by Gay, Gloria
“She is lucky her accident was not worse.”
“It will be, at the very least, three weeks before your sister is able to wobble about without the stilts. Also, she must remain on the bed an entire week.”
Dr. Vending made small talk with Dwain, about the area to which he had moved. He asked Dwain simple questions about stores in the neighborhood and such.
“Are you looking forward to your season, Miss Millston?” asked the doctor, when Lydia joined them, dressed in a semi-new frock. He deduced that Jalenta had purchased the frocks at a used store, for no seamstress could sew the few dresses so quickly.
“I am, Doctor,” Lydia replied with a guarded look at Dwain.
Dwain frowned and fidgeted as the doctor asked him questions.
The Sandvel coach finally arrived. There was a lady’s maid with it to assist and chaperone Lydia, as well.
The two men who waited with Lydia had two different reactions after Lydia boarded the carriage and the carriage pulled away from the curb.
Dwain frowned and cursed under his breath.
Dr. Vending, however, deduced that Dwain hated the thought that Jalenta was too sick to accompany Lydia. He smiled. At least, he thought, for a few of the the twelve weeks of the season, Lydia would be free of the oppressive presence of that woman and her awful brother.
Chapter 18
“Oh, my dear, what a lovely face you have, quite like an oil painting.” Said Lady Sandvel on greeting Lydia, tears streaming down her cheeks, melding with those of Lydia.
She had not seen her beloved niece since that wonderful month that Lydia had spent with them.
So much had happened between those sweet days she spent with her and Howard and now.
“Thank you, Aunt,” Lydia replied. She remembered that her aunt’s words as to her looks were completely opposite of what Jalenta often told her.
All her life she had been described by Jalenta and Dwain by various nasty epithets and being addressed by her aunt in such a manner quite took her breath away.
Was her aunt being polite? Lydia had a small mirror in her bedroom in which she could see only one side of her face at a time.
And there were no mirrors downstairs. If she had Jalenta’s face, she thought, she wouldn’t want any mirrors around, either.
“I am so happy to be your aunt, my dearest, your mother’s first cousin. Our last meeting, when you were twelve and spent a month with us on your thirteenth birthday is a wonderful memory we treasure.”
“It is one of my fondest memories, also, Aunt Julia, as was my visit with you when I was four or five,” Lydia said with a smile that lit her beautiful face.
“Thank you so much for your letters,” she added. “You cannot ever know how I looked forward to them. I know that sometimes, Jalenta was able to intercept one and destroy it, so I was doubly glad when one made it through to me. I hid them carefully after I read them, so she could not ever find them.”
“Let me show you to your bedroom, dearest,” Julia said, as Lydia followed her aunt upstairs.
“Your Uncle Harold and I have looked forward to this visit for years. When we were rejected in our bid to gain custody of you, you were never far from our hearts.”
“I am—so glad,” Lydia’s eyes also filled with tears.
How different her life would have turned out if she had been allowed to live with Aunt Julia and Uncle Harold.
“Your mother and I might have been sisters, so close we were as cousins.
“Harold and I applied for guardianship of you when your parents passed away, but Harold was stationed in India and the court decided against us.
“Your mother had acquired a devastating illness in India, and she gave that as the reason she decided against having you sent to India upon her demise.
“Then when we returned from India, we again applied for at least visitation rights. We were granted the rights to have you visit but shortly after your month-long visit, your uncle suffered a crippling attack by vandals on the street.
“I wished so much that I would be allowed to live with you,” Lydia said, her tears now sliding down her cheeks.
“That month I spent with you that included my thirteenth birthday was the happiest month of my life.
“I listened to Jalenta and Dwain talking about it, day and night in loud tones. That was why I found out you and Uncle Harold were trying to gain custody of me. But my dreams never came true.”
“Nor did our dreams concerning you come true, Lydia,” said Lady Sandvel, as she wiped the tears on her eyes with a linen handkerchief. We were trying to gain custody of you after that visit, and then your uncle was viciously attacked on the street.
