Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

“Sorry to disturb you,” Little J said awkwardly as she came over to Henry with her stethoscope ready. She place the end piece on Henry’s chest and proceeded to listen to his heart. “Good, good,” she reported. She pulled a pair of scissors from the front pocket of her apron and then cut away the bandages.

“Little J, in all seriousness, can I still die from this?” Henry asked, his happy tone from before vanished. Little J meticulously removed the bandage covering his stitches and Ebony saw the sewn wound for the first time. She was surprised at how neat it was. The incision was seven or eight inches in length and tied together with neat, black stitches. The scar itself was very red but the surrounding skin looked quite normal.

“Don’t talk like that, Henry.” Emilia hushed him, coming into the room with Henry’s father by her side. “You will be perfectly alright.” She tenderly touched his face while Little J inspected his wound.

“The truth is that you are still susceptible to infection which can result in death,” Little J told Henry firmly. Ebony thought she looked as though she were trying to hold in her emotions. It couldn’t be easy on her to keep a level head while her brother was in danger. “But this looks very good so far. I’m happy with your progress.” She checked his forehead for fever but didn’t say anything so Ebony hoped that meant his temperature was normal.

Emilia looked up to Ebony and smiled warmly. “I am sorry about how we were downstairs. I’ll introduce you properly now. This is my husband, Sebastian,” she said, gesturing to the handsome, older man at her side.

“It’s good to meet you, Miss Seaver, we’ve heard so much about you. We’ll have to hear you sing sometime soon.” Sebastian bowed his head to her politely.

Ebony blushed a little. “Thank you, milord,” she said bashfully. Eventually she’d like to attend an audition or two to get back on stage but that would be far in the future. Henry’s health and seeing Celeste would remain her top priorities.

“Come in, all of you.” Emilia motioned for the rest of the family to file into the small hospital room. Henry smirked as everyone began to peer at Ebony and Henry. What exactly had he been saying about her? “Kitty, my eldest daughter, and her husband, the Admiral of the Fleet, William.” She gestured to the brunette daughter and her handsome husband. “My youngest daughter Annie and her husband Reverend Joseph Preston.” Annie was the daughter who looked most like her mother. She had the same light hair and dark eyes. “We’re a large brood, but we’ve always room for one more.”

Ebony was a little taken aback. She’d never been welcomed anywhere before. And even though Henry’s wounds had been a result of his mission to save her they were still kind to her.

“It’s so lovely to know all of you,” she said sincerely.

“Are you at all hungry?” Kitty asked her. “Because I am and no offense but you look like you haven’t eaten in a while and you’re making me feel rotund. Let’s leave Little J to take care of Henry.”

Ebony self-consciously looked down at her hands and wrists and agreed with Kitty. They were quite skeletal. And she was quite hungry. She hadn’t eaten in two days. At some point her stomach was going to start eating itself. “I am quite hungry,” she admitted.

“It’s settled. Mama, we’ll go to Ethridge,” Kitty told Emilia. She came forward and placed a kiss on Henry’s forehead. “Get better or I’ll have one of my famous tantrums right in your ear,” she threatened.

Henry chuckled but then tensed. Clearly laughing was out of the question for someone healing from abdominal surgery. “You will come back, won’t you?” he asked.

It took Ebony a short moment to realise that his question was directed at her. She blushed again. The tables really had turned. She’d become exactly like he was in the beginning – bashful and unsure of herself. “Of course,” she said softly before quickly following Kitty from Henry’s room.

Only Ebony, Kitty and Annie returned to what they called ‘Ethridge’. The men had other plans which involved caring for their children.

Upon arrival at the grand house, Ebony was informed that ‘Ethridge’ was the name of their father’s earldom and the house was where the current earls sat.

Although it could not be called a house. It was a … she couldn’t find the words. There was no greater house that she’d ever seen. The Tudor mansion belonging to Lord Pembroke was nothing to the perfect manor that Henry lived in.

Kitty and Annie walked in the house without knocking and were greeted by an elderly man dressed in fine, black livery. They both stood on their toes to plant a kiss on each of his cheeks at the same time. “Afternoon, Mr Carter,” the both chimed.

“Lady Kitty, Lady Annie,” Mr Carter greeted. “How is Master Henry?” he asked, sounding quite upset.

“He survived the night and he is awake. So far, so good. He is far from being safe but it looks positive at the moment,” Annie told him.

The old man appeared relieved. “Thank God for that. I’ll have to tell everyone downstairs the news … but who is your guest?” he asked, looking at Ebony.

