My Dream, Her Man

Chapter one
I’ve lived in Elizabeth Manor all my life. I was born in the room that is now the library on a cold Halloween night. My nanny says my mother cried when she first saw me, I was so beautiful. After all these years I still don’t believe her. My father wasn’t there when I was born, and he didn’t come home until I was two weeks old. He didn’t know I was alive, and when he found out, he was not happy.

My mother died that night, complications during childbirth. When my father came home from his trip to find himself a widower he shut himself up in his study for three days and neither slept nor ate. A part of me knows he blamed me for the death of his wife. My father didn’t want a child, and I was the reason he no longer had his wife. I tried for fifteen years to gain his love for me as his daughter. I stopped when he had a heart attack and died two months before my sixteenth birthday.

I was left not a poor girl, but not too well off either. The only chance I had of remaining in Elizabeth Manor was to work at the home of a most dreadful woman who lived down the way. A Mrs. Smithton; Mrs. Eloise Smithton. She was very wealthy, but extremely rude. When I younger she would yell at me for walking down the road and singing. It was improper for a young lady to sing in public unless she was performing, she would often tell my father. I can no longer count how many times my father lectured me on being grown up and acting like a lady should.

I had to take care of Mrs. Smithton if I wanted to keep the Manor. My job was to stay with her from noon until seven and to take her on walks and watch her while she painted. In return, Mrs. Smithton would become my benefactor and pay the debt my father left.

The only problem was, Mrs. Smithton and I weren’t on good terms, and now my father’s stepsister was trying to take the manor away from me.

Chapter two
For the past three days, the sky had been dark, a storm that never came. But this morning when I woke up the sky had broken and the rain was coming down. My window lit every few seconds with a new bolt of lightning. I headed down to the kitchen and screamed when I ran into my nanny, who caught me before I fell on my derrière.

“Darling! You shouldn’t be running around the house like that. It’s just a little storm, don’t worry, everything’s fine.”
My nanny had always known what was wrong with me. Especially my fear of storms, which I had developed after a tree crashed through my bedroom window when I was three. She had been with me from the beginning, this old woman. Her voice was rich and dark as her skin, and her hair flowed down her back in soft curls. She was a small woman, but terribly strong. Her hand had left a red mark across my behind many a times, but that same hand was there to comfort me when I fell. To this day I do not know her name, just merely call her Nanny.

Another clap of thunder sounded, closely followed by a flash of lightning. I realized it was close to noon, and Mrs. Smithton would not take a storm as an excuse for showing up late. I hurriedly grabbed my raincoat and ran out into the rain toward Mrs. Smithton’s house. Nanny said something about a visitor, but I wasn’t really listening; I was paying too much attention the thunder and lightning all around me. I ran up the stairs and into her house the same moment a large lightning bolt stretched across the sky and struck a tree in my yard.

I stood, shaking, soaking wet in Eloise’s foyer when someone came running in.

“It’s just me Jasper. I came in to check on Mrs. Smithton. You wouldn’t happen to have a towel I could-.” I stopped when I looked up and saw not Jasper, but a young man around my age, wearing a black suit. He stood there, shocked as I tried to cover up my bed gown. After a few moments, he spoke.

“So you are? Because I am guessing you are not here for the formal.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, but then again, Mrs. Smithton never told me anything, so I couldn’t really say.
“I am Mrs. Smithton’s caretaker. I live at the house across the field. I was supposed to be here at noon. Now who are you, since you are clearly not the butler?”

The young man smiled. If he noticed that I did not say my name, he didn’t mention it.
“Jude Cole. I’m Eloise’s nephew. I’m guessing she hasn’t said anything about me?”
I blinked and shook my head. Mrs. Smithton never said anything about having a nephew. I didn’t even know she had any living relatives.

At that time, jasper walked in and bowed to Mr. Cole then he turned to me.
“Mrs. Smithton has told me to inform you that because of the guests we will be having later today, she would like you to dress up and come back when you are finished. Until your return, I will watch over her. But she thanks you for being on time even though it is storming outside.”
Jasper then turned and walked back to the kitchen. I tried not to laugh; Jasper and I got along very well, and I’ve never heard him speak that way, let alone to me.

