“So you see my dilemma.”
“Yes, but you have overlooked one crucial thing.”
“And what is that sir?” That I am the master of this household. The servants shall behave how I tell them to behave. You shall stay where I tell them you will stay. They will treat you the way I believe they should treat you. That is all true. There is nothing to distress about. I believe it is best that I tell them that you are ill and have lost your memories, for it would just keep them from trying to remind you that you know them. That is all that should be said of note.”
“And you will tell them this?”
“I shall tell the butler directly we arrived and he may inform the other servants of your illness. Pray do not worry yourself, everything shall be fine. You will see.”
“Here you are sir, water, cheese, bread and fruit to start. The game hen will be put upon your table shortly.”
The barmaid pushed the food, water, and cups in front of them. Then poured the water into the cups before leaving.
“Thank you very much.”
William quickly went to work grabbing a plate from the tray of food and placing it in front of Adeline. She looked at him, realizing that his way of serving her at the hunting cottage was not simply because she was on the mend, he actually enjoyed doing it. She watched as his brow furrowed with focus as he carved through the bread placing two slices on her plate, and then did the same with the milky pale white goat cheese. Then he sliced into the pears and placed some on her plate and then his.
Adeline delighted in watching him do this and it stirred something deep within her.
“Here you are. Heated game hen with roasted figs, sir. Is this to your liking?” The barmaid appeared with a trey of two roasted hen breasts and figs.
“Yes, that is delicious. Thank you, that will be all, and we shall call you if we need you again. Please see to your other patrons for we are quite content,” he smiled.
“Yes sir,” she curtsied and walked to another table.
“Now this smells something spectacular,” he said carving into the breasts and placing slices on her plate.
“Thank you, Mr Dawson.”
“You’re very welcome, madame,” he smiled.
Together they ate contentedly making conversation and when they were done, William escorted Adeline outside for a walk. Adeline rather enjoyed seeing other travellers doing the same thing, as there was an air of pleasantries amongst all the travellers. Conversations about destinations and the hour length of journeys were on everyone’s tongue.
But what Adeline enjoyed the most was the fact that she had a gentleman on her arm. She was dressed in a proper dress with travelling coat and hat, and those that looked at them nodded with kind hello. She felt comfortable with this; too comfortable.
After the stroll and having sufficiently stretched their legs, Adeline and William returned to the carriage and continued on their journey to the Linwood Estate.
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The Linwood Estate
Wickham –Hampshire County, England
Adeline shivered as she entered a grand hall decorated in rich tapestries, of a very grand house. She felt as though it was familiar to her, as if she had been there before but she could not remember entirely.
“You say they have not gone to London?” William said to his butler as he handed him his coat and hat.
“No sir, your sisters remained while Mr Ashford went to London.”
“Blasted. This is Miss Simmons. She is to have the finest guest room available and will be staying for some time.”
“Yes I remember Miss Simmons from her time here. I will have her things brought to her room,” the butler said.
“And where are my sisters now?”
“I believe in the library, sir.”
“Bring tea to the blue parlour.”
Adeline looked at the butler confused as he walked away. The butler knew me?
“Come, let’s get you warm in the parlour by the fire and some hot tea to warm you until your room is ready.” William put his hand on her lower back and guided her forward just as an older maid appeared.
“Ah, Georgia. Please see Miss Simmons to the parlour and bring her refreshment. She and I will be taking a late supper as well. I must attend to some matters, Miss Simmons, and will join you shortly.”
“Yes sir,” Georgia said. “This way Miss Simmons.” The maid led Adeline down the hall as William walked away. She did not like being on her own but what could she do in the matter. She was quite tired from the journey and indeed was pleased at having some tea to warm her and some food.
The maid opened the grand doors and stepped in. Adeline froze.
“Pardon me ma’am, Miss Simmons has just arrived with your brother and asked me to escort her to the parlour,” the maid gave a curtsy and quickly ran out.
“Miss Simmons!” an elegant woman said as she stood up from the setee with a glass of sherry in hand. Another elegant woman stood across the room with a book in her hand. She placed it on the table with such voracity that the sound echoed in the parlour.
“Hello, my name is Adeline Simmons,” Adeline curtsied.
“We know who you are, you impudent fool. Can you believe the insolence, Eleanor?”
“I cannot, Louisa. What do you do here Miss Simmons?”
“I am a guest of Mr William Dawson. I am sorry but who are you?”
The two women looked at each other in shock.
“Do you pretend not to know us Miss Simmons? What game do you play? You know very much that I am Miss Eleanor Dawson and you were once our maid.”
“And that I am Louisa Ashford and the fact that you were caught red-handed, with my own husband no-less, and now you dare to insult me by pretending not to know us? I never!”
“Indeed it does, sister. To think we welcomed this harlot into our home. I cannot imagine that she has also used her feminine wiles and skills as an actress on our dear brother William,” Eleanor added.
