"All you have to do is plough up a bit of dirt, put the seed in and cover it," Sarah explained. "Make sure they are neatly separated so that the roots won't tangle with each other when they grow."
"I understand." Juliet nodded and held up the shovel carefully. She was born a noblewoman and had never done hard labour. True, when her family fell on hard times, she had to help Sophie with the housework but she had never worked in her whole life but she was staying at Francis' house and it was her duty to help them.
As Sarah and Millet started work, Juliet followed suit and carefully placed the tomato seeds inside the dirt. Time passed slowly and she perspired as she worked her way down the row of seeds.
"Sisters! How can you let Juliet work so hard?"
Juliet looked up and saw Francis bounding down the battered path. He was covered with dust. "Don't come near us lest your dust land on the plants," Millet called out.
Francis pulled a face. "You okay Juliet?" he asked.
Juliet smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. You should take a rest."
"Nah, I'm still needed at the straw mill." Francis sulked. "I just came by to check if you were okay. Lest you get overworked by my sisters and die of heat exhaustion."
"Mercy, Francis, can you stop spouting nonsense?" Sarah muttered.
Juliet laughed. She loved the interactions between Francis and his sisters. It was...completely unlike Titania and her. Thinking about her sister made her heart ache. They never talked so carelessly and since young, there was always friction between them. She wished she had a brother like Francis and sisters like Millet and Sarah.
The only person closest to a sister was Syvil and she....she...Tears suddenly dripped down from her eyes and Juliet wiped them off quickly.
"Francis, what did you do to make poor Juliet cry?" Sarah hissed.
"Nothing!" Francis held up his hands. "I swear I did nothing." He examined Juliet's face. "Why are you crying?"
"Just thinking of my friend," Juliet sniffed.
"She died?" Francis asked plainly.
"Francis! Be tactful!" Sarah scolded.
"If you don't want to share, it's really fine Juliet," Francis said reassuringly.
"It's fine." Juliet shook her head.. "My friend....she was taken advantage by my a man and she unfortunately ended up pregnant. Her fiance....abandoned her and she went into depression and is presently in a mental asylum." Her heart swelled up with emotions. Syvil was so sweet and kind to her when no one else were. She didn't deserve to be treated like unwanted garbage.
"That man is a bastard," Francis said. "If Syvil was my fiance, I will take a knife and chop that man up."
"FRANCIS. LANGUAGE!" Sarah shouted. There was a ghastly and disapproving look on Sarah's face.
"Keep your corset on, sister," Francis muttered and his face suddenly brightened. "Do you want to visit her?"
"Can I?" Juliet looked up in surprised. "The asylum she is in is all the way in London. We are in the countryside."
"The town is not far from here. We might need to take a horse carriage though." Francis suddenly smiled slyly and walked over to where his sisters were working hard at plowing the soil. "Sarah, can you please give me some shillings for a trip to London?"
"Oh, now you are seeking help from me?" Sarah rolled her eyes. "I thought you told me to butt out just a minute ago?"
"Please." Francis smiled. "I'm your only brother."
Sarah sighed and put down her shovel. She reached into her pocket and pulled up a purse.
"Francis! It's really fine. Don't trouble your sister," Juliet said worriedly. She knew they barely had enough to eat and didn't want to be a burden to them.
"It's alright Lady Juliet," Sarah laughed and handed the money to her brother. "Just keep your trip a secret from Mother. I will cover for both of you."
"You are the best, Sarah." Francis grinned and hugged her. Sarah waved him off but there was a blush on her cheeks.
"Come, let's go before Mother returns home," Francis said.
Juliet nodded, unable to speak momentarily as her heart constricted with emotion.
She was finally going to meet Syvil again.
*************
Juliet couldn't remember the last time she visited the mental asylum and she felt enormously guilty about it. So many things had happened within such a short period of time.
As Francis and her walked down the corridor, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. She wondered how Syvil was like and counting the months, she must have given birth to the child already.
When she reached Syvil's room, she took a deep breath and grabbed the door knob, pushing the door open.
What she saw shocked her.
There was a crib at the side and the loud wailing and crying of a baby. Syvil was lying on the bed with her wrists bound to the bed. There were numerous cuts and bruises on Syvil and she was just staring at the ceiling, her wide eyes open and unblinking.
"Syvil!" Juliet rushed to her bedside and shook her. "Do you recognize me?"
Syvil's eyeballs swivelled towards her and Juliet gulped. There was emptiness and soulessness in her eyes. She barely looked alive.
"Is this your friend?" Francis came up. "Hello there, I'm Francis, Juliet's farmer friend."
Syvil cracked open her lips. "You became a farmer's wife Juliet?"
"No!" Juliet laughed weakly. "He's just a friend I'm staying with. You recognize me?" She touched Syvil's face and flinched. It was cold and hard...like a corpse.
