Chapter Six #2
Arthur motioned for him to follow. They neared the glass house.
It wasn’t huge, but large enough for one or two people.
The front of the house, the parlor, had a spectacular view of the lake in one corner of the room.
The rest was hidden from view. The portion with the view was still partially hidden to the untrained eye.
One would have to know what they were looking for.
Farther back there was a bed and a small kitchen with a hearth. The furniture was more than he anticipated. It appeared someone had lived there not too terribly long ago.
“This is nice and quiet. I can see why Mother loved to come here.”
“Yes,” Arthur replied. “On occasion during the summer, she would bring Roxanne and me here.”
“She was afraid of me. I remember that.”
Running his hand through his hair, Charles looked out at the small lake. It was a painful memory to have, knowing your own mother was afraid to be around you because you were different from your other children. What he did know was that he couldn’t stay in this cottage.
“I want to see the orchards and this other cottage.”
“You don’t want to spend more time here, explore the lake side?”
Charles shook his head. “No, I’ve seen enough.”
Once they’d remounted, Arthur told Charles to follow him.
Charles watched as his brother and dog galloped off.
He tried to keep up as best he could but was no match for his brother’s stallion.
He hoped he hadn’t upset Arthur by not wanting to spend more time.
The truth was it had long been something he tried to erase from his mind.
He never knew his mother because of her fear, and though his father came to visit him perhaps once a year, the two never knew each other in the way some father-son relationships developed.
He caught up with his brother a minute or so later. Arthur was standing on a ridge as the black stallion held his ears back and teeth bared when Roddy came running up next to him, circling him. Charles brought his horse to a halt as he surveyed the trees.
“That’s a lot of trees,” Charles murmured as he approached.
“It isn’t. There are the usual apple trees. Pear, peach, and a few cherry trees. The fruit from these trees are used for jam, pies, cakes, to name a few. What isn’t put back for the family is given to tenants and the church in the fall.”
“Along with the wheels of cheese?”
“Yes.”
“So the estate is self-sufficient,” Charles said.
“Yes.”
“I’m impressed,” he replied. “Shall we move on?”
Arthur nodded and began walking his horse along the edge of the orchard.
Soon, he took a turn into a wooded area.
A white-washed cottage sat in the middle of a clearing.
There was a small barn and two other outbuildings.
Dismounting, Charles followed his brother to the front door of the cottage.
It wasn’t locked, leaving them to walk right in.
The cottage was more spacious than it looked on the outside.
It boasted a large hearth to heat the house and to use for cooking.
There was an area designated as a kitchen and another as a living area.
Through a doorway which had been partitioned off was a main bedroom.
A ladder was positioned. Above the ladder was a large room which must have been used for children.
There were only a few pieces of furniture that had been left behind.
“What do you think?”
“Well maintained. I’d like to see the stables and outbuildings.”
Arthur nodded. “Let’s go.”
Looking around one more time, Charles followed his brother out and walked to the nearby stables.
There was a nearby paddock and what appeared to be a small pasture beyond that.
The stable was small with enough space to house three horses.
The outbuilding held extra hay and grain. It was a perfect fit for the cottage.
“Your estate manager’s parents had a nice place here. Is there any reason it hasn’t been inhabited by another?”
“Repairs were made, the roof is new, and so is the paint. I decided I wanted to think about it before anyone was assigned the cottage. When I met you, I decided you might be interested in it. Even to use as somewhere you can get away to write. Same goes for the lake house.”
“It seems a waste to just use it as a place for me to come part of the time.”
“I wasn’t sure how you were going to accept being in the main house. I wanted you to have an option.”
Charles arched a brow. “You’re very observant.”
“You’ve lived a very different life from me. I’m sure mine can be overwhelming.”
“Yes, at times. I realize being brother to a duke, I don’t have the same privileges as you. Second son and all.”
“You’re still entitled to more than you’re used to. If you want it,” Arthur replied.
