Whispering Echoes by Maya Chandel (electronic book reader .TXT) 📖

be familiar to her long, long ago. Yet that was exactly what she was frightened of; of remembering. Memories like that only brought fresh pain and really, the fact was that Kitty had left all that behind her.

Of course that was not to say that she had ever stopped missing them, of wondering what it would have been to have them still with her; especially in those special moments that mattered. However, that was merely something she had learned to live with, almost a natural part of her existence. For the rest she had enjoyed an exceedingly comfortable and generally contented childhood being raised in her Aunt and Uncle’s home; with as little opportunity as was possible for her ever feeling sorry for herself.

Indeed the simple fact was that Kitty knew full well she had been treated better than many of her friends had being raised by their own parents. Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Robert had always regarded her quite as the daughter they were never able to have themselves and as for Freddy and Emerson, well they looked to her quite as their younger sister; there to be affectionately teased from time to time but always fiercely protected. In many ways her life with the Allens was the only life she had really known, with only a faint whisper of another one before it occasionally echoing through.

Indeed sometimes Kitty wondered at herself for how little she could actually recall of her parents; most of what she knew of them had been related to her second hand from the Allens. Yet it was enough for her; after all they knew them as well as, if not better than anyone else. Certainly it rang true for her father; what with Aunt Elizabeth being his sister. As for her mother, well Kitty had always found Aunt Elizabeth far more forthcoming with information than any of Evie’s own relations, who were generally a distant set with the exception of her Great-Uncle Garrett.

All in all Kitty thought she had been able to glean enough of an insight into her parents’ lives as that she could conjure her own little picture of them in her mind. She knew that Theodore and Evelyn Watson had been quite the glamorous society couple of the time and indeed the envy of many. They had had it all; wealth, status, charisma and perhaps most enviable of all, a true and rare love for each other.

Aunt Elizabeth had always had stories aplenty of the numerous balls and parties they had hosted; the sort that had sadly quite faded out of fashion in this day and age as her Aunt would say. Of course her Aunt never failed to use such recounts to remind Kitty of how in those days ladies had always known just how to behave and never overstepped the bounds of propriety as they were apt to do in these modern times. She only had to take her own mother as the perfect example of everything that defined a true lady’s behaviour. Such remarks were however often apt to irk Kitty and sometimes she rather wished that her mother had been just a little less of the perfect society wife. Perhaps then she would not have to try so hard to be like her; for she wanted to be, she so wanted to be.

‘You know Kit I hope it will fetch a fair price for you,’ came Freddy’s voice breaking Kitty’s private thoughts. ‘Really the distance from London does not present an attractive sale.’

‘Well who is to say Kitty will sell the place? I know that is the intention with which you come dear, but it is possible that you might have a change of heart when you see your old home again.’

‘I do not think so Aunt. Freddy is right; the journey really is too tedious,’ replied Kitty. ‘However, really Freddy I do not see why it might not appeal to a local buyer; most especially as Grandpapa was something of a renowned architect.’

‘Yes I do not see why not. Besides it is not as if you are relying upon it to make you a fortune. Indeed I dare say Oscar would be pleased; he already feels inadequate enough to be worthy of you,’ smiled Freddy.

‘That is quite utter nonsense!’ exclaimed Kitty, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.

‘Perhaps, but there is no arguing otherwise with him. He cannot fathom why you would be at all interested in his lowly likes when you could have yourself any bachelor in London. After all you are quite the catch of the Season Kit; even if you are a complete fright to behold,’ he teased.

‘Oh do behave yourself Freddy,’ scolded his mother. ‘Though really Oscar is too sweet for words. Of course he is worthy of our Kitty here; if only because we can at least be assured your fortune is not what attracts him. The poor man is utterly besotted with you.’

‘Please Aunt Elizabeth…’ blushed Kitty.

‘Well it is true and I merely wish you to know that should you choose Oscar you have the whole family’s blessing darling. However, I quite agree that you should not rush into anything; there is no occasion to at your tender young age. Take your time my dear; the longer we have you the better.’

‘Thank you Aunt Elizabeth,’ said Kitty placing her hand affectionately in her Aunt’s lap, as a slight smile crept over her face at all the talk of Oscar.

