All You Could Ask For

by Angeline Fortin

  “You there. Close that door.” Eve spoke with authority to the open-mouthed footman who stumbled over himself to do her bidding. “Now, may I ask what is going on here?” Her expression was serene until her eyes widened as they met Kitty’s. “Kitty? Kitty, what is going on here?”

  The four people before her, and the nervous Hobbes to her rear, all began their versions of the tale at once in such loud voices that Eve could barely hear herself think. “Enough!” Her voice rang out and the hall fell completely silent. She wrapped an arm about Kitty’s shoulders, embracing her sister, unmindful of the soot and mud covering her. “You two may go,” she indicated to the footman. “Is this your…servant? Yes, all right, Hobbes, please see to our guests and prepare a room for them and my sister.”

  “Your sister, my lady?” Hobbes eyed Kitty skeptically.

  “Yes, this is Mrs. Hayes, my sister from America.”

  “A pleasure to be of service, madam.” The butler sketched a small bow to her, then turned back to his mistress. “May I bring you some refreshment, my lady?”

  “Thank you. A meal and tea in my sitting room, please.”

  “Coffee?” came a small voice.

  “Oh, dear,” Eve whispered regretfully, “I’m sorry, no. Chocolate?”

  “That will be fine,” Kitty answered, as she took Hannah from Sung Li.

  “As you wish, madam.” Hobbes started to lead the old man from the hall as Eve steered Kitty into the drawing room, when she suddenly remembered, “My driver! He needs to be paid.”

  “I shall see to it, madam,” Hobbes assured, and snapped his fingers to nearby servants.

  Once up the stairs and inside the sitting room, Eve flung her arms around her sister, disregarding the grime covering her. “Kitty! Oh, my goodness. Kitty, dear, how I’ve missed you. Oh, what are you doing here? Did Mama come with you? Da?”

  It took Eve a moment to realize that her sister’s shoulders were shaking, and a moment longer to realize she was crying. “Kitty, what’s wrong?”

  “Evie!” Kitty sobbed as she clung to her sister. “I thought I’d never make it here! I left him! I left him!”

  * * *

  An hour later, after Kitty had had a chance to bathe—she’d reveled in the heat of the water as it took the chill from her bones—and eat, she curled up in a large armchair before the roaring fire in her sister’s private sitting room. Hannah had been taken to the nursery for her own bath and a warm bed.

  The cold northern winds whistled outside the thick brick walls, and the slap of the rain against the windows mixed with the snap of the burning wood in the fireplace. Evelyn lounged comfortably on the settee, stroking her son’s blond curls as his head rested in her lap, and sipped a cup of steaming tea as she watched her sister stare into the fire. She wondered what was going on. Eve knew that coming to Scotland had, in some way, been a major step for her. Her sister said she had left Hayes, though she would give no details as to why. And, most peculiarly, she seemed almost…defeated.

  Eve wasn’t sure exactly what was wrong, but she knew she had to help fix it. Her sister had been trembling with…anxiety? Fright? Something had happened to Kitty in her nearly six years of marriage. Something that seemed to have nearly emotionally destroyed the Kitty she had known. Stiff and deathly pale, she kept looking at the door looking as if she had seen a ghost, so overwhelmed with emotion and fatigue that she was near a faint.

  He’ll find me. He’ll find me. The words pounded in Kitty’s head until she thought she’d scream. Why did I ever marry him?

  Because her father had wanted her to.

  She massaged her temples. At first, it hadn’t been so bad. It had seemed she would have a good life with Hayes and would have been satisfied to live out the rest of her days with him. They had been happy, content at first. That initial infatuation she had allowed herself had helped her see past his emotional outbursts and insecurities. Until it was too late. Until she was trapped.

  She’d known she would find sanctuary with Eve. That she would welcome her and her daughter. Her sister was always there to aid her. She was Kitty’s dearest friend. Her greatest ally and confidante. Even now, her sister’s presence was calmly, quietly assuring her of her support and friendship. Kitty could never thank her enough for that.

