Death of a Duchess, Nellie Steele [non fiction books to read .txt] 📗

“Lenora! Do not interrupt whilst I tell you about your surprise!” I bit my lip, lowering my eyes. “For your birthday, I have planned a special trip for us!”

My face rose, meeting her gaze. My lips formed a grin and my eyes widened with excitement. My mother smiled, pleased at my response. “Oh, how exciting it shall be!” she continued.

“When will we leave?” I queried.

“After breakfast!”

My grin widened. “Where are we going, Mum?”

“That, my dear Lenora, is a surprise! Though we must pack a few things for you! And we must hurry, Lenora. We cannot dally if we hope to leave on time.”

I nodded, scurrying from my bed. My mother pulled a small, worn suitcase from the hall into my room. She plopped it on my bed and flung it open. I assisted her in packing a few dresses, a nightgown, and a pair of shoes. As she snapped it shut, I grinned at her.

“And now we shall have breakfast and be on our way!”

I giggled and clapped my hands. I rushed through my breakfast, eating all my porridge with no complaints. My legs swung under my chair with unbridled excitement. My mother offered a smile as she cleaned the pot at the sink. I grinned back at her, a giggle escaping my lips as my enthusiasm brimmed over.

In addition to my exhilaration over the adventure, it pleased me to see my mother happy. When I finished my breakfast, I carried my bowl to her to wash and helped her with the remaining breakfast chores.

After we finished, my mother said, “All done! Ready, darling?”

I nodded enthusiastically. She took my hand and led me to the foyer. She draped my cape over my shoulders and gathered my suitcase in one hand. Her fingers closed around my hand and she led me outside.

“Where is your suitcase, Mum?” I inquired as we stepped out of the house.

“I sent my things ahead!” she informed me.

A horse-drawn carriage awaited us at the end of our walk. The sight made my mind whirl with possibilities. I trembled as we climbed into the carriage, unable to contain my elation.

We traveled for over an hour before the carriage teetered and ground to a halt. The coachman knocked at the door and opened it. “Stuck in a ditch, ma’am. Could you and the child climb out while I try to free it?”

My mother’s eyes went wide. “No!” she breathed.

“It is not too chilly, and the sun is shining. It should be warm enough for the child.”

“Please, try to hurry,” my mother urged as we stepped down from the carriage.

The coachman spent half an hour freeing our stuck transportation. My mother paced the entire time, biting her fingernails. I attempted to soothe her, but she remained distraught over the delay.

Finally, the carriage pulled free of the ditch and we boarded and were off again. As Glasgow came into view, I glued myself to the window. The buildings and city’s bustle excited me as a child. The city seemed mysterious and intriguing. I could not wait to explore it with my mother.

I glanced back at her; a smile stuck on my face. “May we visit a toy store?” I asked.

My mother offered a coy smile. “We shall see,” she answered.

The carriage wound through the city’s streets, arriving outside of a large, ornate building. As we disembarked, my mother spoke a few words to the coachman. He nodded and leaned against the carriage. My mother wrapped her hand around mine and we ascended the stairs to the building.

Mum pushed open one of the doors and pulled me into the large foyer. I gaped around at the space. I had never seen a space so large. The stones creating the floor seemed larger than me! Colorful stained-glass windows rimmed the length of the area, placed every few feet. The sun passed through the windows on one side, casting soft colors across the gray stones.

The scene delighted me. I raced to each window, studying each with great interest. They depicted various religious scenes. I skipped from one to the other, even examining the unlit windows carefully.

The colors splaying across the floor enchanted me. I imagined them coloring my light skin and tinting my clothes, turning me into a living piece of stained-glass. I held out my hands, inspecting the mosaic of pigments embellishing my skin color.

My multicolored hands brought a grin to my face, and I waved them around to catch different tints. I spun in a circle, feeling like a mythical creature come to life.

The appearance of a woman in a nun’s habit interrupted my frolicking. “Mother Superior,” my mother greeted her.

“Mrs. Hastings, I did not expect you.”

“My apologies, but the situation is quite urgent. May we speak in private?”

The nun glanced between my mother and me. After a moment, she gave a curt nod. She approached me. “Appreciating the stained glass, child?”

I nodded. “Yes, very much.”

“Let me show you where you can view more,” she promised, reaching out to take my hand.

I glanced to my mother, unsure. She nodded at me. “Go on, Lenora.” I took the woman’s hand and allowed myself to be led away. Before we rounded the corner to leave the entrance hall behind, I glanced back. My mother fidgeted with her gloves as she stared after me. She wore an odd expression on her face. I failed to understand its meaning at the time, though as I aged, I understood it all too well.

It marked the last occasion I would see my mother. Mother Superior left me in the care of two other nuns, one older and one younger named Sister Mary Margaret. She whispered something to the two nuns before stalking away.

Sister Mary took me to the courtyard. It amazed me to find a garden wrapped inside the building. I spent an hour exploring the greenery, staring up at the open sky ringed by the stone buildings and learning about the plants.

“This is wonderful!” I exclaimed. “May we show it to my mum?”

Sister Mary Margaret’s