London, Tuesday February 2nd 1900
Alice sat in the hansom cab with her mother staring out the window at the green fields moving by. She rested her pointed chin on her delicate hand and sighed softly.
"Oh Alice, don't look so melancholy. We are going back to our home. Don't slouch girl!" Her mother reprimanded.
Alice immediately sat up straight and lifted her eyes. "Yes, Mother." She replied quietly.
"That's better." Her mother nodded stiffly. Alice glanced over to her mother and saw the same she had seen since their voyage to America. Her skin was a little paler and there were more wrinkles than there was before they journeyed, but her mother's hard, black eyes and thin, straight lips remained the same as always. Alice looked out of the window once again as the horse moved from the compacted dirt roads leading from the dock onto the hard stones that made up the streets of London.
Her mother sat a little taller and smoothed her already straight skirts with black lace gloves. "Look here Alice; there is the new department store. And just up ahead; our home. There, you see? Now you may be able to stop moping." She added sharply.
Alice looked eagerly ahead and saw their home. A vast mansion known to London residents as le Château d'ashmore, Alice smiled grimly to herself, until ten years ago they had been simply the Ashton's. But when her father had become a respected lawyer he had changed his name to suit. Now she had to answer to Miss Alice Ashmore; the name felt like a prison sentence. The cabby pulled up in front of their home and stepped lightly off the driver's seat. He opened the door and offered his arm to Alice. She took it and gently stepped off the carriage; skirts falling perfectly into place. She waited for her mother to alight from the cab before lifting her skirts with one hand and walking towards the front steps. As she reached the door she flung open.
"ALICE!" A familiar voice called, she looked up and saw her older sister Margaret bustling across the parlour.
Alice dropped her many layers of skirt and hugged her sister, "Hello Maggie." She smiled, "Wow, look at your hair! It's so long!"
Margaret swung her blonde curls around and nodded, "Yes, it's fantastic!" Their mother walked through the door and coughed softly.
"Oh, hello Mother." Margaret curtseyed, regaining perfect composure.
"Good afternoon Margaret, how are your lessons?" The old woman asked.
"They are very good, thank you, Mother." Margaret replied dutifully.
"Good. Where is your father?" Margaret turned and motioned to the study. "Thank you." She gathered her skirts and walked slowly over the smooth glass floors.
Margaret looped her arm through Alice's and giggled, "You've been gone SO long!"
Alice smiled as they ascended the stairs to their rooms. Emily, one of the family's maids, met Alice at her door. "Hello Miss Alice, how was your trip?"
"It was good. Thank you Emily." Alice turned to Margaret, "I am very tired Maggie, would you mind terribly waking me for supper?"
Margaret shook her head, "Of course not Alice, I will come and get you then. Sleep well."
Alice smiled and turned back to Emily, "Em? Would you mind giving me a hand? This dress is a nightmare to get out of."
Emily nodded and opened the door for her. "Yes Miss."
Alice frowned softly, "Em? Why all the formality? It's only me."
Emily nodded, "While you were gone Mrs Ashmore let several of us go. She said it was because we weren't clear on who the servants were and who weren't."
The frown lines in Alice's forehead deepened, "Mrs Ashmore? But Mother was with me."
Emily shook her head, "No, I meant your grandmother."
"Oh." Alice's face relaxed, "Well, that won't happen to you."
Her childhood friend smiled, "Thanks Al."
Alice smiled and hugged her, "Your welcome, now can we get me out of this dress?"
Emily chuckled deeply, "Yeah, come on then."
Several hours later Alice had changed into a simple white dress, made from canvas it fell to the floor and hid all her pale skin. Margaret knocked softly on her door; Alice turned from her reflection in the mirror and placed her hairbrush on her vanity.
"Come in Maggie." The door opened and Alice rose, "Yes?"
"Mother said to tell you that supper was ready." Alice nodded, "Yes."