Oscar Bentford was a close friend of Freddy’s from Oxford, and he and Kitty had of sorts been courting the past three months. There was nothing at all formal between them and nor did Kitty envisage that there would be any time in the immediate future. They were both young and Kitty certainly did not want to tie herself down to someone prematurely. There was plenty of time ahead of her for all that. However, that being said Oscar was quite by far the sweetest and most agreeable gentleman of her acquaintance thus far. He was handsome, charming company and, as Aunt Elizabeth alluded to, seemed to hang on her every word. Furthermore, his close acquaintance with the family was an added bonus. Still time would tell what would happen between them.

‘Oh look, the coast is coming into view,’ said Mrs Allen pointing ahead of them. ‘It means we must be close, if my memory serves me correct.’

‘Yes, yes it does!’ exclaimed Kitty, suddenly rather breathless as a strange feeling took hold inside of her. She couldn’t describe what it was; an exhilarating and nauseating mixture of anticipation and nervousness as some distant part of her memory unconsciously told her that within a few minutes they would see it. She knew the exact spot at which the grand white marble house would come in view, a lone and majestic figure on the rugged cliff top; and she tentatively turned her head so as to catch the very first glimpse of it, just as so many years before she had avidly watched till the very last faded from view.
Chapter 3

Rosevale Manor, Cornwall April 2nd 1912

The little girl looked cautiously up at her mother, who had remained standing frozen as a statue, her eyes quite glazed upon the house in front of them. Indeed she seemed not to even notice her appearance by her side, such that Kitty tentatively slipped her small hand within hers.

‘You have been stood here ages Mama.’

‘Have I darling?’ replied Evie casting her daughter a fleeting smile.

‘Are you worried that you shall forget what it looks like?’ asked Kitty.

‘I know every stone of this house by heart darling, and I always shall.’

‘You love it very much do you not Mama?’

‘That I do Kitty; it is the most special place in all the world,’ said Evie in a wistful tone. ‘Your Grandpapa designed it himself you see. He was an architect…’

‘An architect,’ echoed Kitty in wonder.

‘Yes, it means that he used to earn his living by drawing and planning out great houses. Indeed he was very famous for it; people from all over the country used to hire his commission. However, Rosevale he designed especially for your Grandmama; it was her wedding gift, although of course she died before it had been completed.’

‘I think that is rather a sad story Mama.’

‘Perhaps it is a little; however, Rosevale for me has never been a place of sadness. It is a house built of love and hope and dreams. I know that if Mama had lived to see it, she would have loved it just as I do,’ smiled Evie.

‘Mama if Rosevale is so special then why are we leaving it?’ enquired Kitty.

‘Well darling because we are embarking upon an exciting new adventure,’ said Evie turning towards Kitty with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

‘In America?’

‘Yes, where your Grandpapa was born and raised.’

‘On the other side of the Ocean, where the Lady of Liberty shall be waiting to greet us?’ continued Kitty excitedly.

‘Exactly so my darling,’ smiled Evie; although Kitty rather thought that it was a smile of great sadness, if such a thing were possible.

‘Shall we ever come back Mama?’

‘Of course we shall; this is home Kitty and one always finds one way back home in the end.’

They stood for a moment, both mother and daughter’s eyes cast in unison towards the striking manor house before them, its white marble walls dappled in the soft morning sunlight; and an unspoken understanding seemed to shift between them.

‘Kitty, Evie!’ came a voice suddenly shattering the silence.

‘Your Papa is calling you Kitty.’

‘Are you not coming Mama?’ asked Kitty, turning away from the house to where the row of cars were lined up waiting to depart; her Papa stood waving from the front.

‘I’ll just be a few minutes; you go on.’

‘Right then, is my little princess all ready?’ smiled her Papa as he held out his hand to her.

Kitty nodded as she let him lift up her into the back seat.

‘I thought you might like Julia to keep you company along the way; it’s a long ride to London,’ he said, holding out her favourite doll to her.

‘Thank you Papa,’ she smiled, settling Julia down beside her. ‘Though I think I shall hide her from Emerson and Freddy when we arrive in London,’ she continued, casting her mind back to when her cousins visited Christmas last and quite decapitated poor Sylvia. Really why were boys such destructive forces of nature she wondered to herself. Freddy and Emerson, much as she loved them, could never play properly; they simply ran wild, exploring everywhere and everything, a trail of devastation usually following their midst. Of course she supposed