The Grey Dawn Read online

  Ellalee and Daniella huddled together as they went up to their room. Ellalee grabbed the skillet on her way out of the kitchen, taking the earl quite at his word, though she was sure he had mentioned sleeping the skillet in his usual venomous sarcasm. Once there, Ellalee found several changes of clothes, and more thrilling, a silver comb, brush, and mirror set. There was a note next to them that read:

  These were my mother’s.

  I think she would like your words today.

  I understand she was much of a similar mind.

  ~V

  On the bottom of the note, there was the sketch of a rose just beginning to bloom.

  The moment was such a non sequitur with the rest of the day, a kindness following fear and despair. Ellalee, deep in her own thoughts, ran her fingertips down the back of the mirror. Daniella, ever sympathetic to Ellalee’s feelings, reached around her, took the comb, and began gently undoing Ellalee’s hair.

  “I feel overwhelmed, Daniella,” Ellalee whispered, closing her eyes as Daniella combed out her hair.

  “And so we petition God and cast our worries to him, but we shall not lose faith. God has answered prayers I thought were too great for me to even pray for. Have you seen Christopher’s leg? It is straight. I pray in time he will not just walk but run. We are fed and clothed and warm which I believed we may never be again. In fact, I truly believed we would not survive the winter. I had begun to pray I would go first because I couldn’t bear the thought of dying last. I cannot imagine that God answered all these prayers and then would leave us unsafe.”

  “It is kind of like the grey dawn isn’t it? When you wake up in the morning, there is just the grey dawn before the sun comes. All we know is that there will be another day that we will stumble through, good or evil, but God is already there before us, an ever present help in time of trouble. He already knows what kind of day we will have. He has already provided for it.” A tear slipped down Ellalee’s cheek.

  “And we take another step knowing that God will provide and that he has overcome the world. Even in the grey dawn when we must put our foot forward praying for solid ground, we can have faith that God always leads us, even through hardship, even through the valley of death, to greener pastures.”

  The next morning brought another gift just before breakfast, but this one was for Christopher. Irwin came with two crutches carved from the smoothest wood and polished until they gleamed. If Christopher’s love of animals had secured Irwin’s kind affections, today’s gift had secured the boy’s to Irwin in a bond that would prove unbreakable.

  Irwin held out the crutches as Ellalee held Christopher’s chair and Daniella held Max, who still would not come anywhere near Ellalee. Christopher pushed up onto his good leg and secured the crutches under his arms. Then he was off like a shot, maneuvering around the kitchen, whooping and laughing. Max leaped out of Daniella’s arms, flying out of the room in terror of all the excitement while Daniella and Ellalee laughed. Even the usually remote Irwin seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the moment. Christopher’s leg was still wrapped and splinted, but the maneuvers Christopher was able to do using two crutches made her gasp and urge the boy to be careful. Christopher would have none of it. He was zooming from one side of the kitchen to other in a general uproar of cheer and enthusiasm.

  It was only when the footmen arrived followed by Simmons and Winslow that Ellalee realized just how loud they had been. The men obviously believed that someone was sending the hue and cry and were greatly relieved as they crossed their arms and grinned at Christopher’s pure unadulterated joy. It wasn’t until the scowling earl entered, one arm still in his sling and the other bearing his sword, that the mood quickly became more somber for everyone but Christopher.

  “Look! Look Lord Valen! Irwin made me crutches! I’m never sitting in that chair again. Aren’t they great?” Christopher babbled. “Look! My leg is straight! I should be able to run in a few weeks. Right Lord Valen? Right?”

  It wasn’t until Ellalee cleared her throat that Christopher looked at his sister, and his eyes grew wide. “I mean, don’t hurt me again, Lord Valen. I promise to be loads of help.” The false tenor in the boy’s revised commentary was lost on no one.

  Lord Valen’s scowl grew furious as he strode over to Ellalee, leaning over her like a lion over a mouse. “I blame this entirely on you.” With those words, Valen stormed out.

