* * *
“Would you take tea, sir?” William asked the doctor as he overlooked Adeline’s knee.
“Yes thank you.”
She watched as William prepared a pot of black tea, bread, and two kinds of cheese on a board for them to eat. She felt strange that she should feel so comfortable with him, for she did not know him but twenty-four hours or less, and yet it was as if she had known him all her life. They settled in nicely into sharing a small space, and she felt quite safe.
“Milk? Sugar?”
“Thank you, yes.” The doctor said.
For sugar was something of a luxury in her own home. In fact she had noticed that William had quite the bounty in his small cottage; plenty of salted meats, and drying herbs hanging from a rack above the kitchen area. He had milk, and sugar, and a box full of tea, and coffee she would wager. Two full wheels of cheese, and that was only what she could see. All things he had gotten that morning while she slept.
“Well her leg is not broken. The knee is severly bruised and swelling. It is best not to move it as much as possible. I have brought a crutch for you to use. Use it any time you need to be up to keep weight off of it.”
“Yes doctor,” she said.
“I have brought two herbs. This will help bring the swelling down, drink it as a tea first thing in the morning and before bedtime. This is for the pain, though it is no different than a good hard brandy, which will also help you sleep. Do not wrap it, let the knee breathe and be free, but do have it laid out as you have it now on the bed or on a chair. That is best for it.”
“So she will mend?”
“Yes she will have that knee back in about ten days, and full recovery in a month.”
“Oh, thank you doctor,” she said.
“Yes sir, thank you,” William said. “And what of the other thing?”
“Yes, amnesia. I have a few questions for you about that, Miss Adeline, before I can diagnose you.”
“Yes sir,” she said.
The doctor then went into a spiraling amount of questions about when it happened and how it happened to her. She told him of the fall and that she did have memory of all that happened since then, so her short term memory was intact but it was her long term memory.
“I see. This sounds trauma related. Sometimes the memories come back over time and sometimes they do not. Perhaps another fall might bring it back but do not try that, sometimes others have their memory back when trauma happens again. I do think that you will indeed fully recover, Miss, but I cannot say when it will come back complete. But there is hope.”
“Oh that is a relief,” William said.
“Yes it is,” she smiled.
“I will come back to check on you in 2 days to make sure that knee does not get any worse, now about that tea?” The doctor said, standing up from Adeline and taking a place at the table with William.
After conversing with William the doctor left and William paced the room.
“So I have decided that you will stay here with me for the weeks it will take until you are healed complete. In which thereafter I will take you to Linwood Estate. Then when I hear that my friends have returned to Brentwood we shall go to them.”
“What? That long?”
“Yes, and you want it to be healed complete. You start walking on it too soon and it will be injured all over again, adding another month to your healing,” he said.
Adeline was quiet. She could not add that much time to doing nothing and being idle. She desperately wanted to go to Brentwood and meet this Katrina.
“I understand,” She said.
His brows rose above his blue eyes. “That is good to hear. I was expecting more of a fight from you. It seems that you might be coming to your senses. Perhaps a good scare from the doctor was all that you needed,” He said.
“That may be so, but I still cannot have you paying for all of this and my care ,sir; I would not be able to repay you.”
“Oh, sir is it now? You do not need to repay me. Your company here is all that I require. If you could only remember things Adeline, you would understand why.”
A nervous look came across her face.
“No, that is not what I mean. Just simply our conversation, not sharing a bed, and we have never shared a bed if that is what you are thinking. Perhaps if you'll indulge me in a game of cards and reading aloud, that will be all that I require.”
“That is something that I think I might be able to accommodate, William.”
“Good. Then it is settled. You are my guest, for the time being.” He poured more piping hot tea into her cup.
* * *
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* * *
She took a drink of the hot delicious beverage. Even the tea seemed to be better than she had ever had, and she wondered how much he paid for it.
“William, what is it exactly that you do?”
He coughed, nearly choking on his tea. “I am a gentleman with an estate to manage and I partly own factories in London, that is all.”
“That is not what I mean. Where is your wife? A man of your age and wealth, surely you...”
“Perhaps that is better left unsaid Adeline. I have big plans for the future. I will not hold myself to what society wants for me, not anymore. I let that stop me from someone I loved long ago and I never will again. She was the only person I thought could be my wife and I was a fool then. But that is why I am not yet married, if you must know.”
“That is quite the reply.”
“Yes, it is. If you only knew.”
Adeline was silent for a moment, but perhaps for now she would give it a rest.
“I have one more question to ask of you, William.”
“And what might that be?”
“Would it be possible to get some air and to be outside and enjoy the sunlight?”
William flashed her a smile of white teeth.
“That question I am most willing to answer for you.”
“And what answer could I expect?” She asked.
“Yes. We will both sit outside and enjoy the sun. Perhaps even take this bounty out to the table.”