“The little money we had was spent on doctors. Then one day, miraculously, with the aid of his doctor, he was able to stand up, and then little by little was able to walk again.”
Lydia was almost breathless on hearing all this.
And then Lady Julia Sandvel, who since childhood had hated suspense of any kind because it made her tremble in a very uncomfortable way, looked deeply into Lydia’s eyes and said:
“I have a surprise for you, my dear, and I hope it will be a good one. However, I will not do anything unless I have your approval,” she emphasized.
“Long ago, Lydia,” she began as Lydia looked intently into her eyes, “you met the nephew of a dear friend of mine. His name was Simon Westrick, the young Earl of Brandell. The name may not be familiar to you, since you were not introduced at the time.
“To refresh your memory,” she went on, “the earl was not yet eighteen years of age at the time and he ran into you at the London posting station. He handed you a posy…do you recall that, Lydia?”
Lydia gasped. “Yes, I do, very clearly, Aunt.”
“Simon remembers meeting you just as clearly, Lydia, and has kept the memory fresh in his mind.
“He has tried through the years to find you. He went back to the station the next day to inquire about you with no success and many times after that.
“He was very concerned that you were being abused by your caretakers. However, even though he hired a Bow Street Runner who looked for you inland and tried in many ways to locate that aunt you lived with, he was unable to find you.
“Simon and his aunt are to meet us at the park today, Lydia,” her aunt added with a wide smile, “and he is most anxious to meet you.
“Is it your wish to see him again?”
“Oh, yes!”
Lady Sandvel smiled at Lydia’s joyful exclamation.
“I’m so glad, my dear Lydia,” she said. “Let us go there, then.”
Silence was heavy inside the carriage. Lydia was overwhelmed that she was to see the young man that for years had invaded her dreams. How would she feel on seeing him again?
The carriage stopped. The ride to the park, which had lasted twenty minutes, had passed as if in a dream as Lydia heard Aunt Julia telling her they had arrived.
Lydia was helped down from the carriage and as she and her aunt started to walk down the park lane, ahead of them she saw a couple.
“See there ahead, dear Lydia,” said her Aunt Julia, “There is Simon and his aunt, Lady Cecily Ellswood.”
Lydia shivered with pleasure and excitement as she gazed at the young man who for so long had existed only in her dreams. Her eyes filled with tears and she felt her legs weaken so that she had to hold on to her aunt.
Simon reached her and stopped. He looked deep into her eyes.
“My lord,” said Lady Sandvel, “Here at last is Miss Lydia Millston!”
“It is my great pleasure to see you again, Miss Millston,” said Simon, his eyes, too, filling with tears.
As Lydia looked up at Simon the scent of violets and roses drifted to her. He held a large bouquet of them in his hand, which he handed to her.
She put the blossoms to her face. “I’ve kept the other ones through the years, my lord, even though they have no scent left in them.”
Simon glanced at Lady Sandvel and
his Aunt Cecily.
“Walk on ahead with Lydia, Simon,” said Lady Ellswood. Lady Sandvel and I will follow you. We have much to catch up on.”
Very soon they extended the space between the young couple and themselves, to give them privacy.
“I never stopped thinking of you, Miss Millston,” Simon said.
“I hoped so much you wouldn’t, my lord,” Lydia said and added, “Please, at least in private, would you call me Lydia? I feel as if I have known you all these years.”
Tears still streamed from her beautiful eyes. Simon wanted to embrace her, kiss away the tears. But that must wait.
“I will call you Lydia in private, as you desire, and will you call me Simon?”
“Yes, my lo—yes, Simon.”
“I’m glad you will be spending the season with your aunt and uncle,” Simon said. “And it is providential that they are friends with my aunt, Lady Cecily.”
“I am glad too,” Lydia said quickly. “They are my dearest aunt and uncle. But it still does not seem real. I feel as though I am floating in a dream.”
“Lady Sandvel assures me you will be attending the first Almack’s ball. I will attend, also,” Simon said.
