Where Love Takes You (5 page)

“Yes,
indeed I did, Uncle Jack, a seafaring man, so we saw very little of him,” I divulged.

“Well,”
continued the solicitor, looking down at the papers in front of him, “your uncle has died and, as he had no issue, all his worldly goods pass to you, being the grand sum of five thousand pounds.” At these words I nearly dropped the green cup and saucer.

Some
time later when I recovered from the shock and we had dealt with all the legal aspects, I thanked Matthew Farrant as he handed me a large, blue, velvet pouch.

“What
is this?” I asked, and pulling the draw string to open the pouch. I retrieved the contents and looked at it in astonishment for it was my uncle’s engraved gold watch. “Why thank you.” I said, quite overawed by the afternoon’s events.

On
settling ourselves in the carriage, Richard sitting opposite me on the brown leather seat watched me intently while I thought about the events of the past couple of hours which would indeed change my life as I was now a woman of means, thanks to Uncle Jack, who I had hardly known. I remembered his infrequent visits and the way he always took his gold pocket watch out of his jacket and said it was time he was gone, for the tide would wait for no man.

“Congratulations
are in order Miss Trent,” Richard said suddenly as the rain started to patter gently on the glass. “Is it to be a secret?”

“Indeed
not,” I replied laughing, “I have no secrets.” Except one, I mused, thinking how much I loved my employer.

“This
turn of fortune will surely mean you leaving us at Middlepark,” Richard said tentatively, at the same time leaning forward in his seat and catching hold of my gloved hand.

“I
have no intention of leaving,” I assured him, “for I have grown very fond of Lina and Middlepark.”

“
It pleases me to hear you say that Miss Trent.” As Richard spoke he breathed what seemed a sigh of relief and, releasing my hand, he sat back and leant against the seat once more. It warmed my heart to know that my employer did not wish me to leave.

As
we travelled back to Middlepark I thought how I could now buy a thousand cornflower blue dresses, but above this wealth I would always choose Richard.

That
evening as I sat in my room on the small armchair, I mulled it all over in my mind and could scarcely believe my good fortune wondering where this luck would take me; but I didn’t want to go anywhere for fear of losing any chance I may have with Richard. Suddenly I stopped daydreaming and telling myself to be sensible, I went over to the drawer and took out Madeline’s letters. Sitting back down on the chair once more, I slowly untied the red ribbon and as I picked up the first letter I wondered what else could possibly be revealed to me today.

Chapter Five

Small particles of dust flew around me as I unfolded the first short missive written in a firm bold hand with black ink.

“
Meet
me
,
dear
heart
,
under
the
oak
tree
at
midnight
.”

Going swiftly across to the window and looking out across the garden, I could see the huge oak silhouetted against the blackness of the sky and imagined Madeline and her beau, whoever he might be, meeting in the dead of night and embracing under the magnificent branches.

I
was keen to see the second letter and returned quickly to my chair to open it and read:

“
What
joy
fills
my
heart
and
my
waking
hours
since
I
found
you
Madeline
.
Your
name
itself
is
a
caress
which
will
tumble
from
my
lips
when
next
we
meet
.
I
have
prior
engagements
which
irks
me
somewhat
,
for
I
wish
to
be
with
you
,
but
Saturday
,
as
arranged
,
my
beautiful
girl
,
when
the
house
is
silent
.”

I unfolded the third letter, anxious to see how the relationship progressed, noting no date or day headed the love note so far and hesitated momentarily, suddenly feeling intrusive, but curiosity and a romantic nature pressed me to continue:

“
I
have
at
last
returned
from
London
with
my
father
.
These
past
two
weeks
have

dragged
by
like
two
years
away
from
you
and
of
my
own
choosing
,
I
would
not
have
gone
,
for
to
be
distant
from
you
,
even
for
a
day
,
breaks
my
heart
.
How
glad
I
was
for
the
scented
handkerchief
you
gave
me
sweetheart
,
for
without
it
,
I
would
have
been
bereft
.
I implore
you
to
meet
me
this
very
night
,
for
I can
barely
wait
longer
to
hold
you
in
my
arms
.”

