Andy's Story

Chapter One - London Bound

                 

Early September 1815 – About 3 years later

The war was finally over. Napoleon was defeated, - he had surrendered in Paris - he was being exiled to Saint Helena this time, where it was hoped he would stay until he died.

The news of the victory had started to filter through to the countryside. The papers were filled with it.

Victory.

Elation filled the nation.

Husbands, brothers, sons and lovers would soon be returning.

Soon James would be home.

Now she could start to plan her wedding in earnest. Not a society wedding, nothing so flash or fashionable, not so many guest either. Just a simple wedding ceremony with friends and family, in the countryside.

Andrea was just sad that her parents couldn't be there to share her day. That her papa wouldn't be giving her away.

She looked down at her black bombazine gown, it had nearly been a year since their deaths, but at times it didn't feel that long, as the pain of losing them still felt so raw at times.

Her father had drawn up the settlements when James had returned after Napoleon was sent to Elba. The wedding to take place early the next year, giving them time to come to know each other better in the interval.

James had had to be in London quite a bit, so Andrea had swallowed her pride and had been on her way there with her parents when the carriage accident had occurred.

Closing her eyes now the horror of that day flashed before her eyes. She had been sitting in the carriage with her parents when she felt the sway of the carriage, and then heard the coachman curse and swear blue murder as he realised he was going too fast to take the corner.

She remembered hearing a loud cracking sound as something broke going around the bend. The sickening feeling as the carriage tipped sideways onto just two wheels, teetered, and then roll down the embankment. Herself and her parents getting tossed about like rag dolls within the carriage, as it rolled end over end. She could hear the scream of the horses as they went with them. But after that everything went blank for a time.

She had come to in a strange room and had been sore all over, one leg in a splint. A splitting headache due to the massive lump on her head. Unfamiliar people seemed to fill the room, in truth it had only been three. The doctor, the inn keeper's wife and a servant in her employ.

She had been knocked out cold, and the doctor had feared concussion.

Later she had started to remember things, with the blanks being filled in by others.

The coachman had been thrown from his seat and suffered scrapes and bruises, but was otherwise   unscathed.

It had been the outriders that had come down the embankment and gotten her and her parents out of the carriage. And when the coachman had come to he had sent one of them to the nearest inn to get a wagon and to send for the doctor.

Word had been sent to her brother to come as quickly as he could.

It was a few days after she had woken that her brother had finally arrived and they had told her that her parents had died in the accident. Not wanting her to be alone when she was told. She had loved her parents dearly and the pain of losing them had taken a toll on her, she could have easily died with them.

When it was safe to move her, her brother had taken her back to Oakfield Hall where her recovery had been a slow progress. Their own doctor had come to check on her, and she had spent several weeks not being able to move from her room and suffering melancholia.