The Forgotten Family (6 page)

The dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky when Mary opened her eyes, her face etched with pain. ‘Queenie!’ she called out. ‘See, Albert, how lovely she is. See how beautiful our little girl has grown …’

Ellie jumped to her feet in alarm. There was that name again.

‘Doctor!’ Albert shouted, gathering his wife in his arms as Doctor Brewster hurried into the room. ‘She’s in pain again. Give her something.’

But there was no need. It was over.

The funeral arrangements were all in place; mourners invited, with food and accommodation settled for the many people attending. Mary had been greatly loved, and Albert was determined that the service should be a memorial to her life – cut short far too soon.

Resting his head back on the chair he closed his eyes, trying to snatch a little rest. The last five days had been a nightmare. He missed the gentle presence of his wife. They had been happy together, and there had been a feeling of completeness after Eleanor became their daughter.

With that thought he opened his eyes, sitting up straight. Eleanor was inconsolable at the loss of her mother, so he had insisted that she join Philip in the schoolroom to continue her lessons. She had not yet mentioned Mary’s last call to Queenie, but he knew the questions would come and he
would have to deal with them. The funeral was in two days, and he doubted she would wait long once it was over. That was why he had now resigned his seat in Parliament, for when she heard the truth his darling girl was going to need him. He prayed she turned to him, and not away from him.

Hauling himself to his feet he left the study and went to see if Nanny was happy with the bath chair. ‘Hello, Nanny, how are you feeling today?’

‘I’ve felt better, but nothing will keep me away from the funeral. That bath chair is an uncomfortable contraption, but it will do.’

‘Good. Our butler, Dobson, has offered to look after you during the service.’ Albert smiled at the elderly woman. ‘You will only have to endure the discomfort for a short while.’

‘I know, but it will be a sad occasion.’ Nanny sighed. ‘Are all the arrangements in place?’

Albert nodded, his expression sorrowful. ‘Once the funeral is over I believe Eleanor will start asking questions. I’m going to need your help if she does.’

‘I’ll do what I can. Eleanor comes in every day after lessons to see me. She talks about her mother, cries a little, and laughs at the happy memories. You keep your feelings under tight control, but she doesn’t. Her recovery will be quicker than yours, I believe.’ Nanny studied him carefully. ‘She will come to me if she is upset; she always has done from the moment she arrived.’

‘That gives me some measure of comfort.’ Albert stood up, suddenly restless. ‘I’ll ride over to see Henry. I feel the need for fresh air and exercise.’

The loss was almost too much for Ellie as she struggled to pay attention to the lesson. Mr Rogers was teaching them French, and in normal times she would have found it great fun, but she couldn’t seem to get interested in anything at the moment. Father had explained that until the funeral was over it would be hard, but after that they would be able to start living again. It wasn’t going to be easy without her mother though, and things would never be the same. There would be a large empty hole in their lives. It hurt so much to know they would never see her again. Her father was under great strain. He seemed to have aged ten years over the last few days. She was trying hard to be brave and not add to his burden.

The words on the page in front of her were just a blur and she gave up trying to read them. Mr Rogers was being very kind and understanding.

‘Ellie.’ Philip was also subdued. ‘It’s luncheon time.’

‘Oh, is it?’ She looked up at the tutor. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Rogers, I have not been very attentive.’

‘It’s a difficult time for you, but you have tried, and I do not ask for more than that at the moment,’ he said. ‘We shall get back to some hard work once the mourning period is over. I suggest that you forget about studies for the next three days. The weather is dry and you might like to go for a ride. But make sure you eat first.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

The day of the funeral was overcast. Ellie, dressed all in black, gazed out of the window at the garden. ‘I wish the sun would shine.’

Her father joined her, also dressed in deep mourning. ‘We must go, Eleanor.’

Slipping her hand through his arm they walked together through the hall to the front door. Waiting for them was a carriage with a team of four matching black horses, with black plumes dancing in the slight breeze. It was a magnificent sight, but Ellie couldn’t appreciate it, and was relieved to see the wreaths of bright flowers covering the coffin.

Her mother had always loved nice colours. Her father led her to another carriage and they climbed in. Uncle Henry and Philip were already inside, waiting for them.

