Whitefield Hall: Novella

by Nora Covington

  As Dudley held me in his arms, another man entered surveying the scene.

  “Inspector, it is good to see you,” Dudley remarked in a relieved tone.

  I glanced up at a man dressed in plain clothes, wearing a Derby hat and badge on his lapel.

  “It appears in the nick of time,” he replied.

  Lord Crawford’s consciousness returned, lifting his hand to his aching head. The inspector grinned in triumph.

  “Well, well, at last we have you and your son in custody,” he remarked. Another constable entered the room and restrained Alexander.

  “Inspector, I am Lady Catherine, and you should unhand these men. Lord Crawford lost a hand and things got out of control.” She postured herself, no doubt, thinking her rank and title would change the situation.

  “Much is going on here,” Dudley countered.

  “We’ve been planning to break up this little prostitution ring of yours, Mr. Crawford, for quite some time,” the inspector announced. “As we speak, your brothel is being raided and the girls freed.”

  “You’re mad!” he protested. “I’m Lord Crawford, not a procurer of prostitutes.” He rose to his feet with his hand on his head.

  “You mean Mr. Crawford,” Dudley said, scowling at him. “There isn’t a drop of peerage in your bloodline, but there are plenty of petty criminals.”

  “Prostitutes? Mr. Crawford, I’m astounded by this revelation.” Lady Catherine interjected innocently.

  “You bitch,” Alexander shrieked, struggling with the restraints of the constable holding his arms. “You’re a conniving, wicked bitch. You supplied us with two girls. We would have had another, hadn’t it been for his lordship interrupting the game.”

  “Well, I never,” Lady Catherine said, turning her head away as if to hide.

  “I’m sorry, Mother, but as much as I hate to admit the rude accusations, I know it to be true. After the second girl had gone missing, I knew something was amiss. I hired a private detective to investigate the matter of their disappearance.”

  I could not believe my ears. “You gambled them away into prostitution?” I cried in horror.

  “Sold, gambled, gave way, whatever you wish to call it,” she finally admitted. “My only sorrow this evening is that you were not the next one to vanish from Whitefield Hall.”

  “It wasn’t for the gain of money,” Dudley interjected. “She did it to pay gambling debts.”

  “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us, Lady Catherine,” the inspector announced. “Now we can do this quietly without any force, but I’m afraid if you resist, my men will take you into custody in a less than ladylike manner.”

  Lady Catherine swung around and gawked at her son. “Dudley, do something,” she screeched. “These men blackmailed me to give away the girls. I’m a victim in this outrageous situation, not the perpetrator!”

  “There is nothing that I can do except hire you a barrister and let justice take its course,” Dudley replied.

  “Don’t you think this is over, Miss Gleadhell,” Lady Catherine seethed. “I shall eventually punish you for catching my son’s eye.”

  “Take her away,” the inspector ordered.

  Shocked over what transpired, my head whirled around in circles. Dudley held my hand. “I’m afraid they’ve drugged your drink, Mary. It will take some time for the effects to wear off.”

  “Drugged?” With the last ounce of my strength, I looked into Dudley’s caring eyes and lost consciousness.

  Rescued from Abduction

  I drifted in and out of reality. Though I could barely open my eyelids, I sensed that someone draped me in their arms. They were warm and firm. It felt like I was floating across the room, levitated and peaceful as if some magical creature had taken me away on wings. The sound of muffled voices filled my ears, reminding me where I had been. Intermittently my eyelids fluttered open to bring in a flash of light and shut again as if they were heavy curtains that could not be drawn.

  A distinct smell of fresh air filled my nostrils. We exited the smoky establishment that held me captive, but who was taking me and where?

  “Help me get her into the carriage,” spoke a deep male voice. My dizzy brain tried to discern if it was Dudley. When I thought consciousness might return, I sank back down into darkness.

  “Oh, dear God,” I moaned, feeling my body being jostled and placed upon the seat. I was laid prostrate upon the cold leather bench, hearing muffled voices speak. A soft warm hand brushed the hair away from my face.

