Mellington Hall

by Meredith Resce

  Sarah didn’t say anything. She was surprised at how open she was being about the way she felt.

  “It is my fault,” Alan admitted. “I should not have behaved in such a familiar way.”

  No you shouldn’t have, Sarah thought. He had stirred something in her, and it went beyond the quiet, circumspect existence she had been happy with.

  “You are right, sir!” she eventually said. “We are very different. I find your attitude very stifling and restrictive, and terribly insulting. But that is how it is, so I shall accept it, and bid you goodbye without any regret.”

  Alan felt a stab of remorse as he realised just how much of a snob he sounded. He realised that what he had said must have hurt Sarah, but there was nothing he could do about it. That was who he was, and he should have remembered that last night.

  Together they stood up and continued on the last mile to Mellington Hall. They still supported one another as they walked, but Sarah held herself somewhat stiffly. She decided that she had to shut out the feelings that had grown out of the last week’s close relationship.

  Sarah watched right to the last moment until Alan was escorted back into the manor house. She hadn’t gone with him to the door, but they had parted company two or three hundred yards away, and she remained behind some bushes to watch and make sure he reached the house safely. That she was so overcome with concern for him didn’t seem to register as anything abnormal. Eventually, once one of the servants had opened the door to him, and had to help him inside, Sarah took a deep breath and sighed. She had nothing more to do now but to return to her normal existence. That she had been perfectly happy with her lot in life only one week before, didn’t seem relevant now. Something had definitely happened between her and Lord Mellington that had completely unsettled the way she felt. She had to turn around and deal with it as best she could. There was certainly no future in pining over the situation.

  “Why has no one been out looking for me?” Alan asked his brother, Simon, the minute the two of them were together in the drawing room.

  “I thought you’d gone to London,” Simon said flippantly.

  “I never said I was going to London, did I?” Alan argued. “Rupert?” He directed the same question to his valet, who hovered nearby, setting out a tray with soup and bread for his master.

  “Begging your pardon, sir,” Rupert said, his eyes cast down deferentially, “ but you had made mention that you intended to go to London sometime in the near future, so when you disappeared, we all assumed that you must have gone.”

  “That is ridiculous!” Alan said angrily. “Did no-one check the stables to see if the carriage, or at the very least, my horse was gone.”

  “Of course we did!” Simon answered back, equally angrily. “Your horse was gone – is still gone. You are the one who doesn’t answer to anyone. You are the one who does whatever comes into your head. How were we supposed to know that you hadn’t decided to go earlier than planned?”

  Alan was annoyed by his brother’s comments. He did not see himself as the least bit impulsive or irresponsible, despite those moments the previous evening.

  “I think you are rather confusing my actions with your own, Simon,” he said evenly. “You are usually the one... ”

  “I don’t give a damn what you think, and it serves you right if someone tried to kill you. You are so high and mighty, and so self-righteous that it is no wonder someone took a shot at you!”

  “Was it you who took a shot at me, brother?” Alan asked quite seriously.

  “You would think that, wouldn’t you?” Simon said with a malicious grin. “And I would have good cause too, wouldn’t I. Fancy, if I could get rid of you, then I would have access to the entire Mellington estate, without having to answer to your restrictive moral codes.”

  While these angry words were being exchanged between the brothers, Rupert hovered nearby, helplessly looking for an opportunity to intervene and redirect the course of their ‘discussion’, but without success. Eventually, Simon got up and stalked out of the room.

  “I am sorry, sir,” Rupert was able to say at last. “I would have had the whole staff out looking, except for the fact that your horse was gone, and some of your clothes were gone, and one of your bags.”

  “Did you pack a bag for me?” Alan was still quite testy.

  “No sir!”

  “When have you known me to pack a bag for myself?” he asked.

  Rupert was shamefaced, and didn’t reply.

  Even as he said it, he remembered helping Sarah Montgomery with the several household chores, including folding up clothes that she had scrubbed, wrung out and hung up to dry. He would never admit it to Rupert, but he had experience in doing for himself.

  “If I might ask, sir,” Rupert eventually summoned the courage to speak again, “how did you survive in that dreadful weather, and with two gunshot wounds?”

  “I was found by one of the local farmers, and was taken in to their farm house, and my needs seen to.”

  Alan didn’t have any compunction in allowing Rupert to believe it had been a man, and not a woman, who had rescued him. He had agreed with Sarah that they could both escape scandal if they withheld the particulars of the situation, and he felt it was best for them both if they did.

  t was three weeks to the day that Phillip and Claire Montgomery returned from their time away.

  Sarah was very pleased to see them, though she felt burdened with the secret of what had happened while they were gone. But she didn’t have the confidence to bring the subject up with either of her parents, considering just how bad it would probably seem to them.

  They hadn’t been in the house long and Sarah sensed that her mother was upset.

  “Did you reconcile with Grandfather?” Sarah eventually asked, realising that their trip had been a very difficult and emotional experience.

  “I did, to some degree,” Claire said sadly. “He spoke to me, but he refused to see your father. He maintained to his dying day that he would not recognise our marriage.”

