Book Series: Stand Alone Title
Publishing Date: 2017
Author: Anita Stansfield
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Category: LDS Historical Romance
Point of View: Third Person Limited: Fredrick and Lily
Chapter Count: 14
Page Count: 246
Chapter 1 The Tutor
Northern England--1807 (as opposed to Southern?)
Meet the tired and very footsore Frederick Woodstone who walked all the way from the nearest town in the pouring rain to Broadbent Manor where he has a job interview for the position of tutor-room and board included. Frederick has short brown hair. He also has no qualms setting his umbrella aside during his walk, lifting his face to the sky and drinking rainwater to quench his thirst, never mind his now soaking wet hair, face, clothes and muddy shoes. He arrives looking very disheveled but the housekeeper, Mrs. Pilfer, welcomes him warmly.
The Lady of the house, Mrs. Broadbent who conducts the interview, is a very unusual looking young woman. Aside from being of normal height with blue eyes, wearing the latest fashion, her hair styled in an attractive coiffure, she is thin of face and figure while her hair is (gasp!) white to go with her equally pale complexion. (She's an albino with a very good hairdresser) Frederick has no problem with being interviewed by a woman who looks like a witch. Mrs. Broadbent questions him about his past and Frederick is happy to share his story:
After fleeing an abusive alcoholic father when he was just a baby, Frederick was lucky his angel mother never let bitterness or anger affect her attitude about life. A devout Christian, this single mother raised him on the Bible, took him to church, did her best to bring him up as a contributing member of society; well mannered, educated, kind and God-fearing. After she died, Frederick decided to pursue a career in the church and become a vicar but soon realized teaching children was his true calling in life. So, here he is.
Mrs. Broadbent, in turn, reveals she is a widow. Her late husband died several years ago. They never had any children and with this huge, empty house just sitting here along with all her inherited wealth, she decided to fill it with orphaned cast-offs and raise them as her own. There are eleven of them and, for some strange reason, none of the tutors she's hired for them in the past have been able to stick it out. She tells Frederick she has a good feeling about him. She leads him to the schoolroom allowing him several minutes to meet with each child individually. Frederick wants to jump for joy. It would appear he's been hired!
Naturally, all eleven children absolutely LOVE it here! They have no psychological issues as a result of being abandoned by their birth parents and family and are happy calling Mrs. Broadbent, "Mama." She legally adopted every one of them. They are all thirsty for learning and appear perfectly willing to accept this father figure tutor as their new teacher.
Shown to his room where he can freshen up before dinner, Frederick can't believe his good luck in landing such a posh position. He kneels to pray, returning thanks to God for leading him to this amazing place before taking a quick nap.
Chapter 2 Belonging
Meanwhile, Lily Broadbent has to lean against a wall and catch her breath. Mr Woodstone appears to be the answer to every single one of her prayers. A good, kind, Christian man who shares her love of children and (squee!) is single to boot! Of course it is much too early in the novel to start entertaining any romantic ideas, but Lily knows this man was sent by God into her life for a reason. Best of all, Mr. Woodstone was completely accepting of her unusual physical appearance. Lily recalls her marriage to her late husband who never told her she was beautiful or even lovely but he treated her well and, for Lily, that was all that mattered...until now.
After the Butler offers a blessing on the food, Frederick is impressed when Mrs. Broadbent joins the rest of the staff in the servants' dining hall for dinner where nobody bats an eye. Conversation is very pleasant as the Lady of the House shares with the servants how she finally got the children settled down, all tucked in for the night and that Nellie the Governess is sitting with them now. All chuckle at the antics of the children, who appear to be at the center of this little universe. They also want to hear all about the newest member of their household. Frederick feels like he truly belongs here and looks forward to getting to know his female employer better. (Honestly Anita! Have you NEVER watched even one episode of Downton Abbey?)
A week passes. Frederick finds himself settling in quite nicely. The children hardly give him any trouble and are good scholars who enjoy his lessons; especially the nature walks outside where he makes them draw and observe all of God's creations. (No fidget spinners required for these kids!) He attends church that Sunday with Mrs. Pilfer the Housekeeper, Nellie the Governess, Lily, and her entire brood. Lily is especially grateful to have a man in the party to help keep the energetic, mischievous boys in line. Frederick has a short chat with them, revealing he used to be a vicar himself and so, if they have any respect at all for him or their God-fearing adoptive mother, they might want to focus on their church behavior today during services. It works like a charm. Mrs. Broadbent is so impressed, all seven boys blush at her compliment, Frederick too! Everyone insists Frederick join them for their traditional Sunday dinner and Frederick promises to be in the dining room at two.