  “You know what to do,” the male voice said.

  “Yes, your lordship, I will take care of everything.”

  Had the hallucinations continued? I thought that I heard the voice of Miss Wade.

  The door to the carriage closed, and I heard a bang on the side. A second later, the coach jolted forward, giving me another ounce of determination to open my eyes.

  “Be still, Miss Gleadhell,” the female voice encouraged. “It will soon wear off, and you’ll back to your old self. You should rest now for we have a long night ahead of us.”

  I felt the warmth of Miss Wade’s hand stroke my arm giving me encouragement. “Where… where are we going?” I managed to blubber.

  “Home to London,” she announced, “where everyone will be safe.”

  Safe. The word resonated through my brain reminding me of Dudley. Certainly, Mr. Crawford and his son had diabolical plans to harm me in some way. Moreover, to my utter horror, Lady Catherine willingly gave me over.

  It was then I realized that I must have been her next victim, but what about the others before my arrival? Where were they now?

  Pain shot through my head causing me to moan. I felt a terrible pounding, clutching my brain like a clamp. Perhaps it was the drug that Alexander put in my drink. “Oh, my aching head,” I cried.

  “I’m afraid it will ache for some time,” she consoled.

  A tear formed in the corner of my eye and rolled down my cheek. Life at Whitefield Hall had come to an abrupt and shocking end.

  * * * *

  With the help of Miss Wade and a porter, they escorted my weak body to a private railcar. I immediately curled up on the seat in a fetal position wanting nothing more than to sleep.

  When my eyes began to refocus, even though my head pounded like a drum, I squinted at Miss Wade. She appeared different. The timidity, that she once presented, had departed.

  “You look somewhat better, Miss Gleadhell,” she said, smiling warmly. “I’m so very sorry that you had to endure this evening. However, it was necessary to bring about justice, as painful as the outcome will be for all involved.”

  “I don’t understand,” I replied. “Did you know what she planned?”

  “The baron and I knew, yes. We were waiting for the right time and opportunity to present itself to expose the prostitution ring.”

  “The what?”

  “The gentlemen, who you met this evening, are criminals of the lowest order. Mr. Crawford and his son are not aristocrats. On the contrary, they are traffickers of women who they purchase and sell into prostitution.”

  “Oh, my God,” I gasped.

  “The two ladies before you had met that fate. Lady Catherine, unbeknownst to his lordship, has a severe gambling problem. She became deeply indebted to these reprobates. When they met her first companion, they blackmailed Lady Catherine into handing her over to pay what she owed.”

  “Why didn’t she tell Dudley? Surely he would have paid the debt,” I said.

  “The estate funds had been dwindling, and that is why her ladyship was keen on him marrying Miss Buford for her dowry.”

  “I understand it all now,” I replied, feeling another stab of pain flash through my brain. Undoubtedly, the shock of such revelations was affecting me as much as the drink and drug.

  “The baron has and will suffer much sorrow and shame over what will come in the weeks ahead.” Miss Wade’s sympathetic voice touched me.

  I brought my hands to my head as the poundi
ng increased. It felt as if my head would split open like a melon.

  “You need to rest,” Miss Wade firmly encouraged.

  I did not argue because I could barely process the revelation, let alone deal with what my body experienced. The train jerked slightly and began its smooth departure along the tracks heading for London. The three-hour trip from Manchester, for the most part, passed through my dreams.

  When I awoke hours later, the train had just pulled into Paddington Station. As we disembarked, I immediately recognized his lordship’s butler, Percy, who had greeted me months beforehand.

  “Miss Wade and Miss Gleadhell. I trust that your journey was uneventful,” he said, glancing back and forth with a kind smile.

  “Yes, Mr. Brown, but tiring,” Miss Wade replied.

  “There is a carriage waiting. Follow me.”

  As we scurried away from the trains that smelled of steam and steel, I was thankful that my legs regained strength. I had brought nothing except the clothes that I wore, which were highly improper for the day. Suddenly I remembered the necklace and earrings that her ladyship had given me and gasped when I found them still around my neck.

