by Abby Ayles
He shook his head, still smiling. “Promise me … one thing, get my body to my fam … family. Tell my Marie that I l-love her. And the girls … tell them I will always love them. Tell them to forgive me.”
He stopped to heave a gurgling breath.
“And you … my lady … must get to safety. Head east. Keep heading east. You’ll find a v-village. There you can stay and send ... for your family.”
“We shall go together, Mr. Giraud. Stay with us, please.”
His eyes began to flutter closed, and Judith grew even more desperate, shaking him harder, as her tears fell uncontrollably.
“Mr. Giraud! Do not leave us, I beg you. You shall live, you will, please! You will see your family again. You shall speak to them yourself. Mr. Giraud!”
Her pleas did nothing. They were futile. Her regret wasn’t enough to save his life.
She knew when he breathed his last: His chest stopped heaving. She could no longer feel his breath against her skin, and he suddenly seemed to weigh heavier in her arms.
Her heart broke into a million pieces. Raw pain seared through her.
She did not know how long she sat there, bent over his body, as her sobs racked her. It could have been hours, days even, for all she knew.
When Amy finally managed to pull her away, the rain had stopped falling, but the skies were still dark, signaling that night was nigh.
“My lady, we must leave this place,” Amy said through chattering teeth. “We shall have to walk—the last horse has freed itself and gone.”
“We should check our valises,” she continued, “… see if we can’t find some dry clothing. It will be impossible to make a fire after such a torrent, not that I’d know how. Not to mention, it is dangerous to stay out here any longer. If the cold doesn’t kill us, then we might be attacked by bandits or, even worse, wild animals.”
Judith stared at Amy, her eyes hollow. Her head hurt from all her crying. So did her chest and eyes. She felt in so much pain.
She wondered if it would not simply be fitting to suffer in the way Mr. Giraud had. She judged it a reasonable price to pay.
She could not stop thinking about his family.
The pain they would feel when they received news of his death. She did not know them and had never felt what it was like to lose someone dear.
However, she could tell it would be difficult for them. Very much so.
“My lady!”
She started out of her grim thoughts.
“Did you hear a word of what I just said?”
Judith nodded her head slowly. “Yes.”
“Then we must move from here. I’m afraid we shall have to leave some of our belongings behind. If we try to carry it all, we won’t be able to get very far.”
She was already pulling Judith onto her feet. Judith followed listlessly.
As Amy was about to start walking back to the carriage, Judith stopped her.
“We cannot leave him this way. The least we can do is cover his body.”
Amy nodded. “You are right. Let’s do that.”
Together, they drew Mr. Giraud further into the woods and found a spare coat in their belongings, which they laid over his body, until he was completely covered.
Then, they sent a prayer up above for his soul.
As they prepared to leave the cursed spot, Judith whispered a promise, “I shall be back for you, Mr. Giraud. I am very sorry.”
They found some relatively dry clothes in their valises. Quickly, they changed out of their soaked ones and into the dry clothing.
Amy had only packed one valise. Deciding it would be wise to carry one, too, Judith picked up the first one she touched. She also carried the parcel her brother had given her on his wife’s behalf.
Affirming that her pouch of money was safe, the pair began their journey east.
Chapter 6
They traveled through the night, cold, hungry, and exhausted. As the skies grew darker, they lost all sense of time.
Thanks to the compass Amy had thought to bring along, the only thing they were certain of was that they were heading in the right direction.
They had no clue as to long they might have to walk before they came upon the village. All they had was hope and faith that they wouldn’t suffer Mr. Giraud’s fate.
Several times, Judith had fallen to the ground, unable to go on any longer. It was during these times that she rethought her decision to leave home.
She was overcome with regret at the realization she should have remained within the safe confines of Charleveaux. If she hadn’t so badly wanted to leave in the first place, none of this would have happened.
An the very least, she now had a better understanding that her parents had simply been desperate to protect her by keeping her within the walls of the estate.
Thus far, the outside world was proving a lot more threatening than she had believed it to be.
Only two days away from home, and she had watched someone die, been caught in a storm, gotten lost, and was helpless to do much else but venture into woods and fields that held the unknown.
Of course, Amy was ever ready to lend what little strength she had left, holding Judith up, so they could continue their journey, filling her ears with words of encouragement whenever her strength failed her.
After what seemed like an eternity, the skies began to lose their dark cloak and, as they brightened, the girls’ hearts lifted with joy.
Alas, the relief was short-lived, as the clouds soon grew dark again and the downpour returned.