“My aunt is a friend of Lady Jersey, one of the patronesses,” he added.
“Aunt Cecily has assured me she will secure permission for you to dance the waltz at Almacks, Lydia. She told me to ask you if you knew the dance.” he added.
“Yes, I do dance the waltz,” Lydia replied with a wide smile. “I learned to dance some of the ballroom dances when I was thirteen. Aunt Julia taught them to me when I stayed with her and Uncle Howard for one month. Unfortunately, after those wonderful days with them I had to return to that house with those awful people.”
Simon wanted to take Lydia in his arms and kiss away the horrible years she had spent with those monstrous people. He wanted to have her smile habitually, not suppress her smiles as she must have done all the years that she had lived with them.
Lydia looked into his eyes, her beautiful eyes awash in tears. “It does not seem possible, Simon, that we are seeing each other again.”
“Yes, Lydia. I have wished it a thousand times and hoped that someday it would come true.”
Simon offered her his arm and she took it. Then he placed his hand over hers on his arm.
“May I call on you this afternoon for a ride in Hyde Park? Aunt Cecily and I are to meet my uncle there.
“Yes, please do.”
Lydia felt strange and happy as the feeling of floating persisted.
She could hardly believe that this was happening to her.
Chapter 19
When Simon and Lady Ellswood, Simon’s Aunt Cecily, were in their carriage on their way to his aunt’s home, Simon asked his aunt why the Conty woman was not there. He had prepared to confront her if she saw her hovering menacingly over Lydia.
“She had an accident, Simon. Julia found out from the new doctor in the area, a Doctor Ernest Vending, that Miss Jalenta Conty will be confined to her bed for a week. After that, for a couple of weeks she will walk only with the aid of stilts.
“Is that not providential,” she added with a grimace. “I do not celebrate bad luck on others, Simon, but that awful woman does not deserve my sympathy.
“Do you know that she often blocked Julia’s correspondence to Lydia? Can you imagine such evil?”
“Yes I can,” said Simon. “She pinched Lydia’s hand right in front of me.”
“Julia and I must prepare to cope with her in the role of Lydia’s chaperone in three weeks’ time, when she is able to walk by herself,” said his aunt.
“By the way,” she added, “Julia asked that I meet with this Dr. Vending in her place for she had a dreadful headache but did not want to miss her appointment with him. I am to relay all Dr. Vending wanted to say to Julia for he is the new doctor of the area where Lydia lives with the Conty woman and her half-brother. Dr. Vending was anxious to relay to Julia some important information concerning Lydia.”
“I am glad you are to meet with the doctor,” Simon said. “Dr. Vending is the doctor that is treating the Conty woman. It most probably concerns Lydia.”
“The woman insisted she be allowed to participate in every ball and event,” his aunt added. “She sent Julia an abusive letter stating she was to be chaperone and had to be consulted on Lydia’s wardrobe purchases for the season. Can you fathom that?”
Simon just shook his head and helped his aunt down from the coach. They then headed to the drawing-room, where Lady Cecily ordered their tea.
“Thankfully, Providence has come to the rescue, Simon,” said his aunt. “At least for a few weeks, Lydia will have a respite from her.
“I believe Dr. Vending has arrived,” she added, “for that was the bell I heard.”
A footman interrupted them.
“Yes, Ethan?”
“There is a Doctor Vending here to see you, my lady. He said he is the doctor who treated the young lady’s aunt.”
“Show him in, Ethan,” said Lady Ellswood, and glanced meaningfully at Simon as they waited for the doctor. “This is the doctor I was telling you about,” she told him.
“My lord, my lady,” said Dr. Vending.
“Please sit down, doctor,” said Lady Ellswood.
Dr. Vending told them he had recently taken up the practice of Doctor Skendig, who had retired from his practice in the area.”
“I have some information concerning Miss Lydia Millston’s guardian, Lady Ellswood.”
“We are anxious to hear it, Doctor,” said Lady Ellswood.
