The Gray Ladies

Chapter 1 - Rosalind Gray

Lifting it up I found Will's, and mine, friend out on my lawn in the moonlight. Harry Young and Will Barnes grew up together, closer than brothers most would say. They lived a couple miles away from me, in run down cottages amongst their 'own kind' as mother would say. We were one of the wealthiest families in this part of London, once upon a time. Then father went off to war and died in battle and the money has been dwindling ever since. Mother has been desperate to marry me off to a wealthy gentleman so that the family might have the status it once had.

"Rosa?" he called in a carrying whisper. "Any word?"

I waved my blue handkerchief, one of two I always kept by the window for these random visits of Harry's in the night time. Blue for no and pink for yes.

"I'm going to the Dog, are you coming?"

I waved the blue handkerchief.

"Mary, Tom and Martin will all be there. With their instruments. We're playing."

"Do you have your guitar?" I called back.

"It's by the gate."

"Fetch my fiddle. It's hiding in the bushes behind the shed."

"You're coming?"

I laughed and waved the pink handkerchief.

Harry smirked then took off in the direction of the back garden before I closed the window and pulled the curtains shut. Standing in front of the mirror, I combed my hair vigorously and smoothed out the skirt of my dress before picking up my black coat and folding some sheet music inside its inner breast pocket.

"Where are you going?" Mother asked when I flew down the stairs. "It's nearly eight o'clock."

"I forgot I had a lesson with Mrs Higgins' daughter, Ashley. They've just had their piano retuned and would like her up to speed before her concert next week." I said, checking my reflection once more in the parlour mirror.

"But we've just had..."

"I know, mother, if it happens again I'm sure they won't mind me staying in their shelter."

"That tin thing? I'm surprised the wind hasn't blown it away."

"It's not tin, mother."

"It might as well be."

"Any way, they pay good money."

"The Higgins' money?" she scoffed. "I doubt it."

"I really wish you would stop looking down on the middle class. If we're not careful we'll be joining them."

"Well, once you leave and get married that'll be one less mouth to feed and some money back in my pocket."

"Really?" I said, rolling my eyes at her audacity, "So you give Will your blessing?"

"I... what?"

"You just said, 'once I leave and get married'."

She laughed. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. Marry the Barnes boy. I know you wear that ring of his, another thing I'm sure is made of tin, but he's not of our stock, Rosalind."

"Does it matter where he comes from? Or that his parents are so poor they had to send his sisters to live with his aunt?"

"Of course it matters. This is Gray Hall, great men were born and bred here."

"What about great women?"

"We serve our purpose."

"Serve our purpose?" I tittered. "I don't want to be the woman behind the man. I am woman. I control my own destiny and I will marry for love not status and money."

"I have a visitor calling in at three tomorrow." She carried on as if I hadn't interrupted, "I would like you to accompany us."

"Do I have any choice?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"No." she said, her eyes hardening. "Well, off you pop. You can't be late. We can't have rumours flying around London that we raise our daughters to be unpunctual."

"Of course not, mother. Because reputation... is everything." I breathed, bowing before her.

"No." she looked to the fireplace where my fathers' portrait stood. "Money is everything. Reputation is important and love..."

"Yes?"

"Love is merely a fantasy."

On that note I left knowing that nothing would ever sway my mother. Her mind was set. Unless I make enough money to live on my own till Will gets back, my future happiness was in her hands. A prospect I didn't feel good about.