A/N This story has taken me ages to write. Please review and tell me what
you think.
Moore Family Tragedy
Chapter One
I sat on the hill curled up in the sun reading a book written by Shakespeare. I had always been a big fan of Shakespeare and Charlotte encouraged reading as an every day activity. I often went up to Charlotte's room and found her with a book in her hand. She would tell me about some of the stories she had read and often left me wondering if they were true or if she had made them up.
The hill was a place I always went when I wanted to relax, it was located at the back of Rosemary Cottage, my home, and was the most peaceful place I knew. The sun shone there, making it warm, and from where I sat I could see both Rosemary Cottage and Emerson Court.
I had been at Rosemary Cottage for as long as I could remember, when we had first arrived my mother used to sit with me on the hill and we would relax with each other. But just lately my mother fell ill and Charlotte was called for to look after her.
Poor Charlotte, she had to put up with a lot. My mother was a difficult creature, she had standards, very high standards, and if these were not met she would fall into rage. This was rare but she had a bad temper and woe betide any that forced her to show it. Charlotte comforted her and seemed not to mind these sudden rages. I respected Charlotte, as I never had my mother. She was hard working and cared for other's welfare often putting herself at risk to make others suffering less. I believe Charlotte had quite a soft spot for me as well, as she often joined me in the evenings and tried to make up for my mother's neglect.
During the day I went to Emerson Court for lessons, I never questioned this, the servants talked, but young as I was I never listened. I had read hundreds of books but never came across a family such as the Moores.
Sir Henry Moore was certainly leader of the manor, he drove fear into his children and his wife and his word was never questioned, during my visits I rarely saw him. His wife lady Damask was extremely gentle; I saw more of her.
But it was with the children that I spent the most time. The eldest, Carmen, was a beautiful young girl of sixteen; she had silk blond hair and a captivating smile used towards members of the opposite sex. She was fun loving and adventurous, never gave up and loved to prove people wrong. I was her age so she warmed to me more then she did her younger sisters.
Isabelle, who was fifteen, was clearly the opposite of her sister, she was quiet and hated to draw attention to herself, she cared deeply for her sisters and Edward, but her affections remained hidden. I liked to think of Isabelle as a dark stranger, for she had indeed inherited her mother's dark looks. There were six children in all, five daughters and one rather sickly son, Edward.
After Isabelle came Kathryn and Linnet, then at last the long awaited boy. It was a disappointment to Sir Henry to have an unhealthy son and four healthy daughters. Hoping for another son, Lady Damask gave birth again, to a girl called Lotus.
As I entered the hallway I went up the servants stairs and to the schoolroom avoiding meeting anybody. I sat down next to Carmen and she smiled mischievously at me.
"Your late, Roselyn Doyle. My father said unpunctuality is a sin." Carmen said smugly. She doted on her father and would often quote his words.
"Really, I'll remember that in future." I replied.
Isabelle entered the schoolroom and sat down in her calm sophisticated manner, only glancing at Carmen and myself for a second.
Linnet was the last to arrive supporting Edward on her arm. Edward since the day of his birth had been an ill child. He barely went outdoors and had never rode a horse in his life, his sisters resented him, all except Linnet, and his father despised his inability.
Miss Morris stalked in, head high and began to teach.
After the lesson I went riding with Carmen, Kathryn and Isabelle. At the stables we met Sir Henry.
"Good afternoon, papa. I am just taking Roselyn for a ride." Carmen greeted her father.
"Where is Edward?" he barked in his usual gruff manner.
"He has gone with Linnet, papa, I believe they went to sit in the garden. The nurse said it was a nice day so she could not see what harm it could do." Kathryn said.
"Nay child, no harm will become of Edward while he has Linnet to look after him. Why is it I have five perfectly healthy girls and yet only one son!" he asked himself.
Carmen nodded. "At least you should be thankful you have me, papa, opposed to." she was about to say girls like Isabelle but stopped herself in time.
