The Beginning Of Lorna Cain

{ APRIL 17TH, 1889 }

{ SAINT DENIS }

Lorna Cain grew to be quite the rebellious little thing.

She was nothing like her mother had thought she would grow to be. From the way that Lorna had been treated her whole life growing up in the Pritchard estate, Sonia had thought that the girl would grow to be timid, shy and nervous. However she was nothing of the sorta. In fact she was the exact opposite, a brash and bold girl that could be very loud.

Lorna Cain would be described by many as a wildcard with a rebellious streak that it was a wonder that she hadn't been hanged yet for all the things she had done while she had been in the manor.

Her mother always worried for the girl, she was sometimes too out of control and it would and had cost her dearly. After all, she had already had her ring finger on her right hand and two toes removed as a punishment, though, those were tales for another time.

The first time that her mother could remember her child being punished was when she was only five years old. Lorna had broken a very expensive vase that was very proud of and loved to show off to her guests. Once Lorna had broken it she had run away giggling madly, and that was probably what had gotten her in most trouble, she hadn't even felt sorry for accidentally breaking it. Of course, Sonia had tried to lesson any punishment that her child received but was persistent and had her lashed by a whip five times for how ever many years she was old, and had forced Sonia to watch as her daughter was forced to undergo the treatment, having to listen and watch as her daughter screamed and cried as the welts had appeared on her back.

This had proved that would go to extreme lengths to see the suffering of them both.

Of course no of the punishments that she had received ever deterred her, if anything it drove her forward. She just became more careful with how she was around the heads of the house. And there devil of children that like to torment her at any given moment.

Like when she had been thirteen, they had snuck up on her while she was washing some of their clothing down by the lake that the estate had, and pushed her into the lake. Although Lorna didn't know how to swim, as the lake hadn't been very big, it was the fact that the younger of the two boys, Benjamin, had kept her under and wouldn't allow for her to breathe. They had almost killed her that day if it weren't for miss Alice having spotted them doing it.

"Let go of miss Lorna at once! Y'know what ya father would have to say know don't ya?!"

Both of the young men, now twenty-one and twenty-four, who really should have matured by now, did let go of the girl but not before they had kicked the rest of the clothes that had been cleaned into the mud, Benjamin spitting on Alice as they walked passed. Both had known not to push it, as they would be punished by there father if it was found out that they had hurt the young girl. Because although their father just as well liked the girl as much as they did, he still had a strong fear of being found out to be the father of a bastard child, as well as being found out for the rape of her mother.

Alice had quickly rushed into the lake to drag the cough and spluttering girl, that had tears streaming down her face from pain, out of the water and onto the bank, where she gave her back a few hard pats to try and get rid of any water that might still be in her.

"Thank ya miss Alice, the fuckers are gonna pay for that fure sure -" Lorna said around heavy coughing.

"You know not to say such things Lorna," Alice scolded with a frown. "Where did you even here such things?"

Lorna gave her a cheeky grin as she wiped away the curl hair that stuck to her head. "Why from the whore of the manner herself, Mrs. Margaret Pritchard."

She got a flick on the ear for her use of another bad word. "Ya know you shouldn't be saying such things 'bout Lady Pritchard -"

"There ain't nothing Lady about her, only a pig-headed bitch-"

"Lorna! Stop that." She could only sigh at the girls antics, knowing that nothing she could say would change her mind. "Anyway we best to go get you dried up quickly so you can finish ya work and ya don't need any more punishments. You've lost enough toes."

That was just one of many torments she had to endure from her supposed half brothers, but she always remembered to get them back just as bad, just making sure that they would never know it was actually her. She was pretty sure that they had there suspisounces of who it actually was.

It wasn't always bad at the manor. Lorna had a loving mother that if needed would cuddle and hold her at night when she was at her most vulnerable, when her nightmares from her life came to haunt her, because although she pretended that all the things that had been done to her had not affected her, the dreams she would get from them would suggest otherwise.

