With her father suddenly dies, pretty young Katherine Eldridge feels her
world has come crashing down, with only her impending marriage to look forward
to. But when that family realizes that Katherine is in fact penniless, Katherine's
fiance abandons her. And to make matters worse, she's pregnant.
Labeled incorrigible, Katherine and her tiny son are sent to live with a
wealthy family friend, Forrest Wyndham, a dashing entrepreneur whose own
personal loss has hardened him to the foolishness of others. Determined to "reform" Katherine
from her "disobedient" ways, Forrest Wyndham imposes a framework
of strict rules and consistent discipline on his female charge. Over her
guardian's knee, Katherine quickly learns it is his way or no way.
But both are in for a few surprises. As Forrest comes to know his young
charge he comes to realize that his initial assumptions about her character
may not be correct while she discovers that he has a few secrets of his own.
Throw in a meeting between Katherine's opportunistic mother and Forrest's
sadistic manipulative brother and a plot unfolds that threatens to shake
Wyndham Hall to its very foundation.
Set in late 19th century America.
Chapter One
Katherine Elizabeth Eldridge moved aside the curtain and looked out the carriage window at the thickening forest. Even with the curtain closed, she had known that the portion of the trip across open terrain had ended when what light coming through the curtain had dimmed. The ancient trees cast a shadow over carriage and its two occupants, adding to the shadow of gloom Katherine already felt.
The carriage hit a bump in the path, and the jolt caused Ian to stir in her lap. Catherine dropped the heavy fabric of the curtain and turned her attention to her infant son, smoothing his tiny brow with her thin, delicate fingers. In his sleep, the baby's lip turned down and for a moment his young mother thought he was going to cry.
"Oh, please don't," she silently thought, "lest I start as well."
It was tempting to indulge the urge to give in to the overwhelming sense of desolation she felt, a feeling that only ranked second to her anger. That she could be sent away - again - was almost more than she could bear. Her own family had betrayed her, and for what? Nothing more than to retain their tenuous grasp in their social circle. She and her son were nothing more than sacrificial lambs and she hoped someday her family - particularly her mother - would live to regret their decisions.
Just two short years ago it had all been so different. Far from holding her family's secret shame, she had held their hopes for the future through her engagement to Troy Wilkes, III.
The heir to the local textile empire, Troy was by far and away the most eligible bachelor in the region. News that he had asked for the hand of the youngest daughter of the area's most prominent lumber mogul was no surprise; it was long suspected that the two families would merge in this way.
For Katherine, her impending nuptials would be more than a marriage of convenience. She was truly in love with the rakishly handsome Troy, who at seven years her senior enjoyed a reputation as a playboy. A naïve sixteen years of age when he asked her to marry him, she told herself that from that moment on his past was exactly that - his past. They were destined to be the town's most heralded couple. Sure there may have been other women but he had chosen her to be his wife.
And when three months before the wedding Troy had pressed her against the leather seat of one of his father's carriages and whispered words of love into her ear, she had allowed him to push up her skirts and enter her. And even as she endured the stab of pain that ended her virginity she told herself it would be O.K. because he was practically her husband and they'd be together. Even the smirk of the groom who had stood guard outside the carriage house door didn't bother her. Let the help think what they wanted. She would soon be Mrs. Troy Wilkes, III. It was all so perfect.
Or so she thought.
Had it not been for her father's heart attack, she'd be Troy's wife now and would no doubt, she thought, still be pretending him to be the loving and honorable man he never was. She'd probably be sitting in the big house right now, perhaps having tea with her mother who would have come to visit so she could play with her grandson - the very grandson she now so heartlessly shunned.
But her father had suffered a heart attack and died instantly. The sight of him sprawled on the floor of the drawing room - his ashen white face contrasted with the port that stained his shirt when he dropped it before falling - was so surreal that it was a full five seconds before Juliet Eldridge summoned sense enough to scream for help.
