“I heard you had returned. Are you here to finish what we started?” the deep voice came from the doorway. She turned to see a menacing man standing there, holding a candle.
Adeline gasped and sat up stiff as a board, clutching her arms to her body. The man was plump with brown curls and flushed with wine. The lust in his eyes spoke everything he wanted to say as he moved toward her, and she had seen that look before.
“Get out of my room, sir! I do not know you.”
He laughed. “You know who I am. And I shall do as I please, and sample your delights and not be interrupted this time.”
The man lunged for her and she stood up ready to run. She let out part of a scream but as quick as may be had his hand over her mouth, stifling her before she could continue.
Adeline knew that William was just across the hall, and she wanted to get his attention.
“That’s right. Shh... shh, just let me show you the ways of a man. You will enjoy it. I promise. Do not be scared, Adeline. I want to taste you.”
Just then she recognized the man from her nightmares!
She used her foot and stepped on his foot! He let out a whelp and let her go for a brief enough period for her to shout. “No! Help! Help me!” She ran for the door, but was pushed down slammed hard against the bed. Then she was lifted as her legs kicked and she screamed. He carried her onto the bed. The heavy weight of the man was on top of her as his hands greedily pushed up her nightshift and touched the bare skin of her legs.
“You want it rough. That is how I like it too. The more you cry and scream the more I am a hard man.”
Those words made her mind fog over. She felt a sharp pain in her head and images flooded her like nothing she had ever experienced before. It was so overwhelming that she felt she might faint, but she could not. She had to keep her wits about her and get out of this situation. Ashford. Ashford echoed in her mind. With that thought her entire memory came flooding back to her. This man had attacked her before.
“Get off me! You ass! Help! Help!”
Suddenly the man got off of her. Had her words worked?
But he did not stand. He flung to the floor. It was then that she saw William in the room. Rage shot from his eyes. Whack! He punched Ashford again and again.
“How dare you touch her!”
Tears streamed down Adeline’s face, but she did not allow herself to feel relief just yet. She gathered herself and stood up searching the room for a robe and tied it on.
Whack!
“Get out of my house! Now!”
“Me? What about her? She the one that started it!” Ashford stood from the floor.
“And yet you are the one in her room and this is not the first accusation against you that you take women against their wishes. You are a vile creature and a poor excuse of a man! Now go! Leave my house at once and you are never to step foot in this house or my house in London. Is that understood?”
Ashford narrowed his eyes. “Your sister will not be liking that.”
“Damn what my sister thinks. I should never have allowed her to marry the likes of you. Now go.”
Ashford gave Adeline a hateful look and then stepped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Like the rush of a dam breaking, Adeline cried hard as she sat down on the bed once more.
“My dear, are you hurt? Please tell me that I arrived in time and he did not violate you?”
“I am not hurt. He did not lay with me. But William... I remember. I remember everything.”
* * *
At first, William thought what he heard was a dream. He had had plenty of nightmares ever since he had learned that Adeline had perished in the theater fire. His nighttime of sleep was always interrupted by cruel visions, of her screaming for help as she burned in the fire. So as he slept he thought that this was one of those night terrors. But then the sound became clear, he jolted up in bed.
Then he heard it again, Adeline shouting for help. He darted from his bed and ran out into the hallway where he could hear her screaming even more. He opened the door to her room, which was slightly ajar.
Walking in rage overtook him. He had never felt so much anger in his life. The heat rushed through his veins and in that moment he felt for the first time that he could actually take the life of a man. He saw Ashford on top of Adeline on her bed. She screamed and struggled underneath his weight as he placed sloppy kisses on her neck and his hands greedily moved up her thighs.
The gentleman in William was completely gone. He took three big strides over to them and pulled Ashford off of her. Then he punched him. He could not control his actions as he screamed at him. How dare this man do this to her? Again. Adeline had been right the very first time when she was a maid and defended herself that it was not she that had begged Ashford to take her. At this point Ashford had many maids accusing him of the same thing, and the truth could no longer be ignored, no matter the fact that he was married to his sister Louisa.
Then William did something that he should have done long ago, kicked Ashford out of his home. Banishment. He did not know how he would deal with this new rule with his sister. Thoughts of divorce ran through his mind, but that was something he would have to think about later. For now he just wanted this vile man far from Adeline and far from his home. It was for Ashford’s own good, for if he stayed William might kill him.
He poured water into a cup and took it over to Adeline who sat crying on the bed. He did not like to see her in such pain and he would kill Ashford if he had violated her. But she said that he had not, and that was before saying something that took him to the very core. She had her memory back.
“You do? My dear, are you sure? What do you remember?"
“I remember everything. I remember that men attacking me before, when I was a maid. It all came back to me in that moment."
