William was vexed.
His father had been disappearing more and more frequently, returning as mysteriously as he would go. The old man was ambiguous in his responses too. What wasn't, however, was his health. It was deteriorating rapidly. Although you'd never know from the way he flounces around like a spring chicken, Christ!
That was the least of his problems today.
Colin came at his masters call. "My lord?"
"A stiff drink, Colin, if you would. Tell the lads to saddle my horse. I need a run."
He read over Lionel's letter once more. The sea captain that so often came as a duo with his middle brother, had written him. The letter itself was penned in the wonderful, dramatic manner of the captain himself. They were firm friends too so it wasn't unusual. The contents, however, vexed him.
"What in tarnation am I supposed to do?" He called out to the universe. Sometimes being the eldest often put the wisdoms and decision making upon his shoulders. I don't know if I'm quite comfortable with that. His loyalty to Charles would be tested. He only wondered if the boy would be able to forgive him, in time?
Colin arrived back with a tray of his favourite liquors. "Have you reached a decision, my lord?"
It didn't even surprise him that the servants knew. Of course they did. Half the time, Colin knew before him what he ought to do. Bloody wise crack of a man.
"Yes. I believe I do. It shan't be pretty, mind you."
*
Jeanine was sitting by the parlour window, using a thread to play with Lady Noir. She was going to be ten soon and had become a lap cat over the recent years, but indulged Jeanine every so often with the string.
The serving girl from many nights ago shuffled shyly into the room. Her name was Annabelle and she had taken a great liking to her mistress. She was always in her shadows, eager to help. It was sweet, and misplaced. Jeanine wasn't comfortable being served on. She never had been. But put up with it because it was expected of her.
"Hello, Annabelle. What can I do for you today?" She said with a smile.
"The mailman came by just now, miss." She held out a small stack of envelopes. "Tis all for today."
"Thank you." She smiled, dismissing the girl and rifling through them. A buff coloured envelope with a plain wax seal was addressed to her. "Oh, how exciting!" She could feel a hard bulge within the paper too.
Breaking it open, she pulled out the letter and read the words greedily.
Her face paled and her countenance dimmed. It was a short, concise note. The parchment slipped through her fingers and drifted to the floor. Her face was ashen, the colour completely drained. Her eyes, so vibrant and hopeful, became dull and lifeless.
She moved, as if on autopilot, having an out of body experience. The envelope remained on her lap, trembling fingers picked it up. The item inside tumbled out.
A ring.
Only a ghostly breath expelled from her lungs.
It's twin sister sat snug on her right hand. Where it had been since the day she'd purchased the knock offs from a passing gypsy in Whitechapel market. One for her, and one for Bella.
The plain painted gold band glinted coldly back at her, the glass cut stone embedded in the centre seemed even more empty and hollow today. Any beauty that nostalgia once held was stolen by the inked words upon the parchment. It now symbolised an imminent doom. Great and tragic doom.
"Jeanine!" Her mother's call snapped through the air, breaking her out of her despair.
Hastily, she grabbed the letter and ring, stuffed them back inside the envelope and concealed it about her person. 'Yes, mama!'
'The Fitzroy family will be over soon for lunch, please make haste child, get ready!'
Composing herself, she went ahead upstairs to prepare for the guests. The letter would have to wait.
After meeting the family during the ball, and again at the picnic, the elders had deemed it appropriate to encourage and cement the acquaintanceship through calling upon them. Papa had realised that hiding away would only encourage the rumours that circulated around his small family. The best thing for them would be to move on. To finally allow normalcy to enfold them, and hopefully, become accepted once more. Jeanine, under normal circumstances, would have been thrilled at the opportunity to meet some girls her age, at long last! Now, her mind was trapped elsewhere.
Annabelle was standing attentively by the vanity, tweaking the hairbrush and perfume bottles into orderly soldiered lines. Her hands would fix, then come back to rest clasped together. Then tweak again and so forth.
Jeanine watched her with an amused smile on her face. Slipping the envelope back out, she examined it properly. Turning it over in her hands, she realised that although it was addressed to her, it had no town house address. Only her name.
Where they trying to be mysterious?
Suspicious more like.
'...Annabelle.' She said slowly, making the other girl jump with a little squeak.
'Miss! I didn't see you there, shall we proceed to get you ready?'
'Do you remember the mailman who handed you this?' She held up the envelope.
'Yes, Miss, same man that has been delivering mail over the past few weeks around here.'
