Journey's End (Marlbrook) (14 page)

“I trust then that your radiance comes from an evening of pleasantries and meets with your approval
,
ma’am?
”

Laura’s countenance lifted.  “Yes everything is exactly as you say, but your charity serves to remind me of my unworthy comments. You find me grateful for an opportunity that shall be commended in memory.”

Lord Henry visibly relaxed.  He had regained Laura’s confidence.  “Then I too am delighted. I shall withdraw from your company assured by the knowledge that I have completed my responsibilities and you have benefited by them.”

With t
he slight nod of his head
, Lord Henry
indicated that this particular conversation was at an end.  He performed a curt bow before stepping the width of the chamber to centre his attention on Sarah.

Alone, Laura relaxed
.
A
wave of relief cours
ed
through her body.  She put her misgivings about Lord Henry down to nerves or the like, his title alone giving her grounds for disquiet.

Laura observed his Lordship
,
as he conversed with Sarah.  Sarah appeared animated and conversed freely with him.  Obviously
,
Sarah felt none of the unease that Laura had experienced in his company.

Lord Henry had always conducted himself as a gentleman, supported by the fact that he upheld his worth as Master of the house.  Laura made a pledge.  She could admire the man if she tried, and she would try.

At the close of the evening's festivities
,
Laura retired to her room to dream of far away places, her mind ready to release the animated pictures that she had stored
.
B
ut first
,
she eased her propensity to write.

“The Master’s return
,
to take over of the running of the estate
,
has filled the entire household with an excitement that seems hardly contained.

Tonight presented wonderful opportunities to converse about topics that filled my thoughts with flights of
fancy
.

Of the Master
,
I constantly try to dismiss my feelings
.
H
owever
,
I have to admit that I still have reservations as to his character.  And yet
,
I must remind myself that it is not a servant’s place to judge.

Sarah has blossomed into a young woman with many graces, but I constantly worry about our situation and that she may never be granted the opportunities she craves.  I hope to guide her through what may be disappointment ahead.

I expect everything will revert to normal once the household adjusts to the Master’s return.

Lord Henry appears suited to his position, and if he proves to be anything like his mother
,
then he is assured of success.  There is talk
that
his fiancée will join us for the summer, a future daughter-in-law
with whom
her Ladyship is keen to develop an alliance.”

#

Later that night, when
chamber
doors closed to grant the
ir
occupants’ privacy, a secret intrigue came to life.  Mr D’eath, while a man proficient in his work, lacked social etiquette when it came to women.  He also had laziness to add to his general demeanour, loathing the work involved in the intricate game of courtship.  Not that he had an aversion to sex, his manliness twitched at the merest thought of bedding a wench of any age or colour.  He appreciated the basic act of intercourse and this girl was every bit as good.

Mr D’eath’s
small puffy hand reached down to gorge on the
girl’s
exposed breast before groping for her nipple, squeezing the object unmercifully between two stubby fingers.  A low groan discharged as he completed the violation, the grunting similar to that of a mating animal.

Mr D’eath could be summarised as a pig, a rather large one at that, boorish, boastful and a deviant.  Sarah wagered that his sidekick would have joined them but she could not have guaranteed who would have had sex with whom
,
and she
did
not take second place to anyone.

Why Mr D’eath assumed the role of her lover, even Sarah found hard to explain.  She secured her satisfaction in a sick, warped sense whenever a man succumbed to her charms.

And as Sarah went about her pursuit of self-gratification, she never stopped to think that in conquering
the man
,
she had defeated herself.

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
- Miss Emily

Many regarded Miss Emily Parkinson as mature for her age.  At nineteen years, fair in beauty and grace, she was the perfect illustration of a young lady ready to take her place in society.

Miss Emily entered the premises wrapped in the confidence of one born to triumph and
with
the insolence of the rich.  Her grooming and deportment spoke volumes.

“Maid, mind my hat or you will be worse for wear – do you hear me
,
girl!”  The shrill voice that ushered the threatening decree
contrasted with the elegant features
.

“Come, come
,
my dear,” a soothing
,
male voice replied.  “If anything should happen to your hat, I will make sure you have five to replace it.”

“You are gallant, Sir Trent. I shall hold you to your promise if the wench is incompetent and perhaps claim some additional payment for my pains.”  The look the velvet blue eyes portrayed left none in doubt as to the
ir
hidden meaning.

Miss Emily’s entrance spearheaded the invasion of twenty newcomers.  The timing had been carefully planned to permit the betrothed couple a window of intimacy before the main entourage arrived over the coming days.

Lord Henry, though content with his mother’s choice of a wife, had to admit that he scarcely knew Emily. 
However
, she came equipped with sufficient beauty that he would not find the task distasteful.