Chapter 3 The Lily
Everyone is seated around the table. Lily takes her place at the head of the table, Frederick is given the opposite end and asked to offer the blessing which he is more than happy to do. (It's almost like they were a married couple!) The Housekeeper and Governess are also here amidst the eleven children who must give a report on everything they learned this week and the insights they gained from today's sermon. It would appear the pre-Victorian era parenting style of children being seen and not heard does not apply here. So as not to inconvenience the kitchen staff, Sunday dinner is always served cold. Everyone carries their plates to the kitchen and does their own washing up. Who needs servants?
Later that week, Frederick takes the children on another nature sketch walk. One girl is especially excited to see the lilies of the valley are blooming. This is where Frederick learns Lily is Mrs. Broadbent's given name. He talks to her about it later when Lily asks if he might cancel classes tomorrow and come with them on another kind of educational outing-calling on those less fortunate who reside on her estate with a picnic lunch and games afterwards.
The outing is enjoyed by all, except Nellie the Very Single Governess. Lily noticed her making eyes at Frederick who was completely blind, until Lily spoke to him about it last night, advising him to talk to Nellie and let her know if her feelings of attraction are reciprocated.
It's a very awkward conversation. While Frederick admires Nellie very much (she's a sweet spirit) unfortunately he can never feel anything more than friendship for her. (No, he's not gay). Poor Nellie starts to cry over her innocent assumptions and infatuation for him. Frederick reassures her she's done nothing wrong in pining for him. Nellie swallows her emotion, declares she understands and walks away with her head held high. Frederick watches her go; pity there's not enough of him to go around.
We later learn in another conversation between Frederick and Lily that Fredrick is twenty-nine and Lily is thirty-one (Lily's a cougar!).
Chapter 4 Quietly Sharing
As more days and weeks pass, Lily and Frederick marvel (as Anita Stansfield characters often do) at how effortlessly these weak plot complications and minor story conflicts are working out. Again, at Lily's request, Frederick accompanies her on another Pollyanna do-gooder visit. This time to a widower with two children. The widower can't seem to snap out of his melancholy and be the father his children so desperately need. Since Frederick used to be a vicar, Lily was hoping he could provide the comfort and counsel needed. He does and everyone is moved. The man weeps. So grateful to have been brought back into the land of the living. He invites them back any time.
Their next stop is another widower by the name of Sawyer who is NOT so grateful for their visit. He yells and swears at Lily who, in turn, wonders why can she can hear a child crying behind the closed door with unmistakable sounds of physical abuse. Mr. Sawyer's wife and child are supposedly DEAD! Lily is determined to find and rescue this mystery child. Frederick is nothing less than appalled. She has no legal right to interfere, no matter what she thought she heard. No proof this child is indeed Mr. Sawyer's (who looks old enough to be the boy's grandfather). The carriage arrives back at the mansion but Lily and Frederick exit not speaking to each other. Their first argument.
Next day, after school lessons are done, Frederick receives a note from Lily inviting him on another call to a family plagued by chicken pox. Nellie happens to observe the entire scene. Learning the details, she teases him for being such a complete dolt of a man-Lily LIKES him!
Chapter 5 Hidden Child
Frederick and Lily make up in the carriage but Frederick is, once again, shocked at Lily's eccentric behavior as she walks into the house of sickness and immediately picks up one of the afflicted children, having never had chicken pox herself.
Frederick chews her out about it (foreshadowing). This is 1807 woman. People DIE from such harmless exposure! Lily gasps, realizing she could be putting her adoptive children in danger. Then again, this could be just the excuse she needs to execute the plan she has in mind.
Back in the carriage, tension is (again) thick between Frederick and Lily. Lily sheepishly admits she's not sure if she ever had chicken pox. She was raised in an orphanage, you see, and never knew her parents or their medical history. She ran away when she was thirteen, living on the streets until her husband found her, took her home, gave her work, and eventually decided to marry her. Frederick retires immediately to his room upon their return; pacing and fretting and praying for Lily and her outrageous efforts to save all the discarded children of the world.
Just then he notices a parked carriage in the drive outside. Two of the younger menservants lingering, as if waiting for someone. Frederick rushes down just in time to see Lily's cloaked and hooded figure climbing into the carriage. Learning she is going to Mr. Sawyer's to investigate; hops in after her. The two servants know Mr. Sawyer is at the local pub right now which means the house is unattended. Darkness also provides the necessary cover they need for this rescue mission.
