watsonma@hotmail.com
Everlasting
Love
I
"Lord Wyndham, there is a message here for you
and it's marked urgent," Darien's butler announced on entrance to Darien's
office. "It doesn't sound like good news my lord."
"Anything marked urgent is rarely good news,
Jones." He sighed, turned to face the tall white-haired man before him,
and accepted the letter, hoping it was nothing serious, but nevertheless
feeling a great sense of foreboding. He opened the letter slowly as if
attempting to delay the news. He turned away from the large window overlooking
the vast meadow that led up to the wide expanse of trees in the distance.
The light from the window seemed to mock his mood, which had become darker
with the arrival of the letter.
He pulled the letter from its envelope, opened
it, and began to read. Only one line in the short note caught his eye and
made sense.
I regretfully inform you that your parents' carriage was overturned and both were killed in the accidentHe sat down in the leather chair beneath him and stared at the wall refusing himself the release of tears.
"Milady, milady," Agatha yelled while running
down the hall, the ends of he long skirt in her hands. She almost tripped
before she could reach Serena who was just outside the open doors that
led to the rose gardens.
"Whatever is the matter, Agatha?" Serena questioned
concernedly.
"The Duke is in your father's office," she gasped
trying to catch her breath. "He wishes to see you immediately. It appears
to be very serious. I hope everything's fine."
"I hope so too Agatha."
Serena disliked the man that stood downstairs
in her father's office waiting for her appearance, but if he could appear
to care about anything, as Agatha had suggested he had looked, then it
must be very serious indeed. In her hurry to find out what matter could
possibly require the presence of her father's older brother, she had forgotten
her attire. After sword practice this morning she hadn't bothered to change
her clothing before going out into the gardens and so she rushed into the
office in a loose men's shirt and dark breeches. Her long blonde hair had
been pulled back into a long loose ponytail that fell down her back to
her knees.
Her uncle looked down his nose at her in disapproval.
His hard angled face would have been remarkably handsome especially in
contrast to his silvery hair if he had bothered to replace his permanent
frown with even the smallest of smiles. He had always thought his brother
and his wife had always been weak with their daughter, but the wisp of
a girl with messy blonde hair, dressed in men's clothing standing before
him was just proof that they had been far too lenient. For Christ's sake
the girl was running wild! That would change however. He'd make sure of
it.
Serena didn't like her uncle much. He was strict
and cold, not to mention a complete bore. She had often wondered how he
and her father had come from the same family. She put up with him however
because he was family and if he was a relative of her father's he must
have a soft spot somewhere inside, despite the fact that previous situations
pointed in the opposite direction. Most people who knew him disliked him
and that was the best they'd say about him.
"Serena, I'm afraid I have some terrible news,"
the Duke said in a rather gruff tone. "I'm afraid your parents were in
a carriage accident and they were both killed instantly." If he could have
been more blunt the maid outside the door couldn't possibly see how. Agatha
gasped before covering her mouth realizing she really shouldn't be eavesdropping
outside the door. Oh the poor girl! Someone so young and innocent does
not deserve this. She could barely believe that any of this was happening.
Serena's face turned a pasty white and her legs
collapsed beneath her as she went unconscious. The Duke sighed. He should
have expected as much. He was mildly upset with himself for neglecting
to prepare for her expected fainting spell. Women could never handle such
things.
He picked her slumped body up from the floor
and placed her on the couch before ringing for the maid to bring him some
smelling salts. When the maid arrived with the salts he changed his mind
and decided to let her sleep off the shock in the comfort of her own bed.
With that final thought he brought her upstairs and had her immediately
put to bed.
The carriage rocked gently back and forth as it
moved onward to it's destination. It had been a full week since the funeral
and Serena was weak and tired. It had been a while since she had sat down
to a full meal and she had lost weight and her face had lost its glow to
become pale and her eyes sunken. Even in her depressed state of mind and
body, she had to admire the beauty of Muncaster Castle, her uncle's home.
Her home at Weston Park was beautiful but was really no comparison to the
grand mansion before her. The gardens here were some of the most beautiful
she had seen and even though the building itself was quite imposing, the
grounds more than made up for the dark, forbidding structure. She remembered
the beautiful Azaleas and Rhododendrons from visits when she was younger
and the Esk River that ran behind the great castle. This might not be so
bad after all.
When she was settled in her room that overlooked
the river, she stared in the mirror atop her vanity and sighed. This was
her home now. With her parent's death she was now her uncle's responsibility.
She missed her parents so much. Her Uncle was so cold and strict. She knew
she wouldn't be able to do half the things that she had done at home. Here
she would have to follow his rules, however ridiculous they might be. She
would not dishonor the memory of her parents.