  “What?” Ellalee turned her hands, palms up to the air, and sputtered as she stood staring at the Earl’s retreating back, shaking her head.

  Winslow began his strange grumbling laughter. “Oh it is true. We blame you as well. Not entirely though. There is your sister’s sweet demeanor and excellent cooking. Nothing restores body and soul better than good food, and of course, we all blame Christopher as well. The manor hasn’t had this kind of laughter in a generation. But, yes, mostly, it’s you.”

  Ellalee sighed in faux exasperation. “What is mostly me? What have I done now?”

  Winslow’s face sobered, “You, my dear, have denied Lord Valen of his every attempt not to care, to seal up his heart. He believed his antipathy would save those things he might care for, but in reality it only saved him. And you have stripped him of even the pretense. There is no one here who doesn’t recognize the hope that you have brought. Somehow you believe that we can overthrow the evil that rests here, and God help me, but I begin to believe as well.” He patted her shoulder and departed. Mark ducked his head at Ellalee, and Charlie doffed an invisible hat.

  As the footmen left, Gladlia came in to examine Christopher’s leg and pronounced him well-enough to use those crutches which was either true or just her way of acknowledging that she had no chance of depriving him of his new crutches or his newly restored freedom, though she admonished him to go slow and be careful. The leg was not fully healed and should not touch the ground for at least two more weeks.

  Ellalee shook her head at Gladlia as she watched Christopher nod earnestly. Ellalee could tell that her brother would have nodded along to anything at all while hearing blah, blah, blah and thinking hurry up and stop talking you grown up. She rolled her eyes. The confinement of ten-year-old boy had built up a tsunami of pent up energy that was going to burst forth and drown them all.

  Christopher raced to find Charlie who brought him back to the kitchen looking worn thin about an hour later. Then Christopher tagged on after Mark who made it two hours before detouring back to the kitchen and making a quick exit when Christopher was distracted by a proffered snack from Daniella who realized that her sweet little brother was driving the staff to distraction. Ellalee finally took matters into her own hands and asked Winslow if she might escort Christopher to the barn to spend some time with Irwin. Winslow agreed but took the boy out himself rather than allow Ellalee out of the manor.

  Ellalee scoffed and said, “I would bring my skillet.”

  “And a fine skillet it is too,” Winslow added dryly and then followed Christopher out the door.

  Thankfully, Irwin kept the boy entertained until late afternoon. Irwin apparently had not grown tired of the boy’s banter and had been, even more remarkably, able to secure Christopher’s promise to sit out of the way while he worked, upon the penalty of being returned to the kitchen.

  Ellalee made a decision that night as they sat in silence around the dinner table that silence would reign no longer. “I believe, Winslow, that dinner should be a time of fellowship. A time that we should share our thoughts and ideas and dreams and concerns with one another. This silence through a meal is unnatural.”

  Winslow threw his napkin in his lap. “Is that so?” His lips thinned, and he cast her a dour look. “I don’t believe you are in charge of this household.”

  “Of course not, but my opinion remains. Some of my warmest and best memories of my home were of our laughter around the dinner table.”

  The heads around the table swiveled back and forth and now waited on Winslow’s response. He allowed the silence to continue as he stared down Ellalee who, und
er his scrutiny, had the grace to blush. Then apparently, Winslow came to a decision as he cleared his throat, “You have heard Lady Ellalee,” he said with such biting sarcasm that Ellalee ducked her head in utter humiliation. She now wished she had never spoken out, as no one spoke up with her. Ellalee realized miserably it is hard to take a stand when one stands alone because no one else was willing.

  Silence sat thick and heavy around the table as everyone began to eat in earnest wanting, no doubt, to escape the tension at the table when Christopher cut through it all with ten-year-old innocence having missed entirely the sarcasm of Winslow’s remark.

