Chapter Fourteen

Chapter 14 Isobel couldn't believe the size or the beauty of countess Valencia's estate, from its crushed quartz drive and pathways to the huge garden surrounded by towering yew hedges to the fields of flowers beyond, everything was bright and colorful. Isobel leaned further out the carriage window as it rounded a corner on the windy road and a view of three new fields of flowers opened up before her, red poppies, orange marigolds, and pink roses stretched as far as the eye could see and the light wind brought with it the heavenly scent of roses. "If you lean any further out the window you are going to fall out," Bridgett remarked. "Pay no mind to her she is simply carriage sick, is she isn't riding she gets motion sick on anything and everything. Last break when she came to visit me I let her sit on my new stone lifter to try it and she turned white and threw up, luckily the moat was below." Sasha commented. "Besides I can see why Isobel is so excited the grounds are amazing, I had heard the countess farmed flowers to make into soaps and lotions but I did not know it was on this scale, it’s amazing." Isobel sent Bridgette a sympathetic look as the carriage came to a stop before the countess' home. A footman in a fancy dark blue and gold uniform ran out of the house to place a set of wooden steps in front of the carriage door before opening it. Isobel let the footman help her down then stepped to one side as the massive wooden door of the house opened and the countess stepped out and walked serenely towards the carriage, followed by a handsome gentleman in tan breeches, a blue waist coat, and a white linen shirt as well as a host of maids and footmen. "Welcome ladies, this is my companion Sir Liam." Countess Valencia said sweeping up to the girls as they all dropped to give her curtsies. "Now none of that while you are here I would like you to think of me as a member of your family, now let me make the introductions, lady Isobel, lady Bridgette, and lady Sasha Liam, Liam the ladies," Valencia said waving her hand back and forth. "I'm charmed to meet you all," Liam replied giving the girls a small bow. "Thank you lady Valencia you are very kind and very generous for your gifts, the gowns are greatly appreciated," Isobel said watching as the footmen began unloading their trunks from the carriage. "Think nothing of it, you have all done so much for the college and for the town a few simple gowns is nothing in comparison. Now let's all go in I shall have Liam and the maids show you to your chambers to freshen up and then we shall have refreshments on the back balcony followed by a tour of the gardens." Valencia said turning and motioning for them to proceed her into the house. Isobel and her friends followed Liam into the huge house followed by several maids and four footmen carrying their trunks. The entry hall of the manor house was huge with a high vaulted ceiling, marble floors and pillars, and a sweeping spiral staircase on the left. Isobel looked up to see a glass dome high above their heads and a large brass chandelier. "Ladies if you would follow me." Liam motioned for the girls to follow him up the staircase. Isobel went first followed by Sarah and lastly Bridgette who was still not recovered. Liam paused after a few steps as if noticing Bridgette was indisposed. "Are you all right my lady?" He asked. "Bridgette gets carriage sick; in fact, any form of travel other than on horse makes her ill," Sasha replied giving Bridgette a comforting pat on the arm. "You should have said something my lady, allow me to help you." Liam stepped down to her and placed her left hand on his arm, to which Bridgette gave him a grateful nod. Liam motioned to one of the maids following them. " Pansy could you please go to the kitchen and ask them to send up a pot of mint tea to lady Bridgette's chamber, then go to my work room and bring back the green bottle labeled mint extract to her chamber with a spoon." "Of course sir Liam." The maid gave Liam a nod and then hurried away. "Now it's not much further, your chambers are to the left, and then at the end of the hall in the west wing, Valencia thought you would enjoy the view of the gardens," Liam said as he helped Bridgette up the last few steps. “You three are the only ones on this floor at the moment, when the other girls arrive for the ball they shall be on the third floor. Valencia thought that as senior students you should be accorded certain privileges, in addition, your service to the college deserves recognition." "That was very considerate of her," Sasha replied stepping back to allow Liam and Bridgette to precede him down the hall. "It also means we won't have to deal with a certain person every day," Sasha said. "And now the violet chamber is yours, Lady Isobel." Liam paused before a wood door painted the shade of violet with a border of violets all about it. He opened the door for her and motioned for Isobel to step inside. Isobel stepped into the chamber and