Chapter 5. Wellbrook Hall at Essex County
“Welcome Ladies, welcome to Wellbrook Hall of Bridesgate Park Estate,” the Housekeeper, Martha Briggs, called Briggs, curtsied in respect to her master’s guests. She stood with a warm, gracious set of capable hands and outstretched arms as she accepted their cloaks and hats and bid them inside the Georgian mansion as they stepped off the grand front steps and four columned portico, entering the foyer of the Earl’s country manor in Essex. In charge of purchasing supplies, paying vendors, menu planning, cleaning schedules, daily duties and the comings and goings of the female staff in the employ of her Master, she wore a ring of keys to every room in the mansion.
She donned a dignified long, solid black, typical housekeeper’s dress with few frills or adornments to her uniform, signifying her business oriented nature. She was well in command of her duties and as such, only lower in rank and command to the butler, who oversaw all of the household staff, footmen, stable hands, groomsmen and groundskeepers. (A reliable estate manager handled relations with tenants and everything to do with making the estate profitable was not currently present, but mentioned briefly during introductions that soon followed).
Lady Margaret considered the housekeeper momentarily. There was little doubt in her mind that the housekeeper’s wardrobe was equipped with at least five similar black dresses, each with simple but elegant trim, perhaps slightly different than the one Briggs might have worn the day before. The dress uniform the housekeeper wore today had two pearl buttons at the side of her high neck collar of dark black lace and one pearl button at each wrist. Unlike the parlor maids, ladies’ maid, the cook and the scullery maid, she wore no crisply starched, white work apron for most of her duties and no cap on her neatly arranged hair which was pulled into an attractive and neat knot just above her collar.
Briggs, with a friendly smile and kind eyes they could now focus on, continued speaking (while three footmen created as little commotion as possible as they carried and stacked trunks, hat boxes, satchels and packages in the foyer near the staircase) and held out an extended arm to guide the ladies toward the line of household servants waiting to greet them. “The Earl has been delayed, but he sent a courier with a note expressing his deepest apologies. He is expected to arrive later today for the evening meal, ma’am, and has asked me to attend to your every request as if I were attending the Master of the house himself. Here is the letter he sent and if I may introduce you to some of our staff, I will be happy to personally show you to your rooms, m’lady. I’m certain you may want to rest from your journey and settle into your rooms as soon as possible.”
Upon seeing the dignified manner in which they were welcomed to the Earl’s country estate in Essex, Lady Margaret Elaine Colton was most relieved and a little breath of relief escaped her lips, partly from being glad to have finished their long journey across land and sea, and partly from having finished climbing the steps leading up to the portico after having fallen into a rather bumpy sleep in the coach. Every bone and muscle in her body seemed to ache for rest from the jostling they’d endured. “Yes, thank you. It was very kind of the Earl to send an escort and we are most happy to be out of the coach and to have survived our journey. It is a dangerous time to be crossing France. We are so thankful to have arrived and to be on British soil.”
She accepted the note offered her on the little silver tray held out by the butler who had opened the double front doors for them. She opened her reticule and dropped it safely inside to read in privacy later and as they neared the line of household servants standing attentively along the length of the foyer, she drew Lady Georgiana closer to her side and clasped her arms gently around her daughter-in-laws elbow and said firmly to all present, “Thank you for your most kind welcome, all of you. We are both Lady Colton so, please, to prevent confusion, from this day forthwith you may address me as Lady Margaret and my daughter, as Lady Georgiana. We hope to cause you little inconvenience and are delighted to meet you.”
Georgiana observed a few of the servants smile warmly or nod and bob in response to Lady Margaret’s fine greeting.
“‘Tis a fine day when our Master’s guests and cherished family bestow graciousness upon us,” Briggs replied, her face lighting up with pleasure to be the recipient of the fine manners and kindness of Lady Margaret. True ladies, in her opinion, always found a way to show genuine kindness in all or almost everything they did and said. Lady Georgiana smiled warmly and followed Lady Margaret’s lead in her own actions. Lady Margaret appreciated the reference to being counted among the Earl’s “cherished family,” but how they were actually treated whilst there remained to be seen.
“You’ll meet the children at suppertime.” Briggs explained, “They are having their arithmetic and violin lessons at present.”
