The two young Merryweathers along with Miss Heliotrope had just arrived at the solicitor's office. The building's ceilings were incredibly tall and along the edges of the walls carved wood had been carefully crafted and placed. They depicted some type of tale with which Constance was unfamiliar.
Upon hearing her family name being called, she rose from her seat and walked towards the man who held the door ajar. Maria and Miss Heliotrope followed behind and the three of them were offered seats at a large wooden desk with various pieces of paper neatly scattered across it.
The hoop of the charcoal dress Constance wore, delicately folded upon itself as she sat within one of the brown leather chairs. The size completely overwhelmed her frame and made her feel even more delicate. Her hands were placed softly on her lap, her fingers still clutched the lace handkerchief. Her posture was straight, and her eyes locked on the man before her who held no compassion for them. He was a businessman, someone who wanted to get the job done. And that is what the girls were in that moment to him. Just his job.
His aged hands swiftly gathered some pages together and he read aloud in a monotone voice what their father had left as their inheritance. It would seem that despite being a Colonel in the military, he was a gambling man at heart. Yes, he had fought hard for his country but everything he had earned and saved was now lost.
His last gambling outing had not only caused him to lose his own life due to a deal gone wrong but his entire estate and earnings as well. His daughters would now have to live with this burden, and from taking one glance at both of their faces they knew that their reputation within the city would be tarnished.
They had been left no money. No estate. And no dowries. Their governess stuttered from utter shock, asking the elderly man if he was sure regarding the house and all he did was nod. But it would seem that their Uncle, on their fathers' side of the family, had agreed to take them in as his wards. They would have to leave everything they knew behind and travel to the southwest of the country. Their Uncle lived in a place called Moonacre valley, which admittedly the solicitor had no recollection of such a place ever existing.
Only one worldly belonging had been left, and it was to be shared between the two girls. From under the desk, the older man pulled out a leather-bound book with what looked like pearls decorating the border which were only able to shimmer in the light once the dust was blown away. The title of said book gleamed in gold text and read "The Ancient Chronicles of Moonacre Valley".
The man reached over the table holding it out to the girls. Constance reached out for it. It's true, she was in no mood for fairy tales but something about the pearls intrigued her. They appeared almost regal. Once she had glanced over it, she passed it to Maria whose brow was furrowed in confusion. A book? That was all they had? And yet Constance had the same questions running through her mind. What were they to do? How could they just drop everything and leave? What about all the household staff, where would they go?
She truly felt alone, despite having Maria sitting beside her. She was only 20. How was she supposed to look after a 13-year-old girl in a place she had never seen let alone heard of.
It did not matter. The man quickly hurried the Merryweather girls outside along with Miss Heliotrope insisting he had work to do.
Standing outside the office Maria handed the old book, which was now the only thing they had left of their parents, over to their governess and rushed to her sister's arms.
"What are we going to do Constance?" The elder of the two girls clutched the weeping girl tightly to her own body, brushing her hand across the smooth silk fabric that lay over her back. "Everything will be fine Maria, as long as we are together." The girl nodded into her sister's chest before pulling back slightly.
Constance did not let go instead, she held her sister's left hands and with the handkerchief that she still carried in the other she dabbed her sister's stray tears. "We have much to pack before we leave, we best get back to the house. I ought to let the staff know."
Miss Heliotrope took a step forward shaking her head. "Nonsense child, I will take care of the staff. You and your sister should prepare".
It had not taken the Merryweather girls long to reach the townhouse which they call home. The carriage only had to wheel its way around a few cobblestone roads. Its splendour was admired by all who gazed upon it. The courtyard in which their carriage would await or leave them was always looked after with pride. The gardener, who was employed by the late George Herbert Merryweather, had worked on the flowers and shrubbery for the majority of his life and now, like Constance herself, only had a few days left.
Upon hearing the hooves echoing around the courtyard, the middle-aged man took his place beside the carriage and opened the door graciously with a nod and offered his hand for each girl to take.
"Thank you, good Sir. You have always done more than your duty for us." Constance spoke and he shook his head before replying. "It has and always will be my pleasure."
"Come along now girls." Miss Heliotrope stated and walked behind the girls as they entered the entrance hall of the fine property which sadly, they could no longer call home. Servants rushed around the halls, some with laundry in their arms, the others with the cutlery to be used for supper that evening.
