by Elaine Hart
“Or,” Mr. James said, “perhaps you should enjoy the peace.”
“Perhaps you are right,” the Duke muttered as he lowered his gaze and turned back to Mr. James. “Shall we continue?”
“Certainly, Your Grace. When you are ready, of course,” Mr. James said.
The Duke nodded and pursed his lips briefly. “It is of great importance that you find the time to acknowledge this correspondence, as measures will be taken if it was not received. Furthermore—”
A high-pitched scream suddenly sounded from afar, and the Duke’s shoulders slumped. It certainly had been too good to be true. The Duke rushed to the window and his eyes widened as he watched in horror as Lady Lucy and his youngest daughter, Diana, ran across the grass yard, chased by what appeared to be bees. The Duke recalled how Diana had a severe allergic reaction when she was stung by a single bee, and this situation was certainly bound to turn out as catastrophic. Fatal even.
The Duke rushed passed Mr. James and said, “A matter of urgency, Mr. James.”
Mr. James simply watched as the Duke rushed out of the study and disappeared down the hallway.
“Run, Diana!” Lady Lucy screamed out as the bees still chased after her and Lady Diana.
Lady Diana screamed as she followed her older sister down the meadow towards the house. “Help me!”
“To the water, Diana,” Lady Lucy called out and they ran to the lake on the far side of the estate.
Lady Diana’s chest was burning, but she followed her sister. She remembered the previous time she was stung by a bee. She had had a terrible reaction to the sting and spent nearly a week in bed. Adamant not to be stung again, she ran to the lake and without even a second’s thought, she jumped in, along with Lady Lucy. The water was deep enough for them to stand, but they remained partially submerged, hoping the bees would tire from chasing them and return to the broken beehive which the two girls had played around. After a short while the bees seemed to fly away and Lady Lucy and Lady Diana exchanged relieved glances.
Lady Diana’s expression changed to that of anger and annoyance and she splashed water at Lady Lucy.
“That was all your fault,” Lady Diana muttered.
“How was that my fault?” Lady Lucy laughed.
“You threw the rock at the hive. I told you not to do that,” Lady Diana exclaimed.
“Stop being such a baby,” Lady Lucy said and stuck her tongue out, splashing water at Lady Diana.
The two girls splashed and shouted at one another until they heard their father’s stern voice coming from the edge of the lake.
“Enough!”
Lady Lucy and Lady Diana froze and pursed their lips, silenced instantaneously.
“Get out of the water, now,” the Duke ordered.
The girls climbed out of the lake and they stood in front of the Duke, drenched. Lady Diana stepped forwards and said, “Father, I—”
“Not a word,” he said sternly. “Get yourselves cleaned up.”
“Father,” Lady Lucy attempted, but was met with a stern and menacing look.
They nodded obediently and quickly made their way inside, leaving a trail of water as far as they walked.
After she was dried off and changed into dry clothes, Lady Lucy glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed. Her hair was still damp and she ran her fingers through her tresses, wondering if her hair would ever be as beautiful as that of her oldest sister, Lady Caroline. Lady Caroline was now in fact the Marchioness of Dunlop after marrying Lord Erasmus, who later became the Marquess of Dunlop after his older, troublemaker brother was revoked of his title.
There was a knock on her bedchamber door and her maidservant, Sarah, entered.
“My lady, His Grace would care to speak with you in his study,” Sarah said.
“I am on my way,” Lady Lucy said with a miserable sigh and followed Sarah to her father’s study.
Sarah opened the door for her and Lady Lucy stepped inside. The Duke and Duchess stood beside the desk, and Lady Lucy felt rather weak as their eyes rested on her.
“Mother, Father,” she said quietly and glanced at them.
“I am very disappointed in you, Lucy,” the Duke said.
“I can see that,” she muttered.
“What you did today was not only foolish, but it was reckless and dangerous. You are well aware of what happens when Diana is stung by a bee. Yet you had no problem having her chased by a swarm of angry bees.”
