by John Edwards
“I am sorry for that, are you well now?”
“Except for this headache, I am quite well.”
“Elizabeth, when I would have headaches when I was younger, my mother would massage my temples and apply a cool wash cloth. This seemed to work for me. Now let me do the same for you.”
“Sir, there is no need to...”
“Just relax Elizabeth, and rest your head forward against this soft pillow and shut your eyes. He came behind her and softly messaged her shoulders and neck to release the tension. His hands were skilled as he gently massaged her and his voice was a deep masculine voice but also was soft and soothing as he told her to relax because this is what she needed. Soon he saw her respond, her muscles were no longer tense and she made soft utterances of relief and pleasure. Then his fingers went to work on her temples and the adjoining area such that he fingered most of her scalp and her head and again he heard her responses of pleasure as he continued his work. After what seemed like a few minutes he noticed that Elizabeth had fallen asleep. He carefully tilted her head back and continued the massage until, seeing she was fully asleep, he removed himself to a chair across from her and now was free to look as long as he wanted. John Winstead now could study this woman who had bewitched him for many moons now, and it was nearly more than he could take. Elizabeth looked positively radiant and even more innocent and youthful than he had ever seen her. He noticed her delicate features, her small but elegant hands and feet and how she unconsciously reached for the trusses of her hair as it fell on her face. He watched as she breathed and heard her sounds and thought he could sit and watch her all day but then, one of the servants came in and, not seeing Elizabeth, addressed John Winstead and asked him if he wished coffee. Elizabeth awoke at this time and at first did not recognize where she was, but soon saw John Winstead and yawned and said, “You sir, should patent your procedure for treating headaches.”
“Elizabeth, I am to have coffee and cakes, I shall have some brought out for you as well. Jackson, please serve Elizabeth and myself in here and please bring us each a glass of fruit punch as well.”
“Very well, sir. And is there anything else sir.”
“Yes, Jackson, you have a birthday coming up tomorrow. We are to have a smallish party for you early tomorrow evening. All the house will eat together, you know that is how we do it.”
“Yes, sir, thank you,” and Jackson walked away, but with a lively gait.”
“I do not know that I believe what I have just witnessed, Mr. Winstead.”
“What!”
“I mean sir, all these women that have you number one on their wish list must know all these things about you, about your magic fingers and your kindness and your other qualities. Surely there cannot be anyone good enough for you?”
“You are toying with me, Elizabeth, you know I could say much more good about you than myself.”
The rain came harder now and Elizabeth and John Winstead had their coffee and scones and fruit punch and generally were having a lively conversation when Charlotte came downstairs and greeted them.
“Charlotte, I told your brother about my headaches and he messaged my temples and now I am fine. Where did you get such a brother?”
Charlotte laughed. “He has done the same for me, and even for Hilda, our cook. She had terrible headaches only a year ago and John performed the same treatment for her and they have not come back.”
“That will be enough Charlotte, there is no need.”
“But sir, I may need your treatments again, if I have another headache, so I need to know how much you will charge me?”
Charlotte then saw her chance to tease them both. “Elizabeth, I am afraid my brother would not perform that feat of modern medicine for money, but only for special guests and his favorite staff members and eventually his wife.”
“Then should I inform the ladies interested in him that there are even more advantages to be gained by marrying your brother?”
“This is all too silly now, Miss Elizabeth, but I see you are better now, and I am glad of it.”
“Sir, I am indebted to you for the kindness that you have showed to me and to the others around you. Please do not think I brought up these musings just to tease you, I mean to say good things about you.”
John noticed Elizabeth was near tears so he quickly went to the window. “Now it looks like we may expect the day to clear off. Let us hope so, for I need to go into town later today. Beg you will excuse me Charlotte, Elizabeth,” and he went upstairs.
The next day they attended the funeral of Lt. Ellis. Charlotte and Elizabeth set on either side of John Winstead. During the service he noticed that Charlotte was softly sobbing and Elizabeth was near tears just as he was. Then he felt Elizabeth grab his hand and he noticed her smile just as a tear trailed down her cheek. His heart pounded and his thoughts were that both Elizabeth and Charlotte and him had lost all their immediate family in a span of months, yet they were comforting each other. To him, Elizabeth was family and he was fully intent on making it official, but he was unsure of how to do this. After the internment, they met with Lt. Ellis immediate family and with several of the officers and friends of the man, and his family, who were poor and elderly, thanked Mr. Winstead for bearing the expense of paying for the funeral. Captain Wiltshire made a point to meet Mr. Winstead and thanked him for his kindness. After introducing two of his young officers to Mr. Winstead and the two women, he mentioned that he was hosting a ball in London at Dolman’s in two weeks and he would be very honored if the three would attend. The two men then exchanged information before they departed.
That evening, John Winstead mentioned the invitation for them to attend the ball.