Over a period of a week
,
carriages rolled up to the main entrance of Marlbrook.  The conveyances delivered guests, their personal servants, and large quantities of luggage that emerged from seemingly confined spaces. 

Banter echoed throughout the upper and lower landings, fragmented only on occasion by sporadic bursts of laughter. 
The majority
of the visitors would reside the summer and stay the two months to September.

Social events had been perfected, organised to keep the new arrivals amused and out of trouble.

“Emily dearest, that man of yours is rather dashing.
If you were not betrothed
,
I should be tempted to sample him myself.”

“You were born wicked and shall die so,
Alexander
. Ask me again after I am wed. If the man should prove a disappointment in bed then you may have him,” replied Emily, in her sweetest of voices.

With the
ir
Lord and heir committed to marriage
,
Marlbrook had reason to celebrate and would entertain in grandeur for the first time in five years - the culmination of the
festivities
, a ball. 

Life for Laura had taken on a slightly exhausting tinge.  With forty additional mouths to feed, including the extra servants, her workload left
limited
room for pleasantries.  Fatigue and she were a team.  Still, she benefited from the positive side to exhaustion
-
a sound sleep and freedom from regret and straying thoughts.

             
             
#

Lady
Catherine
waited impatiently for the meeting hour, the scheduled rendezvous extremely important
for
both sides.  She and Emily, as her future daughter-in-law, would gauge the calibre of each other, with one looking to impart wisdom and one, if wise, seeking to learn.

The morning passed swiftly for Laura.  Mulling over the multitude of menus was a tedious chore, but Lady
Catherine
made a great partner in a crisis
,
with her Ladyship clearly the one in control.  The coming weeks would be chaotic if their preparation failed.

At precisely ten o’clock
,
the expected knock arrived on
Lady Catherine’s
chamber door.  Laura recognised her cue to exit.  With her papers balanced precariously in one hand, she opened the portal to Miss Emily.  Laura performed a curtsy under pressure, knowing that a just a slight miscalculation and either she or her insecure stack woul
d end up on the floor.  Happily
,
the manoeuvre went without mishap.

Two equally beautiful sets of eyes collided and acceptance took place.  The dislike would be mutual. 

Miss Emily would never stoop so low as to perceive a servant a threat, but her mother had raised her in a pragmatic fashion and she made a mental note to watch this one.  After all
,
her soon-to-be husband was a man and while she had no care as to his whoring
,
she would not tolerate it under her roof.

Lady
Catherine
did
not miss the momentary skirmish, well aware of the thoughts that provoked Emily.  Emily was a sensible girl who held no fanciful notions about her forthcoming marriage - a business
arrangement
struck with excellent terms.

Miss Emily was blessed with an external loveliness accompanied by self-regard, but she possessed neither integrity nor personality.  As a mother, Lady
Catherine
knew her son and accepted his faults.  To have selected a woman who might one day love Henry could only lead to sorrow and regret.  Besides, an unrequited love might endanger her chances of securing grandchildren.  An unseemly situation had been avoided - it
was
better this way.

“I take it that you find your new home to your liking?” Lady
Catherine
asked
, while seated in her
favourite
fireside chair.

“Ma’am,
”
Miss Emily
replied,
with equal reserve
, “i
t would be a very foolish woman who did not recognise the beauty and appeal of such regal surroundings
.
”

“Good. Marlbrook demands a great deal of care, but the returns are worth the effort. It is my sincere hope that you come to love the place as we all do.”

Miss Emily produced a sweet, insincere smile.  She did not answer Lady
Catherine
.  She knew her future mother-in-law would detect a lie.

CHAPTER
NINETEEN
-
Remorse

Sarah, to Laura’s ongoing consternation, continued to present a problem.

“Sarah, how can you possibly be offended by Miss Emily choosing you as her companion?”

“Because I have no wish to spend
the rest of
my life serving a selfish woman
who
is only a year or so older than myself.”

“You know you have no choice, Sarah.
Lady
Catherine
has already granted Miss Emily her wish.”

“I am not a chattel to be passed from one person to another.”

Laura understood Sarah’s concerns, but she also accepted the reality of their situation.

“The choice is yours, Sarah, and working for a young mistress will present difficulties.
After all, t
he winter season will require her in attendance in
London
for much of the year
,
which means parting from Marlbrook.”

Sarah reacted
positively,
exactly as Laura had expected.  Laura breathed a sign of relief.  The loss of their positions due to one of Sarah’s tantrums had been avoided.

The days were long but the hours were not
tedious
.  Laughter resounded throughout the estate, occurring as one frenzied activity completed its run and another was embarked upon.  No great disasters transpired
,
and aside from their first encounter, Laura appeared unworthy of any further attention from
Miss Emily.