Dear Lady of Capesthorne

Thirty minutes, two cups of tea and a breakfast of bacon and rye toast later, Cecily was ready to go. After checking to make sure that her belongings were securely fastened, she mounted Czar. The gray horse was anxious to get moving, as was Cecily, now that she was awake.

Her cheeks flushed rosy by the cold morning air and anticipation of the day ahead, she smiled warmly at Grendell before kicking Czar into a trot.

Riding side by side, Moose tagged along after them, sniffing at the trails of squirrels and hares.

"How did I end up married to a morning person?" she asked with mock exasperation. The open road unfolding before them, she winked at Grendell and urged Czar faster. The horse eagerly picked up pace stretching his legs. Gren's mount kept pace with Czar and soon the pair of them were hurtling down the road in a full gallop.

Cecily laughed out loud, elated by the feeling of freedom and just being alive, her hood sliding back from her head as they raced for the bend in the road. Reigning Czar back to a walk, she looked over her shoulder to see how far back they'd left Moose.
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.:Ellesmere Port:.

The road north was muddy and dotted with puddles from yesterday's rains. Cecily and Grendell rode through the rolling land, sheep grazing by the road, the occasional peasant's cottage speckling hillsides. As they neared the Ellesmere Port, the farms became closer together. A woman gathering kindling looked at them with curiosity and curtsied as they rode by, a young girl hiding behind her skirts.

The small village sprang up along the road leading to the manor. Most of the houses were one story wooden structures. Cecily grew up in such a house and could picture the inside divided into two rooms, one for the family the other for the animals on cold nights. There were a few larger homes interspersed, likely the homes of merchants and tradesmen.

The River Mersey, swollen by the rains, flowed swiftly behind the homes and warehouses on the eastern side of the road.

The half-timbered manor house appeared in the distance, its imposing stone chimneys cold. A low stone wall surrounded the house, the river in the distance behind. The manor was more than twice the size of her home in Beeston, but nearer they came, the more apparent was its state of neglect.

Sanja

It was a cold and dark morning. Sanja was exsausted from her long trip. She had no home, and was hungry, but it was nothing comparing to what she felt inside. Her mind was overflemmed with thoughts that were destroying her..."I really need a friend to talk to", she thought.

Beeston started to appear in front of her. She smiled "Finally, my birth town". Starting to gain strenght, she rushed toward Cecily's house. "I can't wait to see her, its been a long time."

Sanja knocked at Cecilys door, hoping that she is home. Unfamiliar girl opened the door with a smile on her face "Can I help you?", "Oh, Im sorry, Im looking for Cecily, we are friends from some time ago", girl smiled "Please, come in, warm yourself up, Cecily should be home soon"

Sanja decided to come in and wait for Ceci. It was a warm and cozy place, and it felt good to be inside again.

:Ellesmere Port:.

The oak door groaned on its hinges as she pushed it open, surprised to find it unlocked.

“Hello...” she called out, her voice echoing through the vacant hall. Shrugging she looked to Gren and entered. They explored the first floor, its gracious rooms with oak paneled wall and large fireplaces dirty but impressive none the less.

They made their way upstairs, peeking into the rooms on either side of the long hall. Cecily wrapped her arms around Grendell's waist. “What are we going to do with this place?” she mused.

The groaning of the front door announced a visitor. She peered down the stairs to see who had arrived. A woman with auburn hair, streaked with gray was poking into the downstairs rooms, presumably looking for them. The woman's hips looked too wide for the rest of her body. Her small eyes and beakish nose gave her the appearance of a chicken.

“Oh hello, Your Grace, Milady.” the woman stammered falling into a clumsy curtsy. “Name is Hattie, Hattie Clerk. I saw you come through town earlier.” Hattie glanced from Cecily to Grendell before continuing.

“Poor Gerard, the caretaker, has been ill. You see, he took in his brother's daughter. Rumor is she fell in love with a pirate who left her with child...the unfortunate wench...although I suspect...” Hattie stopped to take a breath “Anyway, Gerard has not been the same since. Would you like something to eat? I brought some....” Hattie stuck her nose into a basket and began pulling out food. “Will you be staying long?”

Cecily looked to Grendell, knowing that if they did not make their escape now, Hattie would have them filled in on all the town gossip over the next several hours.

“We are just passing through this trip and can't stay, isn't that right Darling? It was a pleasure to meet you and we will be sure to stay longer on our next visit.” She began moving towards the door.

