Disclaimer: christianqueenofegypt owns nothing. I disown Mrs. Seymour...
Chapter has slight cursing.
Ready? Begin!
Thomas Abel O'Malley Windermere
"How are they, Doctor?"
The doctor shook his head.
"Take the boy" he said grimly. "They are gone"
Lord Simon Windermere took the ten year old child of his devoted gardener and maid with a firm yet gentle hand by the shoulder.
"Come, Thomas, you will be safe now with my family and I..."
Thomas hung his head, tears streaming down his face; he'd never see his beloved parents again...
One year later
Two boys were having fun kicking at rocks and cans, when they turned the corner and noticed two boys from the current neighborhood terrorizing a young girl- they were pulling her hair and one of them attempted snatching a book out of her hands.
Thomas Windimere, out and about with his younger brother, David was trying to escape the lecturing cadance of their new Nanny, Nanny Langton.
She was fierce and demanded to be obeyed, she wouldn't let Mother get a word in either, which for Thomas seemed odd... Da had always ruled the roost...
Anyhow, the two youngsters were deciding how to get into mischief without getting their clothes soiled, when they happened upon a roucous...
"Think yer so igh and mighty dontcha... Getter book, Liam..."
"Nicht! Leave...me... alone!"
Thomas and David looked at each other in alarm... just what were these two lads up to?
They rushed over to see what was happening.
"Cmon, lebest I just wanna have a bit of fu-"
The boy, big muscular and grimy grinned as he grabbed the girl attempting to kiss her.
She spat in his face. the boy swore, slapping her as she cried out...
"HEY! MEATHEADS!" yelled Thomas both lads looked up from shuffling the lass when the skinny one, Liam, was suckerpunched by David.
"Alf!" he yelped as Alf turned, was grabbed by the collar and kicked in the shin by a midget, a lad two-thirds his size.
Alf shrieked in pain, glaring daggers at the interloper.
The boy cursed in German, causing the girl to blush, still behind him and shaking.
Thomas grinned.
"Next time, try pickin' on someone yer own size! If i see yer filthy arse anywhere near this lass again, I won't stop at yer shins" he grinned evilly.
"Now, why were ye attackin this girl?"
"shes a bitch" growled Alf who glared at the girl "always thinks shes better than us, just cu she can read."
Thomas made a fist while Davey shook his head.
"Stupid shit" added Liam "bastard filly if i ever saw one"
Lydia blushed crimson, eyes filling with tears.
"Not natural" growled Alf.
Thomas' blood boiled. These boys were Arians... racist, no good, bloody heathens!
"Well what does that say about you? Tormentin an innocent girl! Tis you who're unnatural! someone should send you and your kind away- those with the same thoughts as you that yer better than anyone else!"
"I am!" yelled Alf "Jah!" yelled Liam.
"What do you know of her anyway! her father is one of us and he goes and marries a Polish Jew" he spat the word out as if it were poison.
"And so she is of a mixed race, so what?"
"Shes a Jew!" Alf howled.
"So was Jesus" grinned Thomas.
Alf muttered something under his breath. Thomas caught slave, master, and pleasure...
He didn't know what that meant, but it wouldn't be good if the brute had been trying to kiss the girl against her will.
He assumed the boy to be about fourteen or fifteen... the girl couldn't be more than twelve...
Thomas glared as he remembered a discussion he and David had had with Father about women and how they were to be treasured and protected, not abused.
Thomas was struck with the realization that he and David were led here... that these boys would have done harm to the girl if he and David had not arrived...
Thomas took a chance and looked at the girl, into her eyes.
There was pleading, fear, and also, pride. She knew who she was and loved her family. she wasn't strong enough to defend herself against others who despised her because of her birth...
Thomas nodded, feeling a surge of affection and protectiveness. It ran through his bloodstream and made him want to beat the shit out of these two heathens!
"Leave" he hissed. "Leave and don't come back... if you do, be sure to have kissed your mothers goodbye- if I see either of you near this girl, you will regret it... do ye understand me?"
Alf spit in his face.
"Tú leathcheann dúr"(1) Thomas hissed, not heeding David's warning as he pulled back his fist and hurled it at Alf, as Liam tackled him from behind, pushing him to his back and punching him.
As Liam punched, David roared, Alf egging Liam on...
Thomas looked at the lass... she was beautiful.
With her strawberry blonde hair, tanned skin and warm brown eyes, she was a vision.
Even if he never saw her again, twas an honor to fight for her name and virtue.