  “My goodness,” I said, pulling at Miss Wade’s arm. “I am still wearing her ladyship’s jewels. Surely, the baron will think I’ve stolen them.”

  “You need not worry,” she replied with a grin. “The stones are merely colored glass and the chain made of inexpensive metal.”

  “Then she didn’t use her jewelry to pay her debts but rather gave away humans?” My voice rose in anger.

  “She lost all the family jewels years ago and had replicates made in Manchester,” Miss Wade announced. “Her gambling addiction dates back many years, I’m afraid, even during the years his lordship’s father was alive.”

  I stepped outside of Paddington Station, which quickly reminded me that I had left the pristine air quality of the country. “Where are we going?” I asked Mr. Brown, though I surmised it was to his lordship’s residence.

  “You, along with the other ladies, shall be staying there for a few weeks,” he announced.

  “What other ladies?”

  “Miss Wade, do you wish to explain?” Mr. Brown asked. After we climbed into the carriage and settled in, Miss Wade answered.

  “No doubt as we speak, Miss Gleadhell, Lord Beaumont has redeemed the lives of the two companions before you. They will be put on a train and delivered to this household as you have been.”

  “You mean he has rescued them from the brothel?”

  “Oh, yes, miss,” Mr. Brown interjected. “The baron is a kind and generous man. He will not allow your life or that of the other women to be ruined because of his mother’s indiscretions.”

  The revelation filled my heart with a deep respect for Dudley. I misjudged him in the worst possible way. Lady Catherine painted him as a snake when she indeed was the poisonous spider. How kind that he would care for them after the horrors these young girls must have suffered.

  “Such an incredible act of kindness,” I responded.

  Miss Wade and Mr. Brown smiled as if they knew his heart of gold. It was then that I hoped for an opportunity to express my affectionate gratefulness for what he had done.

  * * * *

  The following morning, Mr. Brown left for Paddington Station on the orders of a telegram received from his lordship. When the carriage returned an hour later, Miss Wade and I stood in the lobby waiting for their arrival.

  To my surprise, the entire household staff from the butler to the maids had gone into action preparing rooms, gathering clothing, and planning meals for the women. They had shown me to a comfortable bedchamber. Miss Wade procured some essential clothing items and advised me that my things would be sent from Whitefield Hall.

  When the carriage arrived, I anxiously waited for the door to open. In my heart, I knew that these young ladies suffered unspeakable horrors. I would not judge them for their actions, but determined in Christian charity to receive them as my sisters.

  I watched as two timid women made their way into the foyer. Immediately, they recognized Miss Wade and smiled.

  “I apologize for the circumstances that we must meet under,” Miss Wade began, but you are safe now. “May I introduce you to Miss Gleadhell? She is the last of Lady Catherine’s companions.”

  I stepped forward and took the hand of the first young lady who appeared frightened as a mouse. The poor girl’s eyes were filled with such sadness that I wanted to hold her tightly. I refrained but squeezed her hand instead.

  “What is your name?”

  “Ann Pryor,” she said, her voice trembling.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ann,” I said. “You are safe now.” Dudley’s voice resonated in my mind as I went to the next young lady in a friendly welcome. “And you are?”

  “Abigail Rowley,” she replied. Her face blushed from embarrassment.

  “Well, ladies,” Miss Wade began. “We have rooms for each of you, warm baths, clean clothes, and enough food. Follow me, and we’ll get you settled in as Lord Beaumont’s guests.”

  I glanced over at Mr. Brown whose eyes mirrored that of a concerned father figure, and I could not help but wonder what he thought about the situation. There appeared to be no malice or judgment in his eyes, but only sympathy for the lives that had been destroyed by greedy criminals. But for the grace of God, I could have been one of them.