Back on the road out of town, Cecily started laughing. “What are we going to do with that place and more importantly, what are we going to do with that woman?”

Grendell

I DON'T KNOW JUST KEEP RIDING' He shouts.

Behind them Moose pants charging to keep up.

Reaching the outskirts he slows down again, 'No reallyl, she obviously means well - maybe you should appoint a constable to care for the place, surely someone would want tthe responsibilty. In the meantime I think the mill is looking better and better. Wharton's Lock is only the Mill and Jack Cades I admit, but its cosey, we have the river, we have the bar, and theres plenty of land around it. Plus the Council House chambers are cold since NNGO stole all the winter supplies. I'm voting the mill for us. What do you think my sweetness?'

Jennibelle

.: Beeston :: Capesthorne Residence :.

"Betsy ... you want me to do what?" Jen just looked at the woman in amazement. "I can't take Clover with me."

"But you need someone to look after your new home ... and I need to keep Clover from making moon eyes at older boys." Betsy's tone was firm and for some reason Jen didn't think that she would listen to Jen if she said no.

"But Chester ... it's a big city. Bigger then Beeston. You ..."
"My lady ... you will be taking Clover and you will let her take care of your home."

Jen just blinked again. Betsy never seemed to stop amazing her. The older woman placed a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, as a new bride you will have other things to think of instead of worrying if dinner has been made or not." Betsy's eyes continued to say something past what came out of her mouth.

"You worry about me too much, Betsy." Jen smiled at the older woman and embraced her. "I'll make sure she adjusts to the big city." She whispered in Betsy's ear. Not that Chester was bigger then Dublin, but the girl would still look like a goose trying to see everything. The thought made Jen laugh to herself. A loud knock at the door. Turning she shooed Betsy back to the kitchen as she almost ran to the door.

"Maybe Cecily has some packages ..." Jen thought as she almost pulled the door off the hinges to say hello to her dear friend. To her surprise there was a strange woman at the door. "Can I help you?" Jen's tone stayed warm and she could only hope that her face didn't betray her confusion.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm looking for Cecily, we are friends from some time ago."
"Please, come in, warm yourself up, Cecily should be home soon."

Jen ushered Cecily's friend into the parlor. "I hope you had a safe journey ... ghastly morning ... I'm Jenibelle ...." She let her sentence drop as she walked to the decanter of Brandy and poured the woman a glass so she could warm up by the fire.

Leaving Ellesmere Port, they chatted excitedly about the new mill, their first home together. Her house had to be packed up, items moved, items sold. She hoped she could find a renter or a buyer.

It was one of those days that seemed to get colder and darker as it progressed. By noon it was raining, alternating from a cold drizzle to heavy sheets. Her cloak did little to repel the water and she was soon soaked through and chilled to the bone. The horses were exhausted but plugged along and Moose followed miserably behind them, tail between his legs, stopping to shake every few minutes.

They finally pulled down Cecily's drive late that afternoon and left the horses with Rowan. She shed her soaked cloak as they walked to the house, it wasn't keeping her warm anyway and must have weighed twenty pounds.

Inside, Betsy took one look at her and flew into a tizzy. "Child, look at you..." she gasped, "Are you trying to catch your death? Your lips are blue and you look half dead already. Upstairs with you...."

As she was being pushed passed the parlor to the stairs, Cecily noticed that she had guests. Jen and Sanja were sitting around the fire.

"Why didn't you tell me we had visitors? I am going to change in to something dry." she chattered, shivering. "Tell them we will be down in a minute."

Betsy began to protest, but thinking better of it she huffed off to inform the visitors and make tea.

Cecily turned to Grendell, rubbing the goosebumps on her arms. "Let's see if we can find something dry for you too. There is always my bathrobe...might look nice on you." she quipped.

~10 minutes later~

Cecily entered the parlor dry now except for her hair which hung damp down her back.

"Jen, I am glad you are still here. Sanja, but this is a surprise!"

She took a cup of tea from the tray left by Betsy, poured a healthy splash of brandy into it and stood with her back to the fire.

"It is so nice to see you, but I thought you were on your honeymoon down south. What brings you back to Beeston?"

Sanja

Sanja had a sip of brendy, she started to feel a bit better "Thank you for the drink, Jenibelle. Its nice to meet you. Im so sorry to pop in like this, I hoped Cecily would be home", she said with a sad smile. "I had a really long journey...yes, it was safe but really tiring and some unexpected things happened...."