They would have stopped, but there was still no sign of anywhere that could serve as shelter, so they stumbled onward wearily, getting soaked to the skin all over again.
When dawn fully broke, they finally stepped out of the woods and into a large clearing.
Judith feared to hope again, to believe they might have at last arrived at the village Mr. Giraud had mentioned. The rain had reduced to a drizzle, but they were drenched to their bones and shaking like leaves with cold.
Judith felt as though the cold had seeped into every part of her, making her teeth chatter.
She thought of home, of how she would have woken up in a big, warm bed, with thick covers, to the smell of freshly brewed tea waiting for her.
The memory brought her some sort of comfort. Closing her eyes and imagining herself in such luxury for a few moments made her briefly forget the present dire situation.
She was brought back to reality by Amy’s soft nudging of her arm.
“My lady, do you reckon we have reached the village? It’s strange—I see no houses yet.”
A sigh broke free from Judith’s lips as she opened her eyes and looked around. Indeed, there were no houses. There were no trees or grasses either. That counted for something.
“I think we must be very close. Let us continue, Amy. I have a feeling we shall find shelter soon.”
“I hope the people here are kind enough to offer us their hospitality. I have heard Mother say that not everyone is kind to strangers.”
“We are two ladies, who have obviously been through a great ordeal!” Judith snapped. “It is only by sheer luck we survived the night. Look at us, shivering and miserable. Who would have the heart to turn us away?”
It was Amy’s turn to sigh. As she did, Judith felt something twist in her heart.
Indeed, she was frustrated by their circumstances. Only now was the fear in her heart beginning to fade, for they had survived the walk through the woods without any attacks from robbers or wild beasts.
Still, it did not mean she should make Amy suffer the exasperation she felt.
If anything, she should be lauding her maid and friend with profuse apologies. Amy, too, would have been safe at home if Judith hadn’t all but dragged her along.
“I suppose you are right, my lady. We must be grateful. There is naught to fret over,” Amy said after a while.
Judith stole a glance at her and caught the sadness in her maid’s eyes. It was also in the tilt of
her lips and the way her shoulders drooped, as though defeated.
“I must apologize, Amy. I had no right, speaking to you in that way.”
Amy was quick to respond this time. “Oh no, my lady. There is no need … truly ... I understand. It has been a long night. I cannot fault you for your emotions. Think nothing of it.”
“It was my emotions that brought about this misfortune in the first place. I must learn better control of them,” Judith stated, once more seared by guilt.
“Only if you wish to,” Amy said simply. Judith took small solace from knowing that the girl meant it.
She couldn’t help a small smile. Amy was precious, indeed; kind, slow to anger, full of common sense, tolerant, and willing to serve.
Judith was suddenly aware that Judith had so many good qualities she herself lacked. Perhaps, she mused, it is time I started to learn a thing or two from Amy.
“Do you suppose Mr. Giraud’s body would be easily found?” Amy asked after a moment.
Hearing his name again, being reminded of his pain and suffering during his last moments, made Judith’s heart sink.
She was afraid that was a memory she would not forget easily; indeed, it would live with her forever. She was sure it would always be in her thoughts, both when she was awake and, in her dreams, when she slept.
It seemed a small price to pay, considering what Mr. Giraud and his family had lost on her account.
“I shall do whatever is necessary, Amy. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. We shall find him again, and we shall take him home to his family. It is the very least I can do.”
She paused to draw in a shaky breath. “However, we must find a place to rest soon. I can feel my toes and fingers beginning to grow numb. I am afraid I truly might not be able to move soon.”
Just then, she heard Amy gasp and turned to see what the matter was.
“My lady,” Amy said, looking up at something in the near distance.
Judith turned in that direction, her curiosity getting the better of her. As she did, she too gasped at the sight her eyes beheld.
“I think we might have just found shelter. The Lord does answer prayers!”
“That he does, Amy. That He most certainly does!”
They could not see the house entirely from where they stood. Still, they knew it was there. Just a matter of yards away.
With their strength renewed, they quickened their pace and walked towards what, the closer they drew to the building, appeared be a castle.
Finally, they came to a halt just before the giant gates. They stood there awhile, taking in the sight. An air of ancient grandeur hung about the place, yet at the same time, it felt strangely ominous.
“There is something odd about this place,” Amy whispered.
Judith couldn’t agree more.
The gate was huge, beyond any she had ever laid eyes upon. It was iron wrought, with the name DUNHAM inscribed boldly upon it.
Strong brick walls held it in place, just as tall and seemingly impenetrable as the gate itself.
