by Vikki Vaught
Sanderford Park
May 1815
Melody spent quite a bit of her time, over the next few days, just catching up on her sleep. She spent every morning walking through the lovely gardens. They were as beautiful as she had known they would be when she walked through them last fall. Writing letters to Henry was something she relished, because it helped her feel closer to him. She was missing him a great deal, and now that she was back at Sanderford Park, she was missing him even more than she had in London. Nelson left to go back to town, and she hoped all went well for him. Of course, Mary would say yes, and then he would have to deal with the anger from his parents. Melody also spent part of her day with Kathryn, and she really looked forward to their time together.
As the days went by, she spent more time thinking about Henry. It had been almost two months since he left, and she missed him more each day. It was peaceful at Sanderford Park, and she was glad she had elected to leave London instead of staying for the entire season. She received a letter from Henry, two or three times a week, and she wrote him everyday. He told her they were playing a waiting game, and the troops were getting very bored, waiting around for something to happen. In his most recent letter, he told her that Napoleon had been able to amass quite a large army, and was moving toward Brussels. He told her he expected something to happen within the next couple of weeks, and he would just be glad when this was over so he could come back to her. She was still sleeping quite a bit, and the nauseous feeling was still there. She was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with her. She was so rarely ill that this was troubling, and she wished she had someone to talk to about it.
Brussels, Belgium
June 1815
It finally looked as if something was getting ready to happen. Rumors were flying all over Brussels, and Wellington was having meetings on a daily basis. The Duchess of Richmond’s ball was scheduled for June 15, and Wellington requested that all his officers attend. Late that evening, Wellington received a dispatch from the Prince of Orange, telling him that Napoleon was rapidly advancing. He quickly ordered his army to concentrate on Quatre Bras. Marshall Ney was advancing, and it was imperative that they hold this town. Henry and his troops were sent there in the early hours of the sixteenth. Henry knew they would finally see some action, and the morale of his troops would improve dramatically.
Napoleon attacked, and Blucher’s Prussian army was defeated at the Battle of Ligny on June 16. Wellington’s troops joined the Prince of Orange at Quatre Bras, and they successfully defeated the French troops there and secured the town by early evening, but it was too late to send help to Blucher. The Prussian’s defeat made Wellington’s position perilous, so he was not able to defend it against attack. The next day, he moved back his forces to the low ridge of Mont-Saint-Jean, south of a small village called Waterloo. Henry’s men were in the thick of it, and he had already lost some good men at Quatre Bras. He was given orders to hold the line. Napoleon went after the allied forces, and there was a brief skirmish in Genappe, but then there were torrential rains, so they had to set up camp for the night. The Waterloo position was a strong one, and things were beginning to turn for the coalition. Henry’s orders were to hold the ridge on Ohain road. The fighting broke out in the early hours of June 18. Henry and his men were back in the middle of the fighting again. He was fighting off several Frenchmen at one time and saw several of his men fall. A Frenchman with a bayonet came at him and plunged it into Jupiter’s flank, and he went down. Henry managed to jump clear, but the Frenchman was upon him. He felt the bullet tear through him, and as he was falling, his last conscious thought was of Melody and how much he loved her. His head hit something as he fell to the ground, and then he knew … no more.
Sanderford Park
Late June 1815
The weather was very warm, now that summer was here. It was hard to imagine that it was nearing the later part of June. Henry’s letters indicated that a battle was imminent. Each day, she hoped, brought her closer to the time when Henry could come back to her. It seemed as if it had been a long time since he went away.
On June 26, Nelson returned to Sanderford Park. He appeared very somber, and Melody wondered why. He asked her to step into his study with him and take a seat. She was getting very nervous, because he had a look in his eyes that did not make her feel at ease.
“Melody, you know how much I care about you. I’ve received some news from the continent, and I came here as quickly as possible. I wanted to be the first to tell you.” Nelson hesitated, and then he continued, “There has been a great battle … in a little place called Waterloo … We won … but there were terrible losses.”
“What’s wrong? Has Henry been hurt? Tell me what … what’s going on now!” she cried.
Nelson looked at Melody as he said, “There’s been a letter from Henry’s commanding officer and the Duke of Wellington … Henry … was shot down in this battle … Melody … Henry didn’t make it.”
Melody felt a ringing in her ears, and she lowered her head. There was an expression of total disbelief on her beautiful face. Nelson came over, sat down beside her, and took her in his arms. Melody was having trouble breathing, and she felt as if she were going to be ill. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was wailing in distress. She had never felt so much pain in her life. She cried, “No … No … this can’t … it can’t be true! There has to be some kind of mistake. I would feel it … I would know … here in my heart … if Henry were dead. I don’t believe you. Please … please tell me … this is not true!”
Nelson rubbed her back gently as he said, “Melody … his friend, Captain Hayden … he saw him get shot down during battle, when it was over, he looked for him and found … Henry’s horse dead and Henry’s body was next to Jupiter. His face … was damaged beyond recognition … , but one of your letters was on the ground next to him. It was Henry … there’s no doubt about it. I’m so sorry … so very sorry, just know … I’m here for you. Anything I can do for you … all you have to do is ask.”
