Davenport House 4: Heiress Interrupted

by Marie Silk

  William sighed in relief and sat on the bed next to her. “Does this mean you will still marry me?” he asked.

  “I want to very much,” Mary answered tearfully. “Only I did not know if you still wanted me after what I said.”

  “Of course I want you,” William replied. “I only need to know that you understand what my job requires, and that I cannot tell you everything. It might mean some difficult times for both of us to not be able to speak of it.”

  Mary nodded. “Abigail told me—that she has been seeing you. And I understand now.”

  “I’m sorry, Mary,” he said, reaching out to touch her hair.

  “I don’t know if you are allowed to tell me the answer, but I wondered if I offered my car for Abigail to take to Philadelphia…would she be able to make the journey then? She is anxious to move to the manor house as soon as possible.”

  William smiled. “It is good of you to offer, Mary. The poor girl has been through a great deal this year. First the poisoning, then the typhoid fever…now this. It has made her body weak and she should not be jostled around in a carriage for hours on end. I want her to have the strength she will need to live a long life. You may tell Abigail that I approve of a car ride to Philadelphia as soon as she wishes.”

  “She will be glad to hear it. Um…William,” she said slowly. “I asked the maids to set an extra place at dinner tonight. In case you are able to attend.”

  “I can’t wait,” he whispered as he leaned into her. “For the many things we will do together.”

  Nurse Anderson gasped when she pulled open the curtain and observed William holding and kissing Mary on the bed. “Doctor Hamilton!” she exclaimed.

  William cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Nurse Anderson. I have not had a chance to properly introduce my fiance, Mary Davenport.”

  Nurse Anderson’s expression changed to wonder. “Land Sake’s! I had no idea you were engaged! Is it because she’s pregnant? Because I won’t tell a soul if that is the case.”

  William looked at Mary in confusion. Mary shook her head with a slight roll of her eyes, indicating that Nurse Anderson was mistaken. William answered quickly. “There is no baby on the way, but we are getting married just the same. We leave for the honeymoon in a few weeks.” William squeezed Mary’s hand.

  “Very well, Doctor. Don’t you worry about a thing. I will take excellent care of the patients while you are away,” Nurse Anderson promised.

  William stifled a laugh. “I am certain you will.”

  Later at Davenport House, Abigail was delighted when Mary offered the car for her to ride to Philadelphia. “It is a wonderful solution, Mary,” she said. “And I am so pleased that you and William are alright now.”

  Mary blushed. “I am grateful that you told me I was in the wrong about breaking with him, and I am grateful that dear Mrs. Price wrote me this letter. Otherwise, I fear I might have made the biggest mistake of my life.” She handed the letter to Abigail to read.

  Miss Mary,

  If you are reading this letter, it is because I am no longer with you. I am thankful for the kindness that you have always shown to Clara and me, and I wish you joy on your marriage to a great man. Please do not wear black for me. You have been wearing black for too long, and it is my final wish that you no longer be in mourning. You should begin your happy life with Dr. Hamilton, the same as you would have, if I had lived to see the day.

  With Love,

  Dorothy Price

  Abigail smiled endearingly as she read the letter. “Has Clara seen this yet?” she asked.

  Mary shook her head. “I am going to check on her now and show it to her.”

  “I am right here, Mary,” Clara spoke from the doorway. “I wanted to ask if you and Abigail could join me for tea in the sitting room, just as we used to do.”

  “It is a wonderful idea,” Abigail smiled. The three girls went to their usual places in the upstairs sitting room, which now emanated a feeling of warmth and tranquility. Abigail turned gently to Clara. “May I ask you something? I know that your dear mother has passed on, but do you have a feeling as if she has been here with us all this while?”

  Clara looked thoughtful, then slowly smiled. “I feel as though she will burst through the door at any moment to remind me to get back to my studies. It is difficult to believe that she will never do so again.”