“This might make sense. Do you remember what the doctor said? That trauma might trigger your memory back. I believe that is what has just happened, a traumatic event. Though I wish you were covered your memory in a more agreeable manner. I am happy that you have it back. Sit back, rest. What else do you remember?"
Adeline sat in bed with her back against the pillows while William pulled a blanket over her making her comfortable. He wanted to do everything he could for her comfort.
“I remember Katrina. I remember how we met and that we were actresses together at the Douvaine theater. Oh no. The theater and Mr and Mrs Douvaine. They perished in the fire, did they not?" Refreshed tears rolled down her cheek.
“Yes. I am sorry to affirm that memory. You are the only survivor. I am so very sorry for your loss Adeline."
She cried harder and harder dealing with this misery all over again. William could only sit by her side and hold her hand until the crying was a bit under control.
“I know it is painful Adeline but it might be good to say out loud what you remember to confirm it to your own mind. It will help."
“I remember the Davis house and going to elegant dinners there and doing performances for them. I remember working in the factory and living at a vile workhouse after the theater fire. I did not mean it to be for long, William. I did not want that life for myself. But I knew that Katrina and the Captain were away for a long time and I wrote them a letter to send as soon as I had coin for postage. That was my plan. I had the letter with me but at the workhouse you do not get paid a wage until the end of the month. And I had my accident that made me lose my memory during that time. Then the manager assaulted me and had me kicked out. That is how I found myself in your factory and at the Brick House of Miss Hannah Wilcox. So it is all coming back to me. How I stayed there for so long, wavering from my plan because I did not know any better. I always meant to reach out to Katrina for her to come and get me or to send. I knew that she would help, we are like sisters."
“She has been searching for you just as I have been, for years. We all thought that you perished in the fire. But then when I saw you on the street that day I knew that it
was you. I knew it and ever since then we have searched London for you, both Katrina and the captain and I. So you see how I made it a point to take you when I did. It was for your own good."
“Yes, oh, I see that now."
“And what else do you remember?"
“I remember... I remember us. There was a special bond between us was there not William? Ever since I was a maid in your household."
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William swallowed hard. It brought him great pain to have him confront his past and how he had wronged her. For that is not what he would want for her now. But he needed to come clean and to be quite honest.
“Yes, we did have a special bond. I betrayed that bond and I hope that you can forgive me. When you were a maid in this household I very much had a special place in my heart for you, but I let society and my sisters stop me from making a movement on my feelings. Then when Mr Ashford assaulted you I did not stand up for you, even though I knew then the truth of his character. You must forgive me for that. Can I ever have your forgiveness for such an act of cruelty? I want to make it up to you and have been since the day you came back into my life. I cannot lose you again Adeline, but I understand if after Katrina returns that you never want to speak with me again. I deserve as much."
“Oh no, William. I would never think that. I am so grateful for your friendship and to have you at my side. I owe you more than you can ever imagine. That bond has not been broken between us, not for my part anyway."
“I'm very happy to hear that, Adeline. I'm so happy you have returned to me, both in body and mind." William told her to him and gave her a long embrace. Holding her, the real Adeline was everything for him and more than he could have ever expected. He was quite content now that she had her memories back. And he hoped he would get the chance to do what he should have done long ago.
* * *
Indeed Adeline was very happy that William was at her side, and she knew who he was, who he really was. Her memory had flooded back to her in a painful way, quite traumatic, but she was very grateful for it. Her mind still felt a bit of a fog, but to know who she was finally after all this time felt much relief for her. She had been in the dark, and now she felt herself again. She could remember everything, every little detail about who she was, where she came from, and all that had happened to her. How she hated that she had lost so much time to the forgetfulness of her mind. But now she was at the estate to where it all began, and the master of that estate was at her side, confirming that they had a special bond and that she did not imagine it so long ago and she was his maid. That was worth every hardship that she had ever been through to get to the moment to see William’s blue eyes and him to tell her how he felt.
He held her in an embrace and she hugged him back. It felt very good to inhale his masculine scent and to feel his strong arms around her, making her feel safe. She hated Mr Ashford and always had, but she did not think that he would suddenly appear in her bedroom. He had not been at Linwood, and must had just arrived. She wondered if he had heard of her staying there and came for her. The thought brought a chill down her spine. She had made an enemy out of him, and she knew that he was still a threat for as long as he lived.
“Do you think he is still here in the house?"
“I do not know. Possibly he has just arrived and brought his things therefore he would need to gather his things and have his carriage ready. It is quite possible that he is still here in the house somewhere or in the stables. Hopefully he is not too drunk that he just passed out somewhere. I want him gone."
“Then I shall not sleep until I know that he is gone and it has been confirmed."
“Then you shall sleep in my chambers. He would not dare enter them. Come with me."
“Your chambers? But is that not scandalous?"
“The hell with scandal. I have let the judgment of others stop me from doing many things in my life and I will no longer allow it. This is about your safety, and that is all I care of at the moment. Let people talk – it does not matter."