“Very well. Let me think on it, but if there’s someone more in need for a place to live, please see they get it.”
“Very good,” Arthur said. “Why don’t we head back, unless there’s somewhere else you’d like to see?”
Shaking his head, Charles mounted the chestnut. “I can’t think of anywhere else right now.”
He followed Arthur as they headed back to the stables.
There was a lot to think about. He had his choice of a place to live.
There had been many changes in his life in a matter of weeks.
He had his own wing in the house. He could hire his own staff and live independently from everyone else.
If he chose this cottage, he certainly would be alone as he had been on the island.
It was time for a change, but first he would weigh the pros and cons of each building, and he’d speak to Frazier about everything.
He was always good to listen to him when he was trying to make decisions like this one.
When they finally walked into the house, Daphne greeted them. Charles had liked her immediately and was glad his brother had found her.
“Did you enjoy yourself, Charles?” she asked with a smile.
“Very much.”
“Well, I have some news. Graham and Roxanne have returned from their wedding trip and are having a hunt next week and we’re all invited. Knowing Roxanne, it’ll be wonderful.”
Charles looked at his brother who was standing next to his wife. “Will the chestnut be suitable for a hunt?”
“He’s never been on one, but the bay I told you about has been on several. He would probably be your best mount.”
“I’ll have him saddled and ride him, perhaps tomorrow.”
“Feel free to ride whenever you wish, Charles,” Arthur said.
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. This is your home too.”
*
Charles decided to enjoy the sun later that day and had lemonade and fresh baked seed cake brought to him on the terrace.
He sat with a book he thought he might read and his notebook he wrote down random thoughts in.
After taking a long, refreshing swallow of the lemonade, he sat back in his chair, closed his eyes, and let the sun do the rest. He was close to falling asleep when a voice jolted him back into reality.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Daphne’s soothing feminine voice said from behind him.
“I’m fine. I thought it would be nice to enjoy the fine weather rather than be cooped up in the house.”
She sat down in a chair. It was hard to see her with the sun behind her. “I have to agree.”
“Would you like a glass of lemonade?” he inquired, noting the second glass and plate on the tray.
“Lemonade would be nice, but I can serve myself.” She smiled as she reached over to the tray. He watched her pour a glass.
“Are you looking forward to the hunt?” he inquired.
“Yes. Roxanne and Graham put on a great one. I believe this is their second and I see it becoming an annual event.”
Charles nodded. While he wanted to participate, he was unsure what was expected of him. His social skills were lacking when it came to his peers. He’d been taught, probably by his parents. Before he was sent away. Then it was just part of normal routine.
“Are you nervous about going?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all.” It wasn’t the entire truth but the last thing he wanted was pity from others.
“Besides the hunt, I believe there’ll be trap shooting afterwards,” Daphne said. She took a sip of lemonade and reached for a slice of cake.
“I don’t know how to do that either.”
“Arthur can show you before we go.”
“I’m sure my brother has more important things to do than teach his brother to shoot trap,” he replied.
“We’ll ask him at dinner.” She took a bite of seed cake and closed her eyes. “Cook certainly outdid herself on this batch.”
“It is good, isn’t it?” Charles took the remaining bite of his slice and eyed a second.
“Feel free to ask Cook if there is something you want. Even if it is something she doesn’t normally make. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” Charles said, adding, “Do you know who’s attending this hunt?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t had a chance to ask Roxanne. I imagine neighbors and perhaps some friends from nearby counties.”
He nodded. Not good with crowds or even small groups, the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass anyone in the family because he was inept in social skills. There had been too many changes in his life. Things needed to slow down so he could take in what was going on around him.
“Do you and Arthur host many affairs?”
“No. We’re still considered newlyweds and there’s been so much going on with Arthur taking his seat in Parliament there honestly hasn’t been a lot of time for hosting events. I’m thinking of hosting one in late summer.”
“You should,” he replied. “This is all terribly new to me.”
Daphne smiled at him. “I know, and you’re doing splendidly. What did you do when you were on Wight?”