Her father seemed not to notice the break in her sentence. "Edward should learn to ride."
Isabelle looked up from her horse shocked. "No father, Edward cannot ride, he is too weak the mere thought of a horse makes him ill."
Her father scowled. "I shall make a man out of him. I shall not have a son who cannot ride!"
"George could teach him I believe he is an excellent groom." Kathryn said trying to be helpful.
"I would trust no one with my son other then myself, I shall teach him to ride. And I shall start now.
Kathryn go and fetch your brother tell him to put on his riding habit and come down to the stables."
Kathryn nodded and ran off.
"You must be Miss Doyle." He said turning to me.
I nodded.
"You can ride?"
I nodded again.
"Can you speak?"
"Yes sir, I can both speak and ride." I told him.
"Good. How well do you ride Miss Doyle?"
"She rides exceedingly well, her skill with never match mine but she is a good horsewoman." Carmen said.
Linnet emerged from the house clutching Edward's hand with Kathryn following them.
"Is it true papa that you want Edward to ride?" she asked.
Linnet was only ten, two years older then her brother and she stood before her father with no fear in her face. She felt protective towards Edward as no one else did. I had always thought what an excellent mother she would make.
Her father chuckled. "Do I have to answer to you?" he asked spitefully.
Linnet shook her head. "You answer to no one." She replied coolly.
He nodded. "I answer to no one." He repeated relishing the words. "Edward shall learn to ride. Even his little sister Lotus can ride a pony." He sneered.
Edward looked scared and I felt sorry for him, I could feel Carmen next to me laughing at her brother. She had always hated Edward and she showed it openly.
She had believed she would inherit Emerson court for eight years of her life fearing every time a new child was born. Then Edward was born and her hopes of inheriting were slashed. She told me once that she thought Edward would die and if so she would not pretend to mourn for him. I told her that it was a monstrous thing to say and she laughed her witching cackle.
That day Edward took a tumble from his horse and the doctor was called for. His father, whom had laughed at first, was extremely concerned for Edward. He paced the room shouting out orders to the doctor, telling him what to do and how to do it.
Before I left I could sense Carmen's excitement as she anticipated her brother's death; the idea made me feel sick inside. Lady Damask showed an interest in her son but clearly did not care as much as her husband did. The person who most concerned was Linnet, at the age of ten she showed great affections and cared for her brother as no one else did. I felt close to Linnet and I embraced her as I left.
"Edward will be fine." I reassured her. She smiled gratefully and waved to me as I left with the groom. Charlotte greeted me as I entered Rosemary Cottage.
"Roselyn, you are back late, I was told you were going riding, but it is past five. I thought you would be back for four. Then I heard the terrible news, poor Edward Moore has taken a tumble from his horse." She chattered taking my coat.
Charlotte and I talked as a mother and daughter did with no restraint between us. I nodded. "Yes Sir Henry forced him to ride against his will. And what sickens me most of all is that his eldest sister is willing his death to come!" I sat down in the parlour and Charlotte perched her self opposite me.
"I remember when Miss Carmen was born. It was a grand affair, all 'twas expecting a boy, but no. I believe Miss Carmen is a good as two boys put together, but her father does not see it that way, mores the pity. Then came Isabelle, she is a dark horse, she looks nothing like her father and it is said that she despises him. Each time Lady damask was with child everyone said it had to be a boy, but each time fate defied them by producing a girl. You can see how bitter Miss Carmen is, all her life she has grown up believing herself the undisputed heiress to Emerson Court." Charlotte told me.
I always marvelled at how much Charlotte knew. She listened to the servants and visitors and even to my mother's own ramblings with such ease taking in every word said, absorbing it in to her mind to use later. She always told me to listen well for I would never know when a piece of knowledge could become useful to me.
My mother also thought very highly of Charlotte even though she often said she would dismiss her, Charlotte took liberties, which no other servant would dare to take, and she took them as she knew she could get away with it.
