The Companion of Lady Holmeshire (29 page)

“
I have been asked to marry Lord Holmeshire, Nicky, and the King of Tremeine has agreed to it, so he will be your Papa. You may soon call him Papa.”

“
Yes, I will. I will call him Papa.” He looked back at his book.

“
Well, I have one more thing to tell you. I am a princess, and it makes you a prince,” she said. “And it may be, not likely, but perhaps, you would even become a king some day.”

“
I know,” he said, and he began crawling off of the bed.

“
You know!” Emma laughed. “Where are you going?”

“
I got a crown!”

“
You have a crown?” Wills chimed in incredulously.

“
Yes!” With that, Nicky ran to the shelf with the box holding the marble horses that Wills had bought him. He pulled out of it Winnie’s sapphire and emerald bracelet and put it on the top of his head. “You see? I am a king.”

Emma was shocked! “Why did you take that bracelet?”

“
I wished to be a king.”

Barreby buried his face in his hands.

Epilogue

The workhouse arrangement would continue for decades, degrading people and ruining any happiness they may have had. But there was a strengthened resolve among many of the privileged with sympathetic hearts to enable the poor to help themselves as best they could by providing the means and necessities while they struggled upward.

Chenbury came to be a well-organized hub for philanthropic work. Nobles and middle-class persons participated generously in fund-raising ventures. Many men and women who were in want of income were thankful to be hired to work in various aspects of the charity.

Mr. Simon Jones had been hired as the personal assistant of Lord Holmeshire at Chenbury. He was sitting in their shared office, organizing the few workers and planning for more, even before the Handerton Ball. His skills proved invaluable, and he came to be responsible for managing most aspects of the charity. Anne stayed behind to marry Simon and to work as a seamstress at Belgrave Square for only ten hours a day. This, she happily pointed out, she could do very well from her own lovely home, like her Mum, should she need to leave to care for a child. Simon and Anne’s twin daughters grew up to become head seamstresses in one of the first fashion houses in London.

Henry Smith eventually became the administrator of numerous well-maintained and successful temporary homes. His experience, living on the streets, gave him an empathetic approach. His mother was put to work organizing for the people in the homes to receive donated clothing and food. And little Wilfred Smith grew up a strong and happy lad, frequently pushing a broom through the halls of Chenbury for a coin or two.

Genevieve was delighted that her father had an heir, freeing her to live her life as she pleased, working for the good of the country. She lived out her life at Chenbury, controlling the house, decorating and entertaining just as she pleased. She had much of the house for living quarters, as only the ground floor was needed for the charity.

She provided homes, on the upper floors, for other single women who had chosen to lead humanitarian lives, but who had not been granted houses of their own. These women came to be her close friends. Along with them, her mother, her sister and other companions, Genny lived a long, happy and rewarding life. She was warmly welcomed in the Kingdom of Tremeine and enjoyed many a holiday there, basking in the love of the people. She left Chenbury to her nephew, Nicholas of Tremeine.

As the grandson of the first Princess Emmanuel of Tremeine, Nicholas also inherited properties and money in that country. The Duke of Trent left something to him and, dearly loving both Nicky and his mother, Winifred left him her settlement house and monies. The entailed holdings and the title of the Earldom of Holmeshire went to his younger brother, Alexander. Nicholas of Tremeine became a great philanthropist in the two countries to which he belonged.

As it turned out, Benedict and his son, Charles Scott, were in prison for many a year, and Benedict died there. Their intent to claim Nicholas, and his probable wealth, had been derailed. Wills was given a good report on Lucy. Though she wished to continue her work at the Inn, in honor of her brother-in-law Alexander he gave her a cottage near the village, for the rest of her life, to see her through. Lucy worked hard and saved money that she willed to her nephew’s charities, though she kept her husband, Charles, in a comfortable bed and well fed as long as he lived.

It was a surprise, after many years, to learn that Sir Gabriel Hughes had not only left money and modest homes to the children of his happy marriage, and to three children whom he had adopted from the streets of London, but he had also left Nicholas a small fortune to be used in his charitable work.

Indulging Your Inner Aristocrat~ British Period Novels

Meet Author Debra Brown

I grew up with my nose in books. I loved mysteries and surprise endings. I especially loved the Victorian houses that my favorite sleuths tiptoed around in. In school, I was handed a copy of Great Expectations, which I could not put down. Miss Havisham was an incredible figure! For the rest of my life, I wanted to be a mouse in the wall watching her live her strange life.

During my years of self employment in the jewelry field, I watched period movies while I worked on my creations. I was in love with the characters, the plots, the historical realities. I became acquainted with the rigidly structured class system, the customs of the times and the required polite behaviors with the policy of shunning anyone who stepped out of line.

I ran out of movies.

With the economic difficulties of recent years, my jewelry business slowed. I began to write my own little story as a hobby, never intending to publish it. It developed in my mind faster than I could get it down on my word processor, and I stayed up later than I should have typing away. It didn't let me sleep when I did go to bed! It developed so beautifully that I decided to put it out there into the world. I am grateful to those that have helped me in various ways with this happy project; you know who you are. I am thankful to World Castle for accepting my book for publication.

And my second book is now keeping me from sleeping.