“I wasn’t included in any social events, if that’s what you’re asking. It was a rare time if I went to the village. Frazier and I usually would go, but it was mostly for purchasing needed items. We would go walk along the beach from time to time, but that was all.”
“That’s a pity.”
“That’s the way my life was. I was considered an oddity, and it got worse once the lord’s son inherited.”
“That’s in the past. Look forward, take your time, and you’ll settle in nicely.”
Charles finished his glass of lemonade and poured another. “I thought I might go for a walk.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Enjoy yourself. I need to get back inside and go over menus with the housekeeper.” She rose and, as she began to leave, she placed her hand on his shoulder and patted it.
“You’ll be back for tea?”
“I don’t know. I’ll make sure to take my pocket watch so I don’t lose track of time.”
“Enjoy yourself.”
Charles finished his drink and sat back in his chair for a moment.
From the position of the sun, he figured it to be mid-afternoon.
Still plenty of time for a walk, but where to?
There was so much to explore, he didn’t know where to start.
First off, he would take his books back to his rooms and retrieve his pocket watch.
Then he’d take a leisurely walk. He remembered a path that appeared to go up to the top of a hill.
He used to go there to hide but had no idea how he knew that bit of information.
Frazier was nowhere to be found when he entered his bed chamber. Going to the dressing room, he still didn’t find the valet, but instead found his pocket watch and stuck it in his pocket and walked out of the rooms and out on to the terrace.
He found the stairs leading down into the gardens.
Walking through, he gave himself time to see the various types of flowers and plants.
A lot of the plants were older and had been in their places for years.
Others may have been newer but from the older ones.
That was what he learned from the gardener on Wight.
Leaving the formal gardens, he found beds of wildflowers and wondered who had thought to plant them. It certainly would keep the garden refreshed as this was an extension of the formal garden.
Continuing, Charles found the path which led to the top of a hill.
For some reason, he was sure it was one of the tallest, if not the tallest, spot on the estate.
From what he could see, the path had been kept neat and tidy, which made him wonder if Arthur came here.
At the top he found a felled tree which had also been cleaned up and one could use as a spot to sit and gaze out on the view of the estate.
He sat there on the tree, looking about the land below him. The house was not in view and the stables were off to his left and were just barely in view. Charles wondered how many years it had taken to get the entire estate looking as good as it did.
He’d never had time to put much thought into his sudden departure from Wight, the only home he’d really known.
Really, it hadn’t been a home since he’d been placed in a cottage on another part of the estate where he lived with Frazier.
Apart from the occasional visits from a doctor or priest, he’d been isolated.
His caretaker came to check on him at least weekly and to see if there were any needs he might have.
Other than that, he was alone. People were afraid of him, plain and simple. Thought he was mad, they did.
Now he was back on his family’s ancestral land, and he was trying to make sense of it all.
Here he was, a duke’s brother, a second son.
He was an adult but had no job. His schooling had been by tutors.
He knew how to speak French, Italian, Spanish, and German.
He could play piano like any maestro, and he could write better than most. Charles chuckled.
He was a genius when it came to math. Calculating sums in his head was a strong point of his.
Sighing, he rose and walked around for a moment before sitting back down on the fallen tree.
Though he had wanted to move into the cottage, he chose to stay in his own wing of the house.
He was forcing himself to live among his family and household staff.
Learning to socialize was an important part of life now.
If he had chosen the cottage, he would have isolated himself, and that wouldn’t be good.
He pulled his watch out of his pocket and looked at the time.
He’d been on his walk for over an hour, and he should start back.
There would be time for him to take his walks and learn the estate’s secrets.
To cover that, he remembered he had found a book in the library about the family and estate.
He would have to pull it out and read it.
It should give him a timeline of when things were built or happened over the years.
See how far the book came forward. Something he would be very good at doing. Details, statistics.
He retraced his steps and went back on to the path where he kept walking until he saw the house come into view.