Westminster 1822

The Bentleys

The curtains had been thrown open and sunlight burst through the tall glass windows. The servants marched inspected every inch on the house and tracked down every speck of dust in the Castle. Or else Furlong would have their heads.

The Castle had to be in the best shape of its life for when the Bentley family officially arrived at Westminster. Now if Furlong could only manage to find Emily. Furlong worried the child wouldn’t fair well at such an esteemed family. Ella on the other hand was a picture of grace.

The Kelly family would arrive in the evening for dinner. The servants had to be on their toes.

Emily hid in the stables grooming her horse.

‘Furlong's probably pulling her hair out.’ She ran her hand through the horses hair and chuckled.

‘I wonder where Harry is? He wasn’t here last night.’ She added.

Footsteps approached the stall and Emily jumped out, expecting to bump into Harry. Instead she made the old stableman drop his bucket.

‘I’m so sorry. Have you seen Harry anywhere?’

The old man shook his head. ‘He left yesterday. Didn’t say why.’

‘Harry left without saying a word.’

‘Imagine. Now Miss Emily you have to get back to the Castle but Madame Furlong comes to drag you by your ears.’

Emily nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right.’ I have to be ready for Mister Bentley. She thought.

Emily crept through the house, servants swept and dusted. Furlong was no where to be seen. If only she could get to her room before Furlong came looking she wouldn’t have anything to shout about.

She through her bedroom doors open and froze on the doorway. Ella stood by the window and Furlong strangled a baby yellow dress.

‘Do you have any idea how important this day is Emily?’ Furlong took two threatening steps forward.

Emily swallowed and pressed herself against the door frame.

‘Do you want to embarrass your Father?’

‘Madame Furlong I would never—’

‘Then you’d do best not to run off to stables anymore. The Countess might annual the arrangement! Then what would people think about the Marquess or me! That we didn’t raise you right!’

‘We wouldn’t want that.’ Ella murmured.

‘Absolutely not!’ Furlong bellowed.

Emily nodded.

Furlong straightened her jacket, satisfaction brimming on her face. She left Emily with strict instructions and disappeared to terrorize the workers.

Ella lingered by the tall open window. She was already dressed in a silk dress that pushed her breasts out. Her big curls had been let loose to bounce behind her back.

‘Do you need help with your corset?’ Ella asked. Her lips were the colour of blood.

Emily nodded. The day arrived sooner than she expected. She wished the sun could have set a little slower and the nights could have been longer. But the man she would marry in no more than a fortnight was coming to meet her family.

‘You let her walk all over you.’ Ella whispered.

‘She’s just cruel.’ Emily groaned as the corset threatened to cut off her airway.

‘You let everyone walk over you Emily. No one has power unless they are given it and you hand it out as if it were bread.’

‘That isn’t true—’

‘Oh? The Countess, Lord Bentley they’ll all have their way with you. You’ll be nothing but a portrait in that house. And with your antics you’ll be black and blue each day dear sister.’

Ella stepped away for her sister to finish getting dressed. Emily’s face burned with anger and embarrassment, but she bit her tongue. Ella couldn’t fight the smirk that threatened to show.

She’s still upset with Father, she doesn’t mean what she’s saying.

Ella looked Emily from head to toe before she walked out. Emily struggled to breathe and it wasn’t because of the corset, largely it was the corset, but it was the weight of expectation on her chest. To uphold the reputation of the family and please Madame Furlong.

She didn’t mind letting Furlong down, she’d been doing that for a while. She couldn’t embarrass her Father.

When her Father stood at the Castle entrance with her and Ella behind him and Furlong behind them ready to receive Emily’s new family. A rock fell into the pit of her stomach. She thought of turning around, but Ella locked their arms together.

A golden carriage parked in front of Westminster. The door opened and a slender man jumped out covered in a dark blue three piece suit. Followed by a man with broad shoulders, long bulky legs and pushed back hair.

‘Ella which one is he?’ Emily whispered. Ella rolled her eyes. Maybe she would know if she ever went to any balls.

The second man held his hand out. A woman gripped it and climbed out of the carriage. She looped her arm and clung to his black suit. Another lady popped out of the carriage and looped her arm with the other man.

‘Countess Lucia! Marvellous to see you. Elton, Liam and Lady Bentley. Welcome to Westminster Castle.’ Oscar took the Countess by the arm and walked her inside.

‘You have no idea how long I’ve been dreaming of coming back here.’ Lucia marvelled at the sparkling floors, the ornamented tables and mantel, the cool baby blue wallpaper in the lounge. Westminster commanded attention.