Her mother was also one of her teachers that taught her all about her heritages and her personal life all the way back in Spain, teaching her Spanish as well. However Lorna's mother could be a bit of a push over, and although she didn't like to admit it, Lorna was not proud of that fact. She wanted her mother to stand up for herself. She wanted her mother to have a sense of adventure and try and get out. But Lorna did know that if her mother probably were to try and escape she would be killed if she was caught, as she was getting older and was easily replaceable.

The main mentor that Lorna looked up to and probably learnt the most from was Miss Tammy. Tammy had help her read and write english, and when know one was around would even let her read some of the books that the manor had in the library (her favourite being about Norse mythology). She had also been taught how to be brave and stand up for what she believed in when it was necessary. How to follow your heart, even when you were stuck. And when they had half of a sunday off Tammy and herself would often sneak out and take gun shooting lessons from a young man that Lorna had manipulated by flirted with him to making him teach them both. She could admit that she was surprised he had fallen for such awful flirting. While Tammy hadn't picked up on the knack of shooting, Lorna was slowly become a very good shot, almost hitting every bottle that they would practice on.

And last there was Miss Alice, the more reserved and quiet one of the bunch that taught her how to act gentle and slightly flirty so that she could get her own way by using what she had to offer. The most surprising thing that Alice had probably taught Lorna was how to throw a knife and pick pocket. Although she wasn't very good at pickpocketing yet it had been a more of a recent lesson that she still needed a lot of work on. She hadn't thought that such a sweet person would have had it in them. But because of Alice, Lorna was able to get things from men that she otherwise would have never gotten if she were to ever need it, such as medicine for her mother and food when the staff weren't being rationed enough. Lorna would soon be putting all of those lessons to good use.

A few months before her nineteenth birthday, Lorna began to plan her and her mother's escape. She had planned to get her mother and herself out first before getting both Tammy and Alice out because it had seemed that her mother's mental state had been slowly slipping away recently with the way that she would blankly stare at walls, or forgetting who her own daughter was at times. She wanted to get her mother help as soon as possible and the only way to be able to do that was to get her out.

Her plan would commence about a month after her nineteenth birthday, when the only one to remain in the manor would be herself. Her sons and husband would be out on official business, and the boys father was no doubt trying to find wives for the devil boys and teaching them the proper ways of running a business even if they seemed to be much too old to still need teaching.

Lorna had told the plan to both Tammy and Alice who both agreed that it would be best to get her mother out while she still had a bit of her mental health left. But both of the older women had disagreed about coming back to get them, saying that 'it would be such a stupid move to risk her own neck for a couple of older women'.

Lorna was still going to get them out, she didn't view it as any inconvenience.

So in the month of april, the day that most of the servants had gone to help set up for a ball that was going to take place and the Lords of the manor were out socializing, Lorna took over her mother's duties of serving tea to . Packing a bag of what little clothing she had, bread she had stolen and a canteen of water, leaving it within her and her mother shared room to quickly collect on her way to get her mother. She slip into the boiling water a sleeping nightshade that would make the women go into a coma like state briefly were it would allow for enough time to get both her mother and herself out.

Wheeling the tea cart into 's study, Lorna put on her best and fakest smile as she created the lady. "Good evenin' Lady Pritchard."

The Lady Pritchard that sat on a plush sofa reading a book turned before she had turned her nose up in disgust as Lorna had enter, like a foul smell had entered the room. "What do you want, you filthy bastard child? Where is your whore of a mother? She was the one that was supposed to be serving me."

Lorna felt her smile began to twitch as she tried to keep her facade. She could ignore the comments about about herself, but not about her mother. She just had to keep up the act for a few more minutes and then she would high tail it out of there for good.

She brang the cart over beside the women and picked up the tea pot as she began pouring it into a cup. "Well, M'lady ma mother isn't feeling very well and she didn't want you ta catch whatever she might have, so she sent me in 'er place. I hope it wouldn't be of much inconvenience."

grimaced at the girl, sneering as she answered. "Well she best stay far from me until she is better. I don't need to catch whatever that dirty women may have." She took the cup that had been placed in front of her and gave it a sniff, wrinkling her nose in confusion. "What is this? It smells…. Off."

