Legends from the Highlands: Seeking Freedom

Part 2

After a tortorous two-day carriage trip during which Aunt Monica gave me neverending lectures on how to act and look like a 'lady', we finally arrived in Edinburgh. The carriage came to a halt just in front of a grand entrance belonging to a large mansion.

It was so good to be able to stand and walka round freely after such a long journey. A footman helped me as I descended from the carriage with my numb feet and then proceeded to unloading our luggage. We were greeted by an old man with a monocle and a long grey beard.

"Welcome Lady Monica and Lady Charlotte. Thank you for accepting my invitation."said the old man as he offered his hand to my aunt.

"Please your grace. The pleasure is ours."replied my aunt in her shrill voice as the man lead us inside.

"I must say..." began the old man, "I did not expect the young lady you offered to present in my name in this year's season to be so beautiful."he said, eyeing me from head to heel.

"Oh dear me, she's just as beautiful as I used to be back in the day..." boasted Aunt Monica.

"Nonsense. You still look winsome for your age." the lord replied.

"My, Lord Fairlaw, you are such a gentleman."she replied, evidently in the mood for flirting.

"Indeed." he turned to me. "Tell me Charlotte, what are your prospects heading into the upper-class season?"

Aunt Monica was about to continue her marathon of boasting when she quickly closed her mouth to let me answer.

"My prospects?" I asked, feeling caught off-guard. I had not exactly prepared for this question. "...well"

"I apologise but my dear niece is feeling weary and would really like to rest." interrupted Aunt Monica trying her best to stall for me.

"Ah, I apologise for being so persistent. I will speak to you tomorrow Charlotte once you are well-rested." he said. "Let me fetch a maid to escort you to your room. I will have a footman carry your luggage upstairs. Have a restful night."

He then rang a small bell and after some moments a black-haired girl dressed in a black dress and white apron appeared.

"Take Lady Charlotte to her room please." he said. The maid nodded and led me upstairs to a room at the back of the mansion in a quiet and lonely corridor. I watched silently as she unlocked the wooden door that opened with a squeaking sound, revealing a grand and slightly overdecorated bedroom.

At the centre lay a huge bed with sheers tied to an overhead railing and covered in silk sheets. There was a wooden table with a regal mirror sitting on it with a golden frame. The walls were all painted with angels playing harps and violins and the roof seemed to connect in a dome. A huge wardrobe lay opposite the bed and beside it was a large window hidden behind a set of bulky curtains. I stared in awe at the room before me. Compared to this, my room back home was a stone compared to sapphires.

"I believe the room is to your liking?" the maid asked timidly. I looked at her with a smile on my face. "Enjoy your stay here my lady. 'Tis the most beautiful room in the house."

She then turned on her heel and left.
I admittedly did feel disappointed that this room would probably remain empty for the rest of its days after we departured to Bamburgh for the rest of the season.

***

That evening was certainly different from what I was used to. Lord Fairlaw sent two of his maids to assist me while bathing, which I found absolutely awkward. Things got slightly worse when they insisted on helping me dress for dinner and started lacing up my corset much tighter than Aunt Monica had previously laced it. They chose a mint green gown and styled my hair in a braided bun which I quite liked.

Dinner was a procession of one dish followed by another. We ate food varying from raddish soup to rabbit stew. It was certainly one of the most uncomfortable dinners I had ever attended since Aunt Monica was constantly watching me like a hawk making sure I used the correct utensils with the correct dish. After dinner Lord Fairlaw invited me and my aunt to join him in the drawing room where one of his page boys played the piano while he explained in depth how the season worked.

All the eligible ladies, including me, would be presented to all the eligible men during the first ball that would take place in Edinburgh Castle. The king would also be attending the event and would enable a man of his choice to lead a woman of his choice through the first dance.

"The first dance is the perfect opportunity to make an impression and catch the eye of some very important people."added Aunt Monica, interrupting Lord Fairlaw.

"I agree. You may very well increase your odds during that first dance."agreed Lord Fairlaw. They were speaking of the season as some kind of competition which made my stomach churn.

"And who would you suggest my niece here should look for during the ball? Any particular participants?"asked my aunt curiously.

"Ah... there are many worthy men eligible for this year's season." replied Lord Fairlaw. " The favourites are mainly Lord Cathriel of Southampton and the Duke of Carlisle though I do fear the latter one is quite reserved and unwilling to join in the festivities."

"Him and I both..."I muttered under my breath.

"Did you say something?"asked the lord, lowering his monocle.

"May I be excused?" I said, completely caught off guard. I would have bet my hat that he would not have been able to hear me given his considerably old age but well, for his age his hearing was unscathed.

"Why of course young lady."replied the lord kindly and I quickly stood up and walked out of the room. I hurried to my bedroom. I locked the door and threw myself on my bed. I could not believe that I would have to marry a man I barely knew. The feeling had started to kick in and every moment felt like I was nearing my doom. I simply couldn't understand how any couple matched up at the season could ever handle a life-long marriage. It was no surprise that most men ended up hiring a mistress to please them when they barely knew anything about their wife.

My eyes started to well up with tears until I was sobbing and eventually cried myself to sleep.

I woke up to a soft knocking on my bedroom door. I quickly stood up and with a tired step, I limped towards the door. I opened it to find a maid with a silver tray in her small hands full of food.

"Good morning my lady!"she greeted. "I hope I did not disturb you from your slumber."

"No..."I said kindly.

"I brought you your breakfast."she said softly.

"My breakfast?"I said in surprise. "This is enough to feed an army!"

"But miss... you must eat because tonight you must be at your best for the first ball of the season."she explained.

"You mean... the first ball is tonight?!"