War Comes Home to Winthrop Manor: An English Family Saga (Winthrop Manor Series Book 2)

by Mary Christian Payne

  Having stopped outside of the barn, he found himself mesmerised by the girl he saw in the distance. It was a strange and unusual feeling for him. He’d never kissed a girl nor had he ever come close to having a lady friend. If asked, he couldn’t have explained why he felt so intrigued by Estelle.

  She, on the other hand, had countless episodes in her past when she’d fabricated tales about matters of a sexual nature, although, truth be told, her experiences were no more extensive than Neil’s. She glanced in his direction. Timidly, she smiled. Neil was carrying a milk bucket, which he deposited on the ground by the barn, and slowly began to walk toward her. She stood quietly as he approached. Finally, when they were opposite one another, he reached out his hand, and spoke.

  “Hello,” he said. “My name is Neil Johnston. I’ve not seen you near our farm before. Do you attend the Sanford Institute?” His voice quivered.

  “Yes,” Estelle answered. “I love to take walks about the countryside. Have I intruded upon your property? If so, I apologise. I find myself wandering this way and that. I adore sheep and saw a herd of them in the distance. Are they yours?”

  “Yes,” Neil answered. “We have sheep, dairy cattle, and even some goats. Most of our land is taken up with crops, however. Would you like to come pet some baby lambs?”

  Estelle grinned. “Oh, I’d love to. Where are they?”

  Neil ran his hand through his thick hair and responded to her enthusiasm. He reached out his hand again and took hold of hers. “Come, I’ll show you. They were only recently born in April.” Estelle felt a strange sensation when he touched her. No young man had ever shown interest in her, besides exhibiting a modicum of affection. Together they strolled across to the barn. As they walked together, Estelle began to ask questions about the lambs. “I don’t know anything about lambs. I thought they were born in the summertime. I’m surprised you have babies now, in the springtime.”

  “Some breeds do foal during all seasons, but we raise Hampshire sheep. They breed in the early winter, and it usually takes about four and a half months for them to give birth. These were born in April.” As the two-young people drew closer to the barn, Estelle could hear soft noises. It was the baby lambs. She spotted them, huddled together, near their mother. Estelle grew ecstatic. “Oh, how absolutely precious! Look at their tiny faces. I’ve never seen sheep with little black faces, yet their bodies are white.”

  “Yes. As I said earlier, this breed is known as Hampshires. They’re a very old breed, common to this area. They do have awfully sweet faces, don’t they? Raising sheep is a complicated practice. I’ve learned a lot about the various breeds and which are best for butchering or for wool.”

  “Oh, don’t tell me about the butchering part. I’ll never eat a lamb chop again.” Estelle’s tone was serious.

  Neil laughed. “I don’t think you’d make a very good farmer. Where do you live when you aren’t at school?” He leaned against the wooden enclosure where the lambs either lay down or poked their noses through the space.

  “I live near a small village named Winthrop-on-Hart,” she answered.

  “Yes, I’ve heard of it. It’s in Hampshire, isn’t it? Isn’t there an incredible manor house? It’s supposed to be one of the finest in all of England, I think.”

  “Um hum,” Estelle nodded. “You’re speaking of Winthrop Manor.”

  “That’s it. Is it as magnificent as they say?”

  “I suppose so,” Estelle replied. “I guess I should admit that Winthrop Manor is my home.”

  “Are you serious? You live at Winthrop Manor? Your family must be very important,” Awe tinged Neil’s voice. “You act as though you’re ashamed to live there. I’d be shouting it from the rooftops.”

  Estelle scraped the dirt floor with her foot. “My mother is a countess, and my father was the Earl of Winthrop. He’s dead though. No, I’m not ashamed. Rather the reverse. My family is rather ashamed of me, I’m afraid. They consider me a constant source of irritation and embarrassment.”

  Neil looked puzzled. “That seems odd. Why would they feel like that? Surely they love you?”

