by Marie Silk
Henry did not answer, but hung his head. His mother, the Marchioness, looked at him compassionately. “Are you recovered from the voyage, Henry?” she asked kindly.
“I am doing the best that I can,” he replied vaguely, not wishing to worry his mother with the horrors he faced daily.
The butler suddenly spoke to Henry’s father, the Marquess. “Forgive me, Your Lordship, but there is a lady at the front door who is asking to see Master Henry, urgently. I told her the family is at dinner, but she does not seem like she will leave.”
Henry looked up quickly. “What lady?”
“She did not give her name. She is an American lady and appears to be quite distressed,” the butler replied.
Henry scrambled out of his seat and ran from the dining room. His mother and father looked at each other. “What do you think that was about?” asked the Marchioness.
Her husband shrugged. “God only knows, with that boy.”
Henry emerged through the doors leading to the castle entryway. Nellie stood there, trembling at the sight of him. “Nellie,” he said gently, not knowing what else to say.
“I thought you had drowned, and that it was my fault,” she whimpered.
Henry felt his heart beat faster as he moved close to her. “No, I didn’t drown. And if I had, it would never have been your fault.”
Nellie covered her face with her hands and wept into them. Henry put his arms around her shivering body. She relaxed into the sudden warmth of his embrace, and did not think she could pull away from him if her life depended on it. She was able to explain herself better once she calmed down. “I did not see your name on the survivors list. I thought you were dead all this while. I knew you must be dead when I did not see you at the party tonight.”
Henry was perplexed. “I am sorry you have worried about me all this while. If I had known you were still having the party, I would have come.”
“Truly?” she asked.
“Of course. I have wanted to see you—I did not know if I should. I did not want to serve as a reminder for the dreadful events of that day.”
Nellie looked up into his eyes. “But this is the happiest I have felt since that day.”
“It is the happiest I have been, too,” he confessed, his sorrowful eyes returning her gaze. “My parents are just upstairs. They will send a search party if I do not return and explain to them who was at the door. Wait here a moment, and I will return to speak with you properly. We can walk around the gardens, if you wish.”
Nellie nodded and said, “I will wait for you.”
Henry rushed back upstairs to the expectant faces of his mother and father. “Well?” his father coaxed.
“She is a lady I met on the voyage. She learned that I was a survivor and came to visit,” Henry explained. “I have just offered to show her the gardens.”
“At this time of the evening?” his mother questioned.
“The moon is full,” Henry countered. “It is nearly daylight outside.”
“Who is this woman, Henry?” persisted his father.
“She is called Miss Nellie Whitmore.”
The Marquess was delighted at the response. “Miss Whitmore! And she wishes to see you? You must bring her up to meet us, Henry. Let her witness the splendor of our family dining room.”
“Do you know of her?” the Marchioness questioned her husband.
“I know she is heiress to the fortune of the late Sir George Whitmore. My brother and his wife were meant to act as her chaperons during the voyage.”
“Oh, I see,” said Henry’s mother. “Please do bring her up, Henry.”
Henry turned and went back downstairs to see Nellie, who was drying her eyes. “I’m terribly sorry, but my parents are insisting that I bring you upstairs to meet them. I know it has been a difficult day—do not feel obligated, if you do not wish to.” But it was too late. Henry’s father had followed him down the stairs and was now standing next to Henry, waiting for an introduction. Henry sighed apologetically. “Miss Whitmore, this is my father, the Marquess of Caswell.”
“How do you do, Miss Whitmore?”
“I am well, Lord Caswell. I hope that I may be forgiven for barging in tonight,” replied Nellie.
“I did not realize that you and Henry were acquainted. You must visit him as often as you wish.”
Henry glared at him. “Father…”
“Henry has said he will give you a tour of the gardens. The gardens have been laid for hundreds of years. They are as much a part of English history as Buckingham Palace,” boasted the Marquess.
“I am certain to enjoy them, Lord Caswell,” Nellie answered with a giggle.
“I’m sure you know that Caswell Castle is one of the last in England to have a functioning moat. But do not worry—the drawbridge is always let down,” the Marquess continued with a wink.
Nellie smiled politely. She was pleased that Henry’s father seemed eager to welcome her. But Henry did not seem comfortable during the conversation and was relieved to finally walk out the door with Nellie.
Frederick and Lucy had just arrived in the drive at Caswell Castle. Frederick parked the car and turned off the headlights just as Nellie and Henry emerged through the front door. “There she is,” Frederick said. “It seems she is with Henry.”
“But why would she come here now of all times?” Lucy asked.
“Can’t you see? They have formed an attachment. It looks as if he is showing her the estate gardens. I remember doing the same at my family’s estate when I was in love with a girl.”
Lucy squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. “But I should go tell Nellie it is time to come home. She gave us a fright by leaving so suddenly. She must have hired a car to bring her here.”
“Let them be, Lucy. It is clear that your niece has been anxious to see him. It would be cruel to pull her away so soon. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Lucy sighed. “I will give them only a few minutes. Nellie knows better than to be alone with a man at night.” Lucy could feel Frederick staring intently at her, but she sat up straight in her seat and refused to look back at him.