“Mr Carter, this is Miss Ebony Seaver, Miss Seaver, this is our butler, Mr Carter. Mr Carter has worked here since before my mother came here at a seventeen year old!” Kitty exclaimed.

Mr Carter appeared a little embarrassed. “Really, milady, you make me sound as if I am ancient.” He chuckled. “But it is nice to meet you, Miss Seaver. ‘Ebony’ is an unusual name. I’ve not heard it before … is it Eastern European?”

“You too, Mr Carter.” Ebony smiled. “But I am named for the colour ebony. My hair was very dark when I was born. It’s lightened over the years but that is the reason for it.”

“I think it’s very pretty,” Annie remarked. “Mr Carter, may we please have some tea and whatever Mrs Norris has made for lunch brought up to Kitty’s old bedchamber? Oh, and the bath, please.”

“Of course, Lady Annie.” Mr Carter bowed his head to all three of the ladies and then turned away from them to walk down the hallway.

Both Kitty and Annie seized Ebony’s hands and began to pull her up the grand staircase. Ebony felt a little awkward traipsing through a strange house but Kitty and Annie didn’t seem to have any problem with it. The landing upstairs was just as pretty. The carpets were a deep red and the walls were panelled with wood and had golden candelabras on the walls. Ebony wondered if they were real gold. Kitty and Annie led her up a corridor with several doors. She presumed that they were bedrooms, though not like the ones in Little J’s practice, they’d be grand like the house with luxuries she could only dream of.

The fourth or fifth, Ebony couldn’t remember, was the door they selected – Kitty’s old bedchamber. It was beautiful. The walls were a cream colour with similar coloured drapes on the windows. The carpet was a pale gold colour which matched the candlesticks sitting on every mahogany surface in the room. The bed was, of course, the masterpiece. The four posts reached up to the ceiling with a sheer canopy covering the top of it. Why would Kitty ever leave such a room?

Kitty went over to a wardrobe and opened up the doors. Inside were dozens of gowns hung neatly in a row.

“These are the ones I left behind when William and I moved into our house. They are a little outdated, I’m afraid, but we’re of similar height so they should fit length wise. I’ve still got my sewing kit in the drawer of my dresser so we can take in the waist. Alice’s gowns would fit you better but it’s more of a hassle to take a gown down than to take in the waist a little, she’s so small after all.” Kitty pulled a ruby red gown from the wardrobe and held it up for inspection. Ebony had never seen a finer gown in her life. The gown had a tight bodice with a long, red skirt covered in a layer of matching red lace. The sleeves were off the shoulder and finished at the elbows with red lace stitched to look like trumpet sleeves.

“That’s stunning,” Ebony breathed, more to herself that to Kitty but she heard.

“Thank you, I designed this one. I have not the talent for sewing even though I’m meant to. It will look lovely on you, I’m sure,” she said kindly before setting it on the bed.

“Tell us something about yourself, Ebony – you don’t mind if we call you that, do you?” Annie asked.

“Not at all,” Ebony replied. “What would you like to know?” Aside from what she endured with Vernon, there wasn’t much to tell. She’d lived the life of a pauper since infancy practically. It was not until her step-father realised that her little singing talent could be used to steal from people. And then Vernon found her and her step-father’s nonsense looked like child’s play.

“What do you like to do?” Kitty suggested.

That was easy. Ebony smiled. “Sing. I love to sing.” Singing was freeing. One could put as much anger, passion and energy into a song as they needed to.

“Sing for us,” Annie prompted. “I never got around to seeing I puritani.”

Ebony felt a little self-conscious instantly. “Alright,” she agreed. “What would you like to hear?”

“Ooh, I know,” Kitty exclaimed. “You’ll be singing it at Christmas anyway, it’s grandmamma’s favourite carol – ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’.”

“I’ll be singing it at Christmas?” Ebony repeated.

“Well, of course.” Annie nodded. “Henry’s not going to leave his wife here.”

“His wife?” Ebony nearly choked on the air in her throat. She liked Henry, she really did. She thought he was kind and caring and generous and selfless and the exact kind of many she would envision for herself, but she’d barely had a moment alone with him since they met. She was not the type of woman who would marry and wait for the love to come, no, she wanted everything first. She wanted the know him and learn everything about him first. She wanted to know what excited him and what made him nervous. She already knew his favourite thing in the world – fresh snow – but she wanted to know more. Even if she did fall in love with him, which she was sure would not be hard to do, he might not love her. He certainly wouldn’t when he learned she was impure. Men like him deserved an innocent wife.

