VIOLET DAWN

Prologue

"You have kept me waiting," Lady D's voice reached Violet from beyond the kitchen door and had her scrambling under a table.

"Shh!" The little girl glanced at the dirty doll sitting across from her and held her finger across her lips. "Please Bess, be quiet. You know mother doesn't like seeing us!" She held the doll's pale fingers and squeezed her eyes shut as two sets of footsteps approached.

"Do you have the names I asked you for?" her mother's voice came to her from inside the big kitchen.

"Yes," the second voice belonged to a man. He sounded very distinguished and for a moment Violet's heart soared. They never had male visitors at the estate. Could this be her father?

Unable to resist the temptation, she opened her eyes and looked. From where she was hiding, she could only see the hem of her mother's burgundy traveling dress and a pair of shiny black boots.

"James Atholl, Anne Langdon, Peter..."

Violet listened as the man said the names of many people she had never heard of before. The boots shifted as he spoke, but her mother's skirts remained still. Violet inched forward, then held her breath. The need to see the face of the man who might be her father warred with the need to stay hidden. Her mother would be very mad if she was discovered. Violet would probably be punished like she was the last time her mother came home several months ago.

"And Ismail?" Lady D asked.

The man laughed, "Yes of course, how could I forget your obsession with him? Unfortunately for you, however, he is not in the country, although I'm sure he will turn up sooner or later."

Her mother's skirts swung to and fro. "Then we are finished here. Go. And stay away from my staff. I don't want to have to look for new staff because you could not quell your thirst."

The man was going to leave! Violet realised with dismay. Gathering her courage, she crawled to the very edge of the table and was going to look up when Bess fell over, her porcelain head hitting the stone floor with a loud thud.

Fear burst through her and Violet squeezed her eyes shut once more, wishing she was invisible and hoping her mother had not heard the noise.

There was a terrible silence and then the man spoke. "Take care of that child."

Violet's heart sank as Lady D's skirts came to brush against her fingers and the man's footsteps receded out of the kitchen. Oh, she was in such trouble!

"Girl, come out from under the table!"

Hearing the command, the petite seven year old scampered out of her hiding place, her black pigtails swiping at her guilt tinged cheeks.

"What were you doing down there?" Lady D was angry, but at least she wasn't yelling at her, or calling for the belt Violet thought gratefully.

"I was...I was just playing with Bess," she whispered as she pulled her hand forward to show her mother the doll.

"I see." Her mother didn't sound so angry anymore. Even her eyes that always looked mean seemed almost nice. Gaining some courage she asked the question that she'd been so longing to ask.

"Was that man my father, Lady D?"

Anger leapt into her mother's expression, before disappearing behind shuttered eyes.

"Come, sit. I am going to tell you a little story," Lady D smiled, as she motioned the little girl to a chair at the kitchen table. Violet took the seat without a sound. She was confused. Wasn't she going to get punished now? Her mother was looking at her kindly.

"I suppose you are wondering where your father is?"

Violet had never heard her mother this way, her tone soft and calm. But that might have been because she had seen the Lady only a few times in her life. Most of the time when Lady D was in residence, the servants kept Violet bellow stairs and out of the way.

Maybe the nice voice meant that now her mother wanted to love her? The thought was such a wonderful one, that she found the courage to speak.

"Yes ma'am."

"Oh no child, you must call me mother," Lady D chided as she put a large pail on the table, "Help me fill this with water will you?"

"Yes m-mother," Violet jumped to do her bidding.

Lady D reached for a container on one of the top shelves then pointed for Violet to resume her seat.

"That man was not your father, dear."

Placing Bess on her lap, Violet settled once more on the kitchen chair and nodded vigorously. She did not remember being this happy, ever. And to think, she had been about to cry like a silly ninny.

"Your father was a lovely man and I am certain he would have loved you," Lady D stopped as she put several spoons of white powder into the water. "If he were not dead."

Violet held her breath, all of the happy feelings disappearing in an instant. She had never seen her father, but she knew him well in her head. He was strong and tall and loved Violet...but now he was dead.

"H-how did he die, m-mother?"

Twirling the spoon in the pail, Lady D watched the whirlpool for a moment before raising eyes burning with hatred. "He was killed by a vile creature named Ismail. But I will not let him get away with it and you won't get away with it either, you filthy little brat! Did you think you could go unpunished after spying on ME!?"

A hot wave of fear propelled Violet out of her chair, but Lady D grabbed her by her hair and pushed her face into the murky water. It was burning! The water was burning her eyes! Violet kicked out, Bess falling to the ground as she tried desperately to claw at her mother's hands.

"You worthless piece of filth!" Lady D pushed at the little head beneath her fingers. "You spawn of the devil! You have Ismail to thank for this!"

Violet tried to scream as the stinging in her eyes grew worse. The water rushed into her mouth and burned a path down her throat. Burning, everything was burning!

Then Lady D pulled her head up.

Violent coughs shook the frail body of the girl as her mother pressed her face close to the wooden kitchen table.

"Open those pretty eyes wide you little rat and see if you can spy on me now!"

Sobbing uncontrollably Violet opened her eyes.

But only darkness greeted her.