The boy's name is Danny. While he looks nine or ten, he speaks like a two year old and practically throws himself into their arms, begging them to take him away before his mean, alcoholic father finds him and beats him again before locking him back in the cellar of eternal neglect. Lily and Frederick exchange looks. They must get this child back to the house where the housekeeper and governess help him get cleaned up, fed and tucked into a warm bed. A doctor is also called to the house to examine the boy (and so they can claim some kind of legal evidence of child abuse?) Lily will feign illness for the next few days and stay with Danny who is being kept in a separate room, away from the other children who won't be told until later, when Danny is ready to re-join civilization. Frederick is a little disturbed to learn Danny is not the first child to undergo this kind of "detox."
Chapter 6 Equal in Strength
It doesn't take long for Frederick to get over his uncomfortable feelings about Lily's rescue of Danny as his growing feelings of attraction for Lily can also no longer be contained. The first opportunity he has, Frederick takes Lily in his arms and kisses her, declaring he's new at this courtship stuff. Lily swoons. She likes him too!
Next morning, Frederick checks on Lily and Danny in their secluded room. At least one week passes in which Fredrick takes an hour or two every day to work with Danny who can barely read and write but he progresses rapidly. Both adults feel confident Danny is almost ready to be introduced to the rest of the household.
As for Frederick and Lily, both feel the urgency to get married...soon. Mr. Broadbent never kissed Lily the way Fredrick does. Fredrick is glad to hear it.
Then, one evening after dinner, Lily's financial adviser comes to call with some mildly disturbing news regarding Lily's will. She and Frederick exchange worried looks.
Chapter 7 The Solution
The news is, according to English law, women like Lily cannot leave their entire estate and fortune to adopted children. It would really help if she were married and had a man for the law to recognize as the estate and children's legal guardian and heir.
No problem, says Lily, she'll just marry Fredrick and skips down the hall to the schoolroom.
Frederick is a little shocked at such an offer but agrees it is the perfect solution.
Not to mention Lily was exposed to chicken pox and could drop dead at any time.
Marriage must happen...NOW.
They sit the children down after supper and spring the news on them. Everyone cheers and applauds. Guess they don't have a problem with it.
A carriage is made ready with lots of blankets and pillows so they can ride through the night with a minimum degree of comfort to Scotland where they are quietly married sometime after 9am. (My dear Harriet, you will laugh when you know where I am gone...)
Just like that, they climb back into the carriage for the return journey to Northern England.
Chapter 8 Taken
The bride and groom stare dreamily into each other's eyes all the way home. Lily can't believe she was ever married before, to a man who treated her more like a respected friend than a wife. He certainly never made love to her-holding her hand and spontaneously kissing her-like Frederick does. Back at the mansion, everyone is completely fine with Frederick being recognized as the head of the household and the children scream and dance and hug Fredrick-having a new father, their little cup of joy overflows.
Frederick and Lily are too tired that night to consummate their relationship. Both fall asleep quickly, but when Frederick awakens in the early morning dawn, the sight of his sexy, white-haired wife next to him is too tempting to resist! Then it's time to get up and face another work day and all the usual routines. (Really? I'm sure no one would've begrudged them a day in bed! Only in an Anita Stansfield novel could such a life changing event as marriage be treated as casually as a trip to the grocery store.)
It would seem nothing could mar this perfect world. Lily shows no signs of contracting chicken pox and dying (not yet) while the children continue to thrive under the tutelage of their new teacher-turned-father. Danny is also doing just fine in solitary confinement. Frederick continues to spend a few hours every day with him.
Then, one day, Lily isn't feeling good. She contracts a mild fever. Desiring a cup of tea in the middle of the night, she slips downstairs in her wrapper and slippers to the kitchens. She is standing at the range heating the kettle when suddenly a dirty hand claps over her mouth and she is carried away.
Lily comes to in the pitch black cellar of what could only be Mr. Saywer's place. Who else would do such a thing? Her hands are bound. She is both afraid and filled with hope. Surely Frederick and the rest of the household will have discovered her absence, realized what happened and mount a rescue party. She only needs to hang on for a few hours.
Just then, the cellar door opens and Mr. Sawyer descends holding a lamp. The expression on his face is like Bob Ewell or maybe something out of a horror movie.
Oh, and he's also carrying a pair of scissors.