‘I didn’t know the Marquess had another daughter.’ Liam whispered to his brother. Elton groaned quietly.

‘Ella, who is he?’ Emily whispered as the brothers

approached.

Ella rolled her eyes and brushed out of her sister’s hold. ‘Lord Elton, absolutely lovely to have you in our home.’ She extended her white gloved hand.

Elton took it and pressed it against his lips. She wasn’t his. It was an emotion that burned in his gut. It had to be the woman with swollen breasts a small waist and eyes he couldn’t understand. She reminded him of a scared animal. How would he spend a life with her?

‘Ella, lovely to see you again.’ Liam kissed her hand next.

Ella grinned. ‘Lady Amelia, shall we walk together to the dinning Hall. We’ll be sisters in laws soon, we must get to know each other.’

Amelia beamed and looped her arm through Ella’s. They left Emily gawking at Elton and his brother. Before Elton could open his mouth, Emily turned and darted away.

‘Excuse me.’ She mumbled on her way passed Furlong. She shut her eyes and quickened her pace.

‘Emily!’ Furlong whisper yelled.

Why was she still lingering!

Liam nudged his brother and chuckled. Elton brushed him away and marched to the dinning room.

***

Contrast to the private dinning room, the main dinning room had a long brown table with portraits that decorated the golden walls.

‘Consider Westminster your home from now onwards.’ Oscar said.

‘Of course we do.’ Lucia beamed. ‘Westminster is a vision. The engagement party shall be held here surely.’

‘If it is your wish then surely.’ Oscar lifted his glass to her and she beamed.

She turned to the girls. Ella next to Emily who sat across from Elton who couldn’t take his eyes off her.

‘You have such beautiful daughters. Oscar, we must have tea before the engagement.’

Ella grinned. ‘That would be splendid. If Emily isn’t out riding her beasts of course.’ She lifted the glass to her lips.

‘Oh, you have beasts?!’ She turned wide eyed to Oscar.

He cleared his throat. ‘Horses. Numerous horses in our stables.’

‘Charming! You must take me to see them.’

‘Of course, I can show you where Emily used to climb trees and destroy her dresses.’

Furlong choked on her wine. Emily sucked in a breath and bit her bottom lip. She wished she hadn’t heard Liam’s laughter and her Father’s grunt.

‘Of course the tree isn’t there anymore. Father was furious when her dress got caught in the branches and she ended up dangling for hours. He ordered most of the trees be chopped down.’ Ella’s hand leaped to her chest and let out a hackle.

Emily opened her eyes and Elton's turquoise eyes had never left her side. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

‘Perhaps, you could show the Countess the duck pond as well.’ Oscar said as the servants arrived to serve lunch.

Ella shot her Father daggers that could never stab him. She lifted her glass to her lips and leaned into her seat.

‘Tell me Elton, before your Father passed he told me you’d been commanding one of The British Ships.’

The conversation flew over Emily’s head, she barely understand a word that was being said. This was one of the reasons she disappeared when the family hosted guests. Although, she did enjoy the soft rumble of Elton’s voice. Her cheeks turned a soft pink.

Ella caught Emily’s slight blush and gagged. She wouldn’t become a laughingstock because of unruly Emily. She noticed the young maid approaching with a bowl of soup to her left. She stuck out her leg, the maid tripped and Ella ducked and the bowl of soup flew over her head and landed on Emily’s chest.

Emily yelped. Steam rose from her chest. She jumped off her chair. Furlong’s death glare was on the maid in an instant.

‘Forgive me, my lady!’ She fell to the floor.

Elton was off his seat, but helpless to aid in anyway.

The room was quiet and all eyes were on her. Her Father’s furrowed eyes were like a wounded animal’s.

‘I-I uh- please excuses me.’ Emily through the doors open and dashed out of the Castle. Furlong close behind her.

Elton looked at his Mother who nodded at the door. He raced after her. Ice formed in Ella’s heart.

Emily tried to remove her corset from under her dress. The blasted thing wouldn’t come loose! Furlong chased, Emily ran and tried to tug her corset free but it wouldn’t fall.

‘Emily Hamilton!’ Furlong gasped when the corset finally went flying. Emily disappeared through the grass statues.

She went to the only place that served as a sanctuary and a reminder of great loss. Emily collapsed at the foot of a stone bench in her Step-Mother’s most sacred place.

An entire courtyard of lilacs and lilies, roses and tulips as well as the finest stone. The place she laid to rest her most precious things. Her children. Seven babies lay to rest beneath Emily’s feet.