Can anything be worse than witnessing the death of someone you love? Katherine had thought not but within days her pain was compounded as she learned that her father was not the man he had pretended to be. He had hid his gambling, drinking and indebtedness from his family and most of society, with his passing those in the know began to talk. Soon word spread that the comfortable lifestyle of the Eldridge family was only rented and in fact Herbert Eldridge was in deep financial trouble at the time of his death. Just one step ahead of his creditors, he had fallen into a cycle of taking out one loan to pay another. Even the generous dowry the Eldridges had promised would go with their daughter on her wedding day was borrowed money.
In their shock and grief, Katherine and her mother turned to the Wilkes' for solace, only to find that without stature they had gone from tomorrow's in-laws to today's liability.
Suddenly Irving and Susanna Wilkes were urging a postponement of wedding plans to give Katherine time to absorb the "shock of what had happened." Juliet, sensing something other than concern was behind the suggestion became frantic, insisting that it was in her daughter's best interest to go ahead with the marriage.
"The marriage will heal her," she told Ms. Wilkes one afternoon, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice as she spoke. "I see no reason to delay plans for one day."
But the Wilkes' turned out to be no different than the other former friends who fled as if the Eldridge's poverty were somehow a contagious condition. And when word came that the engagement was officially off it was by messenger boy.
Juliet's wails of despair rang throughout the house at news that the last thread holding her to her former life as a member of polite society had snapped. Yet as her mother bemoaned the loss of their social standing, Katherine was trying to find a way to tell her that they faced a much bigger problem than not being invited to all the right parties.
It had been two months since she had bled and counting back she placed the time of conception at roughly that day in the carriage house. Her condition, Katherine decided, would make itself known soon enough. Perhaps her mother would be able to advise her on the best way to approach Troy's family with the news.
But her mother's only response to the announcement was to slap her - hard- across the face.
"Do you think for one moment that this will make him want you back?" she hissed at Katherine. "You are no more to him now than any one of his whores. The only thing that separated you from them was our reputation."
The following week, Katherine was sent to stay with an elderly aunt who lived about one hundred miles away. For the first time, Juliet saw a positive side to the timing of her husband's death; at least the excuse that Katherine had gone away to mourn wouldn't seem out of order. And with arrangements made for her to give up the child at birth, no one would be the wiser.
When the baby came, however, Katherine refused to give him up to the nuns who came to whisk him away, despite cajoling and threats from her aunt who wrung her hands and repeatedly stated that this was not what she had agreed to - that Katherine's mother would never let her return home to her family with an infant.
Yet as far as Katherine was concerned, the only true family she had lay sleeping in her arms and she wasn't about to let him go.
Now she was being spirited away again, but she knew little of her destination other than that it was the home of Forrest Wyndham, a benevolent widower and friend of her late father who had agreed to become guardian to her and her son.
"You should thank God for his grace in this matter," a terse letter from her mother read. "In spite of his shortcomings, it appears that your father did have at least one true friend in this world in Mr. Wyndham. He is reputed to be a stern but pious moral man. My hope is that under his watchful eye you will become mature enough to think about how your irresponsible actions affect others beyond yourself."
Juliet Eldridge had made no mention of the birth of her grandchild in the letter beyond the reference to her daughter's "irresponsible action" and it pained Katherine to think that anyone could turn their back on such an innocent. She shuddered as she considered life with Forrest Wyndham, whom she envisioned as a stodgy old man with a severe look and a paunch. What if he were one of these brutal sadists driven by religious zeal? Would he tolerate the folly of a small child under his roof or would he expect perfect obedience from them both? At that moment, Katherine vowed that if she had to she would die trying to protect Ian if she had to. He was all she had now, she thought.
Katherine was starting to get groggy when she heard the sound of gravel churning under the carriage's heavy wheels.
"We must be close," she said to her son, who lay in a basket on the seat next to her. She again moved aside the curtain but could surmise little about her surroundings. The faint outline of trees rising from a gray fog told her that Forrest Wyndam's home lay on heavily wooded grounds.
