Thank you so much for all the nice feedback on the first chapter of my new story. I'm really happy that you like it - I already consider this one to be my baby. I love all things Victorian - and this is a nice preparation for my master's thesis which will have Sexuality in Victorian Literature as a subject - so expect a lot of that. ;)
This is now the second chapter and I hope you all like this one as well. Thanks for reading and I hope you'll review at the end!
Thank you so much for the best beta in the world - Brina (Brinchen86).
Disclaimer: I own nothing, even if I wanted to.
It was already five o'clock in the late afternoon when Lindsay left Bea's house and rode in her uncle's carriage back home. On the way, there were so many thoughts going through her mind that Lindsay had a hard time concentrating on just a single one. There was the ball and she had to consider what to wear. There were the latest stories about Deputy Chief Constable Flack's marriage, which she was sincerely interested in because she was well-acquainted with the married couple. And then, there was Daniel Messer, her servant. Bea had hit a weak spot of hers earlier when she had commented on Lindsay liking him.
Lindsay knew that she would never have a future with a servant and she thought that she might only fancy him because he was particularly handsome. He had short blond hair, a cute stub nose, was wearing glasses and always had a whimsical smile on his face - she liked that about him. He was also particularly witty, something you could rarely find in a servant.
Lindsay sighed. She was almost at home and she knew that her daydreaming would then come to an end. Her uncle was probably already home,waiting for her and she was sure that he would reprimand her for having stayed out so long.
Arriving in front of the big town house, the carriage came to a halt and the door was opened for Lindsay. One of the servants helped her out by offering his hand and she readily took it. She had to gather up the skirt of her green dress as she stepped outside and was thankful that the servant steadied her. She thanked him when she was standing in front of the carriage and then quickly made her way inside.
Her maid was already waiting for Lindsay at the door. She took her bonnet and helped her out of her coat.
"Your uncle and Dr. Hawkes are waiting in the drawing room, ma'am," she informed her.
Lindsay sighed and stepped in front of the mirror. She adjusted her dress ad checked her hair. She was wearing her long blond hair in curls, pinned up to a bun, with a few strands loose now after a long day. She tried to fix it as best as she could and then entered the drawing room.
Her uncle, Lord Sid Hammerback, was standing at the fireplace, his back to the door. She could see the grey hair at the back of his head receding and he was holding a glass of Brandy in the one and a cigar in the other hand. Even from the back, he looked like a very noble man in the dark grey suit that he was wearing.
To his right, Lindsay noticed Dr. Hawkes, the physician of the family and her soon-to-be fiance - it was only a matter of when he would ask her, a mere formality at this point. He had black skin, short black hair and dark eyes. Whenever he smiled, you could see his very white teeth, giving him an air of cleanliness and comfort. He was wearing a black suit and looked overall very handsome. Lindsay thought to herself that her uncle could have made a far worse choice for her.
She announced her presence in the room by a rather unladylike clearing of the throat. Immediately both, her uncle and turned around and smiled at her.
"There you are, my darling," her uncle welcomed her. He walked towards her and lightly kissed his niece's forehead. "Look whom I have met today and invited over for dinner," he added and winked at Lindsay - a wink she knew to mean that she had to be particularly nice to her future husband.
"Uncle, I am so sorry I have come back so late, but I had to tell Beatrice all about the ball, you know," she tried to excuse her late-coming. "Dr. Hawkes, it is such a great pleasure to have you as our guest tonight," she then welcomed Hawkes.
"You know, Sheldon, my niece is very well acquainted with the daughter of the Earl of Heslington, Mac Taylor? I am certain that you must have heard of him," Sid explained.
"Of course, I have, my Lordship. I am their family physician as well," Hawkes explained his relations with Beatrice's family.
"Oh then," was all that Sid said. He knew that Dr. Hawkes had excellent references and that he was the perfect match for his niece.
"Uncle, have you already told Bertha that we have a guest? I know you and I'm sure you have quite forgotten to enlighten our cook of such an important fact," Lindsay smiled at her uncle.
"Oh Lindsay, you are quite right. I have forgotten to tell her. But I am certain that Daniel must have already done so - he welcomed us at the door earlier," Sid replied.
"Why don't I go down rather quickly and see how far dinner is and whether she really knows to cook for three tonight," Lindsay excused herself from the room. She felt uncomfortable in Hawkes presence. As much as she knew that he would make a perfect husband for her, she didn't feel at ease with herself when he was around. Lindsay couldn't quite tell what it was. It might have been the fact that he was practically a stranger to her or it might have been the fact that she was a romantic soul after all and did not really approve of the arranged marriage she was supposed to have. If only Bea was here with me now, she would know what to say, Lindsay thought. But her best friend wasn't around, so Lindsay had to figure it out for herself.
She went down into the kitchen, which was located in the basement of the house. She did not announce herself when she walked into the room - already early on did she learn from her uncle that all servants were inferior to her and that she, as a Lady, would never have to announce her coming into a room to people inferior to herself.
In the kitchen, she immediately saw Bertha standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot. In the kitchen was a small wooden table with two benches and on one of these, Danny was sitting, cleaning his shoes with a dirty piece of cloth. When he saw that Lindsay was standing in the kitchen, he immediately got up and took off his hat, hiding the cloth behind his back.
