Back To The Beginning

I decided to blog this week about my five books published by Cerridwen Press. Each day will feature one of my books with a snippet from the first chapter. Day One - A VERY DIFFICULT MAN, a historical romance.


Chapter One
England 1855
Her shoulders hunched against the storm, Catherine wiped her stinging eyes with a gloved hand. Gale force winds swept drenching rain through the bare branched trees bordering the drive to Glenmore Manor. Why had no one met her at Abbeyleigh station as promised? She hadn’t mistaken the day. Her duties were to commence on March first. Lady Glenmore’s letter had confirmed the arrangements.

She was too fatigued to climb the wall again and return to the road. The village,
three miles distant, might as well be thirty or three hundred—there’d be no shelter this
late in the day and no London train until morning.

Her mother had begged her not to accept employment as a companion. “You’ll be
spurned by society, gossiped about at parties. You’ve been out for a year and you’ll not
find eligible gentlemen in a country parish. I don’t know what’s to become of you.”

A sudden gust snatched Catherine’s bonnet and hurled it into a puddle. She
swooped down, grabbed the bonnet and battled the weather to save it from total ruin.
The pretty violet posy she’d pinned under the brim before leaving London flew across
the grassy park and disappeared into a rising mist.

Huddled into her sodden coat she trudged on. Freed from the bonnet her tangled
wet hair dripped chilly water down her neck. Wretchedly unhappy she peered ahead
into the gathering gloom. Distant lights flickered in the manor windows.

A hound bayed in the distance, joined by another close by. Terrified they might
attack she picked up her feet and ran, praying the storm would throw them off the
scent.

Close to collapse, gasping for breath she stumbled up the stone steps to the manor
and pulled the bell. Within minutes a liveried footman opened the door. Nose
twitching, lips pursed, he studied her.

“Yes?”

The last of Catherine’s strength gave way and she burst into tears. “I’m Catherine
Thurston, engaged as a companion by Lady Glenmore. No one met me at the station.
The manor gates are locked. I had to climb the wall to get in. I’m wet and cold and I
want to go home.”

“Oh dear, oh dear. What is this?” A white-haired elderly gentleman with sparkling
blue eyes peeked around the vestibule door.

“The young lady says she is Miss Catherine Thurston.”

Stepping around the footman, the gentleman approached Catherine. “Are you
really Miss Thurston?”

Too shivery to speak, Catherine nodded. Tears and dribbles of rain trickled down
her cheeks.

“My goodness child you are dreadfully wet. Come inside at once. We must dry you
off.”

Shaking with cold Catherine followed her savior across a huge entry hall. Ahead
was a magnificent staircase sweeping up to the second floor. Scarcely conscious of her
surroundings she faltered and almost fell.

“Oh dear, oh dear, let me take your arm. You are in a bad way.”

He tugged her into a brightly lit room its walls lined with book-laden shelves. A fire
blazed in the hearth. Flickering sparks whirled up the chimney. Seated in a chair close
by the fire a lady worked at her embroidery. Startled by Catherine’s sudden
appearance, she removed her spectacles and leaned forward to study the intruder. Her
beautifully coifed hair gleamed red gold in the firelight.

“Who is the young lady, Edward?”

“You’ll never guess, Marie Claire. This poor child was left out in the rain. Just look
at her. She’ll catch her death of cold if we don’t dry her off and find some warm
clothing.”

Catherine peeled off her wet gloves, dropped a small curtsy and offered her hand to
the lady. “I am Miss Thurston. No one met me at the station. I left my trunk at the
Goods Office and walked here.”

Eyes blurry with tears, her gaze drawn to the crackling fire and its life-giving heat,
Catherine edged closer to the hearth.

“Miss Thurston, your hand is icy cold. Edward, please ring for the housekeeper.”

The lady stood and helped Catherine out of her coat. “My dear girl, you are almost
soaked through to the skin. Warm yourself by the fire lest you catch a chill. I am Lady
Glenmore. It seems there’s been an unfortunate mistake. Did you not receive my letter
canceling the arrangements?”

Canceling the arrangements. Catherine sank to her knees on the rug in front of the
fire and held out her hands. Chilled to the bone, her teeth chattering, she shivered
uncontrollably. Surely she’d not heard rightly. Lady Glenmore had confirmed the
arrangements. The Glenmore solicitor had assured her all was well.

Catherine struggled to speak. “I have your letter in my reticule. I am engaged for
three months as a companion to a young person injured in a riding accident. You’ve
kindly paid my wages. The arrangements are very clear. I don’t understand what has
happened. Are my services not required?”

Her mouth dried. She had read Lady Glenmore’s letter offering her employment
twice on the train journey from London. It spelled out her duties very clearly.

“I am very sorry, Miss Thurston.”

Catherine’s thoughts spun dizzily around the dreadful words. Canceling the
arrangements.

How could it be?
The room faded into strange darkness.
She tried to rouse herself. “But…”
“The poor child has fainted.”
Fainted? She had never…

If you would like to read the first chapter, please let me know and I'll send it to you. Check my web site, www.anitabirt.com for my e-mail address.

Thanks for dropping by.

Anita