Tempted by Curiosity

by Angeleke Kaldis

  Marcella was closest to the piano room at the moment, and from inside the room she could see that there was the most beautiful pianoforte in all of existence sitting within the center of the room with painted cherubs dancing about on the inside of it.

  There were large paintings of various families relaxing in the English wilderness and there were other paintings of random people hunting together on horseback.

  The furniture in every room looked to be of a chestnut wood accented with various gold flakes, for a sense of wealth no doubt. This home was as unique looking as the Pinkerton family themselves. In a way, it was a very old traditional English home, and that to Marcella felt like the right place to be right now.

  “Louisa! I thought I told you earlier to stay by your mother’s side.” Lord Gerard’s voice amplified as Marcella saw that he was shaking his head in direct discontentment.

  All of a sudden, a girl with ash blonde hair and of a slight medium stature emerged from behind her father. Her cheeks had turned a bright petal pink and she looked embarrassed by his exclamation. She looked to be on the verge of tears.

  The poor girl spoke with a whispered voice, “I’m sorry father.”

  So this must be the Lady Louisa that her mother had mentioned to her. The girl was soft-spoken, and very proper. The young lady knew how to hide in plain sight, and that could come in handy, or it could label her an official wallflower right before the season even started.

  Lady Louisa’s light brown eyes looked up at her family’s guests. Both Marcella and Lord Ernest were looking right at her with an equally shocked expression on both of their faces.

  The lady then spoke with formality, “Lord Stansfield, and Lady Marcella, it is truly a pleasure having you both here in our home for supper. My name is Lady Louisa Pinkerton. Pleased to meet you both.”

  She then gave a quick curtsy, and then plastered a small smile on her face. Marcella smiled back, and then performed an equally quick and small curtsy in return.

  Lady Pinkerton then looked to her second daughter and said, “Louisa dear, I think it would be a genteel idea if you’d accompany Lady Marcella as we all head to the dining room together.”

  Louisa nodded, “Of course Mother. Lady Marcella, if you’d please.”

  Louisa motioned for Marcella to join her side as they walked towards the dining room, “I hope your stay here with us will be an enjoyable one Lady Marcella.”

  “Thank you, Lady Louisa. I know that this may be a bit of an inconvenience for you and your family to take me into your home with such short notice. So I thank you for everything in advance.”

  Louisa laughed lightly, “Oh balderdash! This is going to be such great fun. I have always wanted a friend, and I heard such nice things about you from my mother. Apparently, our mother’s met during their first London season and they seem to still be very good friends. Hopefully, we can be just like them, perhaps even better.”

  Marcella saw a sort of sadness that she could not understand looming about in Lady Louisa’s light brown eyes. It resembled the sadness that she had seen in Lady Rachel’s eyes minutes before. Marcella had heard that Louisa was fated to become a wallflower, but she thought that that was just an unkind rumor that older mammas were spreading. Apparently, that so-called rumor wasn’t a rumor after all.

  Louisa was destined, and was most definitely going to be, a wallflower.

  An idea sprung into Marcella’s mind. She would make it her mission this London season to make Louisa something more than just a wallflower.

  It wasn’t an impossible thing, surely while she was looking for a way out of her father’s financial situation she could also help out her new friend, right?

  She didn’t know how she would do it, but Marcella would find a way.

  The Stansfield’s always found a way.

  Always.

  Marcella had to bring a bit of that curious Stansfield pride, that she knew so well, into this Pinkerton house. These Pinkerton sisters needed a nice slap of pure happiness in their lives.

  Lady Louisa looked hesitant as she glanced up at Marcella.

  So Marcella took control of the silence, “If you want, later tonight after we retire we can talk about anything you’d like. I’m sure that you have many questions about me. I know that I already have many questions for you. We can get to know each other better, and I’m positive that you and I will become the closest of friends this season. What do you say to that?”

