by Joyce Alec
"He's coming back," someone whispered, and sure enough, Barker was returning and went to the library. They couldn't hear what was being said, but after what seemed a very long time, Barker came out to address them.
"You are dismissed. Every one apart from you, Alice." Barker's eyes fell on Alice, and she frowned with concern. Why had he singled her out? Connie guffawed and bumped Alice deliberately as she walked by.
"You had it coming, Miss High and Mighty," Connie sneered, but took care to ensure no one else had overheard.
"What did you say, Connie?" Alice, in her innocence, looked at Connie and wondered what on earth was happening.
"Alice, don't keep your Lordship waiting!" Barker snapped at her.
"Certainly, Mr. Barker."
Alice walked into the library, and the Guildfords looked at her. Lady Jane was in tears, being comforted by her sister, and her ladyship looked pale. His Lordship was sitting at his desk.
"Alice, do you know why I wish to see you?"
He had never spoken to her in such a severe tone before.
"No, my lord. Have I done something wrong?"
"You were looking after the jewels for Lady Jane, were you not?"
"Yes, Your Lordship. I put them away when we arrived. Into the safe, as Mr. Barker had directed."
Alice's legs were wobbling under her as she had to remember the day of their arrival. There was so much upheaval and Lady Jane had called for her and she was rushing about.
"What would you say if I told you that Mr. Barker had found earrings in your suitcase?"
"No, my lord. That is quite impossible. I never separated the jewelry."
"Are you saying Barker fabricated the story?" His Lordship's eyes pierced through her.
"No, my lord. But I did not put the earrings in my case. I assure you of that."
She was trying to be strong, but it was very difficult when the focus was upon her, and she felt her face redden.
"And what if I told you a witness had come forward and said you had been acting out of character recently. You left the house without reason yesterday."
Alice looked at Lady Jane who stared back at her, but then looked away. She had gone on an errand for Lady Jane, but her parents wouldn't like to hear how their daughter was extending an invitation to the son of an earl that she fancied. Alice prayed that Lady Jane would reveal the truth, but Lady Jane didn't say a word.
"I was on an errand, your Lordship," she said calmly, hoping that Lady Jane would back up this part of the story.
"An errand, you say. Well, Lady Jane, did you send Alice on an errand?"
"No, Papa, I did not. In fact, I was looking for Alice, and she could not be found."
"Lady Jane?" Alice called out.
"Shush, Alice. Are you trying to tell me that Barker and Lady Jane are somehow in cahoots? You have put me in a very difficult situation. I've a good mind to call for the police and have you arrested, but Lady Guildford is fond of you. I do not wish any scandal either. The gutter press would love such a story."
Alice could only bow her head as she tried to hide her tears. She wondered what fate was before her. Then she remembered, Connie had distracted her that very morning. In fact, Connie had been unusually pleasant, and Alice, not wanting to cause offense, had let Connie see the jewels. It was Connie who had promised to lock them away.
"Your Lordship, I do not wish to speak ill of others, but it was Connie who had the jewels last." Alice said, praying the Lord would forgive for implicating others.
"Yes, Connie told Barker you might say something like that, but in fact, it was quite the opposite. Please do not try to implicate others. Connie has an alibi, which is what you seem to be lacking."
Lord Guildford seemed quite pleased with himself.
Now Alice understood. When Alice arrived in the house with the position of lady’s maid, without working her way up through the ranks, Connie was jealous of her.
Lady Guildford, as patroness of the orphanage, had taken a liking to Alice who was polite and genteel, despite her background. This was the payback for standing out as someone special, and no doubt Archie's liking of her, which drove Connie to come up with such a cunning plan.
"You will leave our employ at once, Alice. There will be no reference, as this incident has caused her Ladyship much distress. She gave you a chance of a better life, and this is how you repay us. Only for the kindness of her Ladyship's heart are you being spared jail. Barker, make sure she only takes what she is owed and pay her up today. I wish you would return the jewels, but I'm sure it is too late by now."