I looked at Jude and noticed that his gaze was traveling over my body. I grimaced; I still had my nightgown on, and it was soaked.
I blushed and slowly backed toward the door.
“Well, I suppose I will go back and get proper attire and will be back here soon.” I turned to the door and Jude jumped in front of me to grab the handle.
“Would you like me to escort you across the field?” He asked as he held the door open for me. “It seems to be storming really bad.”
“No thank you.” I shook my head. “I believe I will be fine. I suppose I will see you soon, Mr. Cole.”

I stepped out into the rain and ran across the field before Mr. Cole could realize just how see-through my nightgown really was.

A bath and two hours later, I stepped back on to Mrs. Smithton’s porch. This time I knocked on the door and waited for Jasper.
Jude was there when I walked in.
“Mr. Cole, I trust everything was ok while I was gone?”
He nodded. “Yes, thank you. I am very grateful for how much you’ve done Miss Rain.”
I looked at him. “Who told you my name?”

“I did.”
Before I even turned around I knew who was at the top of the stairs. With a voice as dark as night, it was not hard to tell when Mrs. Smithton was in the room. But the woman beside her I didn’t know. I had to admit, she was stunning; in a black gown, with her red hair hanging just past her shoulders. My gaze turned to Jude, only to find confusion in his eyes. He saw me looking and blinked. The confusion vanished.

“Miss Rain, may I introduce my fiancée, Victoria Prudence. Victoria, Miss Piper Rain; Eloise’s caretaker.”
I shook Victoria’s hand, even as my stomach was unexplainably sinking.
“So this is the reason for the formal. I’m sorry Mrs. Smithton; I do not remember you telling me of a formal.”
The old lady looked at me and smiled slightly.
“That’s because I didn’t tell you. In fact, my nephew just showed up last night. This whole thing was planned rather hastily for my taste, but I suppose it will have to do. And since you were already going to be here, I figured you would enjoy being at the formal. But I still expect you to do your duty. And I need you to go to the market for me and pick up some supplies. Do you think you could do that?”
Eloise’s voice was so cold, and it shook me to my core, but I managed to nod in obedience. Just then Jude cleared his throat.

“So, Victoria, would you like a tour of the grounds?”
Victoria smiled and linked her arm in Jude’s. For some reason I cringed. She turned back to me and waved.
“It was nice meeting you Miss Rain. I hope to get to know you more tonight.”
The two left and I found myself alone with Mrs. Smithton, who was looking me up and down. Then she frowned and shook her head.
“Well, that dress is very pretty, but it just won’t do for my nephew’s dinner. I suppose while you are out at the market I will have to see what I can find in my old cloths for you to wear, you look to be the same size I was when I was younger.”
She looked at me a moment longer, then shooed me away toward the door. While I walked out, I turned around to see her figure disappear into the kitchen. I was puzzled, for Mrs. Smithton had never let me wear anything of hers, even if they were old. I looked down at my own dress. It wasn’t exactly formal, but it wasn’t bad either. It was actually the best one I had. I sighed and walked out the door.
I thought about what Eloise had said the whole way to the market.

I was in the bakery picking up bread and looking at cakes when I saw Mr. Cole and Miss Prudence. They came into the bakery, and when Victoria saw me she beamed and ran up to me. Before I could even greet her, she had enveloped me in a hug. I smiled at her kindness, even as my mind screamed anger at her being so nice.
“It was so nice to meet you earlier. I’m new here, and I don’t know anyone. Judie said you were a nice person and that maybe you could help me fit in. Do you two know each other or something?”
I smiled. “We’ve met before, yes.”
Victoria giggled and kept talking about how much she loved being here and how cute the town was, but I wasn’t really listening to her. I looked up at Jude and he grinned sheepishly. He whispered something in Victoria’s ear and she smiled and waved at me before she headed off to look at cakes. Jude turned to me.

“I’m really sorry about that. She needed someone to talk to, and you are the only girl here I know. I was just hoping you could help find her some friends.”
I smiled and nodded.
“She is a very nice person. I don’t mind spending time with her.”
Jude grinned again and my stomach fluttered unexpectedly. I blinked but the feeling didn’t go away. I looked at Jude and saw something in his eyes that I couldn’t explain. His eyes were a bright blue, very stunning, but something shone through them that confused me. I took a breath and stepped back.
“You are a very lucky man, to have such a wonderful woman as Miss Prudence.”
Jude’s smile wasn’t as bright as his other’s and didn’t seem very happy. I quickly changed the subject.