Lorna put on an easygoing smile as she answered. "Ah, M'lady, good that ya notice it was a new blend that one of the maids had picked up. I think they called it essiac tea that the indians use to help keep healthy and stop cancers from growin'. It has a bitter kinda taste though, I must warn ya, so it's probably best to add sugar." Essiac tea looked nothing like what was in the cup that was holding, it was more of a yellow colour. Of course no lady would know the difference as it was only recently come into the homes of the rich and wasn't very popular, at least that was what Lorna was hoping for.

"No, I will not add sugar. I don't want to become fat." said in a sneer. "If you say that it has health benefits then it must be able to keep me slim as well then." she mumbled the last part to herself before hesitantly bringing it towards her mouth and take a sip. She smack her lips in confusion at the taste and the slight tingly feeling that was spreading through her mouth. "What on earth is that dreadful taste? It feels like my mouth is going numb -" A choking cough escaped her mouth as she brought a hand to her throat, dizziness coming over her vision. She looked towards Lorna in confusion only to she a wide grin splitting across the young girls face.

Lorna watched insatisfaction and sick amusement as face twisted into realization at what had happened. She watched as tried and failed to call out for help but only coughs and splutters left her mouth. Finally she watched fell off of the coach and collapsed onto the floor, knocked out into a coma like state that wouldn't allow for her to wake up for at least a few hours and would also make it seem like she was dead an almost non existent heart beat and deathly cold skin.

"Next time I see ya will be when it's time to bury you six feet under." Lorna spat at her collapsed form. "Nasty bitch." She quickly robbed her of any jewellery she found on the lady that she could sell later before calmly walking out of the room, smiling and nodding to any maid that walked past to not seem suspicious.

Once she had reached her room she quickly grabbed her bag, stuffing the jewellery into it, before heading out to wear her mother sat near the stables, sweeping the floor.

Lorna gently grabbed a hold of her mother and began leading her into the stable of a bay coated thoroughbred stallion that became high on alert as they walked closer.

"Lorna, what on earth are you doing? I thought that you were serving Lady Pritchard-"

Lorna quickly began to saddle the horse as she answered her mother in a hurry. "Mama, I can get us both out of here! I've put that woman into a sleep like state. But we've gotta go now or they'll notice that something was wrong real soon."

Just as Lorna finished saying that a shout and scream was heard from within the manor, calling that the lady had been killed. 'If only that were the case..' Lorna shook those thoughts as she continued to tack up the horse, equipping her supplies onto the saddle.

Sonia looked confused at the manor before looking back at Lorna, gently shaking her head as she slowly backed away. "Oh Lorna, ya know I can't go with ya.. I'm getting to old and I'd just be slowing you down."

Lorna gave a heartbroken expression as she realized that no matter what she did or said her mother would not be coming with her. She still tried to convince her otherwise. "B-But mama, please.. You are not well, I can get you far away from here and get you help. Even miss Tammy and miss Alice agree that it would be best for ya -"

Sonia cut her off firemly. "No. Lorna, I beg of ya, please forget about me and go live a life that I could never give you where you could be free and happy -"

" - But I couldn't be either of those things if you ain't there with me -"

The sound of shouting began to get louder as the workers of the mansion began to look for the culprit.

Sonia gave her daughter a watery warm smile as she brought her into what would be probably the last hug she would ever give. "No. I know you, you are brave and courageous and are willing to do whatever it takes to do what you think is right! Lorna you have a chance to go now and live your dream! Please leave while you still have the chance." Sonia began pushing her towards the saddled horse, watching as Lorna got onto the saddle in reluctance, tears trickling down her face. "Go life a life that's worth living."

"Mama, please! -"

Sonia gave the horses rump a hard wake that had it give a paniced whinny before sending it into a fast gallop towards the open gates of the estate. Lorna looked back towards her mother, tears still trickling down her face, who sent her one last smile before she rushed away before she could be caught at the scene.

