Serenity House: Ella's Journey

It was a hard ride to check the rest of the fence. Not because of terrain or interruptions, but because slaying a vermin always left me twitchy. I found it hard to sit still in the saddle. It seemed as though the maggots eating their dead flesh had burrowed into me and were squirming under my skin. With each step the mare took, my adrenaline levels fizzed higher. Strange really, I held perfectly calm while doing the deed. It was only afterwards that it slammed into my body. I needed to steal a few moments of peace to practice with my sword. The slow rhythm of a tai chi form would settle my mind and allow the adrenaline to dissipate.We finished our route, checking not just our fences, but also those of our closest neighbours. Our flock of sheep grazed peacefully, unaware of the vermin that had tested the fences under the cover of darkness. Lambs frolicked and grew and would soon be sold to the butcher. I had no idea why the vermin rarely disturbed the livestock, but at least I didn't

Another day dawned and our routine stayed the same, locked in an endless cycle of work. Alice and I donned our grey dresses and white aprons, and then proceeded to get them dirty sweeping out the fire grates. Except as I worked, something about the day felt different. Perhaps the summer breeze seemed a little warmer as I stood outside and watched the sun climb over the horizon. A glorious watercolour of reds, pinks, and oranges splashed across the sky and brought a moment of peace into my soul. The very air seemed sweeter this morning. Or perhaps the encounter with a handsome soldier who rode the countryside in search of his duchess lightened my mood.Upstairs, I crept across the room on the balls of my feet as soft snoring came from the lump under the pink satin coverlet. Grabbing the heavy damask curtain, I snapped it across to flood the bedroom with sunlight. Once this had been my room, but when father went off to war, Elizabeth relocated me to Alice's room tucked up under the roof

Serenity House"More dispatches, your grace," Frank Mercer said from behind. He had crept up unheard as only he could do. His stealth made him a brilliant advance scout and excellent at practical jokes. I just wished the dispatches were a joke.Your grace. I still expected it to refer to father. Someone greying and with years of experience to tackle all that the role demanded. "On the desk, please."My gaze stayed on the view across the front lawn. Or what used to be the front lawn, and now looked more like the plains of Africa. "You could graze sheep out there.""We are. You just can't see them." Humour laced his words.Another task to add to the never-ending list. As a boy, I remembered lawns so short and lush I once thought they were another type of expensive carpet. Now the grass grew rough and long. The turf created a potential battle ground; standing hay could hide the enemy creeping up on your position. Or the turned, sneaking up on the house. We were so exposed, and I had

The mail slot rattled, and the dull thud announced the post hitting the floor."I'll get it!" I yelled from the front parlour, where I was straightening everything before she descended, giving all the surfaces a final flick over with the feather duster. I plumped up a cushion and glared at a pink chintz pillow, daring it to list to one side. With the morning sun flooding the room it really was a lovely place to sit, except for all the staring, judgemental eyes of the ornamental cats. I hid one mean looking Siamese behind a large vase and stepped out to the hall.I scooped up the mail and flicked through the letters, bills mostly by the looks, and a letter for Charlotte from Hubert. He seemed to correspond with her on a regular basis, and I wondered how she managed to meet a man when she rarely left the house. Then I came across the heavy card addressed to Lady Elizabeth Jeffrey in a bold hand. The back bore the ducal seal of the Duke of Leithfield."Oh, crumbs," I whispered, and hur

Stewart drove the motorcar along the graceful sweep of the driveway. Tonight was a private affair; there was only a small number of people expected, and our motor sat alone at the front portico."Do keep out of the way, Eleanor," Elizabeth said under her breath as the butler opened the side door and offered his hand. Louise pushed Charlotte out of the way to go next.As they disappeared up the wide steps, I saluted. "Yes, ma'am." I waved my hand into the dark. "Around the back my good man, before any respectable person claps eyes on me."Stewart chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."In the rear yard of the sprawling Serenity House, nine other motors were all lined up. Chauffeurs gathered in the dim light of the stables and smoked cigarettes, rolled dice, and chatted.I slung the shotgun over my back and joined the edges of the group. I didn't want to dampen the men's conversation, and I still longed for time to myself. Frank broke away from the game and walked toward me. He wore an uneven smi