No one spoke on the ride to the church, each one coping with the grief in their own way. The procession caused a lot of interest, with men doffing their hats in respect as they passed. There were a great many people attending the funeral, and Ellie knew that her emotions would have to be controlled. Her mother would have expected them to act with dignity, and she was determined not to let her down. She trembled. It was going to be an ordeal though.

The church was full to overflowing when they arrived. Ellie stayed close to her father’s side, praying for some of his strength to see her through this. Uncle Henry was struggling to remain composed, for he had loved his sister dearly, and Philip kept his head bent, not looking at anyone. Nanny was pale and strained, but the glint in her eyes said that she was determined to say a proper goodbye to her mistress. Ellie admired her for her courage, for she was quite frail.

The service was a blur to Ellie, though the music and singing by the choir was uplifting. Her father had chosen
the music well, keeping away from anything sounding too dreary.

After the service they made their way to the graveside, and seeing the hole in the ground was nearly Ellie’s undoing. But just before the coffin was lowered, the sun burst through the clouds, making her feel as if her mother was smiling down at them. It brought a measure of comfort.

They had no time for themselves for the rest of the day as they received family and friends wanting to offer their condolences. Ellie had never seen a lot of them before, and couldn’t help wondering where they had all come from. The funeral had been at eleven o’clock, and it was five o’clock before the last of the mourners had left.

Then it was the reading of the will, and Ellie was amazed to find that her mother had left the huge sum of five thousand pounds in trust for her until she was twenty-one. Also, her jewellery was to come to her. There were bequests for all the servants, and the rest of the considerable fortune had been left to her husband and brother. Philip hadn’t been forgotten either, also being left a sum in trust for when he was older.

‘There is just one more item.’ The solicitor looked at Albert. ‘Mrs Warrender wishes me to remind you that there is a box which I believe you already know about?’

Albert nodded.

‘Your wife states in her will that she leaves this in your care to do with as you think best.’

Ellie was surprised at her father’s grim expression at the mention of this box, and couldn’t help wondering what was in it. There seemed to be mysteries popping up all over
the place, but she must hold her curiosity in check for a while. Her father was clearly exhausted and troubled.

Two weeks passed before Ellie felt able to approach her father, but then she could contain herself no longer. After knocking on his study door, she waited until he called for her to enter. He was at his desk and it was covered with books and papers. She hesitated. Perhaps this wasn’t a good time as he appeared to be extremely busy.

‘Come in, Eleanor, don’t hover in the doorway.’

‘I apologise for interrupting your work, Father, and I can come back another time if this isn’t convenient.’

He stood up. ‘I am never too busy to see you. Have you finished your lessons for the day?’

‘We have. Mr Rogers makes everything very interesting and we do not mind staying a little later if necessary.’ She gave an impish smile.  ‘That shows what a good teacher he is.’

‘Indeed it does. I was fortunate to employ him.’

‘He’s fun in his quiet way,’ Ellie grinned, ‘but he is most uneasy on horseback.’

‘I have seen him, and it surprises me that you and Philip manage to persuade him into the saddle as often as you do.’ Her father laughed, and then became serious again. ‘If your mother were still with us she would be arranging your coming-out season. Once our mourning period is over I shall see about it.’

‘Oh, Father, I don’t want all that fuss. I think the whole business of “a season” is too silly. And I certainly don’t wish to be presented at court.’ She pulled a face. ‘If I tried
a deep curtsy I would fall flat on my face. I have never been able to master the move with grace.’

‘I’m sure you are too harsh on your abilities … but you didn’t come here to talk about your studies.’

‘No.’ She took a deep breath, going straight to the point. ‘Will you tell me who Queenie was?’

‘I didn’t expect you to wait this long before asking.’

‘You have had so much to do and I didn’t want to disturb you, for I am aware that you don’t wish to talk about this or you would have brought up the subject yourself. After Nanny and Mother called me by that name, I am more than a little curious.’ Ellie shrugged. ‘But it is more than that. I have gained the impression that this person has something to do with me. Who was she, Father?’

‘Before I tell you, please remember your mother’s dying request not to forget that we love you very much.’