  She was never one to push too hard either, but Kitty knew Eve wondered what had brought her to Scotland. Why can’t I tell her, of all people? Why can’t I tell anyone? When will I stop feeling this awful combination of humiliation and anger? She covered her face for a long moment and sighed.

  “Can I stay, Evie? I don’t want to cause any problems…”

  Eve cut her off with a wave of her hand. “You know you can stay as long as you like. I am glad to have you and Hannah here. She’s grown so much.”

  “So has Laurie,” Kitty offered, grateful for a moment of casual conversation. She looked again at her sleeping nephew. “He looks so much like Da.”

  “Yes, and better Da than William, in my opinion.”

  Kitty raised an eyebrow at that but did not comment. “There might be a problem though, Evie. If Freddie comes to find me…”

  “You said you left him,” Eve probed, when her sister failed to continue. “Does he not know?”

  “Evie, please, not tonight, please? It’s been a long journey. I’m so terribly tired and, for this moment, I just want to know I am safe.”

  “You are, dear, you are.” Eve eased out from under her son and switched seats to sit down next to Kitty and put an arm around her shoulders in a comforting embrace. “After all, we are the Prestons. We will always find a way.”

  Chapter 7

  True originality consists not in a new manner,

  but in a new vision.

  ~ Edith Wharton

  I am a Preston. I am a Preston, Kitty thought the next morning, as she stared into the mirror hanging over the dressing table in her room. A small smile curled her lip at the thought. It was something that had been so easy to forget in recent years, but she was a Preston as much as Eve. As much as their father. Here in Scotland, after the first good night’s sleep she’d had in weeks, it was easier to look more optimistically at the possibilities of life before her.

  A Preston never gave up. Never stopped fighting for what they wanted. It was something she had forgotten in recent years.

  A light rap on the door roused her from her reverie as she turned to find Sung Li entering the room with a broad smile. “Happy day, missy,” he offered, placing the tray he carried on a small table near the fireplace and pouring her a cup of chocolate.

  “Good morning,” Kitty returned with a cheerful tone that didn’t even need to be forced. “I trust the countess’ man found you suitable accommodations last night?”

  “Yes, I have a very nice room. All the people are very nice, but curious,” the wizened old man chatted while he uncovered the plates he brought and encouraged her to sit and eat.

  “Curious about what?” she asked, digging into the eggs and sausage he had brought.

  “Some curious about you.” A tiny smile lit his face. “Some do not know what to make of me. A very remote place this is, that has never before seen a Chinaman in its midst.”

  Kitty stifled a smile at the thought. “I’m sure they’ll get used to you.”

  “Surely they will.” He waved a hand at her when she paused between bites. “Eat more, missy. It was a long journey.”

  “I know. Hannah seems to be recovering well, though.”

  “She is a child,” he said simply, with a philosophical shrug, as if that explained it all. “You will be riding with the countess this morning as she requested, I suppose?”

  Eve had brought her a huge pile of clothing to choose from earlier and had asked her to ride with her in the park after she ate. Readily agreeing, Kitty had chosen a habit of deep burgundy velvet so lush that the light played across the skirt like flames licking the cloth. The collar and cuffs of the short jacket were trimmed golden fox fur with machine-tatted lace of
ivory peeking from beneath. The fit was perfect, of course, as she and Eve were the same height and size. She had just been securing the matching hat on her tightly bound hair when Sung Li brought her breakfast.

  “I suppose I will.” She grinned into her cup, fully prepared for Sung Li’s next onslaught of wisdom.

  “Getting up on a wild beasty is not so good for you, I think,” the old man sniffed fussily, though she knew he secretly enjoyed mothering her so.

  “If you think my Claudio back home is a ‘wild beasty’, you should see the countess’ Angel. You might not think that Claudio is so bad in comparison.” She sipped her chocolate and envisioned with no little envy the wonderful animal her sister possessed. Like Claudio, Angel had been a gift from their Da several years ago and she was sure Eve had brought him here as he had long been her favorite mount. “He’s a wild one. Maybe she’ll let me ride him sometime…”

  “Now don’t be saying that!” Sung Li huffed. “I won’t say no more if you ride that one less than the one you have. No need to do worse than that.”

