The Legacy Debt

Chapter 1

                Carriage rides are always the worst when it is raining outside. It's hard for one to really enjoy the moisture in the air that fills inside the small compartment that is crammed with yourself and the rest of your family. My three brothers laid out in various strewn out positions as the carriage pushed on through the muddy roads. Our parents were in the carriage behind us with my Aunt and Uncle who were visiting from Leeds. The old English country roads were not favourable in the best of weather let alone when we were experiencing quite the end of summer storm. I tried to glance out the window, but felt my older brother Harold stir as he slept on my shoulder. I was the youngest, and yet sometimes I felt the most mature of the five of us.

I was born in the thick of summer as our family vacationed in our summer home. I was one month early and the local midwife announced that I would not make it to see the three month mark. As with all things in life, looks can be deceiving. Our family was in no shortage of an heir as my mother had bore three strong boys before me. However, both my father and she dearly wanted to have a daughter. When I came early, my mother said I seemed just as excited to meet them as they were to meet me. 

Despite all odds, I came through a healthy and strong baby girl. For the first month, my mother refused to give me a name as she feared it would cause her more sadness if I were to not make it, but once it was clear that I was going to pull through, she named me Olivia Christine Margaret Cayley. By right, I should include my title of Lady Olivia Christine Margaret Cayley, as my father is the Earl of Ulster. As one can deduce from that title, I am of a noble family and yet here we are traipsing around the English countryside in the middle of a monsoon. We weren't roaming freely, and there was a reason for my Aunt and Uncle's sudden visit followed by a hasty made plan to travel from our summer home back to Halloway Park just outside of York.

As we all sat patiently eating a delightful meal as the youngest of the three brothers, Harold, delighted us with his ridiculous sense of humour, a loud knock was heard at the front door. Our head butler answered the door and allowed my sopping wet Aunt and Uncle to enter into the dining room.

"Why Alfred, you look positively drenched! What on earth possessed you to come all this way?" inquired my father, Arnold Cayley.

"My apologies Arnie, but it really couldn't be helped and it certainly couldn't have waited," He explained. Our head butler returned with towels and two footmen carrying hot drinks on their platters. "Our debt has been recalled and they're coming to collect it,"

"What debt does he refer to father?" asked my oldest brother, Richard. He was just twenty-one, but quite a serious fellow. He was very quick with accounting and finances, one may argue he was a bit of a miser and the last thing he liked to hear was about debts or one gambling their family fortune away. My father shot him a hard look to back down.

"He called it did he? Did you receive the letter then? How has mine not come?" my father pressed further.

"It's here, with mine. The staff from Halloway Park sent it with a messenger post haste once they saw the gold seal on the back," my uncle pulled the second envelope out of his breast pocket and my father nearly ripped it from his hands. As he tore off the seal and bore into the letter I saw my mother stand up and run to my father's side. Their eyes scanned the pages, hungrily consuming the conditions that were written in the letter.

"Father, is it Halloway Park? Will we lose our home?" again asked Richard. My father swatted his hand towards Richard to dismiss the notion as he finished reading the letter.

"I see, but this doesn't make sense, I should have at least two more years before the debt is called. Why is he in such a rush now to hurry it along?" asked my father to my uncle. My uncle tilted his head downcast and bit his lower lip as he often did when he was puzzled by something. "Well, it doesn't matter now. However, this letter is nearly three days old and we're only seeing it now. If he left when he said he would in the letter then he's nearly half way there now,"

My mother pulled the butler to her side and began giving swift instructions to him. I then saw him disappear only to see our head maid appear at the doorway. As it would be improper for her to enter the dining area, she stood quietly just outside the door waiting for my mother to come to her.

"Ms. Thatcher, I need you to get Lindy and Margot to pack all of the children's things into the trunks. I also will need to luggage loaded onto the carriage immediately. This cannot wait until tomorrow. I will also need a messenger to travel before us back to Halloway Park and let Mr. Stephens know who he can expect to come. Do you understand me?" my mother commanded and the maid nodded and no faster had she given her light curtsey, she was on the move. As if avoiding my eyes, my mother turned to my brothers and instructed them to get their travelling clothes on and prepare for an overnight journey in the carriage.

My second oldest brother Gregory looked outside the window and gave my parents a bewildered expression. He was the more pensive of my brothers, where Harold was silly and Richard serious, Gregory was careful and only did things after a long logical thought about them. He was also likely considered to be the most handsome of my brothers. At least, that's what the girls in York all thought. He had my mother's fair hair and my father's dark brown eyes.

"Livy, come with me," my mother instructed and took my hand as she led me up the stairs to my bedroom. As I was the only girl, I was given my own room while the other three rooms were shared by my brothers and my parents had their own room at the end of the hall. I opened the door and saw that the window had blown open, water was pouring in from outside. My bedding had gotten soaked and the candles that were lit had naturally been blown out. My personal maid, Margot came in with freshly lit candles and immediately bolted the window closed. She curtsied and began packing my things into my trunk for me. My mother looked out the window, below she would be able to see the carriages being prepared as my window had a generous view into the stables.

"Mama, what is going on that has you and father so worried? Is Richard correct in that we will lose our home?" I asked gently, I didn't want to add any stress to the situation. My mother shook her head no in reply.

"We thought we had a couple more years, but evidently, they've decided that now is the time for them to collect. We're not losing our home, but you will be," She said and I could see the tears forming in her eyes. Lindy interrupted us by bringing in my travel coat and hat, but my mother scoffed at the hat. "Really Lindy? In this wind? I think she'd be better off just tossing it out the window for the wind to carry away,"

I normally would have laughed at my mother's joke, but even Lindy could feel the tension in the room as she repacked the hat and handed my travelling coat to Margot who began getting it ready for me along side my boots and skirt.

"I will tell you everything once we're back in Halloway Park. Before then, I suggest you try to get some sleep in the carriage. We'll arrive by tomorrow morning and it's going to be a long day if the Prince and his family arrive,"

My Mother left the room and Margot came back inside to help me get dressed. My luggage was already packed away neatly in the corner and she had tucked my leather carrying bag with my sketch book and pencils beside the bed. Margot always knew what I would want when travelling, it's a shame there would be no stops along the way back as there were on the way to the summer home. I was still perplexed as to why I would be leaving our home and how I would be the one impacted by the debt.