Re: Knowl Park
Chapter 6 Part 2
As he walked arm in arm with his friend around the rose beds, Philip pointed at them, at the trees, at the hills beyond, but his quiet words were of a completely different subject. “I have an idea.”
Looking past the maid, and making sure the butler was far enough away that he couldn’t hear, Philip asked “Daisy, are you willing to help? Don’t speak, just look down for a moment if you will”
She knew exactly what Philip was talking about, so a second later she looked down at one of the rose bushes before looking back up. Turning a corner to pass directly in front of the maid, Philip breathed, “you could be dismissed, and your husband too if you are caught.”
She pretended to adjust Charlotte’s collar as she quietly replied, “We’re moving to Roger’s parents so we can look after them as soon as Charlotte turns twenty-one. Don’t worry about us.”
Pointing at a hawk hovering over the Ha-Ha, Philip whispered, “Come to the manor as soon as you can.”
Four days later, Daisy Dickens called at the manor house kitchen where she was welcomed by the cook and her staff. After Philip’s visit to Wardle Mansion, Daisy had told him that the wedding date was already set, then told him when she had her next day off.
Charlotte’s maid was led to Albert’s study where Philip and his other friends were waiting.
Daisy began, “We have five weeks and two days weeks. Sir Charles intends for Charlotte to marry his business acquaintance at eleven o’clock on her twenty-first birthday at All Saints Church in the village.”
It’s all arranged. The vicar is in Charles’s pay and he will do whatever old Wardle says.
Noticing that Daisy had not used the lord’s title, Philip took over the conversation. “I need to show you all something”
Taking a large iron key from his father’s desk, he then walked to the wall opposite the study windows and slid a floor length tapestry aside to reveal an ordinary door, bolted at the top.
Passing through, the group were presented with a corridor running from left to right with heavy doors at each end, both bolted shut.
Pointing to the left Philip said, “That leads to a small high-walled yard, with a gate into the lane round the side of the manor.”
Indicating the door to their right he continued. “The other side of that door is hidden behind the old Welsh Dresser in the scullery.”
Opposite was another floor length tapestry. When slid aside, it revealed a low, fake Norman Arch complete with a heavy iron-studded oak door, which Philip now unlocked with the key he had been holding.
The click as the mechanism released was barely audible, and the door opened inwards with only a breath-like whisper of air.
“My brother and I found this when I was ten. There had been rumours of secret tunnels, but we never found them. Instead, we came across all this. It took us a month to find the key, and another week to get the door open. I cleaned and oiled the lock and hinges as soon as I found out about Charlotte and Jonathan.
“After you ladies and gentleman.”
There were gasps as they found themselves inside a beautiful but tiny chapel. Pews to seat ten, twelve at a squeeze, and three stone seats built into the lime-plaster walls on each side, painted with now faded whitewash.
A simple alter faced them with candle stubs in two plain brass holders. A few candle brackets were spaced along the walls. The only natural light came from a pair of arched stained-glass windows at the end.
A single door to the left led off to a tiny vestry with an iron-bound door on the far side, bolted from the inside, again leading to the small yard shielded from the lane to the side of the house.
“It was built a hundred and sixty years ago, twenty years after the manor was built, and hasn’t been used for fifty years. It can’t be seen from the lane, and until today, only my family knew about it.”
“I have written to the Bishop of the local Diocese and asked him to have it re-consecrated, dedicated again as a place of worship, and licenced for marriage.”
“He is sending someone here tomorrow. I told him why I wanted it doing, and the urgency, but I may have hinted that it was me that was marrying a lady who would otherwise be forced into a marriage she does not want.
“I shall of course explain the truth to the vicar upon his arrival. I offered to pay a … small contribution to the Diocese, and pay all the vicar’s expenses including travel, food, and lodging, as well as the wedding itself.”
“I also explained that I needed the lady’s Banns to be read here every week for four weeks as prescribed by law, and the wedding must begin no later than nine o’clock on the morning of her twenty-first birthday.”
Holding both of Millie’s hands, Philip said, “I need to ask you a favour. Charlotte is about your height and build; would you be willing to lend her a spare maid’s outfit? I will of course replace it with a new one.”
“I intend for Charlotte to smuggle herself out of her home each time the Banns are read, and for the wedding day itself, but she needs a disguise!”
Millie didn’t need to think about it. “Of course, I’ll fetch one straight away.”
“Bring everything. Dress, apron, cap, perhaps a duster and cloth or two.” After she had left, Philip turned to Daisy. “I need you to show her how to dress properly, how to act, especially turning her face to the wall when a family member walks by. We don’t do that here, but I know it is required at the mansion.”
“Hair tucked into her cap, a little beetroot juice rubbed on her cheeks. A slouch, a stoop! Teach her to stoop. Get her to lower her voice. Anything at all to make her unrecognisable.”
“Then I need you to teach her the safest way from anywhere in the house to the outside scullery door, and then she can away through the orchard.”
“She knows the grounds better than Sir Charles. Knows the safest routes, places to hide from when we played there as children.”
“She needs to practice getting out and back into the house. Tell her to head for the old rope swing each time. It’s not there now be she knows the tree.”
“William,” turning to his friend, “will you meet Charlotte each time, and return her? Take Millie as well of course,” receiving a firm nod in reply.
© January 2021