Will You Love Me in September

I left Great-uncle Carl and Lance Clavering in York, and only then did I realize how much I had enjoyed Lance's company. His lively conversation had been so invigorating, and what I had liked most was to be treated like a grown-up person.

I had only the grooms now for the remainder of the journey. As the weather continued good, starting at dawn and riding till sunset, we had only two nightly stops at inns which had been recommended.

We rode over moors and along the sea. It thrilled and inspired me. This wild northern country was the home of my ancestors.

At length we came to Hessenfield Castle. It was not far from the coast-about a mile, I should say-and was a fine yellowstone edifice forming a quadrangle enclosing a court, and finished at the four angles with tall square towers. At the corners of these towers were projecting octagonal turrets, machicolated and clearly intended for the convenience of archers, who could drive their arrows down on an invading army.

The projecting gateway, with its turret and battlemented gallery, was most impressive, and above were the carved armorial bearings of the noble Field family, whose title was that of Hessenfield. I looked at those mullioned windows and I felt a glow of pride because this was the home of my father's family.

As we rode through the gateway, grooms came running out to see who I was and I saw at once that I was going to be made very welcome.

"His lordship said as we were to be on the lookout these last two days," said one of them. "I'll take you to him without delay.”

I dismounted and my horse was taken from me by another groom; two others came out to look after my guards and the saddle bags.

As I entered the castle I was immediately aware of its grandeur. I was accustomed to Eversleigh Court, which was a magnificent mansion; Enderby was a fine old house; but this was a castle. It owed its existence to the Normans; Eversleigh was Elizabethan and therefore comparatively modern. I was immediately struck by the thick stone walls and the spiral staircases with rope banisters in that part of the castle which was like a fortress. We emerged into the great hall-far bigger than the one at Eversleigh. On the stone walls hung weapons of another age; and when I looked up at the high vaulted roof I saw the minstrels' gallery and was reminded of Enderby.

"His lordship is in his sitting room," said the groom. "I will let him know you are here.”

In a short while I was taken up a wide staircase, through a gallery hung with portraits.

I took a quick look. All the men and women seemed very much alike. My father, I guessed, must be among them, but there was no time to search for him. The servant was hurrying me on.

We went through the gallery into a long corridor. Here there were carpets on the floor, which gave a more modern touch to the place. Comfort prevailed over antiquity.

The servant knocked on a door and I was advancing into a room. It was not a large room, but there was an air of extreme comfort there. The heavy blue curtains at the mullioned windows matched the blue of the carpet; there was a fire burning on the large grate, and seated in a chair was a man with a rug over his knees. On the chair opposite him was a young woman.

The man spoke at once but did not rise.

"You are Clarissa," he said. "At last you have come. I thought you would never arrive.”

I went toward him quickly and he took my hand. I realized then that he was an invalid.

"Forgive my not rising," he said. "The plain fact is that I can't. I have to live my life in this chair. Aimee, my dear, come and greet Clarissa." The young woman had risen. She was only a few years older than I ... perhaps eighteen, I guessed. She was beautifully dressed in a gown of deep green velvet, cut away in front to show a gray silk petticoat.

She took my hand and smiled at me. Her look was searching. I was sure she noticed how untidy my hair was and that my hands were red from the cold.

"You will be tired and want to rest," said my uncle. "You will want to wash perhaps and change and then eat. Something warm, eh? I was not sure what you would want to do first, but I was so anxious to see you as soon as you arrived. Now, say ...which is it to be? Would you like to wash first? In the kitchens they will be preparing something good to eat, and we can get to know each other over a meal.”

"It is so good to see you ..." I began.

"Uncle," he said. "I'm your uncle Paul. Your father was my eldest brother. I knew of your existence but only just became aware of where you were. I wanted so much to see you. Now, say what you would wish to do first.”

Because I was aware of the elegant appearance of the girl called Aimee I said I would like to wash and change. I could wait for food to be served for everyone. We had eaten cold bacon with bread and cheese at an inn shortly before we reached the castle.