“Oh brother, can we go? It will be great practice before the season starts.”
“We have some time to decide, though it may not be such a good idea. I am concerned of you ladies at a dance with so many officers. That may be a risky proposition. What are your thoughts, Elizabeth?”
“Any choice would be acceptable, though it sounds as though the Captain wants us to attend.”
“Do not be assured he wants us all; he will put up with me to get you both to attend. He is a man, you know, and it is likely that there will be many more men than women at the ball.”
“Yes, but sir he is also an officer and a gentleman.” Elizabeth softly laughed.
The remainder of their time in London was used to visit the women’s shops and seeing more of the town and finally selecting some new dresses and other finery. Elizabeth was sure she needed no more clothes, as Mrs. Kimble, before Elizabeth had left Kimblehouse, had given her more of her own dresses that she had worn during her coming out. Already, Elizabeth’s maid back in Hunting Hills, was altering these dresses. Still, she insisted with Mr. Winstead that she did not need any new clothes, and she followed him into his study to further make her case.
“Elizabeth, I have discussed this with you before and you know my opinion on this matter. Stop fighting me on this, I hope you have four closets full of clothes, but for now, both you and Charlotte will be the best dressed ladies during the season and you will have new clothes. This is the last word on the matter.”
John Winstead watched as Elizabeth stomped her little foot and clinched her fists and then relaxed them to calm herself, but her ire was raised and she was mad and impertinent and insolent as she walked away, taking pains to shut the door, against the wishes of Mr. Winstead. He now set back and looked at the closed door and thought of this beautiful impertinent young lady who had stolen his heart. As he thought on the last few days that he had spent with Elizabeth in London, he was convinced that they must marry, and soon. Now he was looking forward to returning the next day with Charlotte and Elizabeth to Hunting Hills. There, things would be different.
CHAPTER 12
SORTING THINGS OUT
The Winstead coach left for Hunting Hills at seven. Neither Elizabeth nor John Winstead had slept well and each were on edge, for this would be their longest ride
together since their first meeting. Charlotte too was aware of this but looked forward to watching the interaction between these two persons who were clearly in love. She had partly overheard them talking in the study so was interested in seeing how this might affect them during the days travel.
John Winstead helped Charlotte and then Elizabeth into the coach and then he entered. “I know we are leaving at an early hour but we shall arrive at Hunting Hills by dinner, or a little later. We will have several rest breaks and will stop and eat near noon. There are several pillows in the coach and blankets as well, so you can sleep as you will.”
“Thank you, Mr. Winstead, but I shall not sleep until we have left London. This is such a magnificent place.”
“Yes, I recall now that you had never spent much time in London.”
“That is correct, sir. I am the daughter of a country gentleman farmer who owned a small estate. When I ride in this fine coach and wear such fashionable clothes and sit with you and Charlotte, I feel that I am dreaming.”
“Do you remember what you last dreamed when we shared a coach together? You woke up screaming for you had some sort of nightmare.”
“If you say so, but I do not remember.”
Elizabeth did remember, but she was now more interested that the gentleman had remembered this from their first ride many weeks ago. What else did he recall? Her dream then was about being turned out of her home after her father died, and she was alone in the world and near penniless. She recalled how he consoled her when she woke from that dream, and that she was impressed that such a gentleman would be so kind to a person so below his rank.
“Charlotte, Elizabeth rode with me that day and even though I was on my high horse, so to speak, she calmed me down. When nearly everyone else had scorned me, she did not.”
“Brother, you do not need to tell me of her virtues. We are both of a like mind that Elizabeth is a very dear friend, but soon she and I will be in the Season and you may be asked to grant your permission to some gentleman who may wish to court us.”
Charlotte and Elizabeth then looked hard at John Winstead as he reacted as if he had been hurt, for he was, and to the heart he felt a great pain, but soon he recovered. “Now Charlotte, is that not the reason for your coming out?”
“So would you not be sad to see us began a courtship?”
Now John Winstead was uncomfortable, and Elizabeth came to his rescue.
“Charlotte, I am determined to decline any offers that my come my way while I am your companion, though I doubt that any offers will be made to me. You must know, I am afraid that Rascal has my heart, and of course you and your brother have it too. You are both so very good to me.”
Elizabeth then noticed the wry smile John Winstead sent her way, and soon the ladies started to nap and John Winstead put a light blanket over them but he seemed to take much effort to adjust Elizabeth’s cushions and pillows and blanket for her comfort. Elizabeth thought, if he touches me one more time I will have to kiss him. These thoughts stayed with her as he watched them fall asleep. Now he looked at the two women he loved more than anything in his world, but soon caught himself dosing.