She felt the carriage shift and turn and when it did she gasped as Wyndham Hall came into view, rising out the mist like something from a bad dream.
Nothing in her imagination could have prepared herself for the intimidating sight of the huge stone structure with its spires and balconies. As the carriage pulled closer, the house seemed to loom even higher, the flickering lights in the window looking like dozens of watching eyes in a living thing that was prepared to swallow them alive.
"Madam," the coachman said as he opened the door to the carriage. Katherine clutched a tightly swaddled Ian in one arm as she allowed the man to help her down by her other. Having lost track of time she had no idea how long she had been on her journey, but she knew it must have been quite a while judging by her shaking legs. She was just finding her footing when she saw a figure approaching and as he got closer she realized that it was a man who completely fit her mental image of Forrest Wyndham.
The white-haired, somewhat portly man was impeccably attired even at this late hour. His face remained expressionless, even as he greeted her.
"Ms. Eldridge," he said. "This way. The master is looking forward to meeting you and hopes you had a pleasant journey. Come this way. Your belongings will be brought to you."
So this wasn't Forrest Wyndham after all, she realized as she obediently followed the man up the steps and through the huge front doors.
Inside, the house was as cavernous as she imagined, but there was no sign of the owner. As if reading her mind, the butler turned to her.
"Sir has already retired for the evening. He will meet with you in the morning," he said. "This way, please."
Katherine mounted the stairs, trying to keep pace with the figure ahead of her. At the top of the stairs they turned left and followed a hallway past a row of doors - six of them - before coming to one at the end that opened into a suite of rooms.
Katherine found herself standing in a comfortable sitting room containing a fainting couch, a loveseat and two plush-looking chairs. Against one wall stood a small table and two chairs. Against the other wall stood a fireplace which - judging by the welcoming warmth - had been lit earlier that evening.
Through the sitting room she could see two rooms, one to the left containing well-stocked bookshelves and two leather chairs. The other held a double four-poster bed. Beside the bed stood a small cradle draped with white eyelet bedding. A matching chest of drawers a highboy and an oak rocking chair completed the room's furnishings.
It was obvious that the room had been decorated with a mother and child in mind and the surroundings comforted her. Perhaps she could feel at home here. She turned to thank the butler but was interrupted.
"Dinner is promptly at six and you missed that," he was saying. "I've arranged to have a light supper brought to you here. I've also arranged to have a bath drawn. Breakfast is promptly at seven tomorrow. I'll have someone come for you an hour before so you can prepare. Sir expects members of his household to be properly dressed and punctual and his rules are not negotiable. Is that understood?
Katherine - taken aback at his words - managed a nod.
The butler continued. "I assume you have suitable attire, but if not you'll find clothing provided. I took the liberty of asking the head of your former household for your measurements so you'll find they'll fit. If you desire anything else please use the bell pull by your bed. Goodnight."
"Oh, g-goodnight and thank-you," Katherine found herself stammering to the butler as he walked away. She had no sooner shut the door than there was a knock. When she answered it, a row of quiet, efficient servants filed by. One carried a covered tray and a pitcher to the table and left without a word. Three more carried an oak bathtub into her bedroom. A dozen more filed in with buckets of hot water. Finally an older, chubby redheaded woman came in.
With a warm smile, she introduced herself as Dora the nursemaid and told Katherine she had been instructed to help with the baby.
"I really don't need any help," Katherine found herself saying. All the other adult women in her life - her mother and aunt - had treated Ian as an object of shame. For someone to walk in and offer to help seemed almost alien. Katherine's mistrust ran deep and she found herself reluctant to hand him over, but Dora's kind grandmotherly demeanor quickly changed her mind.
"Nonsense," Dora said with a smile, tickling Ian under his chin. The baby cooed at the attention.
"Go get your bath, Lovey, and let me sit a while with this little angel," she said and Katherine relinquished her so to the woman, who plopped down in the rocking chair.