Melody continued to weep, but she did not cry out any more. After a time, Nelson carried her up to her bed and called for her maid, Millie, and had her sit with her. Melody was inconsolable, and there was nothing anyone could do to take her pain away. Only time would do that.
They held Henry’s funeral on June 30. All his family and many of his friends were there. Melody was in a daze through it all. She was still having a hard time accepting that Henry was gone. Melody tried to keep the tears from falling, but it was impossible. She buried her head into Nelson’s chest as she sobbed. When they slid his casket into the mausoleum, she fell apart, and Nelson had to hold her up to keep her from falling. She did not understand how he could be dead. Surely, she would feel it in her heart if it were so. She knew she would have to accept this as fact, because Captain Hayden had been the one to bring Henry’s body back. He told Melody all that he had seen, and he was finally able to convince her that Henry was indeed dead.
Once the funeral and the wake were over, Melody cried constantly, and she was very distraught. That evening, Melody went to Nelson and said, “I want to go … to my parents. I can’t stay here … now that Henry … is gone. I need to be with my parents. Please, I beg you … please take me to my mother!”
Nelson gathered her in his arms and said, “Melody, we love you. Please stay here. I’ll take care of you. Henry would expect me to make sure you are all right. I won’t be able to do that if you go to Lincolnshire.”
As Melody sobbed, she cried out with extreme pain in her voice, “Please, I have to go to my mother now. It’s too difficult to stay at Sanderford Park where there are so many memories of Henry. I know that you and your sisters love me, and I love you, but please don’t ask me to stay.”
Nelson patted her on the back and said, “All right, Melody. If that’s what you truly want, I’ll take you to your parents. I’ll make the arrangements to leave in two days. Will that give you enough time to pack?”
“O
h, thank you! I’m sure Millie can have everything ready. Please understand, I do care about you and your sisters, but I have to go. I need my mother.” Melody laid her head on Nelson’s shoulder and sobbed because she felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest; the pain was so excruciating. Eventually she calmed down enough to go back to her room.
Two days later, Nelson and Melody left for Lincolnshire. The trip was grueling because Melody was ill the entire trip and the weather was simply dreadful. Torrential rain fell everyday, so the trip took eight days instead of the usual five. Nelson could not get Melody to eat anything. On the third day, he said, “Melody, I’m very concerned about your health. You haven’t eaten anything for three days, and I can tell you’ve already lost some weight. Henry would not want you to grieve so.”
“Nelson, I just can’t tolerate food right now. Every time I do try to eat, I become ill. Isn’t there any way we can hurry this trip along? I … I … need my mother,” Melody cried.
“I’m sorry, my dear, but the weather is so terrible that we can’t push the horses; the roads are in horrible shape. Why don’t you lie down on the other seat and try to rest. Millie can sit over here with me.” Melody lay down and eventually cried herself to sleep. Each day was a repeat of the day before, and Melody felt as if she were living in hell and that she was never going to get home to her mother. Nelson was wonderful, but she had a terrible time being around him because he looked so much like Henry. Every time she looked over at him, she felt her heart break even more than it already was. Oh god, when would this trip end?
They arrived in Lincolnshire, on July 10. Her parents came out to greet them. Her mother took her into her arms, and Melody began to cry copiously. She could not stop crying, and she looked as if she were ready to pass out. Nelson carried her upstairs, and her mother showed him where Melody’s room was. He gently laid her on her bed. She turned away from them and asked to be left alone.
Nelson and her parents went down to the parlor, and as they sat there together, he said, “She didn’t want to believe Henry was dead. It was only after Captain Hayden told her what he had seen that she began to believe. Just as soon as the funeral was over, she immediately requested that I bring her to you. She has been very ill the entire trip. I’m sure it’s from the strain she’s been under, but you might want to watch her closely.”
Mr. Canterfield-Smyth shook his head and sighed, then said, “Thank you so much for bringing her to us, my lord. We’ll take good care of her. I’m glad you were the one to help her. She respects you tremendously, and she has mentioned this in many of her letters to us. I know this has to be a hard time for all of your family. Please accept our condolences on your loss. I understand you were very close to your brother. How are your parents handling Henry’s death?”
Nelson replied, “They are their usual stoic selves. They don’t show their emotions, so it’s hard to know how they feel. Helen and Kathryn are of course devastated, and they were terribly upset that Melody wanted to leave. They had become very close to her.”
Mr. Canterfield-Smyth asked, “When will you go back? You’re welcome to stay here with us as long as you want.”
“I plan to stay for a few days, just to make sure Melody’s all right. I need to be back home by mid-July if possible,” he said. “The weather was dreadful coming here, so it took us much longer to get here than it normally would have, but I hope to make better time on the way back. Thank you for allowing me to stay with you. I appreciate your hospitality.”
Melody slept the rest of that day and most of the next day also. The only person she wanted around her was her mother. Nelson visited her each day, but she would cry every time she saw him. He just reminded her too much of Henry. She could not bear to see him. On the morning of the third day, Nelson left, because seeing him seemed to make things harder for Melody.