“I seem to be having trouble picking out a cake for your dinner tonight. By any chance, do you know what type of cake is Victoria’s favorite?”
Jude shrugged and shook his head. “No, I actually don’t. But I do know she likes chocolate cake, because that is my favorite.”
I laughed. “That’s my favorite too!”
Jude smiled, showing a set of perfectly white teeth, and laughed heartily.
Jude and I talked for a little while about what he would like for his dinner, and then he and Victoria headed back to the house. I waved goodbye to them as they walked out.

As I watched them leave, I thought about my feelings. What was wrong with me today? Was it because of the weather? Or perhaps at what Eloise had said? I looked at Victoria’s shrinking figure. She was a very beautiful woman, and she was extremely nice, so why do I feel so horrible when she is around? I shook my head and tried to forget about it, but the confusion itched at the back of my mind for the rest of the time I was in town.

When I got back to Mrs. Smithton’s house, everyone was in a tizzy. I barely had time to put the food I had gotten at the market down in the kitchen before Eloise grabbed me and pushed me up to her room to get ready. When I got in there, I saw on the bed the most beautiful gown I had ever seen. I turned to Mrs. Smithton to see her smiling.
“I was going to wear that at my formal. But then my fiancé, Harry, was sent away to war, and I never saw him again. She gazed to her bedside table, where an old painting of her and a handsome young man stood. I saw a glimmer of a tear in her eyes before she tightened up and walked to the bed. She picked the dress up and handed it to me.
“I hope this will be to your liking. Come down when you are ready. You will find everything you need on the bureau by the wall.”
With that she left and I was alone. I looked at the painting on her table and felt a pang of sadness for Eloise. I thought of the dress and how she would have looked in it if she could have worn it. Mrs. Smithton was a beautiful lady, even though she was old and strict. I was sure she would have looked wonderful in the dress she was now asking me to wear.

Chapter three
The music had started by the time I stepped out of Mrs. Smithton’s bedroom. I stopped at the top of the stairs and looked around at the foyer below me. The room was lit softly and people were scattered about in fancy suits and lovely gowns. I saw Jasper, dressed up in his finest, carrying a tray of champagne, and I laughed. Mrs. Smithton looked up at me and I could have sworn she gasped. Then Victoria and Jude looked up and I couldn’t take my eyes off of Jude.

He was dressed in a tuxedo, the nicest there, and his hair was slicked back. The white of his shirt contrasted with the bright blue of his eyes, making them shine even more. But also something else shone in them too. As he looked at me, I saw him smile and my heart leaped in my chest. I tried to calm it down, he was after all engaged, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling back.

I slowly walked down the stairs; the whole time keeping my eyes on Jude’s who was doing the same. Once I got down to the bottom however, my gaze was broken when Victoria came up to me and grinned.
“Piper, look at you! You look so beautiful! I just know you are going to have many men asking you to dance!” Her red hair bounced behind her as she nodded at what she just said.
Mrs. Smithton stepped up to me as well and smiled slightly.
“I must say, that gown does look very beautiful on you. You clean up quite well Piper. Very nice.” I smiled and thanked her.

A small tap on my shoulder made me turn around, where I saw Jude staring at me. He smiled and took my hand in his to lift it up to his lips.
“Miss Rain, I do believe you have exceeded your role as caretaker. You look more like a princess tonight.” He gently kissed my hand and linked my arm in his, then took Victoria’s arm in his other. I blushed as he led us into the dining hall. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Eloise smiling at me, but I couldn’t be sure and I didn’t want to turn around in case I was wrong. Jude led us into the room and seated us both; me on his left and Victoria on his right. Mrs. Smithton sat at the head of the table. I felt funny when Jasper walked in with a tray of food; like I was supposed to be helping him in some way, even though it wasn’t my job. But soon the food was served and Jasper left and I began to settle into the rhythm of the conversation around me.

