Chapter 19

Mrs Hughes leaned back and took Lady Sybil's face in both of her hands. The little girl smiled timidly from behind her tears seeing the kind eyes of the Housekeeper.

"There now. Feeling better?" Mrs Hughes asked and Sybil nodded. She raised herself a little and wrapped her arms around the Housekeeper's neck and hugged her tight.

"Thank you Mrs Hughes," she whispered and tears filled Elsie's eyes.

"Now young Lady let's get you up to bed before someone finds out. Nanny would very well have a heart attack if she finds you gone in the middle of the night," Mrs Hughes said trying to swallow her tears but she couldn't help the emotions from making her voice to crack on the edges. Lady Sybil released her and took the Housekeeper's work worn hand in her tiny one. Her thumb lightly traced a path along one of the blue veins that shone prominently on the back of Mrs Hughes' hand. Sybil let out a very unladylike yawn without any of her hands to cover her mouth, one clutching her pillow and the other cradling Mrs Hughes' long fingers. Mrs Hughes let out a soft laugh watching the adorable young girl. She found a gentle delight in watching the young girl who was still not tainted by the colours and the ways of upper class living. Still like a little girl more than a young Lady.

"Sleepy head?" she whispered fondling the little girl's dark head of hair. Sybil smiled. Mrs Hughes rose to her feet letting go of Sybil hand and picked the girl up letting out an almost inaudible groan as her back protested the heavy weight of the child after a long day of work. Sybil smiled quite excitedly. It's been a long time since she's been picked up and in the air.

"Am I not heavy Mrs Hughes?" she asked sleepily, quite worried that she might hurt the housekeeper with her weight.

"Aye. You are quite heavy now Milady but it's alright. We'll be able to get you to bed quickly," Mrs Hughes said now mildly regretting her decision. She very much wanted to take the little girl in her arms but the weariness that plagued her for weeks was not quite agreeing with her decision. But no, she really couldn't have the sleepy little girl walking about at this time of the night. What if she tripped herself and fell down and hurt herself.

"Now to the nursery," Mrs Hughes said in a determined tone and Sybil chuckled. Mrs Hughes carefully climbed upstairs on her bare feet. Sybil clutching her pillow in one hand and the other around Mrs Hughes' neck. They walked into the upstairs corridor through the green door that separated the stairs.

The corridors were enveloped in the silence and darkness of the night. Almost all of the candles put out. The richly decorated corridor with its brilliant red carpets padded the bare feet of the housekeeper. Corridors which held so many secrets from lovers' trysts, mysterious deaths and horrors of unspeakable violence to stolen kisses and secret tears over centuries now added to their list the image of a bare footed Housekeeper carrying a young Lady through the darkness. The skirts of her black dress swishing through the darkness and its rustling dying into the night and the white of a child's night gown piercing the darkness.

Once outside the nursery Mrs Hughes slowly placed Sybil down. The warmth of the young girl leaving her and the cold night air invading her again. Sybil smiled sleepily at Mrs Hughes who stroked the little girl's head.

"Now you have a very good night's sleep my Lady," she whispered.

"Good night to you too Mrs Hughes," Sybil replied walking inside as Mrs Hughes slowly opened the door of the nursery. The soft light of a single candle bathed the pretty pastel coloured wall paper of the nursery and its soft shadows glided over the two sleeping young girls. One blonde head and one dark one, curled up in a world of dreams. In a corner on a chair Sophie was fast asleep. Her head dropping down onto her shoulders. Mrs Hughes watched as Sybil tip toed to her bed trying not to disturb her sisters or sleeping Sophie and scramble back to bed, curling herself into a ball beneath covers, letting out a soft sigh, one that Mrs Hughes suspected to be of relief more than contentment.

For a few more moments Mrs Hughes watched the homely scene that stretched ahead of her. Her heart leapt out at it and a beautiful smile lit her face. She wished she could watch on forever at the three beautiful young girls who looked so innocent in their sleep despite their various flaws come daylight. And Sophie too. A young girl of sixteen shouldering the weight of life of a woman. But didn't Elsie too, when she was Sophie's age?

But the night was dying and in a few more hours morning would be born and Mrs Hughes had to be up and about again before the sun's rays kissed the dew soaked grass. She gently closed the door of the nursery behind her, locking out a world she only saw now in her dreams. The wildest ones that one knows one shouldn't dream but can't help but revel in the forbidden happiness that creeps in with it for a few uncertain moments. She walked back across the carpeted corridor into the night. She'll lock her sitting room and put out the lights. Let it sleep too for a few more hours till the bustle of the dawn of the day downstairs invaded its quiet slumber. And let her own weary eyes know some peace.

To be continued…

Thank you all again for all your reviews. I'm ever so grateful. I'm sorry for the delay in updating, a few things at university came up and I promise to update more consistently every time I am able to. Because as much as you enjoy reading this story as you say in your reviews I enjoy writing it. I have a small plan for this story now but it definitely will stretch for several more chapters so stay tuned. And please don't hesitate to let me know your ideas about this story. Hope you liked this chapter! See you soon!

P.S. please excuse any typos since I wrote this in quite a hurry. I went over it a couple of times but sometimes one can't help the slight mistakes that slip through one's eyes. Thank you again!