  “I think that she will always be with us in this house,” Mary said. “Even the way the furniture is arranged in this room was directed by Mrs. Price. The house holds her essence in every room and in the placement of every object. It is almost as if she was the house itself.” Mary blushed. “Sorry, I am rambling now and probably not making sense.”

  “It makes perfect sense, Mary,” Clara said. “I will think on it when Abigail has moved to Philadelphia and you are away on honeymoon. It well help me not to feel alone in the house.” The girls remained in the upstairs sitting room for the rest of the evening, reminiscing about dear Mrs. Price, and pondering how different life would soon be at Davenport House.

  The day of the wedding arrived. The house was in a bustle as the servants and ladies prepared to attend the ceremony. Abigail stepped out of Mary’s room to speak to Ethan, who was waiting in the hallway. “She is ready for you,” Abigail grinned.

  Ethan walked in and felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw Mary, looking radiant in her mother’s wedding dress, her face shining with joy. “What do you think?” she asked.

  Ethan tried to find the words. “I think you are beautiful,” he said, his voice cracking. “Most times I cannot remember what our mother looked like because I was so young. But when I walked in the door just now, and you smiled at me—it’s as if I am seeing her. I remember again.”

  Mary put her arms around her brother. “It is the most wonderful thing you could have said to me on my wedding day.”

  “You will have a swell honeymoon,” Ethan remarked. “I hope to take Abigail to Niagara Falls someday.”

  “I promise to describe the falls in detail when we return,” Mary stated. “We are so excited!”

  Ethan could not help but stand there, grinning at Mary, feeling the happiness that filled the room. Then he realized the time was getting late. “Let’s get you to the church before William gets worried.”

  Colorful rays of sunlight flowed in through the stained glass windows of the small church. Abigail seated herself on the pew next to Phillip Valenti and his family. “Why aren’t you up there?” Phillip whispered, nodding toward the front of the church.

  Abigail blushed. “Mary knows how nervous I get if I think that everyone is looking at me.”

  “I see,” Phillip smiled.

  The ceremony began and Clara walked down the aisle wearing a sunny yellow dress and holding a colorful bouquet of flowers. Ethan and Mary proceeded arm-in arm down the aisle after Clara. The wedding guests rose from their seats and William could hardly see Mary until she had reached the steps in front of the minister. She was soon standing in front of him with Ethan by her side.

  “Who gives this woman to this man?” the minister began.

  “I do,” Ethan responded. He joined Mary’s hand with William’s and walked down the steps to sit next to his wife.

  Abigail was soon sniffling as the ceremony continued. Ethan handed her the handkerchief from his breast pocket. “Are you alright?” he whispered.

  Abigail nodded. “It is just—is there anything in the world more beautiful than a wedding like this?”

  Ethan looked into her eyes and gently brushed the tears from her face. “Yes,” he answered. “Knowing that you will someday be the mother to my children is more beautiful than anything I can imagine.”

  William smiled eagerly into Mary’s eyes as he slid a gold wedding band onto her finger. He gently squeezed her hand and Mary smiled back at him while they waited for the minister to conclude the ceremony. Mary could not help but admire the wedding band, for she felt instantly comforted when William placed it there, and secure in
the knowledge that it would stay on her hand from that day forward. At last, to the delight of everyone in the little church of Yorktown, the minister announced with great joy: “By the power vested in me by God and the Great State of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce that Dr. William Hamilton and Mary Lorraine Hamilton are man and wife!”

  Chapter 15

  Whitmore House, St. John’s Wood, London

  “Captain Perry is here to see you, Your Ladyship,” Julia announced to Lucy Whitmore.

  Lucy suddenly felt her knees go weak, but she tried to remain calm enough to reply. “Tell him I will be down in a moment, Julia.” She smoothed her dress and looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Lucy sighed in disappointment and reached up for her hair that was pulled tightly into a bun. She began loosening several strands until realizing that she had gone too far and her hair became a mess. She removed the pins that held the bun in place and let all of her hair fall down, cascading like waterfalls over her shoulders. For a moment, her reflection almost looked like it had when she was only a young woman. She smiled slightly and decided to leave her hair down while she met with Frederick, no matter what Julia might say or think of it. She calmly walked down the stairs to the parlor.

