Lady Ann's Holiday: Chapter Thirty One - Part One

The Trial

1

Burt sat once again on the floor of his cell, his knees up in front of him, his head in his hands.

He’d hardly slept. How could he, knowing what was happening to him today and how hopeless it was?

Lady Ann was on her way back today, at long last, and she would be just in time to witness him being carted off to prison, sentenced to year’s imprisonment as a common thief.

When he’d heard she was returning it had opened a crack in the certain knowledge he’d had that he would never go back to his former life, but how could he now? Even if she was on her way home, planning to trade back – even if there had been a good reason for the two week delay in her return, how could he expect her to go through with it if he was going to prison?

He had ruined her ladyship’s former life. She would never want it back now, however good her intentions. She would be a fool to accept a trade back, knowing it would condemn her to years of imprisonment for a crime she didn’t commit.

No. He had ruined everything in his zeal to reach the pendant. He had condemned himself to prison as surely as if he were the magistrate. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to deny anything anyway. No one could save him now. And maybe that was for the best.

He couldn’t bear the thought of Lady Ann seeing how low and pitiful he had become. At least if he were sentenced to prison he might be taken away before she saw him. It would be much better that way. He could hide his shame within the cold walls of Wakefield Prison and know at least that her ladyship hadn’t witnessed what had become of him.

Why, oh why, couldn’t he have just accepted his station in life now? Why couldn’t he have just been happy with being a servant and an idiot labourer? That was who he was. There was no escaping it.

He wished with all his heart that he’d just given in once and for all and remained an obsequious stable hand for the rest of his miserable days.

 

2

Tears filled Ann’s eyes when she turned the corner at the top of the stair and saw her grandmamma waiting for her in the hall.

Over the past month she had grown so fond of the elderly lady; it seemed impossible to really be leaving her now. In a very real way, Ann had known her for her entire life… as a woman. Grandmamma had helped mold her into the lady she had become. In a strange way, she was the closest thing Ann had to a mother.

Long gone were the black clothes of mourning and as Ann gracefully descended, the Duchess’s face was brimming with happiness and love.

They met one another at the foot of the stairs with outstretched hands and stood, facing one another, smiling. Then they embraced, tightly and fondly, almost desperately.

“I’m going to miss you so much Grandmamma,” said Ann. “So very much.”

“And I you child. I won’t have anyone to drag with me to those tedious lunches.”

Ann laughed. “Grandmamma! I thought you loved going to them!”

“Oh God no. Taking you with me was the only thing that made them bearable.”

They both laughed and embraced again. When they pulled apart, both ladies were crying.

“I’ll see you again soon,” said the Duchess.

“I hope so,” replied Ann. “I really do hope so.”

The Duchess stroked Ann’s face with her hand. “You’re like a daughter to me you know.”

Ann smiled happily, the tears streaming down her face.

“Goodbye my dear,” said Grandmamma.

“Goodbye. And God bless you.”

They embraced once more and then Ann withdrew. With only one last look at her dear sweet grandmother, she went outside to the coach where Richard was waiting looking slightly testy.

“I didn’t get as much work done as I would have liked,” he said. He helped her into the coach. “I think in a week or so I’ll take you to Crackshaw, my estate in Nockton Vale. I need to take a more direct hand in the new factories being built in Barton and it would be nice to show you around.”

Ann wondered if it would really be she who went along with him or if she would have swapped back by then. Unsure what to respond, she said, “Yes. That would be lovely.”

Her grandmamma’s stable hand shut the door of the coach and made brief eye contact with her as the coach pulled away.

Ann leaned back into her seat, smiling to herself.

“I don’t see the hurry to get back there to be honest,” said Richard.”

Ann crossed her legs, straightening her skirts. “My father is punishing one of the servants at the hall,” she said. “I’m hoping to get there before it’s too late and persuade him to be… lenient.”