The news was broken to me in a gentle manner, I had to admit, but it was an unexpected shock.
‘Louella, my dear. Lady Maria and I are going to be married,’ Uncle James cleared his throat self-consciously and strode stiffly up and down the room, whilst I stood waiting, my eyes following his every movement.
‘And I’m emigrating—to Canada.’
As he said the final disastrous words, he stood with his back to me, gazing out of the long window on to the smooth lawn, not daring to meet my eyes.
Motionless for several moments, I was about to ask if I was to go with them, but something held back the words. As he spoke again I was glad I had remained silent.
‘I have arranged for you to go and live with my brother, Sir Hugh Courtney and his family, at Courtney Hall.’
Uncle James turned from the window and as he came towards me I saw the anxiety in his eyes. He is trying not to hurt me, I thought.
‘You’ll be happy, Louella,’ he was saying, taking my cold hands in his, ‘they have a daughter about your age, Georgiana, you’ll like her. And, of course Hugh—well, he’s like me.’
It was a cruel and swift blow. I had no idea that anything like this was imminent. For four years, since Aunt Virginia had died. Uncle James and I had lived happily enough together. Why did he have to change all that? Why did he have to move so very far away, to another world almost? Lady Maria had been a constant visitor to the house for several months, but I had looked upon her visits as those of a friend only. I had been mistaken. Uncle James was to marry this handsome widow and return with her to her native country.
‘You see, child,’ Uncle James turned away and continued his restless pacing. He twisted his moustache, a trait so dear and familiar to me when he had something troubling him.
‘You see, now you’re getting older, people may start talking about you living here with me. Oh, I know we have the servants,’ he waved his hand in the air, ‘but it’s not the same as when—as when Virginia was alive.’
His gaze rested upon her portrait above the fireplace.
‘You wouldn’t understand, child,’ he murmured, seeming to speak more to the life-like painting than to me. ‘A Courtney and a Lloyd under one roof …’
Uncle James did not finish his sentence, but shook himself from the line of thought which I did not understand.
‘Believe me, Louella my dear, it is for the best. Indeed it is.’
I had not spoken—I could not, the tears were too near. I ran from the room and up the stairs to my bedroom where I stayed until my emotions calmed. I was not one to cry. I despised weeping, fainting women. So, although my heart was breaking, the tears remained unshed.
Later, the maid helped me to pack. It seemed Uncle James had avoided telling me until the last possible moment because he felt so badly about it. I was to leave the next morning.
The day was warm and bright on the morrow, seeming to taunt me in my unhappiness. As I bade Uncle James goodbye I was calm, but the leaden weight of misery pressed down upon me, a weight which was not to be lifted completely for a long, long time.
‘Louella, try not to think too badly of me. I would have it different if it were possible.’
‘I will do as you say, Uncle James. But I shall miss you so. You’re the only father I have ever known.’
For a moment, his face crumpled and I thought I should see something I had never seen before, a man weep. But tears are for women, or so I had always been told, and with a masterly control. Uncle James regained his composure.
‘And you are the only daughter I have ever known.’
His hands gripped my shoulders and he clasped me to him for a moment. ‘God be with you, my child.’
He released me suddenly and hurried away.
It was not my nature to run after him, to beg to be taken to Canada for I realised that even in a marriage between two mature persons, a third dependant was an unwanted burden.
What Uncle James had commanded, I must obey.
I climbed into the carriage and as we rattled down the drive, I looked back at the old house which I called home. It was not impressive as a building, but it was spacious and comfortable with beautiful grounds. Above all, it was a happy house, something which, in the following months, though I did not know it then, I was to appreciate as something rare and valuable.
Courtney Hall, as I remembered from occasional visits, was an awe-inspiring, palatial building set on a hillside in its own parkland, with a river and lake at its feet. The interior of the Hall was a maze of immense rooms, long passages and innumerable stairways.
Sir Hugh Courtney, Uncle James’ elder brother, had inherited the major part of the land belonging to Sir James Courtney, their father. Sir Hugh, however, from the little I knew of him, was a mild, gentle man with no head for business or the running of the vast estate. The role of squire, which had been handed to him from his father, was more befitting his son, Bassett.
Bassett Courtney was the one member of the family I had never met. Always, on previous visits I had paid to Courtney Hall, he had been away on business.
