“I know. I am only in annoyance that we will have separate chambers at Brentwood until we are married. It will be a practice in my restraint until then.”
“And mine,” she said, giving him a very seductive look.
He smiled and kissed her deeply... passionately.
* * *
chapter
4 5
* * *
After being on the road a while, the carriage came to a stop. Adeline could see out of the carriage window that it was a very small quaint village, and the Inn was very small, even smaller than the Green Tavern, but she found it quite cozy and lovely.
“Here we are my love. Let us stretch our legs and get a morsel,” William said.
Adeline smiled at him, she would never get tired of him calling her ‘my love’, and was excited to look forward to the days when he continued to call her that. He put his hand on her lower back escorting her toward the door and she felt very safe and cared for. This was the first time of being out in public, as an engaged couple, and she felt something close to calm and relief. After all her trials and tribulations, she did not think that it was possible for her to feel this way, yet here she was with her fiance taking adequate care of her.
“There are quite a few empty tables, we are lucky that this is not too busy a time of day. Let us sit here,” William said pointing at a table.
“Yes, this is pleasant.”
William and Adeline sat side by side. Now that they were engaged it was fine to do such a thing, sitting quite close.
“This comes to mind when we sat at the Red Lion Inn together, do you remember that?” William asked.
“Indeed I do, sir. It was a very pleasant time, only I did not have my memory returned to me then, so this time is much more exciting.”
“And you were not my fiance at that time,” he smiled.
“I have only been your fiance a few hours,” she smiled.
“And I hope that turns into being my wife forever,” he said.
“As do I,” she reached out her hand and squeezed his.
The newly engaged couple ate a light meal before returning to the carriage for their journey.
Adeline quite enjoyed the change in scenery, for as they continued the grassy fields gave way to wooded forest. It was very beautiful indeed, and she knew that this must be the region that Katrina spoke of fondly in her letters to her. For now that she had her memories back she remembered every word Katrina had told her when writing to her after she took residence at Brentwood, as the wife of the captain.
“There it is, Brentwood Manor,” William pointed out as the carriage came around the bend. Adeline moved forward in her seat and pushed her head out the window, to see a very fine Prospect.
“I do not think I have ever seen a place so happily situated such as this. Katrina is a very lucky woman is she not? I am very happy for her,” She said.
“More happily situated then Linwood Manor?” William asked.
“Oh no William, of course I love your home very dearly. I believe that it is just the dark memories of dealing with Ashford, and the negative sentiments of your sisters that have put a dark cloud over that estate for me, something I am sure it will go away in time. But it is a very lovely home as well,” She said.
William squeezed her hand. “I will do whatever it takes to erase any negativity you have with Linwood. For you will now be the Mistress of Linwood Manor, and I believe your energy shall erase all negativity from it. We will christen it with our love.”
“Yeah, we shall.”
Adeline turned her attention back to the stately home. It was made of white limestone with large round pillars out front. The sprawling estate moved from one side to the other across a landscape that was surrounded by forest, and beside it a small pond.
“I hope that it is not too much trouble for us to stay,” she said.
“No trouble at all. I have often stayed here when the Master and Mistress of the house are away. You will see.”
She smiled, feeling excited to see Katrina once more whenever she would arrive. It had been too long and much time lost.
Settling in at Brentwood later that evening, Adeline felt relieved to be there. She was very much excited to be able to be reunited with Katrina, it had been so long. She wondered what she would say to her.
The house staff was very kind to William just as he said they would be, and were more than happy to accommodate them. They remained there for two days, and Adeline was quite content to be with William alone and away from society. Now that they were engaged they were openly able to claim their fondness for each other. Adeline was quite ready to take him as a husband and to start their life together, but she was happy to be with him after having so much doubt and after having lost so many of her memories.
She still regretted that she had lost so much time to the illness of Amnesia, but she knew that the hardship that she had endured had made her a stronger person, but to know that she could have been with William that entire time made her heart ache. If only she had not ran away from him that day that she ran into him on the streets in London and had taken him seriously. Then all of this would have been happening then, instead of much much later. Still she had to be grateful that it was happening at all.
On the second day at noon of their stay, the maid ran into the parlor.
“They are here. Their carriage is coming down the way,” She said.
Adeline looked at William and smiled. At last Katrina and her husband had arrived.
“Let us go greet our friends, dear. They will be so happy to see you. It will be quite the surprise.”
“Oh William, I am very glad that I get to be reunited with Katrina, but what a shock she will get. I wished that we could have sent word ahead of time that I was going to be here.”
“Yes, except they were on a ship, with no way to reach them. By the time I would have sent word to Portsmouth they would already be in a carriage on their way here, there was no way to warn her. It will just have to be a shock, though I am sure that she will be quite happy.”
“As am I to see her.”