gasped in surprise at the loveliness of what she saw. Against the far right wall was a huge four-poster bed with light violet bed covers and matching curtains. A wardrobe and a bureau of white with light purple accents were against the close wall with two well-stuffed armchairs of dark purple arranged before the bed. Directly opposite the door were two floor-to-ceiling French doors that led out to a sunlit balcony beyond. "I hope this chamber is to your liking, your maid is Vi, once you have refreshed yourself Vi will show you to the downstairs balcony," Liam said with a smile. "This room is wonderful thank you," Isobel replied looking about the chamber, then stepped back into the hall to see where her friends were going Liam gave her a nod then proceeded down the hall to the next chamber on the same side as Isobel's. “And the pansy room is yours Lady Sasha." The door was painted the same light purple blue of a pansy with a border of pansies. Liam opened the door and then motioned for Sasha to step inside; the room was furnished similarly to Isobel's except in the light purple blue of pansies, there was one addition a slanted table, and a padded stool next to the French doors. "It's a drafting table," Sasha exclaimed crossing to examine the table that even had a holder with several rulers and pencils in it. “Valencia heard of your gift at drafting and wanted you to be comfortable. Your maid is Pansy once you have washed up she will escort you downstairs." Liam said with a smile. "And now Lady Bridgette the last chamber is yours, it is the marigold room and it is the last chamber, allowing it views of both the garden and the horse pasture. Valencia heard of your love of horses, she is something of a horse enthusiast herself." Liam guided Bridgette to the last chamber whose door like the others was painted the color of its namesake. Liam opened the door and helped Bridgette inside, closely followed by her friends. The chamber was furnished in shades of yellow and soft orange and instead of paintings of flowers on the wall, there were horses. A maid appeared out of breath and set a bottle and a silver spoon on the table and gave Liam a curtsy. "The tea is on the way, sir." "Thank you, now lady Bridgette take a spoonful of this and you will feel better in no time, its chamomile and mint extract." Liam uncorked the bottle and then handed it and the spoon to Bridgette. Bridgette gave the bottle a cautious sniff then poured herself a spoonful and cautiously popped it onto her mouth. She smiled and then handed the bottle back to Liam who re-corked it and then set it back on the table. "Thank you, I was afraid it would taste awful but it tasted like mint tea, and I'm already feeling better," Bridgette replied. "Excellent I shall leave you the bottle; take your time coming down lady Bridgette, and now ladies I shall leave you in the capable hands of your maids." Liam gave a nod and stepped from the room leaving Isobel and her friends alone with a small plump little maid with bright yellow hair. "Are you by chance named Marigold?" Bridgette asked and the maid nodded. "Yes miss all the maids on this floor who have flower names are assigned to the room with the same name," Marigold replied. "It's a peculiarity of the countess, but we don't mind she gave us all jobs when some would not." "And why could you not find a job?" Bridgette asked moving past the maid to look out the window at the end of the chamber to view the pastures full of horses. "Were country girls, most fine folk only want city girls to work for them,” Marigold replied. "I see and do you like your work?" Bridgette asked stepping away from the window to open a door hidden in the corner of the room that lead to a washroom and guard robe. "Oh yes, she is very kind. I'm responsible for this room and any guests it has, and it is a pleasure to do both. When we don't have guests I can work in either the greenhouse, the flower field, or the prep room helping to make soaps and lotions." Marigold replied, then paused as there was a tap on the door and two footmen appeared one with Bridgette's trunk and the other a tray with a teapot and cup. "May I pour you some tea miss and then I'll hang out your gowns." "Thank you that would be most kind," Bridgette replied then turned towards her friends. "Go both of you I'm feeling better already, I'll see you downstairs." "If you’re sure?" Isobel replied and saw Bridgette nod. She gave her friend a smile and then stepped from the room followed by Sasha. "I am already glad we came, did you see the bed in my chamber it looks amazing and I peeked in Bridgette's washroom there was a tub a huge white tub with water faucets. Imagine a hot bath without having to share the chamber or haul water." Sasha said stepping into her chamber. "And the gardens look amazing; I challenge you to the maze later." "I shall look forward to it." Isobel continued to her room where she found the maid Vi already hanging up her gowns. "It's Vi isn't it?" Isobel