Lady Emily Courtney I remembered as a thin, tight-lipped woman, who obviously disapproved of Aunt Virginia, my mother’s sister, and me, for some reason I knew not why.
It was four years since I had seen any of them when Sir Hugh and Lady Emily had attended Aunt Virginia’s funeral. Georgiana would be twenty now as we were much the same age.
The journey was a long one to Courtney Hall, set on the Yorkshire moors and all the longer because I was so miserable and desolate.
The brilliantly sunlit countryside through which we travelled held none of the usual pleasure for me. The green fields and trees just bursting into leaf enveloped in peace and beauty, a sight which so often made me thankful to be alive, now only seemed to mock and emphasise my unhappiness.
At last, the carriage swept down the hill into Courtney Valley and up the opposite hillside to Courtney Hall standing guard over its dominions. The building formed a square with a courtyard in the centre, as I remembered. It was a grand and gracious building, proud of its lofty position on the hillside, stretching three storeys high, with long windows. The huge front door was oak and the brass knocker and handle shone and twinkled in the sun. Either side of the door two gleaming white pillars supported a spacious porch, and six wide steps led from the drive up to the house.
I felt very small and insignificant as the carriage halted before the door. I climbed down and stood gazing at the towering house. Its windows seemed like eyes watching me, and ridiculously, I felt they were hostile eyes.
Phillips, Uncle James’ driver, a friend of mine since my childhood, was unloading my few belongings from the carriage. He shook my hand and wished me well. I knew without the words being spoken that he felt the parting as keenly as I did. He had been a good servant to Uncle James and a friend to me. But painful good-byes are best kept short, and minutes later the carriage was disappearing down the driveway.
I turned back to Courtney Hall. No one had appeared to welcome me, or to carry my trunk. I sighed and climbed the steps to the huge door. I pulled the bell-cord and waited for what seemed a very long time. Then a sour-faced butler opened the door and looked down upon me. ‘Yes?’
‘My name is Louella Lloyd. I believe you are expecting me.’
What else could I say, though it seemed inadequate.
‘Yes, Miss Lloyd,’ he replied shortly. ‘Is that your luggage?’
I replied that it was.
‘Then I’ll have the boy carry it to your room.’
He opened the door wider and stood aside for me to enter.
‘If you wouldn’t mind waiting one moment, I will inform her Ladyship you are here. She wished to know when you arrived.’
Left alone, I looked about me.
The hall was large and panelled in oak. To my surprise, however, it was neither overpowering nor depressing. The wide oak staircase swept away in a curve. The oak polished panels and the long windows gave the impression of space and light. The wine-coloured carpet was rich and thick and the curtains were in a matching velvet fringed with white silk.
The whole effect was one of richness and luxury. The Courtneys of Courtney Hall appeared to live in a far grander style than did Uncle James. But then, I reminded myself. Sir Hugh Courtney was the elder son, and this was the family inheritance, improved upon now, no doubt, by the famous young Bassett.
The butler returned and bade me follow him. I was shown into a large drawing-room. Seated on a brocade-covered chaise longue before a crackling log fire was Lady Emily Courtney.
She was as I remembered her, a straight-backed woman, rather angular because of her thinness; her grey hair piled high above a discontented face of sallow complexion, cold blue eyes and thin, almost nonexistent, lips.
‘Good afternoon, Miss Lloyd, you may come and sit down.’
She paused whilst I thanked her, walked forward and sat nervously in the chair opposite her. I had told myself not to allow her, or anyone else, to intimidate me, but meeting her hostile stare and noting the way she took in every detail of my appearance, it was difficult not to feel apprehension.
Obviously she was not pleased with what she saw. Finally, she sniffed her disapproval.
‘Now you are to become one of the family at Courtney Hall, or so Sir Hugh and my son inform me—I feel it my duty to enlighten you as regards the family and your position. Remember one thing, Miss Lloyd, you are here on charity, by the goodwill and kindness of Sir Hugh certainly, but mainly by that of Bassett, my son,’ and a note of pride crept into her tone. ‘For Bassett Courtney is the master of Courtney Hall now—in every way,’ and those hard eyes dared me to defy her words.
What a strange beginning, I thought. Clearly I was not welcomed here, at least, not by Lady Emily Courtney. I could not understand then why I had come at all. For I could imagine that a strong-minded woman such as Lady Emily could have exactly what she wanted—which was not my presence.