Charlotte looked for fissures between her brother and Elizabeth but saw none. The discussion the previous night was over and seemed forgotten so the three friends were very amicable passengers. When they finally arrived at Hunting Hills, John Winstead helped Charlotte and Elizabeth out of the coach and they entered the house where they learned that Robert Smithwick and Jane had arrived only an hour earlier. Soon all were together in the parlor and greeted one another, with Elizabeth deferring back to her role as Charlotte’s companion. John Winstead was in no mood to entertain Robert and Jane but courtesy and honor demanded he attempt to be a gracious host. Elizabeth caught on immediately to Mr. Winstead’s predicament and shot those knowing looks at him to communicate she was aware that he was uncomfortable with the stress that this unwelcome arrival had put on John Winstead.
“We are glad to see you, John and Charlotte. For a while we thought you had forgot that we were to arrive today.”
“Yes, Charlotte and I are happy to be back and to see you again. Let us introduce you to Elizabeth Watkins. She is Charlotte’s companion and will assist her in her coming out. Elizabeth, our friends are Robert Smithwick and his sister Jane. Robert and my brother William were friends at Cambridge and Jane and he were very close and were planning to marry.”
“I will speak for both of us,” Robert Smithwick said, “ we are happy to meet you, Miss Watkins.”
“And I am happy to meet you both, sir.” Elizabeth greeted them each with a sincere smile. John Winstead looked on proudly, and how he wished that he was introducing Elizabeth as his love interest rather than as his sister’s companion, but that would have to wait. John Winstead was sure that he had extended no offers for them to visit at this time, but privately agreed to host the Smithwicks.
That evening all settled in the dining room for dinner, which went very well and all appeared satisfied until Jane brought up the subject of Charlotte’s coming out. Then Jane looked directly at Elizabeth, and with little attempt at civility, she asked, “Have you any experience at being a companion, Miss Elizabeth?” When Elizabeth replied that she had never been a companion, Jane replied. “John, I should think you would have looked for a woman that was experienced in these matters.”
John Winstead slowly addressed Jane’s concerns. “Miss Smithwick, I have made this decision unilaterally and I do not believe there is a better companion for Charlotte than Elizabeth Watkins, and I would hire her tomorrow as well, for the very same job. Miss Watkins will make the best companion for Charlotte. She is smart, gracious, well mannered, and quite articulate, and she is a gentleman’s daughter.”
“John,” Robert said, “I too feel Elizabeth will be an excellent companion for Charlotte, but John, since you will be attending most of these functions as will Charlotte, Elizabeth will be as busy guarding you from opportunistic females as she is being a companion for Charlotte. Then there is the other matter, she will not be able to protect herself from those men who seek to prey on the companions.”
“Robert, surely there will be much interest in Elizabeth, how could there not be, but she has told me that she will accept no offers that might come her way for a courtship. She is intent on seeing Charlotte through the next two coming out seasons.”
“Then, Miss Elizabeth, you must have a special friend? Is that not so?”
“Yes, sir, it is so.”
“And will you tell us some things about him?”
John Winstead and Charlotte knew what was coming up next and Charlotte softly chuckled as John shot Elizabeth a grin showing his approval for her to embellish her story about Rascal.
“He is, I think, near two and twenty. I am ashamed to tell you both, and I know it makes no sense that I would now care for him, but I first met him when he assaulted me in Wakefield by pouncing on me in the middle of the night. Since then, he has slept with me nearly every night. I love him so and he loves me too, I am sure.”
John and Charlotte were pinching themselves to keep from laughing when they noticed Jane’s discomfiture and Robert’s shock, then Jane spoke, “John Winstead, I cannot believe that you would allow such a thing, I am surprised. Do you not think you should immediately dismiss Elizabeth? Certainly she cannot be a proper companion for Charlotte? Think about all the scandal that will erupt if this story sees the light of day.”
“Jane, I do not control Elizabeth’s life, if she is in love with another, I wish her happiness, but I cannot control her love life or her sleeping desires. She is a free woman.”
“Hunting Hills is your estate. Are you telling me that you cannot keep another out of her bed while she is under your roof?”
“I could do that, Jane, but I have already blessed the affair. If it makes Elizabeth happy, then I am happy.”
“So you do not care that such a scandal will tarnish the Winstead name, that your friends and family will disown you
and you will be looked upon as unworthy of being master of Hunting Hills? Are these not things that would make these very walls shake and leave such a stain on this estate that Hunting Hills would be scorned as none other in all of England?”
“No, I do not believe this news will adversely affect us at Hunting Hills. On the contrary, I believe folks will get a chuckle out of it.”
“Then I pity you John Winstead. Robert and I came by to visit with you a few days but now I feel we must leave in the morrow early. I think you are still a very good man John, but something has happened and you must be confused or something. Thank you for our dinner, it was very good, but my brother and I will take our leave for the evening so we bid you goodnight.”
All rose as the guests walked away from the table. Mr. Winstead and Charlotte thought this would be the last time the Smithwicks would ever venture to Hunting Hills when they were not invited. Elizabeth believed they would never return.