  “Good evening, Lucy,” Frederick greeted, unable to keep from staring at her.

  “Good evening,” she replied. “I received your post about your having to leave for service in the Navy. I was not sure if I would see you again.”

  “I have just returned to London today,” he answered. “The whole of the Royal Navy is perplexed as to why the Americans have not yet joined the war effort. It is sure to be only a matter of time before they come to our aid.” Frederick sighed. “I am sorry that you and I could not finish our conversation that day.”

  Lucy nodded. “I am sorry too.”

  “How was your niece’s wedding?” he asked.

  Lucy smiled sentimentally. “Gretna Green is just as people say it is. We stopped at the first smithy on the way into Scotland, and Nellie and Henry were married there near an anvil. It did not rain, at least.”

  Frederick laughed. “I am happy for them and wish them well. I hope I am not interrupting your plans by stopping by. You look as if you are ready to leave for somewhere.”

  “I have been invited to dine at Caswell Castle,” Lucy answered. “The Marquess cannot keep the castle for much longer, and we are trying to make the most of it while it is still in the family’s possession.”

  “I see,” Frederick replied. “Then I will leave you to your dinner plans.”

  “Wait,” Lucy said. “Please do not leave yet. Why don’t you come with me and dine at the castle?”

  Frederick chuckled. “But it would be awkward to be the uninvited guest.”

  Lucy thought for a moment, then walked over to the telephone. She was soon connected and speaking with Nellie. “Captain Perry has just returned from his Naval service,” Lucy said into the telephone.

  Frederick could hear Nellie shouting excitedly on the other end. “Oh! You must bring him with you! Henry will be delighted to see Captain Perry!”

  “Very well, Nellie,” Lucy smiled. “There are also two telegrams that were delivered here for you today. I will bring them with me tonight.”

  “Oh, I can’t wait! Come quickly, Aunt!” Nellie shrieked.

  Lucy returned the telephone to its cradle and turned to Frederick. “It seems you have been invited to dine at the castle after all.”

  “In that case, I would not wish to disappoint,” he said, stifling a smile. “But may I speak to you for a moment before we leave? There is something I have wanted to say.”

  Lucy tried to ignore the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. She could not speak, but only nodded for him to continue.

  “The letter that you wrote me…I’m terribly sorry you went through that, Lucy. I had no idea your parents locked you away. How dreadful it must have been.”

  Lucy held back tears as she remembered it. “And it must have been dreadful for you to wait in the rain and to think that I had changed my mind, when in truth I never would have done so.”

  Frederick appeared hopeful after her reply. “Lucy, there were two things you wrote in your letter, and I want to set them right before another moment passes. The first that I want to say is, I could never hate you. The second is, that I could never forget you.”

  Lucy did not realize she was holding her breath while Frederick spoke. She began to gasp for air and soon felt his arms around her, holding her with with love that had waited for decades. “Lucy,” he said, beginning to stroke her hair. “Tell me if you think we could try again. It is true what your niece has said about life being short. I want to be with you for however many years we have left.”

  “And I want to be with you,” she whispered.

  Frederick breathed in relief. “Then there is no reason that we should not be married just as soon as we have finished this dinner tonight. Let’s not wait for marriage banns.”

  Lucy pulled away from him and laughed. “Truly? You wish to drive to Scotland directly after dinner?”

  “And we will stop at the first smithy we find. I don’t want to waste another minute,” Frederick said, laughing with joy. He held her hands in his and they smiled at each other for a long while.

  “We mustn’t keep my niece waiting,” Lucy finally said. “Let us leave for dinner. Afterward, we will drive to Scotland.”

