Love's Counterpart

Chapter Three

They entered the bustling thoroughfare and soon came upon a massive stone wall which enclosed the grounds around the most breathtaking mansion Annabelle had ever seen. Passage was gained through a lodge stationed at its entrance.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Her fingers itched to sketch the place and the surrounding gardens. "Oh Aunt Augusta! It's beautiful!"

Lady Cantrell appeared quite unaffected by Annabelle's exclamation.  She however, tried to see it through her niece's eyes. "Yes, I... suppose it is."

It amazed Annabelle that her Aunt could become immune to such beauty. The carriage had come to a halt, and the footmen approached helping them from the carriage and unloading Annabelle's few belongings.

Her Aunt gave quick and precise instructions, which were carried out with expediency. Annabelle marveled, as the interior was even more lavish than the exterior. Perhaps the most impressive part was the grand staircase that dominated the center of the house. It rose nearly three stories into the great balconied hall.

Annabelle did not know where to look first. She turned and twirled around the room as if on a potter's wheel. "Annabelle? Annabelle?" she heard her Aunt's voice and was brought out of her magical trance.

"This is Ms. Pratt. She will be taking care of you while you are here. She will take you to your room and should you need anything you can just ring for her. I have an appointment so I shall be detained for a while but shall we have afternoon tea in the garden?"

"Oh yes, please Aunt. That would be wonderful."

"Very well then. Ms. Pratt?"

"Yes, Marm."

"See to it that my niece is shown to her rooms and settled."

The elderly maid curtsied. "Yes, Marm."

"Follow me, Miss," Ms. Pratt said and Annabelle fell into step behind the woman.

"How long have you been here Ms. Pratt?" Annabelle asked, always curious, she could not stand to walk in silence.

"I've been in service for over twenty years, Miss."

"Then you knew my Uncle Jacob."

"Yes, Miss."

"I wish I knew him better. My memories of him are so vague. Mother and Aunt Augusta seldom visited one another. My sister and I were certainly never here but Aunt Augusta had come once or twice to our home but my memory of Uncle Jacob is that he never seemed very pleased to be there."

Annabelle waited a moment or two but it would seem Ms. Pratt was not one to prattle. Annabelle giggled quietly to herself at her own inside joke, but made a mental note that unless specifically asked Ms. Pratt is not the volunteering kind when it comes to information. She supposed that was a good quality in a servant but made for very boring conversations.

They walked for what seemed like forever. The staircase may look grand but not very practical when you just wanted to rest from a long journey.

"Your rooms, Miss." Ms. Pratt said opening the door.

Rooms? It was like looking at your own personal flat, only within a house. There was an outer sitting room. Cream-colored wallpaper adorned with beautiful pink roses covered the walls.  Glided cherry wood furnishings and plump cushioned chairs completed the scene. Then there were the massive doors, which Ms. Pratt opened that led to the bedroom.

Annabelle looked around with wide-eyed wonder. She did not exactly grow up poor but this was more opulence than any girl could imagine except for perhaps Queen Charlotte's daughters, of which the Queen had quite a few.