Page 56 of The Mistress of All & Torn

As soon as the maid left, Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed. Jane remained standing up, waiting.

“My dear, tell me how you truly feel.”

“I am well, Lady Barrington. I have been worse,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. Elizabeth shuddered.

“Ma’am, what happened?” Sarah asked unexpectedly. “What should I do?”

“What do you mean? Do you not remember how we left the Barrington house? And the earl’s accident?”

“I do remember that. I know the earl passed away. But what now?”

“We will move to the Countess of Sedgewick’s house soon. Not at this moment, but in a few days.”

“May I come with you?” the girl whispered.

Elizabeth held her hand. “Of course, my dear. You will stay with me as long as you wish to. You were my help and my support in the most dreadful of moments.”

“I have done nothing, ma’am. It was you who saved me. If not for you...”

“Sarah, let us put all this aside. You have been by my side when I most needed a friend and I hope you will stay when better days come.”

“Ma’am, I will be your maid for as long as you want me. I have nowhere else to go.”

Elizabeth wiped a tear. Her hand, still holding Sarah’s, trembled.

“Sarah, you will not be my maid, but my friend. My companion. There are few people that I trust more than you.”

Sarah stared at her in disbelief. She struggled to reply, glanced at Jane briefly, then back to Elizabeth, fearful to accept what she had heard.

“Lady Barrington, what could you possibly mean? I am just a maid. I must work to support myself and my family.”

“Sarah, you have been my loyal friend and this will not change. Your present employment and your wage will continue until you are fully recovered. Then we will see what sort of tasks you may accomplish that will better serve our purpose. But you will remain my friend, never doubt that.”

Sarah nodded and murmured words of gratitude while her tears fell freely, cleansing her inner suffering and breaking the endless terror that had surrounded her.

“As you will see, several others from the Barrington staff chose to leave and come with me. Each of them will be offered a fair opportunity for future employment.”

“But...but...Lady Augusta?”

“Lady Augusta has not much to say...Lord Barrington’s deceptive scheme and the papers he required me to sign did not turn out as he intended. If he became a widower, he would have inherited everything. Now, as a widow, I am the mistress of all.”

Astonishment overwhelmed Sarah. She blinked repeatedly, then gulped several times, then her sobbing became heartbreaking.

“I beg your forgiveness, Lady Barrington. I am being so silly...It is just...I still cannot believe it...A week ago we were...I cannot believe it...”

Elizabeth’s eyes moistened too, as she could understand the girl’s outburst only too well.

“All is well my dear. I promised you months ago that it would be, and now, with God’s will, it finally is. Now please eat something and rest.”

“Lady Barrington?”

“Yes?”

“The gentleman who carried me...Is this his house?”

“Yes. He is my brother-in-law’s friend.”

“Is he a good man?”