Reawakening Miss Calverley

‘I am not expecting her,’ said James as he ushered the surgeon out of the room. ‘Lady Aldhurst is in London and as far as I know is planning to stay there.’

‘But in that case, surely the young lady—’

‘Set your mind at rest. The young lady will be perfectly safe here, with or without my grandmother’s presence. I don’t make a habit of seducing defenceless invalids.’

The surgeon was shocked out of his professional manner. ‘Really, sir!’ he exclaimed. ‘Nothing was further from my mind! But convention would suggest…The Rector would possibly know of somewhere more suitable…’ He looked at James’s expression. ‘Or if you wish, I could ask Mrs Liston if she would offer the young lady a room.’

‘No, Liston. The young lady is my responsibility. I found her, and I shall look after her. Mrs Liston would not thank you for bringing someone who might be in danger into the house.’

‘Danger?’

‘You saw the girl’s wrists. She has been kept somewhere against her will. Whoever tied her up may well want her back, and I suspect they may not be too scrupulous about their methods.’

‘I see…Well…in that case it may be best to leave her in your care after all, Lord Aldhurst.’

‘Quite.’

Doctor Liston was obviously shaken. ‘I shall…er…I shall call again tomorrow—unless you think I shouldn’t?’

‘Please do,’ said James.

He went back into the bedroom. The girl had taken the bandages off her wrist and was examining the scars.

‘You heard,’ said James.

‘Yes. The door wasn’t quite shut. I seem to be causing you a great deal of trouble.’ She looked at him. ‘You should have listened to Dr Liston.’

‘Nonsense.’

‘I mean it. What would your grandmother say if she arrived to find an uninvited stranger in her house? A nameless stranger at that!’

‘You have a name. It’s Anne.’

‘Anne,’ she said. ‘It’s a pretty name. But it doesn’t somehow sound quite right.’

‘It will do for the moment,’ James said firmly.

‘There’s something else, Lord Aldhurst…’

‘What is it?’

‘You said…You told that doctor that he might be in danger if he took me in. What did you mean?’

‘I didn’t want an argument about where you should stay, that’s all.’

She shook her head. ‘Please be honest with me! What are these marks on my wrist? It wasn’t just a story to put Dr Liston off. I have been tied up, haven’t I?’

‘It looks like it.’

‘So there is danger…I knew it. I have this feeling…of some kind of threat…and…and something I have to do…But I don’t know what it is!’ She held her head in her hands. After a few moments she looked up again. ‘Why can’t I remember?’

James heard the beginning of panic in her voice and said, ‘Stop! Stop this at once. It won’t do you any good, Anne. And you can forget about danger. I told you last night—you’re perfectly safe here. Or…do you not trust me?’

‘Of course I trust you. I have to. There’s no one else.’

‘Exactly. So listen to me! You will remember who you are, and where you have come from quite soon. And if you don’t we shall set about finding out. But the first step is to get your strength back. Agreed?’

She nodded.

‘Then give me a smile.’ She smiled tremulously.

‘Brave girl! Not at all poor-spirited.’ He regarded her white face. ‘Now where is Mrs Gage? Liston said you were to have something to eat and then a rest, and that is what you shall do. Ah! I can hear her coming. But you’ll have to sit up straighter than that.’ He bent over and put his arms round her to lift her higher in the bed.

It wasn’t Mrs Gage who came in, but Mrs Culver. She gave a loud cough.

‘I believe the doctor ordered some food for the patient, my lord. The maid is just bringing up some soup for her.’

‘Ah, there you are, Mrs Culver,’ said James, completely unaffected by the look of shocked disapproval on her face. ‘Good. I’m sure Miss Anne is ready for it.’ He grinned at the housekeeper unrepentantly. ‘The pillows had slipped, Cully, and I was straightening them. That was all.’

Mrs Culver remained unappeased. ‘That wasn’t at all necessary, my lord. That is my job. It’s what I came in to do,’ she said austerely. She paused. ‘Am I to understand that the young lady has now remembered her name?’

‘No, but until she does we shall call her “Anne”.’

‘Very good, my lord.’ She took the tray from the maidservant who had followed her in and put it on the bed. ‘Now, Miss Anne, you must finish this all up, and then have a good rest. His lordship is a busy man, but he might find time to pay you a short visit this evening. Is that not so, my lord?’ She gave him a severe look. ‘A short visit.’

‘Of course! Whatever you say, Cully.’ James turned to the girl. ‘Try not to worry. Enjoy that soup if you can.

I remember it from my childhood. I wasn’t too fond of it then, and I don’t suppose it tastes any better now.’

‘It’s good, wholesome food and it didn’t do your lordship any harm,’ said Mrs Culver. ‘Nor your brother, either. Don’t listen to him, miss.’

After James had gone out, Anne took a sip of the soup. ‘What is his lordship thinking of? This is delicious!’ She finished the plateful eagerly, but refused an offer of more. Mrs Culver removed the tray and told the maid to take it out. Then, after she had tidied up and seen to Anne’s needs, she sat down on the chair by the bed. ‘I’ll just stay till you are ready to sleep, miss,’ she said.

Resting thankfully against the pillows Anne said, ‘Lord Aldhurst is very kind. Have you known him long, Mrs Culver?’

‘Ever since he was a little boy. His lordship and Master John lived here with their grandmother when the boys’ parents were off on their travels.’

‘Master John?’

‘His lordship’s younger brother.’ Mrs Culver sighed. ‘But he died, and now there are just the two of them left—Lady Aldhurst and his lordship.’

‘Lord Aldhurst is not married?’

‘Not yet.’ Mrs Culver gave Anne a look. ‘But I understand that he is as good as engaged. Before she left for London Lady Aldhurst was sure it was all settled.’

‘So he…he has someone in mind?’

Mrs Culver nodded and said cheerfully, ‘His lordship could have married any one of a number of young ladies, of course, but he and Lady Barbara have known each other since they were young. It would be a very suitable match.’ She paused. ‘And we’ll all be very pleased when he does marry. It’s time we had a new generation of Aldhursts running about the place.’ She got up from her chair. ‘But I can see it’s time you had a rest. I’ll get one of the maids to call in on you occasionally, but she won’t wake you. Sleep is the best cure for most maladies.’