Somehow, someone had over-ruled her. I could not imagine it being the mild Sir Hugh. She had, I knew, dominated him all their married life—things were not likely to change now.
Lady Courtney pulled the bell-cord within easy reach from where she was sitting.
A neatly dressed maid entered.
‘Show Miss Lloyd to her room, Mary.’
She turned back to me as I stood up.
‘From now on, we shall all call you Louella. Naturally, you will address my husband and me as Sir Hugh and Lady Courtney.’
She paused, and I noticed the glint of pride again in her eyes.
‘I think you should also address Bassett as Mr Courtney. After all, he is the master and squire of Courtney village although only thirty. Of course, you may call Georgiana by her Christian name.’
The last words were with the great condescension of bestowing a favour upon a servant.
‘Very well, Lady Courtney, just as you wish,’ I replied.
As I followed Mary, I realised that Lady Courtney was going to leave no doubt in my mind as to my position, and what I should and should not do. I resolved to keep my allotted place, but at the same time not to allow myself to be trampled upon. One can always preserve one’s dignity and pride, I told myself, and this I would do, however overbearing the Courtney family became.
My room, however, held no note of being given to an unwanted waif. Indeed, its luxury overwhelmed me. I turned towards Mary and the question must have shown in my face, for she smiled kindly and said:
‘It’s all right, miss, this is the room the master said you were to have.’
I smiled and thought how like his brother Sir Hugh must be, so kind and thoughtful that he had insisted upon a beautiful room like this for me.
‘Shall I help you unpack, miss?’ the girl asked.
‘Why yes, thank you. It would be a help.’
I liked Mary. She was a friendly girl. Though, no doubt, treated strictly as a servant by the Courtney family, I could not think of her as anything but a girl of my own age, and one who may be the only friend I would find here. Uncle James and Aunt Virginia had had servants, but they were so much like part of the family, that I should never treat any maid otherwise.
Mary, probably sensing I felt like this, chattered to me in a friendly manner telling me about the Courtney family.
‘Miss Georgiana, she’s a sweet person—you’ll like her, miss. Not like madam, she’s hard. The master’s a bit like Lady Courtney, he’s very stern, but I think he’s kinder than her.’
‘I always thought Sir Hugh was very gentle,’ I put in.
‘Oh yes, miss, Sir Hugh is. But I’m talking about the master, Mr Bassett.’
I stood up from bending over my trunk.
‘Mr Bassett,’ I exclaimed, ‘the master. Do you mean he said I was to have this room? I thought you meant Sir Hugh Courtney.’
‘Oh no, Sir Hugh’s too wrapped up in his books to know what’s going on.’ She giggled mischievously.
‘He probably won’t notice you’re here for a couple of weeks. He’s kind and gentle, like you said, but he lives in a world of his own, miss. Now, Mr Bassett, he’s the master of Courtney Hall and Courtney village, just like Lady Courtney told you down there. He’s a very severe man, but a real gentleman. All the village folk worship him, miss.’
‘Oh,’ was all I could reply, for at that moment the door burst open and a beautiful girl whirled in. She was dark haired with olive skin and blue, blue eyes. I had never seen such a lovely, vivacious girl.
‘Hello,’ she smiled, dimpling prettily, ‘you’re Louella, aren’t you?’
She came forward and took my hands in hers.
‘I’m Georgiana Courtney. I’m so glad you’ve come—I do hope we shall be friends.’
For the first time since Uncle James had broken the news to me, my smile was genuinely warm.
‘I’m sure we shall be, thank you for your welcome.’
‘You’re very pretty,’ she remarked candidly as she looked me up and down.
‘Why, thank you. And you’re beautiful.’
‘Oh nonsense,’ she laughed, but the slight tinge of colour in her cheeks showed she was gratified.
‘Come along, I’ll show you the house,’ and as she slipped her arm through mine and urged me towards the door, she spoke to Mary.
‘Finish her unpacking, Mary, there’s a lamb.’
‘Of course, miss,’ Mary beamed. It was easy to see she doted on Georgiana.
As we passed through the long corridors peeping into the grand bedrooms, Georgiana chattered gaily about the house, the furniture or the family.
When we went down to the first floor in the front wing of the house and into the long portrait gallery, she began to relate the family history of each portrait.