Nellie was not paying attention to the gardens as she and Henry walked through the hedges. “Do you have nightmares about what happened?” she asked.
“I’m afraid I do every night. And sometimes, during the day,” Henry admitted.
“What can be done about it?”
“I don’t know that anything can be done about it. We must be grateful that our lives were saved and I suppose make the most of them.”
“You saved my life,” Nellie said quietly.
Henry smiled. “It may have been more selfish of me than it was heroic.”
“How is saving the life of another ever selfish?” Nellie questioned.
But Henry changed the subject. “Thank you for coming to visit tonight. I wrote you a letter as soon as I returned home, but I have yet to send it. I can give it to you tonight.”
“Why not just tell me what the letter says?” Nellie suggested.
“It is better if you read the words when you return to your aunt’s house,” Henry replied.
Lucy Whitmore continued to watch them from the distance and suddenly gasped. “He has just taken her hand! That’s it, I must retrieve her now!”
Frederick laughed. “Is holding hands really so scandalous?” he asked.
Lucy huffed when she turned to him. “Nellie has a reputation to consider. I will not sit idly by and watch it be put to risk.” Frederick was about to help Lucy out of the car, but she hurriedly climbed out on her own, her sudden rush causing her to trip to the ground. She fell on her face with a scream.
“Are you alright?” Frederick asked as he helped her off the ground, stifling a smile. “Oh no, I am holding your hands. Do you think it will be printed in the newspapers tomorrow?”
Lucy glared at him while she pulled her hands out of his and wiped the dust off her dress. Nellie and Henry heard the noise and came over to investigate. “Aunt Lucy!” Nellie
exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“I have come to take you home,” Lucy answered. “Please get in the car so that we may put this night behind us.”
“I will, Aunt, but please let me introduce my friend, Henry Caswell. He saved my life when our ship went down.”
“Thank you, Lord Henry,” Lucy said quickly.
“I am pleased to meet you, Madam,” Henry replied. He took Nellie’s hand again to help her into the backseat of the car. Then he discreetly pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. “Read this when you get home,” he whispered.
“I will,” she whispered back. She felt her hand brush against his one last time when she took the envelope. It sent a burst of electricity through her arm and shoulder, settling upon her racing heart. Judging by the look on Henry’s face, Nellie was not the only one who felt something when their hands touched.
The drive back to London seemed tedious. Nellie apologized to her aunt for leaving the house so suddenly, but noticed that Lucy seemed to be bothered about other things that Nellie could not understand. She kept quiet for most of the drive.
When Nellie had said goodnight and was settled into her bedroom, she sat on the floor by the warm fireplace. She was nervous to read what might be in the envelope and she could not understand why Henry would not just tell her when they were in the gardens. Nellie slowly opened the letter and began to read. Tears stung her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She covered her heart with her hand as the tears fell freely onto her lap, some landing on the letter and smearing the ink. She then lay on the floor and stared into the fireplace, slowly drifting into a peaceful sleep with the letter still in her hand.
Nellie,
I hope this letter finds you well. In our last moments on the Lusitania, you held a baby boy in your arms so that his mother could have a rest. I recall that the baby was taken with you as you held and smiled at him. But when we pulled away in the lifeboat, we watched the baby’s desperate mother hold him over the side. I am writing to tell you that I have seen the boy and his mother, alive and well at the hospital in Queenstown. They survived with only bruises and scrapes. I even had the privilege of holding the boy through the night while his mother rested. You and I saw many terrible things that day, and we have many terrible memories as a result. I thought you should know that this does not need to be one of them.
Your friend,
Henry
Chapter 7
Nellie felt a renewed sense of strength when she arrived at the breakfast table the next morning. Lucy did not say another word about the previous night’s events. She seemed to be preoccupied with thoughts of her own.
“How long have you known Captain Perry?” Nellie asked suddenly.
“What? Why should you ask such a thing?” Lucy answered defensively.
“When he introduced himself to me, he said that you were old friends. I just wondered how long you had known him. I never saw him before on my previous visits.”
Lucy sighed. “No, I suppose you didn’t. To answer your question, I have known the Captain for just over twenty years.”
“Why, that is a lifetime,” Nellie said in surprise. “He seems a nice man. Are you in love with him?”
“Nellie!” her aunt scolded. “Mind your tongue! You are going to give someone heart failure with your candid speech. Do not forget that you are not in America anymore, and such suggestions are most unwelcome.”
Nellie bowed her head. “I’m sorry, Aunt. I do not even know why I said that.”
Julia entered the room just then. “A gentleman caller is here for Miss Nellie,” she announced. Nellie hurried to the washroom to check her appearance before Julia could say any more.
“Please show him into the sitting room, Julia,” Lucy ordered. “I will be there in a moment.”
Nellie practically skipped into the sitting room expecting to see Henry. “Oh. Good morning, Your Grace,” she said to the Duke. Nellie seated herself in a chair and tried to mask her disappointment.
“Good morning, Miss Whitmore. I brought these flowers to cheer you. Your aunt has said that you are feeling better today,” the Duke said politely.