  “Guess what happened in the barn? The big mare, you know, the red one, well, Irwin said that when my leg is all healed up, that he’d let me ride that horse. Its name is Nin. Irwin says it is short for Nincompoop, but I think he is pulling my leg. What do you think, Charlie? Is the horse’s name really short for Nincompoop?”

  Everyone looked at Charlie, and at first, Ellalee was sure Charlie wouldn’t answer. His lips quirked to one-side, and then to Ellalee’s relief, he laughed. “Well, I don’t rightly know, but if Irwin says it’s so, it probably is.”

  “That’s a terrible name for a horse! Downright disrespectful if you asked me,” Christopher said.

  With the silence broken, conversations popped up around the table softly, but then growing as everyone realize that Winslow would no longer prevent discussion. Ellalee tried very hard not to look at Winslow, but finally took a long sip from her cup and dared a glance at him from under her lashes and saw him wink before he returned to his own meal in silence. She was beyond relieved that he had forgiven her, and gladder still not to have a repeat of last night’s strained dinner. Laughter was the best medicine for dark times.

  That night as Ellalee and Daniella curled up in their beds, Ellalee caught her sister looking at her and shaking her head. “You are really something, you know. I thought for certain Winslow would send you down to the dungeon.” Daniella grinned conspiratorially.

  “Me too,” Ellalee replied whole-heartedly. “I think we are going to need each other to come through the other side of this. I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

  Daniella’s look became thoughtful. “Of course, you’re right. Good night,” she said as she turned down the lamp.

  Though it must have been the middle of the night, it seemed like they had just fallen asleep, when someone banged on the door. Both sisters leaped from their beds. Daniella’s hands shook as she tried to relight the lamp.

  “Who is there?” Ellalee demanded grabbing her skillet. No sound followed. Ellalee waited until Daniella got the light burning before she cracked open the door, skillet raised. No one stood outside the door nor up or down the hallway. Then she spotted the note at her feet.

  “Is it from our earl?” Daniella asked.

  Ellalee broke the wax on the envelope marked with her name. “I don’t think so.” She frowned as she read the note out loud.

  Dear Miss Ellalee,

  Had I known earlier that you were literate, our communication would have been much easier. Do not fear, there is still hope. Come to the lady’s bower now, and I will meet you. Tell no one and come quickly. There is little time. I can still help you and your siblings.

  The bottom of the note was signed with the same sketch of the red grouse.

  Chapter Twenty-One: Coercion

  Daniella shook her head dubiously. “You can’t seriously be considering going, Ellalee. Show the earl the note tomorrow, and let him handle this.”

  “The earl is already wounded, and time is of the essence,” Ellalee responded. Daniella made a horrible choking sound, but Ellalee hurried on, “Oh, don’t be silly Daniella. What we need is a plan of action. We must capture this man and find out what he knows.”

  Daniella was shaking her head furiously as Ellalee threw her own dress over her head and tossed Daniella’s to her which Daniella dutifully pulled on as well.

  “Besides, I have no idea where the earl’s chambers are, but we know where Christopher’s room is. I will go to the lady’s bower and stall, and you will go wake Charlie. Tell him to come with all due stealth. We must seize this miscreant. It is my belief that he must know more about Elise than we do. Here, you take the skillet. Don’t fret so much. I will know that Charlie is coming. I only have to stall for a few minutes. Just make sure to tell Charlie to make no sound that would give him away.”

  Ellalee all but shoved Daniella out the door pushing the lamp in her sister’s left hand and the skillet into her right. Then Ellalee proceeded to bully Daniella down the hallway all while Daniella kept a steady stream of whispered protests until Ellalee shushed her at the bottom of the stairs. Ellalee grabbed a candle from a wall sconce and lit it off Daniella’s lamp and then gave her a good shove towards the men’s wing.

  “Remember, send Charlie, and stay with Christopher. Lock the door, and don’t let anyone but Charlie back in. Okay?”