  “Worse than what?” Evelyn asked curiously as she walked into the room, slapping her riding crop against her skirted leg.

  “I was just telling Sung Li about Angel,” Kitty explained, as she finished the last of her meal and chocolate before setting her napkin aside. “It seems I have finally found something worse than riding my own Claudio.”

  “Angel is not so bad,” Eve said fondly of her massive gelding. Da had enough faith in her riding abilities to be assured she wouldn’t hurt herself on the feisty beast. He had also chosen Kitty’s Claudio for her, a Thoroughbred gelding of excellent lines and amazing speed. He knew his girls very well.

  “Not so bad, humph!” Sung Li sniffed. “Nothing worse than a horse. Dangerous beasts! You give me heart attack every time you ride, missy.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t look out the window as we ride away then if I were you, Sung Li,” Eve countered with a smile, “or you shall see the wild beasty I have chosen for my sister to ride this morning.”

  Kitty eyed her sister with an eager smile. “What have you found for me?”

  “He is from Francis’ stables. A thoroughbred bit of trouble called Ferhð.” Eve noted the emptied plate and cup Kitty set aside. “All right, then? Come, let us go for our ride.”

  * * *

  A half hour later, Kitty was trotting through the Royal Terrace Gardens on Eve’s Angel alongside her sister. Eve had given over her favorite mount to her for the morning with minimal coercion on her part. What a magnificent animal he was! A massive, black Frisian with a mane and tail that fell nearly to the ground and shimmered with every step he took. He was of such gargantuan size that Kitty almost doubted her ability to control him.

  Angel! A misnomer for such a devilish looking animal.

  Gaining control, she absorbed her surroundings. Though she hadn’t noticed when she arrived in the cold rainy night before, the Earl of Glenrothes’ monstrous townhouse capped the eastern end of Carlton Terrace, an affluent section of Edinburgh’s Old Town that rose on a cliff overlooking Holyrood Palace to the southeast and New Town to the west. It was a massive five story Georgian residence, fronted with palatial windows, gorgeous ironwork and carved stone buttresses at the roofline. All the other townhouses on the U-shaped street curved away from it, making it the crown jewel of the neighborhood. If she had been in a more appreciative mood the previous evening, she might have realized that the series of gaslight lampposts pacing the private lane likely highlighted the home beautifully in the darkness.

  As they rode down the park behind the row of housing, her sister told her that their longtime friend Abby and her husband were also in residence in Edinburgh and had a lovely townhouse in Moray Place, a circular neighborhood in the west end of New Town, not far down Prince’s Street. Perhaps in a day or so, they might ride there for a visit, adding that their friend Moira MacKenzie was staying there as well. Eve would be sponsoring their yet unmarried friend for a Season in London in the spring and Moira would be living with them as well, though in the meantime she was currently at Abby’s while Eve had her ‘honeymoon’ period with her new husband.

  Kitty’s heart leapt with gladness. The four of them had attended boarding school for four years together and were the best of friends. Not only would she have her sister with her through this, but her dearest friends as well!

  Feeling a welcome boost of spirits, she surveyed the park with pleasure. On this misty morning, the sun filtered gracefully though the branches of the ancient gnarled trees, creating a delicate shadowed lacework that reflected against the mist and fog. Despite the chill, the park was green with spring, its colors more fresh and bright than any park she had ever known, creating a fairy tale world lost among the bustle of the busy streets that surrounded the commons. It was a haven of hushed calm, soothing her nerves and sweeping away her remaining fatigue as they trotted westward the length of the magical woodland.

  She sat erect on Angel, absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the morning. The view in every direction was a joy, since the terrace was one of the highest points in Old Town. Beside her, Evie, too, seemed to savor the early morning air. Though many might consider this an ungodly time to be about, Kitty could easily understand why her sister rode here every morning. It was not the highlands, but the park had its own merit with its wide paths. It brought a calmness and perfection to life. It brought peace to the soul. She wondered what it might be like to ride wild and free across the highlands. There would be nothing like it, she supposed. She imagined it was free and releasing.

