The Next Full Moon

“Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Stop running! Talk to me girl!” Lady McGregor shouted breathlessly as she ran up the stairs. Elizabeth swung open her bedroom door and charged in. “Elizabeth, please tell me what happened!” Lady McGregor had finally caught up with Elizabeth.

“I hate this! Sir Maclan is a DOG! How could you favor him as a potential suitor? There is no amount of money in the world to make me marry him!” Lady McGregor was speechless. “Sir Maclan has laid with almost every female in the country and could care less about my autonomy! He wants my lineage and my status. House Maclan has been coming after my family since inception!” Elizabeth was screaming out her frustration.

“Elizabeth please lower your voice lest the walls not be the only ones that hear you!” Elizabeth was tearing off her evening gown and throwing it on the ground. “Sir Maclan is the most successful suitor you have to work with. His family has always been second to yours and it would only make sense that you combine the two houses.”

“I am finished! I refuse to marry any man least of all Sir Thomas Maclan!” My mistress was screaming at this point, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the remaining party guests could hear her.

“Elizabeth stop it, that is enough!” Lady McGregor rarely raised her voice, but when she did it was thunderous. This stopped Elizabeth’s tirade. Instead Elizabeth collapsed onto her bed. Lady McGregor took a deep breath before continuing. “Sir Maclan is not the most ideal suitor, but we don’t have any more options. This union would strengthen your house as well, and you owe it to your father to elevate his name, not stunt it.”

“I can elevate it myself, or at least with literally anyone other than Sir. Maclan. Please don’t make me marry him.” There was suddenly a knock on the door.

“Mistress? All the guests have gone home for the evening. Is everything alright?” It was Brigitte the scullery maid.

“Thank you Brigitte, we will be out shortly.” Instead of walking away, Brigitte slowly opened up the door and peered inside.

“Mistress, are you ok? There was quite the stir when you huffed out of the ballroom.” Brigitte spoke softly as Lady McGregor glared at her.

“What was being said once her Grace left?” Lady McGregor asked coldly.

“Many of the ladies were in disbelief that you rejected Sir Maclan’s proposal, and then horrified that you threw your punch at him.”

“Brigitte you may leave us now.” With that, Brigitte curtsied and left the room. I still remember watching her large silhouette going down the steps at the end of the hallway.

“This will hurt your father’s name tremendously. I will fix this, you get some sleep.” It was Lady McGregor’s turn to leave the room. It was just me and my mistress. I wish I could have offered her some sort of encouraging words. If it were possible I would have told her that all the walls within the manor supported her and her alone. Elizabeth had been running this manor with the help of Lady McGregor successfully for decades. There was no need for another. Elizabeth was pacing back and forth in her bedroom. She no doubt knew the enormity of her actions tonight. Elizabeth hid a secret as well that caused her to reject Sir Maclan so vehemently. Unfortunately there was nothing Lady McGregor could do to fix the situation, unless Elizabeth was there as a sign of good faith. In this moment there was only one thing to do. Apologize to Lord Thomas Maclan in order to save her house and her father's name.

Though I am just a humble load bearing wall, I was able to gain much information about the scandal that was unfolding in Manor Lunae. The servants spreading gossip, my mistress holding secret meetings with her closest confidants, and of course Lady McGregor holding her nightly meetings with the cook allotted me many different stories of the same situation. Listening to the servants I was able to gather the first section of this story.

“I don’t know how the mistress will be able to recover from this.” Referring to the latest ball.

“It isn’t for us to speculate.” The sweet familiarity of Brigitte’s voice rang through the hallway. “Besides, there isn’t anything that could crumble this house.” Brigitte was trying to sound optimistic, but I could tell that she was forcing it.

“The Ladies Moore and Spencer were heard spreading the nastiest of rumors. Those houses have always ostracized our Lady Di Wintour.”

“Of course Lady Spencer would spread rumors about our mistress. Lord Spencer has been in love with our mistress since her sixteenth birthday! He would have married Lady Di Wintour instead, if Lord Hawthorn, Lady Spencer’s father, didn't intervene. Did you hear he offered Lord Spencer the title and lands in his duchy if only he would marry his daughter? Disinherited his own son, just so someone could take that wart of a daughter off his hands.” Brigitte was not fond of Lady Spencer. “And Lady Moore comes from the same old aristocracy as our mistress. She is constantly comparing herself to the success of House Di Wintour.” This was very true. House Di Wintour was the oldest and noblest house in the whole country. It was second only to the monarchy in terms of power, and prestige. If it were possible, it would have been better if my mistress had just married directly into the monarchy, since that is the only worthy position for her.

“I also heard from others that many of the investors are ready to pull out of the Di Wintour enterprises because our mistress is ‘erratic’ and unmarried. They don’t see the Di Wintour bloodline continuing.”

“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!” Brigitte snapped at this servant. “The Di Wintour bloodline is as valuable as ever! Even if the businesses were to fracture, there are many men who covet them.” Then there was silence as they continued to change linens, and clean the bedrooms.

“There is one thing though.” Began the first servant. “Lord Charles will be coming back to the country within a week’s time. I have heard his father, the count, will be pursuing a match.”

“Lord Charles is a charlatan and a playboy coming back from war. The only thing he has to offer is the masculine presence. Our mistress is worth more than that.”

“Whatever happens I would hate to see our mistress taken advantage of because of her namesake.”

“Would you rather see our mistress taken advantage of for other reasons?” Brigitte teased. There was a scoff and then silence. Finally after replacing the linens and cleaning the bedrooms the two of them were off to continue their chores. It was an interesting take on the situation at hand. These two servants were very much worried about their own status and future. They should have known better. My mistress was very fond of her household. She would have never let anything happen to them even if the whole aristocratic society failed.

Unfortunately for everyone involved the aristocracy would not fail. The system was more severe than ever, especially for my strong willed mistress.