Chapter Fifteen: Ellie

Mrs. Rushman arrived promptly on Saturday. She had heard about Dr. Edmunson coming from London. An hour was spent with her exclaiming over my stepmother, admonishing her for not sending for Mrs. Rushman. It was impossible not to hear from the kitchen.

The vicar's wife was followed by other ladies of the neighborhood. Those who, while they had never been overly friendly, had at least been kind. Now, I was someone to be ignored.

"She's not even sick," I muttered, throwing my towel on the table after I had finished drying the last of the evening dishes. My hands were raw from the soap and hot water, as they often were. I couldn't help but glare at them. No one would mistake me for a lady with hands so worn and red.

"Losing your temper will get you nowhere," Mrs. Haynes advised, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Patience, Miss Elinor. We'll think of a way out for you."

She said that, but how? Miss Sharpe had at least offered a plan, but that one required waiting until the masquerade ball, which was an entire week away. I wanted to be rid of my situation sooner than that.

""Mrs. Haynes, do you know if my parents were married here in Brookshire?"

"I'm afraid I don't. Why?"

"Well, I just thought it might be useful if I had some proof about who I was." I kept my eyes down. "I don't think Mrs. Burke even knows my mother's name or who my mother's family was. Once my stepmother is gone, everyone will be confused and if I had something to show them the truth, it might go better."

"I'm afraid I came just before your father had returned to sea and your mother took you to London."

"Why were we in London?" I asked, looking up quickly. There was so much I didn't know about my own past. "I don't remember much from there. At least, not much before Mrs. Burke married my father."

"From what I remember—and I was never told much, mind you— your mother was hoping to visit family." Mrs. Haynes shook her head. "The winter was cold that year and it had taken its toll. I suppose your father must have thought it would be safer for her in a city where there were physicians on hand for her while he returned to his ship for the summer months."

And yet, it hadn't helped at all for her mother had been dead by the time the leaves began to change color. "Who was my mother's family? I know she was an innkeeper's daughter but I didn't know she had any other kind of family in London."

"A person always has some kind of family, don't they? And I don't know. It wasn't my place to pry, and I wasn't here long before you left for the city." Mrs. Haynes sat down with a heavy sigh. "Mary might have put her ear to the door a time or two, but you know how she was."

"Do you think she would remember if I asked her?"

"When do you think you will ask her? Mrs. Burke said you're to stay in the cottage"

Heaving a sigh, I conceded the point. "It was just an idea. I just wish I knew how I could prove who I am."

"You know who you are. Once the neighborhood has had time to think, they'll get their sense back."

Somehow, I didn't think it would be that easy. "What if I were to get the marriage lines for my parents?" I said, trying to work out a solution. "That would be proof enough, wouldn't it? If Mr. Rushman saw them, he could bear witness to the fact that my parents were legally married."

"Mrs. Burke will catch you if you sneak out," Mrs. Haynes warned. "Even if I were to help you."

"I know." But I had to do something! I glanced around and then said with a low voice, "Miss Sharpe has a plan. She thinks she has worked out a way for me to reveal the truth and I won't have to risk my freedom."

Mrs. Haynes shook her head. "I'm sure Miss Sharpe means well, but she's already earned Mrs. Burke's suspicions. Don't get your hopes up, Miss Elile."

As much as I adored Mrs. Haynes and respected her for taking care of me for so long, I hated how she had a more pessimistic outlook on life. It made it difficult to think cheerfully about things, to even hope for something. "I can't just sit and wait for something to happen."

"I know." Mrs. Haynes shook her head. "I just don't want you to do something that will get you into more trouble than you're already in."

"Miss Sharpe said Mrs. Burke has cornered herself."

"Cornered herself? What do you mean?"

In a whisper, I explained the logic that Miss Sharpe had used on me. How Mrs. Burke couldn't follow through with her threat because once she did, there would be no reason for Mrs. Haynes and Miss Sharpe not to point fingers and reveal her plot.

By the time I was done, Mrs. Haynes was shaking her head even more. "That sounds nice, but you'd still be locked up in that awful place. It's not worth the risk."

"But it would only be for a short time. The earl would get me out as soon as he learned the truth."

The older woman's expression didn't soften. "Ellie," she said gently. "Have you stopped to consider that perhaps the earl won't believe you? He may not consider the word of a cook or a governess as valid. After all, you don't look like a young lady who would be the ward of an earl."

