A New Home
Hannah
Miss Barclay had arranged for Hannah’s transportation from the orphanage to Archer Hall. Hannah had plenty of time to reflect upon her situation while traveling since it would take the greater portion of the day to get there.
Even the pleasant country scenery of rolling hills and forests couldn’t ease her tangled emotions. Her father hadn’t died with much, but she knew it was enough to send decent sized payments to the orphanage. Her late Aunt Maria, Lady Putnam, had remarried Lord Putnam, and he was her guardian. The only thing Lord Putnam bothered to do with regards to Hannah was send payments, though she supposed that was better than starving in the streets, so she could be grateful for that.
The headmistress had seen to it that she’d received a decent education, at least on par with how she would’ve been educated had her parents remained alive. Hannah didn’t know much about them, but it sounded like they’d been respectable people.
She couldn’t fathom why the Barclays would essentially force her hand to come to them by giving her a position and ending the payments. At this late stage, Hannah didn’t care to live with a family who clearly didn’t want her, despite what the request claimed.
She sighed. There was no other choice. Leaving the orphanage was a must, and at least she could do so with secured employment.
Hannah took in the estate as the carriage rolled towards a massive, gray stone edifice. Archer Hall was more like a castle. One with a cold presence. I’m not surprised. I’ll fulfill my post well but not to form any attachments. Maybe I can get another position elsewhere before too long.
They pulled to the front, and a footman handed her out of the carriage. She’d never had that service performed for her, so she was awkward and almost slipped. Hannah thanked him and stared for a moment at the immense doors in front of her.
“This way, Miss Northrop,” said another servant.
I’m not being shown to the servants’ entrance? She took a deep breath and walked through the doors after him.
The butler took her things as another servant carried her bag up the stairs. Hannah found all this tending to her odd.
“Miss Barclay will be with you in a moment,” the butler said. “I’ll show you to the Great Room.”
Hannah eyed the towering walls with all manners of pictures, antlers, and things. A coat of arms was prominently displayed. A legacy. I feel like I’m a leaf blown about in the wind. She wasn’t in the Great Room long when there was a commotion.
A pretty, young woman about Hannah’s age bounced into the room, seeming to bring sunshine with her even though the day was overcast. She was slender and a little shorter than Hannah. Her warm brown eyes danced, and her light brown hair was arranged in an artistic hairstyle with a hairband that matched her white dress with tiny pink flowers.
“There you are!” the young woman exclaimed. “I don’t know why they took you here, though I suppose this is where we usually deposit guests when they first arrive, but you’re much more than a guest. They could’ve taken you to the drawing room or something.”
Hannah blinked.
The young lady laughed. “Where are my manners? You’re probably wondering who on earth I am. I’m Teresa Barclay.”
Hannah curtsied low. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Miss Barclay.”
“I’m so glad you’re finally here. We’ll have to fatten you up; you’re a wisp of a thing. A lovely wisp of a thing; your eyes are extraordinary.” Miss Barclay gave Hannah a playful grin. “You must have driven the boys wild at the orphanage.”
“No indeed, Miss Barclay,” replied Hannah.
“You can call me Teresa. Miss Barclay will get tiresome very quickly.” She started walking. “Follow me upstairs. We’ll go to your quarters, and I’ll tell you about my sister.”
Hannah followed her out of the room to a large staircase. Teresa is much friendlier than I expected.
“Father has left the education of my younger sister, Leah, to me,” Teresa explained as they climbed a flight of stairs. “After stepmother’s death, I don’t have as much time to devote to it, and it’s long overdue for Leah to have a governess anyway.”
They turned left and continued down a corridor.
“Your rooms will be up here,” Teresa said.
“Rooms?”
“I apologize.” Teresa sighed. “I tried to get one of the guest suites for you as they’re nicer, but Father wouldn’t hear of it.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped as she admired the room. Nicer? This is far beyond my expectations. It appeared they’d stepped into a sitting room of sorts. There were a chaise and a couple of chairs that appeared comfortable and attractive. A desk sat in one corner and a large wardrobe in another.
“It’s ridiculous to give you the tiny governess room,” Teresa went on. “I put you in here; these quarters were the nursery rooms. The governess room is next door, connected to the schoolroom, and still at your disposal as well. Leah’s suite is around the corner.”