Moore Family Tragedy
Chapter One
I sat on the hill curled up in the sun reading a book written by Shakespeare. I had always been a big fan of Shakespeare and Charlotte encouraged reading as an every day activity. I often went up to Charlotte's room and found her with a book in her hand. She would tell me about some of the stories she had read and often left me wondering if they were true or if she had made them up.
The hill was a place I always went when I wanted to relax, it was located at the back of Rosemary Cottage, my home, and was the most peaceful place I knew. The sun shone there, making it warm, and from where I sat I could see both Rosemary Cottage and Emerson Court.
I had been at Rosemary Cottage for as long as I could remember, when we had first arrived my mother used to sit with me on the hill and we would relax with each other. But just lately my mother fell ill and Charlotte was called for to look after her.
Poor Charlotte, she had to put up with a lot. My mother was a difficult creature, she had standards, very high standards, and if these were not met she would fall into rage. This was rare but she had a bad temper and woe betide any that forced her to show it. Charlotte comforted her and seemed not to mind these sudden rages. I respected Charlotte, as I never had my mother. She was hard working and cared for other's welfare often putting herself at risk to make others suffering less. I believe Charlotte had quite a soft spot for me as well, as she often joined me in the evenings and tried to make up for my mother's neglect.
During the day I went to Emerson Court for lessons, I never questioned this, the servants talked, but young as I was I never listened. I had read hundreds of books but never came across a family such as the Moores.
Sir Henry Moore was certainly leader of the manor, he drove fear into his children and his wife and his word was never questioned, during my visits I rarely saw him. His wife lady Damask was extremely gentle; I saw more of her.
But it was with the children that I spent the most time. The eldest, Carmen, was a beautiful young girl of sixteen; she had silk blond hair and a captivating smile used towards members of the opposite sex. She was fun loving and adventurous, never gave up and loved to prove people wrong. I was her age so she warmed to me more then she did her younger sisters.
Isabelle, who was fifteen, was clearly the opposite of her sister, she was quiet and hated to draw attention to herself, she cared deeply for her sisters and Edward, but her affections remained hidden. I liked to think of Isabelle as a dark stranger, for she had indeed inherited her mother's dark looks. There were six children in all, five daughters and one rather sickly son, Edward.
After Isabelle came Kathryn and Linnet, then at last the long awaited boy. It was a disappointment to Sir Henry to have an unhealthy son and four healthy daughters. Hoping for another son, Lady Damask gave birth again, to a girl called Lotus.
As I entered the hallway I went up the servants stairs and to the schoolroom avoiding meeting anybody. I sat down next to Carmen and she smiled mischievously at me.
"Your late, Roselyn Doyle. My father said unpunctuality is a sin." Carmen said smugly. She doted on her father and would often quote his words.
"Really, I'll remember that in future." I replied.
Isabelle entered the schoolroom and sat down in her calm sophisticated manner, only glancing at Carmen and myself for a second.
Linnet was the last to arrive supporting Edward on her arm. Edward since the day of his birth had been an ill child. He barely went outdoors and had never rode a horse in his life, his sisters resented him, all except Linnet, and his father despised his inability.
Miss Morris stalked in, head high and began to teach.
After the lesson I went riding with Carmen, Kathryn and Isabelle. At the stables we met Sir Henry.
"Good afternoon, papa. I am just taking Roselyn for a ride." Carmen greeted her father.
"Where is Edward?" he barked in his usual gruff manner.
"He has gone with Linnet, papa, I believe they went to sit in the garden. The nurse said it was a nice day so she could not see what harm it could do." Kathryn said.
"Nay child, no harm will become of Edward while he has Linnet to look after him. Why is it I have five perfectly healthy girls and yet only one son!" he asked himself.
Carmen nodded. "At least you should be thankful you have me, papa, opposed to." she was about to say girls like Isabelle but stopped herself in time.
