Dangerous Letters

Chapter Ten

Letter XXI

November 01, 17--

Dearest Hannah,

A melancholy presentiment has for some time hung on my spirits after the resignation of Rosa, my only friend on the staff. I will not distress you by talking of the depression of my spirits, I have laboured to be tranquil. There was also an incident the night that she left, when the Master acted uncharacteristically bad and I have been avoiding him since. I now have reason to believe that he is doing the same.

I was playing cache-cache with the young Mademoiselle, and it was my turn to hide. I always find this the most impossible game – for even when limited to a few rooms, Lette knows the most ingenious nooks and crannies that she will disappear into whilst she always seems to know precisely where I am. This evening, however, I had chanced upon the most unusual hidden compartment behind the stone walls. I was alerted to its presence by the plate of a brass ring that gleamed in the sunlight from one of the open windows above. Curious, I searched about, and Providence somehow directed me to a suit of armour that stands, lance at the ready, opposite. A lifting of its beaver, and a lock was exposed which opens a spring. A tug on that brass ring and suddenly I found a space just big enough to hide myself if I crouched down.

Thinking that I had finally devised quite the hiding place, and certain that I would at last triumph in that game, I closed that door and stayed very still and motionless within those dark confines. This was then followed by hasty regret – the space was so small I felt smothered within and certain that some enormous spider or terrifying creature was about to descend from above. Having scared myself with all sorts of imagined horrors, I rushed to leave but was arrested by the sounds of two voices – one distinctly male, the second female but still low. The wall between muffled the sound but I could hear snatches of their conversation that grew louder as they passed by:

" --- no more incidents? --------- nor visitations?" That was the Master, I was certain of it.

And this Madame L---: "No, my Lord ----- concerns ----"

"I have kept away from the girl, have I not?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"And Villette enjoys her company?"

"I believe ----- quite attached."

"That is promising. You ---- ------- ------"

Their voices faded away. In contemplation of what I had overheard, I startled from deep thought by the whirring mechanism of the door. Backed by the whiteness of bright light, Villette stood on the threshold. "Found you," she sang.

We played on but my distraction showed and Lette was soon quite irritated. "Why Madame," she scolded, "you cannot simply stand behind a certain, I could see your feet from the other side of the room!"

I could not help it however; I had been turning the Master and Madame L---'s words over in my mind, for who else could they have been referring to but myself? I did not mean to eavesdrop of course but, since I did happen to overhear part of that conversation, I cannot wonder as to why his lordship might seek to avoid me. Perhaps he has noticed my own hesitation and responded accordingly. Oh dear! I hope that I have not offended my superior. Do you think that I have acted poorly Hannah? I shall pray on it, and ask for forgiveness from the Lord above; ought I to make amends with my Master too? But how can such a lowly servant devise such means – especially now that I know he wishes to remain out of my company? I will pray on that too.

Faithfully with affection,

Charlotte

Letter XXII