Page 37 of The Mistress of All & Torn

“How should I know about a servant? What business do I have to worry about the staff?”

“May she serve me? As my maid?”

“You may ring, madam. Any maid that is available will come to serve you. Good day!”

Elizabeth insisted no further. She was too disconcerted to ponder things properly.

She had no doubt that he had taken her ring, and had no intention of honouring the terms of Lady Sedgewick’s will. How he intended to deceive the trustees and the executor, Elizabeth could not imagine.

The earl obviously believed that their marriage had been consummated and now he worried for a future child. A few months might pass until he realised the truth. It was time she had earned—thanks to Sarah—to find an escape. Such a possibility seemed unlikely, though. He had repeatedly declared that she belonged to him—and very likely that was the cruel reality.

∞∞∞

The time passed and Elizabeth’s situation worsened by the day. The house was full of people, the parties went on and on—and she remained locked in her apartment, barely knowing what was happening. Her windows faced the back garden, so she could not see anyone entering or exiting the property.

The more she demanded to speak to her husband, the worse things became. She had a long conversation with her mother-in-law—who advised her to never upset her husband and never interfere in his business. She wished to know nothing of her son—and declared she was happy with the care he showed her. Elizabeth’s attempt to reveal to her what she had found out, made Lady Augusta leave and never speak to her again.

One day, she dismissed any prudence and left her room, confronting her husband in the middle of a party. He grabbed her arm and dragged her out, throwing her back in her room. And then he hit her on the face again, so hard that she fell back on the bed.

“Perhaps I have not made myself clear enough, madam! Never, ever, bother me again! Are you truly that stupid, woman! If I did not believe you may be with child, I would be a widower already. Can you not understand that you are more valuable to me dead than alive? If only I had married your sister, I would surely not have this sort of trouble. Such a pity she fell ill at precisely the wrong time. Not to mention she was more beautiful and appealing.”

His sardonic smile and cold voice frightened Elizabeth more than the violence. The notion that her dear, sweet Jane could have been in her place was devastating and only confirmed her suspicion that for the earl, any wife was a disposable asset.

From that day on, Elizabeth no longer had the key to her apartment. Every time she rang, a male servant opened the door and a maid attended to her needs. Elizabeth abandoned any attempt to fight—even if she could get through the door, she had no chance of leaving the house, nor escaping the large property.

The more she reflected on her husband’s words, the more the truth unfolded in front of her. Everything she had signed, all the warnings she had been given, all her own fears had proved to be signs of a cruel reality, that she had not weighed-up carefully enough.

If she died, he would inherit everything and all the requirements of Lady Sedgewick’s will, set out only for the duration of her lifetime, would be revoked. Her family would also lose everything, as all their benefits were granted only for as long as she lived. That had been his plan from the very beginning.

From the moment of that revelation, every day turned into a struggle for her life. When he found out she was not with child, she would become useless to him.

From helplessness to despair, from anger to guilt, from hate to fury, Elizabeth found not an instant of peace and sleep evaded her, both day and night. She had only seen Sarah a few times, when she happened to ring and the girl came. The wound on her wrist had healed, but her spirits seemed lower and she refused to reveal anything to Elizabeth. Eventually, she confessed her father had passed away, and her mother was raising her four younger siblings. The payment she received from the Barrington house was big enough to allow her to support her family and she had gladly accepted the employment. Furthermore, she had been paid in advance, so she could send her mother the money to repair the house. When she understood the truth, she was trapped by debt, fear and distance to the estate she could not leave. So she had no choice but to accept her fate. On some days, the girl carried the signs of repeated abuse, but always pretended she was well.

“Lady Barrington, I beg you, take care of yourself. Do not worry about me or the others,” was the girl’s plea, which only broke Elizabeth’s heart.

Sarah who told Elizabeth that a Mr. Gardiner had come to enquire after her, but had soon left. At such news, Elizabeth screamed until her husband arrived and then she confronted him. He hit her again and she fell heavily across a chair. For a few days, she could hardly breathe or move her body. She stayed in bed, refusing to eat or drink, until Sarah came and begged her to do so. It was also Sarah who told her that the two trustees had come to speak to Lord Barrington and to herself. Their encounter with the earl had been short and its outcome remained secret.

Chapter 13

One day—at the end of July—Lord Barrington appeared at her door, with a letter.

“You look very ill, madam,” he said mockingly. “You are the wife of an earl, you should be more careful with your appearance.”

She chose to say nothing.

“Madam, you received a letter from your sister two weeks ago. Apparently she has married that Bingley man. I took the liberty of wishing them well and assured them you were well and busy with your duties. Now, she has written again. I do not wish to be invaded by your family, nor to be forced to take measures that we all might regret.”

“I do not wish to question your meaning, sir. I have told you that my family will be worried and enquire after me. What do you expect me to do?”

“I expect you to write back to your sister in a cheerful tone and convince her you are as happy as any country girl married to an earl might be.”

Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief. He laughed cynically. “Of course, I shall read the letter before you seal it. Then you will hand it to me and I will make sure they receive it by express, and be done with it. So please choose your words carefully. As I said, I do not wish to take any unpleasant measures to correct your behaviour. I shall return in an hour.”

Once alone in her chamber, Elizabeth began to sob. All the pain in her heart was released through her tears, until she found the strength to read Jane’s letter. As expected, Jane expressed her joy that Mr. Bennet was improving daily, her happiness for her marriage, her pain that Elizabeth could not attend the wedding and their common worry that neither Mr. Gardiner nor the trustees had seen her in more than a month.

‘Dear Lizzy, Charles and I are in London now. Please send me word when I can come and visit you. I miss you terribly and I can go no longer without seeing you for a few minutes. We do not wish to intrude, and will not outstay our welcome. Seeing you and embracing you for a moment would be enough.’

Jane’s letter ended, bringing more tears to Elizabeth’s eyes.