The Soldier: Part Two (special preview)

There had once been a maid in the employ of the Marfont family. She was young, near the same age as Corinne, but she was tall and rather boyish in appearance. She was a hard worker, and during the last days of Mrs. Marfont’s illness, she had been the only one allowed at her side.

The young maid and Corinne were also close. Due to being close in age, and the fact no one was allowed around the property while Mrs. Marfont was sick, they became friends. Corinne admired the maid’s strength and resolve, while the maid fell for Corinne’s freckles and doll-like charm. The two gave into youthful indiscretions and often hid away, kissing and touching one another in secret. Corinne would pout and plead with the maid for more. Even when she became engaged to Nathaniel, she continued to kiss the maid in secret.

“Nathaniel will never know you as I know you,” the maid whispered raspily into Corinne’s thigh one evening. Her long, elegant fingers worked to bring Corinne to a heavenly sin. “He’ll never love you like I love you.” Corinne was made to quiet herself with a pillow when the maid pulled her down.

The maid found comfort in her love of Corinne. She took more than just pleasure in making her lady come. Her mind was racked with guilt, filled with images of Mrs. Marfont’s final hours. Keeping Corinne happy and sated helped to keep the demons away.

Just days before Nathaniel was to leave, he cornered the maid. He approached her with not just the knowledge of her affair with Corinne, but also the cause of Mrs. Marfont’s death. He threatened her to leave, or else he’d reveal her secrets to the whole house and world beyond it. But it would not be her who would be shamed by the revelations, no. All the shame would fall on Corinne. So the maid left. She bid a tearful goodbye outside the house, not even allowed to say her goodbyes to Corinne.

It was a morning Corinne could never forget, as the maid had left, and soon, her father would be leaving as well. She mourned in a way she could not show, sitting by the window hoping to see the maid return to her. A year went by, and the only one to return was her father, and, with him, the soldier named Lockwood.

Lockwood eventually was able to walk on his own, though he kept his bandages in place. He was quite tall and had become thin due to the rigors of being a soldier. He was able to sit in the parlor and come to the dinner table. No longer did he have to be waited on hand and foot, which seemed to bother him. He could sit and enjoy life like everyone else in the house.

“I’ve only ever met one other person as tall as you in my life, but I do think she was taller than you,” Corinne remarked one day as she took Lockwood for a stroll through the gardens. The air was chilled and the ground was damp from all the rain. But at least the sun was shining and the garden looked bright.

“A woman?” Lockwood chuckled.

“Yes, and an amazing one at that,” Corinne’s smile suddenly faded and she looked away until she could bring it back.

“Although, Corinne, you must consider everyone you meet very tall,” he teased.

Corinne scoffed and gently popped the back of his hand. “How cruel of you, Mr. Lockwood!”

He looked up, seeing they were standing at the front of the house. Above there was a window open with the curtains billowing out. He faltered a step and Corinne caught him.

“Are you alright?” She exclaimed with alarm.

Lockwood’s vision was blurry, and from the corner of his eye her thought he saw someone laying on the ground. “I’m sorry. I think I need to lie down. I feel dizzy all of a sudden.”

“Yes, of course.” Corinne helped support him as she led him back to the house. Once he was tucked into bed, she placed a kiss upon his cheek. “I’ll go and fetch my father for you.”

“No, wait. Stay with me.” Lockwood reached out and took her hands again. “Lovely thing you are. Just sit with me and I’ll catch my breath.”

“I’m happy to,” Corinne said brightly. “I pushed you too far on the walk today.”

“No, no, it isn’t you.” Lockwood smiled. “Just something from my past is all.”

Corinne nodded, stroking his hand gently. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Lockwood took a deep breath. “I saw someone die,” he murmured. “I won’t go through the gorey details, my lady. But it’s haunted me since. I see her face sometimes. I feel her whispering.”

Corinne looked visibly frazzled by the comments. “Oh.”

“I don’t mean to frighten you.” Lockwood reassured her. “It is not a haunting.”

At the foot of Lockwood’s bed, just over the mantle, there was a painting of her mother. She gazed at it longingly then turned her affections back upon Lockwood. “I still think my mother comes here from time to time,” she confessed. “I can smell her perfume in the hallways. Or I feel a hand upon my shoulder and no one is there.”

Lockwoods stomach churned and he felt a pain settle in the depths of his stomach. “Do you miss her?”

“Horribly.” Corinne lowered her head, looking suddenly distraught.