This place was her peace and her destruction. Ella was Mrs Hamilton’s divine blessing. Maybe the spirits of her siblings could dry her tears and make her feel whole. Elton followed Emily to the courtyard. It hand hanging flowers that clawed at his suit as he entered the sacred place.

His foot crumbled a dried leaf. He noticed the inscription on the cement.

Adelaide Hamilton. 1789

Names and dates covered the circle in the courtyard. Emily sobbed on a stone bench. Her hair blew in the breeze and she’d managed to lose her shoes.

He took another step that alerted her to his presence.

‘Lord Elton.’ She brushed the tears off her cheeks.

‘What is this place?’

‘My Step-Mother's garden. All my siblings were buried here. She made this place especially for the children she couldn’t keep. This was a way of having them close.’

‘It’s beautiful.’ He took a step forward but couldn’t reach her.

Emily nodded and rubbed her bare feet together.

Elton cleared his throat. ‘My Mother asked me to formally invite you to our home tomorrow.’

‘Is that what you would like?’

Elton shook his head. ‘What?’

Emily picked the leaves out of her hair and dusted the dirt off the hem of her skirt.

‘Is that what you would like?’

Elton chuckled and found the strength to stand right in front of her. She was a few inches shorter than him.

‘Of course. I’d like to spend time with the girl who dangles from trees for hours.’

‘That story... it’s—’

‘It isn’t true?’

Emily failed to suppressed a smile. ‘It is, there’s just a little bit more to it.’

Elton held his hand out for her. ‘Well then will you tell me about it tomorrow?’

Emily was about to place her palm in his hand when Furlong appeared in the corner of her eye.

‘I’d love to. But I have to go now or else I’ll regret it.’ She picked up her skirt and ran out of the courtyard.

‘Emily!’ Furlong barked as elegantly as she could. Her heels stuck into the ground as she attempted to chase Emily as graciously as she could.

***

The conversation moved from the dinning room to the drawing room.

‘Your late wife had wonderful taste. She helped me decorate my drawing room several years ago.’

Oscar nodded.

‘She had all our furniture custom made.’

Liam, his wife and Ella joined their parents in the drawing room. Elton and Emily had yet to return. Ella couldn’t imagine what her sister was doing to hold Elton up so long. Elton couldn’t possibly get attached to Emily there was nothing there to be desired but to be disgusted, she didn’t want her sister to think she would actually marry Elton.

‘I’ve always wondered what it was like to be responsible for such a manor with so much character and history.’ The Countess mused.

Oscar nodded.

‘Your late wife must have had a great job on her hands since she found another woman’s stamp on the manor already.’ The Countess added.

Oscar shook his head then cleared his throat but the Countess spoke before him.

‘You know I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting your first wife. Judging by Emily I can imagine she was a beautiful woman.’ The Countess beamed.

The mention of his first wife sent a spike to his soul. He cleared this throat and offered the woman a smile.

‘Yes, she was a vision of beauty. We married very young you see. Emily was very young. I couldn’t raise her alone so I married again so quickly. Then we had Ella and our lives moved on.’ The Marquess recited the tale he hated to tell.

Servants walked in with trays of refreshments.

Father fell ill by the mention of a woman he never spoke about. He never ever said her name. Ella didn’t even know what Emily’s mother’s name was. She was the definition of a ghost. Ella rubbed the side of her head. Who was that mysterious woman?

***

The Kelly family’s carriage just arrived. Emily just finished brushing her hair. Ella barged into her room, the double doors rattled shut. Emily turned on her dresser seat.

‘What’s wrong with you Ella?!’

‘You must be enjoying this!’ Ella pointed.

‘Me?’

‘Of course, Emily. You love to see me humiliated, you can’t stand that Mother gave me everything! She would never allow Father to marry me off to that fool!’

‘I don’t want you to be humiliated Ella.’ Emily stood.

‘That’s what you did to me. How could you tell the Countess those things? In front of Father and Furlong.’

Ella waved her away. ‘If you don’t want me humiliated then you marry Harris Kelly.’

‘You heard Father.’

Ella puffed and marched up to her sister’s face. She poked her finger on Emily’s chest.

‘You don’t deserve him Emily. You don’t deserve to be part of a family of their prestige and power. Don’t think for a second that I’ll allow you to marry him, you’re a throne in my side, you always have been Emily.’

Emily collapsed on the chair, Ella marched out the door and slammed it in Emily’s face