Shadowed Ivy

Chapter One

It is easiest to not be seen when hiding in shadows. That shadow could be created by an object, an absents of light, or in my case, a person. Or shall I say persons.
I had grown up in a home with no love. I only survived by living in the shadow of my elder cousin Amelia. Her beauty had outshone all the younger girls in the country and she knew it. My aunt, Mrs.Finch has only but encouraged her acts of vain and selfishness. I was brought in to be treated as a child of her own. A promise in which she did not keep. But in order to help you understand, I must take you to the very beginning of my story.

My grandfather, Mr.Rochester, was a kind man who owned a lovely estate in which he lived with his two daughters, Ellen and Diana. Mrs.Rochester had only lived until her eldest daughter,Diana, had hit her ninth year before she got sick and died.
    My grandfather never remarried, which means he never had anymore kids, thus he had no sons to pass his estate to. His only wish was to see his two daughters happily married before he had passed. The younger daughter Ellen married for love to a man with no fortune, whilst the eldest had married for money. Her new husband, Mr.Finch, was a lazy drunk who had no compassion in his heart for even his wife.
    It wasn't long before both daughters had a child of their own. I was born on July 13th 1816, only a year after my cousin.
     I had loved my life living with my mother and father, even though we didn't have much, we always had enough. It wasn't until a little after my seventh birthday my father had passed and my mother had no way of supporting me, so she called upon my aunt to take me in as her own and raise me. She agreed under the circumstances that I must take her name, and that is how I became Ivy Finch.

      My aunt had not lived up to her promise to treat me as if I were her own. I was punished for the smallest wrong doings and was sent to my room where I had spent most of my days. Though I was treated poorly, my cousin was treated as though she were royalty. Always getting what she wanted and never being punished. She always seemed to be surrounded by men wherever she went, making all the other girls jealous of her remarkable beauty. I on the other hand grew up plane and less beautiful.

   Next to my aunts estate was another, one more beautiful than any I had ever seen. There lived the Thornes of who consisted of Mr and Mrs Thorne and their three son's Adam who was five years older than I, the eldest brother Francis, and the youngest, Jasper . They would often come visit and stay for tea while us kids would, what I guess you would call, play.
    I absolutely despised Adam. He would constantly tease me as a child. He would catch worms or frogs and chase me around the property, laughing at my cries. He teased me about my freckles and messy hair, making my self confidence drop lower than possible. Amelia had only encouraged him, helping him tease me, and constantly flirting with him.
It was when I turned thirteen that he and his family moved to Bath, and I never had to worry about seeing him again. Amelia, however, was absolutely devastated and had blamed me for being such an awful neighbor to them, claiming "he wouldn't have left if I wasn't such a bother".

Now here I am at the age of three and twenty, still unmarried and living with my aunt and cousin. Amelia was also still unmarried but for completely different reasons. Because she was so beautiful she could have any man she desired, and she desired them all. She was constantly changing her love interests and would jump from man to man, I on the other hand lived in her shadows, picking up the pieces, and keeping to myself, and that is where our story begins.

Authors note

Hey guys thanks for choosing to read 'Shadowed Ivy'! I know there will be plenty of mistakes but I hope you like it anyways! Sorry I know this is a short chapter but I just wanted to get all the history done in just one.