Chapter Five
Matilda’s wedding weekend was hectic. Guests were arriving since early morning and Catherine had no idea where they would all stay. Although their castle was big, it had not many bedrooms and all they had were being used.
Charles solved part of the problem by taking the men hunting. Catherine decided to get Louis to entertain the women in one of the larger rooms in the castle. Lizzy was with Matilda, talking to her, calming her down for Matilda was really nervous.
Eddy was in his room, all ready for the wedding but not wanting to move at all from his seat on the bed. The maids and butlers were busy preparing the food and the stable boys were sorting out all the horses that came with the carriages that came with the guests.
Everyone was busy doing something. At midday everyone assembled in the banqueting hall and the party began.
~*~
It was very late, or should I say: very early before the guests went home. Matilda had gone to bed long before, ready to wake up early the next morning for her wedding. Only immediate family was going which excluded Lizzy. Matilda went to see her before they left.
“I shall write to you as much as I can. I would love to hear about your life and if your memory comes back I will be so pleased. I will come and visit as soon as I possibly can.” The two girls hugged. Matilda was at the door after being shouted down by her father. “You are like a sister to me.” she said and left the room. Lizzy smiled at the closing door.
She watched the carriages disappear through the window. She already missed the people going. They would be gone for a few days and would not be returning till late anyway. There was one good thing about being alone...Lizzy could do as she pleased.
During her stay at the castle, Lizzy had made friends with one of Eddy’s closest friends: Thomas. Thomas was one of the guards that guarded the castle. Lizzy now went to see him. Thomas hugged her as usual. “Would you like to do anything today, miss? Walking or riding?”
“I cannot ride.” Lizzy stated.
“I shall have to teach you then, but not today.” Thomas said.
“May you teach me how to fight with a sword?” Lizzy asked. Thomas looked shocked before raising his eyebrows.
“Shouldn’t you be sewing or doing something girls do?” Thomas asked.
“Please, Thomas, please! They aren’t here to tell me off and I would love to know how to use a sword. You never know if I may need it or not.” Lizzy begged.
“Fine, all right.” Thomas gave in. He fetched two swords and began to teach Lizzy how to fence.
For lunch, the maids brought out food for them to eat outside. Lizzy and Thomas talked about the Hutchinson’s. Thomas disliked Catherine and Charles. He thought that there was something about them that didn’t quite make sense. Lizzy partially agreed. They then talked about how well Eddy and Louis fenced and Lizzy said she wanted to be as good as them. Thomas shook his head.
“I had a brother.” Lizzy randomly said. She had no idea herself where it had come from.
“You had?” Thomas said.
“Yes, I think...I think he...died.” Lizzy mumbled, then realisation dawned on her and a tear escaped her eye. “That must be who was under the cloth...oh my...those people...” Thomas couldn’t make sense of what was happening or of what Lizzy was talking about. He called for one of the maids who did know what had been going on with Lizzy and the maid fetched a piece of parchment and a quill and ink.
“Write out what you remember, you know what Master Edward said.” She said. Lizzy scribbled down what she could remember and what she had joined up. The maid took the parchment and everything back inside as Lizzy had stopped crying which meant she had stopped remembering.
“Can you tell me what that was about?” he asked.
“I had a strange dream or memory of having picked flowers and returning to this house where these two people were. Both of them were adults and both of them were crying. There was something under a cloth. I remembered the name Tommy. I just realised that Tommy was my brother Thomas and that he would have been under the cloth. The two adults must have been my parents although I do not know them. The house they were in must have been my home. I still do not remember anything else and I am not sure if I am right or not.”
“At least it is something.” Thomas said.
“I guess,” Lizzy said. “Can I try shooting?” Thomas nodded and got her a bow and arrows. He set up a target and she fired a few, each time she hit the target. Like Louis did, Thomas stared at her, open mouthed in shock.
“How can you do that?” he asked. Lizzy shrugged. “Shrugging is not very lady-like, miss.” Lizzy rolled her eyes. “Nor is the rolling of one’s eyes.”
“Oh, stop picking on me!” Lizzy exclaimed. Thomas smiled and Lizzy smiled back before aiming again and firing an arrow.
The two of them passed the day by darting between fencing and shooting and messing around. “Tomorrow,” Thomas proposed. “You are going to hunt on horseback.”
“I would much rather learn to fence.”Lizzy said.
“You already know how to fence, though.” Thomas said as they walked towards the smaller dining room where they had their meal while the Hutchinson’s were away.
“I would love to fence better than I do.” Lizzy replied.
“If you get any better you will be soon better than Edward and Louis.”
“Exactly, that’s why I want to learn more.”
“Tell you what, we hunt in the morning and anything we bring back the kitchen can use for dinner or lunch and then in the afternoon you can learn to fence. You also have your writing practises.”
“I know how to write though!” Lizzy complained.
“But Miss Matilda wished you to carry them on.”
“Fine, I shall do them just for her.” Lizzy gave in.
“She will be glad to hear it.” Later that evening, Thomas suggested that Lizzy write Matilda a letter. Lizzy agreed and went to the library where she knew the writing equipment was. She began to write.
Dear Matilda,
I hope you are well and by the time you get this letter you will probably be married. I hope your life is as good as it was when you were here, I wish that you have all the happiness you need and nothing too bad happens.
I am missing you greatly although you have only been gone a short while. I do not know how your brothers will cope not having you around. You are closer to them than you are with me and they have known you longer. They will surely miss you more than I.
I hope this letter reaches you in happiness and I hope to see a letter from you one day,
Elizabeth-Jane.
Lizzy put down the letter and read it through. Satisfied she found Thomas and asked him to find someone to deliver it. A messenger was sent out shortly after.
Lizzy had begun to explore the books on the bookshelf in the library. So far the titles had not shown her anything of interest but she found a book that looked interesting and settled down to read it.
Thomas found her asleep in the chair she was sat in, an open book on her lap. Thomas smiled and closed the door again. He did not want to disturb her.
~*~
Every day for the remaining time the Hutchinson’s were away, Thomas and Lizzy stuck to the same routine.
First, they went hunting in the woods on horseback, then they had luncheon, then they fenced and after their supper Lizzy went to do her writing exercises. She fancied she was writing to some lover that she had not seen and began to write pretend letters to him. Then she would find the book she was currently reading and read some more, it usually meant she fell asleep in the chair she had chosen.
When the Hutchinson’s came back, everything changed. Lizzy was not expecting them back for another day at least and was out with Thomas, hunting. They returned to the castle shortly after the family and were told so by the stable boys. Both of them hurried inside.
Lizzy changed before she went to greet them. Eddy was obviously looking around for her, expecting her to appear from the opposite side of the room. Thomas was already greeting the adults and inquiring whether they had had a wonderful time.
Eddy caught sight of Lizzy in the doorway. He walked over to her so they could speak. “Where were you?” he asked.
“I was hunting with Thomas. I had to change before I came down so Thomas went to see you all first.” Lizzy explained.
“Hunting? Since when did you hunt?”
“Since I learnt how to shoot on horseback.” Lizzy replied.
“I do not believe you!” Eddy exclaimed.
“I shall have to prove it to you, then!” Lizzy retorted.
But, that promise to prove had to be put on hold.