The two waited in the foyer as the servants lined up outside. The carriage stopped, and only then did William and Adeline step out the doors. She watched as Katrina stepped off the carriage, looking down at her feet. Then she lifted her head, and froze. A word could not come out of her mouth. Adeline quickly ran to her.
“Yes, it is true. It is me, I am sorry to have shocked you like this.”
“Adeline? Adeline, really is you? Oh my Lord!” Katrina hugged her friend fiercely. Both of them burst into tears almost immediately.
“My dear friend I thought you were lost forever, oh my dear sister. I have missed you so.” Katrina cry .
“I thought so too. I have so much to acquaint you with; everything that happened. I am just happy that you are happy to see me, so much time has passed I did not know.”
Katrina pulled away from her and held her at arm's length with her hands on Adeline's shoulders. “How dare you say such a thing to me? I have longed to see you. You do not know how much trouble we have gone through to find you. Now here you are happy and healthy. Oh my dear I'm so happy!” Katrina hugged her again and again.
Adeline was beside herself in tears to see her friend again. She thought that it may never be possible, yet here she was with Katrina, her long-lost sister by name. The very woman that had been through so much along with her, starting with the brothel in Portsmouth. Then the theater in London and going on tours performing their performances to all the grand houses of London and some in Bath and Brighton. Now they were together again at last and Adeline was overwhelmed with emotion. She felt very grateful and blessed indeed that not only was she reunited with Katrina, but she would also be the wife of the man that she loved, William Dawson.
“Have a good trip Captain?” William asked Mason.
“Yes, very profitable. I see you have been very busy in our absence. I'm glad that you have come here. Anything that makes m
y wife smile the way she is now, as happy as she is I am more than happy to attend to. So you found her? You really did it?”
“Yes, it is quite a story. But shall we all go inside, you must be very weary from your journey.” William said.
“Right you are. Have the table set for a late noon meal. I want everything we have to eat on that table for I am famished and it seems that we have a lot of catching up to do. Tea at once,” The captain ordered his servants as they scurried inside.
“Oh yes husband, let us go inside, Adeline. Come with me to my chambers immediately so that I may wash up and get this dirt from the road journey off of me. The men can go have their cigars and brandy. We have so much to talk about and I am not to let you out of my sight ever again.”
Adeline laughed. “I yes I will come to your chambers of course, but I think eventually will have to let me out of your sight in a few days time whenever I have become the Mistress of Linwood, and must go there to attend to my husband.” Adeline said, showing Katrina the ring on her finger.
Katrina squealed with delight, so much that her husband had his ears. The men laughed and together the party of four walked inside listening to Katrina's excitement over everything.
* * *
chapter
4 6
* * *
A few moments later, Adeline was helping Katrina out of her riding dress, and clothing. She poured water into the wash basin so that Katrina may wash up.
“Please, a glass of port for both of us in celebration and to calm my nerves, over there on the counter. I am in complete shock and I can't believe this is truly happening.” Katrina said to Adeline as she washed her hands.
“As am I and I am more than happy to have this glass of port with you in celebration of our fortunate events, are reconciliation and my engagement. I am so so happy to see you Katrina, you have no idea.”
“I think I do. Oh my dear ,I must apologize that I was not here for you. Our dear Mr and Mrs Douvaine perished in the fire, I wish that I would have been here and not out to sea with my husband. I would have read it in the papers and come for you immediately. But once we were turned it had been more than a month, and I searched for you and could not find you. There was no letter from you, we did not know what to do. We thought that you had perished in the fire because we did not hear from you.”
“I know. It is a long and tiresome story that I will acquaint you with. After the fire I had no money, no possessions. Nothing to send a letter to you. I tried believe me I did. I even went to the Davis house to ask for assistance, and contacting you and perhaps for shelter. But they were gone to Brighton. I had no way of getting hold of them or of you. So I sought work in a factory, I stayed in a workhouse. I was only planning to be there for one month in order to earn a month wages to send a letter to you to Brentwood and to also pay for my passage to Brentwood. But in that 30 days I was in an accident and I lost my memory. The rest is so painful, Katrina. I thought that that's who I was, working in a factory workhouse and so that is who I became. I did not stay at that factory long but found another that was more kind to women and I worked there for 2 years time. Little did I know that William of all people owned it. I had seen him before while I was there but I did not know that I knew him or of my past. I had lost all my memories, though some things were familiar but some things were not. I will go into greater detail once you and I can truly talk, but I only regained my memory recently, but a few weeks ago after William had found me and took me to Linwood. I do have my memory now, and I missed you dearly my sister.”
Katrina was sobbing in tears. “ It brings me great pain to hear of your journey. Though we are both strong and we have been through very hard times, and have always endured them. They make us strong women, do they not?”
“Indeed they do Katrina. I am glad that I have been found and that my memory has returned and now I am together with you and with William. I have hope that things will be good and great again from here on out.”
