Marcie was sitting in the kitchen having a tea break with the cook two days later when Eliza came bustling in excitedly saying, ‘The coach is comin’ down the drive. The master is back!’
‘Is anyone else with him?’ Marcie asked innocently.
Eliza giggled. ‘Well ’ow should I know, I can’t see through the walls o’ the carriage, can I? But we’ll see soon enough.’
Marcie longed to go to the front door to see for herself but she wasn’t allowed to go beyond the green baize door into the main house and so she sat impatiently waiting for someone to come and tell them. Soon Mrs Bainbridge entered the room to inform Cook, ‘There’ll be just the master for dinner in the dining room tonight, Mrs Roe.’
‘On his own then, is he?’ the woman asked.
Mrs Bainbridge nodded. ‘Yes. The rest of the family have stayed on in London.’
‘I bet they’re havin’ a wonderful time what wi’ goin’ to all them balls an’ parties,’ Eliza commented with a dreamy look in her eye. ‘Especially Miss Leonora an’ Master George.’
Marcie’s lips tightened as she blinked back tears and stared hastily down into her cup. George had promised her he wouldn’t be gone for more than a couple of weeks so where the hell was he?
‘Did he say when the others might be coming back?’ she asked the housekeeper in a small voice. The woman blinked, surprised that she should want to know.
‘He did mention that Master George might be returning next week but he didn’t say what day. Why do you ask?’ she questioned suspiciously.
‘Oh, just curious, I suppose,’ Marcie answered, aware that Eliza was watching her closely but then the subject was changed and soon after Marcie returned to the laundry room.
As they were getting ready for bed that night in their room up in the servants’ quarters, Eliza said casually, ‘Yer seemed to be upset when yer learned that Master George hadn’t come back. Why was that?’
‘No, I wasn’t,’ Marcie snapped defensively but Eliza was like a dog with a bone.
‘Now I come to think about it, I’ve noticed that you ain’t been goin’ out fer yer nightly walks since the young master’s been gone. There weren’t nothin’ goin’ on between yer, was there?’
Marcie longed to tell her that, yes, there was something going on between them but instead she answered, ‘Of course there wasn’t. Why would the master’s son look at me?’ Part of her longed to confide her feelings for George to Eliza, because they had grown close and Marcie was fond of her. In fact, Marcie counted her as a friend now but she didn’t feel the time was right yet.
‘Hmm. Why wouldn’t he? It’s a known fact that he’s got an eye for a pretty face.’ Eliza lifted her hairbrush and began to tug it through her tangles but thankfully she didn’t say any more and shortly after they hopped into bed and Eliza blew out the candle. Marcie lay in the darkness, her heart thumping. Had Eliza guessed their secret? She sighed. Hopefully there was only one more week to go before he came home and then the need for all the secrecy would be over, once he’d told his parents about his intentions towards her. Turning on her side she closed her eyes and waited for sleep to claim her.
One week to the day later a carriage drew up outside and Mrs Dorsey and George alighted.
There had been no word to say when they might be arriving but Mrs Bainbridge was on hand to greet them.
‘Good afternoon, sir, madam. We weren’t expecting you back.’
Connie Dorsey grinned. ‘I wasn’t planning on coming back so soon to be honest, Harriet, but I couldn’t stand the thought of attendin’ one more ball or party!’ She grinned. ‘I’m afraid I’m too old fer all that fuss and palaver now, but Leonora is having the time of her life an’ she’s got a string of admirers a mile long hanging on her every word. But tell me, is everything all right here?’
‘Everything is fine,’ Mrs Bainbridge assured her as they walked up the steps together leaving the groom to unload the luggage, while George went inside to find his father.
‘Good, then would you get the maid to have our bags taken up to our rooms, please, and I could kill for a cup of tea. It’s been a long journey.’ She entered the hall where the maid was hovering to take her hat and coat then headed for the drawing room to stand by the fire and get warm.
It was teatime when Marcie had finished her chores in the laundry and discovering that the family were back, she beamed from ear to ear. Oh, how she wished she could just rush through and see George straight away but she would have to be patient. He was sure to want to meet her that evening to tell her how his family had taken the news that he intended to marry her.
When she and Eliza finally retired to bed she lay in an agony of impatience waiting for Eliza to drop off to sleep. At last her breathing became even and she began to gently snore as Marcie sneaked out of bed and stealthily crept down the back staircase. She had made the journey so many times now that she knew every stair that creaked and was able to avoid them. Outside it was raining and a vicious wind tugged at her skirts but she was oblivious to the cold and wet as she skipped towards the stables.
At the bottom of the steep ladder she paused to whisper, ‘George … are you there?’ There was no answer save for the whinnying of the horses and the sighing of the wind outside. Carefully she climbed the ladder and once she had reached the top she sat in a corner with her shawl wrapped tightly about her and her knees tucked under her chin to try to keep out the cold. The minutes ticked away and soon she was so cold that she had lost the feeling in her hands and feet but still she sat on, convinced that he would come. She had no idea at what time she slipped into an uneasy doze but when she blinked awake she was horrified to see that an eerie grey light was shining through the grubby window. It was dawn. The house would be awake soon and there would be hell to pay if Eliza reported her missing. She rose quickly and swayed. Her limbs were stiff from the awkward position she had sat in all night and she felt bilious and weak. Even so she forced herself to hurry back to her room, relieved to see that Eliza was only just beginning to stir.