She smiled. She knew that this was not like William, not the William that she knew when she was a maid who would not speak up for himself, or in her defense. She liked this and was very proud.
“All right then. But I would still like to know if he is gone."
“Come with me to my chambers and I will see that you are settled. Then I shall find out his whereabouts."
He put his hand out to her. She clasped her hand in his and he let her out of the room and down the hall to his own chambers. He opened the door and let her in.
It was quite large, twice the size of the room that she was in as he let her through the small parlour sitting area into the back where his room with the bed was located.
“And you, where shall you sleep?"
“I can sleep in front of the fireplace on the bench, it will just be like the hunting cottage, no different." He said leading her to the bed.
“But you will stay at my side, watching over while I sleep? In case he returns?"
“I will never leave your side again, Adeline."
She smiled a smile at him, letting his words warm her like a good fire.
She climbed into bed and under the covers.
“I am going to lock the door behind me. No one has the key but myself and the butler. I am to check to see where he has gone, Mr Ashford, and I will not be gone too long."
“Please hurry."
“Of course."
He walked out and she heard the door lock behind him. She pulled the blanket up to her neck, feeling quite uneasy. What if Mr Ashford was waiting in the hallway for William? What if he knocked him out and then took the keys from him? That man was capable of anything, especially if he was drunk. She sat in silence listening to every single noise that reached her ears. She was fearful for William, as well as a feared of Ashford barging in at any moment to finish what he started. No doubt the man felt that she had committed an offence against him and he would retaliate.
She wondered exactly what the sisters would say, especially Louisa when she learned that William had stopped and attacked her husband. Would she still live in denial? A woman that had such a husband probably had to, in order to protect herself. Maybe William could help her receive a divorce from such a man, though they were quite uncommon, they did happen in high society. Times were changing, even rich men were becoming merchants, as Katrina's husband had done. It was something that had been looked down upon by society only years before, but with times changing and industry and trade being what it was, it was now deemed acceptable.
But what were William’s intentions toward her? Though times were changing he was still a gentleman, and had a very old family name and it was expected to marry accordingly. But he had not married yet, perhaps waiting for a woman with a suitable dowry that could add to the family wealth. Would he dare sink low and marry someone well below his station, a scandalous actress that had formerly been a courtesan. No, she could not ask that of him, nor would he offer it.
But then a memory hit her. Katrina was the same as she and she had managed to capture the heart of a very wealthy gentleman, Captain Mason Byers. He was a close friend of William's, and would therefore not look upon William choosing to marry Adeline as something beneath him, for he had chosen a wife of the same caliber. Oh how great it would be to marry William and to share happy times with Katrina and her husband since her husband and William were already friends. It brought such joy to her, but she quickly pushed the thought out of her mind because she did not want to build happy memories on things that had not happened yet.
Just then the lock on the door opened. She scrambled out of bed and stood up, standing next to the candle holder to use as a weapon if needed.
“Who's there?"
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“It is I, William. All is well."
She felt relief and breathed a deep breath
of air. William appeared in the doorway.
“Ashford?"
“He has gone. I went down to the stables where my servant told me that he left in his carriage. Louisa and Eleanor still abed, unaware that he even made a visit here.”
“Such secrecy and abomination," She said.
“Yes indeed,” he poured two glasses of wine and handed one to her. “ It will help ease your nerves so that you can sleep, and mine."
She took the glass and drank it down quickly as did he. Then they just stood there, locking eyes with each other, and she did not know what he was thinking. She knew very well that she was thinking about how handsome he was. Thoughts of her having him at her side as a savior, someone that thought of her safety and was rescuing her in more ways than one waved through her mind as she looked at him. He gave her a smile, very polite, and she did not know what to make of it. Just because he had confirmed that they shared a special bond, did not mean that bond was a romantic one. It could very well just mean a special and deep friendship. For now she would have to take that.
“Get some sleep. We will speak of this tomorrow; put it out of your mind for now.”
“Yes William. And thank you. I cannot thank you enough for saving me tonight. Thank you for believing me and seeing that I did not induce Ashford to my bed. I am innocent."
“As you have always been. Good night." He walked out of the bedroom and closed the door moving into the sitting room parlour of his chambers. Adeline climbed into bed and nestled into the mattress, very exhausted. She was soon into a deep sleep feeling very safe knowing that William was only a few feet away and ready to defend her if need be.
Two days later, there was news, and it brought much anxiety to Adeline. She sat in her bed chamber, safe to take back to her room now the Ashford had gone. She read a book, and did not spend much time roaming about the house, because she did not want to run into the superior sisters. William had told her that he had not told Louisa about Ashford just yet, and did not know how to bring it about. So things went on as usual at the estate.
A Poor Girl's Peril (#4, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 18