The evening went by fast and before I knew it I was helping Jasper clean up the kitchen. Victoria was with Mrs. Smithton saying good night to all the guests, and Jude was in the foyer collecting dishes, despite the protests of Eloise. While cleaning, I found my thoughts drifting to him. I couldn’t help but think about his eyes when he first saw me in Eloise’s dress, and how I couldn’t stop looking at him as I walked down the stairs. I knew it was foolish to think so, he was engaged to Miss Prudence, but I felt as though perhaps he had feelings for me. Right away I laughed at myself. Not even comparing myself to Victoria, I was not exactly what a handsome man such as Jude was looking for. I wasn’t beautiful, no matter what Nanny said, and my hair was a normal shade of brown, not fire red like Miss Prudence’s. The few attractive things about me were my small frame, smooth skin, and bright green eyes. But all that paled to normal standing next to Victoria. Besides, even if it wasn’t absurd enough that I was thinking about Jude, Mrs. Smithton would never allow me to become involved with her nephew; even though she seemed oddly polite to me tonight.

When the dishes were finished and the guests all departed, Victoria gave her exit, and there was only me with Eloise and Jude. Strangely enough, Mrs. Smithton was very polite and even offered me tea on the porch.
“Sadly Mrs. Smithton, I cannot.” I replied when she asked.
“My father’s stepsister is visiting tomorrow and I must get to bed so as to wake early tomorrow and get things ready for her. Please understand if I am a little late getting here at noon.”
Eloise shook her head.
“Do not worry about it Piper. Just come to check on me once or twice, and since I have Jude here to keep watch over me, that should be just fine.”
I nodded and thanked her for her kindness and headed back toward my house.

“Miss Rain!”
Jude’s voice followed me out to the field. I turned.
“Yes Mr. Cole, is there anything I can do for you?”
He smiled and nodded.
“Yes actually. Since you did not allow me the opportunity to escort you this morning, please allow me tonight to walk you back to your house.”
He smiled once more and I knew there was no way I could refuse, so he linked my arm in his and led me to the manor.

“I trust you had a good time tonight?”
“Oh yes I did thank you. Though I must say that I did not know many of the dances.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t either. But at least you looked radiant. And Victoria was right; you did have many men asking to dance with you.”
I blushed slightly and looked down at the dress I still had on.
“Thank you. But Mrs. Smithton deserves the real praise I suppose. This was her gown. She said that since she was never going to wear it again and because I looked so nice in it, that I could keep it. Very generous of her.”

Jude nodded.
“My aunt is a very nice person; she just has her stubborn moments.”
I looked down and tried not to laugh.
“Well she has never been that nice to me, and I have lived beside her all my life. Tonight caught me off guard because I have never seen her like that before.”
“She could have fooled me. From the way she was talking about you all day, I’d wager she felt very highly of you.”

We reached my porch and Jude released my arm. What he had just said rang strangely in my mind.
“Miss Rain, it was a great pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to seeing more of you during my stay here.”

Jude smiled and giggled when I blushed involuntarily, then he raised my hand to his lips and kissed them lightly.
“Goodnight Piper.”

Without another word and before I had a chance to reply, he turned and walked back across the field, leaving my head swimming from the magic of what had just happened. I entered the house smiling like a fool, and I didn’t get any sleep that night.

Little did I know that I wasn’t going to get much sleep for the next week.

Chapter four
The next morning, when I awoke, the sun was shining through my window. The storm had blown itself out sometime in the night, but I had a strange feeling another one was coming soon. My father’s stepsister, Lyra Flemmings, was due to arrive just in time for breakfast, and I was not wanting to see her. My aunt never liked me, and not once did she hesitate to tell me so. In the years since my father’s death Lyra never so much as sent a letter to me, and I was not upset that I didn’t hear from her. Even Nanny knew Mrs. Flemmings wanted Elizabeth Manor to add to her collection of country homes. And Nanny and I also knew that the only reason she would visit the Manor while I was still here would be to get me to sell it to her.

The sound of a carriage approaching brought me to my feet in a hurry. I quickly put on my now second best gown; the one I originally wore to Jude’s engagement dinner, and ran down the stairs to greet my aunt.

Nanny was just opening the door when I got to it. When it opened all the way, I gasped. Along with my aunt, the carriage had brought to the house a second man; a lawyer. The suit he was wearing told me that his was not a social visit. Deep down, I had known that this day was coming fast. But the sight of that man in the suit brought realization all too fast. Suddenly, my heart was racing fast and my breathing grew shallow. The sight of Lyra’s face, smiling evilly down at me, did not help my anger, but thankfully Nanny saw that I was uncomfortable and stepped in front of me to talk to my father’s stepsister.