‘Crikey you’re up bright an’ early,’ Eliza commented when she woke and stretched some minutes later. As Marcie had hoped, Eliza had assumed that she’d just got up and dressed. But then seeing the bits of hay in her hair she frowned, ‘You ain’t been to bed, have you?’
‘Of course I have,’ Marcie snapped a little too quickly.
‘Then why have yer gots bits of hay in yer hair, then?’
Marcie’s hand rose to her head and she flushed. ‘I, er … couldn’t sleep so I got up early and went for a walk over to the stables to see the horses.’
‘Hmm!’ Eliza’s raised eyebrows told Marcie that she didn’t believe her but there was no time to discuss it now. If they didn’t get a shufty on and get themselves down to the kitchen, Mrs Roe would have their guts for garters.
Throughout breakfast, Marcie sat miserably picking at her food and she was almost glad when it was over and she could escape to the laundry room, from which she had a view of the stables. George was sure to come out to see his horse soon and when he did he’d have some explaining to do! Despite the bitterly cold weather she kept the door open all morning so as not to restrict the view of anyone crossing the yard as she tackled the mountain of washing that had been dumped ready for her to attend to following the family’s return. She knew every item of clothing that belonged to George and she was particularly vicious as she scrubbed at the neck of his shirts, as if she was taking her disappointment and her frustrations out on him. At last her patience was rewarded when she saw him striding towards the stable block wearing riding breeches and holding a riding crop. He looked so handsome that for a moment she could only admire him but then she was up and running like the wind in his wake.
‘George!’
Her voice sliced through the air and he paused to look back at her with a frown on his face before quickly glancing around to make sure that no one else had heard her. As she reached him he grabbed her arm and yanked her roughly around the side of the stables where they couldn’t be seen.
She pulled her arm from his grasp and, rubbing at the bruised flesh, stared at him accusingly. ‘Why didn’t you come last night? I fell asleep waiting for you and ended up in the hay loft all night!’ Her voice was heavy with tears as he nervously swiped a thick lock of hair from his forehead.
‘I meant to but I was so tired after the journey home that I fell asleep.’
Marcie tossed her head. ‘Huh! That desperate to see me, were you?’ she spat accusingly.
‘Look, Marcie … I do need to talk to you, as it happens, but we can’t talk here. I’ll meet you tonight … I promise.’
‘Just see as you do, because I need to talk to you too,’ she said threateningly. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’
He gave a curt nod and strode away without another word. He hadn’t said that he’d missed her or given any indication of whether he’d spoken to his parents about her, but he would after tonight, she silently vowed as she made her way back to the laundry. By God he would!
‘George … are you here?’ she hissed that night as she entered the stables. She was much later than she’d planned to be because Eliza had lain awake chatting.
‘Yes, up here!’
Relief washed over her as she lifted her drab skirt and began to climb the ladder to the hay loft. He was waiting for her at the top but he made no move to take her in his arms as he normally would. His face was in shadow but she sensed that he was tense.
‘Did you miss me?’ she cooed suggestively as she held her arms out to him but he quickly stepped away from her and her face fell. ‘What’s wrong?’
He gave a deep sigh. ‘Look, there’s no easy way to tell you this so I may as well get it over with. I’m not going to be able to see you for a while … Not here at least.’
Marcie felt as if someone had slapped her in the face. ‘Wh-what do you mean?’ she faltered. ‘We’re promised to each other. You were going to tell your parents about us. You have told them, haven’t you?’
Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness now and she saw how uncomfortable he looked. ‘The thing is …’ he began shakily. ‘While I was away … in London I, er … became betrothed to … Belinda Lewis.’
‘You what!’ Marcie swayed for a moment as her hand flew to her mouth.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he rushed on. ‘But you must realise that in my position I have to do what the family expects of me. Me and Belinda have known each other all our lives and it’s always been taken for granted that one day we would marry … But don’t fret, that doesn’t mean it has to be the end of us. We can still go on seeing each other. Belinda need never know.’
Marcie’s lips peeled back from her teeth as she snarled, ‘What you mean is you want me to be your bit on the side. You want me to carry on scrubbing your dirty washing while you and Belinda live the life of Riley! Huh! I don’t think so!’ She was trembling with rage as she leaned towards him and stabbed a finger viciously into his chest. ‘You promised me that we’d be together. You took advantage of me and now you’re going to have to pay for it and stand by your word.’
‘Be reasonable, Marcie,’ he implored. ‘I know I said we could be together and we can. I’ll rent you a little cottage somewhere, if you like, and come and see you when I’m able to.’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘What do you mean?’ He looked nervous now.
‘What I mean is … you’re going to have to do the right thing by me. You see I’m carrying your child!’ She watched with satisfaction as the colour drained from his face like water from a dam.
After a moment he gulped deep in his throat before saying, ‘B-but you told me that you were taking precautions!’
She shrugged. ‘I was but we must have slipped up.’
He made a huge effort to calm himself. ‘In that case I certainly will have to find you somewhere nice to live.’
‘Oh no, you won’t! I want to live here not be some dirty little secret that you keep hidden away. And I’m sure your mother will want to know that I’m carrying her first grandchild.’
‘Y-you won’t tell her, will you?’ he asked faintly.
Marcie grinned, she had the upper hand now. ‘Only if you don’t. And I hardly think your darling Belinda will want you when she knows you’re going to be a father, do you?’
George buried his face in his hands as he suddenly saw the wonderful future he’d had planned slipping away from him.
‘You’ve got one week to tell your parents about me and what’s happening!’ Marcie warned and as he stared helplessly back at her he knew that she meant it.