Page 88 of The Mistress of All & Torn

The voices drew Elizabeth’s attention back to the room. Among other girls of her age, shy and still scared, eating from the plate with both her little hands full, Elizabeth noticed May and her companion who had carried the buckets earlier, probably sitting at a proper dinner table for the first time.

That image was her best reward and the feeling that all her suffering in her marriage was worth it filled Elizabeth’s soul. She startled when she heard a weak call and turned to see Ruth—the girl who had been punished—waiting in tears, holding a much younger girl’s hand.

“Lady Barrington?”

“Yes, my dear? What happened? Are you unwell?”

“I am well, ma’am. I just want to say that I am not a thief and a liar,” the girl whispered. “I just took some biscuits because my little sister was hungry.”

Her emotions were too strong to bear and Elizabeth’s tears matched the girl’s. She embraced her tightly, then kissed the top of her head. Then slowly, unconsciously, Elizabeth gently removed all the pins from the girl's hair, releasing her blond locks and allowing them to fall loose.

Soon the other girls noticed and an immediate silence enveloped the room. Disbelief, reluctance, fear, some shy moves from the eldest, then cries of happiness as forty girls struggled to free their hair and their spirits, then surrounded Elizabeth in a circle of joy and gratitude.

The teachers, Mr. Hoskins and the rest of the party watched the scene, bewildered.

“This cannot be. This is beyond imagination,” Mrs. Russell whispered.

“Not at all,” Jane smiled. “This is my sister, Lady Elizabeth Barrington.”

∞∞∞

Lady Barrington stayed for three days at Old Oak School. She assisted in some classes, listened to them play and sing and admired their drawing.

She took them outside for a walk and they collected fruit together, then asked them to choose a place for the gardens. She changed the position of some rooms to offer more accommodation and encouraged the girls to reach an agreement about the colour of the walls in the rooms.

She asked the girls to listen to their teachers, to be diligent in their studies and kind to each other.

She promised to visit them again soon and departed with her heart heavy with happiness, sadness, and hope while the girls waved to her under the old oak, which suddenly did not seem so lonely.

Chapter 27

After the emotional, yet rewarding days at the school, the party headed towards the estate in Kent. This time, her visit had been announced. As was already apparent from the books, the Silverwood estate—inherited by Lady Sedgewick from her own parents—was successfully managed. It was the only one whose income exceeded its expenses. The tenants had collaborated in the last three years to cultivate the lands during all the cycles of the year, producing a significant increase in their own and the estate’s income.

Elizabeth remained only a night and two days, employing her time in conversation with the housekeeper, the steward and three of the oldest tenants. She also met the staff—as was her custom everywhere—and was enchanted by the lightness of the atmosphere in the house. After so many disappointments and betrayals from people related to Lady Sedgewick, she was happy to witness the loyalty and hard work of dependable, honest people.

Her presence in Kent revived old memories. However, the last few days had brought about a meaningful alteration within Elizabeth and regrets, as well as painful recollections and self-blame found less and less space in her heart and mind. She reflected upon the last months of her life, her misjudgement, her errors, her poor decisions, which until recently she so much regretted.

She began to consider the past—starting with her refusal of Darcy’s proposal, then her marriage to Barrington, the months of terror and suffering, and the unexpected accident that left her a widow—as steps she had to climb, one by one, towards the point where she had found herself surrounded by the unrestrained joy of fifty girls. Nothing could ruin that inner joy, all her suffering was worth that gratification. If necessary, she would have endured the ordeal all over again for the pleasure of seeing those fifty shining faces.

∞∞∞

The party arrived in Brighton in the late afternoon—as planned. It was already late September, the heat of the summer had passed, but the town was animated enough. She remembered she had last been there ten years ago, with Jane and her uncle and aunt. The smell of the breeze and salt water refreshed her senses and she listened to Jane and Bingley talking about shops and promenades and parties.

The cottage looked lovely, encircled by trees and flowers. From the garden, there was easy access to the seashore. The staff recognised both Cece and Mr. Hoskins and they were thrilled to welcome the new mistress and her family. Rich refreshments were offered to the tired and hungry travellers. Mrs. Dunn was a joyful lady in her early fifties, who had been managing the small estate for almost ten years. The meeting was pleasant from the first moment, and probably the spectacular view of the sea contributed to Elizabeth’s high spirits.

“I hope your ladyship is pleased with the meat—since we are only six people most of the time, we do not keep a cook. I cook and Lynn and Joyce—the maids—help me.”

“The meat is excellently cooked, Mrs. Dunn, and so are these biscuits,” Elizabeth assured her, much to the housekeeper’s contentment.

“Allow me to tell you, Miss Cece, you have grown to be such a pretty lady!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Dunn. Is my old room still available?”

“Of course! Everything is arranged. I hope Lady Barrington will enjoy the view from the master suite.”

“All rooms have views of the sea, have they not?” Cece smiled.

“Err, yes of course. I hope Lady Barrington will enjoy her time with us,” Mrs. Dunn repeated.