Hannah followed Teresa through the rooms. There was a small bathroom and a bedroom with a good-sized bed, night table, and a fireplace. Hannah’s eyes grew wide. My own fireplace?
“We can decorate as time goes by.” Teresa gave a little hop. “It’ll be so much fun. This whole section will be Hannah’s corner. It’s perfect.”
Hannah blinked at her again.
“I’m sorry if I’m talking too much,” Teresa said. “My brother is always admonishing me to slow down, as he can never wrap his brain around half of what I say. It gets worse when I’m excited, which I am right now. But I can control my tongue if I put my mind to it.”
Hannah couldn’t help but smile at Teresa. I can’t be detached with Teresa if this is what she’s truly like. She’s all warmth and friendliness. “I’m not bothered by it at all. It’ll be a welcome change for me.”
Teresa grabbed Hannah’s hands. “We’re going to get along splendidly! I told the servants they’re to tend to you as they would me. Inform me straight away if there are no fires in your room or any other signs of neglect.”
Hannah gave her a wry smile. “I’ll not know what to do with myself.”
Teresa sobered. “I promised Stepmother before she died that I’d do everything I could to try to set things right.”
“You couldn’t have helped it. You’ve shown me great kindness in our brief acquaintance.”
Teresa gently squeezed Hannah’s hands. “I’ll leave you to your unpacking. Dinner is at six. I’ll come and get you.”
Dinner. How will Lord Putnam treat me?
#
Hannah unpacked in 15 minutes, as she owned little. Funds had been provided for her apparel over the years, and her aunt would occasionally send a dress, but her pieces have never been too numerous. She had an adequate amount of clothing given her situation, and it was in good repair, but she obviously didn’t possess the funds to buy anything fashionable. Her wardrobe was plain and sturdy, as opposed to being pretty, like Teresa’s dress.
She appraised the four dresses in front of her. Two could possibly be considered close to appropriate for dinner in the house of a nobleman, but that was stretching it a great deal. She picked up the green one. It was her best Sunday dress, and she usually only wore it then, but she wanted to make a decent impression when she met Lord Putnam, despite her personal feelings towards the man. Whether I like it or not, my livelihood is at stake, and I need this position. Unfortunately, this would be her first time in a formal dinner setting, so there were plenty of ways she could make a poor impression.
Hannah washed, changed, and re-combed her hair, putting it back into a neat bun. She recalled Teresa’s fashionable hair arrangement. Hannah had no skill for such things. At least her black hair was thick and long and had a little curl to it.
As promised, Teresa came for her at six. “Kenneth is away, so it’ll be you, me, Father, and Leah for dinner tonight,” she explained as they descended the stairs.
They walked down a corridor that resembled a tunnel or covered walkway. Hannah swept her eyes over the various courtyards on either side of her.
“Dinner is always at six when Father is home, and we meet directly in the dining room. When he’s not—” Teresa grinned at Hannah. “We have more fun with the times and the menu. Kenneth is good to us like that.”
They reached the end of the walkway and turned again into a more ornately furnished section of the home. “Library,” Teresa called as they walked by various rooms. “Drawing room and now the dining room.”
Hannah followed Teresa inside. It was such a large room for the four of them. They could have fit twice as many people at the table.
“Good evening, Papa.” Teresa greeted the man in the room with a kiss on the cheek.
Lord Putnam was surprisingly better looking than Hannah had expected. She thought she’d find a grizzled old man with a snarl. He moved with the ease and energy of a young man, and he was rather tall and broad. His brown hair was darker than Teresa’s and had streaks of gray at the temples.
Lord Putnam stared at Hannah, his light gray eyes piercing her.
Hannah held his gaze. He’ll not unnerve me.
“Papa, this is Miss Hannah Northrop,” Teresa said.
“Good evening, Lord Putnam.” Hannah curtsied.
“You look like Maria,” he remarked quietly, his voice a deep bass.
Hannah supposed she did in some ways. Her aunt had occasionally visited her when she’d been in the orphanage. But it’d been several years since she’d last seen her, perhaps because her aunt had grown ill.