Alice's life was over.
"But where will I go, my lord? I have no one and no place to sleep. You can't turn me out onto the street. Please, Lady Jane."
But her pleas fell on deaf ears. While Alice had lived in London, it was in the orphanage, and she hadn't been allowed out alone, so she didn't know the city very well. Moving to the Guildford’s family estate had been her only home, outside of the orphanage.
She hadn't much to pack and soon was on her way out the door. Mrs. Dempsey, the cook, gave her hug and pressed a piece of paper into her hand.
"Alice, go to Betty, who used to work in the household. She'll take care of you. I know she will."
"But I didn't do it, Mrs. Dempsey. Why is this happening?"
Alice was in a daze as she was escorted onto the street. An hour earlier, she was thinking about new hairstyles for Lady Jane, and now she was in a strange city without anyone to care what would happen to her. Where was she going to find work? She was trained for nothing except being a lady's maid, but that career was over for her.
She had to take a cab to Betty Cooper's home. There was no way she could walk the streets at this time of night. She didn't know Betty very well, as she had left shortly after Alice's arrival. She had married and was living in London. Now she was the only contact Alice had.
Much to her surprise, Betty was welcoming. Mrs. Dempsey had kept Betty abreast of all the gossip in the household.
"That Connie. She's a sly one. Tried something like that on me a few times. She doesn't leave a trail, but some day she'll take on the wrong person and then she'll get her comeuppance. We don't have much, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like, Alice. Mrs. Dempsey spoke highly of you."
With the little space Betty had, Alice thanked the Lord for the charity she was receiving. Betty was helping her from the kindness of her heart. As Betty and her very quiet husband, Jim, settled into bed in a curtained off section of their one-roomed home, Alice lay by the fire. She began to cry.
Her faith had always been strong. She prayed, but couldn't help question the Lord on why He sent her this trial. She had always been a good girl, helpful and obedient. Yet it seemed to her that the bad ones seemed to flourish.
"Dear Lord, I trust you have a plan for me. It is not for me to understand everything. I pray for the strength to trust in Your wise ways, for now, I cannot see any reason for my predicament."
It saddened her to feel abandoned, but that was how she felt. How could the Lord allow Lady Jane's conscience to lie, how could Connie come up with such a plan when Alice had never done wrong towards her? It was so confusing. What work was she going to get now?
Despite herself, Alice fell asleep, to be woken in the early morning by Betty who needed to get the fire started to make her husband's breakfast.
Alice's new life was about to begin.
2
Edmund, the Marquess of Cholmosley, was getting ready to visit his great uncle, the Duke of Donningford. As heir to the dukedom, his position came with many temptations. His previous life as Earl Loftus had afforded him a quieter life, but with his elder brother's death, Edmund was thrust into the limelight.
He was dreading the encounter with the duke as the carriage made its way to Mayfair. It was never a good sign to be summoned by the duke; Edmund knew that, and he also knew the duke's patience was wearing thin when it came to him. Even as a child, Edmund's more sickly nature seemed at odds with the duke'
s hardiness, whereas his brother was more robust and acted in a way the childless duke felt children should behave.
His heart thumped in his chest as his carriage stopped outside the house and immediately the front door was opened by Jarvis, the butler.
"My lord, His Grace wishes you to join him in the study. He has been waiting for you," Jarvis said as he took the marquess's coat and hat.
"How is his mood today, Jarvis?"
"Variable at best, my lord. It is not wise to delay him any further," Jarvis led the way to the duke's study.
"I have a good mind to find another heir. It just isn't right. I’m thankful that your poor mother isn't alive to see this. She was my favorite niece, and that is why, I suppose, I give you the benefit of the doubt, but these foolish ways have to stop."
"Yes, Your Grace. I apologize," Edmund said as the duke continued to berate him.
