The chill of the autumn air hummed a song that rattled and shook the sash bars of Cecilia's windows. The passing seasons would come and go, with their own melodies. A grand orchestra of blistering summers, bone-biting winters, and of course the dampness of autumn. And as her small room creaked and rumbled with the distant thunder, Cecilia curled herself tighter beneath the faded quilted duvet. Doing her best to ignore the rustling and creaking of the forest outside. Yet the dampness that hovered and clung to the rafters above, made her body ache and her nose to drip. Desperately she began to rub her feet together, pressing them against her legs, as she savored what small warmth she had gathered from the covers.
BOOM!
Bolting upright Cecilia let out a gasp. The once distant storm had suddenly snuck upon her with a tremendous bellow! How she hated the thunder...trembling the Lockwood Estate brick by brick. Tightly clutching the quilted duvet in her small fists, she held her breath, watching as the bright flash that once lit up her room slowly began to fade into shadow. How her heart raced and thudded in her chest. Delicate. That was the word her mother chose to describe her. Delicate. Mousey. Troublesome.
" Such a delicate disposition Cecilia dear? Truly?!" Her mother would always huff." Prince has better courage than this mousey creature! Do you not my sweet?"
And with a soft laugh, she'd scoop up her sweet Prince and smother him with kisses.
Prince was a small grey Pekingese dog that her mother always had beside her. He truly was a sweet thing! When her mother would let her pet him, he always looked upon her with such affection, greeting her with a big grin, His singular canine peeking out past his lips. And as Cecilia would bend down to caress him and play with his ears, she could see in his watery caramel eyes...he did not hold a singular thought behind them. Only happiness that he was blissfully unaware of.
Rolling back on her side beneath the covers, Cecilia wondered if Prince and her mother were downstairs at breakfast. Feeling her stomach rumble along with the storm, She sat back up and gazed about her small room. Perhaps her mother forgot to send her lady's maid to wake her? Or perhaps it was too early? Looking upon her windows and seeing the dark clouds accumulate and swirl outside, it was quite hard to tell what time it truly was. And so, against her better judgment, she decided to go and see.
'truly mother will not mind if I...'
Cecilia felt her stomach reply with a sharp pang of hunger.
'I'll just peer out into the hall...'
Swinging her legs over the bedside, she quickly tiptoed towards her grand armoire. trying her best to ignore the cold hardwood that bit sharply at her heels. As she clasped its cold handle she could not help but feel so small. Insignificant. It truly was a grand piece! Made from the finest cherry wood, it towered above her! Its grand intricate designs, carved deeply along its doors, depicting beautiful flowers and foliage along its paneling.
It was a gift her mother presented to her on her name day. Hosting a grand party, she invited all sorts of guests and acquaintances! None that Cecilia knew...Yet her mother insisted she walk and dance about, greeting everyone in her new gown. It was probably the most beautiful thing she had ever worn! It was a pale green and white gown, made from the finest of fabrics! Embroidered with gold silk, which depicted ornate flowers and birds along the bust and the hem of the skirt. Oh! how she remembered how soft the fabric felt on her skin, how the golden embroidery glowed in the soft candlelight...
Mother, of course, had proudly paraded her about the grand hall that evening as if she were a fine porcelain doll. Introducing her to all her guests. Many of them were her mother's friends...But she greeted them with a gentle curtsy, a smile, and a nod. Her mother made sure she did so, indiscreetly linking arms with her daughter and tightening her grip painfully on Cecilia's arm. Soon after dinner, her mother made her grand gesture toward her daughter. The servants took hold of the fine cloth that hid Cecilia's gift underneath. All the guests gasped in approval and applauded gracefully as the ornate armoire was revealed. Her mother smiled, went over to her daughter, and kissed her cheek whispering between a gritted smile,
"Smile Cecilia dear! Smile for our guests!"
And that is what Cecilia did. What Cecilia always tried to do.
Grasping the cold iron handles of the armoire, she opened the doors revealing her belongings. Quietly taking hold of her cotton white peignoir and tying the belt tight against her waist.
If mother saw her in such a state... she couldn't imagine what harsh words her mother would spit at her...but surely just a peek outside the hall would be alright? If no one saw her if the world did not see...
Tiptoeing again, she quietly yet quickly walked up to her large wooden door and opened it. Hearing it softly open with a click and a creak. Peering out into the hall Cecilia's dark eyes saw nothing...Just an empty hall and the stairway that led to the second and first floors. Holding her breath she strained her ears to hear anything, anyone. A creak from a servant's shoe, Prince's faint barking...yet nothing. Dead silence.