They elegantly made their way up the marble staircase that greeted them at the entrance. The trains of their gowns brushing against the soft tiles. The bannister which Constance held with one hand sent shivers down her spine for a moment as the first touch was always very cold. The other hand pulled the front of her skirt up ever so slightly in order to prevent her tripping. Her small, heeled shoes could be seen as well as heard now.
The noise from their heels was the only noise filling the once lively house. The upstairs had a slim carpet runner that reached either end of the long corridor. Maria took a right to reach her own chamber while Constance went left.
The two girls waved goodbye before retreating to their own spaces. Once Constance was inside, her overly ladylike manner could be dropped as she kicked off the uncomfortable heels in two completely different directions, as well as throwing the veiled hat onto a small chair in the corner of the room before collapsing onto her soft bed.
She let out a sigh as she gazed up at the bright white ceiling that almost hurt her eyes to look at. She turned her head to the left where she saw some of the staff had placed some luggage cases and chests. She only had a few days left here. She knew nothing about her Uncle, he did not ever venture out of Moonacre and it would seem her father was the same about the city.
Her neck hurt slightly as the bun she had created earlier prevented her from lying flat. Pulling herself up she walked toward the dressing table and undid the pins that kept her silky auburn hair in place. Once they were all up, she opened the music box which she had been gifted many years ago.
Despite her being a 20-year-old girl, she enjoyed the light-hearted tune it played for her and often, in the sanctuary of her room, would dance around. But she was not in a dancing mood. Instead, the soft tune played in the background as she organised her gowns into piles and placed them neatly within one of the larger trunks. Admittedly the hoops proved a challenge but with some prodding and sitting on the chest, she managed to close it and quickly lock it. It would be like a jack in a box when it was time to be unpacked.
A knock on the door sounded and she hastily made herself somewhat presentable. "Come in!" She called, and Miss Heliotrope revealed herself. She smiled at the girl before looking across the room and tutting. "I know this is a delicate time my dear but, a lady does not throw things and create a mess". Her arm extended as she signalled to the shoes that had been thrown earlier on.
"Sorry Miss Heliotrope, I shall not do it again." The governess nodded, pleased with the outcome of her quick lesson. "My dear, I only came to tell you that supper is ready. And then it will be straight to bed. The day after next is when you leave for your new start." Walking across either side of the room the strict governess handed them back to the girl. "Don't dilly dally Constance."
She would not need telling twice. The shoes were hastily placed back onto her feet before dashing back downstairs to the dining room.
The table had been set up wonderfully, as usual, the finest china and cutlery placed before them. It was normal for a lady of Constance and Maria's station to have a variety of choices. From delicious soups, tender meats to fresh vegetables they knew they were more fortunate than most. Due to the extensive food range, Constance had allowed the staff to take helpings for themselves home, despite the protests of her father when he was home. But that was the point. He was never here so she was technically the Lady of the house.
Constance proceeded with her usual routine. A chair was pulled out for her and she placed the soft napkin across her lap. Conversations between the sisters and Miss Heliotrope were often ones filled with the latest gossip but today they remained silent. Usually, their smiles could light up the worst day, but they could not muster one up on this day.
Once she was finished, the napkin that once sat on her lap was placed to the side of the used plate thanking the staff, she then took her leave whilst deep in thought.
Again, she wandered up the steep staircase and into her room, ready to prepare herself for bed. She could not wait for this day to end. Whilst she was downstairs the candles in her room had been lit. And now a soft linen nightdress with long sleeves and lace edges along with little ribbons was draped across her bed. She wasted no time in unlacing the satin black dress and throwing it over the chair where her headpiece still sat. This time she took her shoes off sensibly, keeping them as a pair.
The comfort of her nightdress was a warm welcome. Just as she was ready to get some rest, Maria rushed into the room not even remembering to knock, causing Constance to let out a squeal and placed a hand to her chest. "Thank you for announcing yourself so loudly Maria, you nearly stopped my heart!" Constance spoke with a hint of sarcasm.
"There was simply no time" she protested. "We have to read this!" Maria practically pushed the brown book from earlier into her sister's hands. For the first time in several days, she wore a small smile from excitement. She could not deny her this pleasure. "All right." She spoke, and Maria jumped with joy. "But only for a little while. We have a busy day tomorrow."
She motioned to her perfectly made bed and Maria dashed into the covers getting comfortable. Constance did the same and the sisters sat cuddled together. The older sister made sure the silky sheets covered her sibling to ensure she was wrapped from the frosty air.