"You have a responsibility as my heir, and I do not want my good name associated with any scandal. You need to mend your ways. No more drinking and no more spending time with those friends of yours that would seek to ruin you. No, I've decided that for the time being you will reside with me. It is the only way I can see that you are becoming a better—“
"Your Grace, my estate. I cannot stay in London…" Edmund interrupted, but the way His Grace stared him down, Edmund realized it wasn't a choice. He would have to stay in London.
"Jarvis, see that his Lordship is suitably set up. He will be staying with us for a while."
That was the end of the discussion. Edmund would be under the watchful eye of his great uncle.
It shocked Edmund to see that his entire wardrobe had been brought to Mayfair. His staff had known before he did that this wasn't just an overnight stay. He felt he was being treated like a child. After all, he was a grown man, he told himself. He needed to write to his friend, the Earl of Bosley, and give his apologies that he would not be able to attend the card game they had planned for that night.
"Jarvis, will you see this is delivered immediately?"
Poor Edmund really had no idea of how far reaching the duke's demands were. Jarvis was under strict instructions that none of Lord Loftus' writings were to leave the house until the duke decided otherwise.
As the days passed by, Edmund grew concerned that he hadn't received any invitations or letters from his friends. Was the duke right? Were they just friends with him because of his title?
For the first time in a long while, Edmund had the solitude needed to reflect upon his life since being earl, and becoming the heir to the duke. He had been such a quiet and shy young man. The social activities that came with his new positions gave him a great deal of anxiety, and he found that alcohol helped to transform his character into a bon vivant. However, the days following any excessive bouts of drinking were usually filled with forgetfulness and such a sore head that he wondered if it was worth it.
His home was filled with various types. Some he didn't know, but was too shy to exclude in fear of being left alone. Now that he was under the care of the duke, the Loftus estate was being cleared of its unsuitable guests.
Edmund’s disgraceful ways had come to the duke's attention some months earlier, by way of an acquaintance seeking money to keep quiet about the marquess's shenanigans. While the duke had paid the man off, it had only served to open up the floodgates and the duke had enough. His reputation for his great wealth preceded him, and Edmund was an easy pawn for those who sought to lead him astray and take advantage of his innocence. Edmund was unaware of how the duke suffered because of his behavior.
His only saving grace, from the duke's perspective, was his mother. As the duke and his recently deceased wife, hadn't been blessed with children of their own, they had doted upon their nieces and nephews.
As they dined one evening, the duke was interrupted by the arrival of a strange man. Jarvis had done his best to get the man to leave, but the man was insistent on seeing the duke. Edmund had no idea of the trouble he had gotten into, but this time, the duke had to act quickly or else Edmund would be implicated in a criminal matter. Edmund continued with his dinner, unaware of what was happening in the duke's study.
With the stranger suitably dealt with, the duke retired to his bedroom. Was Edmund's past ever going to stop catching up with him?
"Jarvis, we'll get him a wife this Season and that should cool him and bring about an end to these stories. Will you make sure that man is evaluated closely, and that what he says is true? Edmund has been a very foolish young man."
"Yes, Your Grace, I will deal with the matter myself," Jarvis said as he helped the duke to his bed.
Edmund was getting restless. He hadn't been allowed to leave the house since he arrived and he was bored. He had to find a way to make his escape as it began to dawn on him that the duke may not be letting him receive any guests. It wasn't fair, he told himself. He was capable of making his own decisions, and the old duke wasn't going to keep him a prisoner. He wanted to be part of London life, and especially as the Season was getting underway, many of his friends would be in town. He was going to find a way.
In the meantime, life was every bit as difficult for Alice as she had anticipated. She had difficulty finding work, and while Betty was gracious and hospitable, sharing the little she had, Alice knew the situation couldn't continue for much longer. She could see that Jim's eyes now rolled when he arrived home to find Alice still without work.
