Taming Jane

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Jane could not close her jaw when she saw Southerby House for the first time. She had felt lethargic for the whole journey but was wide awake as the house came into view. The word ‘house’ did not do it justice.

It was a large white castle, with the beautiful walls covered in green ivy that made it look truly magical. There were several columns that supported the upper levels and those too were wrapped in a thick layer of the enchanting looking ivy.

As the carriage pulled up in front of the house Jane stepped down from it looking upwards. She had to shield her eyes from the sun to try and view the very top of the house.

“Wow,” she breathed. As she looked away from the house and surveyed her surroundings she noticed several well dressed footmen helping the driver unload her trunks from the carriage.

“Welcome, Miss Alcott,” said a tall and proper man. He looked about forty with his brown hair beginning to grey at the sides and his grey eyes looking quite wise. Jane assumed that he was the butler. “I am Charles Short, the butler here at Southerby, if you should require anything at all let me know, or Claire,” he gestured for one of the maids who was standing outside the doors with the rest of the staff. Claire stepped forward and smiled at Jane. “Claire will be looking after you for the duration of your stay.”

“Thank you, Mr Short, but a maid is not necessary,” she blushed slightly.

Mr Short looked a little confused. “If you’re sure, ma’am,” he said cautiously. He turned to the rest of the staff and clapped his hands once. One by one they all dispersed back to their duties.

Jane could not believe she was actually at Southerby House. She couldn’t believe she was a guest of Daniel’s and she couldn’t believe that everything that had happened during her stay in London had happened. It was beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

“Where is Lord Southerby, can I ask?” Jane asked Mr Short curiously as he led her inside the house. Again, Jane was amazed. Everything was immaculate. The tables, the ornaments, the paintings, the candlesticks, everything was perfect.

“He asked me to extend his apologies, ma’am, for he is in a meeting with his estate supervisor. He shouldn’t be too long, but he asked me to give you a tour and to show you your quarters,” Mr Short said formally. Jane wondered what was above stairs. The grand staircase was so enticing, and she’d always been too curious for her own good.

“What is up there?” she asked without thinking of the impropriety of her curiosity.

“Lord Southerby’s private chambers, Lady Sabine’s bedchamber, his Lordship’s private library, the family’s portrait gallery ...” Mr Short kept listing rooms but Jane was fixed on the portrait gallery. What a fascinating thing. She loved looking at the frozen faces. Her family had never owned any portraits but there was a family in town that had paid for a sitting and everybody loved viewing it. She wished that her parents had paid for a portrait though ... the image of her father in her mind had faded, she could only ever remember his happy blue eyes or his wide smile.