“It was an accident, Father. I was not aiming the rock at the hive, I swear,” Lady Lucy defended herself.
“That does not put me to ease, Lucy.”
“That did not come out right, Father. I would never put Diana in harm’s way. She is my sister, and the only one I have left, for that matter.”
“That is not true,” the Duke insisted.
“Is that how you feel, Lucy?” the Duchess asked.
“Caroline and Rebecca left to get married. Heaven knows when I will see them again. They have their own lives now, their own families,” Lady Lucy muttered and her expression grew very sardonic. “Nothing of interest here to them. It is only their childhood home, and Diana and I are merely their sisters. We are not important any longer.”
“Lucy, that is not true. They will always be your sisters,” the Duchess said with reassurance and Lady Lucy glanced at her, not entirely convinced.
“We are straying off topic,” the Duke pointed out.
“I am sorry, Father and Mother. There is no excuse for what I did today,” Lady Lucy apologised.
The Duke sighed and shook his head. “It is not only today, Lucy. You have overstepped your boundaries many times. You have proven to us that you are not obedient. Our home has been filled with bees, and rabbits, dirt and woodchips, rocks and ants. Should I carry on?”
“No, Father. I understand.”
“Good, that is why your mother and I have decided to send you to live with your grandmother.”
“What?” Lady Lucy exclaimed.
“You are to remain in her care until you have calmed down and can present yourself as a proper lady. No more of this tomfoolery,” the Duke answered.
Lady Lucy’s jaw dropped and she glanced at her mother. “You are allowing him to send me away?”
“It was both of our decision, Lucy. Your father and I think that it will be for the best,” the Duchess answered.
“You are sending me away,” she said and her eyes filled with tears. “I am your daughter, you cannot do this. What of Diana?”
“She will be alright, and not stung by a bee.”
“Father, you are being unreasonable,” Lady Lucy said and shook her head.
“I have been tolerant of your antics for way too long. It ends today. Sarah will pack your things, and a coach will be waiting for you to take you to Compton Castle. That is the end of it,” the Duke said and walked past Lady Lucy, leaving the study.
“Mother,” Lady Lucy begged, “you cannot allow this.”
The Duchess shook her head and said in a remorseful tone, “I am sorry, Lucy, but we have made up our minds. This will be a good thing for you. It will give you the chance to explore yourself, and find out who you truly are.”
“But I already know who I am, Mother,” Lady Lucy insisted.
“Perhaps you can better yourself,” the Duchess suggested.
“I thought you loved me the way I am,” Lady Lucy said with a pout and crossed her arms.
“I do, my darling, but—”
“But why do you insist that I change?”
“Change for the better, my dear,” the Duchess said and approached Lady Lucy. “You have the chance to prove to your father, and to yourself, that you are as noble in your actions as you are in your heart.”
“Mother,” she whispered. “Please do not do this to me. You are supposed to love me and care for me.”
“That is what I am trying to do, my dearest daughter,” the Duchess said in a kind and quiet voice. It was simply the way the Duchess was. She had nev
er once raised her voice at the children, and whenever they were to be punished or scolded, the Duke gladly stepped in to do just that. “I am trying to do what is best for you.”
“But Grandmother is terrifying,” Lady Lucy contended.
“Perhaps, but her heart is noble and she is wise. She has much to teach you,” the Duchess said.
“Nothing that I do not already know,” Lady Lucy muttered under her breath.
“I believe in you, Lucy.” The Duchess cradled her daughter’s face with both her hands and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before wordlessly leaving the study.
Lady Lucy lowered her gaze and tears streamed down her cheeks, feeling betrayed by her own parents. Lady Lucy was well aware that nothing she could do or say would be able to convince them to allow her to stay, which only made her feel more helpless.