In silence, Simon and his Aunt Cecily realized that Lydia’s life had been torturous and appalling, as the disclosures from Dr. Vending attested.
The doctor told that he had found out from servants in the neighborhood who had been dismissed by Jalenta, that Lydia had often been punished for a minor offense with whippings so hard she was often unable to move the next day.
She had scars in her arms from Jalenta’s numerous pinches and she was required to do servant work daily when she was the heiress on whose money Jalenta and her brother lived.
He told them that when he asked why Lydia was dressed like a pauper, Jalenta garbled some answer nervously, saying that Lydia’s clothes had been recently stolen and that she had made an appointment with the seamstress to provide Lydia with a few frocks to replace the stolen wardrobe.
“The following week,” the doctor had disclosed, “Lydia began to be dressed in appropriate clothes.”
When Doctor Vending left, Lady Cecily sighed and glanced meaningfully at Simon.
She and Simon determined that Lydia’s life would change but that they first had to gather evidence to present to the Magistrate.
Lady Cecily, her nephew, Simon, as well as Lord Ellswood, who had later that afternoon been apprised of what Dr. Vending had disclosed, were appalled at the treatment Lydia had received at Jalenta’s hands.
Later that afternoon, at the peak hour at Hyde Park, Simon, Lydia and Lady Sandvel rode in Simon’s carriage in silence through the main avenue known informally as Rotten Row. Lady Ellswood had found a few quiet moments to inform Lady Sandvel of what Dr. Vending had disclosed to them.
But this was such a special occasion for Lydia that Simon, his Aunt Cecily and Lydia’s Aunt Julia wanted her to enjoy it without any upsetting words. So they did not disclose the meeting with Dr. Vending and allowed Lydia to enjoy the afternoon.
Finally, Lydia broke the silence.
“I cannot tell you how happy I am this moment, Aunt Julia. I am only afraid I will wake up.”
“You will wake up and it will still be the same, my darling niece,” Julia said, leaning over to kiss her niece on her cheek.
Later that afternoon Lady Cecily spoke to Simon:
“Let us go to Green Park now, Simon. I promised to meet Lydia and her aunt there.”
Simon happily led his team through one of the exit lanes of Hyde Park and they were soon riding toward Green Park.
Ahead, Simon saw a carriage waiting for them.
“Sir Howard and Lady Sandvel are there with Lydia,” Simon said, a happy lift to his voice, “as well as Uncle Robert, Aunt,” he added.
“Yes. The Howards are sweetly punctual,” his aunt said.”
When they reached the other carriage all occupants of both carriages got out.
“I have brought a lunch and there is too much food for us,” said Cecily. “Will you join us?”
“But of course,” Lady Sandvel said, “That is, if Simon and Lydia are in agreement?”
“I am,” Simon said, turning to Lydia, who nodded eagerly.
“Let me first look at your bay horse, Ceci,” Lady Sandvel said as the occupants of both carriages got down.
“It’s a cold lunch, so it can wait a few minutes. It’s much too early for it. I would like to speak with Ceci for a few minutes.
Chapter 20
After their enjoyable lunch, Lady Sandvel and her friend Lady Cecily settled on the grass for a while, to talk of the approaching London social season, while the two young people sat nearby.
Simon was restless. “Would you like to walk to that arbor ahead?” Simon asked Lydia. “We will be careful to keep our aunts in our sight,” he added with a smile.
When Lydia nodded, they told the aunts of their plan and they then began their walk along the lane.
Wildflowers covered the park and beautiful shade trees spread above them. The cerulean sky was crisp and sunny, with birds twittering about. And although the sun was high, directly above them, there was a cool breeze rising.
Along the way Simon offered his arm to Lydia and she took it, gladly. They stopped in a spot by the river where they could still be seen clearly by their aunts.
So often just such a scene had appeared in Lydia’s mind during the sad years past that she could not entirely believe she would not wake from it.
“I often thought about you,” Simon said, glancing down into violet eyes that eagerly sought his.
