Those first few days at Harker Hall were tense. Lord Pembridge was not used to having house guests and he did not quite know what to do with my presence.
With Miss Mori's help, I met the rest of the staff, explored the parts of the house I was allowed to visit and had a tour of the extensive gardens with Mr Takigawa, the head gardener.
Mr Takigawa was a delightful fellow. He acted older than his years, but in a friendly brotherly way. He told me all about the vegetable garden, the changes to the landscape that Lord Pembridge's father made, and the livestock that was kept.
His tour ended with the family graveyard, a depressing end to an otherwise delightful couple of hours…
"What's this?" Mai asked.
"The family graveyard, my Lady," Takigawa replied. "Lord Pembridge's father is buried over there, and his brother next to him."
"His brother?"
"Yes, his brother died months ago, almost a year now."
Mai opened her mouth in surprise.
"Do you know if my husband visited after his death?"
"Baron Astley? Yes, he stayed for about a month, he helped me exercise some of the horses a few times. The stablemaster is getting a little too old for some of the younger—"
"I never knew… I never knew this was the friend my husband came to help… No wonder Lord Pembridge is so withdrawn. He is still in mourning himself."
"Yes, I do believe he is. They were twins, you see, thick as thieves. He's thrown himself into his research as a distraction, I believe. Not that he was particularly social before. His brother was always the one to drag him out to events."
"And his mother moved to London? Abandoning her son?"
"She had not long lost her husband," Takigawa said. "She could not be in this place without being reminded of both. I daresay she'll visit at some point, if you stay with us long enough."
"I have nowhere else to go," Mai admitted. "I had thought of moving to London or Bath but… It is too soon. I like the countryside."
"Well, even if his Lordship doesn't say it to you, you're welcome here, for as long as you need."
Mai narrowed her eyes.
"You seem to know an awful lot for a gardener."
Takigawa grinned.
"I hear a lot of things that people don't realise. And I'm also very good friends with the rest of the staff. Lord Pembridge is a good man, deep down."
Mai nodded and said no more. Takigawa escorted her back to the house, where she changed out of her damp boots and took to the small drawing room with a book.
Madoka found her some time later.
"Lord Pembridge has announced he's eating in his private rooms, so we're free to eat whenever it takes your fancy in the dining room."
"Oh, there is no point standing on ceremony if he is not joining us. Perhaps we could take dinner in here," Mai replied, without looking up. "The fire has warmed this room quite nicely."
"I'll have it brought through then," Madoka said.
Over dinner, Madoka brought up the local assembly.
"There is one in the village this weekend," she said. "We could attend, if you wish, it'd be a delightful opportunity for you to meet people and make a few friends with the local ladies."
Mai smiled.
"I have not been to an assembly for quite some time. Do you think Lord Pembridge would lend me a carriage?"
"I do not see why he would not. It is not as if he goes anywhere in any of his carriages for most days of the year. It would be good for the horses if nothing else."
"I will ask him tomorrow at breakfast if he joins me. If not, perhaps Mr Lin can pass on the message, as I get the impression he is the only person Lord Pembridge will speak to with any regularity."
"I would be surprised if Mr Lin did not have the power to make the decision on the Lord's behalf. I swear he acts more as a steward than a butler. It is not as if the Lord cares for the wine cellar or any of the usual pursuits of a young gentleman."
"Is he young? I could not tell from his cantankerous behaviour. He reminds me a little of my deceased uncle that would only ever sit in the corner at Christmas and grumble about the weather. And my uncle was at least sixty."
"He's quite young, perhaps not eight and twenty. I cannot remember when Ayako, I mean Miss Matsuzaki, the cook, said his birthday was…"
"It is a shame, if he were a little more cheerful, I am sure he could make a very good match. But I guess losing a brother will do that to a person."
"You heard about his brother?"
"Yes, Mr Takigawa told me all about it. A very sad business."
"Yes, it happened before I arrived, but I have heard all of the details. A carriage accident on the road back from London. He was brought back to Harker Hall, still alive, but died of his injuries several days later. No doctor or surgeon could save him."
"How tragic…"
The two women finished eating and moved to the card table.
"Do… Do you think me unkind for attending an assembly?"
"Unkind? Why?"
"My husband has not been dead that long and—"
"You have done your time in mourning," Madoka stated. "You are young, you need friends if nothing else. I do not think you are being disrespectful to your husband for going out into society. Do you think he would disapprove?"
Mai smiled to herself.
"No, I think he would be jealous that he could not join me. He was a sociable man. He had more friends than I had met."
"There you go, I think that is proof enough that you must go. If he ever loved you, he would want you to be happy."
"Thank you, Miss Mori."
"You're most welcome, Lady Astley."
The following day, Mai was not surprised when Lord Pembridge failed to appear at breakfast. After spending the morning outside, she returned to the house with the intention of finding Lin and asking him about the carriages. However, Lin was nowhere to be found.
"Begging your pardon, my Lady, but can I help you? Mr Lin told us to help you, should you need it and you appear a little lost..."
Mai spun around to see a young maid.
"Yes, I am looking for Lord Pembridge? Or Mr Lin. Either would do."
"Mr Lin went to the village on business. Lord Pembridge was in the library earlier."
"The library?"
"Yes, I could show you to it, if you wish?"
"Please. This house is large and I have not learnt the layout just yet."