After numerous introductions by name of each of the servants standing in the long line in the foyer and the usual formalities of all great country houses upon the arrival of guests, they would be hard put to remember after such a journey as theirs, they were ushered past a set of double doors on each side of the grand staircase in the center of the foyer and Briggs led the ladies up the steps to the second floor. A ladies’ maid followed along with a number of footmen carrying trunks and baggage from a safe distance behind and another maid with their cloaks and bonnets. The ladies, though new to Wellbrook Hall, tried not to stare at their lavish surroundings overly much, as it was not proper to do so. It was not as if they had not been entertained or welcomed into fine houses and even castles before, and often into the homes of heads of state, and many important men and their families throughout Europe, from time to time, on such occasions as warranted, owing to or because of Viscount Duncan Colton’s prestige as an artist.
Lady Margaret was a veritable fortress of unusual and interesting tales from the various travels in which she had accompanied her husband on many of his commissions to paint portraits of noble families. On this occasion, as they were coming out of such desperate and humbling circumstances, they each tried to remember to act accustomed to their surroundings though their husbands had eventually chosen to live in a less formal setting, charming and elegant nonetheless in its’ own way; and though the past year had been a most trying one to them. Hopefully hard times would soon be behind them both for good.
They were led down the long hall to the left of the top of the staircase and as they arrived at the last two doors on the right side of the hall, Briggs turned and explained, “The Earl thought you would be most suited to these rooms facing the gardens. These rooms each have their own sitting rooms. Lady Margaret, if I may show you the two rooms and you may select which room you should like best and if these rooms are to your satisfaction, Lady Georgiana may have the other so you will be close to each other. The Earl thought you might find this arrangement to your liking. He specifically instructed me to inform you that his family also sleeps on this floor and that you are both welcomed to dine with the family at all meals unless you are ill, in which case, of course, I will be happy to arrange for a tray to be sent up.”
“What time is breakfast?” Lady Margaret inquired.
“Eight o’clock, dinner or light luncheon at noon, tea at three o’clock, supper is usually served at seven,” Briggs replied.
“I prefer a tray at breakfast,” Lady Margaret responded, “If it is no trouble, at about nine o’clock.”
“No trouble, ma’am,” Briggs replied with a respectful nod. She turned to Lady Georgiana with one eyebrow raised.
“Uh, I will generally be eating with the family,” Georgiana replied to the raised eyebrow.
“Excellent,” Briggs said as she found the right key and slid it into one of the doorknobs.
Margaret was starting to beam with joy and relief at all of this news meant to set her at ease from the start. The Earl had obviously considered every aspect of their needs and concerns. He had carefully instructed his housekeeper on how he desired his relations t
o be treated. Briggs had unlocked the first of the two doors and led them into a suite of rooms with gold carpet decorated entirely in shades of violet, lavender and dark purple piping and trim. They swept in past the sitting room to survey the bedroom first and be able to yet view the sitting room.
The coverlet on the double bed, the skirting and drapes around the bedposts and the drapes on the windows as well as the sofa, chairs and chaise lounge, were all in one shade or another of these violet and purple colors. Some were in floral, some items covered with fabrics in various prints and some in coordinating plaids, some in solids—but all in lovely shades of purples and lavender. It was a lovely country estate bedroom, befitting a princess.
The mahogany furniture added richness to the suite and a lovely dressing table with three large gilt framed mirrors and a violet silk cushioned bench was a delightful addition to the room. A hip bath behind a dressing screen near the fireplace was a welcome sight with steaming hot water. Lady Georgiana began removing her gloves, one finger at a time. She could hardly wait to indulge in a bath. Every muscle in her body ached from the jostling of the coach.
The sitting room in the front of the suite was also equipped with a fireplace, lovely pictures, a writing desk and chair, the sofa, chairs, end tables and a small tea table with four small chairs. A large gilt framed mirror and several portraits made the room seem larger and more spacious. Numerous pillows in all shapes and sizes along with extra quilts adorned the bedroom on two mahogany quilt racks. A large recessed window seat made the bedroom attractive with a cushion and more pillows all around for added comfort and warmth. Another fireplace, a tall wardrobe for gowns, a bureau and mirror with numerous drawers, two mahogany night stands with oil lamps on each side of the bed and the grand four poster bed and chaise lounge adorned the bedroom.