The bath did Katherine a world of good. Afterwards she gratefully dismissed Dora, who had rocked Ian to sleep before placing him in his cradle. Katherine crawled into the bed and looked down at her sleeping infant. Things certainly seemed O.K so far, but she had no idea was to come. She was almost afraid to close her eyes, because she knew when she next opened them she'd have to face an uncertain future of Wyndham Hall.
When a young female servant entered her room at just before six the next morning, she found Katherine already up nursing her baby.
The girl smiled and nodded at Katherine before zipping through the rooms, tidying up. After she left Katherine rose to see Dora coming through the door armed with a basin and a pitcher of warm water.
"I've come to bathe that precious baby," she said. "I would have done it last night had you two not gotten in so late."
Katherine smiled. "Thanks Dora, but if you don't mind I'd like to do it myself."
Dora looked a little hurt but didn't argue. "Very well," she said, walking to the wardrobe. "I'll just get you some fresh nappies and a dressing gown for him."
As Dora produced the infant clothing, Katherine was again surprised at how well prepared the staff had been for her arrival - right down to the diapers.
Katherine did allow Dora to hold Ian as she dressed herself in a light blue scooped neck gown that matched her eyes and twisted her long brunette hair into a French knot, then taking her son she followed the older woman to the morning room.
There, a table - set for two - sat before a row of sunny windows that looked out over a craggy, tree-spiked valley. Had the room been empty, Katherine would have probably spent time pondering the juxtaposition of the comfortably civilized room to the wild, untamed scene it overlooked. But instead her attention was drawn to the man who rose from his seat at the head of the table.
Forrest Wyndham was not at all what Katherine had expected - at least not in appearance. A little over six feet tall, he towered over his demure charge.
Katherine figured him to be in thirties, although it was hard to be sure. He certainly wasn't the senior citizen she had expected. Well built with darkly handsome looks, everyone who knew Wyndham agreed that he'd be even more attractive if only he would smile more often.
"Miss Eldridge, I'm Forrest Wyndham," he said, his expression serious and intense. Katherine timidly placed her hand in his waiting one, which he squeezed briefly.
"I suppose this would be little Master Ian," he said, glancing at the baby and Katherine saw a shadow of what she could only describe as sadness cross his face as he laid eyes on her son.
"Yessir," she said.
"Please sit down," he continued. "I believe we need to talk." He nodded to the doorway, where Dora stood.
Katherine knew he wanted to speak to her without the possible interruption an infant could cause, so she wordlessly relinquished her tiny bundle to the older woman.
Wyndham spoke as two servants brought them their food. "I realize you know very little other than I owed your father a great debt but you probably don't know why so I'll tell you. Thirty years ago, your father saved my life. I was just a tiny child at the time and one afternoon when my nursemaid wasn't watching I wandered outside and followed the creek to a mining camp about two miles from here. The men felling the trees didn't see me, but your father, who had stopped by to survey the work noticed me just as one large oak began to fall. He snatched me out of the way and threw me clear. His efforts earned him a broken arm and collarbone but it could have been much worse. My father was grateful and offered to pay him for saving his only son but your father wouldn't hear of it. When he died last year he told me to keep up with your family and look for an opportunity to repay the debt."
He paused, allowing Katherine a moment to process what he was saying.
"I only learned recently of your father's passing and after learning of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his finances contacted your mother.
Together we sought a way to restore the one thing that she said meant the most to your father - his good name. Paying off some of his debts has restored something of his reputation but there was one thing that could not be so easily repaired and that is the effect upon the Eldridge name of your indiscretion and ultimate decision to keep the child resulting from that indiscretion. I know nothing of this child's father and don't want to know. I only know that you would be unsuitable for marriage to any decent young man at this point and that you obviously need guidance and a firm hand if you are to have any type of future if your past behavior is any indication."