She never managed to finish her sentence when Cecily showed up. Sanja smiled on sight of her friend comming at the door "I'm so glad to see you", she hugged Cecily, "I'm sorry for dropping in unannouced. Honeymoon? Right, well, we are separated already, and we agreed that its for the best that we just stay friends. I guess we never knew each other well enough. We will talk about it later, you just got home, so tell me, how was you trip?"

Sanja

Sanja had a sip of brendy, she started to feel a bit better "Thank you for the drink, Jenibelle. Its nice to meet you. Im so sorry to pop in like this, I hoped Cecily would be home", she said with a sad smile. "I had a really long journey...yes, it was safe but really tiring and some unexpected things happened...."

She never managed to finish her sentence when Cecily showed up. Sanja smiled on sight of her friend comming at the door "I'm so glad to see you", she hugged Cecily, "I'm sorry for dropping in unannouced. Honeymoon? Right, well, we are separated already, and we agreed that its for the best that we just stay friends. I guess we never knew each other well enough. We will talk about it later, you just got home, so tell me, how was you trip?"

"I see that you and Jenibelle have already met. Glad that she was here to greet you." Cecily said, hugging her friend whom she hadn't seen in months.

"Separated? Oh my dear friend. Have you traveled all this way by yourself?" Cecily could sense the pain behind Sanja's calm demeanor and knew that the rest of the story would come out when Sanja was ready. "I am so pleased you are here, and hope you will be staying for a while."

The fire hot upon her back, tea and brandy warming her from the inside, she pulled a stool up to the fire and kicked off her shoes to warm her numb feet.

"My trip...well I suppose it was a honeymoon of sorts." Cecily paused, glancing toward the door to see if Gren had come back downstairs yet. "A bit unconventional, sort of like our wedding." Answering the question that was forming on Sanja's lips, she continued, "Grendell and I were married a few weeks ago."

"Clover," she called as she saw the girl passing by the door, "Please fix a room for Sanja."

"I think we have finally decided where we will be living. Time to pack this place up."

Walking down the nice shady trail Mackenzie swings her basket and breaths in the fresh air. Oh how she loved Fall, especially when it had the nice nip of cool air and the wind picked up just as it did now, blowing her black cloak around her legs. Laughing she ran her fingers through her hair and dug a nice juicy apple out of the basket, taking a crisp bite.

Coming around the corner she stopped short, glancing up the path to Cecily's house and grinning broadly when she saw Czar's wonderful white rump grazing in the pasture. She steered up the path, her hands trying to calm her unruly hair and fingering the fist-size rip in her dress, "Oh well!" Cecily was a friend and didn't care what she looked like!

Trotting up the path she came to the door, knocking loudly.
"Good Eve Betsy! Is dear Cecily in? I've brought her a gift!"

Hearing the knock at the door, Cecily dragged herself away from her half-hearted packing. A quilt wrapped around her shoulders, she shuffled to greet the guest.

"Glad you stopped by, Mac. Come on in." she said in a scratchy voice. She felt weak and had a chill that she could not shake, but there was so much work to be done.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Betsy scolded, shaking her head and pressing her hand against Cecily's forehead. "Running a fever again." She huffed and gave her a look that said I told you so. "Go sit down while I fix you a toddy."

Cecily led Mac into the parlor and curled up in her chair by the fire.

"You look happy as a lark. What's new?"

Grendell

Finished cleaning Grendell pads down the stairs, trousers stuffed into his boot tops, shirt hanging loose, his arms raised drying his tousled hair with a towel.

Waving at everybody he leans forward and kisses Cecily briefly on the forehead. 'I'm going to be gone a day my love' he says as he chases round for a glass. 'Quick trip to Manchester, bug the neighbours and all that. Well actually take some stuff over for them that they're short of, see what I can pick up while I'm there as well. The Lock will be empty while I'm gone, given the lads a few days off to sort their own things out so while its not busy might be a nice time to move everyome over - Betsy can get sorted without boys underfoot.'

Grabbing two glasses hes throws in some whiskey and honey then adds a dash of hot water. Whisking it round he presses it into Cecily's hands. 'Here that'll put some colour into your cheeks' he tells her as he downs his own.

