Dawn was breaking and Kate was still awake having found it impossible to sleep. "Might as well get up," she thought. Washed and dressed she now went into the kitchen.
"Now you sit down Kate," said Peter Chips, "I'll bring you a drink of tea. You've hardly slept, have you? Heard you tossing and turning all night long."
Kate sat down in her chair and pulled a shawl around her shoulders. "I've been trying to think of the best way to tell Emily but ......"
"What's wrong with the truth Kate?" interrupted Peter. "Surely now is a marvellous opportunity to tell her everything. Why not make a clean breast of it?"
"You're right as usual. I should have listened to you before but I was sure that by not telling Emily I was protecting her from any hurt she might feel."
They both sat quietly, drinking their tea, neither spoke but Peter knew that today would be a turning point for Kate. Good or bad it had to be done.
An hour later Emily joined them and sat down opposite Kate her eyes red and swollen from crying. Kate took a deep breath and gave a long sigh and Peter, taking the hint, made himself scarce. "Emily, I will understand if you can't forgive me but I'd like to tell you the truth about your father, if you'll just listen."
Emily lifted her eyes looking directly at Kate. "All you have ever shown me has been love and kindness Mother and I don't think I could ever hate you. But I do admit at this moment I find you hard to understand. Why would you want to keep my father a secret from me? Why did you make up a story about him?" The questions tumbled from Emily who was desperately confused.
"Let me start at the beginning Emily, then maybe you'll understand," and so Kate began to exorcise her ghosts as Emily listened.
"I had taken a scullery maid's position at Haversham Hall on the Barrowfield Estate. I was just 16 years old and although I'd done domestic work since being fourteen I'd never been away from home until then. I lived in at the Hall; the work was hard, the hours long, but on my half day off I would go to the meadow. There I'd kick off my shoes and run as fast as I could, down the hill to the village. It was as though I was the only person in the world. There were no masters, no mistresses; I was free - it was just me, the sky, the sun, the fresh air and I would wish it would go on forever.
Then one day I felt I was being watched, but when I looked I saw nothing. The following week the same thing happened, but his time I saw him, hidden partly by the trees, watching me. I remember feeling angry that someone was intruding into my special place. I grabbed my skirts and ran on to the village.
The next week when I arrived at the meadow he was waiting for me, and for the first time I realised who he was, he was the young master who was home from his escapades in London. Working in the scullery I never saw much of the family but I had heard the others talking about him. "Good Morning, Kate isn't it?" he asked me. I asked him who had told him but all he said was "Mind if I walk down to the village with you?" I told him it was a free world and so we walked down the hill together. When we reached the church he bade me farewell and left.
For the next few weeks I began to look forward to our meetings and before long we became great, secret friends. We would run and chase each other until one day things changed. Whether he intended it or not I don't know but as we ran down the hill he grabbed out at me and before I knew what was happening he was kissing me. Well, I pushed him over and asked him what he thought he was doing. I told him "I might work for your family but they don't own me, just you stay away from me in future." Oh, the look on his face, Emily, I don't think he expected me to react like that. The young masters used to think it was their 'God given right' to have their evil way with the servant girls. Thought they were fair game they did, but I was having none of it. I ran off towards the village and he stayed there looking after me.
For the next two weeks I missed him and then on the third week he was there, waiting for me. He was so apologetic and pleaded with me to start again. How could I resist him, I was fast falling head over heels. A few weeks later he had to leave, but he promised that as soon as he returned he would be in the meadow as usual. Those next few months I was so miserable; they say absence makes the heart grow fonder and they're right. I thought he had gone forever, then there he was, just as he had promised. I ran to him and held him so tight I never wanted to let him go and then he smiled and said, and I'll never forget his words Emily, "I'm never going to leave you Kate, ever", and from then on we became lovers.
Some weeks later he came looking for me in the kitchens. He said he had told his parents that he intended to marry me and they had said they would disinherit him if he did, so he had decided to leave, now! He sent me to get my personal things, then bundled me into his carriage and we set off to the next town. Here he had taken a house which belonged to a friend of his and we were to stay there until he decided our next move. We spent two very happy months together in that house preparing for our marriage. He said I had to have a beautiful white wedding dress which he bought from a very exclusive dressmaker. Then he gave me the emeralds; I had never thought it possible to own anything like them but he said he wanted me to have them as a wedding present. I was so happy Emily, but it was all to end so soon.
One morning he told me he had to go to see someone, that I wasn't to worry, and that he would be back in two days. We would then be married just three days later. I didn't realise then that it would be the last time I saw him. Soon after he left there was a knock on the door and when I opened it there stood Lady Haversham. She said Edward wouldn't be coming back, that he had realised it would be a terrible mistake and a marriage between them could never work. He had asked her to give me £500 and to forgive him. I told her I didn't want his money, but she insisted I take it and left it on the table and then walked out. I was devastated. How could he do this to me. He had filled my head with all these promises and then walked out and left me. I remember pulling out the trunk and putting all my belongings into it and then the wedding dress and emeralds. I put all but £20 of the money also into the trunk and then locked it. I asked a neighbour to help me get to the coach house and there I was able to get a seat on the next coach out, it didn't matter where to.
I got off at Smallwood; the Inn looked so inviting and so I booked in for two nights. The following day, I went to the Vicarage. I had been told they were looking for a 'maid of all work' to live in. The vicar's wife was really nice and she took me on but it wasn't long before I realised I was pregnant. I kept it to myself for as long as possible but eventually I had to confide it to her. She was very understanding and said I could stay and work for as long as was possible. It was during this time that Rose Cottage became vacant and so I bought it using the money your father had given me. I still worked at the vicarage until you were born and then again afterwards. It was the vicar's wife who told Lady Smallwood about you, she wanted a companion for Lizzie and that's when, at just five years old you started going to the Hall. The rest you know," finished Kate.
"Didn't my father ever get in touch with you again?" queried Emily.
"I tried," came a voice, "but I couldn't find her."
The both turned towards the doorway; there stood Edward Haversham.
"How long have you been there," demanded Kate.
"Long enough to know that we have both been hoodwinked by my scheming mother. She told me you had left because you realised we could never be happy and that it would be a terrible mistake." He came to stand before them. "Kate, I never stopped loving you; and to think that you have brought up our lovely daughter to be such a wonderful person all alone, why it's nothing short of a miracle."
Emily looked on; maybe things would turn out right after all, who knows? A sudden knock on the door made her jump, "I'll go." She opened the door to find Archie Thornton standing there with a look of great concern on his face and she smiled at him. "Don't look so worried Mr Thornton - I don't remember a single thing about last night!"
Archie laughed out loud then took her hand, "I hope you do Emily, because I meant every word I said."
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