Chapter 9 The True Lily
Outraged and humiliated, Lily sobs before rage overpowers self-pity prompting her to swing both bound fists at Sawyer, knocking him off balance. She topples a nearby table on him, kicks him in the groin (flashback to her life on the streets) before stabbing him in the thigh with the scissors for good measure. (You go girl!)
Still sobbing, as well as silently praying God to forgive her un-Christian-like behavior, (I'm not kidding) Lily stumbles outside where it is still pitch black. Lily knows she must make her way back to the boarders of her estate before succumbing to the chicken pox illness she KNEW she was coming down with. Too late, she collapses onto the ground.
Frederick wakes at dawn. Discovering Lily gone, the kitchen door wide open, evidence of her tea making interrupted, he takes off in the carriage for Sawyer's. Two of the male staff accompany him, the same who assisted in Danny's rescue.
They find Sawyer moaning and cursing in the cellar, refusing to admit to anything. They toss a few rags at him so he won't bleed to death (very Christian of them). Seeing the white locks of hair scattered over the dirt floor it's not hard to deduce what happened. They return outside into the surrounding woods to split up and search for Lily who didn't get very far. She is conscious when they find her.
Lily is soon helped into a warm bath, fresh nightclothes and tucked into bed where she shivers with fever. Frederick sits by her side, holding her hand, insisting the loss of her hair only makes her more beautiful in his eyes. She WILL overcome this illness! And all the trauma she just experienced, too. The doctor arrives and pronounces her very ill with chicken pox, but not nigh unto death. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Lying in bed, a victim of both horrible nightmares and the delirium of her illness, Lily feels like she's been thrown back in time, when she was a nobody living on the streets. Her husband had taught her to find herself, "the true Lily," he'd called her. Frederick too had encouraged her in this but Lily wonders if she can ever rise above this assault.
Chapter 10 On the Brink
Lily's condition grows worse when she contracts pneumonia. Frederick is ready to kill Sawyer for what he subjected her to, but, because he is a good, Bible reading Christian, he will content himself with staying home, not leaving Lily's side while the rest of the staff steps in caring for Danny (who also contracted chicken pox, but he's young and will bounce back so nobody cares). Nellie takes over teaching duties. The atmosphere in the home grows somber. Even the children start to act out, knowing Mama could drop dead at any moment.
At last, Lily's fever breaks, her itchy pocks begin to scab over and heal (everyone else in the house already had the virus) and she comes around for the first time in days. Frederick weeps when she opens her eyes and says his name. He continues to assist in nursing her, feeding her broth and reading aloud while she convalesces. The children are brought in with handmade gifts and get well cards. Danny is brought in separately. He's already made a full recovery but Frederick did take some time to sit with him, too, as plot exposition so Frederick could witness Danny's recurring nightmares about his mean old father and the abuse he suffered, begging his new father not to let his old father come and take him away. It was all rather disturbing to Frederick.
More days pass and Lily feels well enough to let Frederick carry her downstairs to the servants' dining hall where she can eat and socialize again for the first time in many weeks.
Life is better.
Chapter 11 The Hand of Irony
The irony is that no one, NO ONE, in this household of pious Christians filed any charges against Mr. Sawyer for kidnapping and assault. They did send one of the male servants over to make sure Sawyer got the proper care he needed. It would be a shame if he died on them before justice could be met.
An officer of the law comes knocking and is invited in. Turns out, Sawyer beat Lily to the punch by filing his own assault charge against HER! Lily explains why-as a Christian woman, a law abiding citizen who loves children and does her best to make sure all the tenants on her estate, including Mr. Sawyer, are cared for-she felt the need to stab Mr. Sawyer in the thigh with a pair of scissors. Oh, and does he like her new haircut?
The officer believes her. It doesn't take much prodding to get Lily to reveal the whole story. She does have Danny in her care and, despite being a poor, helpless, widowed/remarried woman with no legal rights, the law should justify every single one of her actions. The officer agrees and leaves. As far as he's concerned, this case is closed.
Several days later, word reaches them about Sawyer's condition. Since Lily stabbed him with the scissors, he has been too ill and feverish to get out of bed. Now, thanks to Lily and her exposure to the illness, Sawyer is practically on his death bed. Chicken Pox strikes again! Lily feels terrible. She will go over and nurse him back to health right away. Frederick stops her. He'll do it.
Chapter 12 Mistaken Identity
Because it is the right thing to do, Frederick parks himself by Sawyer's side: feeding him broth, reading aloud from the Bible he happened to notice lying nearby and bathing his feverish brow. At first Sawyer is too delirious to notice, Frederick even confesses how much he hates him but after these many hours spent doing good to someone who persecuted him, admits he's come to forgive Sawyer for what he did to his wife and their newly adopted son.
