The Fancy (32 page)

immediately, given an entire wing for themselves to

be comfortable in and cal home. While just down the

hal from Lady Lilith, Cora was set up in her own

suite of rooms, as beautiful and neatly arranged as

any important guest – difference being, she was

there to stay. Al were being seen to until the Lord

and Lady arranged a meeting for that day.

As for Lord and Lady Caine, they were

occupying their rooms, or more importantly, Lady

Caine was soaking in a nice deep, hot tub of

fragrant oils while her husband sat next to her shoe

bath, with its golden filigree feet; Moose lying in his

favorite place within reach of her.

Quinton knelt beside her, stroking across her

back, enjoying the pleasure of touching her smooth

brown skin.

Unable to resist, he leaned down and kissed

her wet shoulder, across the top of it, and slowly up

to the side of her neck. “You do know that such

antics wil need to be curtailed as our first born

grows in size and weight.” He murmured at her ear.

Sarah sucked in a gasp, “How did you know?”

He made a face, as if she could not be serious

about such a question. “Surely you jest?”

She slapped the surface of the bath water,

blowing out exasperated, “The lows of having a

husband for a doctor, no surprising him!” She

pouted, making him laugh.

“Aaah, I’l pretend that I don’t know – and you

can surprise me.” He joked, kissing her protruding

lower lip.

“Then, it is fine that I am?” She asked, needing

to be certain.

“Considering how much I enjoy our private

moments together, if you were not – I would be

worried.” He kissed her forehead and stood from the

edge of the bath. “In fact, speaking of which, I would

have you dress comfortably and rest to recover from

our journey-…”

“Rest? How can I rest with so much to be

done? You saw those people,
our
people – no! I wil

not rest, not until I see to the things that have been

long neglected. You cannot ask me such a thing, in

fact, I – I wish to ask in which matters have I, a say?”

He stood staring down at her and knew that

she would be impossible to deal with if she did not

get her way, he wouldn’t put it past her to sneak

about to get whatever matters she found lacking,

done.

“I meant what I said to you, al matters I leave in

your hands. In this instance, you wil have more than

enough help – if you could care for me at my worse,

you can care for many with assistants and

managers. However, I would like to know what plans

you have.”

She sat forward looking around for her towel;

he was quick to retrieve it as she stood from her

bath.

Just as she was about to answer there was a

tap on her door, with Col een peaking in, Aislin right

on her tail,

“Don’ mean t’disturb Lady Sarah, but we’ve

come t’dress you, do yer hair. We’ve a job to do. We

cannah ‘av our lady goin’ ‘bout any such’ah way –

she’be ours now.” Col een started off, pushing their

way in. “Never yer min’us, carry on you two.”

The servant’s words brought tears to Sarah’s

eyes.

Quinton smiled, he knew they were not about to

leave until they were done, so he and his wife merely

spoke around them. “Carry on then,” he gave

permission and to his wife, “… as you were saying,

what plans have you?”

Swal owing, having given everything much

thought, she continued on, “As soon as I am

dressed, I wish to speak with Heathcote – with you

present, Erwin as wel . Not a soul wil sleep this night

until repairs have begun on the horrendous cottages

I witnessed. Not a cold wind is to get through, nor a

drop of rain should fal upon their heads. With your

permission, I wish to start with al cottages where

there are children within.”

“That can be arranged, and then…”

“I wish to see WhistHirst food stores, the larder,

the smoke house, wherever there is food stored for

those of us within. We wil not sit and dine while

others go hungry; I want to know of al provisions – to

see how they are handled so they may be bettered. I

can see no reason for us not to be completely self-

sufficient – there is no reason for even one of us, to

be hungry – it wil not be al owed, not here, not

anymore.”

Quinton smiled; he had not missed the glances

that went from Aislin to Col een.

“With that, I agree, anymore?”

“I wil have El en first meet with Col een when

she is done with me.” Sarah looked at the startled

woman.

“If you wil , I wish you to direct her to the

weaving house, where al fabrics are made,

together, I wish every man, woman and child to be

properly clothed for the winter and then together, we

wil establish a clothing store where cloth of every

kind is available to those who are in need in

exchange for services done. Thankful y, we are

heading into spring – but this year, now, we wil

prepare for al the years to come - wil you help me,

please?”

“Milady! You say, t’wil be done! Aye, I’l be

helping.”

“We wil need any ideas or women that you

know who are good seamstresses. We have much

to do, but my husband’s name wil not be

remembered for what greeted us this day, no – nor

ever wil it again!”

“Aye, yes Milady!”

Suddenly, a smile lit up Sarah features; she

turned on the bench to face her husband, with Aislin

dancing around her to keep up while doing her hair.

“Quinton, please – today, I wish a mighty festival – a

grand cook up of wonderful stew with plenty for al .

Can we, please? So many were hungry, I don’t wish

to wait.” She pleaded.

“Today?” He gasped, grinning.

“Yes please, today – and we shal al celebrate

into the night, a hearty meal, where al wil pitch in.