“Oh … Annie I think we’ve stepped into dangerous territory. Henry will shoot us. She doesn’t feel the same way.” Kitty bit her lip. “I know Henry can be a bit quiet sometimes but he’s such a kind person. Please don’t break his heart.”

“Kitty’s right, you won’t regret giving him a chance,” Annie agreed.

“I didn’t realise he felt so strongly,” she admitted.

“Is it not obvious?” Kitty scoffed. “James told me that when he came home from your performance he waltzed straight into his and Alice’s bedchamber and asked them how to make a woman fall in love with him. He would have anyway, but why do you think he found Celeste for you? He was doing everything he could to show you he cares. When he’s better, and I won’t entertain the alternative, so help me God, but he will ask to court you and then in good time he will propose. Please give him a chance,” she begged.

Ebony would, without a doubt. But his reaction to her being soiled, which he would no doubt find out in the courts, would tell her how her future would pan out. If an agreeable man like Henry couldn’t handle, then she knew she was destined to be a spinster. “I will,” she promised. “I definitely will.”

The sisters beamed. At that moment, two finally dressed footmen carried in a bathtub followed by three more who were carrying large pitchers of hot water. They filled up the tub and then pulled out a screen from inside Kitty’s wardrobe and placed it in front of the tub.

Once the footmen had departed, Annie and Kitty helped Ebony undress, much to her humiliation and then helped her into the bath. They washed her hair with scented soap and then proceeded to clean her hands and nails before they massaged a scented ointment into them which made them surprising soft.

“Your curls are even wilder when wet,” Kitty remarked. “I’m envious. I wake up with a headache every morning from wearing mine in rags.” She chuckled.

“Don’t be. There is simply too much hair,” Ebony replied. “It’s useful for the stage. Dramatic.” That’s what Vernon had called it anyway.

“You’re yet to sing for us,” Annie remind her.

Ebony smiled slightly before taking a deep breath. If she were to possibly sing at Christmas she’d have to get used to carols. “God rest ye merry, gentleman. Let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day. To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort an –” Her song was interrupted by Annie and Kitty just breaking into applause.

“Oh, you are magnificent!” Kitty exclaimed. “We must hear you sing opera sometime, I insist.”

Annie nodded. “I completely agree. When can we hear opera?”

“You need an appropriate theatre … I fear I mighty shatter your windows if I went to my highest in here.” She certainly wouldn’t win over the family if they had to replace glass after one visit.

Both sisters laughed. “Come,” Kitty said. “Lunch will arrive in a moment. Let’s get you measured so Annie can take the dress in. Then we can go back to Little J’s and we’ll see to it that you have some time alone with Henry.”

Ebony’s cheeks betrayed her as the blood rushed to them. She feared she liked that idea far too much.

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Hope you liked it! Dedicated to readmorebooks for your amazing comment :) Thank you so much, you really made my jaw drop and my cheeks go red :)

I was sitting on the couch writing today and my cat, Lucy, was sitting next to me and my mum comes home from work and she walks in the rooms and goes "Hi, beautiful." And I'm not up myself or anything but I've been called 'beautiful' by my parents before, because they're biologically progammed to think I'm beautiful ... andyways, so I go "Hi!" and she looks as me and goes "I was talking to the cat." And I was like "Oh" Awkward :P

Oh, and you want to know how gross my brothers are? One of my brothers was going on about everything he would buy if he won the lottery and my other brother was like "I'd fix up the house, you know like add a second story and add a gas chamber." And we're all like WTF? And then he goes "Here, I'll start it" and then he farts!!!!!!!! EW EW EW EW EW EW EW! Do your brothers do that??? Because I'm ashamed to say, that actually didn't surprise me because he's so gross. Uck. *cue gagging sounds*.

Why could I not have sisters? I'd much rather argue over clothes rather than their bodily gasses.

The video on the side is a video I hope you'll watch. If you want to know anything about me, it's in that video. It's a video celebrating 140 years of the Essendon Football Club. Aussie Rules Football is the sport Australia lives and breathes, it's the sport I live and breathe :) My club is the oldest in the competition and I'm mighty proud of my Bomber boys :) I hope if you're ever in Australia you see a game, there's nothing like a football stadium atmosphere to pump you up :) My teams home ground is Etihad Stadium and coincidentally I'm seeing Taylor Swift there in December and I have seats on the floor so I get to sit where my boys run every week ... just fan girling a bit :) But please, get inspired!!!

Vote and comment :)