Although the thought had crossed my mind, I couldn't believe it would happen that way. Mr. Turner wouldn't let something like that happen, and surely his cousin would be the same. Wouldn't he? "That's why I need the marriage lines. I bet Harriet doesn't even know my mother's maiden name."

The bell against the wall interrupted our conversation. "I'll go see what she wants," Mrs. Haynes said. She hurried out of the room.

Sighing, I sank into my seat. No matter what Mrs. Haynes said, I had one week. Just seven days to find a way out of this ridiculous mess and reclaim my identity before Harriet arrived to take what should be mine!

~*~

The next day, I made sure I dressed my best for Sunday service. I wanted to present my best self since I would be faced with the scrutiny of those who now thought ill of me. I was determined to ask mr. Rushman to examine my parents' marriage lines.

But, as she had the week before, Mrs. Burke ordered me to remain behind. "No one will miss you," she said, without even looking at me. "No one wants someone like you there."

Someone like me? It was only because of her that anyone thought badly of me at all! I wanted to scream, to protest the unfairness of it all. "I have never missed being at church so many times," I said, holding my temper in check. "Surely it will be remarked on."

"I said no one will care!" My stepmother glared at me. "You will stay here to tend to Harriet's needs."

Mrs. Haynes sent me a sympathetic look, but didn't say a word. It wouldn't have done any good if she'd tried, so I tried to bury my disappointment.

Harriet slept on after my stepmother left. My step-sister had a habit of sleeping to all hours of the day, sometimes not rising until well past noon. What would life be like to have such freedom from responsibilities? I couldn't fathom such a thing!

Though my original plan for the morning had been thwarted, I decided to take advantage of the time. There was no one to scold me for being outside the cottage as I stepped into the garden. It was a relief to breathe in the scent of dirt and growing things. The sun may have been hiding behind clouds, but it was an otherwise perfect day to be out of doors.

Pulling weeds and plucking off dead blooms took up my attention. Time passed without my realising it. The sun came out for the first time and I sat back on my heels to enjoy the warm rays.

"I'm glad to see you are well."

Gasping at the sudden voice, I twisted around. In doing so, I lost my balance and fell onto my back. A moment later, Mr. Turner was crouched beside me. "I'm sorry. Are you hurt?" he asked in concern. He held his hand out to me. "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard me approach."

"No." I accepted his help to get to my feet, embarrassed at the dirt clinging to my fingers. "What are you doing here?"

He offered a rueful smile. "I was concerned when I didn't see you at church earlier. I slipped out after the last amen."

"But...your mother! Someone will have noticed you left." Would Mrs. Burke guess he had come here? Worry about what she would do warred with the rush of delight that Mr. Turner—well, someone—had noticed my absence.

Mr. Turner shook his head, the sunlight making his hair gleam. "Since there were so many of us, I sat in the back. No one saw me leave and it will be some time before they notice I am not with them." He paused and then gestured at the flowers I had been working with. "This cannot have been so important you had to miss this morning's service."

My cheeks heated up and I couldn't meet his gaze. "No. Of course not. As much as I love working in the garden, I wouldn't put it ahead of..." My voice trailed away as I discovered I wasn't sure how to explain the situation without landing myself in trouble.

"Ah, so it has been your hand at work, keeping things looking so well." Mr. Turner glanced around. "Then, am I to assume that Mrs. Burke has kept you here as some kind of punishment?"

Sighing, I nodded. What was the point in denying something so obvious? "You can't stay," I said, glancing at the cottage. There was no sign of Harriet in any of the windows, but that didn't mean she hadn't already looked out. "Mrs. Burke doesn't want you here."

"You mean she doesn't want you to tell me something. What is it you know that has her so scared?"

I couldn't hold back a laugh. Mrs. Burke? Scared? I suppose she might have feared what I would tell people, but she'd never shown such an emotion. "I don't think that is quite how I would describe it."

His nose wrinkled. "It is a rather strange notion, isn't it?" Mr. Turner shook his head. "Well, in any event, there is something Mrs. Burke doesn't want you to tell me."

It would have been so easy to confess it all right then and let him do what he would with the information. But...he did so like having proof of things and I didn't have that yet. Which reminded me of something else.

"Have you heard from mr. Watts in London?" I asked.

Taking a step back, Mr. Turner stared at me for a moment. Then, he said slowly, "Yes, I did actually. He stated that Mrs. Burke has always been in charge of paying out wages and was to send requests for repairs to him."

