A true love can sometimes start as a simple acquaintance, or "Hello and Goodbye." And sometimes, it can start out as a good friendship, or just being best friends. But the way Adelin, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, fell in love with Robert, the stable boy, is not at all one of these. It was more like love at first sight. It was London, England. The year was 1736, a time when rich people cared even less than we do now about the poor ones.
"Mister Downeby, your carriage and horse are ready, sir. You may enter it now."
"Don't tell me what I may and may not do, boy!" Mister Downeby shouted gruffly. Obviously he wasn't in a good mood today.
Soon after, Miss Adelin Downeby appeared by her father's side in a gown that opened up her near her bosom to reveal the top part of
Robert stood at the edge of the stables, watching as the carriage rode off with the clap, clap, clapping of the horses' hooves tapping on the ground.
"Fine." He said, feeling very sad that his newly made love, which now only existed in his mind, left him with an open question which he answered only when she was out of earshot. "Just fine."
Adelin was 16 years old, and Robert was 17. Her birthday was on August 19th, while Robert's was on October 3rd. Today was August 14th, and the whole household was preparing for the young lady's 17th birthday.
Although, every year, when it came time for Robert's birthday, Mister Downeby threw a smaller than usual list of chores out for Robert to do. "That is your birthday gift. Less chores. Now be happy with it!"
"Yes, sir." He would blandly reply, although Mister Downeby would be long out of earshot by then.
When the 19th of August came by, Adelin wore her most elegant gown, one made of purple velvet opening up to her beige corset at the top, and opening up to her beige silk petticoat at the bottom. She did not wear panniers, although since Robert was also a servant in the household, he thought he might have seen the shape of a small one, but he didn't overthink it.1
When October 3rd finally came, the small list of chores didn't. Mister Downeby approached Robert himself and told him something very cruel. "I can see for the past few months you have been eyeing my daughter. Don't give me the garbage words of saying that you only find her beautiful, I know you love her. But keep in mind boy, that no matter how much you protest that you love her, you will never get close to being with her, and stay out of our way!" He said those last words especially gruffly and rudely, and too Mister Downeby's imaginary dismay, Robert started loving Adelin even more.3
45
"Good morning, Robert. How is Madeliene this morning?" Adelin came outside, questioning about her horse, Madeliene. She was a white mare speckled with brown and black, and the lightest6
"Your horse is doing fine, Mistress Adelin. I have fed her and changed her hay. You may take her out for a ride, if you wish."7
"Certainly, Robert. I shall. Does she ride well? I cannot remember since that last time I have ridden her."8
Robert, handdrawn. 9
"She, does, madam, and if you slightly pull on her reins she will stop. Too hard, and you will fall backwards."10
"Adelin!" Mister Downeby appeared not be in a fine mood, which was no surprise as that was his manner. "Your mother wishes to speak with you. Immediately! As for you, Robert, put away that mare and go do another one of your dirty jobs."11
Adelin mouthed goodbye to Robert, so her father didn't see. When she got to her mother's room, her mother greeted her. 12
"Hello, Adelin." Her voice was cold, and loveless. "I have it on good authority that you and that pitiful stable boy, Robert, are having quite an affair."13
"Mother, I do not know who's good authority you are on, but Robert and I are friends, and no more. Perhaps he may love me more than I think he does, but my friendship is contained solely within the walls of aquaintanceship. I feel no love for him."14
Her mother glared at her, as if surprised at the use of so many powerful words.15
"Well then, be off. But be warned, any signs of more than friendship will be punished with Robert being sent away. So it is best that if you do love him you do not show it publicly."16
Adelin considered the words she just spoke to her mother. 17
"I feel no love for him."18
Did she?19
Or was this just something she said that came out as a lie?20
Adelin had practically never lied to her mother before, and she hoped that she wasn't going to start.21
22
Adelin woke up nice and early the next morning, and hence, woke up her maids to dress her in her corset, panniers and favourite beige gown.23
She ran over to the stables gingerly, so as not to wake her parents and other servants. They weren't here main priorety, though. The servants wouldn't tell her father if she politely asked them not too.24
