Chapter 2: Fitting In

March 1825

The Carter’s former daughter Emily must have left behind a trove of clothing of very good quality, all neatly cleaned, pressed and stowed away from moths and other dangers, though not smelling of camphor in any way. When Ellen awoke to an honest-to-God ray of sunshine forcing its way through the drapes, Dottie, her assigned chambermaid, proudly presented her with the bounty, explaining that Lady Carter had ordered the chests and valises retrieved from storage. The undergarments were of fine Irish linen, better than anything Ellen had ever owned. And the dresses! There were almost a dozen of them, all finely made and little used. Ellen fell in love with an azur blue creation. It fit her height, her waist and hips, but left some spare room for her growing bosom. The mysterious Emily must have been better endowed.

When Ellen responded to the dinner bell that called the family for breakfast, she was the first at the table and stood to the side, uncertain of her place. She was joined shortly by young Master Carter who did a double take seeing her.

“Good morning, Master Carter,” she greeted him politely.

He blushed a little, but returned the greeting. “The same to you, Miss Trilby. You look much refreshed after a good night’s sleep.”

“Oh, but I am! I woke up and there came Dottie and showed me this bounty of fine clothing, and I fell in love with this dress!”

A shadow crossed his face. “Yes, it was Emily’s favourite, too. I never thought she’d leave it behind.” His face held a pained expression.

“I am sorry for my tactless conduct. She meant a lot to you?”

“She was my big sister growing up, almost like a second mother. She never had a bad word for me. I couldn’t believe it when Father wrote to me that she had left us to go to India with that man.”

“I am so sorry! I can change back into ... Oh, dear, my own dresses are all worn and dirty!”

“No, please don’t. You need something, and Emily will never claim those clothes. It is good that her things will get some use after all.” He smiled a little. “Those dresses were all made by Wilson’s Fashion in London.”

“Were they very expensive?”

“I would not know. Elizabeth Wilson, the owner, has been a close friend of my parents longer than I have lived, and I suspect that we get favourable conditions. Ines Little now runs the fashion house for all purposes, and she owes my father her freedom. You’ll meet Mister Little, too. He has been Father’s cox’n and confidential servant since his time in the Medusa frigate. Be prepared to see a very tall and very black gentleman. I call him Uncle John, for he’s had a big hand in raising me, too.”

“Your family is quite unusual,” Ellen remarked.

“People call us upstarts, well, the stupid people do, but we are proud of my father. He’s from a humble background in Kingston, Jamaica, but he was a post-captain at 22 years, and now, at 46 years, he received his flag already.”

Ellen nodded. “I can feel his authority with every word he speaks.”

“You are perceptive, Miss Trilby,” he smiled at her, the subject of his family making him lose his shyness around her.

“Thank you. I try to be, and my mother encouraged me to be more than just a pretty face.”

Richard smiled at her with admiration. “You are certainly more than pretty, too,” he returned, only to turn beet red after realising what he’d said. “My apologies, Miss Trilby. That was too forward.”

“No apologies needed, Master Carter. I have heard such compliments before, but from you it sounded honest and not lewd at all.”

The two stood there, at a loss how to overcome the sudden awkwardness, when a small black-haired woman showed in the dinner hall. Her smile when she regarded Richard was motherly.

“You are up early, my dear Richard,” she stated in a strong French accent, pronouncing his name Reeshar. “And zis must be Miss Trilby. Welcome to ‘Igh Matcham, Miss!”

Ellen curtseyed in response, causing chuckles.

“Miss Trilby, please meet the true ruler of this household, Nadine Blacket. She’s been our housekeeper forever, and she is responsible for all the delicious foods you’ll enjoy. A fair warning though: stay on her good side. I was mean to her just once, and off they sent me to boarding school!”

“Oh, you and your stories!” The diminutive housekeeper snorted. “Zis rogue always played pranks on ze poor teacher, Mr. Williamson, no doubt instigated by zat black heazzen Little. Zat’s why ‘e was sent to boarding school!”

“He was a bad boy then, I gather,” Ellen inquired.

“He still is,” the laughing voice of Eleanor Carter cut in. “Good morning!”

“Good morning, Miss Eleanor,” Ellen answered causing a giggle.

“Please, call me Eleanor!”

“Eleanor and Ellen; we shall have to watch our pronounciation,” Richard commented.

“Very funny!” Eleanor huffed for show. “It just shows that both our parents had good taste. Well, I’m named after Gran, of course.”

Their exchange was cut short when the elder Carters joined them, assuming their places at either end of the table. The youngsters joined them and a few moments later, Mr. Seeley hastened in, apologising for being late.

Talk at the table focussed on the plans for the day, and by tacit agreement, Ellen was spared any further inquisition. She spent most of the breakfast watching the family interact. Richard and Eleanor maintained their gentle bickering, but the elder Carters were obviously used to their offsprings’ antics and did not mind them.

After breakfast, she and Eleanor joined Mr. Seeley in a second-story room that held a writing desk, chairs and a chalk board. This morning’s lesson was to be algebraic calculations, exponentiations to be precise. Ellen was quite familiar with those, albeit a little rusty, but she soon caught on. By contrast, poor Eleanor was having a hard time understanding the subject at first and not too pleased over Ellen’s easy learning. Unfortunately, Mr. Seeley was a not patient teacher, but after going over the materials a third time, Eleanor finally had a firm grasp, which improved her mood only barely.

When Mr. Seeley released his pupils for a break, Eleanor left the room immediately, leaving a confused Ellen behind. Outside, the girl was waiting.

“Listen Ellen, I have a bit of a temper sometimes and I just hate looking stupid. I’m sorry. It grated me to see you at ease with the teachings.”

“I understand,” Ellen answered, the little white lie coming easily. “Please, keep in mind that for me, this is but a repetition of what I learned before. I am two years older; that’s all.”

“That adds to it, Ellen. You are more grown, too, and so pretty! I feel like a stupid child.”

Ellen had met with jealousy before. “Oh, I may be pretty, but not more so than you are. Your hair is beyond beautiful, and your creamy skin is adorable.”

“You think that?”

Ellen nodded.

“Thank you. But I’m still a child compared with you.”

“I am not much more than a child myself. I had to grow up faster last year to cope with Mum’s death and the Major’s scheming, but I still miss my mother’s hugs.”

Before her eyes, Eleanor grew at least by an inch. She opened her arms for Ellen and the two girls shared their first hug.

“Better?” Eleanor asked when they had separated.

“Thank you! You are a dear!”

Sharing Mr. Seeley’s lessons with Eleanor was pleasant, rewarding and sometimes challenging. The younger girl was headstrong, volatile and childish, yet kind and endearing at the same time. For Ellen, who was very conscious of her precarious position in the Carter’s household, it was difficult to cope with outbursts of temper followed by almost immediate apologies and honest regret.

She could understand Eleanor. To her father, she was still a child, somebody to gently tease but not to take seriously in her wishes and opinions. Her mother, whilst meaning well, was a woman of strong beliefs and personality, and not able to relate to her daughter’s fears and insecurities, frustrating her further. Even worse was her brother who, though loving his sister dearly, completely disregarded her views as without merits. Even Mr. Seeley was patronising in the extreme, and being exposed to his pontificating speeches, Ellen could understand young Eleanor who took such attitude from three more sides.