  “I guess. Certainly, you’re aware that the Sanford Institute isn’t just any school. You must know that its sole purpose is remediation of young people who have been a source of difficulty for their families.”

  At those words, Neil took on a look of discomfort. “Um, well, yes. I knew that. Still, the students over there aren’t criminals or the like.” He smiled and gave her a quizzical expression.

  Estelle couldn’t help but laugh. “No, don’t worry. I’m not a criminal. I’ve been sort of hard to live with, I guess. My mum decided the Sanford Institute might do me some good.”

  “Why are you hard to live with? You seem nice enough to me.”

  “Oh, I used lie about stuff all of the time. I don’t really know why I did that. Sometimes my mother thought the lies I told were the truth. Anyway, to be honest, I have done some things that weren’t very nice. But, I’ve been at the school for six years now, and I’m just beginning my seventh. I don’t think I act the way I used to anymore.”

  “Do you ever go home to Winthrop Manor?”

  “Oh, yes. I spend Christmas and Easter there and all of the summer. I feel much more comfortable now, since my family doesn’t seem afraid of me.”

  “So, your father is deceased? Are you at all close with your mother?”

  “I didn’t used to be, but it’s better now. It’s a complicated story. I used to be close with my brother, Andy, but he decided he didn’t think very highly of me anymore either. Maybe someday I’ll tell you. That is, if I see you again.”

  “How old are you?” Neil asked.

  “Thirteen. I’ll be fourteen in February,” she answered.

  “I’m seventeen,” Neil replied.

  She reached down and petted one of the baby lambs. “I think they have such cute faces. Would you care if I came over and watched them grow up?”

  “No, not at all. If you didn’t live at a school, I’d give you one as a pet. Even though it couldn’t live with you, if you wanted, you could pick one out and give it a name. Then it would be yours, and you could come see it as often as you wanted.”

  “It won’t be butchered, will it? I couldn't stand that.”

  “Nope. These lambs will be used for shearing. So, your lamb will grow up to be a sheep that stays on our farm.”

  “We have thousands of acres at Winthrop Manor. Do you suppose I could bring my lamb home when I return there someday?”

  “Sure. I don’t think my mum and dad would mind.”

  Estelle looked over the litter of black-faced babies carefully. “I think I’d like a girl. Can you show me a little girl?”

  “Okay.” Neil reached down and plucked one of the babies from the protective enclosure. It bleated, and he handed it to Estelle. She took it into her arms and gave it a cuddle. “I’m going to name her Petunia. When I was small, I remember reading a book about a little lamb named Petunia. What do you think?”

  “Petunia it is,” Neil answered. “She’ll be waiting here for you anytime you want to visit her. Remember, next year at about this time she’ll have her own babies.”

  “I hope I get to watch them grow up too.”

  “You probably will.” Neil smiled.

  “I think I’d better get back to the school.” Estelle placed the little lamb back into the enclosure with its brothers and sisters. “Thank you for giving me Petunia. I’ll come to see her as often as I can. I’m glad I met you.”

  “Yes, me too,” Neil said. “Come see me whenever you can.”

  * * *

  Estelle sauntered back to the school building with a smile on her face. It had been the happiest day she could ever remember. Neil seemed like such a nice person. Would he think she was nice though, if he knew all about her? Probably not. She knew sooner or later she would have to tell him all the evil things she had said and done. Why had she acted in such terrible ways, causing so much trouble at Winthr
op Manor? Everybody there hated her. Well, not everyone. Vera Whitaker loved her. Andy used to love her. Winnie acted like she loved her sometimes, although Estelle had grown old enough to know that the so-called “game” was some sick, perverted way for Winnie to gratify her desires. She had told her roommate about the guilty feelings she harboured, and her friend had strongly recommended that she tell Dr. Sanford about it. Estelle had not yet garnered the nerve to tell him the story.

  Sometimes Vera seemed bewildered, and she had a bad memory. Estelle remembered some of the conversations they’d had–Vera often confused her.

  Winnie, on the other hand, told her a lot of stories about when she was a young girl. Some of them made Estelle blush. Maybe when people got more grown-up, they made tales up about things that hadn’t really happened. Estelle repeated the stories to her mother, Aunt Elisabeth, and even the vicar, only she pretended they’d been events that had happened to her or things she’d done to other people. By doing so, she found that she was able to attract a lot of attention.

  She was well-aware from listening to conversations between Josephine and Aunt Elisabeth that nobody at Winthrop Manor had liked her father. He must have been a horrible person. The vicar said he was evil. He also said that about Estelle too. She didn’t know whether she was evil or not. Neil didn’t act like he thought she was evil. Neither did Petunia. Petunia had snuggled close to her, just as if she adored Estelle.

  Maybe Vera Whitaker was evil? Maybe Winnie was too. Still, it didn’t seem like they were. It was more likely that some of the things Winnie said she’d done were evil. Nevertheless, Estelle really thought they were probably lies and made-up stories. The only thing she knew for certain was that she earned a lot of attention when she did things that were supposed to be evil. Otherwise, people didn’t act like they knew she was around.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Like turning the page in a book, Estelle matured greatly at The Sanford Institute. At first, she was hesitant to speak to Dr. Sanford in the hourly sessions set aside daily for her chat with him. It wasn’t that she didn’t like him. In fact, she found him very agreeable. Still, Estelle was not used to telling others about her feelings, and the person who knew her best, Winnie, always told her not to be open about conversations they had. Winnie particularly warned Estelle that she would find herself in horrendous trouble if she ever spoke about anything that had ever taken place in Vera’s quarters.

  However, as time passed, Estelle found it easier and easier to open up to Dr Sanford. He was the first person, outside of her family, who she had ever told that Oliver was her true father. She began to eagerly anticipate their afternoon sessions.

  As she grew to know him better and truly liked him, she unburdened herself by telling all of the horrid things she’d done growing up. Things that had finally led to her living at the institute. He never became angry or made her feel ashamed. He primarily asked her questions, and for the first time in her life, she made an effort to be extremely honest. He seemed to be particularly interested in the tales she shared about the hours she’d spent playing the “game” with Winnie.

  She’d finally admitted to him that many of the lies she told her mum were really events that Winnie had related about her own childhood. Estelle had liked Winnie so much then and thought it would be wonderful to be exactly like her when she grew up. Thus, in a strange sort of way, which she’d yet to understand, Estelle had borrowed Winnie’s identity.

  She wasn’t at all aware that she was doing so, but her own life was so dull and boring and Winnie’s sounded awfully exciting. Besides, Winnie knew a lot about so many things–particularly about what boys and girls did when they were in love. Winnie had a sister named Violet whom she hated. Estelle didn’t truly hate her cousin Susan, but she was definitely envious of her, because she seemed to be so much more loved by everyone at the manor. After she overhead Josephine talking to her Aunt Elisabeth about Estelle being Oliver’s daughter and not Win’s, she was shocked. That had made her decide to mimic Winnie’s behaviour.

  After she left Dr. Sanford’s office every day, she took the two hours of free time allotted to every student and wandered over to Neil Johnston’s farm. He began to know exactly when she would arrive and would be waiting for her. His hair always looked like it had been freshly washed, and his clothing was spotless. It was difficult to believe that a young man could work all day on a farm, baling hay, milking cows, feeding livestock and all of the other messy chores Neil had to do, without getting dirty. After quite some time, she realised that he must have been washing up before her arrival. That made her feel very good, because she also made certain her hair was shiny and clean, and if necessary, changed into a different dress.

  They always went to find Petunia first. Until the lamb grew too heavy, Estelle carried her. Usually she and Neil would sit down under a huge, old, oak tree, where they would talk about everything under the sun.

  In the winter months, when it was too cold to sit outdoors, Neil’s mother, Lillian, would serve them hot cocoa in the farmhouse kitchen. Estelle liked that old kitchen better than the fancy one at Winthrop Manor. She came to adore Mrs. Johnston, who treated her like she was special. She didn’t know Mr. Johnston very well, because he was always out working on the land, but when they did finally meet, Estelle liked him a lot. She was always sorry when the time she and Neil spent together came to an end. Nevertheless, she always knew that she would see him again the next day.

  She studied hard and began to excel again in her classwork. She’d forgotten how good it felt to receive A’s in difficult subjects like math and science. She had always loved to read and write, so even during the time when her behavior had been abhorrent, she’d still performed well in those areas. But, to see an A on a test in chemistry or geometry made her feel marvellous.

  Every semester, Dr. Sanford wrote a progress report and posted it to Josephine. Needless to say, she was utterly delighted when she learned that Estelle was performing exceptionally well at the Institute. Estelle loved the Sanford Institute so much that she begged her mum to allow her to attend summer school. Josephine was astounded and quickly gave her permission.

  Dr. Sanford was no fool, and it didn’t take him long to figure out that a large part of Estelle’s love for the school had to do with her interest in Neil Johnston. She frequently spoke of him during their time together, and the doctor heartily approved of the relationship. He had been headmaster and psychologist at the institute from the time it opened its doors ten years previous. Thus, he was well-acquainted with a great many of the people who lived in the locale. The nearest village was Woolrich, undoubtedly because of the many sheep raised in the area. Of course, he knew the Johnstons since the school adjoined their property. They attended the same church as Dr. Sanford, and he’d met Neil when he was a young boy.

  When she turned fourteen, it was hard for Estelle to accept that her school years were coming to an end. All students absolutely had to leave the Institute when they were eighteen. However, after age fourteen a student could leave if she wished. Many girls went on to study at finishing schools. She would never have believed that she would love The Sanford Institute so much that she would be sad to leave. She had, of course, returned to Winthrop Manor on holidays, and everyone had been literally astounded at the change they saw in her. At first, she could tell that Elisabeth, Tom, Susan, and even her mum were uneasy when she walked into a room. Nonetheless, they finally accepted that the change was real.

  Then, everything changed beginning in the autumn of 1939. England and France declared war on Germany.

  * * *

  Andy was twenty-three in 1939, and had lived up to everybody’s expectations. He had been an exceptional student and had grown into a stunningly handsome young man. Besides those attributes, he was exceedingly kind, thoughtful, and generous. He’d graduated Oxford and at his majority had become the new earl at Winthrop Manor. He was thankful for having spent a lot of time learning everything he could about the operation of the enormous
English estate. Upon his return after commencement, Andy set about to begin running the operation side-by-side with the estate manager. Winthrop Manor was flourishing.

  Josephine secretly dreamed he would ride his lovely stallion, Black Star –a descendant of Black Orchid–onto the property, dismount and announce to her that he had fallen madly in love with a charming local girl. Of course, it might not turn out that way at all, but what memories it would bring if such an event did occur.

  The news of the war brought fear to the entire household. Everyone directed their attention to what lay ahead. Andy stunned Josephine by announcing in the autumn of 1939, after war was declared, that he had joined the Royal Air Force and would be leaving soon for pilot training at RAF Cranwell. It was too late to beg him not to go, and it undoubtedly would have done no good anyway. Andy was just like Win. He was a patriot through and through, and nothing could have kept him from the fight. Because he was an Oxford graduate and an earl, he would automatically be placed into officer training. While Josephine was worried sick about him, she couldn’t help but be proud.

  Josephine accompanied him to the station when he left for his RAF training. She held him in her arms and silently prayed that he would be safe from harm. Both promised to write often, and Andy left some last-minute instructions for her to relay to the estate manager. Then, he was on the train, and Josephine could see his handsome face next to a window near the middle of the car. She threw him one last kiss and then ran back to the Rolls Royce. David drove her home while she cried every inch of the way.