  “He has gone then?” Sarah said. Claire nodded, her eyes filling with tears at the reminder.

  “I’m sorry.” Sarah reached out and squeezed her mother’s hand.

  “He wouldn’t acknowledge your father,” Claire went on, “but he said he wanted to acknowledge you.”

  “Me?” Sarah sounded surprised. “He has never shown a particle of recognition before.”

  “He knew nothing about you, dear,” her mother said. “I sent word when both you and your sister were born, but he never opened either letter.”

  “So he did not know that Louisa passed away either, then?”

  Claire shook her head.

  “Why should he take any notice now?” Sarah pursued the subject, despite her mother’s obvious grief.

  “He was too stubborn to admit he was wrong; too stubborn to re-instate me as a member of his precious family, but... ”

  Sarah waited while her mother fought with her feelings.

  “But despite the fact that he refused to alter his attitude to your father in any way, he wanted me to know that he loved me, and the only way he could do that was to acknowledge my children.”

  “You told him about Louisa and me?”

  “Both. He made no comment, but apparently, after I had gone, he called for his solicitor, and had him redraw his will. He has made provision for you, should you marry according to his wishes.”

  “Which means I must marry above myself?”

  “It means you must marry someone from his class – our class. Sarah, you are a lady, despite the fact that your grandfather has seen to it that we have been rejected by society.”

  “I cannot be sorry for it,” Sarah said quickly. “Father is the best of men, and he has provided well for us. I am happy with who I am.”

  “I know dear, and I would not want you to be any other way.”

  “But?”

  “But nothing, my dear. If you marry Timothy Straun from the village, you will be
a butcher’s wife, and you will know what is expected.”

  “But, there is something else?” Sarah probed again.

  “But if you marry someone like Lord Mellington, you will be a lady with an inheritance from your grandfather.”

  Sarah’s heart skipped a beat. “Why did you say Lord Mellington?” she asked quickly, alarmed that her mother might have heard something.

  “I said someone like Lord Mellington. I use him as an example because he lives nearby. There is no need to worry Sarah, you do not even know Lord Mellington, and it is probably just as well. He does not have a very good reputation.”

  Sarah chose not to make any comment, though just the mention of his name made her stomach knot in an unusual way.

  She really didn’t know what to make of all her mother had told her. She had always known she was educated to be a lady in many ways, but she fitted just as well as an ordinary housewife, and if it hadn’t been for her encounter with Lord Mellington two weeks earlier, she would never ever have thought of marrying someone from her mother’s class.

  It was nearly four days before the situation exploded upon them. Sarah had been gradually forgetting about that first controversial week, and was settling back into their normal routine. She hadn’t been to the village church for the whole time her parents had been away, the weather had been the deciding factor, and without anyone to take her, it would have been impossible. She’d seen nothing at all of the Allysons since the day they had come in on her with Lord Mellington. She had hoped against hope that Susannah Allyson would have forgotten about the incident, but in vain.

  It was not until they got to the door of the church that Sarah began to realise that something was very wrong. As she had passed other people walking through the churchyard, instead of the normal friendly greeting that they usually exchanged, the village people seemed to turn their backs deliberately on Sarah’s whole family.

  No one said anything until they reached the door of the church where the Vicar, The Reverend Snead, stood in the doorway and barred the Montgomery family from entering.

  “Good day, Vicar,” Phillip said in a less than friendly tone, since he already had the uneasy feeling that something was very wrong. “Is there something you wish to say to me before service?”

  “Mr Montgomery, as an elder of this parish, you should know that we do not tolerate sin in our midst.”

  “I do know that, sir. What is the point of your comment?”

  “Perhaps you do not know.”

  “Know what?” Phillip was thoroughly affronted by the implied judgement.

  “While you were away, your daughter has engaged in acts of fornication with that scoundrel from Mellington Hall.”

  Sarah was aghast to hear the words spoken out loud, and with other church folk standing nearby and listening.

  “That is a lie!” Phillip said in a raised and angry voice. “My daughter is a moral and upstanding Christian woman!”

  “I saw it with my own eyes, indeed I did so.” Susannah Allyson had made it her business to be standing close by for the confrontation.”It was disgusting, seeing them lying together on the floor, with no clothes on, to be sure!”

  “That is not true!” Sarah said, suddenly aware that the situation was getting completely out of control.

  “Tell them, Mr Allyson!” his wife demanded. “You saw it too!”

  “Sarah had her clothes on,” Lucas said, in a tone less accusing, and more as if he was trying to make an excuse.

  “Of course I did!” Sarah said loudly.

  “Sarah, be quiet!” her father suddenly snapped at her.

  “Father... ?”

  “I said, be quiet!”

  Sarah stepped back, ashamed, and now suddenly afraid. Surely her father wasn’t going to believe what he was being told.

  “Lucas is a reliable witness, Phillip,” the vicar continued. “According to Mellington’s man, he was gone from the manor for over a week. He was cohabiting with your daughter while you were away.”