“I think this room should be yours Georgiana, but let’s take a look at the other, shall we?” Lady Margaret said in a reserved but pleased tone.
“Yes, this room is very lovely,” Georgiana agreed as she peered out the window seat to a view of the gardens below. She was in fact delighted with that window seat and had always secretly longed for one.
Briggs led the way to the room next door, unlocking the door while the footmen brought another trunk up the staircase and the maids waited in the hall for further instructions. The ladies swept in, anxious to see what awaited them. The color scheme was done in peach and cream with hints of cheerful pinks and yellows for trim. It was a lovely set of rooms but being a corner room of the estate, with more windows than the previous suite. The sitting room had a set of French doors leading out onto a private balcony. The bedroom had two long windows on either side of the fireplace and a recessed window seat on the far wall. Both rooms were equipped with furniture much the same as the violet suite. Everything was very cheerful in the peach colors and Georgiana was immediately of the opinion that this suite was perfect for her mother-in-law. In some way she suspected the color scheme would help her mother forget the heavy weight of losses from days that would soon be only faded and distant memories of the past, even more so than they were now. “I think this suite should be yours, ma mère! ¹ Look at these vivacious colors! How very cheerful! One couldn’t shed a tear in these happy rooms, but especially in these colors.”
“If you are pleased with it to be this way then,” Lady Margaret said hesitantly. She had always longed for a peach room and she ran her fingers along the drapes and silks hanging around the four poster bed. How she loved this room…
“I am!” Lady Georgiana said resolutely, turning to Briggs to make their decision clear and showing that she was to some degree in charge of seeing to her mother-in-law’s happiness and preferences before her own. “If you would please have my dear mother’s belongings brought to this room and mine, to the violet, we would be most delighted.”
Briggs nodded and immediately went to give directions to the footmen waiting patiently and breathlessly in the hall after they’d finished bringing all baggage and trunks up the staircase and down the long hall. She was glad they hadn’t taken long to decide which rooms they desired to occupy; she had a great many things to do today, starting with reminding the staff of the below stairs meeting with Bradley at the helm of the servants’ dinner table only a week ago. He had instructed the staff to do as the Earl had commanded and to treat these relations with the utmost of respect and kindness. The staff
¹ma mère = my mother
needed to remember that even though they were taking on the role of governess and chaperone/companion, the Ladies Colton were distant family and as such, to be treated with the same respect as the rest of the Master’s family.
“Shall I send up two trays for tea or one?” Briggs asked efficiently when she returned.
“Deux… uh… pardon moi… two, if it’s no trouble,” Lady Margaret said as she untied her straw bonnet and the large bow set to the side of her chin. It was good to be in England again… so very good… if only she could remember to speak more English than French. Thank you Lord Jesus for bringing us to this lovely new place we can call home. She peered out the window beside the fireplace in her peach room. Would she ever get used to not seeing the mountains? Everything seemed so flat. Rolling, pleasant, lush, green, but nonetheless, quite flat. She removed her summer traveling shawl and yawned ever so slightly as she stepped up the footstool to reach the bed and sat down on the coverlet to see if it was comfortable. “I think I shall fall asleep before it even arrives, but it would be nice to have it here upon waking.”
“Yes ma’am, my Lady,” Briggs smiled. “Two trays of tea shall be sent up at once. Supper is served at seven, in the dining room at the foot of the stairs, to the left of the foyer if you are coming down the staircase from this direction. If you need anything, just pull this bell.”
Lady Georgiana nodded at Briggs and they exchanged a smile, for Lady Margaret was already asleep, and softly, snoring.
“She is going to sleep so well,” Lady Georgiana whispered.
Briggs nodded, her head to one side as she surveyed the weary traveler. Who could not help but be endeared to these pleasant ladies? In her own whisper as they tiptoed out of Lady Margaret’s room and waited for the maids and footmen to finish putting the trunks and cloaks where Georgiana had directed, Briggs added warmly, “I’ll just show you where the bell pull is in your room and then I’ll be out of your way. I’m certain you must both be exhausted.”
Ruth 2: 1-3 (Authorized King James Version)
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. ...