Brief Hours

Chapter One

Life will always be challenging. Husbands take mistresses and wives bear bastards, it is a matter of knowing how to act like it's not true. My mother and father taught me many things in my childhood, the main lesson was always that my duty was to wed a gentleman of a higher title then my own. Once that was accepted it was quite easy to forget that there could be other things out there.

As a lady I was expected to spend my day inside the house drinking tea and perhaps a little walk around the gardens but I spent my days with my friends; I was still inside the house but enjoying myself a little more.

It was a Monday, Mother was at her silly luncheon with my grandmother and Father was at a boring meeting as he always was. Without my tutor Mary in the afternoon I would slip down into the servant halls downstairs.

"Rose?" I waltzed into the dining room where she sat sewing at the table. "Oh good you aren't busy!" I sat opposite her and pushed a book across the table.

"Apologies my lady" Rose dipped her head, "I'm terribly busy, the Countess has asked that I take up her gown for tonight's dinner" she pushed the book back to me and gave me a look. I sighed.

"Come on Rose, just a few minutes! I have been so awfully lonely, even Monsieur Louis hasn't written to me in weeks!" I begged, but Rose continued with her sewing, she has been my mothers lady's maid since I was thirteen and she was sixteen so naturally she took me under her wing and we became unlikely friends. Rose was a pretty girl, red hair that she kept in a neat bun and I'm sure it would be so beautiful and glossy is she cared for it the way she cares for mine; her eyes were a deep brown rimmed with thick black lashes. What I envied about Rose most was her stature, she was tall and slim while I was short and a little on the denser side but I was constantly being fed all sorts and if it wasn't for a corset I would likely be enormous.

"I'm very sorry my lady but the countess insisted" Rose made brief eye contact with me then sighed, "Edith isn't busy"

"Perfect! Where might I find her?" I smiled excitedly, when it came to being around people I turned into a child; my life was so lonely. With only my mother and father or Mary to entertain me all day, every day, it became monotonous but this was my escape and I took every chance I got.

"I'm not sure my lady, I think she might be in the vegetable garden. Miss Peters asked for some carrots or something. Do be careful my lady" Rose smiled sweetly and continued with her sewing.

"I always am Rose, we can talk later" I hurried out the dining room and into the kitchen past Miss Peters who jumped at my presence.

"My lady!" She gasped and I laughed, rushing past her. None of the older servants really approved of my being down here but obviously they could never scold me.

"Edith!" I called into the vegetable gardens but she wasn't there, I stood on the path between the garden and the building and looked around. My fingers twitched on the cotton of my dress, it was a light grey with long sleeves and a high neck, most appropriate for an unmarried young lady. I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger as I scanned the grounds for my friend. I frowned.

I turned to go back inside and pester Rose when I heard a little crash in the stables that caught my attention. Perhaps she was fetching a box to hold the carrots? I trudged up to the stables when I heard voices, I really was curious so I went closer and the voices got louder but I didn't recognise them.

The door was slightly open and I could see one of the white horses eating hay and swishing his tail but I couldn't see anyone. I got to the door and the voices were laughing, still I couldn't see. Gently I nudged the door and stepped around it to see a sight I was most startled by. I recognised Edith's mousy brown hair and uniform but the man she was huddled over was hidden from my view. I turned to go but Edith shifted and I chuckled at the man she was kissing.