Summary: The Ashfords bid farewell to Alfred at the boarding school where he will attend primary school.
Alexander, in the passenger seat, got out of the car driven by his personal chauffeur. He opened the right rear door to let his mother out onto the pavement. Elizabeth leaned on him and her stick to help her up. The twins were the last to exit on the same side. Christopher Ward, headmaster[1] of Watford School, and housemaster[2] Herbert Cornwall were waiting for them at the entrance to Northumbria House.
Northumbria House was one of three all-boys boarding schools, accommodating fifty of the one hundred and fifty pupils enrolled at Watford Preparatory School[3], founded by Arthur Ashford in 1931 for boys aged eight to thirteen from all walks of life. An abandoned ninth-century monastery outside Hexham was bought and converted into a school by the twins' great-grandfather. Watford was the only preparatory school for Jacob's Circle[4], the patronage network and secret society founded by Veronica Ashford and Rupert Campbell for the Jacobite faction[5] in the 19th century. Originally set up to educate the descendants of Arthur Ashford, the Second World War prevented Alexander from becoming the first of them, as the family was exiled to Canada. A generation later, serendipity gave the honour to Alfred.
Alfred went to the back of the car and opened the boot. With some difficulty he grabbed a bulky, light leather suitcase. Because of his small stature, it was the chauffeur who closed the door. Crestfallen, he ran to join the adults and his sister at the door of the boarding school.
"Lady Ashford." Ward curtsied and kissed Elizabeth's right hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you again."
"The pleasure is mine," Elizabeth said.
Cornwall imitated Ward, and then they shook hands with Alexander and Alexia. The last was Alfred as a prospective student.
"It is a pleasure to see you again, prince[6]." Ward greeted him with a broad smile.
"A pleasure, sir" he replied. He was still reluctant to believe that for five years he would live in seclusion with a hundred and fifty other boys in a monastery, cut off from the outside world and his family except during holidays, and with no other life than that of a hermit.
"Alfred." Alexia snapped out of her reverie. "Go."
Alfred picked up his case from the floor and crossed the threshold. In the lobby, which was empty because they had met an hour before the reception, Ward and Cornwall began to clear up some confusion with Alexander and Elizabeth.
"Ignore his courtesy title," Alexander said.
Alfred set the case down quietly.
"Although he has dual nationality, we prefer him to be considered British rather than Dutch," said Elizabeth.
While the adults chatted, Alexia was distracted by the spartan furnishings of the room. There was nothing so austere at Ashford Hall, not even the apartments of the manor's staff. Alfred looked down at the hideous shoes he was forced to wear, along with the rest of his uniform: tan and undecorated, shorts he wouldn't take off until he was twelve[7], jumper and suit jacket.
"This will be one of the last boys' courses; we are planning to make it co-educational to attract new talent and double the income." Ward spoke to Alexander and Elizabeth.
"This is what my grandfather always wanted," Alexander remarked.
Alfred walked over to Alexia and took her hand. Alexia returned the gesture but continued to scan her surroundings. Alexia was about to leave for the United States of America, for university. In a fit of selfishness, Alfred shouted that it wasn't fair, that he wanted to go to university too. Elizabeth intervened to explain that this was not possible, that they were different and that Alexia needed another kind of attention. His grandmother sympathised with his suffering and admitted that it was difficult to understand, but this was not enough to appease the child. Unsure what to do, Alexander and Elizabeth ignored him until he calmed down on his own. Between his first tantrum and the second, they went on a summer holiday to Utrecht, where Alfred tried hard to forget the source of his dismay. The peace was shattered when, on their return to England, Alexander reminded Alfred that he was going to prep school. In the second outburst of selfishness, Alexander took him in his arms and sat him down in an armchair.
"Alfred. Listen to me." His father's voice was unusually firm and raised. "Stop crying and listen to me."
Alfred wiped away his tears and sniffled to listen to his father. Alexander gripped his little hands tightly, but without hurting him.
"Alfred. You're going to be the next Earl Ashford and chief of the clans[8]. Will that be your attitude?" Alexander drew his arms towards him. "Is this the posture of a ruler? Is this the posture of a Stuart?"
Alfred choked back tears.
"No..."
"Is that the posture of a sovereign?" he repeated.
"No!" he shouted.
Alexander loosened his grip and then hugged him.
"I trust you," he whispered.
Alfred didn't cry again. He packed his bag according to the school handbook and got into the car with his family. That was his destination.
"Ik houd van jou."[9] Elizabeth kissed him on the cheek.
Alexia hugged him. No words were exchanged. They didn't need to.
Alexander stroked her fringe and kissed his cheek, just like his grandmother.
"Alfred will come back,"[10] he said goodbye.
Alfred stood alone in the hall.
"Welcome to your new home," Ward congratulated him.
Notes:
[1] Dean or director of a public school in the United Kingdom.
[2] Director of the boarding school where the pupils of a public school in the United Kingdom reside.
[3] Preparatory School, a private primary school for children between the ages of 7 and 13.
[4] In reference to King James II of England and VII of Scotland, deposed in 1688 with the Glorious Revolution and from whom the term Jacobin is taken.
[5] Jacobin was the name of the supporters of the House of Stuart after the replacement of this dynasty by the House of Hanover from Germany, following the death in 1714 of Anne of Great Britain without an heir to the throne. In this work of fiction, Jacobin is still the name given to the followers of the legitimate heirs of the House of Stuart residing in the United Kingdom, the Campbell-Douglas-Stuart and the Ashford-Campbell-Douglas-Stuart. The Stuart followers are concentrated in Ireland, Scotland and the north of England.
[6] A title by which the Jacobin faction indiscriminately designates all legitimate heirs of Anne of Great Britain by their status as pretenders. The designation is informal and internal to the faction and has no legal recognition in the United Kingdom.
[7] In the UK, it is customary for young children of the upper classes to wear only shorts until they are twelve or thirteen, when they are considered 'grown up' or attend public schools, at which point they begin to wear long trousers. In this sense, long trousers on children are considered to be something typical of the suburban middle class.
[8] From the Scottish clans Campbell and Douglas, the headship of which is shared between the Ashfords and Campbells.
[9] I love you in Dutch.
[10] "Charlie will come again" verse from The Skye Boat Song.