The Countess of Montessavo

Essa ran into Sorva that afternoon, she was rushing to make it to her appointment with her great aunt who she had never met before. “I’m sorry,” she exclaimed as Sorva fell down, five loafs of bread tumbling down with him. He groaned as a few of the loafs fell into a puddle. Grasping his lower back, he shifted his weight to his right knee as he lifted himself up. “Clumsy” he muttered angrily as he glared at Essa. “This is why orphans should not be allowed to roam around the town square.” “Get!,” he barked. She scuttled away, tucking a spare bread under her skirt hoping he would not notice. This would be her dinner, she thought.

~~~

The room was dimly lit, candlelight flickering ever so softly, with a faint smell of cinnamon and tyme. Essa walked in tentatively, worried her footsteps would crackle in the faint silence of the room.

Her great aunt was a mound of blankets, her large stomach protruding like a great snowman. This was the first time Essa saw Great Aunt Gertrude. Her stomach rose and fell very gently, and Essa could hear the strain on her great aunt’s every breath. A nurse scuttled in this the room and whispered gently to her Gertrude as she positioned her higher in the bed.

Groaning, her great aunt turned slowly, to face her niece’s child for the first time. “Ah,” she whispered, “Everly’s daughter. Has her eyes, though can barely see it through this dirt.” She reached out to gently touch Essa’s face.

“She was my favorite, you know. Such a beautiful child...” she turned her head and shut her eyes. “such a tragedy.”

Essa looked at her, confusion spread across her face. Having been an orphan her entire life, she never knew her mother, and certainly never knew her great aunt. The only memory of family she had was a man claiming to be her uncle coming by the orphanage when she was ten. He gave her a beautiful black book with a golden E.S. engraved on it, a load of bread, and ten dollars, before leaving, never to be seen again.

The black book contained scribblings as well as drawings of a beautiful woman, in various stages of movement and undress. Essa kept it hidden in a loose footboard underneath her bed and admired it gingerly every night, looking for a clue to who it belonged to.

“I never had children,” Her Great Aunt said. “This great big house, three wealthy husbands, all passed, leaving me a fortune, with no children to leave it to...” Gertrude sighed. “We tried, Sebastian and I, we tried to have a child. But I was barren.”

“I have a great many nieces and nephews. And a brother.. she sighed. But none of them are deserving of my fortune.”

“When I heard that Everly had a child. Well, I had to see for myself.” You look like her, if we can clean you up a bit. She was a great one you know. Very beautiful. Very kind. Such a tragedy what happened to her.”

Gertrude started coughing, violently. The nurse scuttled in and positioned her lower on the bed and gave her some fluids. “You must rest, m’lady,” she said softly. Gertrude sighed. Tell Mrs. Gringham to clean her up and bring her to her quarters. I’ll resume my discussion with her tomorrow.” The nurse nodded and motioned for Essa to follow her.

Essa followed gingerly. Her head was spinning. What was happening?

Before she could collect her thoughts, a large woman seeming to be in her late forties, came to greet her.

“Lady Essa, delighted to meet you at last. Let me bring you to your quarters.” She was a bustling woman, round and robust, her hair neatly organized into a perfect gray blonde bun. She exuded warmth and competence.

She led her into a long corridor, and then into a large room, outfitted with stately decor. It was the grandest bedroom Essa had every seen. She was stripped down to her bare bottoms, and ushered into a porcelain tub, where she was scrubbed and powdered with floral scents and sprays. She felt confounded and dazed as Mrs. Gringham wordlessly cleaned her. When she was done, she looked at her with a great smile and said, “there.” Outfitting Essa with a white nightgown, she told her to get some rest. Essa gingerly stepped into the white sheets of the large canopy bed and felt as though she was in a dream.

The next morning she was awoken by the smell of bacon, orange juice, and eggs. ‘Was this a dream?’ She pinched her knee. ‘No, it was real.’

A note besides her bed read,

Dear Essa,

The proposition I have is not a simple task. You will have enemies. You will have relatives wishing for your downfall in order to steal this inheritance. You will have people fawning because they want something from you, not because they truly love you. You will have responsibilities beyond your current understanding. It will not be easy.

But if you should accept, I will make you my sole beneficiary of my grand estate, and titles. You will be known as the Countess of Montessavo. You will have wealth beyond your imaginings. You will have land and title. You will have power.

I have left $20,000 pounds in an envelope with this letter. You can accept this money and leave, and have a comfortable and anonymous life, or should you choose to accept my proposal, you can live a life as a lady of this great estate. I will give you til this evening to decide. Should you accept my offer, greet me in my bedroom. If you should not, the carriage will be waiting for you outside.

The letter included an envelope filled with 20,000 pounds. It was much more than Essa had even dreamed of touching her entire life. Her hands shook slightly as she laid down the letter. Her mind raced. ‘What should she do?’

To be continued...