"Of course I recognize you, silly girl." Syvil smiled weakly. Her beautiful face had turned guant and sunken and she looked much older with the white hairs growing out. Her gaze flickered to Francis. "Why is your friend here? I'm embarrassed for him to see me like this."
"Don't worry m'lady," Francis said cheerfully. He looked utterly comfortable despite the sombre atmosphere. Besides, you look absolutely lovely. I don't see a girl with white hairs. I see a girl who a beautiful personality."
Syvil laughed and smiled. "You're the first person who has said that to me."
Francis grinned. "See, you should smile more often. You look lovely."
Juliet's gaze flickered between both of them. Syvil and Francis were staring at each other with shy smiles on their faces, completely ignoring her presence.
She cleared her throat and both of them looked at her. Francis looked a little sheepish and said, "I will wait for you outside."
The moment Francis disappeared, Juliet turned to her friend. "That's your child?" She pointed at the crib.
"Yes." Syvil's lips trembled and she looked like a fragile doll again. "That's....that's the bastard Sir Bernard and I conceived. The product of our mistake and my failed engagement to Freddie."
"Hush." Juliet squeezed her hand. "The child is innocent but I understand what you mean. Has....has Duke Roman visited?"
Syvil looked away. "Nay. He didn't. Men are heartless creatures."
"I...I'm so sorry Syvil." Juliet bit her lips. "I wished all these had never happened."
"It's not your fault," Syvil said monotonously. "I...I shouldn't have let...let...Sir Bernard touched me...I feel so...guilty and dirty for betraying Freddie."
"What happened to you?" Juliet touched one of the dry scars. "Did the doctors do this to you?"
Syvil shook her head. "I...I used a blade and did that to myself. The pain was addicting and...I had no other way to cope with my emotions." Her voice trembled. "And when I tried to...to kill the baby, the doctors bounded me to the bed."
"You tried to kill your baby?" Juliet gasped. "Why did you do that?"
"I don't know...I really don't know." Tears started flowing down Syvil's cheeks. "There was this voice in my head telling me I needed to kill this baby. Whenever I looked at him, all I could see was Sir Bernard's face. I...I...I lost control..."
Juliet wiped her friend's wet cheeks. "You need to rest well and recuperate and stop thinking of Sir Bernard. You've your own life now. Don't let him ruin you."
"Where's Edmund?" Syvil frowned. "Or are you with the Francis man?"
"I....He's busy," Juliet mumbled. There was no need to burden Syvil with her matters which seemed all too trivial compared to what Syvil was facing now.
"Promise me you will invite me to your wedding," Syvil said softly.
Juliet stared at her friend. She didn't want to tell her that the wedding was probably called off. She didn't want to tell her how much she longed for Edmund but yet chose to ran away from him. Most of all, she didn't want to admit she still cared about Edmund despite choosing Titania over him.
Instead, all she said was, "I will. I promise."
Syvil nodded and closed her eyes and after a few seconds, appeared to have drifted off to sleep. Juliet got up and walked towards the crib. Half-expecting to see a replica of Sir Bernard, she was relieved to see that the babe had no resemblance to Sir Bernard at all. The little boy had Syvil's black hair and dimples. Juliet reached out to touch the baby and the baby giggled.
Seeing the baby made her long for a baby with Edmund. She wondered how their baby would like. Whether it was a girl or boy, she hoped that the baby would inherit Edmund's fine features instead of hers.
"Is that Syvil's son?"
Juliet glanced up and saw that Francis had entered the room silently. She nodded mutely. "Aye, it's the babe of her...mistake with a nobleman."
"A pity. He looks fine." Francis reached out his finger and the baby grabbed it and licked it. He cracked a smile and laughed and the baby smiled adoringly back. "Does he have a name?"
She shook her name. "It's unlikely Syvil has named the babe. It...it reminds her of everything she has lost."
"She should look on the bright side. Instead of losing, she has gained her own child and the knowledge of how her fiance truly is. She wouldn't want to marry such a heartless man," Francis said quietly.
Both of them looked at the sweet child for a few moments and Francis glanced up. "Juliet, do you mind if I visit Lady Syvil and her babe again?"
"Why would you do that?" Juliet asked, surprised. "She is no friend or relative of yours."
"I can be her new friend." Francis patted his chest. "She needs moral support at the moment."
"You are a good person if you must know that."
"You are not the first person who has said that," he replied unabashedly. "How can anyone deny my wholesome good heart and hearty personality?"
Juliet rolled her eyes. Sarah was right. Francis was not the least bit modest but she liked his direct and straightforward personality.
She was lucky to have bumped into him. If not, she probably would have been left dead and abandoned in the middle of the road.