Mai followed the maid upstairs to a room she had yet to visit.
"In here, my Lady."
"What is your name?"
"Nora, my Lady, Nora Smith."
"Thank you very much for your help, Miss Smith."
Mai knocked on the library door, and when she heard nothing, entered.
The library was far grander than she had expected. It rose two floors with ladders to reach the second floor. In the centre of the room, there were several armchairs and a low table covered in books.
At first, Mai could not see Lord Pembridge, but as she made her way further into the library, she spotted him slumped on the floor.
"Lord Pembridge?"
He did not stir.
"Miss Smith! Miss Smith! Get help!"
"My Lady?"
"Lord Pembridge has taken ill."
Mai rushed forward, ripped her gloves off and put a hand to his forehead.
"He's cold," she mumbled to no one in particular; Nora had run for help.
She looked around desperately and spotted a blanket on the other armchair. She reached for it and covered Lord Pembridge. Mai rushed to the fire and stoked it, ignoring the soot she had wafted onto her dress.
"My Lady? You require assistance?"
"Yes," Mai cried, looking up to see two footmen. "Lord Pembridge has taken ill. We should get him to bed so he can rest. And someone must call for a doctor as soon as possible."
"I'll send the errand boy," Nora said from behind the footmen before rushing away.
The two men lifted Lord Pembridge like a sack of potatoes and carried him through the house. Mai ran ahead of them and held doors until they reached his bedchamber.
As they tucked him into bed - after removing his house slippers - Lin entered the room.
"What's going on?"
"I went to find Lord Pembridge, but he was unconscious. We have sent for a doctor," Mai explained. "He's cold to the touch and his breath is so shallow. I fear he has taken ill."
"Oliver, what have you done?" Lin grumbled under his breath as he swept around the bed and pulled a small bottle from his pocket. "Did he eat this morning?"
"He did not take his breakfast with me."
"Send for some food," Lin ordered the footmen. "And one of you is to go to the front door and wait for the doctor's arrival to bring him up here."
Once again, Mai stoked the fire in the room, adding a new log. The two footmen left.
Lin opened the bottle in his hand and wafted it under Lord Pembridge's nose.
"Smelling salts? You carry those around with you?" Mai asked with a frown.
Lin did not deign to answer.
Lord Pembridge stirred, his face screwing up in disgust. Mai watched, noticing the start of stubble on his chin.
"Lin? Where am I?"
"In your bed. Lady Astley found you having fainted in the library."
Lord Pembridge groaned.
"I was just asleep."
"And that is why you did not wake while being carried up here," Lin muttered darkly. "You did not eat breakfast. You are pushing yourself too far."
"I am fine."
"A doctor has been called for."
"Oh for goodness sake. I am well."
Lord Pembridge pushed the covers back and attempted to stand. He did not even manage to hold his own weight before swaying. Lin caught him, and returned him to bed.
"You will stay in this bed until you have eaten. Lady Astley, wait here and ensure he does not leave while I hasten the arrival of food."
"Yes, of course!" Mai squeaked.
Lin left.
"Do all your servants treat you so casually?" she asked, glancing at the door that had closed behind the butler. "And your guests for that matter…"
"Only Lin," Lord Pembridge said, his eyes closed and head still resting against the pillow. "He has known me since I was young and was almost something of a tutor in some regards. He knows his place, but I value his input. Please do not take his orders as an offence against your station. He is doing it because it is what he thinks is the best course of action for my wellbeing."
"In a case such as this, I would defer to those that know you best," Mai admitted. "Even if they were the lowest of your servants."
"Then I am fortunate that it was you that found me and not someone who takes their station more seriously."
Mai's brows furrowed, as if unsure if she ought to feel insulted by this statement.
"I was in the library?"
"Collapsed on the floor."
"I see. Well at least I did not knock over a candle again…"
Minutes later, Nora arrived holding a tray.
"I have stew and bread," she said, "it is the best that the cook could drum up on short notice. But if you have preference for something else, I will relay the message as soon as—"
"This will do," Lord Pembridge stated, taking the tray and balancing it on his lap. "Thank you."
Nora curtsied and left.
"I wonder where Mr Lin has got to," Mai said.
"No doubt to look for this doctor you called."
Mai bit her lip. She waited in silence by the window as Lord Pembridge ate his stew.
"You came to find me for a reason, I presume? Or were you after the library's contents?"
"Yes, I wanted to ask your permission to use a carriage this Saturday evening. Miss Mori has suggested that we attend the local assembly in order to make new friends."
"I have several carriages, I am sure I can spare one of them on Saturday evening. Ask the head coach man, I am sure he will assist you."
"Thank you," Mai said. "If you wish to join us—"
"I think that would give out the wrong impression."
"What do you mean?"
"Making friends is not the usual reason someone attends an assembly, as I am sure you are aware, Lady Astley," Lord Pembridge stated. "And I have no interest in allowing the local ladies to imagine I am interested in a wife."
"My apologies, I did not think of that."
"No, you did not."
Before Mai could reply, the door opened and Lin walked in with another man in tow, who Mai assumed was the doctor.
"I will take my leave now," she said and slipped from the room.
Author's note: Thank you to everyone that reviewed. I had not really written in a year before writing this for NaNoWriMo. If you want to contact me, tumblr is probably best, I go by snavej on there too. Also, forgot to say last time, but thank you to RobinEmrys for beta-ing!