Her father seemed not to notice the break in her sentence. "Edward should learn to ride."
Isabelle looked up from her horse shocked. "No father, Edward cannot ride, he is too weak the mere thought of a horse makes him ill."
Her father scowled. "I shall make a man out of him. I shall not have a son who cannot ride!"
"George could teach him I believe he is an excellent groom." Kathryn said trying to be helpful.
"I would trust no one with my son other then myself, I shall teach him to ride. And I shall start now.
Kathryn go and fetch your brother tell him to put on his riding habit and come down to the stables."
Kathryn nodded and ran off.
"You must be Miss Doyle." He said turning to me.
I nodded.
"You can ride?"
I nodded again.
"Can you speak?"
"Yes sir, I can both speak and ride." I told him.
"Good. How well do you ride Miss Doyle?"
"She rides exceedingly well, her skill with never match mine but she is a good horsewoman." Carmen said.
Linnet emerged from the house clutching Edward's hand with Kathryn following them.
"Is it true papa that you want Edward to ride?" she asked.
Linnet was only ten, two years older then her brother and she stood before her father with no fear in her face. She felt protective towards Edward as no one else did. I had always thought what an excellent mother she would make.
Her father chuckled. "Do I have to answer to you?" he asked spitefully.
Linnet shook her head. "You answer to no one." She replied coolly.
He nodded. "I answer to no one." He repeated relishing the words. "Edward shall learn to ride. Even his little sister Lotus can ride a pony." He sneered.
Edward looked scared and I felt sorry for him, I could feel Carmen next to me laughing at her brother. She had always hated Edward and she showed it openly.
She had believed she would inherit Emerson court for eight years of her life fearing every time a new child was born. Then Edward was born and her hopes of inheriting were slashed. She told me once that she thought Edward would die and if so she would not pretend to mourn for him. I told her that it was a monstrous thing to say and she laughed her witching cackle.
That day Edward took a tumble from his horse and the doctor was called for. His father, whom had laughed at first, was extremely concerned for Edward. He paced the room shouting out orders to the doctor, telling him what to do and how to do it.
Before I left I could sense Carmen's excitement as she anticipated her brother's death; the idea made me feel sick inside. Lady Damask showed an interest in her son but clearly did not care as much as her husband did. The person who most concerned was Linnet, at the age of ten she showed great affections and cared for her brother as no one else did. I felt close to Linnet and I embraced her as I left.
"Edward will be fine." I reassured her. She smiled gratefully and waved to me as I left with the groom. Charlotte greeted me as I entered Rosemary Cottage.
"Roselyn, you are back late, I was told you were going riding, but it is past five. I thought you would be back for four. Then I heard the terrible news, poor Edward Moore has taken a tumble from his horse." She chattered taking my coat.
Charlotte and I talked as a mother and daughter did with no restraint between us. I nodded. "Yes Sir Henry forced him to ride against his will. And what sickens me most of all is that his eldest sister is willing his death to come!" I sat down in the parlour and Charlotte perched her self opposite me.
"I remember when Miss Carmen was born. It was a grand affair, all 'twas expecting a boy, but no. I believe Miss Carmen is a good as two boys put together, but her father does not see it that way, mores the pity. Then came Isabelle, she is a dark horse, she looks nothing like her father and it is said that she despises him. Each time Lady damask was with child everyone said it had to be a boy, but each time fate defied them by producing a girl. You can see how bitter Miss Carmen is, all her life she has grown up believing herself the undisputed heiress to Emerson Court." Charlotte told me.
I always marvelled at how much Charlotte knew. She listened to the servants and visitors and even to my mother's own ramblings with such ease taking in every word said, absorbing it in to her mind to use later. She always told me to listen well for I would never know when a piece of knowledge could become useful to me.
My mother also thought very highly of Charlotte even though she often said she would dismiss her, Charlotte took liberties, which no other servant would dare to take, and she took them as she knew she could get away with it.