asked. "Yes, miss can I get anything for you?" "Yes, my soap so I can wash up," Isobel replied. "There are four bars of scented soap in the washroom already my lady, rose, lavender, heather, and a spice, but if you prefer I shall fetch your own." Vi paused as she shook out the ball gown. "No that is fine thank you." Isobel gave the maid a smile and crossed to the windows to look out at the gardens and fields of flowers beyond. The huge gardens surrounded by colorful fields of flowers were breathtaking and Isobel thought of Alex and how much he would love the gardens. But he'd said he knew the countess and that his flowers came from her gardens, perhaps she would find him someplace below. Well, she would follow Sasha's example and enjoy her time away from school, she too looked forward to her comfortable bed, the cot in her room above the bakery was anything but comfortable. "Do you need anything miss?" Vi asked as she laid Isobel's brush and comb on the bureau. "Oh no just admiring the view, I'll be only a moment," Isobel replied. "Take your time miss, and I enjoy the view too, I was happy as a lark when her ladyship gave me this room to care for. I get to take care of all the pretty things and enjoy that view every day. It’s better than my old job." Vi said coming to stand next to Isobel. "And what was that if I might ask?" Isobel said turning to look at her maid who was a few years older than her. "I worked in a mine helping to sort the rocks as they came out; it was hard back-breaking work. A friend of mine named Daisy said she heard a rich countess was hiring girls with flower names to come work on her estate, that you just had to prove you were who you said you were and be a good girl." Vi stepped forward to open the French doors a crack letting in the scent of flowers. “It took us two days to walk here but we were might glad we did. I got this room and Daisy take care of one of the rooms upstairs. The countess gave us all lessons on how to be proper maids and to care for fine things, and she said if we ever decide to go she'll give us references, now I'd better finish with your things miss." "Thank you, Vi, the countess sounds very kind," Isobel replied "She is, says we women should better ourselves. In the winter when there isn't as much work to do he all have lessons, and she pays us to take them." Vi said as she reached into the bottom of Isobel's trunk to pull out the small wooden box Alex had given her and set it next to her hair brush and comb on top of the bureau. "Lessons on what?" Isobel demanded her hand on the door handle. "All sorts of things, reading, writing, and figuring, as well as how to use herbs to make medicines, and other things like about the stars and the sun," Vi replied. "My how progressive of the countess." Isobel's esteem for her hostess continued to rise. "Her ladyship said all women should be educated so men can't take advantage of them. She said her late husband had married her for her wealth and that she didn't want any of us girls to be misused like she was. We all think the world of her." Vi gave Isobel a beaming smile. “I can see why, I won't be long." Isobel slipped into the huge white and lavender bathroom and paused to admire the neat shelf lined with bars of soap wrapped in colorful paper and bottles marked shampoo. The countess was truly a remarkable woman and Isobel looked forward to speaking to her, all that would make her stay perfect would be Alex, with a sigh Isobel reached for a bright pink bar of soap wondering where Alex was at that moment. Alex peered around one of the hedges seeing his aunt overseeing the servants setting out luncheon on the huge flagstone balcony and patio that was at the back of the house. He looked upstairs towards the west wing and when he saw no one looking out darted up the steps toward his aunt. "Alex you scamp what are you doing here?" Valencia demanded. "I saw the carriage pull up out front and wanted to check on things," Alex replied. "She is here as are her two friends; they are all in the west wing with garden view rooms. In fact, they all should be down here soon for luncheon." Valencia replied. "How did she look?" Alex demanded. "By her, I'm guessing you mean lady Isobel, she looked as lovely, now off with you," Valencia said making a shooing motion. “I’m going, be sure to ask about her book, you did read it didn't you?" Alex demanded. "Yes, of course, I had Liam buy six copies, one for the library, one for my bed chamber, one for my office, and the rest for my work room. Your lady is as talented as she is lovely; now off you go the cook is feeding you all in the second dining hall." Valencia gave Alex a hard look. "Thank you, I shall see you later." Alex gave Valencia a kiss on the cheek then jogged away thinking how he would accidentally bump into Isobel in the hedge maze later and steal a kiss or two. Everything was going to plan and in a week he could formally announce his betrothal to Isobel and then no one would dare touch her again.