“Yes, I would like that.”
With that exchange, William stood up and moved her chair. As quick as may be, he scooped her into his arms from the bed, something that Adeline noticed he did with ease, as though she weighed nothing at all. He walked through the cottage, opening the door and letting the sunlight hit her face as he walked out.
The grass was still a dried brown in the winter but early spring was threatening to show its face soon.
William sat Adeline down on a bench that ran alongside a wooden table.
“This is delightful.” She said.
“I am glad you approve. I will return with a blanket and a tray of our goods.
This was how they spent the afternoon, taking their meals outside and William carrying Adeline back and forth at her demand. He even brought the large basin of cold water out to her so that she could soak her purple knee.
In the evening, a game of cards followed, as well as a dinner. Adeline had never felt so relaxed.
* * *
William found that he rather liked caring for someone as the days passed. It gave him a feeling of purpose, even if it came with fighting the desire that was growing inside of him for Adeline, for she had returned to him after he had looked for so long.
He reminded himself that she was ill to do anything. He wanted her to remember what they shared from her past. But sometimes he wanted to kiss her, if only for a fleeting moment.
It was best that she did not know the entire truth yet, about the fire and losing her friends the Douvains. He did not want to overwhelm her.
The goal was to see to her healing first and slowly reaquaint her with her past.
“Good night,” He said to Adeline as she slipped under the blanket after having a meal and wine. He knew the wine would help her sleep as well as take away the pain from her swollen knee, that had subsided in si
ze in the last few days but was still severely bruised.
“And good night to you William Dawson,” She said.
He smiled as he rolled out his makeshift bed, of three blankets as padding on the wooden bench with a high back in front of the fireplace. Next, he placed four logs to the fire instead of the usual three. He had to make sure that it did not go out while he was away.
Adeline slept soundly. Her chest moved up and down slowly in her sleepy breath.
Ten more days passed, and indeed Adeline's leg was beginning to heal very rapidly. The colour had almost returned to normal, and it was only slightly swollen and tender. She was still utilizing the crutch, for she did not want to apply too much weight and re-injure herself.
Weeks had passed, and she was now healed. It was time for them to be on the way to Linwood. But this day, the last day that she would have in the hunting cottage was a bittersweet feeling for her. The two had many ups and downs, constant arguments, but there were also the good times of playing cards, making food together, and just how tender and gentle he was in taking care of her. In truth, she had come to care deeply about this mysterious man, but the thoughts of her past and what he knew still haunted her, as he did not discuss her past at Linwood Estate except that she was his maid.
“Here it comes,” William said. “It has arrived.”
“What has arrived?” she looked at him standing in the doorway of the cottage. Now that she was healed she walked to him and stood in the doorway. Down the lane came a very large carriage. She recognized it. It was the same fancy maroon and black carriage that had stood outside the factory in London and at the Green Tavern.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“To take us to Linwood, of course.”
“Oh, I see.”
“We can’t travel by horseback. It is an entire day’s journey. We will not arrive until nightfall, late at night.”
“I see. Then we should get going,” she said. She helped to gather a few items, bundles of food and her clothing, for William had been very kind to buy her dresses, night shifts and stockings, as well as a new pair of boots.
“Do not worry yourself, my man servant will get all that. Just put on your hat and coat and perhaps take a flagon on wine.”
She turned to look at him. “Servant? This man was very rich indeed, as she was beginning to feel quite inadequate.”
Adeline sat nervously in the luxurious carriage. The interior was quite refined, more than she had seen before. The interior walls were lined with tufted maroon silk. That made leaning back on it very comfortable. The bench seat underneath her was very thick with cushion, and a fine dark silk. The wood was a very polished mahogany, and one could almost see the reflection of the sun in it. The curtains that could be drawn were a fine cloth, one that she had remembered seeing at the textile factory.
But she was grateful that the curtains were not drawn so that she could view the countryside, something that she was very fond of doing. She thought about when she had first set out from London and was on the back of a farm cart. How grateful she had been to have a ride then. Now she was in a luxurious carriage.
But being this close to William was making her feel quite anxious. He was but inches away from her, their knees almost touching if they were sitting directly across from each other, instead of diagonally to give each other room. She could feel his eyes upon her, and it made her feel very nervous.
To this was added the nervousness of arriving at his grand estate. How would his servants treat her? Would they know that she was a maid in his household? Did he have the same servants that would remember her? As they often remained at the same household for many years if not a lifetime. They would think of her as an upstart, one that had no place to be staying in a bedroom instead of staying in the servants quarters. Something that she would be glad to do, and did not expect anything. She was of their kind, and not of William’s. No matter the stories that he had told her that she was once a very fine actress living in luxury. He also told her that she was his servant. Which of the two would she now be, arriving at the house?