“Papa!” exclaimed Teresa. “Say hello.”
“Miss Northrop.” He gave her a curt nod and walked towards the table.
Teresa shook her head and then smiled at Hannah. “You can sit next to me.” She leaned over. “I’ll show you everything you need to do,” she whispered.
A younger girl, who appeared to be about twelve years of age, raced into the room and then stopped short. She had Lord Putnam’s pale gray eyes and the same light brown hair that Teresa had, but hers was finer. “I forgot you were coming today,” she said.
“This is my younger sister, Leah, and your new pupil,” Teresa said.
The girls exchanged pleasantries and a few words of light conversation.
Lord Putnam seemed aggravated. “Can we eat now, Teresa?”
Teresa shot him a sunny smile as though his tone hadn’t fazed her at all. “Of course, Papa.”
Dinner was a quiet affair. Lord Putnam ignored Hannah and was, in general, non-communicative except when Teresa’s long monologues required a response from him. Hannah didn’t speak much either.
Leah was more willing to converse. She appeared to be an amiable child but didn’t quite have Teresa’s energy and enthusiasm. Hannah wasn’t sure if that was because of the company or if this was her true nature. If so, she’d probably make an easy though not exciting pupil.
Lord Putnam finished eating and immediately retired for the night. The girls ate sweets in the drawing room while playing a game of charades, and then it was time for bed.
Hannah laid in the darkness of her room. So different from the orphanage. Soft, comfortable bed. Warm room. Quiet. Privacy. My first day at Archer Hall with the Barclay family. Such an odd combination of personalities. But not nearly as bad as I was afraid it would be. I’ll see what tomorrow brings.
#
The next day, Teresa gave Hannah a tour of the estate. It was damp and chilly, so she opted for the carriage to show Hannah the grounds. They rolled out past the entrance tower building.
“Papa’s estate is mostly forests, so he does timber for business and things,” Teresa explained. “I won’t take you through all of them. There are a few charming clearings, but otherwise, a forest is pretty much a forest.”
Hannah chuckled.
“There’s farmland too, but we don’t have too many tenants,” Teresa said. “The crops are for us and to help keep Laidley Park.”
“What’s Laidley Park?” Hannah asked.
“It’s Papa’s second property in Wiltshire. He likes to hunt there. Hopefully, we’ll visit sometime soon. It’s prettier than Archer Hall though much smaller.” Teresa paused. “It had belonged to Lady Putnam by way of her brother, so the land had been in your family once upon a time ago.”
Hannah had snatches of memories living in a smaller, picturesque home, but that was it. And she had no idea that a larger piece of property had once been in her more extended family.
The following day, Teresa gave Hannah an overview of where Leah was in her studies, and they worked out a loose division of responsibilities. Leah needed to begin lessons involving etiquette and such, so Teresa would be responsible for that, history, and languages. Hannah would take over her writing, reading, and arithmetic.
On day four, Teresa stood with her hands on her hips before Hannah. “Is that the only dress you own?”
Trying to fit in as best she could, Hannah had been switching between her two best dresses and attempting to mask it with aprons and kerchiefs. Apparently, she hadn’t disguised well enough.
“No,” replied Hannah. “I have other work dresses, skirts, and blouses as well.”
Teresa frowned. “That simply won’t do. You must have a proper wardrobe.”
“I don’t have the funds at the moment, but I can—”
“Nonsense, we’ll buy your wardrobe. I have enough on hand for at least two new dresses, so we’ll see the seamstress today and start on those immediately. I’ll speak with Papa about getting more over the next few weeks.”
Teresa silenced Hannah’s protests and busied herself with starting her new wardrobe. After getting over the initial shock, Hannah relaxed and enjoyed the project. The one garment was a simple white dress, but the fabric hung wonderfully and would be appropriate for dinner. The other dress was white with gray flowers and reminded Hannah of the one Teresa wore the day she’d arrived. Teresa also showed her a few ways to wear the matching hair ribbons.
Hannah’s first week at the Barclay estate passed uneventfully, as she endeavored to get acclimated to her new surroundings. She liked Teresa and Leah. Lord Putnam was as she had expected, but since he didn’t bother her, Hannah found she could more than live with that.