‘This is Grandmother Courtney. See, Bassett looks like her, or rather the male edition of her looks. I’m supposed to, too, but she’s far more beautiful.’
‘Nonsense,’ I assured her, ‘you’re the image of her.’
And she was.
‘She was a very dominant person, strong and purposeful, just like Bassett,’ Georgiana continued, ‘but she was very hard and bitter, so father says. Grandfather didn’t make her very happy. It was an arranged marriage—history repeats itself.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Why—mother and father, of course. But you know all about that.’
‘No, I don’t.’
Georgiana’s expression altered immediately.
‘Then I have said too much, Louella, please forget it. Come,’ and she urged me towards the next picture.
‘This is Grandfather Courtney. Like father and Uncle James, isn’t he?’
Looking at the portrait, it was like seeing Uncle James again. A lump came to my throat.
‘He is certainly like Uncle James,’ I murmured.
‘But he wasn’t as nice as father and Uncle. They are pets, absent-minded, but very sweet. But this one …’ Georgiana shook her head, ‘He was a philanderer and a spendthrift. If it hadn’t been for Grandmother Courtney, we shouldn’t have any wealth at all. As it is, with Bassett being like her and taking over now, we’re getting richer and richer and richer.’
And she danced gaily down the long gallery, clapping her hands.
‘Oh how I do chatter on,’ she laughed, and she ran back and threw her arms about me. ‘ But it is so lovely to have someone to talk to, a real sister at last.’
Her face sobered.
‘Louella, promise me that whatever anyone says to you or the way they treat you, try not to let it worry you. Promise?’
I could not understand what she meant, but I could see by the seriousness of her voice and by the look in her eyes that she was genuinely concerned about something.
‘Of course, but why …?’
‘Never mind, come we’ll go and see father.’
And again her cheerful, vital self, she pulled me away from the gallery, through a maze of passages and rooms to a small study on the ground floor.
As I stepped inside the cluttered room a small, middle-aged man glanced briefly over his spectacles at us. The dog, lying at his feet, barked a welcome.
‘Ah Georgiana. And who is your friend?’
‘Now, father, you remember. This is Louella Lloyd, you knew she was coming to live with us.’
The startled look in Sir Hugh’s eyes and the fleeting expression, almost of pain shocked me. But then he got up and ambled towards me beaming pleasantly.
‘My dear child, how welcome you are. My, my, Louella Lloyd, eh?’
And he shook his head in wonderment. At what, I did not understand.
‘You’re very beautiful, my dear, just like your mother.’
‘You knew my mother?’ I asked, delighted to find someone who could perhaps tell me more about the mother I had never known.
‘Oh—I—yes,’ he cleared his throat and turned away, obviously not wanting to discuss it. At the same time, I felt Georgiana’s gentle hand on my arm pull me towards the door. As we left the room, Sir Hugh still muttered.
‘A long time ago—a very long time ago.’
His shoulders hunched, his hand dithering, he suddenly looked years older than a few moments ago.
‘Come, Louella, we must go,’ Georgiana whispered and then raised her voice, ‘See you at dinner, father,’ and closed the door behind us.
‘Father rambles a little, take no notice,’ she smiled.
‘But he said he knew my mother,’ I began, but Georgiana changed the subject, deliberately, it seemed.
‘I think you have seen most of the house now, except the gardens, of course. But I should go and make sure Mary has done your unpacking. Change for dinner and come down to the dining-room in about half an hour.’
And with that she left me to find my own way back upstairs.
As I reached the first landing, I heard the heavy front door open and someone stride into the hall. I peeped over the banister.
A tall, dark man stood in the hall, handing his riding crop and hat to the butler. The top of his thick, black hair shone, and as he moved I could see his skin was weatherbeaten to a deep tan. He was very tall, one of the tallest men I had ever seen, very broad and he looked very strong.
As if I had spoken to him he looked up suddenly and saw me. Our eyes met and held. But he did not smile. His face, not particularly handsome, though
ruggedly masculine was stern.
‘You are Louella Lloyd, I suppose,’ his voice resounded through
the hall.
‘Yes,’ was all I could reply.
This man disturbed me, and suddenly I realised why. This was
the man about whom I had heard so much. This was the Master
of Courtney Hall.
Bassett Courtney had arrived home.