Sawyer wakes up. He moans and starts ranting about the most absurd things Frederick ever heard. Sawyer seems to think Frederick is HIS SON! He confesses his own shame in what he did to Frederick's mother, his brother, how sorry he is for everything. How glad he is that Frederick came back. He begs Frederick to forgive him. Puzzled, but wanting the poor man's mind to be at ease, Frederick frankly forgives him. Sometime later that night, Sawyer dies.
Frederick returns to Lily and tells her about the mistaken identity. Both agree there might be more to Danny's story than anybody knew. Who was this brother Sawyer mentioned on his deathbed? What was his name? What really happened the night Danny's mother died? Frederick shows Lily the family Bible he lifted from the house; by rights it belongs to Danny anyway.
For some reason, neither of them think to check behind the front cover of the Holy Book for some of the genealogical information they might be seeking.
Chapter 13 Introduced to the World
The officer from chapter 11 returns. With Sawyer dead, everyone can discuss "The Danny Situation" openly. Because no doctor was ever called in to identify the bodies of Mr. Sawyer's wife and child, whom he took the liberty of burying in unmarked graves somewhere out in the woods, the law considers Danny to be dead. Once the truth comes out, someone will need to adopt the boy before the law claims him and puts him in an orphanage. A perfect solution is agreed upon: Lily and Fredrick will sneak Danny out of the house, take him away on a three day road trip and return with a story about finding Danny at an orphanage and being inspired to bring him home. Everyone will believe it.
Fredrick and Lily sit Danny down alone and gently break the news about his father and that they would like to be his new parents. Feeling absolutely no grief over his loss, Danny flies into their arms, (again) sobbing for joy. He has no problem going along with their story.
Next stop, the nursery and schoolroom to let the rest of the children know they will be leaving for a few days to follow a strong prompting that a twelfth child should be rescued and brought into their home. Naturally, the children agree, the more the merrier, wish their parents happy hunting, and promise to make the new child feel welcome when he (or she) arrives. This isn't the first time Lily has sat them down for such a talk.
Neither Lily or Frederick can sleep that night in anticipation of the trip they will soon embark on. Danny has the time of his life. They visit shops where his parents buy him new books and toys, eat at pubs so Danny can get used to being in public and mingling with strangers and stay at Inns where Danny chats with everyone he meets like a normal boy his age would.
On their last night, just before tucking Danny into his cot in their room, Danny breaks down and reveals what really happened the day his mother died: She and Sawyer were arguing and he hit her. Hard. Hard enough to make her fall and hit her head. She died instantly. Since Danny was the only witness, his father locked him away and lied to the police who believed his story. Poor Danny was kept hidden away until the day Lily found him. All weep together at this miracle.
Later that night, Lily whispers to Fredrick she's pretty sure she's pregnant.
Chapter 14 Family Circle
Danny is welcomed and he does his best to pretend he's never seen this house before nor met any of the staff who took care of him who also play along as if they'd never met the boy. The children invite him into their circle immediately after he's introduced. School lessons resume and the adjustment is made with no drama or stress.
Weeks pass and life is perfect again. Except for the nightmares Fredrick keeps having in which Sawyer yells and swears at him before turning to inflict abuse on his mother. This makes no sense to Fredrick since he never knew his father. His mother never even bothered to tell him his name. He knows "Woodstone" was a surname his mother made up and used for reasons never explained to him. The dreams obviously mean there's some connection between him and Sawyer and he's always felt a special bond with Danny. What in the world could this all mean?
Finally, it occurs to Fredrick to check Sawyer's Bible to see if he happened to record the date of his marriage and birth of any children.
What he finds is shocking to everyone except the reader.
Mr. Sawyer (whose given name is never revealed) was actually married twice. First to Eartha
Frederick curls up in Lily's lap and sobs like a little boy who has finally come home. One day they will present the Bible to Danny and tell him the whole story. For now, they are content to hold each other and count their blessings.
Epilogue
Fredrick continues to teach. All the children, Danny especially, are thriving. A wedding between two of the staff (two male and female nobodies named Abigail and Luca) is celebrated. Turns out this mansion came with a ballroom so they decided to have the reception there.
Lily, great with child, is seated on a plush chair, craving a piece of cake. Ever the gallant husband, Fredrick offers to fetch one for her. On the way, he pauses to break up a minor skirmish between the children. He suggests they all go and eat cake. And so they did.
THE END
