His Eliza (Available in paperback & eBook-SAMPLE)

Chapter 3

Thank you all for your support. I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the new chapter and I will have another one for you next week. :)

(Noah)

The sky was overcast as I grabbed my walking cane and stepped out of the carriage, shutting the door behind me. I opened the small squeaky iron gate and entered the family cemetery. Moving along the path I had taken countless times before, I made a beeline for the grave beneath an old shade tree.

I knelt in front of a headstone and brushed away the dead leaves that had accumulated around its base. Placing a bunch of flowers on the ground, I removed my hat and stared at the name etched on the stone.

"Hello, little sis. I'm sorry for missing our visit last week. I had a meeting I couldn't cancel." I smiled crookedly. "I know what you would say if you were here with me now. You would say that family should always come first."

I cleared my throat. "Speaking of family. Aaron is coming for a short visit. I don't know why he would want to. We can't be in the same room without going for each others throats. It has been that way ever since you left us. I fear without you we are lost. I know I am."

Pausing, I gathered my jumbled thoughts. "With Aaron visiting I am concerned about Eliza, the servant girl I told you about. Aaron can be difficult and overbearing. I shudder to think of how she will react to him. Perhaps I should take her aside and have a little talk with her, prepare her for his upcoming visit."

Thunder began to rumble in the distance, taking me by surprise. I cursed beneath my breath. Where there was thunder, lightning was sure to follow. The last thing I wanted was to be caught out in a terrible thunderstorm.

"I'm sorry, Eliza, but I'm going to have to shorten our visit. I give you my word I will return soon." I grazed my fingertips over her name. "I miss you and not a day goes by that I don't think of you. I love you, little sis."

I straightened up and walked back to the carriage, putting my hat back on.

"Where to next Mr. Prescott?" the driver asked me.

"Home, Nevins," I responded, climbing into the carriage. "Let's pray that we make it before the sky opens up and pours on us."

"Yes, sir."

By the time I arrived home it was raining heavily. I hurried from the carriage and into the entrance hall. Propping my cane against the wall, I removed my overcoat and hat, gave them a shake, and then hung them on a peg by the door before heading off to the kitchen in hopes of finding Martha there. I found her standing at the table talking to the cook.

"Do you require anything, sir?" she asked, glancing at me.

"Where is Eliza?" I queried.

"She's cleaning out the fireplace in your office," Martha replied.

I made my way to the office, where I discovered Eliza on her knees removing ash from the fireplace. She was scooping up the ash with a small shovel and dumping it into a metal pail. Unbeknownst to her, I settled in my desk chair and watched her.

Thunder rumbled followed quickly by lightning crashing. Eliza jumped, spilling some of the ash on the hearth. Grabbing a brush, she swept it back in the fireplace. She raised a trembling hand and brushed a lock of hair back from her face.

"Eliza, stop what-"

She let out a gasp, dropping the brush. She shifted and looked at me with big eyes. "S-Sir, I d-didn't h-hear you come in."

"Stop what you are doing," I ordered her. "I want to talk to you. Come and sit down."

Eliza got to her feet and came over to sit down in the chair before the desk. She brought a rag out of her apron pocket and wiped her soot covered hands on it. She flinched at a loud clap of thunder.

"You're frightened of storms, aren't you?" I said, studying her.

She met my gaze. "Yes, sir."

"Tell me why you're frightened," I demanded.

"I had a terrifying experience as a child," she said.

I leaned forward, my interest piqued. "Tell me about your experience and take your time. No need to rush."

"Sir, I don't-"

"Don't refuse me, Eliza," I said coolly. "I want to know."

Eliza lowered her head, twisting the rag around her hand. She took a deep breath and raised her head again. "I-I was five and still living at the orphanage. There was this girl about my age that was mean to me. She would pull my hair, call me names, and steal my food."

She swallowed visibly. "One night she and two older girls grabbed me, stuffed a piece of cloth in my mouth so I wouldn't make a noise, and forced me outside. I tried to get back in, but they had locked the door. I sat down on the steps, thinking that surely someone would notice I was gone and search for me."

"It started to thunder and then the lightning came." Eliza paused for a moment. "Soon it began to rain. It was a cold rain, and I was wearing a thin nightgown and no slippers. I began to pound on the door and scream. I screamed until I couldn't anymore."

"They found me huddled against the door," she said softly. "I was shivering and my lips were turning blue. My hands were bloody from pounding on the door. I don't know how long I was out there before they found me. I only know that I got really sick after that. The doctor didn't think I would make it."

"What happened to the girls?" I asked. "How were they punished?"

"I was scared of what they would do to me if I told on them so I didn't say anything to anyone."

Anger flared inside of me. "You let them get away with what they did to you?" I snarled.

"I d-didn't want t-to m-make things worse," Eliza said, wringing her hands together. "I was afraid of them."

"You're afraid of everything," I sneered. "You're probably afraid of your own shadow."

She bowed her head and didn't say anything.

"You have to learn to stand up for yourself, Eliza," I told her.

"I'm a servant," she stated. "Someone like me doesn't have the privilege of standing up for themselves. You stand up for yourself and you get beaten down. After you get beaten down so many times, you learn to stay down. I'm sorry, sir, but you don't understand. You've never been in my place."

"You're right, I haven't," I uttered quietly, her words touching something inside of. "Still you are a human being. Like me you bleed, you feel pain, you cry, you feel. You should have the right to stand up for yourself as I do." I propped my elbow on the desk and rubbed my forehead. "I wanted to speak to you about my brother."

"What about your brother, sir?" Eliza inquired.

"I don't want you to be afraid of him," I said. "He can be difficult and overbearing at times, but he won't hurt you. If he asks you to do something you're not comfortable doing, you come and talk to me about it. When it comes right down to it you answer to me." I smirked. "And Martha. We can't forget Martha."

"Yes, sir," she said, nodding.

"I will make sure and let him know you don't like to be touched," I said. "He shouldn't have any reason to touch you, but still I will make him aware of it."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome." I gestured at the fireplace. "Why don't you return to your work? I won't disturb you again."

Eliza rose from the chair and went back to her work.