Save for the gate, the high walls would have made it impossible to see the castle that lay behind. It, too, was massive and built to a design unlike any she was familiar with.
It certainly wasn’t the common architecture of the era; this was different.
“It feels as if it doesn’t belong here. As though it came out of a fairytale,” Judith whispered in return.
“Precisely. My lady, do you suppose our minds have gone mad from the cold, and we are now seeing things that aren’t there?”
For the first time since the storm had crashed upon them the day before, Judith cracked a genuine smile. She turned to Amy and shook her head.
“Your imagination can be wild, Amy. Thankfully, I do not think this … castle is a fantasy. It does look real.”
“It feels eerie. It’s too quiet, as though not a soul lives here. Perhaps we should continue trying to find the village and seek shelter in a less … grand dwelling.”
Amy started to turn, but Judith stopped her, still shivering.
“My feet have gone numb, as well. It is only a matter of time before my entire body joins them. Something tells me whoever lives here, this … Dunham, is perhaps, the lord of this village. Would it not be better to seek hospitality directly from the hands of the one in authority himself? I venture he would be in a better position to help us, do you not?”
She watched Amy struggle with a decision.
“I suppose you are right, my lady. Still, I must say, I do not like the feel of this place one bit.”
Just then, a man appeared by the gate, startling them both.
It took Judith a moment to recover, but her heart continued to beat wildly in her chest.
“Pardon me, ladies. I did not mean to scare you. However, I must ask your business. I see that you have been standing here awhile. Is there someone you wish to see?”
Judith appraised the man, just as he appraised them. He was dressed in fancy clothing from head to toe. Hat, a cane, a ruffled shirt, silk cravat, a dark-blue coat, and hessian boots.
All his clothing was darkly colored save for the shirt he wore. It looked to be pale gray, but it was difficult to tell from a distance.
He was clearly elderly. Judith surmised he might be the butler. No lord would tend his gate himself, and no guard would dress so finely.
Clearing her throat, she tried to straighten her shoulders, summoning up that air of confident authority inherent in her class and social status.
“Good day, kind sir. No, we are not here to see anyone. We do not know who lives here. We are, in fact, lost. We suffered a terrible carriage accident yesterday in the storm, and our driver was killed.” She paused, giving a moment of silence in the dead man’s honor.
“Before he passed away in my arms, he told us to go in an easterly direction. He said we would find a village there.”
A sudden chill overwhelmed her, and she shuddered as shivers racked her once more.
When she recovered herself a moment later, she continued speaking.
“We have been walking through the woods all night long. We are hungry, tired, and losing the war against this chill spreading to our hearts.” She shivered again, rattling her teeth.
“We would be forever grateful if you would grant us shelter. Just until this wicked weather passes, and we can make arrangements to be on our way again.”
She finished and waited for the man to respond, but he took his time, still appraising them.
“An accident, you say? From whence have you come, and wither do you journey to?”
“We left London yesterday to travel to my Aunt’s house in the north of England. I had hoped to reach my Aunt’s within four days, but, as you can see...” She gestured to Amy. “My companion here is my maid.”
Again, she awaited his response, but he said nothing. Instead, he made a gesture with his hand, and another man appeared at his side. He opened the gates for them.
Judith was unsure how she ought to be feeling. The butler, if indeed that is what he was, looked harmless enough, but he seemed strange—just like the house that loomed behind him.
The women stepped through the gates.
“Follow me, please,” said the butler.
They obeyed, silently trailing behind him, as he led them up the great flight of stone steps to the great portal of the castle-like manor.
Judith and Amy exchanged concerned glances, but they held their peace.
Finally, they stood before the massive oak doors of the entrance, and the butler stopped abruptly, causing the women to stumble.
He turned to face them.
“I am afraid I cannot guarantee you shelter within. I must first speak with my master and see if he is willing to entertain unexpected guests—who happen to be strangers. In any case, if he disapproves, I am certain we can arrange to find a suitable dwelling for you in the village. Please wait here, will you?”
Judith nodded. What choice did they have?
&nb
sp; Once again, they were left alone. Judith turned to see if she could spy the other man nearby, who was perhaps some sort of guard, but he was nowhere in sight. She looked at Amy.
“I see what you mean now, Amy. There is indeed something eerie about this place,” she said.
Amy answered, “We have time yet to turn around, my lady.”
“Oh, Amy. I am certain there can be nothing too bad about the place. The butler seems polite enough. And you heard him—should his master refuse us entry, we shall be helped to the village anyway.”