Her fingers skimmed across the leather, that covered the fragile pages inside, and without further delay, she opened the book. Its pages were thick and she noted that whoever wrote this book had exquisite handwriting as well as a talent for painting. Nestled inside the book was a beautiful bookmark with small details across the material. It rested on the first page ready to be used.
She quickly glanced down at Maria and a soft smile found its way to her plump lips. Her sister's eyes were wide with interest and the air was filmed with anticipation. She would not stall any longer. "Once upon a perfect time, many hundreds of years ago, when the old magic clung to Moonacre Valley, there was a young woman whose skin gleamed as pale as the stars and whose heart was as pale as moonlight."
Constance felt Maria edge closer to her, if that were even possible, resting her chin against her sisters' shoulder which would prove uncomfortable after a while, but she did not care. She had to admit even she felt intrigued by the tale and, had no wish to place the bulky book down just yet.
"Such was her bravery and goodness she was beloved by nature as if she were its own daughter." As she read the page, she was sure that the illustration on the page had begun to move but nevertheless, she continued. "One fateful night the moon blessed her with an extraordinary gift that would change the magic of the valley forever. The moon pearls. From that day forth she was known as the Moon Princess."
"Come on Constance turn the page over!" Maria begged. Her older sister giggled at her excitement and happily obliged. "Two ancient families lived in harmony at the edge of the valley sharing nature's bounty. Daughter of the De Noir clan, the Moon Princess, fell deeply in love and was to be married to Sir Wrolf Merryweather." Upon looking closely at the detailed artwork, she could see a cliff edge with a congregation of people gathered at its edge. On the right-hand side, the people wore black robes and gowns. While the others on the left wore moon grey.
"Her father, Sir William De Noir, blessed the union by presenting the couple with a rare black lion. For my daughter bridegroom." Constance attempted to lower her voice as if she were Sir William, but she sounded ridiculous and earned a deep laugh from Maria. Before carrying on she rolled her eyes, refusing to do any more impressions like that.
"Thank you, Father." Maria elbowed her sister in excitement. "Keep going Constance!" the older girl huffed getting slightly agitated by Maria's pushiness and then looked over at the next page which showed a second illustration. This one depicted the black lion standing before the Moon Princess, who looked beautiful in her white gown. "In turn, Sir Wrolf gave his bride a unicorn lured from the white horses of the sea. Only an animal of such beauty and purity could be the companion of a Moon Princess."
Once again, she turned the thick discoloured page. "With her heart overflowing with happiness, the Moon Princess revealed the magical pearls to both families." The painting within the book moved before the girls' eyes and showed the princess standing before her father and husband-to-be with a beaming smile. "Nurtured fathoms deep within the heart of the ocean. These pearls were given to us by Mother Nature herself, promising untold riches to us all. Look they have a unique power; they can reveal the truth in men's hearts."
"Look, she's showing us!" Maria prodded her sister's arm with her finger before pointing to the moving drawing. The Moon Princess held a strand of pearls high for the crowd to see. They radiated a strange type of glow as if they truly were magical. She nodded her head before telling her sister to settle down again so that she could continue.
"Legend told of their unique power. So strong, the pearls would grant every wish both good and evil." The Moon Princess no longer held a smile across her lips. Instead, she turned to face us as if she were truly gazing into our own eyes. Maria was so startled at the sudden change she let out a shriek.
And in no time at all Miss Heliotrope entered the room in her night robe. Her eyes immediately fixated on the girls within the bed as well as the strange book they had been given hours before which lay wide open on Constance's lap. "What on earth is going on in here? I thought I had made it clear that you both require a good night's rest. This is no hour to be reading stories. Come along Maria, back to your own room."
The younger girl huffed and immediately felt the icy chill on her bare feet. "Put that book away Constance, you will both have plenty of time to read it at some other time." The girl nodded and slid it onto the bedside table on her right.
Content with everything Miss Heliotrope bid the girl goodnight before chasing down the hall after the younger Merryweather.
Constance rested her back against the headboard, preventing herself from slouching. The emotions of the day finally caught up to her and she began to realise how exhausted she truly was. The candle beside her flickered softly, causing the room to be illuminated with a yellow glow.
Her plump lips puckered as a soft breath left them completely extinguishing the light. The darkness was welcomed as she snuggled into the duvet and luscious pillows. It would not take long for her to fall into a dreamless sleep. And she welcomed the escape from the real world.