Cecilia bit her lip. How unnerving it was...usually about breakfast time her mother would send her lady's maid to wake and dress her. They'd always burst through the door following a brisk knock, as they soon began to tsk while they dressed her. Every day, every moment had to be precisely on time. As it was her mother who controlled the watch hands and the minutes that went by. So Cecilia felt no ill will towards the servant's temperaments. Mother was certainly a harsh mistress. And when Cecilia's father took his last breath, her mother decided from then on, that everything had to be just so...Nothing could be out of place or missing. Decorum and keeping appearances were something her mother held close to her heart. And The Lockwood Estate would continue just as it always did, for the monotony was a comfort her mother refused to be taken from her.
Cecilia was but a child when her father passed...It happened so suddenly...without any warning. The servants burst through the door and began to pack her things in a frenzy. And in a blur, she found herself in a carriage with her mother to stay at their villa out in the country.
Smallpox. That was what the servants whispered to one another in the halls. Cecilia did not know what the pox was. But being so little, she did not understand why she could not see her father. When questioning the servants of his whereabouts they simply ignored her or replied that they'd return home soon. But as the days passed she soon found herself returning home and to her father missing. How her heart wretched itself in confusion and fear when they arrived... Where was her father? Where was his soft smile he always gave her? His comforting embrace? Cecilia remembered the following days of seeing strange black plumes of smoke from deep in the forest...and when she noticed all his belongings gone...she knew he was simply...gone. When she finally got the courage to ask her mother right out, her mother looked down at her, with her beautiful piercing blue eyes and said,
"He's dead,"
And with just those two words, her mother took a sip of her tea.
Cecilia lost in thought at the harsh memory, blinked away the tiredness from her eyes, softly closing the door with a click.
'Perhaps it is still too early?' she thought, rubbing her arms to warm her.
The sky truly was the darkest she had ever seen. Feeling uneasy she began to undo her peignoir as she began to make her way towards her bed when suddenly she heard a soft slam of a carriage door. Was there a visitor? At this hour? In such weather?
Perplexed, Cecilia walked towards one of her small sash bar windows and peered through the glass to see who this late-night traveler could be. She could just make out, a blurred image of a man getting out of a carriage. He made quick strides through the pelting rain, as he made his way to enter Lockwood Estate. The coachmen and servants followed quickly behind, as they struggled through the rain and drifting autumn leaves, as they carried his belongings inside.
'Mother never spoke of a visitor staying here,' she thought, leaning against the window sill as she peered closer, her breath fogging the chilled window panes.
Suddenly a sharp knock greeted her ears and Cecilia startled, quickly stepping away from the window as her lady's maid burst through the door.
" I see you've risen early this morning Miss!" Her lady's maid smiled curtly.
It was Mrs. Eisen, holding a jug of water and a white toweled cloth, that was draped along her arm. She was a tall woman with auburn chestnut hair, who was quite close in age to her mother. She was a kind soul and had worked for The Lockwood Estate for many years, which Mrs. Eisen carried with pride and diligence.
"I...Yes Mrs. Eisen," Cecilia softly stammered,
"Well, I'm certain the mistress will be pleased!" Mrs. Eisen said, "Your mother has planned for you to meet your father come this afternoon,"
Cecilia stared... The blood rushing from her head all the way down to her toes, as she once again felt the cold hardwood floor sting her bare feet...
"My father...he... passed away.." Cecilia hesitantly exclaimed, feeling the words slip past her lips.
Mrs. Eisen, quiet at first, began to pour the jug of water with her back turned towards her. Nervously Cecilia waited, hearing the water slosh against the basin as the rolling thunder echoed outside.
"Yes your father," Mrs. Eisen continued without skipping a beat, " Master
Errington has just arrived now, and your mother requests you get dressed and have breakfast here in your room. She also wishes you to wait here till I come to fetch you this afternoon, understood?"
Cecilia could not help but stare... Mrs. Eisen, the room, even the harsh storm outside seemed to be slowly fading away in a confused haze.
"Is that understood, Miss?" Mrs. Eisen's voice clipped.
"I...Yes! Understood!" She heard herself reply.
"Splendid, I'll send one of the servants to fetch your breakfast. But first, you need to wash up, get dressed. "
Cecilia nodded mechanically and walked over to the basin, feeling the lukewarm water splash her face and neck as she began to wash. She felt...numb. Before her eyes could get adjusted she thought she heard Mrs. Eisen say something but everything...everything now seemed muted. Distant.
Taking hold of the towel Mrs. Eisen held out to her, she began to dry her face as Mrs. Eisen soon had her walk over to the armoire where she began dressing her.
'Meet my father...' she thought, ' ...Master Errington?'
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