She got up on the fourth day, and she ate some food, but it immediately came back up. She could not keep anything down. Melody had lost quite a bit of weight. Her cheeks were sunken in, and she had dark circles under her eyes.
“I can’t bear to see her like this. If we can’t get her to eat, we need to call in the doctor. She can’t keep going without food. It could seriously damage her health,” her mother cried.
“Mary, if she’s no better tomorrow, I’ll get the doctor. My dear, I’m as worried about Melody as you are. There may be something else wrong with her, besides the grief.” Magnus put his arm around Mary and said, “Darling, try not to worry. I’m sure Melody will be fine. This has been such a shock to her. It’s just going to take her some time to get over Henry’s death.”
The next day, Melody was no better. Every time she tried to eat anything, she could not keep it down. Her father went to get the doctor. When the doctor arrived, he went straight up to Melody’s room to examine her, and after his examination, he came down to talk to them.
“Lady Montgomery is severely dehydrated, and she is weak from not eating. Part of the reason she is so ill is because she is with child. I would estimate she is about three months along. I have left some medicine for her to take, and it should help with the nausea. I did not tell her about the babe. I thought you would want to tell her yourselves. Just give her the medicine three times a day, and if she is not any better in a couple of days, come and get me. I suspect that once she finds out she is with child, she will begin to feel better. I am sure she will want to take better care of herself for the child’s sake,” explained the doctor.
Melody’s mother bowed her head as she said, “I’ll go up to her so I can tell her about the baby. Surely, this will help her begin to subside from her grief over Henry’s death. If this doesn’t help her, then God knows what will.”
When her mother entered, she sat down on the edge of Melody’s bed and said, “Melody, the doctor talked with us and part of your illness is to be expected. Honey … you’re with child … He said you’re about three months along. Did you suspect this at all?”
She sat up, looked at her mother, and shook her head as she answered, “I never even thought about a baby. Oh my, just think I’ll have a part of Henry to carry in my heart. I need to eat something. I must gain back my strength for the child’s sake. Henry would have been so happy.” Melody began to cry, but this time, the tears were cleansing.
Everyday, Melody grew a little stronger, and by the end of the week, she was even putting some of her weight back on. She spent her days in the garden, on the bench in the arbor, where she had been sitting when Henry proposed. She spent much of her time reliving their time together. The time in Canterbury was her fondest memory of all. She had loved that little cottage. She had received several letters from Helen and Kathryn; they were in deep mourning and told Melody they missed her terribly. They wanted her to come back to them. Melody knew … she would never go back to Sanderford Park. It would just be … too painful.
One thing that brought Melody some relief from her grief was spending time with Brandon. Since he had lost Lily, and now she had lost Henry, they could console each other. Brandon came over a couple of evenings a week, and she thanked God for his company.
A Franciscan Monastery
Brussels, Belgium
July 1815
Meanwhile, back in Brussels, some Franciscan monks found Henry on the battlefield and took him to their monastery. He had sustained a severe head injury, and he had been shot in the leg. He lay unconscious for almost a month, and the monks did not give him much chance to survive. Everyday, they forcefed him to keep him alive. The end of the third week, he took a turn for the worse, and it did not appear that he would make it through the night. The next morning, Henry was still alive, but just barely. The infection in his right thigh was getting worse, but one of the monks, Father Francis, mixed a different type of poultice, and it seemed to be draining out the poisons from his leg. Father Francis continued to get water and gruel down him. That night, his fever broke, and he woke up.
“Welcome back to the living. You have been unconscious
for almost a month. You are in a Franciscan monastery outside of Brussels. We found you on the battlefield after the battle had ended, and we brought you here. I know you are feeling quite ill. However, we would like to contact your family. What is your name?” Father Francis asked.
Henry looked confused as he said, “My … my name is … I … I don’t know! I can’t remember anything. Oh my god! What’s happened to me? What would cause this?”
“You must be suffering from amnesia. It is hard to say. Most of the time when the memory is gone, it returns in a few days, but I have seen cases where it never returns. Are you sure you don’t remember anything at all?” he asked.
“No, I can’t remember anything! What is this battle you speak of?” Henry asked. “When did it take place?”
Father Francis answered, “It was fought on June 18, and it was near a small village called Waterloo. Many men were wounded and many died. It is now the middle of July. Why don’t you rest? Maybe things will start to come back to you after you sleep.”
Father Francis left his room, and Henry fell back to sleep. He slept for the next sixteen hours, and when he woke up, he still could not remember anything, not even his name. Each day his leg continued to heal, and soon he was able to get around using crutches. He kept trying to remember, but he would get severe headaches, so Father Francis told him to quit trying so hard. Since he could not remember his name, he asked the monks to call him Joseph. Fortunately, he spoke French fluently, so at least, he was able to communicate with them. Father Francis could speak English so that was helpful. He knew he must be wellborn because of the way he spoke, but that did not help him figure out who he was.
Everyday, he grew stronger, and soon he did not need his crutches at all. After a few weeks, he was walking with only a slight limp. He kept trying to remember, but nothing changed; he had no idea who he was. Father Francis told him he was welcome to stay until he got his memory back. Since he had no idea where to go, he thanked him, and said he would stay for a while.