We wil put up fire that wil chase the cold from al of

our bones – and we wil laugh, eat, warm each other,

build, work and repair, and get to know everyone,

today, tonight – I do not wish to wait – they have

waited for this long enough.” She had tears in her

eyes the passion sang so strong within to see it

done. Quinton sighed, “That’s a lot for one day,

Sarah, you real y do need your rest, it is early stages

yet for our first born.” Col een and Aislin’s eyes grew

huge. They turned red with the desire to be out and

spreading the news.

“You speak as if al must be done by me alone;

I am strong, healthy and wil ing to work as hard as

any other. You know that I am not one to sit around

and point Quinton, I must work as hard-…”

“Ah! In this, you wil do as I say – I mean it. Al

that you’ve stated, we wil do, and more – but you –

my wife – wil learn your role as WhistHirst’s lady –

and learn to delegate - let others see to matters

you’ve set into motion, understood?”

She was quiet, with that look he was very

accustomed to. “Sarah?!” He repeated her name.

She gazed up at him with large doleful eyes,

afraid to give her word, there was so much to do,

she had to be a part of it.

“Wil you force me to lock you in our rooms and

station a guard at the door until I get your promise?”

He threatened.

She sighed, giving it some deep thought, “If I

must, I do not like it-…”

“It is not necessary that you like it, what is

necessary is that you do as I say.”

“If that is true, you must take part in seeing to

that which I cannot, I want no time wasted, nor an

able body standing, leaning, chatting while others

work.”

Quinton stood with his mouth wide, “Are you

accusing me of being idle and-…”

“No – of course not, I simply want it done –

today. I want laughter, joy, cleanliness and this place

bursting with al that it takes, to make this estate,

better than al others, for everyone.”

Quinton knew he had his work cut out for him.

“Very wel Milady, and it wil be done.”

Not since the Marquis’ death, was there so

much activity going on. Al meetings Sarah

requested, they had, rol ing out instructions with

haste to be quick about it and not a soul whimpered,

whined or complained.

Their new Lady’s arrival seemed to infuse al

with such enthusiasm and energy, many were

dancing about, chipper and flirtatious, ful of ideas

that the new Lord and Lady were more than wil ing to

hear.

One thing that Sarah did not care for at that

moment, was to meet with her mother-in-law; with al

that she intended to get done, that was one meeting

she felt could wait, however – Quinton knew that he

could not hold off on it. Once he saw to everything

that was needed for the time being, he made his way

to his mother’s new suites. Taking a deep breath, he

knocked at her door.

“Mother, it’s me – Quinton. We need to talk.”

“Go away, I have a headache.” She shouted. “If

that is true, I am just the person you’l wish to see, let

me help.”

“Go – away! You are the last person I wish to

see! I can’t believe you’ve done this to us – how

could you do this?”

“Open the door mother, I’m not going away,

neither is my wife.” He stood waiting, tapping on the

door over and over, “Mother – you have to come out

at some point, you do have to eat.”

“What do you care?!” She railed beyond the

door.

“Open – the door – at once!” He demanded.

She ignored him, refusing to budge, to open it.

“If you force me to drastic measures, I wil take

them, what is it going to be?” He waited a moment

and final y the door was snatched open, with his

mother standing glaring at him, at first, angry and

when that didn’t appear to move him, she crumbled

into tears turning away from him, rushing across the

room to fal onto her chaise longue , crying pitiful y,

“What have I done to deserve this! How could you do

this to me? After al we’ve been through, al the

suffering we’ve done, losing Rose-…”

“What has Rose to do with this mother?”

Quinton had entered her rooms, closing the door

behind him.

“She died!” She blazed at him.

“I am aware of that, what has her death to do

with your behavior today? What has her death to do

with the shame of your actions since my leaving?”

“Shame?! You speak to me of shame – when

you – you return with a Moor as your wife! Do you

know what I’ve gone through to be accepted? Do

you know how they look at me, reject my every

invitation? There have been two bal s, an honorable

affair and not once, have I received an invitation. Not

one! My speech is refined, my carriage, my

etiquette, yet they treat me as though I am a carrier

of Leprosy! And what do you do – return with a Moor

as your bride!”

“My God, have you always been so shal ow?

You spoke of Rose in one sentence and then

immediately after another concerning bal s and the

acceptance of the aristocracy? Al of it packaged to

say that you have somehow suffered? That you have

been shamed? Now I understand why I was so

miserable – why I could not wait to leave this place,

why al in my world was grey. I, Evan, Rose, we were

nothing more than your chance to possibly gain a

name, a title, and acceptance with the elite.”

“What are you saying? Don’t be ridiculous

Quinton!” She denied al , sitting up, taking a

handkerchief to her eyes to wipe at fictitious tears.

“Tel the truth mother, Rose meant nothing to

you, nothing at al . I, on the other hand, made al of

this possible for you – the one son who could not be

disputed as his. You have done wel for yourself and

in truth; my departure was your greatest gift,

because it left you with al of this and ful control. Isn’t

that right mother?”

“I – deserve this!”

“Why? Why do you deserve it? What have you

done that you should be worthy of so much?”

“I bore his son! I gave him you! I endured much

to find my place here, and in one day, you come in

and -…”

“What?”

“Hand it to that – woman – what does she know