Read Online Parthena's Promise by Valerie Holmes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Valerie Holmes
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she had seen a ghost the effect upon her could not have been less dramatic.
“Miss Munro!” The woman almost ran to her. “It is so good to see you here, miss, but I was not expecting you.” The woman took Thena’s pelisse off her as she spoke. “Are you on your own? Is Reverend Dilworth with you?” She looked around, staring down the Hall’s gardens to the ornate iron gates that marked its entrance and separated it from the village beyond. The drive led to the main road and the market square of the small village of Leaham. It was a fairly secluded place and pretty as a picture in Thena’s eyes. Unlike the harsher reality of the market town she had just left, this place was like a haven – unspoilt and simple.
“No, he is not.” Thena was not about to begin explaining what was happening to a servant. “Take my bag to my room. I hope my trunk has not been sent on already. It was supposed to be forwarded when I wrote to my cousin letting him know that all was well and I had arrived safely.” Thena now realised that he was most likely going to keep what small treasures she had of her life here, as that letter would never arrive. Instead it would tell of a desperate woman who had resorted to God knew what existence in order to survive. Once fallen, in any respect, he could cast her off and no one would want to know her – well, none of their previous acquaintances. She shook her head. If she had not seen those poor people returning from war with no work to go to, or the lame, or the poor souls who toiled at the mills, would she have given them a second thought? Or, more likely she would have grouped them together as the poor, wretched and ignorant, without considering why they lived as they did. Her brief scrape with life as a felon had changed her. Something inside her had hardened. From happy, protected Parthena she had had her eyes opened and as she thought of her new friend, Jerome, her heart welled with so much gratitude, admiration and desire, for he had seen her as a thief, judged her and found her a worthy person. He knew her for what she was and yet he still helped her. Hubbart broke through her thoughts.
“Miss, we heard no word from you. The trunk has been stored in the attic room, I believe.” The woman looked quite ashen-faced.
“You believe?” she queried.
“Yes, miss, although Mr Munro was talking of having it brought down again this weekend.”
“Where is Mr Bertram now?” she asked. She could not smell the smoke from his pipe hanging in the air and so guessed he was either out or still abed.
“He is out, miss, but should be back by noon. He has been busy preparing the Hall, miss,” she added. Thena suspected that Hubbart wanted to share something with her.
“Preparing the Hall for what?” she asked.
“We have been told that at the end of the month it is to go up on the market for sale, miss.”
Thena stared at her, not knowing quite what to say. Her home was to be sold, without warning or without her knowledge. She stared at the servant who had served her father well for years and felt sad for her also.
“What is to become of you and the staff?” Thena asked. This question would never have crossed her mind before her recent excursion. She also had found Jerome and he could show and teach her so much more, if only he was willing.
“We have been told that we are to hope the next owner keeps us on, and if not, he says we can always look for work in the village. But there is no work in the village and no one wants to leave to go to them mills, miss. So we all hope that we will be taken on. Perhaps you could speak to Mr Munro on our behalf and ask if we could be like part of the arrangements?” she asked tentatively.
Thena recognised the tinge of desperation in the woman’s voice and understood it. “I will speak to him about his plans when he has returned from his business. We’ll see. Now, please make my room ready. Warm it through and have my trunk brought back down to
“Miss Munro!” The woman almost ran to her. “It is so good to see you here, miss, but I was not expecting you.” The woman took Thena’s pelisse off her as she spoke. “Are you on your own? Is Reverend Dilworth with you?” She looked around, staring down the Hall’s gardens to the ornate iron gates that marked its entrance and separated it from the village beyond. The drive led to the main road and the market square of the small village of Leaham. It was a fairly secluded place and pretty as a picture in Thena’s eyes. Unlike the harsher reality of the market town she had just left, this place was like a haven – unspoilt and simple.
“No, he is not.” Thena was not about to begin explaining what was happening to a servant. “Take my bag to my room. I hope my trunk has not been sent on already. It was supposed to be forwarded when I wrote to my cousin letting him know that all was well and I had arrived safely.” Thena now realised that he was most likely going to keep what small treasures she had of her life here, as that letter would never arrive. Instead it would tell of a desperate woman who had resorted to God knew what existence in order to survive. Once fallen, in any respect, he could cast her off and no one would want to know her – well, none of their previous acquaintances. She shook her head. If she had not seen those poor people returning from war with no work to go to, or the lame, or the poor souls who toiled at the mills, would she have given them a second thought? Or, more likely she would have grouped them together as the poor, wretched and ignorant, without considering why they lived as they did. Her brief scrape with life as a felon had changed her. Something inside her had hardened. From happy, protected Parthena she had had her eyes opened and as she thought of her new friend, Jerome, her heart welled with so much gratitude, admiration and desire, for he had seen her as a thief, judged her and found her a worthy person. He knew her for what she was and yet he still helped her. Hubbart broke through her thoughts.
“Miss, we heard no word from you. The trunk has been stored in the attic room, I believe.” The woman looked quite ashen-faced.
“You believe?” she queried.
“Yes, miss, although Mr Munro was talking of having it brought down again this weekend.”
“Where is Mr Bertram now?” she asked. She could not smell the smoke from his pipe hanging in the air and so guessed he was either out or still abed.
“He is out, miss, but should be back by noon. He has been busy preparing the Hall, miss,” she added. Thena suspected that Hubbart wanted to share something with her.
“Preparing the Hall for what?” she asked.
“We have been told that at the end of the month it is to go up on the market for sale, miss.”
Thena stared at her, not knowing quite what to say. Her home was to be sold, without warning or without her knowledge. She stared at the servant who had served her father well for years and felt sad for her also.
“What is to become of you and the staff?” Thena asked. This question would never have crossed her mind before her recent excursion. She also had found Jerome and he could show and teach her so much more, if only he was willing.
“We have been told that we are to hope the next owner keeps us on, and if not, he says we can always look for work in the village. But there is no work in the village and no one wants to leave to go to them mills, miss. So we all hope that we will be taken on. Perhaps you could speak to Mr Munro on our behalf and ask if we could be like part of the arrangements?” she asked tentatively.
Thena recognised the tinge of desperation in the woman’s voice and understood it. “I will speak to him about his plans when he has returned from his business. We’ll see. Now, please make my room ready. Warm it through and have my trunk brought back down to
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