Eschewing the chairs he pulls open the door calling in the big dog. Giving him awarning look he sits on the floor by the fire the dog curled against him, desperate to sniff at all these new people, drooling slowly onto the rug.

"Oh Dear Cecily!" Mac exclaims collapsing in one of the soft chairs by the fire. "You look as though you feel absolutely horrid! Have you caught the bug? I had it this past weekend and must say that though I feel better my stomach is still kinda queasy. You should rest."

She pauses as Gren enters the room and smiles as he tends to her friend. It's so great they've both found love, she thinks while her fingers fiddle with the rip in her skirt. Hopefully no one will notice.

"I thought I saw Jen in town earlier, is she heading to Chester? Is Grim with her?"

Pausing so Cecily can answer Mac takes a deep breath, and realizes that she hasn't quite been quiet since she walked in the door.

Sanja

You are married? That's great", Sanja smiles, "Finally some good news, Im so happy for you two!"

"Oh, Cecily you have put smile back on my face...", she drinks up her brandy, "I am sorry I can't stay, I just dropped by to see you 'couse I am moving to Cumberland, to try rebuilding my life. I will sure miss you, and I will visit you again as soon as I can. I'll write you a letter, details about my trip and everything. Goodbye my dear friend" Sanja hugs Cecily and shakes Jen's and Mac's hands with a warm smile on her face "It has been a pleasure to meet you"

"Ah Sanja, while I don't believe we've met in the past it was absolutely wonderful meeting you! Mac smiles brightly standing up and shaking Sanja's hand.

"I hate to see you go so soon though!" Reaching down into her basket she pulls out a large shiny red apple and hands it to Sanja. "Here! For your journey! It's fresh off the tree, plucked them this morning! And Godspeed! The weather is beautiful so it should see you safely and happily home!"

She smiled at Grendell gratefully, her fingertips brushing his as she took the steaming mug from his hands.

"Sanja, please have a safe trip and write when you arrive. I can't tell you how good it was to see you and you are always welcome in my home..." glancing to Gren she corrected herself, "our home." She hugged Sanja goodbye without rising from her chair and pulled the quilt more tightly around her.

"I am not going to lie, Mac, I feel pretty miserable, but I really have no time to rest. I may crawl back in bed for a few hours, but then I need to get this house ready to close up and get packed to go to Chester. Not looking forward to the trip, feeling as I do. Jen is moving today and we are meeting Grim in Chester tonight." Sensing Mac's concern she added, "Sven is coming along too, we will be safe on the road."

After giving Betsy instructions as to what needed packing, Cecily climbed back into bed. Awakening several hours later, she felt a tiny bit better and headed out the the stables to ask Rowan to get the horses ready. Gren was getting the last of his items together for his trip. She hugged him tightly. "Have a good trip, I'll be home in a few days." she said, waving as he rode away, Moose charging after him.

"Rowan, I am going into town to check on the pub and to get a few things from the market. Have the horses and cart ready to leave in an hour."
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sanja

On a freezing winter day, while only whistles of wind could be heard, messanger leaves a letter at the door...

Dear Cecily,

It been some time since we saw each other, and Im sorry I havent written before, but I hope you will understand that my life is a mess at the moment. New town, new people, new life....It used to make me happy but now it's just hard. I think my heart belongs somewhere else...
The only good news I have is that my brother came, I saw him after a long time. He moved to Scotland though, but I hope you will meet him some day, he is a little nuisance, but ok.
Wish I had more to tell you, but Im not very active in public life at the moment, just trying to sort my life.

I really miss Besston and I hope I will be able to visit soon.

Yours trully,
Sanja

Returning to the house after a long day setting up the forge, Cecily looked with curiosity at the letter posted to her door. She turned it over in her hands as she carried it inside, laying it on the table as she poured herself a glass of wine and settled in her chair by the fire to read.

The delight of hearing from Sanja faded quickly as she read her friend's words. Draining her glass, she sat at her desk to reply.

My Dear Sanja,
I was thrilled to receive your letter, but I must say that I am worried for you. I had so hoped that Penrith would give you the peace you had been seeking.

Things in Beeston are little changed, a couple of new faces, a couple old faces gone. Grendell has recently returned after a long journey south and I am looking forward to finally getting settled in our new home together.

My sister has come from Scotland for the Yule and it has been a joy for us to get to know each other again, we had been apart for so many years.

Perhaps a long, or permanent, visit to Beeston is what you need. My door is always open to you.

Yours,
Cecily