  Eve’s horse did not seem to feel the calmness of the morning, though. Ferhð pranced about with an itch to run. The stallion was a runner, she could tell by his long lines. Her sister controlled him easily, almost absently. She seemed to be as inwardly reflective this morning as Kitty. Her sister made quite a picture, she thought. Kitty envied her poise particularly, since it seemed the complete opposite of their lives as children. Eve looked exceptionally cool and lovely this morning as well. She was wearing a silvery velvet riding habit with darker gray braid circling the cuffs and high collar of the matching jacket, and lace flowed from the neck and wrists. Her lustrous honey-gold hair was twisted up under the short gray top hat she wore and was covered by a length of sheer silver veiling that wound about her, creating a fuzzy, unearthly cloud. Her gloves and boots were of matching dyed leather.

  The few fashionable gentlemen riding out at this unfashionable hour must have agreed with Kitty regarding the countess’ beauty, for many turned about in their saddles and stared as they rode past. She acknowledged without modesty that the complimentary looks were probably for both of them, for who could tell them apart? They looked enough alike to be identical twins—a fact that had always confounded their parents given that Eve was almost a year older than Kitty.

  Weaving about a low hanging branch, she watched her sister inhale deeply and wondered what she was thinking. The occasional sighs Eve emitted indicated that something was amiss.

  While they were trotting sedately through the park, Eve studied her sister. She had always been a charming woman, lovely at heart. Despite their constant correspondence, she’d rarely seen her sister since Hannah was born and the last time was in New York over a year ago. She had missed her so much! What could have happened these past years to bring her to Scotland in the state she arrived in last night?

  As a debutante, Kitty had been an original with her intelligent wit and genuine love of the world. Today—though she rode along that morning serenely absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of the park at dawn with some pleasure—there was an underlying edginess about her that Eve could not define.

  Eve sighed worriedly again, while easily controlling Ferhð as he tossed his head and pranced with his eagerness to run across the rolling lawns of the parkland. She always savored the silence of the early morning air in the park. Looking about her at the beauty of the morning, the dew still glistening on the grass and leaves, she wo
ndered how far she might push her sister. She wanted to understand what was amiss, but how to know without pressing her for more information?

  She would just have to be patient, she decided. Kitty would tell her when she was ready. In the meantime, she should focus on making her sister feel at home. That might not be so simple, Eve thought. Already Kitty was shivering against the cold Scottish morning. The chill of Scotland took some getting used to, to be sure.

  Then in the distance, she heard a hawker crying his wares at the morning market on Carlton Hill. Disbelieving her ears, she kicked her mount into action, waving their young groom back when he moved to follow, telling him she would return. She galloped through the trees, leaving her sister alone.

  Cutting through the park, Eve arrived at the market square within just a few moments. Targeting the proper booth, she halted the stallion and slid to the ground, beckoning a young lad over to hold the reins for a coin. Just as she had heard! One of the vendors was hawking coffee! Surely, that bit of America would help.

  * * *

  Kitty’s reverie was broken when her sister picked up her pace on Ferhð suddenly and disappeared into a cluster of trees. Well, where was she going?

  “Her ladyship will return directly, yer…er, ma’am,” the waiting groom told her, shifting from side to side in the saddle.

  “Where did she go?” Kitty asked the question of him that she had just asked herself.

  “Don’t really know, m’lady. She waved me back when I meant to follow. Tells me to wait right here and so I do.” He finished straightening his coat importantly.

  “Lady MacKintosh!”

  The groom and Kitty both swung about at the deep voice of command to watch the approach of the large, dark haired man who rode up behind them. For a moment, she was stunned into silence at the picture the man made. Never had she been caught so unawares by the appearance of a gentleman, but then she had never met one who presented such an overwhelming first impression before.