“Oh they will Adeline, I promise you that. And you are to be Mrs Dawson, that is incredible and I'm so happy for you. You must be married here at Brentwood, do not wait. You have wasted so much time already with the illness that took you. I can arrange everything, please allow me to do that for you.”
“Yes, that would be very agreeable. If William accepts as well. I would very much like it to just be the four of us, I do not want a big wedding. I especially do not want to deal with the Dawson sisters, or William’s relations. That would be too much into overwhelming and I have been through a lot, barely getting my memory back. I would very much like a very small ceremony with just us and the Minister, if that could be arranged .I would be very happy to be married at Brentwood as quick as may be.”
“Then that is what you shall have. Now help me get dressed. I am starving – let's go downstairs before my husband and your fiance eat all the food and we can have a chance at it.” Katrina laughed.
“Yes, and then later after you have rested, perhaps tomorrow we can have a deeper talk and I can tell you everything in more detail of what has happened. You will not believe these things.”
“Oh, I can believe it and I am very excited to hear of your journey. Life is very strange. But you are here now and I am here. We have the men that we love waiting for us downstairs, and life can be good again, I am proof of it. I have been ever so happy with Mason.”
“And I am happy for you, for us.”
* * *
epilogue
* * *
Linwood Estate
Christmas 1869
The curtain pulled back, slowly. Adeline looked at Katrina, both of them had a pale white face with very red paint on their lips and rouge on their cheeks. They wore fanciful tall wigs, with many clips in their hair and dresses from the 18th century, that extended out at the hips farther than you could imagine.
“I am nervous, we have not done this in so long. It has been years,” Adeline whispered to Katrina.
“Yes that is true, but it will all come back to you. Plus this is such a fine joke to play on your husband, William will be delighted. Now straighten your posture; the curtain is opening.”
Adeline listened to her friend, and straightened and took the smile off her face. Katrina did the same and the curtain opened. They were at Linwood Manor, in the music room where they had set up a performance stage area. In the audience was William and his two sisters who seemed very unhappy, since they had always been since William had told them that they were not allowed at Linwood unless they were going to be kind to his wife. And even then, they were only allowed to come for holidays or special occasions. They were no longer allowed to stay there for long lengths of time. It was just as well. Louisa was going through a messy divorce with Mr Ashford, and was quite the scandal, but Adeline was relieved for it. She did not want to have any relations at all with that man, and in truth she thought that Louisa was quite relieved though she would not say so herself.
Eleanor was still a single woman, but there were many men that were after her, and she just wanted to wait until one that was rich enough to marry came to propose and make an offer to her and to her brother.
William and Mason sat together, and beside them sat John Huntley with his wife Charlotte Sutterfield, who are guests at Linwood estate on this fine Christmas holiday. Adeline had many festivities planned, her first Christmas holiday as the Mistress of Linwood and she planned to make the most of it.
But she enjoyed very much keeping it a small occasion and not putting on a grand Christmas ball like her husband urged her too. Perhaps that would be for the spring or next Christmas, for she did not want to overwhelm herself, especially in her condition.
“Now what say you is the latest gossip, Lady Bradford?” Katrina said in full character as she and Adeline walked across the stage.
“I am glad that you have taken this walk with me, Duchess, for I have great gossip that is quite the scandal across the county. I am very much excited to acquaint you with the news.”
Together they sat down, and pulled out decorative fans and begin to send themselves.
“Now, this is information that is going to shock you as well as shock all your relations and all that we know.”
“That sounds quite intriguing; you have my interest. Please tell me before I explode into a million pieces, for as a Duchess I am used to getting what I want and quickly.” Katrina said.
The audience laughed, they were quite a good performance, the two of them together.
“It concerns a small gift, a Christmas gift. One that was made in this very estate, grant you.”
“No. How was it made?”
“It was made with much love.”
“Love? What kind of love?”
Again the audience laughed at the joke.
“It was made with the best kind of love, unconditional love, love that spans decades, and memories lost and regained. It is the kind of love that one can only wish for and is blessed when it is achieved.”
“And pray tell me, Lady Bradford, what did this love create?
Adeline stood up, she placed her hands on her belly and looked directly into the audience at her husband William.
“The love created the babe that I now carry, the babe of my husband William Dawson.”
William shot up from his seat straight away. The look of shock on his face made Adeline smile and Katrina giggled. The audience was in complete commotion at the news.
“My darling, is this true?” William ran up onto the stage and grabbed his wife hands.
“Yes darling, happy Christmas. It is my gift to you, I carry your child.”
William dropped down to his knees and placed his face against her belly in extreme excitement. The entire audience jump to their feet and clapped and cheered. “Happy Christmas!” they all said. Katrina stood up and fanned William with her fan; all laughed.
A Poor Girl's Peril (#4, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 21