"Ma'am," he greeted her. Lindsay nodded and smiled at him. She always felt awkward when in the same room with Danny. It always took them some minutes and at least one of Danny's jokes to break the ice again.
"Danny, shouldn't you clean your shoes at the beginning of a day?" she reprimanded teasingly.
"Aye, ma'am," he answered meekly. Danny was originally from New York and because he hadn't been successful in making a living there, he had come to England to work as a servant boy for a rich family. His father had been Lord Hammerback's gardener and so, he had inherited the son as well. "I know that, Miss, but your uncle, the Lordship has commented on them not being clean enough. And so I thought, ..." he continued.
"That you had better clean them before coming back up?" Lindsay laughed. Danny smiled at her and didn't say another word. He felt caught out by the beautiful Lady he was working for.
Danny sat back down after Lindsay nodded at him - a nod he by now knew to understand as being allowed to continue with his activities. He saw Lindsay walking over to Bertha and he had them talk about the upcoming dinner and the guest the family had. Danny took the time to take a closer look at Lindsay - he knew he had to be careful with his glances because any glance towards her observed by the wrong person might have severe consequences. He didn't even dare think what the Lordship would do if he knew that his servant was completely and utterly in love with the young Lady Lindsay. But Danny had never before seen anyone as gracious and beautiful before. Her slim waist which you could clearly see in the dress she was wearing - he could practically imagine the corset she must be wearing underneath. She had a very slender and long neck and a few loose strands of her hair were curling around it. Danny had to avert his gaze - Lindsay was too beautiful and he could not stand to look at her for long. He feared that he might do something inappropriate and then lose his position in the Lordship's household. That was the biggest fear that Danny had - losing his position and then being far away from Lindsay.
Lindsay by now was done talking to Bertha and smiled at him as she left the room. He started dreaming about Lindsay when Bertha, rather roughly, smacked him on the head with a large spoon.
"Aye, dreamer! It's Lisa's day off today, so you will have to serve the dinner later. Get changed,make yourself presentable," she announced and with a groan, Danny got up. He knew about the upcoming marriage between Lady Lindsay and Dr. Hawkes, the physician and he wasn't sure he could bear the sight of them together.
By now it was 6 o'clock in the evening and Bea was still sitting in front of the fireplace, a book in her hand. She looked up at the watch, which was standing on the mantelpiece, and wondered where her father was. He was normally at home at this time of night, but today, he was nowhere to be seen. Bea rang the bell and only a couple of minutes later, Katharina came into the room.
"Ma'am has rung the bell?" she enquired.
"Yes, I have Katharina. Tell, do you know where my father is?" Bea wanted to know.
"I have no idea, ma'am. The Earl didn't specify when he would be home. Do you want us to serve dinner for you, Miss?"
"No, Katharina, I think I'll be waiting a little while longer. Thank you though, that would be all," Bea replied and Katharina left the room. As soon as the door was closed, Bea heard the clattering of hooves on the street and she heard the familiar sound of a carriage pulling up in front of the house.
Quickly, Bea got up and hid the book she was reading under one of the pillows of the couch. Her father always hated it when Bea read as much as she did and it was better when he didn't always see all the books she spent her time with. Only seconds later, the drawing room door opened and her father, the Earl of Heslington came into the room.
"Oh Beatrice, why haven't you started dinner already?" he immediately reprimanded his daughter for waiting on him, something she had thought was a nice thing of her to do.
"You know how much I hate eating alone. And I know you do, too, father and so I thought I would wait a little while longer," she explained.
Her father took off his hat and gloves and sat down on the couch - directly on the pillow where Bea had hidden her book. He felt something hard beneath him and checked. Bea knew she was in trouble and lowered her head.
He checked the title of the book he had found and slammed it on the table.
"Beatrice!" he yelled.
"Father?" was all she retorted.
"Have you been reading Miss Austen again?" he wanted to know because the book he had found was called Northhanger Abbey.
"I only wanted to pass the time a little bit after Lindsay left," she tried to explain.
"Then why don't you stick or stitch like all other girls your age do?" he asked and shook his head.
"You know as well as I do that I am not like any other girl my age," she exclaimed and got up from her chair and walked over to the window. The night had already set in and it was too dark to see anything.
"You will be 18 in a few month and if you ask me, that is the right age to get married," her father stated.
"Get married?" Bea shouted out.
"Yes, married. I have talked to Lord Hammerback about this and he has already found a suitor for Lindsay. On the ball next weekend I am going to have a look for a suitable candidate for your marriage," he let her know.
"I will not get married, ever!" Bea called out in frustration.
"Of course you will, Beatrice. You are a member of the upper class and you will behave like one," he ordered in a harsh voice. A little more gently, he then added: "I only wish your mother was still alive to teach you proper behaviour."
Mac Taylor, the Earl of Heslington, left the room and his daughter behind, in tears.
Next chapter - Introduction of Deputy Chief Constable Flack and his wife. Also, what will Bea do to avoid her father's orders? And how will the dinner at Lord Hammerback's house go - will Danny be able to cope with seeing Lady Lindsay and Dr. Hawkes together?
For all that and more, keep reading!