“She has no respect for anyone. A selfish vile thing,” Louisa said in a shrill voice. “You are not permitted in this house, Miss Simmons.”
The sisters paced back and forth in the room in front of Adeline as they degraded her and lectured her about the incident that she could not remember at all. Adeline bore the bluntness of this talk, the insults, the degradation, and the lies. She had no other choice, while they released all of their anger on her. Where is William? Why has he not come into the parlour? Was this his plan all along?
“Where is our brother? What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?” Eleanor finally asked a question in which Adeline would be allowed to defend herself.
Adeline looked at the sisters, locking eyes with each of them, there was much that she wanted to say. She wanted to defend herself by saying that she had lost her memories but something told her that they would not believe her. So alas she knew that she could do none of this. She did not want to add any anxiety and stress on herself. This would only result in making her look like more of a liar than already established. Therefore, she was backed into a corner.
“I can only say that I have no interest in this person you call Mr Ashford and that I do not remember what you speak of.”
The two ladies gasped in shock. They looked to each other for comfort. “Can you believe what she is saying sister?”
“No I cannot sister. The audacity of this low-born heathen!”
“I believe we have heard enough from you Miss Simmons. Do not unpack your things; you are leaving first thing in the morning, no matter what our brother says of it.”
“Indeed you will.”
“That will be all, you are dismissed and may stay below with the servants,” Louisa said with a stern voice and her jaw locked into position.
“Louisa!” William entered and shouted. He stood proudly and had a very angry look on his face.
“Brother.”
“You will apologize to M
iss Simmons immediately, the both of you.”
“But brother!”
“Now! Both of you. Miss Simmons is my guest and will be staying in the green suite for as long as I say so. You will treat her with the respect of an honoured guest. She is ill and is suffering from amnesia so she does not know how vile you two can be. You will apologize and excuse yourself for the night.”
The two women stared at each other in shock. Adeline held her head high. She felt quite proud of William in this moment.
Adeline was very well pleased that she had passed the first test that the Dawson sisters laid upon her.
Adeline had been playing her own game of hide and seek when it came to avoiding the superior sisters, but with meals being served formally, she was aquired to attend. During dinners, the tension was obvious, but William’s presence kept the sisters in line, one might say.
However with running a large estate and factories in London, William could not always be attending the serving of meals. Therefore when Adeline entered the breakfast room, she was astonished to see his chair empty, but the sisters sitting comfortably.
“Oh, I was just...” Adeline said.
“Coming to dine, yes we are quite aware,” Louisa said.
“Sit, as it is quite rude to hover over our table,” Eleanor said.
Adeline sat down, wondering if perhaps William would be entering at any moment.
“Tea, madame?” the servant asked.
“Yes thank you,” Adeline said feeling silly to have the servant Matthew speak to her in such a way because according to William, he was a servant when she was a maid in the household. Just another reason that Adeline felt quite inadequate and nervous most of the time.
In order to break the tension she decided that she would eat quickly and leave as soon as may be. Placing a slice of bread on her plate, she then spread butter on to it, deciding that she would only eat a simple and quick meal and be on her way.
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“So tell us, dear Miss Simmons, is your illness – as our brother calls it –real or part of your performance as an actress?” Eleanore asked.
Louisa giggled the most ruthless giggle and the two were quite happy with themselves.
“Yes, it is such a good role for you to play in order to gain sympathy for our brother. Having him nurse you back to health and feel sorry for you is often the way women of your station seduce men into making them mistake helping for love,” Louisa said.
“I do not know what you mean,” Adeline said.
“Oh and now playing the coy role with us,” Eleanor said to Louisa.
“I am not playing any roles. I have lost my memory as William has said before. I do not lie,” Adeline said becoming heated by this onslaught.
Louisa sighed. “Save your breath to cool your porridge, Miss Simmons, for we know that you lie after you accused my husband of dishonesty.”
“What? I do not understand what you mean by that,” Adeline said confused.
“Do not try to remind her, Louisa. She will just continue to play this role of hers, denying all things that she does not want to be confronted with; that much is quite obvious. It is lucky that your husband is not here with us and is in Brighton,” Eleanor said.
“True, quite true. I have had enough of these games. Come let us go for our stroll in the gardens for I have lost my appetite for being forced to eat in such company,” Louisa stood up and Eleanor followed her lead.
But Adeline was not going to allow them to treat her in this manner anymore. “Oh, Miss Ashford?” she said.
“What is it?” Louisa turned just as she and Eleanor were leaving the room.
“If having me at your table makes you lose your appetite, perhaps I shall be at your table always, for it seems that the seams of your dress could use the respite.”
Louisa gasped. Eleanor restrained a smile at hearing a joke at the expense of her sister’s weight. Adeline acquired a smug look upon a face, very satisfied with herself.