As I read the words, I sensed the urgency with which they had been written, and the utmost feeling which lay behind them. I held this letter for some time in my hand, marvelling at the manner of man who could write such words, and wishing that a certain young man would just once implore of me the same.

I
placed the three letters I had read back in the drawer and counted the others. There were four left and I knew that I had to continue this very night, for I was bound up now in these clandestine meetings, and desperate to know the outcome. Letter four read:

“
Now
that
I
have
declared
my
love
for
you
and
you
for
me
,
I
feel
suddenly
free
like
a
bird
soaring
above
our
oak
tree
against
the
blue
of
the
sky
.
My
heart
feels
light
and
my
step
more
sure
footed
.
How
I
pray
you
feel
the
same
.
To
know
you
are
not
far
from

me
and
breath
the
same
air
is
comfort
to
me
.
No
longer
can
I
keep
our
love
a
secret
and
at
our
next
meeting
,
we
must
discuss
in
earnest
what
we
are
to
do
.
We
have
visitors
staying
tonight
,
but
tomorrow
,
when
all
is
still
,
our hearts
will
beat
together
as
if
we
are
one
.”

Before I continued, I laid down the letters on the arm of the chair and reached for the miniature portrait. Studying the features carefully and looking at the eyes and mouth of the young man portrayed before me I knew instinctively that this young man was not Madeline’s lover. That he had some special part in her life, that I had no doubt, a brother or father maybe, but this young man had not written the words I had been reading, of this I was certain. Picking up the letters again, I read the next one which was more sombre in its content and as I read the words my heart ached:

“
My
beloved
,
I
have
spoken
to
my
family
and
it
seems
they
would
thwart
us
.
I
will
not
give
up
.
It
appears
that
our
only
ally
is
my
nurse
,
Anna
,
who
pledges
her
devotion
to
the
woman
I
love
,
whereas
my
family
would
have
you
gone
and
no
longer
have
you
remain
my
sister
Joanna’s
governess
,
but
I
will
speak
up
for
you
,
dear
heart
,
never
fear
,
all
will
be
well
.
It
may
no
longer
be
possible
to
meet
beneath
the
oak
tree
and
embrace
beneath
the
moon’s
silvery
light
,
but
trust
me
,
I
shall
think
of
some
way
that
we
can
meet
.
I
will
write
again
tomorrow
.
I
love
you
and
the
way
your
golden
hair
gleams
in
the
moonlight
and
the
silver
glow
bathes
your
face
,
giving
you
the
appearance
of
an
angel
,
which
you
are
without
doubt
.
Sweet
dreams
Madeline
,
my
darling
,
and
do
not
despair
.

I read the letter a second time and felt so much compassion for these two people I did not know. I desired to know what the outcome would be and swiftly moved on to the next folded letter which was brief:

“
If
it
is
to
your
liking
,
dear
heart
,
I
have
arranged
a
room
for
us
at
an
Inn
not
far
from
here
where
we
can
talk
over
our
future
.
Anna
will
look
after
you
and
bring
you
to
me
tomorrow
evening
at
eleven
.
Be
sure
to
wear
your
hooded
cloak
,
for
I
would
not
want
your
name
brought
into
ill
repute
on
my
account
.
Trust
Anna
and
no
one
else
.”

Did Madeline keep her tryst with her nameless beau I mused, as I refolded the letters and the final one lay in my hand? What would it reveal, that the writer of the letters was the son of this household I was in no doubt, but who and when? No dates accompanied the love note. No initial of the writer. My only clues were Madeline, Joanna and Anna the nurse, plus the magnificent oak tree which dominated the garden, it’s trunk so wide in girth that anyone could hide behind it from the prying eyes of anyone this side of the house. I got to my feet once more and looked down again at Madeline’s trysting place. How often I wondered had she looked down at the oak tree and thought of her love for I was sure Madeline, as a governess, had occupied this room, else why had the letters been hidden under the floorboards.