"Mrs. Burke was to pay their wages?" I asked in astonishment. "No. That's not right. She has always insisted that Mrs. Haynes needed to apply to Mr. Watts for that! He must be mistaken!"

"I do believe there has been a misunderstanding," he said with a nod. "Just who has misunderstood is the question."

"Mrs. Haynes has kept all correspondence from Mrs. Burke for as long as I can remember," I told him. "If you ask, she will show you what Mrs. Burke wrote. I know how much you like proof."

Color flooded his face.. "Yes, well. I've learned not to blindly trust people."

"That seems like a terrible way to live. But I suppose I can understand it. It seems every time I think I know someone or understand them, they prove I know nothing at all."

"If it makes you feel any better, I do believe you," he said, much to my surprise. "I just need to be able to prove it to the earl."

"Yes, I understand. It would be nice if the rest of the world would wait for proof before believing something."

"Have the gossips in the neighborhood said something about you?"

Again, I dropped my gaze. At least with this I could be honest. "Yes. I thought since everyone knows me they would dismiss it, but they didn't. They just believe what a stranger said because she—"I broke off and shook my head. "Anyway. It's been an unpleasant surprise."

"What are they saying?"

"That my mother was not married to my father and that I have lied to everyone about these past twelve years." Oh, dear. Was that too close to the truth by naming how long I had been there?

All of the sudden, his hand was on my shoulder. "I can understand why you would be upset. Do you know why this person would tell this story?"

"Yes."

Mr. Turner titled his head, waiting for me to continue. "Well, maybe I can help you prove your parents were married," he finally said. "They were married in this village? The vicar must have a record of the marriage."

"That is my hope, but I haven't had the time to ask him. Mrs. Burke has told me not to leave the cottage." I gestured to the flower bed I had just been weeding. "Thus my gardening this morning when I should be at the church."

"Yes, I suppose you must be very busy with Miss Burke about to arrive. Tell me your parents' names and I will ask Mr. Rushman tomorrow."

What would be the harm? If I gave him a hint and let him work out the details for himself... "They were married in 1796. My mother's maiden name was—"

"Elinor!" Mrs. Haynes' voice rang out. When I lifted my gaze, I saw her still dressed in her Sunday best and standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "Mr. Turner! Mrs. Burke will be here any minute! Do you want to anger her?"

My gaze dipped to where Mr. Turner's hand was still on my shoulder. He pulled it away as he cleared his throat. "Right. I'll be on my way then," he said. "Don't lose heart, Miss Elinor. I'll do what I can to help you."

My breath caught in my throat. He'd called me Elinor. I was so used to hearing it only when I was being scolded, but the way he'd said it... I regretted not confessing everything to him.

He nodded to Mrs. Haynes as he made his way around the cottage. The housekeeper then hurried to me. "What were you thinking?" she demanded in a low voice. "You know how Mrs. Burke feels about Mr. Turner! And here you sit with no chaperone where anyone could see you."

"He was concerned when I wasn't at church and came to make sure I was well," I explained. "He was being kind, nothing more. And who would see us back here?"

Mrs. Haynes raised an eyebrow. "Miss Harriet, for one."

"She didn't!" At least, I hoped as much. "Mr. Turner had news from my father's solicitor Mr. Watts. Mrs. Burke was to have paid your wages, not Mr. Watts. He was to oversee any repairs to Meadowbrooke."

The woman's jaw dropped. "What? That...that has never been the case! It is the exact opposite of what Mrs. Burke told us to do! Mr. Watts was to be contacted in the case of emergencies only!"

"Mr. Turner says there must have been a misunderstanding. I told him you have kept all of Mrs. Burke's letters that were sent to you. Maybe you can show them to him next time he visits and prove that my stepmother is a liar!"

Shaking her head, Mrs. Haynes turned away. "To what end?"

"He already finds my stepmother untrustworthy," I said, keeping by her side. How could she not see the benefit of proving Mrs. Burke a liar? "If he keeps questioning things, he will uncover all of her lies, won't he? That can only be a good thing!"

"Or, his prying will make Mrs. Burke angrier than ever."

"Mrs. Haynes? Ellie?"

Just as we reached the door, Harriet appeared on the other side. She was dressed in her nightgown, her dark curls a tangled mess. She yawned and then said, "I've been ringing and ringing. Where have you been? I'm hungry."

She hadn't seen me with Mr. Turner, or she was a brilliant actress. Thank heaven for small miracles.