  “Sarah, is this true?” Phillip said through clenched teeth.

  “No!” Sarah began. “Let me explain.”

  “I saw them lying together on the floor in front of your fire, I did indeed!” Susannah said it again, intent on making sure that they understood.

  “Was Mellington at our house while we were away?” Phillip asked his daughter again.

  “He was there, but... ”

  “Be quiet, my girl. I do not want to hear you speak again.”

  Phillip was humiliated, ashamed and angry beyond words. He didn’t stop to hear any more from the good religious people of the village, nor did he stop to seek an explanation from his daughter. He went straight to their cart, got in and drove away.

  Sarah was horrified to see him drive away like that, leaving her and her mother alone and unprotected before a group of highly prejudiced judges.

  Phillip had hoped the trip away would have brought about a complete reconciliation, that he would have received forgiveness and a blessing from Sir Alistair, but instead, the dying man had maintained his refusal to recognise his daughter’s marriage. Though Phillip had said nothing to his wife, this had not only hurt, but had further inflamed his sense of guilt for having acted outside the bounds of what he understood to be right.

  To add to this already deep sense of regret, Phillip had just heard accusations against him and his family that he would never have believed possible. He had never been an unreasonable man, nor was he short-tempered. On the contrary, he was very committed to doing what he believed to be right and good. He had never failed to bring his family to church, and had undertaken every religious service that was recommended. He’d had his children baptised, and he took Holy Communion regularly. The business with Sir Alistair Pennerly had been the one blight on his record, but Phillip had taken great pains to try to make it right, making sure that he and Lady Claire Pennerly were properly wed before God. Other than that, he had never engaged in any immoral behaviour, and thought that he had brought his daughter up with the same values.

  To hear those foul accusations on the doorstep of the church was like being punched in the stomach several times. He was emotionally and mentally winded, and could not think straight. Surely there had to be some mistake.

  But Lucas Allyson was a sensible man, and then Sarah had confirmed that one of the gentlemen from Mellington Hall had been at his home while they were away. What could that mean? Surely Sarah would not have invited such a man in.

  Phillip knew the reputation of the Mellington brothers, that they were womanisers, with little conscience, and he also knew that they could be very charming and courteous, using their status as gentlemen to attract attention. Surely Sarah would not have been seduced by such charms. They must have forced themselves upon her. She would not have succumbed easily.

  But why had Sarah not said anything to them the moment they arrived home? That was the point that was bothering him more than any other.

  But Phillip was not going to wait around the churchyard listening to any more accusations. He was going to go directly to Mellington Hall and find out the truth.

  Simon Mellington was summoned to the drawing room to deal with one of the estate workers who seemed to have a complaint.

  “Well, what is it?” Simon didn’t bother to hide his arrogance.

  “Did you, or did you not, come into my home and take advantage of my daughter?” Despite the fact that he had practised framing the question in a diplomatic way, when he saw Simon Mellington, he was overcome with anger.

  “Your daughter?” Simon smiled. “It is quite possible,” he said carelessly.

  “I am your gamekeeper, Phillip Montgomery. Our house is some two miles overland, up in the hills beyond the manor.”

  “I know who you are,” Simon said carelessly. “And your daughter?”

  “Sarah. Lucas Allyson says that he saw you and her together in my house while my wife and I were away. Is that true?”

  “Well, yes, I think it p
robably is true!” Simon knew full well that the irate man was talking about his brother, and he also guessed that Alan had left out the part about who it was who had nursed him after the attack. He didn’t have any special love for his brother, and since Alan was always so self-righteous about his reputation, he thought it might be good to bring him down a peg or two.

  “You seduced her?” Phillip accused.

  “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Montgomery. Your daughter invited me in, and she gave me everything I needed without my even having to ask. Far from seduction, I’m afraid!”

  “I expect satisfaction, sir!” Phillip said furiously.

  “A duel?” Simon asked, his eyebrows raised.

  “I expect a marriage, sir!”

  Simon actually laughed. “I might be happy to have a little fun with the lower classes, Mr Montgomery, but I have no intentions of marrying there!”

  Phillip lost all control at this provocative remark, and leapt towards him, taking hold of his shirtfront, and pushing him against the wall. The air was forced out of Simon’s lungs and he gave a grunt as his back hit the stone wall with extreme force. He had not expected such a violent attack, and was momentarily stunned.

  “Think, Montgomery!” He eventually gathered his thoughts, and reassembled his authority. “I will have you hauled before a magistrate and charged with assault. Do not think I won’t!”

  Phillip’s fist itched to connect with the sneering face, but he knew that what Simon Mellington had said was true.

  “If she is found to be with child, you will take responsibility,” Phillip said as firmly as he could.

  “To add to the other bastards that populate the countryside? I don’t think so!”

  It was all Phillip could do not to jump on the man and beat him to a pulp. But common sense prevented him. He let go of Simon’s shirt front and stepped back, his breathing becoming more even as he realised he would not be able to get satisfaction.

  “If it makes you feel any better, man, I do believe that on this occasion, it was my brother who has been with your daughter.”