Demure

Chapter 3

George had only just accepted getting a helper, her name was Mrs Thomas, she took care of George during the day and this granted Elizabeth a lot more freedom. Her walks turned to long hikes and she found herself touring the nearby village, at first the people seemed to be in shock of her arrival as it was not common for a titled lady to take walks unescorted, let alone fraternize with the locals but soon they discovered her admirable disposition that was far from snobbish.

The week passed quickly, monday came around again, and after she'd helped George out of the bath , she decided she needed to get away.

"Where are you going?" George called from the stairs

"A walk." Elizabeth replied

"Its the second time today." He shouted impatiently

"Goodbye." Her tactic now was to pretend to not hear him, she just wanted to leave.

The fields were the same as usual, to some it could cause boredom or a sense of continuity but to Elizabeth each sight and smell excited her, the spring breeze on the grass, or the gentle flow of the stream. Both simple delights, she was sure, but in her mind these were the diversions she held most dear.

Once she reached the gate, she spotted a familiar face. A man's face. He was walking through the forest with a dog beside him. The man was tall, he had brown hair that covered his eyes slightly, unusual but so hypnotising. His whistle cut through her like a knife, she knew him, she didn't know how but she'd seen him somewhere.

Just as her thoughts had taken over, the dog had already jumped and circled around her dress, staining it with several paw-prints.

"Sorry Madam, he gets excited," The man scratched the back of his neck, he had a thick northen accent, she'd heard it before

"Oh no its alright, I'm sorry but who are you?"

"My apologies, I'm the groundskeeper."

"I mean whats your name?" Elizabeth asked, that must be why she'd seen him before right?

"Sorry?" His gaze averted from the floor to Elizabeth's eyes.

"Your name?" She laughed.

"Oh, Oliver Jones."

"Hello Oliver,"

"Hello Lady Brewer,"

"Elizabeth, please."

"Lady Elizabeth."

Elizabeth knew she was looking at him, he had that sort of shine in his eye, of comfort and intrigue, the type of man to be loyal and kind and although her mind was elsewhere, she knew that his gaze was also on her.

The rest of her walk seemed eerily empty, she felt as if there was something missing, like the sun didn't quite fill all of the sky.
She eventually found sanctuary on a nearby bench, and whilst she was gathering her breath a local woman, Mary, entered her peripheral vision.

It looked as if Mary was coming toward her, holding a form of bouquet.

"Lady Brewer, hello."

"Mary, sit please." Elizabeth motioned for the woman to sit beside her.

"Oh, the forest is pretty at sunset, do you come here often?"

"Yes, it's been my sort of hiding place really." Elizabeth coughed "excuse me."

"I think Oliver takes good care of it."

"Oliver? You know Oliver?"
Elizabeth felt her eyes widen and turn toward the woman

"Yes, we all know him around the village. Poor soul, really. Wife left him." She looked sympathetically into the distance motioning at the cottage that resided in the woods.

"He lives there? In that cottage?"

"Yes, surely your husband told you that, he is your groundskeeper." Mary laughed "anyway it's been a pleasure to see you, come by the village again."

And with that Elizabeth was left to her own thoughts and Lord was there a lot of them.