  Frederick and Lucy arrived at the castle and met Nellie and Henry in the grand entryway. “Aunt Lucy!” cried Nellie, throwing her arms around her aunt. “Do you have the telegrams? I am anxious to hear news from home. Are they from my mother?”

  “One is from Davenport House,” Lucy said, retrieving the envelopes from her handbag. “The other—is from your father.”

  Nellie’s expression became serious. “Oh, I see. I will open the one from Mary first. It is bound to be cheerful news.” She opened the telegram with enthusiasm and began to read. “Goodness! She has married Dr. Hamilton! And they honeymooned in Niagara Falls! Oh Henry, I hope that we may see the falls if we ever return to America. Mary says they are breathtaking!”

  “Of course we will see the falls, if you wish,” Henry replied with a smile. He knew it was no use talking Nellie out of her ideas anyway. “Are you going to tell your friend Mary about our news?” he asked, placing his hand over her belly. Lucy looked at Nellie expectantly after Henry did so.

  “Not until we know the name for sure. There is nothing more vulgar than the announcement of a baby when the name is not even mentioned!” Everyone laughed at Nellie’s remark.

  “I suppose I must read this telegram from Father now,” Nellie said reluctantly. She opened the envelope and began to read. Her face turned pink as she glanced over the words many times over to ensure that she had read them correctly.

  NELLIE CASWELL

  WHITMORE HOUSE, ST JOHNS WOOD, LONDON

  YOUR NEW BROTHER IS CALLED GEORGE WHITMORE III [STOP] WE LOVE YOU AND WISH YOU WELL WITH LORD HENRY [STOP] YOUR SECURITY IS ASSURED FOR I HAVE KEPT YOU AS HEIRESS TO HALF THE FORTUNE[STOP]

  JEREMIAH WHITMORE

  When Nellie was silent, Henry looked at her compassionately and said, “Perhaps we should have waited until after dinner for you to read it.”

  “No, it is alright,” she said, her voice catching with emotion. “My father writes to say that he loves me—and that I have a new brother.”

  Henry smiled at her. “I am glad for you, Nellie. Let us go up to dinner to celebrate.” He held Nellie’s hand as they ascended the staircase, and noticed that she was smiling blissfully. “Was there something else?” he asked her.

  Nellie sighed in contentment as she showed him the telegram. “I have just remembered the words you said to me that day on the lifeboat, when our ship was sinking and it looked as if all hope was lost: we are safe, and everything will be alright.”

  ...excerpt from Book 5...

  DAVENPORT HOUSE

  For the Cause

  M A R
I E S I L K

  “Advance! Advance!” the lieutenant-general was shouting. The deafening roar of artillery shells coupled with the cries of men nearly drowned out the order altogether. Phillip Valenti stared in anguish at the barricade before him, knowing it was all that was left between their regiment and the enemy. Just as Phillip took the first step forward, he felt a hand forcibly grab his shoulder.

  “Valenti!” Ethan yelled into his ear, even though their faces were only inches apart. Phillip turned his head to lock eyes with him while Ethan continued. “If anything happens to me, swear that you will care for Abigail and Mary!”

  “I swear!” Phillip cried back. “And if anything happens to me, look after my family! Be a father to my children!”

  “I swear!” shouted Ethan. They soberly shook hands before charging past the safety of the barricade, rapidly approaching the peril at the front line. Bullets were flying and men were dropping to the ground, causing the realization to those left standing—that it would take a miracle for any of the them to return home alive.

  …coming Fall of 2016…

  About the Author

  Marie Silk has enjoyed writing stories and plays since childhood. She lives with her family in the United States and frequently travels the globe to learn more about the world and the people in it. Marie is inspired by history and the feats of humanity from ancient civilization to present day. She is the author of the Davenport House family saga.

  Emails may be sent to mariesilkpublishing@gmail.com.

  Cover art by SelfPubBookCovers.com/Fantasyart

  Copyright © 2016 by Marie Silk

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.