His Ma and Da would be proud of him he was sure... he closed his eyes, and surrendered to the dark…
Lydia Marie Dietrich
she didn't expect them at all...the two boys who came to her rescue from the two idiots whom had been stalking her since she moved here...
she winced as the smaller of the two, Thomas, was grounded by Alf and held down by Liam.
She screamed with all her might, surely someone would come to their aide...
"Lydia!" her father called "Mien Schat's what's wrong?"(2)
"Alf and Liam are beating up that boy, Papa! They're going to kill him!"
Her father shook his head and ran over to where Alf was beating Thomas up.
Lydia gasped as her father threw Alf off of Thomas with surprising strength.
Alf gave her father a 'what the hell!' look as did Liam, but her father stood strong in the face of his adversaries.
"You leave this boy alone! If you come near him ever again, or my daughter for that matter, you will answer to me!"
Both boys gulped
"Now get!"
The boys ran off looking off at behind their shoulders at him glaring at him with all their might.
Hans Dietrich gave them a dirty look until they were out of sight.
Then, he turn behind him where Thomas was holding his rib and bleeding.
are you alright my boy?
Aye, sir thank you
"It is I who should be thanking you for protecting my beautiful flower. I am Hans Dietrich, and this is my daughter, Lydia Marie."
Thomas gave Lydia a shy smile as did she when her cheeks gave away her telling blush.
Hans smile to himself, as did David.
Soon, these two would be inseparable.
"Now, let's see what we can do about getting you inside"
Hans said, doing his best to gently pick Thomas up and not hurt him; the young man who would someday become his son-in-law...
Agathe Mortimer- Seymour
Agathe Mortimer- Seymour was a proud woman, known for her good looks, her charm, and most importantly, her money.
Her connections got her in high standing; the clubs near the elite of London, even in circles that included members of royalty.
One of those circles catered to the family of Windemere know David Windemere, David's brother Thomas, and several second cousins...
The family reeked of money and showed it, at least most of them did...
The Windemere men were known for being handsome and charming as well as wealthy.
Agathe had her eye on handsome Thomas Windemere the younger brother of David who, according to social circles, was seeing someone...
Thomas himself had just gotten married to beautiful brilliant articulate Lydia Marie Dietrich.
She'd been a childhood friend and later childhood sweetheart to Thomas and after they got older, they decided to get married after high school.
Though still children themselves, they hoped to someday go to college and have a family.
Being adopted into the Windemere family, Thomas of course would have his education paid for; his wife he would have to pay for himself.
This stipulation seemed cruel to David, who secretly decided to give a portion of his savings to his brother as a wedding gift to have Lydia achieve her dream of becoming an artist...
Another little known secret of the family was that Lydia was pregnant with Thomas' and her first child.
They weren't quite sure what the baby would be, but they were secretly hoping for a girl.
"What should we name her?" Lydia asked.
"Felicity" Thomas grinned "because her mother has made me so happy ever since the first moment I saw her."
Lydia laughed and blushed.
"What of her Christian name my love?"(3)
Thomas thought about it
"Vivian" he answered grinning again.
"Alive?" Lydia asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Yes seeing as her mother is also vivacious"
"Yes and she also gets her mischievous side from her father" Lydia winked.
Thomas laughed and moved to tickle her, He instead settled for a kiss and cuddled her to him bringing her in his arms.
Lydia sighed happily caressing her eight month pregnant stomach.
It wouldn't be long now before Little Lissie would be on her way, the light and joy of their hearts...
Unfortunately for the couple, Thomas had to work later the next couple of weeks. It concerned him, working so late seeing that his wife was near her due date and could give birth at any moment...
Thomas sighed as he sat looking at the paperwork stacked on his desk.
His new secretary Agathe Seymour sat typing away in the next room.
Thomas reclined in his chair and sighed...
How he longed to be home with Lydia and preparing with her for Felicity's arrival!
As she worked typing away endless, mind numbing reports, Agathe scowled.
She had been hoping to sweep Thomas off of his feet, despite that he was married with a child on the way!
Agathe thought the girl was just a casual affair; Thomas would look Agathe's way and forget all about the little trollop.
She especially did not expect the girl to be pregnant!
Agathe started to think: hmmm how to get rid of the girl and her brat, keeping Thomas and his wealth all to myself…
She could pretend to be a midwife... if something went wrong with the baby and mother, it could not be helped.
They would die tragically and Thomas would have her to lean on...
"I understand you've conducted some research on midwifery, sir. If you ever needed someone, I would be happy to assist..."
Thomas raised an eyebrow.
"You're qualified as a midwife?"
"I am sir... allow me to meet your wife and together we will deliver your daughter safely…" Agathe smiled.
Thomas sighed and rubbed his face.