‘I’ll remember.’ Now Ellie was alarmed. Her father looked frightened; that was the only way she could describe it, and she had never seen him like this before. ‘If this has nothing to do with me, and you don’t wish to talk about it, then just say so, Father, and I’ll not broach the subject again.’

‘It is time you knew, and it does concern you.’ He hesitated as if steeling himself. ‘
You
are Queenie.’

She gasped and gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘My name is Eleanor, and it’s only recently I’ve heard the other name. I don’t understand.’

‘I’ll explain.’ He perched on the edge of the desk as if his legs would no longer hold him. ‘Fifteen years ago Mary and Henry brought a little two-and-a-half-year-old child into this house …’

Ellie listened in absolute horror as the story unfolded, and her safe happy world shattered around her. She wasn’t their child! She was some girl from the slums. It was hard to breathe as she rocked back and forth in the chair she had slumped into.

‘You bought me? My real family sold me to strangers?’ The hurt was indescribable. ‘I’m not your daughter?’

‘You are!’ Albert crouched down in front of her, taking a firm hold on her hands, his eyes pleading. ‘We legally adopted you. You
are
our daughter.’

Ellie never liked to cry, but now the tears were running down her face. ‘How much did I cost you?’

‘That doesn’t matter—’

‘It does. How much?’

‘Five guineas—’

She surged to her feet, shaking off his hands, then ran full pelt out of the room and out of the house. She had to be alone. It was too much to discover that the parents she loved were not her real mother and father. She felt utterly bereft as she reached the pond. Sinking down, she buried her head in her hands and sobbed like a baby. Her comfortable world had just disintegrated into a million pieces.

It took every ounce of Albert’s self-control to stop himself running after her. But he knew he had to give her time to adjust and think things through. He prayed that as the shock receded, she would understand that she’d had a much better life with them.

His heart was thumping uncomfortably, making him rub his hand over his chest as he tried to control the panic.
‘Think it through, my precious girl,’ he murmured. ‘Don’t turn away from me.’

Tears gathered, blurring his vision. It was going to tear him apart if he lost her now, but if she wanted no more to do with him, then he would have to find the courage to deal with it. How bleak his life was going to be without Eleanor and Mary’s love. If this had been left to him, he would never have told her, but Nanny and Mary had opened the door by saying too much in her presence, leaving him little choice. Eleanor’s curiosity had always been insatiable.

Pouring himself a large brandy with shaking hands, he wandered over to the window. The pond was her favourite spot, and was where he had taken her as a frightened little girl when she had just arrived. After she had been plucked from the only life and people she had known. His heart still ached when he thought about that little face gazing up at him in fear and confusion.

‘I’m here for you, Eleanor, just as I was that first day, and have been ever since. Come to me.’

It was almost dark. Ellie shivered, not only from the cold, but also in disbelief. The family she’d been born to had sold her. How could they have done that? Were they monsters?

She scrambled to her feet, anxious now to find out more about her real family, and about herself when she had been brought here. The person to ask would be Nanny.

Without knocking, she rushed into the elderly woman’s room. ‘Tell me about Queenie. What was she like? Where did her family live? How many of them were there? Why was I sold? Why did they buy me?’

Nanny managed to stand up, holding out her arms to the distraught girl. ‘He’s told you then?’

‘Oh, Nanny.’ Ellie sobbed on her shoulder. ‘I don’t know who I am any more.’

‘Come and sit down.’ Nanny hobbled over to a settee where they could sit together. ‘I’ll tell you everything.’

Ellie listened to the story about the little girl her mistress had brought home one day and placed in her care. Slowly, the tears dried and her mouth opened in amazement. ‘All I had on was a frock?’ she gasped. ‘Father didn’t tell me that.’

‘Oh, yes, and when you swore at him, he fell in love with you.’

‘I used bad language?’

‘Terrible, and it took us a long time to break you of the habit.’ Nanny held on to Ellie’s hand. ‘He adores you, and so did the mistress. You are their daughter, and have been from the moment you arrived.’

Nanny then went on to explain as much as she knew about the other family. ‘There was one brother you kept asking for. His name was Harry, or ’Arry, as you called him. I can tell you no more than that.’