  Louisa suddenly beamed with acute happiness in her timid eyes, which looked like citrine stones shinning in the bright summer sun, as she replied, “That would be lovely! I would love to finally get to talk to someone around here. Ever since Lord Davenport’s passing, Rachel’s been quite distant and Zachary talks about his various vices all the time. I cannot relate to either one of them, I’ve never loved and lost, nor have I had an opportunity to go out into London for some sordid amusement. I honestly cannot even imagine myself doing anything outrageous at all. Can you even imagine me at a bawdy house?”

  Marcella’s eyes grew wide like bold malachite sandstones as she started to laugh at Lady Louisa’s mention of a bawdy house.

  Lady Louisa also laughed at her own ridiculous remark. With that joking manner put into motion, the ice had been broken between them, and Louisa locked her arm through Marcella’s.

  They all entered the dining room and sat down in the chairs at the table that had been assigned for them. Supper was a six-course meal filled with different meats, puddings, and assorted savory, as well as sweet, cakes by the dozen.

  The Pinkerton family was off the cuff. Marcella could tell that this family was indeed on the wealthier side of society. The display of food presented for supper alone was impressive, but if this was a casual supper for close friends, then Marcella could only imagine what a formal dinner party hosted by the Pinkerton’s would be like.

  There would most likely be ten courses, along with a drink selection that would include beverages that Marcella couldn’t even conjure up in her own curious mind.

  However, she could imagine the array of desserts that would most likely be present. Piles and piles of French pastries topped upon one another, each filled with the most decadent of custards, and jams that even the Queen herself would eat at one of her lavish garden parties.

  There would be mini cherry pies topped with a cherry dipped in a bourbon sauce, there would certainly be baked vanilla scones with orange zest and dried currants inside of them, with clotted cream infused with a slight hint of lavender for eloquence.

  Marcella stopped herself there, she almost licked her lips in front of everyone at just the thought of all those desserts placed together on one large banquet table. That whole view in her mind gave her this sort of excitement that she hadn’t felt in years.

  Supper went quite well, there were only a few moments of utter silence but those were quickly surpassed. Once everyone was done eating, Lord Pinkerton took her father into the study for a drink while Marcella joined the rest of the Pinkerton’s in the parlor.

  From what Marcella could tell, the Pinkerton’s were a very calm troupe of incongruously appealing persons.

  At first, it felt odd for Marcella to interlace herself into such a refined lot of people because she was used to her sisters being a rowdy bunch. Marcella adored her family, truly she did, but at times it could be a bit too much to handle. If she was being completely honest with herself, and she was, Marcella wouldn’t have wanted to grow up any other way.

  However, Marcella was starting to really like this severe, yet leisurely atmospheric setting that was surrounding her right now. The great curiosity that she had about it all was just how easy it had been to assimilate into such an aristocratic family.

  Marcella looked around the warmly lit parlor and took it all in. She could see Lady Pinkerton reading by the fireplace, Lady Rachel was playing the smaller pianoforte in the other corner of the parlor room near the front window.

  Marcella then redirected her attention to the middle o
f the room where Lady Louisa was playing chess with Lord Zachary at a centered chess table. She decided to move her chair over towards the younger Pinkerton siblings so that she could watch them play chess.

  Lady Louisa moved a chess piece and then said with great pride, “Checkmate.”

  Lord Zachary looked shocked as he ran both his hands through his hair with apparent frustration, “Lou, let me win just this once! You’re just like that Hamill girl. She never lets anyone beat her in chess, ever.”

  Lady Louisa laughed and turned towards Marcella to bring her into the conversation, “I am not even as close to an expert at chess as The Lady Emilia Hamill. She’s one of London’s best chess players. She was the highlight of last years season, and she’ll hopefully be attending this upcoming season as well.”

  Marcella asked, “What happened to her last season?”