Jeanine hummed in response, thoughts whirring to come up with a plausible answer. If he was the regular mailman for this area, then someone else must have approached him earlier and either asked - or bribed - him to deliver this envelope to me, today.
'Could you possibly do me a favour?'
*
Lisa smiled politely as she was escorted into the parlour, following after her mother and her hostesses. The lunch had been pleasant, mostly adults taking up conversation whilst the girls exchanged minimal pleasantries. Jeanine had been uncharacteristically quiet and withdrawn, no matter how hard she tried to force on a happy act. It wouldn't budge out from beneath the stormy armour of her solitude and growing despair.
When they were seated, Jeanine's mother gave her a sharp look. One that she'd witnessed countless times before. She had to restrain from rolling her eyes.
'I've seen that look before.' Lisa whispered, making the other girl turn to her in shock.
'Oh, dear Miss-'
'-call me Lisa!'
'Lisa then, that wasn't anything aimed at you, more reproachful towards me.'
'Yes, I know. But it's iconic, is it not? A mothers silent language.'
'Indeed. Do you think we shall end up the same?'
She shuddered, as if horrified. 'God, I hope not.'
That drew a genuine smile from Jeanine. She'd noticed early on that mother and daughter didn't get along quite so well. It was subtle, but not hard to miss if you knew where to look.
Lisa squirmed in her seat, an impish look on her face.
'Out with it.' Jeanine demanded, a warm smile lightening the tone.
'What?'
'I have seen that look on my own face before and it gleans of curiosity.'
She blushed as if caught out. 'You disappeared in such a rush, I wasn't sure if i ought to persist or leave you to your tryst-!'
'Lady Elizabeth! You are scandalous!'
Lisa threw her head back and laughed. 'Believe me when I say it is not my norm. A dear friend of mine has the mouth to outdo a sailor. You would love Bethany!'
Jeanine smiled. 'No doubt.' She observed the other girl. Her gut told her she wasn't a frivolous gossip, with nary a malicious bone in her. For if she was, Jeanine's supposed "tryst" could have been all over the local papers by now and causing a conundrum through polite society. Her parents would have heard and have her hung too.
'I am ever so curious, but if you wish it to remain unknown, I will not bother you so.' The other girl gave a solemn nod.
Jeanine merely grinned back, her teeth all coming out in a childishly huge grin. One that was unfiltered and raw in its joy. 'I'll tell you alright.' She shuffled closer, a quick glance at the mother's. Still occupied. Good. 'Did you know who that was?'
'The Berkeley boy? Why yes. The family is very well established. It would be hard to miss them.'
To this, she rolled her eyes. Of course. But she had missed them, by a mile. 'Well, the idiot George was assisting me as he had spotted a woman's monthly appearance of grandmama flow-!'
Lisa burst into a fit of giggles.
'I noticed!' She seemed genuinely horrified for Jeanine. 'I can't imagine how you dealt with it, I would practically faint!'
'Oh please, it is nought to be ashamed of. I was rather surprised by his desire to aid me conceal it from the party. So there you have it.' She slapped her thigh and sat back, thinking about the more intimate part of that encounter. Her face coloured and she scrambled for more words to rid of the memory. Strong hands around her middle, massaging gently- 'the boy merely helped me indoors, I ran like the devil was on my heels to my room, and came back changed. No tryst, no romance, no story.'
Denial. Denial. Denial.
Lisa puffed out her cheeks and blew out the air. 'Boring.'
That elicited a laugh from her hostess. 'Boring, you say?'
She received an earnest bout of nods. 'Completely civil and utterly boring. I was expecting something, daresay, out of my novellas.' Her eyes shone.
'Real life is never so dramatic.' And as those words left her lips, Jeanine found herself wishing them into her reality. Alas, it was not to be for the young woman.
*
Annabelle slipped into her mistress' bedroom early the next morning, as requested. Jeanine stirred at the slight noise and sat up in bed. She had not slept well and was reluctantly awaiting this moment. She looked to the silhouette by the door.
'Well?' Her voice croaked, fatigued with a thousand unspoken sorrows.
'It is done, miss .'
'Thank you.'
*
My dearest little rabbit.
Enclosed is a gift to remind you of your past. You seem to have developed a taste for finery and high class living.
Do not forget your humble roots, nor the woman that got you there. If you should want to see her again, alive, come back to where you belong.
You are years overdue and your dearest Bella will be paying for every second past.
Tick tock goes the clock, little rabbit.
With love,
Quil.