"Robert? Are you here? Robert!" Adelin ran into his arms. 25
"What did your mother ask of you? She probably had a few good curses to say about me, didn't she?" Robert's sooty face revealed a pair of celery green eyes, that softly glared right into Adelin's sapphire blue ones.26
"She complained about me having a secret affair with you. I lied to her that you loved me more than I did you, and that I didn't love you at all. I'm so sorry, Robert. I'm so sorry..." Adelin's eyes now revealed tears of sadness, as she bit her upper lip, in hopes that her love would forgive her.27
"I forgive you, Adelin, but you must go now. It's past dawn now, and if your parents wake up, they musn't know you were here. Meet me at the London Bridge at midnight. Now, go!" Robert whispered the last words softly and gingerly, as though someone was spying on them.28
29
Adelin's day passed by very monotonously. She almost always wanted to ride, but in order to follow her mother's sharp words, she asked the stable girl, Rosalyn, to bring out her horse instead of Robert. Adelin didn't want to show that she loved him, but she just wanted to get a glimpse of those shiny celery eyes pertruding beneath the soot before she left to do something else.30
She had tea, and an egg for breakfast, hardly enough to keep her distracted from Robert. How could she love him so much? Why couldn't she? 31
She rarely spoke to him, yet their fire was a lot bigger than a spark. 32
When the time to go to bed came, her mother came into her room.33
"I am proud of you sweetheart." Her words were now warm and loving, unlike the ones she spoke to Adelin the day before. "You have shown me you can stay away from Robert, no matter how much will power it takes. Keep it up, darling."34
"Yes, mother. I am sure of myself that my ability to do so is unchanged."35
36
Adelin didn't sleep at all that night. 37
Every so often, she lit a candle to see if 12:00 had come by yet. If it had, she would run out in her nightgown towards London Bridge. If it didn't, she would wait until it did.38
She didn't have to use a candle. She heard the London Tower bell ring twelve times. 39
Adelin then gingerly climbed out of the window, down the vines, and into the street. She was free.40
She was free.41
She was free!42
Adelin hurried towards London bridge. When she got to the gate, she looked out into the distance across the bridge, and saw no silhouette of anyone. She crept towards the gate silently, for fear Robert was tricked, or hurt. When Adelin approached the gate, she was pulled into the shadows.43
She screamed ever so lightly, but also playfully and delightfully. 44
"My dear sweet Addy," he lightly whispered. "I've missed you so much."45
"My dear sweet Robbie, you have only missed me for hours, not days or weeks."46
Robert kissed her, then again, then again.47
They rolled into the shadows, kissing and holding each other. Passion was in the air tonight, and it was around them. No one else.48
He pulled down the top of her nightgown from her shoulders down, and she did the same to his shirt.49
They kissed through until 3:00, and laughed and made love, yet they did so gingerly.50
That was their love. It was passionate love making, not just for the heck of it. Robert loved Adelin and Adelin loved Robert, and nothing could change that. 51
When 3:00 came by, Robert said,52
"We must leave, darling. No one will awake for hours but if they see we are tired they shall know something had happened."53
Adelin was crying now, because their tender moment was gone. 54
Yes, Robbie. Goodbye."55
56
Adelin ran up to the vine near her bedroom, and climbed up. She was now satisfied with her already rich lifestyle, which she had never been satisfied with before. She had been with Robert. They courted.57
Oh, but she wanted more! She wanted to freely love each other, so people didn't judge them! Why couldn't she? This boy was her love, and she was his. Why couldn't anyone but them see it?58
In the morning, at breakfast time, Adelin took her spoon and started scooping honey, than pouring it out. She was head over heels in love.59
"Adelin." Her father said, trying not to disturb her delicate and beautiful state. "We should go riding today. Ask Rosalyn to take our your mare, if you wish. We rarely spend any time together."60
"Yes, Adelin. I'll ask Rosalyn to take out my mare as well. I shall call on her."61
“Alright mother.” Adelin wasn’t in the mood to go out riding unless Robert was going to be feeding and grooming Madeleine. 62
Adelin walked out to the stables to call on Rosalyn, and when she went to look for Robert, he wasn’t there. This greatly worried Adelin, for she loved him greatly.63
But then all her worries died down as Robert appeared from the berry bushes.64
“Hello Mistress Adelin. I am expecting that your horse needs care?”65