  Lady Louisa answered, “Apparently, she refused a man so badly that she decided to leave the season early. She went back to her home in Oxford rather than stick around to pity the poor soul whom she refused. She’s quite the outspoken sort as well, and she’s made it known to the ton that will not settle for just anyone. No matter the wealth, nor the Adonis face.”

  Marcella grinned, “Well, I say good for her. No one should settle for less than what they believe they truly deserve. I hope I get the chance to meet such a woman face to face. She seems to have her wits about her.”

  Marcella heard Lady Rachel laugh melodically over by the pianoforte. Lady Rachel had been eavesdropping on their conversation the entire time. She gracefully got up from her bench at the pianoforte and walked over to the chess table.

  Lady Rachel spoke lightly, and they all listened to her closely, “Even though Lady Emilia has a certain reputation, she truly is a dear girl. My late fiancé was a good friend of her elder brother’s, The Marquess of Lyon, at Oxford University. Her family is shockingly wealthy and her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Oxford, were, and still happen to be a true love match. I don’t know if you know this, but the Duchess happens to be a Greek.”

  Lady Rachel lowly whispered that last bit. Who cared if the Duchess of Oxford was a Greek woman? Surely it couldn’t be that much of a taboo, the Queen herself was married to a German after all.

  Lady Rachel then added, “Lady Emilia is truly a jack of all trades. She’s not only good at chess you know. She’s an amazing billiards opponent, and an even more fantastic cards player too.”

  Marcella abruptly asked, “Lady Rachel, may I ask if you’ll be accompanying us to any events this season?”

  Lady Rachel smirked, “I’ve thought long and hard about this and I believe that I will be attending a few of the events, in order to show you newly seasoned girls the proper process of a London season. Also, I happen to have a few good friends that I would like to see as well. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen anyone. As for the dancing, I don’t think it would be a wise move for a woman in my position to do so. For propriety’s sake, of course. One must always think of England.”

  Marcella nodded in understanding as she smiled at Lady Rachel, who looked at her with an arched blonde left eyebrow, “Please call me Rachel, same goes with my siblings. You don’t need to use the Lord or Lady bit with the three of us. Our Christian names will do just fine, I’m sure that you’ve already concluded that we are a tamer sort of lot.”

  “Indeed you are. Compared to my family you all seem so sophisticated. The chaos that my sisters and I ensue is on a completely different level. It will be a nice change for a while, but I know that I will miss the ruckus at home in Hertfordshire.”

  Zachary looked over at Marcella and asked, “Out of genuine curiosity, how many sisters do you have, and are there any near my age?”

  Louisa kicked her brother in his shin from under the table, “Zachary! Honestly, can you not go a day without thinking about putting your arrow into someone else’s target?”

  Rachel gasped in shock, Marcella’s cheeks turned bright red, and Lady Pinkerton looked up from her book and shook her head saying, “Dear Lord, can we not go a day in this house without one of you saying something of such sexual proportions. We all need to go to church more often.”

  Rachel nodded like the good daughter that she was, “Mother, that sounds like a lovely idea. What do you think Marcella? Are you a church goer?”

  Marcella looked at all of the Pinkerton’s in the room and nodded with a delightful calmness, “Yes, of course I am. My mother loves to read the bible and we have a parish not too far from our home in Hertfordshire.”

  Lady Pinkerton smiled at that bit, “Oh yes, you’re very right my dear girl. You’re just like your mother, a sweet soul she is. Church does sound like a rather good idea. I will let Lord Pinkerton know about it.”

  Just as Lady Pinkerton finished her thought, both Lord Pinkerton and Lord Stansfield walked into the parlor with sly smiles on their jolly faces.

  In a quiet voice, Zachary whispered to them, “Speak of the devil.”

  Rachel and Louisa shushed their brother.

  Marcella giggled at his comment and whispered back to him, “Out of all of us, I believe it’s you Zachary who needs to go to church the most.”

  Zachary sat back in his chair languidly and winked at her, Marcella smirked back at him, but then redirected all of her attention towards her father.