Louisa stomped out and Eleanor followed. Adeline, having the table all to herself, decided to indulge in having the expanse of breakfast all to herself.
She reached for the serving tongs and served herself a heaping amount of bacon, two boiled eggs, and stewed vegetables. Adeline ate with a smile on her face in celebration of her small victory.
“Good morning. Sorry that I am late for breakfast. Did I miss anything?” William walked in.
“No. Nothing at all. I was late as well, and your sisters are walking in the garden I believe. We have the table all to ourselves,” she smiled.
“And I would not have it any other way. Tis a blessing,” William smiled, spreading jellies on bread.
“Indeed,” she smiled and placed a piece of bacon into her mouth.
The day was spent in leisure. William walked Adeline around the house making it a point to walk in the large gallery hall to explain the portraits. His ancestors he said to her, as he said each name of the stately man staring at them from the painting.
Adeline wondered what it would be like to have her painting grace the halls of Linwood Manor. It would definitely be a shock to the superior sisters. It made her smile.
“And this is a very old painting of my great, great, uncle, a very proud and disagreeable man,” William said and as he continued speaking. Adeline’s smile vanished as she thought about another face that might grace those halls, a child. Not just any child, but her and William’s child. The thought frightened her that it might be something she actually wanted.
“Are you quite well?” he said, looking at her.
“I think I just need some air,” she said with a smile, not wanting to confess her thoughts.
“Then let’s head this way,” he put his arm out for her. She pushed her arm into his and allowed him to escort her down the hall to the side gardens.
“And how are you fairing at Linwood?” he asked as they stepped out into the bright sunshine of the morning.
“Fine. Thank you.”
“And my sisters?”
“They are...”
“I know. You must allow me to apologise for them. They do not know better... actually they do, but they choose to be mean spirited. I believe it makes them feel superior to do so. I am not sure where they acquired such a way of being, for our mother was the kindest soul,” he said.
“Was she?” Adeline said surprised that the superior sisters had such a mother.
“Yes, she always made sure that our tenants were well fed. If we had a harsh winter she would say to them, feed your families first and rent will not be due this month.”
“That is very kind indeed,” Adeline’s eyes opened wide. “Though that kindness may not have been instilled in her daughters, it was instilled in her son.”
William stopped next to the rose gardens. He looked at Adeline, a smile came upon his face. “Thank you.”
“You are most kindly welcome sir.”
He then began to walk away toward the tall hedges of evergreens. Adeline felt content to walk in silence and allow the sun to hit her face. Taking in a deep breath she knew that having William at her side always eased her anxiety about not having her memories. He had this effect on her that no one else had, just merely his presence created it.
“And your tenants? How many does the Linwood Estate have?” she asked after they had rounded through the hedges and came upon the formal water gardens. The fountains danced with water that radiated smaller rainbows as the sun filtered through droplets.
“We have twenty-three families on plots,” he said.
“So many?”
“Yes.”
“That is a very grand estate, almost a small village.”
“Yes, however they are spread out across the estate. Five families live in cottages in the north,” he pointed in that direction. “There they tend to the wooded areas, our game hens, herds of deer, and to the maintenance of the paths all around the estate.”
&
nbsp; “I see.”
“Then in the south we have twelve families near the fields and they work the land, farmers. Then the six families on the western edge see to the livestock, pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep.”
“That is a lot to manage all by yourself sir,” she said.
“Yes it is, and my sisters are of no help, not that they were groomed to do as such. Then add onto that my responsibilites of my factory in London, my landholdings elsewhere, shipments of trade and so forth. That’s why it helps to have partners in my business relations.”
“I am very proud of you sir for taking on so much and still being so kind,” she said.
“Thank you Adeline. That means a lot to hear coming from you,” he said. She noticed his gaze quickly fell to her lips. Involuntarily, her lips parted slighty. He stirred and then looked away. Adeline felt astonished at her reaction. Would he think her a harlot for making such a suggestive movement?
“Let us go this way into the shade. It is getting warmer,” he turned and headed for the wooded plot at the edge of the garden where a gazebo sat with benches underneath.
Adeline caught up to him, careful to remain behind him as he walked with his hands clapsed behind his back and looked down at his boots. She felt ashamed and did not know what he would think of her.
One week passed in this manner and Adeline felt quite happy with her lot in life. For after the first days of constant angry words by the sisters, Adeline rarely saw the two elegant ladies. It seemed to Adeline that they had grown tired of the work of making her feel inadequate and devoted their time to leisure. They explained to Adeline that they were busy writing letters to those families in need of a governess, and that was taking up much of their time, but Adeline knew better.
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She sat at the vanity in her lavish room, brushing her hair in her nightshift. She was very pleased with her looks. After removing the harsh layer of work, her features and countenance had softened. She looked somewhat like the woman she saw in the portrait.
A Poor Girl's Peril (#4, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 17