Journey's End (Marlbrook) (2 page)

CHAPTER THREE
–
The Journey

Cold gripped the morning air as Laura climbed into the waiting carriage.  A stark interior greeted her.  Dark, worn leather seats revealed a solid centre
but
Laura
ignored the discomfort.  Nothing would subdue her good humour
,
and
neither
family
n
or friends
with
their
sad farewells
hamper
ed
her progress
.

With the miles stretching before her, Laura r
elax
ed
to the steady beat of wheels skimming stone
. 
S
he
gazed
through the open window
as
the uninspiring countryside, cold and bleak, passed
her
by.
 
Thoughts of her
half
-
sister occupied her
mind
.  Sarah’s true nature had made itself known from the outset, her beautiful exterior camouflaging an unruly character.  Their last encounter had served to highlight the gulf between the two.

“Servitude is abhorrent. I can think of nothing more undignified than pandering to the wants of a wealthy old
lady
,
and I will not do it.
I
will not
!”  Sarah had reacted as any child would
;
however
,
her
plea contained no merit
,
and besides, at seventeen
,
Sarah was no longer a child.

A
loud
thud against the underside of the carriage drew Laura from her pensive thoughts
. 
Th
e
vehicle
lurched
,
dump
ing
Laura
unceremoniously
on
to
the carriage’s soiled wooden floor.
 
Laura’s hair
fell
free of its constraints, temporarily blinding her, and
a slight throbbing
warned her that bruises might be forming in
u
nmentionable place
s
.
  Tentatively
,
she regained he
r seat
as the carriage c
a
me to a halt on the desolate country road
.

A
dirt caked boot lash
ed
out at
the rear wheel of the carriage
.  T
he driver
was
in no mood for conversation
. 
“
I’ve
done what I can
,
but i
t’ll be
dark soon
.
W
e
should
make for the nearest lodgings
and
seek shelter
.
”

Laura chose to walk in parts, when the vehicle hit rough
sections of
road and she feared her bones
would rattle
from the
relentless
shuddering
.
 
D
espair
formed around
her
, until
,
as the
sun hovered low in the heavens
,
a
silhouette
materialized on the horizon
.

The
manor resided on the crest of a hill
.  T
he
entrance
was
g
uarded by
a
steep,
winding
path
, the
approach plac
ing
additional strain on a vehicle already
hampered
with injury.
 
Amid the upheaval Laura struggled to remain seated
, h
er thoughts
dulled
by the clamour of wheels as the driver drew the journey to a close in a courtyard barren of life.

Laura stepped from the carriage and took stock of her wounds.  Other than her pride having taken a fall and a few patches of discoloration marking her delicate skin, she appeared to have escaped serious harm.

T
he
driver gestured
toward the main house
.
“I
’ll
make preparations
to
take one of the horses and
ride
on
to Marlbrook.
If all is well,
I
will
return in a day or two with another
carriage
.
”

Laura
observed
t
he driver
as he
moved silently about his chores
.
 
Unloading the vehicle, h
e
navigat
ed
in and around a tar-brushed snowman, and
she
had the vague impression
that
the dark creature had once been her
travelling
chests and solitary hatbox.
Laura scolded herself
for her unruly thoughts
.
Her responsibility was to
find access to the
m
anor and
someone to
care for the remaining horses. 
S
adly
though
, judging by the state of the place, she doubted either would be attained.

The layout of the buildings was quite clear. 
Although d
arkness had taken hold,
the
coarse cobblestones
of the outer buildings
guided
Laura
safely
to the rear of the house.
 
Upon reaching the servant’s entrance,
Laura
knocked at the sturdy
door
and
declared her intentions to the dark.  “Is anyone there?” 

The calm night offered
repetitious
silence.

“I
can
assure you
that
we pose no threat.”

Despite her best efforts
,
Laura could neither retrace her steps
n
or move on
.  H
er
body betrayed her with its refusal to respond to her instructions, and she admonished herself for the unsound thoughts crowding her mind.

Reaching out of the darkness, behind closed doors,
t
hin beam
s
of light
escap
ed
via
naked
windows and side crevices
. 
S
trange n
oises emanated from the emptiness
behind
Laura
.  C
loaked
in fear
,
she
and
the door
almost
became one.  When the sound of a bolt being drawn greeted her
,
it left
her
no time to react
.  T
he door was wrenched open
,
and Laura fell backwards into the light.

CHAPTER
FOUR
- The Man

He stood before her
,
attired as a stable hand.  Loose
-f
itting pants and an off-white shirt that hung freely to thigh length disguised a tall, sturdy frame and confirmed Laura’s first impressions.  A lock of thick, wavy black hair partially obscured his features
,
which were not those of the refined English condition.  His manner and stance appeared arrogant, seemingly untroubled by Laura’s abrupt
entrance
.

Laura leapt to her feet,
struggl
ing
to find her
voice
.  “
Sir,
I
must apologise
.
”

Despite
her unladylike
arrival
,
Laura managed a smile
. H
owever
,
s
he noted that
the stranger
neither
acknowledged
her
good humour
n
or
return
ed
the favour.

Embarrassed by the unnatural silence, Laura
p
e
rsev
er
ed
.  “
A
llow me to introduce myself. My name is Laura,
Laura
Jennings. I am companion to
Lady Catherine Marlbrook.
You may know of her, sir?”

I
maginary lint dotted
Laura’s
dress, compelling her to pull at the unsightly beads.  Laura hesitated.  Perhaps the man was mute and incapable of replying?

Thomas
evaluated the stranger
.  Strands of her pale hair had escaped
, t
he unbound tendrils were found wanting in colour against the backdrop of her embarrassment.  They peeked out from under a dull, grey bonnet, a match for the dull, grey
dress.  However
the woman’s
ability to recover, forgoing the benefits of vapours and smelling salts, stood her in good stead.

Thomas
amused himself.  “Mis
s Jennings
, it has been many years since these quarters have had the privilege of a lady the likes of you in its halls.”

“This - this home, sir
…i
t is unoccupied?”

“I must congratulate you
, ma
’am
.
You have come to see the truth that lies before you.”

Thomas watched
with interest
for
the stranger’s
reaction.  He admitted being a cad, but in all fairness
,
it was not unbelievable that she could be a figment of his imagination.  To have a comely woman literally fall through one's door was not within the bounds of normality.  Besides, this woman showed spirit
;
a trait no man would be foolhardy enough to add to his dreams - unless he
was
reckless at heart.

Her eyes were different.  Defiant in attitude, Thomas doubted that anyone could enhance their condition.  Green fragments dotted with gold were set against a background of grey, with a complexity of composition making a second appraisal obligatory.  Thomas speculated about the character they illustrated and decided he would know more.

Laura glanced about
her
in the belief help might come from some unexpected source.  “
I
am in need of
your
assistance. Our vehicle has met with an unfortunate accident and, as we speak, the driver is preparing to
take his
leave.”

Amusement flickered in Thomas’ ebony eyes.  Laura detected the look
,
but before it took hold he replied.

“Mis
s Jennings
. Surely you are able to see the reality of the circumstances in which you find yourself?”

To Laura’s horror, a mocking bow accompanied his curt remarks.  “
I
t appears
that
I may have made an error
in
judgment.  Perhaps
you might
help me with some options
, sir
.”  The “sir”
was
emphasised as sarcastic retaliation.

His countenance spoke volumes
,
and Laura was unsure what might happen next.  Any lightness the man
possessed
faded.  The black eyes that met her were stern.