  Ellalee pretended she didn’t hear “stupid” hissed at her back. As her sister grudgingly moved down the hallway towards the men’s chambers, Ellalee peered down the darkened hallway towards the lady’s bower for the first time since she’d come from cleaning that particular room. The passageway stood like a dark mouth yawning open, yearning to swallow her whole. Ellalee almost reconsidered her hasty decision, but so committed so forged on. Acting quickly before her nerve failed her, Ellalee began down the dark hallway when a new observation occurred to her. All the doors were all unlocked. She didn’t have time to ponder further as she had arrived at the base of the winding stairs up to the lady’s bower. She wondered if she should blow out her candle so that she wouldn’t be seen entering the bower or if she should leave it lit, or if she should just wait for Charlie. Perhaps it would be best all-around if she appeared not to suspect this stranger. With all due optimism, she didn’t know for sure if the disappearing stranger was anything other than the kind helper he purported himself to be.

  She put her foot hesitantly on the first step, looking back down the hallway to see if Charlie was yet on his way, but before she further ascended the staircase, a woman’s scream for help rent the silence.

  “Elise? Elise!” Ellalee shouted up the stairs and rushed forward up the winding staircase casting caution to the wind. Suddenly her foot found no purchase on the stairs. In a panic, Ellalee dropped her candle which flickered and went out as she lurched towards the wall to steady herself, but there was something slippery on the walls as well. In the blink of an eye, Ellalee had lost her balance entirely and was tumbling head over foot, side over side, down the stairs. She screamed as her head bashed against something hard, stair or wall she couldn’t tell for all the spinning. The impact didn’t slow her pin-wheeling momentum down the steep staircase. She broke fingernails futilely trying to stop her downward plummet. In one flash as she tumbled, Ellalee thought she saw a cloaked figure, but in the next moment, her head once more impacted something hard and spots danced before her eyes.

  Somewhere in the distance she could hear someone giving the hue and cry. “Intruder in the Manor! Intruder in the Manor! To arms!”

  Ellalee finally slammed to a stop as she lay in a heap of tears and hair at the bottom of the stairs. Her vision swam. To Ellalee’s eyes, the world continue to spin even though her body had stopped. Everything hurt, and she thought she would wretch. She closed her eyes, and just before she blacked out, she was sure she heard Charlie yelling, “Ellalee is attacked!”

  Valen rushed around the corner, and saw Charlie standing over the body of Ellalee and nearly choked.

  “She is hurt, but alive. There was a cloaked man in the manor. I found him standing over her armed with a dagger. He ran off as soon as I came pelting down the hall. I could have given chase, but I thought it would be better if I stood guard over Lady…er Miss Ellalee.”

  Valen bent down next to Ellalee and blew out a long held breath of relief when he felt her pulse. Valen stood up and put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “You have done
well, Charlie. We have lost too many.”

  Valen took his arm out of his sling and winced as he lifted Ellalee’s bitty form into his arms.

  Charlie nodded. “I’ll go check on the rest.”

  Valen nodded. “Gladlia has a knack for showing up when she is needed, but if you see her, send her to Ellalee’s room and Ellalee’s sister as well if she isn’t already there.”

  “Daniella is in my room, your lordship,” Charlie replied and then shook his head as he saw the earl’s eyes widen and hurried on, “That came out wrong. She came and alerted me to the danger. Daniella and Christopher locked the door and promised not to move until my return. I came here as quickly as I could. ”

  “Thank God one of these girls has the sense she was born with,” Valen snarled. “This one,” he said in a softer voice, “is trouble enough for ten.”

  Valen followed Charlie up the hallway and through the doorway to the main part of the manor. The two men parted ways at the stairs as Valen carried Ellalee back to her room. Valen was just laying Ellalee on the bed when Gladlia arrived. Vance backed up and leaned his back and one foot against the wall, drawing his hand through his hair as he watched the healer tend Ellalee. After a brief examination, Gladlia said that all Ellalee suffered were some bumps and bruises and a rather large knot on her head. Valen’s head rolled forward in relief.