"It will take a load off of my mind if you can do so, eternally grateful…"
"Yes sir... as you wish"
Privately, Agathe grinned to herself. Oh yes, I'll be more than happy to assist your wife...
Two weeks later, it was time.
Lydia woke up frantic. "Thomas, she's coming!"
Thomas called for Agathe via telephone…
Agathe came soon with her medical bag and walked into the room; Lydia was ready, but nervous.
"Oh, my dear" Agathe crooned. "Rest relax... the baby needs to feel that Mother is ready…"
She set her bag down and put together a mixture for Lydia to drink.
"Drink this. it will help you to rest…"
The drink tasted bitter, causing Lydia to feel nauceous, perhaps due to pregnancy...
"Abba" Lydia whispered "Azri Li" (4)
Something was wrong...
Agathe left the room shortly.
Lydia, in a panic, felt she must urge her husband… she felt she did not have much time left.
"Thomas, you must promise me that you will care for Felicity! Protect her from... Augh!"
"Lydia!"
"It is time!" Agathe said "the baby is ready to be born, sir... you must leave the room at once!"
Thomas was torn, especially after he left. he could hear Lydia's screams along with Agathe telling her to push...
Soon enough, Thomas could hear the wailing of a baby. His heart both soared and sank as he felt a pit of dread in his stomach.
Was something wrong with Lydia? why had she looked so fearful before making him swear he would take care of their daughter?
Without another thought, he burst into the room.
"Mr. Windemere! I did not permit that you could reenter the room! Your wife is hardly decent!"
"I dont care about that!" Thomas snapped. "Lydia... Lydia my love, I'm here... It's me, Lyddie. Its me Thomas…"
she seen peacefully asleep but there was something wrong… Her lips were blue and
his fear rose to panic.
Thomas never noticed the faint scent of bitter almonds...
"Lydia? Lydia can you hear me?" Thomas started shaking his wife as their baby girl, Felicity Vivian started to bawl.
"LYDIA!" Thomas howled. he was crying now, realizing his beloved wife, mother of their beautiful baby girl was dead...
Agathe stood, humming and bouncing the baby to sleep, a queer triumphant smile on her face.
She had what she wanted... at last...
Nathan Alexander Brown
Nathan Alexander Brown was the youngest of four, three boys, and one girl who died as a teenager; no one knew why.
Nathan grew up shy, quiet, very studious with his heart set on joining the church.
His father had been a minister, a war chaplain in England's Revolution against the crown.
He'd been killed in action when Nathan was seven.
Nathan's mother Gladys had died of a broken heart.
Nathan had been sent to school by his eldest brother Jeremiah, and encouraged by his middle brother, Abner, to join the war.
it was during the war at age seventeen Nathan felt a calling to join the church, but through what capacity, he knew not.
After the war, Nathan returned home to attend school, Oxford, where he was paired with a new mentor, Thomas Marsberg-Windermere.
Nathan had heard of the Windemere family, and had expected them to be stuck up.
Perhaps many were, but there was something different about Thomas...
Thomas had joined the Protestant church after the Catholic church shunned him for marrying outside the faith.
Thomas preferred the Protestant church much better.
Sermons had more to do with salvation than religion.
Unfortunately, mentor nor mentee could come to any sort of agreement in pertains to their faith.
"Nathan, my boy, tis a pity we cannot see eye to eye. I pray that someday the Lord would open your eyes to His truth- there is so much more to a relationship with Christ than objects and duties…"
Nathan felt guilty for allowing his temper to get the better of him, especially when Thomas expressed his thoughts with humility and love.
Thomas smiled sadly. "I fear I must leave you now. Our time is drawing to an end."
Nathan frowned. where was Thomas headed?
When they shook hands and parted ways, Nathan followed Thomas to a section of the school meant for the care of children of students and staff.
Nathan was surprised to see Thomas pick up a little girl with bright reddish golden hair and big brown eyes.
"Papa!" she giggled. "Hello, my Lissie love!" Thomas grinned, picking up the child and placing her on his hip.
Nathan wondered what "Lissie" was short for. Felicia? no, wait! Felicity!
Nathan did not hear any more of the conversation, but from his vantage point he noticed the child to be about three years of age with a mop of red curls and chubby little limbs.
She was a beautiful little girl, and would someday become a beautiful young lady...
Nathan's heart tugged as it never had before, and then realized- as a Catholic priest, the thought of marriage to a beautiful young woman like Felicity Windemere would be near impossible... wouldn't it?
(1) - Irish- You stupid idiots!
(2)- German- My dear
(3)- Christian name- Old European term for middle name
(4)- Hebrew- Father, Help me
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