Rebecca's Story {First Draft}

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As they rode toward the stables the stable lad was there he helped them down from their horses and said "ma'am , Mrs meadow has requested me to tell you to go to her
as soon as you have arrived from your ride, Mrs meadow is in the drawing room ma'am."

"Thank you." replied Rebecca.

Rebecca and grace made there way to the drawing room where they were welcomed
by there mother as told.

"Dears as you already know we have a visitor that well be arriving at any moment and will be staying with us. he is a very important visitor, please dears would you change from your riding outfits into your best dresses as quick as possible." Asked their mother whilst clapping her hands to suggest to be quick about it.

As they were requested they walked silently towards their bedrooms and put on their best dresses, Rebecca having blonde hair and eyes as clear as the sea, wore a blue dress which brought out her blue eyes beautifully. she was neither to tall or to small, everybody from the village used to call her a beauty.

Grace having slighter darker hair and hazel eyes worth a pink dress which she loathed ever so much, she would say ever so often it does not match my complexion one bit.

As Grace turned around from looking at her appearance in the full bodied mirror she spoke to her sister  "Are you ready Rebecca? I suppose mama
and father are waiting for us."

"yes, i'm ready." 

They walked together downstairs where they were welcomed by shear chaos from
their mother, as Rebecca knew all to well this was the way she became before a visitor arrived but this time Rebecca noticed her mother was more nervous then she had ever seen before. And she noticed that, when she came back from her ride the house seemed cleaner then it had been for awhile as if they were having a visitor from a very special guest .

Rebecca reassured her mother that everything had been prepared as she had said and there was no reason to panic even though Rebecca did not know whether everything had been prepared as her mother had wished, it was just a way of reassuring her.

"Dears you may realise that I have not told you who our visitor is, it was very last
minute we had a letter yesterday evening saying of his arrival, our visitor is......"
before Mrs meadows could announce who the visitor was there was a knock at the entrance door.

"That must be him." Mrs meadows said all flustered.

She ushered her daughters into the drawing room, Rebecca's heart was racing she hadn't thought her heart capable of such racing she hated not knowing. There was now a knock at the drawing room door her mother called them in.

The butler twisted the door handle Rebecca's heart did not slow down until she saw the gentleman she missed the whole introduction her heart had now stopped she was sure of that.

She was not bothered by missing the introduction she all ready knew who he was. He was about Rebecca's height with golden blonde hair and steel blue eyes. She looked away from the gentleman she couldn't believe her eyes she had never met the man but heard so much about him and here he was in standing in her drawing room.

She expected she would have to speak soon, she looked toward her sister who was still in shear shock thankfully her mother was talking to him, which her mother was very good at.

Rebecca now faced the gentleman about 27 years old and to her surprise he was staring right back at how rude she thought. The room went silent.

"I hope you have had a good journey Mr dickens?" Rebecca asked in a respectable tone that her mother would of wished her to use.

Yes indeed it was Mr William Dickens of all men the man that has there whole lives in his hands if their father dies.

Her father just entered the room, they all raised from their seats and curtsied. Mr dickens was oblivious to what Rebecca had asked by her father sudden movement into the room little did she care if he had heard her or not.

Rebecca thought how strange it was when they were all seated, that they automatically curtsied and bowed when someone else was in their presence they never did it in their own company why should they put a show on when anyone came round. Silence fell on the room

"I hope you have a comfortable 3 weeks with us Mr Dickens." spoke Rebecca's mother.

Rebecca's mouth dropped open in shear shocked thankfully no one was looking in her direction. This man sat before her was staying a whole 3 weeks , but within a hour of meeting him she felt awkward in his presence she felt like this was going to be a long day not weeks.

She closed her mouth and began to study him while they carried on talking about the weather etc. She tuned out of the conversation and watched him she sensed an air of pride from him in the manner he talked and sat .

All of a sudden she became afraid, he had never visited before so why now?what did he want? she had heard rumours of him though she decided to stop listening to rumours long ago as she was once the main point of rumour and none of it was true , but she couldn't help over hear when they mentioned Mr Dickens.

She couldn't help but wonder if they were true, she looked at him again could this man in front be a murderer and had he had affairs after affairs.

She seriously began to wonder why had he come here? He had noticed her looking at him intensely and he gave her a smile, she began to sense he knew she was studying him.

"what do you think Miss Meadow?" questioned William Dickens. She was stuck now, she hadn't been listening for quite sometime, she didn't know what to say or where to look she regretted trying to study him now.

"I'm afraid I didn't quite catch the question you asked?" Rebecca replied going a hint of red.

"That's alright." he said with a  smile " I'll repeat it for you, do you prefer the country or the city?"

she began to wonder why had he asked this question she knew she would have to answer him soon.

"After the past few months I have come to think I prefer the country and you Mr Dickens?" she asked.

"Yes I do quite prefer the country." he answered.

Before long William asked to see his room and one of the servants showed him
to his room with the view of the pond and hills.

Grace must have been thinking the same as herself thought Rebecca. For the minute their guest had left the room Grace began to talk.

"Mother why did you not inform us that Mr Dickens was coming?" 

"Grace I had little time to even think ever since he invited himself upon us."flustered Mrs meadows, avoiding eye contact with her daughters.

"He'd be a fine catch for a young lady, do you not think Frederick? " marked her mother.

And whilst her parents and Grace talked among themselves about their latest guest, Rebecca sat contemplating everything that had taken place the last few days.