She continued to pray for guidance, but the good Lord didn't seem to be listening to her prayers. Alice felt alone, and now that her money had run out, she was in desperate need. While life in a grand house was hard work, there was a lot to be said for its clean living conditions. Alice had become accustomed to order and cleanliness. It had been her job in the orphanage to care for the younger children, but in this building, full of families, the children she saw running around were filthy and uncared for, and the odors seemed to penetrate her skin and hair. The building stank.
But she had to be grateful for this shelter, bad and all as it was, for without money, she couldn't support herself. She clasped her one belonging in the world, her necklace. She would have to sell it. There was nothing else she could do.
Betty gave her directions to where she might get a good price, and seeing as she had one of Lady Jane's old dresses in her bag, decided to wear it. If she looked like a lady down on her luck, the shopkeeper would be less likely to accuse her of stealing it, and therefore only give her a fraction of its worth. Betty agreed it was the best way and helped her with her hair. Alice was quite some sight leaving the slum that day in all her finery, although it pained her to relinquish the last connection with her mother. She had dreamed that one day, she would be reunited with her family. All she knew was that her mother had died in childbirth, but she never gave up hope that she would find her way to her true home.
It seemed that prayer would never be answered now as she prepared to part with her necklace. She held it in her hand and looked at it as she traced out the markings on the back. She didn't understand what they meant. The necklace had been returned to her when she left the orphanage. It was the only thing she had.
"No, I must trust the Lord has a plan in mind for me. He will help me find a better life," she told the necklace as she put it in her purse. She couldn't stop crying as she walked along the street, so much so that Alice found herself bumping into a passersby in her distress.
As Alice contemplated her future, Edmund was determined to get out of the house. With the duke out on business, he took advantage of his absence to slip out. Jarvis had accompanied the duke and really no one else was up to the task of telling the young marquess what he could and couldn't do.
Hailing a cab, Edmund gave directions to be taken to the less salubrious part of town. It was where the young aristocrats could indulge their vices out of sight of their parents. Even at this time of day, there was bound to be a card game.
Suddenly, Edmund was thrown from his seat as the carriage came to a sudden halt. He he
ard a commotion and having gathered himself looked out the window.
"I say, what kind of driving is that, you almost killed me!" He yelled, but he couldn't see the driver. However, a group of people were milling around where the horses were. Edmund tutted at having to fend for himself as he made his way to the front.
"What's happened?" he asked as the crowd stood back to let him through.
His eyes fell upon the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. But she was lying there so still.
"Is she alive?" he asked, and the cab driver who was kneeling by her said she was breathing.
"Then we must bring her to my home at once and call a doctor. Put her in the cab with her belongings," Edmund gave a glance at the boy who was edging closer to the woman's purse.
"I wonder who you are?" he asked the comatose woman who lay in the carriage. He had never seen her before, but her dress was so fine that she must be visiting for the Season, he told himself. At the house, the cab driver carried the woman through to the drawing room, where Edmund sat by her.
If only Jarvis were here, he'd know what to do, thought Edmund. He sent the cab driver to the kitchen, as Edmund knew he'd need someone to back-up his story when the duke returned. Edmund called for one of the maids to be present in case the woman came to and therefore, not be alarmed finding herself alone in the company of a stranger.
"What's going on?" the duke bellowed as Jarvis ran before him to open the doors.
"I go out and find you have left the house and came back with a woman. What do you think you're doing, Edmund?"
"I'm sorry, Your Grace. I just wanted to see the city. However, my cab knocked this girl over, and I couldn't very well leave her on the street. I mean, look at her. Someone is bound to be missing her."
The duke peered at the girl. She was dressed exquisitely. The boy had done the right thing, but how on earth had the cab run her over. Jarvis got the details from the driver. The girl had walked straight out in front of him. There was nothing he could do.
"I've sent for the doctor, Your Grace. Perhaps he may know of her. You know how the young ladies get faint and light-headed during the Season," Jarvis said.