May 1814
Compton Castle
Raignton
Devonshire
England
It had been several years since Lady Lucy had been to Compton Castle, but she was still as fearful of it as she had been her entire life. Compton Castle was rather eerie, in her opinion. Vines grew along the stone building, and stone sculptures guarded the outside and the gardens with cold, stern stares. It was most certainly not a place she had been fond of visiting. Her older sisters, Lady Rebecca and Lady Caroline, told her tales that Compton Castle was haunted by an evil spirit who despised children, especially third-borns, and the spirit would grab her ankles when she slept and drag her under the bed. Lady Lucy had been terrified of sleeping there on her own back then, but now she would be living there until she ‘calmed down and could behave properly’, according to her parents.
As she climbed out of the coach with her parents, and the coachmen unloaded her luggage from the coach, her grandmother, Lady Hudson, appeared at the front door. She was older than Lady Lucy remembered. Her dark grey hair was neatly combed and pinned tightly off of her face, revealing the wrinkles on her pale skin. Lady Lucy instantly thought her grandmother as ill, but she dared not say a word, as she feared the only illness her grandmother had was old age. She did not wish to cause trouble for herself already; instead, she merely followed her parents to greet the old woman.
“Mother,” the Duchess greeted her with a warm smile and a loving embrace. “How wonderful it is to see you.”
“Indeed,” Lady Hudson smiled tightly as she glanced at Lady Lucy. “Such a pity it is under these circumstances.”
Lady Lucy lowered her gaze and felt more embarrassed and ashamed as she thought she should be. She followed her parents and her grandmother to the dining room for dinner, and Lady Lucy felt rather disheartened by the entire situation.
She kept to herself mostly at dinner, only answering questions directed at her. Her parents seemed unaware of her misery, still firmly standing by their decision that Lady Lucy live at Compton House until she calmed herself.
After dinner, the Duke and Duchess said their goodbyes to Lady Lucy, and Lady Lucy refrained from showing her emotions as she watched her parents’ coach drive away.
She turned to Lady Hudson and pursed her lips briefly.
“You must be exhausted,” Lady Hudson said, and motioned her inside.
“Only a little,” Lady Lucy admitted.
“Come along. I will show you to your chambers,” Lady Hudson said.
Lady Lucy’s chamber was not difficult to find. It was atop the stairwell, the first door on the left. It was a warm and spacious room, meticulously decorated in hues of blue, Lady Lucy’s favoured colour. A lovely dressing table stood in the corner, and the large window had a small balcony which overlooked the side of the estate that bordered a forested area. It made Lady Lucy slightly anxious, but she was well-aware her imagination was far too vivid for her own good.
“Breakfast is at eight, do not be late. In fact, do not be late for anything. You are not to speak too loud, or too incessantly. The library is at your disposal whenever you feel the need to educate yourself. No running in the hallways, or anywhere inside, for that matter. I am unavailable at noon every day—”
“Doing what?” she asked.
“No interrupting,” Lady Hudson scolded.
“I apologise.”
“I teach in the music room, and must not be disturbed.”
Lady Lucy nodded quietly.
“Your mother caught me by surprise, but it was not unexpected. You seem to have a disregard for rules, Lucy, but here in my home, my rules will not be broken,” Lady Hudson said. “Is that clear?”
“Yes, my lady,” Lady Lucy answered simply.
“If there is anything you require, the maidservants will assist you, within reason, of course.”
“Of course, my lady.”
“Wonderful. As long as you follow the rules, we will get along swimmingly,” Lady Hudson said with a taut smile. “I will turn in for the evening, and I suggest you do the same.”
Lady Lucy nodded and watched as her grandmother left her chambers and closed the door behind her. Lady Lucy fell miserably onto her bed, and wondered whether she truly deserved the hand she had been dealt.