Katherine felt her face grow hot as it dawned on her what her mother had done. To get even more sympathy, Juliet had painted herself not just as a victim of fate but also as a victim of an uncontrollable child gone bad. Left unmentioned - and unscathed - was Troy Wilkes, III whose abandonment led her to sit before this man.
"Mr. Wyndham," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don't know what my mother has told you but I can tell you that taking her word about my character is ill advised. "And while I appreciate the great 'honor' you obviously feel you are doing through lowering yourself to be in my company I don't believe I need the guidance of one who would make assumptions before knowing the whole story."
She rose to leave the table, hoping she had turned in time to keep him from seeing the tears welling up in her eyes.
"And just where will you go?" Wyndham asked as she began to walk away. Katherine stopped, placing her hand on the doorframe to steady herself. Even in the large room she felt claustrophobic and trapped as she considered his next words. "You have no means. No transportation. No letter of reference. You do have a child whom you've chosen to keep against the advice of those who know how harsh the world can be to women and bastards."
The stab of pain at his words forced the hot tears from Katherine's eyes.
"Would you take your child from here to see him starve, Katherine?" he asked quietly.
Katherine turned and walked back to the table, suddenly hating Forrest Wyndham more than she had ever hated anyone in her life. She wanted to scream at him - to tell him that she was not a whore and that if her son was a bastard it was only because it was the child's father who was a whore. But she knew nothing she said would make any difference. He already had an image of her as a selfish trollop and he obviously wasn't interested in hearing her side of things.
But despite how she felt about Forrest Wyndham he was right about one thing; for the time being he provided the only security she could give her son.
Wyndham looked triumphant as she sat back down.
"Now, young lady," he said. "I want you to consider this a clean slate where you will have the opportunity to prove yourself. And if you are to do so then the first thing you should know is that in this house there are rules and consequences. First of all, meals are at seven, noon and six every day. I expect you to be on time and I expect you to be dressed properly. You may have noticed that in your quarters there is a library. It's not there by accident. I am an advocate of education and believe it should be a never-ending process. Given your limited options, it certainly wouldn't hurt you to invest your energy in broadening your mind. That will start today. I have hired a tutor to come in for three hours each morning after breakfast - excluding Saturday and Sunday - to work with you in a variety of subjects. Dora will keep little Ian occupied during this time. You will study attentively and I shall be keeping abreast of your progress. If I hear that you are slacking or are nothing but courteous to your tutor you will find yourself dealing with me. You will be allowed to go riding three times a week but only in the presence of another chaperone or me. We have several suitable ladies' mounts available in the stables. From time to time I entertain business acquaintances and other out-of-town guests. When I do I shall expect you to attend these functions as a member of my household. You will be expected to display your best behavior. "
"As you may have seen, the house is large. You are allowed in a number of the common areas such as the library, kitchen, dining hall, this room and the sitting rooms. All others are off limits without my express permission.
If you disagree with or don't understand the rules I am open to questions. What I am not open to is debate. The way things are is the way things are and make no mistake about it. Should I hear of your disobeying you will be dealing directly with me. Is that understood?"
"Mr. Wyndham - " she began.
"You will address me as 'Sir'," he corrected.
"Sir," she said. "If I did find your rules unacceptable would you send me away?"
"No, dear, but after the thrashing you would get you would well want to leave," he replied.
Katherine's eyes grew wide.
"I am a grown woman - with a child," she stammered. "Surely you can't be serious."
Her guardian looked at her with a level gaze, his mouth set in a grim line. For the first time he addressed her by name.
"Katherine," he said. "You have placed yourself in a position where you have some very adult responsibilities, but what I see before me is far more scared little girl than grown woman. I understand your desire for autonomy, but that is something that I will grant you when you are ready. Until then you will live within the boundaries of this household or face punishment. Is that understood?"
He waited for a moment before repeating himself. "Katherine, I asked you a question. I expect an answer."
"Yessir," she said.
"Good girl," he said, at the same time pointing at the plate before her. "Now eat your breakfast. You've got a big day ahead of you."
