Page 45 of The Mistress of All & Torn

“Lady Barrington! What a surprise… Dear Lord, do come in! Would the drawing-room be acceptable? We have removed Lady Sedgewick’s former furniture and now we may receive guests. We have waited for you and we worried when we received no word.”

“Yes, the drawing-room is fine. I was detained by unfortunate circumstances and I could not find a way to come… But everything will change now. Have you heard the news?”

The housekeeper lowered her eyes. “We have. Some rumours…We do not know much...Mr. Reeves came here yesterday and he told us Lord Barrington had suffered an accident and passed away. We could hardly believe it. What a tragedy!”

“Yes, a tragedy.” Elizabeth replied sternly. “Mrs. Gilford, would you be so kind as to tell Miss Cecilia that I wish to speak to her?”

“Miss Cecilia?”

“Yes, Cece. Why is that surprising? She is not unwell, I hope? I sent her a note yesterday but I do not know if she read it.”

Mrs. Gilford looked disconcerted. She rubbed her hands together in distress as she replied, “But Lady Barrington, Miss Cece has left.”

“Left? Is she out?”

“No… She left after the argument with Lord Barrington. He asked her to leave and she left that very evening.”

“What argument?”

“Lord Barrington came about a month ago… with Mr. St. Claire. They talked to Miss Cece privately. I do not know what was said. Then he told us she must leave. I believed your ladyship knew…”

Elizabeth's knees were too weak to support her. “I was never informed… Where did she go?” she asked, while a sense of panic, helplessness and resentment enveloped her.

The housekeeper lowered her eyes.

“We do not know, your ladyship. She did not tell us and… Lord Barrington was here… we did not have time to speak.”

“But… How did she leave? Did she take a carriage? Where are her belongings?”

“She left on foot, Lady Barrington. Lord Barrington said she had no luggage.”

For a moment, Elizabeth was stunned into silence.

“Was she hurt?” she whispered hesitantly.

“I do not believe so… the butler was here. She simply left. She took a small bag. I do not know any more details. I am so sorry… so very sorry…” The woman’s distress was apparent and suddenly Elizabeth could not fight her own tears either.

“I am so sorry, Lady Barrington,” the housekeeper repeated, while Elizabeth tried to wipe her eyes behind the veil.

“Do not worry, Mrs. Gilford, we will find her,” Elizabeth finally murmured. “I must leave now. Please make the arrangements, I want the house to be prepared for living and entertaining, I will move in here in a few days. And Miss Cece will return too, I will do everything I can to find her.”

Her requirements obviously astonished the housekeeper. Although the news of Lord Barrington’s death was known, it was expected his widow would remain in his house.

Elizabeth arranged her veil, then brushed her hands over her gown and straightened her back.

“Mrs. Gilford, the trustees, as well as the executor and all the solicitors confirm that, according to the legal documents, I am now the mistress of all. All the fortune remaining from Lady Sedgewick is under my supervision. I will move into this house and I will take care that all the requirements of her ladyship’s will are met.”

“Oh, what extraordinary news, Lady Barrington! This is quite astonishing! We are so happy to have you here! I will prepare the master suite for you, would that be convenient? For Miss Cece—when she returns—we will prepare her old apartment. What a joy to have you here!”

“Mrs. Gilford, I would appreciate it if you could do me a favour. I should attend to this delicate task myself, but I am too tired and too preoccupied with finding Cece. Also, my present state is not proper for being exposed to the public too much. Please go to Barrington House. My uncle, Mr. Gardiner, will accompany you.”

“Lord Barrington’s house? Of course. What do you wish me to do?” The housekeeper and Mr. Gardiner were equally puzzled and Elizabeth cleared her throat before she presented her demands with solemnity.

“I know many of those in the Barringtons’ service have been harmed and humiliated over the years. Ask Mrs. Nott to gather the staff and please inform them that I am willing to offer them another position in one of my households, with the same pay. They will be offered the chance to choose which location is most convenient for them. And all those who wish to leave that house will be offered accommodation here. You have enough rooms for the present, I assume?”

Mrs. Gilford was now completely shocked. In her twenty years of employment, she had grown accustomed to Lady Sedgewick’s strange demands, but never had she imagined such a scheme, and the task was overwhelming for her. She looked at the new mistress with surprise and reluctance.

“Yes, we have plenty of rooms in the servants’ quarters, of course. But… Mrs. Nott might oppose the idea. And what will Lady Augusta say? She will be very angry, I am sure.”