she soon be told,” he replied.
“What? Why? I thought she was desperate to see you married. Why wouldn’t you simply appease her? Is there something about the young woman which she would disapprove? You must tell me everything,” Simon said.
“Yes, actually. My mother would not approve of her,” he said with a sigh.
“And why not? What is the matter with her? Is she desperately ugly? A peg-leg perhaps?” Simon asked.
“First of all, I would never discount a woman for something so trivial. Second, no, she is perfectly beautiful, as are many women with peg-legs. You needn’t be so shallow all the time,” Jonathan warned.
“I know, I know. You are a man who sees beyond silly things such as appearance and wealth. I have heard the speech plenty of times from you. Now, tell me about this young lady. Who is she? Why would your mother not approve of her?” he asked.
Jonathan chewed on his lip for a moment before replying, staring out at the lake as they approached.
“The young woman is not of noble stock. She is also quite…well, she is a bit peculiar,” he said.
“How so?” Simon asked.
“She is a lover of nature and can often be seen with her hair flowing loose and her feet bare. I have seen her do such amazing things. The way she interacts with animals is astonishing. And she is so beautiful. Quite unique, really. I find that I am desperately fond of her, even though it would behoove many to accept it,” he said.
“This young lady sounds more than just peculiar,” Simon said, his tone disapproving.
“Why do you say that?” Jonathan asked.
“Why would you want a woman who allows her feet to get dirty like that? You may have anyone in all of England and you want someone who is dirty? I do not understand you, Jonathan. Not in the
least. Tell me you are not serious,” Simon said.
“I am perfectly serious and there is nothing wrong with her. She is lovely in every way. If you met her, you would understand,” he said.
Jonathan felt that he ought to have been prepared for this sort of thing from Simon. After all, Simon was far more intent about showing his wealth and enjoying the finer things in life than Jonathan was. They had different tastes not only in women, but in life itself. There was always something between them which would go unspoken, a sort of disapproval of one another, a disagreement regarding standards and judgments.
But Jonathan still cared for Simon and wanted what was best for him. He just hoped that Simon would give him a similar support, that he would approve in response and give Jonathan the freedom to enjoy this happiness he had so recently discovered.
“I think you ought to be very careful about a young woman like her. I am not trying to discourage you, but I have heard that young ladies like that are all over the country and they are…well, some say they have spells to draw a man in, to entice him. Whether or not it is true, I cannot say, but you do appear somewhat bewitched,” Simon said.
Jonathan laughed at that, thinking it an utterly ridiculous notion.
“I tell you she prefers bare feet and loose hair and you jump at the idea that she is a witch? Good heavens, what has our country come to? There is nothing wrong with a young woman who wants to experience the joys of animals and nature. You know that I, myself, enjoy spending time with my horses more than anything else in all the world. Does that make me a druid?” he asked.
“Nonsense. You are a man. You are allowed to indulge in nature. It is young women such as her who ought to be more careful. Anyway, I am only saying that you must be cautious. Whether or not you follow my advice is up to you,” Simon said.
Disappointed that he did not receive support from Simon, Jonathan did not remain there for very long. He understood Simon’s concern, but he wanted to be able to truly enjoy the life he had and, for the moment, Miss Windsor was a part of that.
He wished that he had been given the chance to see her that day, but it had not come to pass.
Still, at least he had chased the man from the home. That was an important step. Whatever came next, Jonathan was ready for it.
Chapter 11
Ellie was desperate to visit her home again. She was still incredibly distraught after what had happened and the fact that a vagabond had come and tried to take over it. She found it painfully unfair that the house was just sitting there and she could not take control of it.
Why was a young woman not allowed to take what ought to rightfully belong to her? If she had been a son, the land would have passed to her without question. And yet, she had to watch it sit there, decaying. As far as she knew, it was currently the possession of her uncle as he had been the one to take her in. With time, it would pass to her husband.
For now, Ellie just had to watch it wither away into nothingness as the vagabonds tried to make it their own. The man, the madman or drifter or whomever he had been, he was out there, turning her home into his own. It was unfair and frustrating. All she wanted was to stake her claim on something which was her own.
The house held so many memories and she was desperate to cling to them, to make them all what they had once been—hers.
Ellie decided to go and sit by the lake. She wasn’t sure what else to do, but at least she could be outside and enjoy a bit of nature for a while. It was worth it to inhale the clean air, to listen to the birds, to watch the rabbits and squirrels in their opposing positions off to the side or by a tree.
She wanted to pretend that the world was exactly as it ought to be. She wanted to pretend that her home had not been invaded and that she was not chasing after a peace which would never come. Ellie wanted to pretend that her heart didn’t break every time she saw the disappointment in her aunt’s eyes, reminding her that she was unwanted and unloved, that her purpose and worth died with her mother and father.
Her home was lost. There was some dreadful man living there now and she could do nothing about it. He was far too threatening to test her luck. And now, this meant that she may never again see Mr. Potts. She might be forced to let go of that small hope as well, recognizing that it was never meant to be anything good and wonderful anyway. Young ladies like her never had happy endings.
She sighed and tore up little patches of grass, enjoying the smooth slide of the roots coming out of the dirt. Ellie glared across the lake and saw two gentlemen on horseback, going their separate ways. One was in finery and the other, it appeared, was not dressed so nicely. They were far enough that she couldn’t quite tell and thought maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. They must have been riding together, but now they were done.
Ignoring them, Ellie went back to living with her sadness. She stared at the edge of the water as it lapped up the small bank, as if reaching for the grass and threatening to pull it down into the water.
She was lost in her thoughts when she heard the sound of someone calling for her. It was muffled by the running hooves of one of the gentlemen on his horse and it took a few moments for Ellie to realize that it was actually one of those men who was calling for her.
“Miss Windsor!” he called again. She finally registered, taking in the sight of Mr. Potts. What was he doing out here? Why had he been riding with that fancy man? Was that the Duke for whom he worked?
“Mr. Potts?” she asked in surprise.
“Yes, it’s me,” he said with a smile. He had a nice hat upon his head, which only served to confuse her. Grooms didn’t often wear such finery. Then again, he worked for someone wealthy enough that, perhaps, he was able to afford it. She was suddenly very impressed by him, even though it had nothing to do with his possible finances and everything to do with his fashion.
This also, however, struck her very insecure about her own appearance and lack of style.
“Miss Windsor, what are you doing out here?” he asked.
“I came here to think. And you? Were you riding with a friend?” she asked.
He glanced at the other gentleman who was now far off. There as a nervous look in his eyes. For some reason, Mr. Potts didn’t want her to know exactly what had just taken place.
“Yes, indeed. I was riding with…with my master. Anyway, all that aside, are you all right? I am so glad to have seen you. Have you been to the house lately? Have you seen—?” he asked before she cut him off.
“That awful man who has decided to try and take over the home? Yes, indeed, but I do not know what to do. I am not sure how to be rid of him. I have been in an awful mood ever since I first saw him because I am at odds with how to proceed. I am certain that no constable is going to care enough to do anything about it. It saddens me to know that the house will simply be left to rot under this man’s care and he is going to take control of it,” she said, trying to stave off her emotions.
“No, Miss Windsor. He is not. I have chased him away,” he told her.
Ellie’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected that. How was Mr. Potts able to do absolutely everything she needed or wanted? He was an incredible man, a miracle worker. He had managed to get her this justice?
“You did what?” she asked.
“I chased him off, but I would not be surprised if he tried to come back. I was thinking about how we might keep people away for good. I mean, we have to do something in order to prevent, not only him, but anyone from coming and trying to make it their home,” he said.