Margaret turned to leave, "Oh and Alice? You'd better get dressed." Margaret closed the door shut and Alice turned to the mirror again.
"Emily?" She called, "I need your assistance." Emily walked in and smiled, "Come on, time to get dressed."
Alice chose a pale green dress and Emily tightened the corset until her bust peered over the top of it. She opened the door and walked down the thickly carpeted stairs. "Good evening Mother. Hello Father." She said as she walked in to the grandly decorated dining room.
"Good evening Alice. Welcome home dear." Her father replied.
As she took her seat another figure entered the room. She lifted her eyes to see a dashing man with chocolate coloured hair and green eyes walk in.
"May I introduce Mr Thomas Williams?" Her father announced gesturing broadly.
Margaret smiled at him, "Good evening, sir." She rose and offered a hand to him; he took it and kissed it softly.
"An honour, Miss." He replied.
Alice's mother looked at Alice pointedly so she rose and offered her right hand. "Sir."
He smiled and brushed it with his lips, her skin tingled as she felt his soft lips against her skin and she gasped softly.
"Pleasure to meet you milady."
She smiled coyly, "The pleasure is mine Mr Williams."
He released her hand and turned to her father, "And might I say sir, you have very lovely daughters."
Alice's father smiled, "Yes, they are beautiful."
"Will you be joining us for supper?" His wife asked quickly.
Thomas nodded, "If there is a place at your lovely table for me?"
"Yes, of course." Mr Ashmore replied, he gestured towards the empty seat next to Alice.
"Thank you sir."
Thomas took his place to the right of Alice and smiled at her. He turned his eyes onto her mother as dinner was brought out. As they ate, Thomas began conversations with her father, mother and sister. Once whilst discussing the battle of Waterloo, he turned to his left and lazily dropped an eyelid at her, she felt warmth inside her stomach that had nothing to do with the soup they were eating. Alice sat quietly watching as the lovely man laughed with her father and flirted with her sister, often he would turn to her and smile graciously, she could do nothing but smile in return.
As the five of them finished the last remnants of a delicious meal and Emily was clearing the plates from the table Thomas rose and announced that he had to retire.
"Oh, yes, of course sir." Alice's mother gestured to her, "Alice, show Mr Williams to the coat room please."
"Yes, Mother." Alice replied, "Mr Williams?" She gazed into his deep eyes and smiled, "This way, please."
Once in the coat room she pulled his hat from the shelf. "Here you are, sir." She bowed her head gently, placing the velvet hat into his broad hands.
"Thank you miss," He breathed softly, bending to kiss her hand again. He turned and left the room slowly. Alice lifted her hand and noticed a small piece of paper, on it was scrawled;
I will call again.
TW
She smiled softly, who is this intriguing man? She thought to herself exiting the coat room.
"Alice?" A sharp voice called from the sitting room.
Sighing, Alice moved towards the doorway. "Yes Mother?" She asked quietly, slipping the note into her other hand and behind her back.
"Tomorrow I wish for you to go to the new department store with your sister. There is to be a party at the Haydon's home, you will need a new gown. That is all."
Alice nodded obediently, "Very well Mother. Good night."
Alice turned, skirt swishing over the polished floor.
Calling for Emily she reached her room, "Emily, I require your assistance getting out of this dress, please."
Emily nodded, "Of course Miss Alice."
Alice held her arms up as Emily pulled the gown over her head. After she had hung the gown up in the wardrobe she began to undo the tangled strings at the back of her corset.
Alice breathed deeply as she was freed from the constricting material. "Thank you Em. I could barely breathe in that thing." She laughed a tinkling laugh as she lay down on her bed in her soft canvas nightgown.
Emily pulled down the bedclothes and she crawled in.
"Good night Miss." She said before turning to leave, "Good night Al." She added quietly, walking out the door and closing it behind her.
Alice smiled to herself and looked at the note once again, somehow, she would find out who Mr. Thomas Williams was.