Lorna turned to face forward on the saddle getting a tight grip on the horses reins and giving it a hard tug to the left as the went flying onto the streets of Saint Denis, almost hitting people on the streets.

"I promise you with ma last dying breath that I will get you the freedom that you deserve, mother. Tammy. Alice."

{APRIL 20TH, 1889}

{UNKNOWN}

The next few days for Lorna were rough. Her horse would get spooked at the smallest of noises and had already bolted with her on him more then once, which had taken half an hour each time to calm him down and another hour to make him move at a faster pace. What little supplies she had packed were not enough to reach the closest town were she could restock and she would soon have to resort to teaching herself how to hunt when she didn't even have half a clue where to begin.

For now she had set up a small camp a little away from the road were she wouldn't be spotted if someone were to pass by, after all she was on the run now, posters more than likely being placed up for the capture of herself.

There wasn't much that she had. She had tried to set a small campfire, but could barely get the sparks to come from the wood, so she had to take the coat that she brang with her and tightly wrap it around herself for the cold nights of april.

Just as she began to doze off the sound of leaves being crunch could be heard. Her horse began to stamp nervously and she for now ignored what had originally awoken her. She quietly walked towards her horse and began to try and shush him, trying to make him calm down so he wouldn't bolt. Just as she began to pat him there was the sound of a growl. The next thing she knew was that her horse had reared up, knocking her onto her back and causing her to become winded, and bolted out of sight, taking what little supplies and money she had on her.

"Ah! Ya fuckin' scared little shit! The next time I get to ya I'm sendin' you to the glue factory -"

Lorna cut off her mad shouting as the sound of another growl caught her attention and brought her back to what had originally scared her horse off. When she slowly got off the ground and turned around she found two glowing yellow eyes staring back at her, large teeth gleaming in the moonlight. She quickly drew in a sharp breath, heart pounding in her ears, slowly leaning down to grab out her only remain weapon, a small hunting knife. Just as she had grabbed onto the hand of the knife, the massive lone wolf let out a large snarl before jumping onto her, giving her no time to react and forcing her to drop her knife so that the wolf wouldn't tear into her face.

Lorna gave a pained shout as she felt the wolves claws dig into the side of her arms and her chest. 'There goes my chance at whoring.' she thought in grim amusement.

As her arms began to weaken, she began to look around and found that her knife hadn't fallen that far away from her that she couldn't grab it. She quickly put her forearm against the wolfs neck to keep it at bay before struggling to reach the knife. Once she grabbed it, she quickly shoved it into the wolves chest, forcing the knife into its heart. The wolf gave a pained filled yelp before collapsing onto her, knocking the breath out of her again.

She gently moved the wolf off of herself, pushing herself into a sitting position. She gave a sigh of relief before letting out a pain filled huff as the adrenalin wore off and the scratches the wolf had left began to ache.

Lorna looked at her arms finding large wounds that would likely scar, the ones on her chest not being to deep. "Well let's hope that these don't become infect."

Lorna looked at the dead wolf beside her, before gently giving it a pat. "Sorry, but it was either me or ya. And I'd prefer to be alive for just a bit longer at least." Lorna wiped her knife clean on her brown, which used to be white, maid dress before placing it back into her boots, standing up. She wobbled slightly as her head became dizzy before shaking it off and going in the direction that she had thought her horse had gone off to. "Now, where is that fuckin' horse. Me and him are gonna have a real long chat before he's off to the glue factory."

Lorna never did find her horse or supplies.

Howdy, this chapter isn't a favourite and in my opinion very rough, but I hope you enjoy it though.

Anyway after this chapter I have three more chapters that have been written up and just need a bit of tweaking, however I have had no motivation to write any more and have only been editing which is kinda annoying cause I actually want to finish a story for once, but whatever I guess.

Anyway, I'll probably be posting every monday until I run out of chapters and we'll see what happens from there.

Guest: I'll probably end up doing that lol, but thank you for the suggestion. I hope you've enjoyed it so far!

PUBLISHED: 4/03/2019

EDITED: -