A short while later, Lady Lucy was tucked under the covers, lying in the dark. Her eyes were wide as she listened to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. There were more than a few times she was required to sit upright and convince herself that nothing was outside, or inside, wishing to harm her. She knew well enough the tales her sisters had told her were not true, but she could not help but still feel terrified as she sat in the dark, unable to see anything around her. She slipped out of her bed and walked to the window, which was covered by heavy velvet drapes. She drew back the drapes and gazed out the window. The moon was full and bright, casting light on the dark, forested area. Lady Lucy kept the drapes open; at least it lightly drenched her dark chambers in moonlight. It certainly did not allow her to sleep more soundly, for now she feared she might see the spirit who haunted Compton Castle, however irrational it sounded to her in her mind.
Chapter Two
May 1814
Compton Castle
Raignton
Devonshire
England
The sweet sounds of the piano floated through the hallways and into the library, where Lady Lucy paged absentmindedly through a book. She was not even certain what it was about, as she did not find reading as fascinating as her older sisters. Lady Rebecca’s love for romance novels was truly unfathomable to Lady Lucy, and even Lady Caroline’s love for history books and poetry seemed utterly tedious.
Lady Lucy was excruciatingly bored, and she longed to run and play. She truly missed her home and her sisters, and felt very lonely at her grandmother’s estate, who made absolutely no effort to spend time with her granddaughter. Lady Lucy realised that she was an inconvenience to Lady Hudson, as she disrupted her life progressively, but Lady Lucy did not ask to be sent here. If anyone was to blame, it would be her parents.
She closed the book with a scowl and left the library, wandering through the hallways. Perhaps she could interest her grandmother in taking her for a carriage ride, or allowing her to spend the afternoon outside. It was such a lovely day, and it was an absolute shame that she had to spend it indoors. The sunlight danced through the open windows as she made her way down the lower hallway. The music grew louder and Lady Lucy stopped in front of the door, which was slightly ajar. She peeked inside and saw Lady Hudson standing with her back towards the door, moving her hand in time with the melody. Lady Lucy averted her eyes to the grand piano which stood in the middle of the room and noticed a young man, who was about her age, sitting on the piano stool. His fingers danced gracefully across the keys, and Lady Lucy found herself smiling at the young man. He was quite dashing; light brown hair parted to the side, his shoulders were straightened as he sat perfectly perched on the stool. His left foot tapped in perfect time with the melody, a melody which seemed to sink deep into Lady Lucy’s soul. She wondered who the young man was, but she doubted very much her grand
mother would introduce her to him. She stood silently and watched as he skillfully ended the piece of music. Lady Lucy was surprised to see Lady Hudson smile at him, as she was under the impression the old woman’s face might tear, or crack.
“Good work, my lord,” Lady Hudson beamed. “You have improved tremendously.
“It is all thanks to you, Lady Hudson,” he said with a nod and placed his hands on his lap. “I have indeed been practising every evening, much to the dismay of my brothers.”
“I can only imagine. Your brothers remind me of my granddaughter,” Lady Hudson said.
“Wayward and beyond control?” he asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” Lady Hudson answered dryly.
Lady Lucy scowled and shook her head. She had heard quite enough from her grandmother and made her way to the terrace, where the maidservant, May, asked her whether she would care for some tea.
“That would be lovely,” Lady Lucy answered simply and sat on the chair, gazing at the meadow. She noticed how timid the forested area looked in the sunlight. It was not at all frightening and threatening as she had imagined it to be. Perhaps her imagination had gotten the best of her last night, as it was only her first night at Compton Castle.
Lady Lucy had finished her tea, not certain how long she had been sitting on the terrace, when her grandmother stepped out onto the terrace as well. Lady Lucy glanced at her and smiled slightly.
“I imagined I might find you out here,” Lady Hudson said simply.
“Am I not allowed to be here?” Lady Lucy asked with a frown.
“I did not say that. You are welcome on the terrace,” Lady Hudson answered.
“As long as I do not run awry in the gardens, being chased by bees,” Lady Lucy muttered.
“Lucy, you do understand why that upset your mother and father, do you not?” Lady Hudson asked.
“Indeed I do, Grandmother. I was reckless and put Diana’s life in danger. Perhaps I was not thinking clearly at that moment,” Lady Lucy admitted.