  Lord Stansfield walked over to Marcella with a grand smile now plastered on his face as he pulled her up from the couch with all of his strength and gave her a quick, but kindhearted, hug that Marcella questioned.

  He then spoke in a rushed manner, “It’s time for me to go back to Hertfordshire. Your mother and I have much to discuss. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to send word to us. I wish you luck my girl. I know that you’ll make us all proud. I expect only the best from you. We Stansfield’s always find a way.”

  “Of course father, I promise that I will not disappoint the family. Safe travels back home, and please send my love to everyone. At least they know where I am, and where I intend to be. The Stansfield’s always find a way.”

  Lord Stansfield nodded to her with a slight hesitation, but then he bid farewell to the Pinkerton family as if nothing was remotely wrong.

  Marcella honestly wondered why she didn’t feel sad that her father was leaving her in London with a family that she had just met. She didn’t get it, if she was in his shoes he would’ve wanted to stay the night and make sure that her child was truly in safe hands. Thankfully, the Pinkerton’s had taken a quick liking to Marcella and all was good.

  Lord Pinkerton walked her father out of the parlor, and out of doors to the Stansfield carriage. Marcella stayed close by the front window. She saw the two old friends shake each other’s hands, and she did her best to read their lips, but all she could make out was a few goodbyes being said and then the carriage disappeared up the street.

  Hopefully, that carriage was indeed headed for their home in Hertfordshire and not some random gaming hell in London.

  Marcella wanted to know what exactly her father had to discuss with her Mother, was it any of her business? Probably not, but it would most likely affect her and her sisters in the long run.

  How could she even know what that future discussion would be about if she was stuck here in London, and they were back in lovely ole Hertford?

  Another idea came to Marcella, and she knew right away how she could get all of the information that she truly wanted to know, and it went by the name Lydia.

  Lydia would be able to disclose that information to her easily. Lydia lived and breathed espionage. She could find out anything, and everything.

  She then left the window with a sly smirk on her face as she happily made her way back to the couch, where she sat next to Louisa. They both watched as Rachel took up her arms in white chess pieces against Zachary’s black chess pieces.

  Marcella would do her best to integrate into the Pinkerton’s way of life, and so far she was doing an amazing job at it. This was going to be a good seas
on for everyone. She could feel it in her bones.

  Tomorrow would indicate the official start of the beginning of something new for Marcella. It was time for a change, and London was where it all began.

  Chapter 5

  The next morning Marcella woke up in a new home, and in a strange new bed, with a bit of a headache nonetheless. She had never slept in someone else’s house before, let alone in a bed that she had never slept in either.

  Marcella seldom woke up with an irritating headache. Could she blame the London weather, or perhaps even her sore loins from the carriage ride yesterday?

  The headache also could’ve been the unwanted stress that she had put upon herself, or it most likely was all of the sweets that she had consumed at the end of supper last night. That was it. It had to be.

  Too much sugar had always bothered Marcella, and she should’ve known better than to indulge herself so quickly, but she needed a really good sugar rush for what happened after everyone left the parlor.

  Marcella had stayed up late last night talking with Louisa, as she had promised she would, and Marcella never broke a promise. The girl truly needed a friend in her life, and Marcella believed that she could be that friend for her.

  All night they had sat by the fireplace in Louisa’s room conversing, and drinking way too much tea than was necessary.

  Growing up in the demure English countryside, Marcella loved drinking a delightful cup of tea whenever she could, and she honestly thought that she could never get enough of the heavenly substance.

  Last night had proved her wrong. All good things should be taken in moderation, even something as mundane as a cup of tea.

  Marcella was surprised to see that there was more to Louisa than a calm and kind individual. She had a unique sort of humor.

  Louisa’s laughter had brought life to the dense air around them last night. The young lady was unexpectedly funny, and a sweet soul. Marcella wondered why Louisa did not always act this way around everyone else.