The entire thing gave her a headache.
“Are you all right Adeline? Are you ill? Should I have the carriage stop and we can walk about a bit?” William said as Adeline had put her hand on her head.
“No, I am quite well. Perhaps just a bit parched,” She said, making excuses for she did not want to tell him the real reason, that she was concerned about her place in his home when they arrived. What would be her station?”
“Here,” William said, opening a small compartment and pulled out a fine green bottle and pulled out the cork, handing it to her. “It is Port. We are all out of water. But we should be arriving at the Red Lion Inn to give the horses respite and to take a meal.”
“We are? How long is the journey to your estate?”
“It is seven hours complete, which is why we take a one-hour break halfway through. The horses need it and I dare say the travellers and my coachman usually need it as well.”
“Yes, perhaps I will just walk around then. Stretch my legs, I am sure that it is just being tasselled about,” She said.
“Yes, travelling by coach does take some getting used to.” He smiled.
Adeline took a drink of the port, hoping to numb her anxiety just a little. But she also did not want to upset her stomach with the movement of the carriage and drinking too much of the port wine.
* * *
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One hour later, they had arrived at the Red Lion Inn. Adeline was astonished by the vast complex. It was three times the size of the Green Tavern. The long row of buildings, consisted of overnight rooms, the stables, coach houses, and a barge outdoor seating area, where servants of those travellers coming through gathered.
“See that the horses are well rested, watered and fed. We shall be back on the road in 1 hour’s time, and be sure to eat and drink yourselves.” William said to his coachman, who nodded.
“Right this way, Adeline,” He said, leading her toward the entrance of the busy tavern.
Inside was just as busy as the outside, though the high lofted ceiling made it feel very cavernous, and the long room extended far back. There were many tables lined up in rows, and at the back there were a few that were available. William led Adeline with her on his arm to one of these tables in the back. Together they seated across from each other waiting for a barmaid to take their request.
“How are you feeling now? A bit better?” He asked.
“Yes, I believe you were right, it was just the movement of the carriage.”
“Then after we eat we should take a walk; gets the blood flowing, better able to endure the next 3 hours. I will also have the driver stop at a halfway point between those three hours so that we can walk.”
“Oh, that will not be necessary. I do not wish to inconvenience the journey.
“No, it is no inconvenience at all. There is a small glenn just off the road that we often stop at. For there are needs that must be met, especially after one dines, that is for everyone.” He smiled.
Adeline laughed covering her mouth with her hand because she wanted to laugh so intensely.
“Oh William, that is quite a crude statement. I did not think a gentleman like yourself would be capable of making.”
“And why not? I am just the same as everyone. You just need to get to know me better.”
“I would like that very much.” She said. Then they stared into each other's eyes, the smile fell from their faces as they remained locked in such a way. Adeline felt her heart beating faster and faster and her breath getting shorter. The heat rose through her body, and she thought that he might say something to her, something inappropriate that should not be said amongst friends but amongst lovers.
“What can I get you sir?” A barmaid stood at the edge of the table, interrupting their hard look.”
“Yes. We will have a pitcher of water please, some bread, a wedge of c
heese, whatever fruit you may have on hand, some game hen or chicken, for the both of us.”
“Very well sir. I shall return.” The woman said.
Then he looked to Adeline once more.
“Now, will you tell me what is bothering you,” He said.
“What? Nothing. As I have said before, it is just the carriage, bouncing here and there.”
He cocked his head to the side and gave her a look.
“I wish that you would not keep it from me.” He said.
“There is nothing that can be done about it, so why should I worry you with my stressful thoughts?”
“To amuse me.” He said in a cocky manner.
She gasped and then laughed. “ You are getting quite bold, sir.”
“Then tell me. Or I shall not stop asking for an entire 3 hours that you are stuck with me on the road.” He said.
“That is quite the threat. I guess I have no choice.”
“I'm glad you see things as such. Now tell me what is it, something distresses you – I can see it on your face.”
“I have been worried, that is true. I am only nervous that I do not know how to behave when I arrive at your estate sir. You have told me before that I was once a maid in your household, though I have no memory of such a thing. But I assume that your servants that you have now we're all so your servants then. They will know me as such, as a maid that is now returning as a guest? Servants despise such a thing. Tell me, was I well liked by the other servants when I was in your household? Or do they have hate for me and will spit in my food? How shall I behave among them? Should I say that I have lost my memory to them? For they may think that I am rude that I do not remember them at all when they speak to me? Should I stay in the servants quarters? In truth I do not know how to behave, what I should be like when I am there.”
William looked at her, his eyes growing wide. Then a smile came back on his face. “ Yes, that is quite the rambling and I can see why it would find a place to distress you as such. That is a lot for one to think about, for 7 hours.”
A Poor Girl's Peril (#4, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 16