“I heard that you carried me upstairs last night after my fainting spell. Thank you for your help.”.
“It was my pleasure,” he said with a smile. “I am glad to see you again, Nellie. I was worried that you had returned to America for good the last time.”
Nellie shook her head. “I am not sure I wish to return now. I could never dream of boarding another ship across the sea!”
“No one could blame you for that,” replied the Duke. “I understand that you are looking to marry.”
Lucy looked up from her embroidery with wide eyes. She did not expect the Duke to be as blunt as her niece.
“My family wishes me to marry,” answered Nellie. “And I suppose I must…someday.”
The Duke laughed. “You amuse me, Nellie. I have always thought you had a spark of life in you that I do not often see in women. I think you would be a fun wife.”
Lucy looked back and forth between the Duke and Nellie, hardly believing the conversation taking place.
“I am flattered, Your Grace. You have likely heard that I am the sole heiress of my family’s fortune, but I think it only right to inform you that my mother is expecting another child. If she delivers a son, I will not inherit any fortune. So even if I was a fun wife, I would bring no money into a marriage with you.”
The Duke laughed heartily. Lucy covered her heart with her hand and held her breath. “Nellie, honestly,” she said nervously. “Give the Duke a chance to speak before you make such assumptions.”
“She is right, Lady Whitmore. I have come to propose marriage. I do not care about the money. My family has more than enough to go around.”
Lucy was nearly hyperventilating now. “Perhaps I will leave you two to speak,” she told them. She gracefully left the room, leaving Nellie and the Duke alone.
“We have shocked her,” Nellie giggled. “You are just as honest as I am, and Aunt Lucy can hardly tolerate when I speak plainly.”
The Duke chuckled. “I prefer it this way. No reason to take years to say something that should only take minutes. Life is short, as I am sure you know.”
“It is true,” Nellie said thoughtfully.
“So what do you say to my proposal? We could have great fun traipsing across Europe for a honeymoon. I require a wife who will keep me entertained, and I know that you can more than anyone else.”
“You offer everything that a lady could hope for, and I do not wish to appear ungrateful,” Nellie said slowly. “But I am afraid I cannot accept your proposal. You see, there is someone else.”
“I see,” the Duke said. “Then he is a lucky fellow. But if it does not work out with him, I hope you will consider me.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. You will make a lady very happy someday. I am certain.”
After the Duke left, Nellie was about to ascend the staircase to her room when Lucy stopped her. “Well?” she questioned anxiously. “Am I to congratulate you on your engagement? Are you to be the next Duchess of Staffordshire?”
Nellie sighed. “I declined his proposal, Aunt.”
Lucy’s mouth hung open. “What possible reason could you have to decline him? Even when you admitted you might be left penniless, he still wished to marry you. You cannot be picky anymore, Nellie. I only hope that you reconsider and that the Duke is still willing to take you after you have insulted him.”
“Post for Miss Nellie,” Julia announced, holding a platter with a letter.
Nellie was grateful for the interruption and quickly read the letter. “It is from Caswell Castle. The Marquess has invited me to dine tonight,” she told her aunt, expecting to see a reaction of approval. Lucy, however, did not seem pleased, and turned to leave the room.
Nellie wore a new evening gown to the castle that night. Henry’s father immediately gave Nellie a tour of the castle until Nellie’s legs were tir
ed from walking. “It has been in my family for hundreds of years,” the Marquess was saying. “Of course, we wish it to be preserved for hundreds more.”
“It is a marvelous home,” Nellie agreed. Henry walked alongside them during the tour but did not say much. Even at dinner, he seemed quiet and only forced a smile when Nellie would look at him. Nellie observed that the number of footmen and other servants seemed as many as might be at the palace of the king and queen. The dinner that night included rare and exotic delicacies. Nellie could not help but be impressed by the opulence of their lifestyle, especially when Henry seemed so down-to-earth.
After dinner, Nellie went into a drawing room with the Marchioness, as it was customary for the ladies to exit the dining room before the men. “My son tells me that you became good friends on the voyage,” Henry’s mother said kindly.
“We did. I was abandoned by my traveling companion just as we boarded the ship in New York. But now after everything that has happened, it is a great relief to know that she stayed safely behind,” Nellie explained. “Henry—um, that is—Lord Henry—was marvelous for conversation over the voyage. Did he tell you that he saved my life when our ship went down?”
The Marchioness smiled warmly. “He is too modest to admit such things. It does sound like my Henry, though. I am glad you told me.”
While Nellie and the Marchioness spoke in the drawing room, Henry and his father remained in the dining room. The Marquess was insistent. “You must act now, Henry. It is all over town that the Duke of Staffordshire wishes to claim her for a wife. Ask her tonight before she accepts him and you lose her forever.”
“If she wishes to marry the Duke, then who am I to prevent her? It is her decision, not the Duke’s, or yours, or anyone else’s.”
The Marquess was aghast. “Do you mean to say you will not ask her tonight? And leave our family’s legacy to crumble when I am dead? It is your duty to your family!”
Henry sighed. “I want to ask her, Father. But not like this.” He suddenly rose from his chair and left to join the ladies in the drawing room.