“Good morning Mrs. Flemmings, please come in. May I take you coat?”

Lyra walked in to the foyer and looked around critically.
“Well, I must say, the place has a homey aspect to it, though it is way too small. Albert,” she said to the suited man behind her, “Make a note to have this opened up would you please?”

I cleared my throat and stepped up.
“Excuse me Aunt Lyra, but I do not believe you can open up a house that does not belong to you. You still don’t own this place, and my answer still stands. I could never sell this place to you.”
Lyra laughed and shook her head.
“Oh Piper, there is plenty of time to discuss that. But first, is there any tea you would like to share with you poor aunt?”
Though I could see exactly what she was trying to do, I humored Lyra and got her and Albert some tea, though he never drank any.

At a quarter to twelve, Mrs. Flemmings was getting ready to leave. She leaves rather quickly and politely when she is content, but unfortunately today she was rather upset at me, and was making a big fuss about it.

“As I’ve said before and will say again Piper, you cannot afford to keep this place up! You have but servant, and she has been your nanny from the day you were born. Please dear, try to see what I am willing to do for you; this is the best I can do. Sooner or later, you will lose this Manor, and all you hold dear will be taken from you.”
She stood there, waiting for my reply.

Before I had a chance to tell her, again, that I was never going to sell Elizabeth Manor to her, a knock at the door sounded. Nanny opened it, and much to my surprise, there stood Jude with Mrs. Smithton. I smiled beside myself and invited them in.

“Mrs. Flemmings, this is my benefactor Mrs. Eloise Smithton and her nephew Jude Cole.”
Nanny chuckled and blushed slightly. Eloise walked toward Lyra and held out her hand.
“It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Flemmings. Piper was just telling me last night that you were coming to visit. It’s nice to know that people come to see her.”
Lyra smiled and nodded, but never shook Eloise’s hand.
“Actually, my colleague and I were just leaving. You see, I intend to buy this place from Piper, since she obviously doesn’t have the wealth to keep it. But my niece is just like her father; stubborn in every way and unwilling to admit when she is over her head.”
Lyra turned to leave, and was half out the door when Mrs. Smithton laughed loudly.
“Now isn’t that just the most ironic thing! You’re the one trying to take away the Manor Piper has lived in all her life because she can’t afford it, and I’m the one giving her the money to keep the house! Now isn’t that funny? But please, do not allow me to keep you from your afternoon Mrs. Flemmings, so good day.”

Lyra’s mouth dropped open and her breath caught in her throat. I couldn’t contain myself anymore, and started laughing, shortly followed by Nanny and Jude. Mrs. Flemmings huffed and walked hastily to her carriage, and with Albert along side with her, they quickly rode off. I breathed a sigh of relief, but still knew that the trouble was not over.

Eloise walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Something told me that you needed rescuing from that woman. I have heard of her, and I cannot say meeting her has improved her station in my eyes. Besides,” she continued, taking jude’s arm and bringing him closer to her, and to me strangely enough, “My nephew and I were wondering if you and your nanny would like to join us for dinner tonight. Victoria is in town visiting an old friend of mine who just happens to be a tailor, and won’t be back until tomorrow. So it will just be me and Jude tonight, and I would truly enjoy it if you both came.”

I could hardly smile before Nanny jumped in front of me and grinned from ear to ear.
“Mrs. Smithton, to not cook the food for one night in my life would be a great pleasure and I am sure Piper would like it too. We would love to come.”
Eloise smiled and nodded.
“Very well then. Jude will come pick you up around seven in the carriage. It is formal, but do not worry if you don’t have that fancy of a dress.”
Then she nodded to Jude, who handed me a package he was holding in his hand. I looked up at Eloise, but she just smiled and walked out the door. Jude turned to me and took my hand.
“I look forward to seeing you tonight, Piper, and I know you will look just beautiful in that.” He gestured toward the package and gently kissed my hand. Then, straightening, he smiled at me and left behind his aunt. Nanny laughed as I stood there, blushing and holding the box Jude had given me. I couldn’t move, for I knew that if I did, I would surely fall because my stomach was full of butterflies and I couldn’t think straight. I just stood there, picturing Jude’s eyes as he smiled at me, sparkling with something secret and special. Something inside told me that sparkle was there for me only; I just had no idea what it meant.