  Restoration of the Broken

  The girls were bathed, dressed, and arrived for dinner. Miss Wade and I agreed earlier in the day that we would not bring up the unfortunate circumstances, unless one of the young ladies brought up the subject willingly. The trauma they had faced did not need to be revisited. I thought that it would be far too embarrassing to speak about. After we finished dinner and retired to the parlor for tea, Abagail began to cry. Ann embraced her in a comforting hug.

  “It’s all right, Abigail. Somehow we will live on,” she consoled with tears in her eyes.

  “I’m so ashamed,” she blubbered, pulling out a handkerchief to catch her tears.

  “You do not need to speak about it,” Miss Wade said sympathetically.

  “Perhaps we should,” Ann replied. “I, for one, want to unburden my soul, or I shall die inside.”

  My heart trembled in empathy. “Did Lady Catherine hand you over at a card game as well?”

  Abigail shook her head yes. “So cruel!” Her voice rose amidst her shame. “We were both drugged and taken by those men to a horrid place.” When Abigail’s sobs returned, Ann continued.

  “We were prisoners, along with others, and forced into prostitution. If we tried to leave or refused to give ourselves to their patrons, we were beaten into submission and withheld food until we felt as if we were starving.” She pulled up her sleeve showing a large bruise on her upper arm. “When Abigail and I realized we had both served Lady Catherine, we became friends.”

  “You must have suffered horribly at the hands of many men,” I said somberly. I closed my eyes and swallowed the painful lump in my throat, so thankful that Dudley arrived before my life turned into a nightmare.

  “We are ruined,” Abigail said. Broad lines of sorrow furrowed her brow.

  Miss Wade leaned forward and patted her hand. “Lord Beaumont will not allow you to be ruined—either of you. When he returns from Whitefield Hall, you will see. I promise.”

  I wondered what, if anything, he could do to rectify the situation.

  * * * *

  Dudley arrived the following day. Upon entering the residence, he speedily asked Mr. Brown to assemble everyone in the parlor. When I entered the room, I was shocked to see his distressed countenance and dark circles under his eyes. He clutched glass of whiskey in his hand, which trembled as he stood in front of the fireplace.

  “Ladies,” he began, giving each of us a glance of courtesy and a bow at the waist. “If you would be so kind as to have a seat.”

  I chose a sole chair, while the others sat on the divan. Abigail appeared visibly d
istraught with her eyes filled with anger. On the other hand, Ann’s eyes looked hollow as if her soul retreated to a secret place never to return.

  “Let me preface what I am about to say,” Dudley began. He downed the last sip of his drink and set it down on a nearby table. “I take full responsibility as the head of this family for what occurred to each of you.”

  His eyes glistened with the threat of tears, and it tore my heart.

  “Abigail and Ann, I cannot turn back the clock and save you from my selfish mother, but I will do everything in my power to bring your lives back to some normalcy.”

  “How?” Abigail shouted at him. “Shall you give me back my virtue or take away the shame of my sin? We are not only ruined, but we are damned to hell.” Tears burst down her cheeks, and Ann put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

  Ann glared at Dudley, whose face turned pale as the plaster of the walls behind him.

  “Abigail is right. How shall you fix what has happened?”

  Dudley raked his fingers through his hair and glanced over at me. I attempted to give him an encouraging glance in return.

  “First, I have arranged for both of you to be medically examined as soon as possible. Secondly, I shall ask a vicar to counsel each of you. When I am assured you are well, both physically and spiritually, I will do everything in my power to arrange for suitable and safe positions. I will provide my highest praise in letters of recommendation, and absolutely nothing will be said about the past. In addition, I shall pay you a year’s wages in advance and restore your wardrobes.”

  “And what is to become of us beforehand?” Abigail wiped her nose with her handkerchief.

  “You are welcome to stay here. Miss Wade will be in charge of helping you purchase new clothes and seeking adequate positions in good homes.” Dudley glanced away, apparently dealing with his shame over what transpired.

  “What if the news reaches London and their names are recognized as part of the scandal?” I thought it an apt question to ask.

  “It is unlikely to happen, Miss Gleadhell, as I have been able to make sure that their names have been expunged from the police records.”