“No, Robert. My parents and I are going on a calm ride through the forest or wherever it may please my parents to go. Please bring out Madeleine.”66
Robert looked at her in confusion. He didn’t know which horse were her mother’s and father’s, because he was assigned to care for Adelin’s horse, and because Mother and Father didn’t go riding very often. Hence the fact that Mister Downeby gained quite a bit of weight over the years.67
“Um, miss, I’m afraid I don’t know which horse is your mother’s, neither which horse is your father’s.”68
“What a stupid boy, you are indeed then!” Mrs. Downeby scared the living daylights out of Robert and Adelin. “My horse is a white mare with black mane. Her name is Dark Rose. Mister Downeby’s horse is a brown stallion speckled with white and black with white mane. His name is Enderlin. Now bring them out, you lazy, filthy wretch!”69
“Yes madam, right away indeed.”70
Mrs. Downeby’s wrinkly, peach hand reached out for Adelin’s smooth, pale one. “Darling,” she said, as calmly as she could possibly muster. “We shall go riding today, is not that exciting?” Her creased face collected together a petite grin.71
“Mother, I go riding every day on Madeleine. For you it may be because you and father do not go out on your horses much, but for me it is just another chore I have to do everyday, unless we go out to town during the time I would usually ride.” Adelin’s sapphire eyes looked down whilst she was saying this, but at the end of her miniature speech, they looked up at her aged mother.72
Mrs. Downeby led Adelin away from the stables, and they walked calmly throughout the strawberry patches, beautifully staining the bottoms of the skirts of their dresses in a pretty red splotch pattern.73
“Adelin, you need to get away from Robert. You can never be in true love. You will always only be able to share love with a person the same rank as you. You are a wealthy landowner’s daughter. Forget him. Let's just say, forget that he exists.”74
Now that was the last straw. Her fury could not be contained anymore.75
“I told you before, I do not love him! And even if I did, would I be able to live with him as his partner, or even his wife? No, because you all hate him! If I loved him, could I not see him as a friend? No, because you all hate him!”76
Tears were welling in Adelin’s eyes. “So what if I do love him? Why cannot you all accept him as a human being? Could you all not at least care that he’s here? Why is it that I must call on Rosalyn and not him?”77
Now the tears were burning at full force, as was the anger, and Mrs. Downeby’s old body just stood frozen to the ground. “Have you never heard the proverb, ‘Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs’? Have you never heard the proverb, ‘A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger’? Why do you do this? Why do you hate him so? Is it not written in the Bible, ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’? If I loved him and gave up all my wealthy possessions just to be with him, would you agree? No! Why, why why?”78
Mrs. Downeby just stood as still as she was always currently doing, and the stable people were too far away not to hear. The people tending to the garden left, so as not to be responsible for anything.79
Adelin was trying to create an ocean; it seemed, with her tears. But she was doing the strawberries well, so there was no harm.80
“I… hate him because… He-” Mrs. Downeby was interrupted by Adelin’s piercing voice.81
“What? He picked some berries from the bushes and you are going to take him to court now?”82
“No! He is my step-brother’s son! My step-brother and his witch of a mother killed my father, and I will never forgive him!” Now Mrs. Downeby was crying too, and she ran off into the house weeping.83
Robert heard Adelin screaming earlier, and stood in the horse barn, crying and staring at Adelin in the distance. He was smiling. 84
Now Adelin was the one paralyzed. She fell to the ground, sitting on her knees, bent over them. She knew about Uncle Neville, but never knew he wasn’t blood related.85
She cried and cried her heart out. She could have almost sworn it poured out as well in her tears.86
Robert, as he was watching it all, ran up to Adelin and picked her up. She laughed amidst her tears, and laughed and laughed.87
He picked her up and swung her around, kissing her along the way. 88
Then Adelin’s tears, as though by magic or the grace of God, evaporated. Now she was fully laughing and smiling and being happy. Then she called for Robert to put her down.89
“Sweetheart.” He passionately kissed her, and when the graze was over, Adelin’s sapphire blue eyes and Robert’s celery greens met. She pushed his body against hers and, before they continued another passionate embrace, she whispered in his ear, very gingerly and softly, “I am free.”90
Adding your comment:
