lead could hide the blemishes.
‘Never put anything on your face, my dear,’ she said, taking Molly’s hand. ‘Leave it natural; it would be a crime to ruin such lovely skin.’
‘Yes, my lady,’ she answered, both flattered and confused.
‘Be careful, Miss Johnson,’ Lady Brooke continued, her grip tightening, until Molly winced. ‘Your looks will bring you everything, but everything comes at a price.’ She dropped her hand, and Molly ran through the grass to her next partner. When she turned, Lady Brooke was still watching her, with a strange look on her ruined face.
Mrs Johnson came to her bedroom in the attic that night.
‘It’s late, my girl. Shut your eyes and dream of all the lads courting you today. You could do far worse than the Potter boy. He’s a handsome lad with a good future.’
‘He doesn’t interest me. I want someone special, someone different, and it’s not about money. Look at Lady Brooke. She has all the money in the world and it can’t mend her face.’
‘You’re right there, love. The pox is the pox – it doesn’t know rich from poor.’
‘When I marry, it has to be for love. Nothing else will do.’
Her mother stroked her hair. How could they hold on to this bright and beautiful girl?
Molly saw him immediately; she noticed the cut of his coat, the highly polished boots. He was a gentleman.
‘Can I get you some ale, sir?’ She stopped at the alcove by the fire, straightened her dress. Flames rose up, casting shadows around the stranger. She noticed his even white teeth, his unpowdered hair and his fine brown eyes.
‘Thank you, young lady. A pint of your best.’
‘It’s only the best here, sir.’
She learnt he was the Member of Parliament for Warwick.
‘He has our vote,’ her father said. ‘Sir William Keyt, now he’s a gent if ever there was one.’
Sir William stopped by the Charter House more often after that. Seth told Molly he owned several estates and a large carriage. He said people like him kept their gold under the mattress.
10
As the weeks went by, Sir William Keyt became a regular fixture at the Charter House.
‘Ah, here you are, Molly. I’ve been waiting for you; I’ve missed your company.’
Of course Molly was flattered. He said she had a bright mind and a quick tongue. When she learnt of the tragedy in his family she felt sorry for him, for Molly’s heart was warm and generous.
‘It goes to show,’ her mother said. ‘ In the eyes of our Maker we are all the same.’ But there weren’t many men of Molly’s acquaintance who wore silk stockings, and velvet coats with fine embroidery. There weren’t many men who wore rubies and lace and a golden snake on their little finger.
As she got older, he asked for her more and more. She accepted his interest with the innocence of youth, as she appreciated his courteous words and enjoyed looking at his fine clothes.
‘Come and talk to me on this day of all others. It is the anniversary of my hell, Molly. You’re a good listener.’
‘Doesn’t your wife listen to you?’ she asked.
‘No, not really, but certainly not today; today she will be on her knees asking God’s mercy. When has God ever been merciful?’
Molly refilled his mug.
‘Everything changed with the accident. Lizzie gets all my wife’s time now. It’s difficult to begrudge my poor crippled daughter. Have I told you that it was John who died, my beautiful John? As God is my witness, I wish that I had been taken instead of that precious child.’
Molly had never known despair; her life, though humble, was rich in a different way.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Really sorry. If our Will was taken, I would hang myself from the nearest tree.’
‘That would be a great loss to the world.’ Sir William smiled, and for a brief instant he was able to forget his suffering and relax in the light of the young woman before him. When he took her hand, she didn’t pull away.
‘My other two children seem to hate
‘Never put anything on your face, my dear,’ she said, taking Molly’s hand. ‘Leave it natural; it would be a crime to ruin such lovely skin.’
‘Yes, my lady,’ she answered, both flattered and confused.
‘Be careful, Miss Johnson,’ Lady Brooke continued, her grip tightening, until Molly winced. ‘Your looks will bring you everything, but everything comes at a price.’ She dropped her hand, and Molly ran through the grass to her next partner. When she turned, Lady Brooke was still watching her, with a strange look on her ruined face.
Mrs Johnson came to her bedroom in the attic that night.
‘It’s late, my girl. Shut your eyes and dream of all the lads courting you today. You could do far worse than the Potter boy. He’s a handsome lad with a good future.’
‘He doesn’t interest me. I want someone special, someone different, and it’s not about money. Look at Lady Brooke. She has all the money in the world and it can’t mend her face.’
‘You’re right there, love. The pox is the pox – it doesn’t know rich from poor.’
‘When I marry, it has to be for love. Nothing else will do.’
Her mother stroked her hair. How could they hold on to this bright and beautiful girl?
Molly saw him immediately; she noticed the cut of his coat, the highly polished boots. He was a gentleman.
‘Can I get you some ale, sir?’ She stopped at the alcove by the fire, straightened her dress. Flames rose up, casting shadows around the stranger. She noticed his even white teeth, his unpowdered hair and his fine brown eyes.
‘Thank you, young lady. A pint of your best.’
‘It’s only the best here, sir.’
She learnt he was the Member of Parliament for Warwick.
‘He has our vote,’ her father said. ‘Sir William Keyt, now he’s a gent if ever there was one.’
Sir William stopped by the Charter House more often after that. Seth told Molly he owned several estates and a large carriage. He said people like him kept their gold under the mattress.
10
As the weeks went by, Sir William Keyt became a regular fixture at the Charter House.
‘Ah, here you are, Molly. I’ve been waiting for you; I’ve missed your company.’
Of course Molly was flattered. He said she had a bright mind and a quick tongue. When she learnt of the tragedy in his family she felt sorry for him, for Molly’s heart was warm and generous.
‘It goes to show,’ her mother said. ‘ In the eyes of our Maker we are all the same.’ But there weren’t many men of Molly’s acquaintance who wore silk stockings, and velvet coats with fine embroidery. There weren’t many men who wore rubies and lace and a golden snake on their little finger.
As she got older, he asked for her more and more. She accepted his interest with the innocence of youth, as she appreciated his courteous words and enjoyed looking at his fine clothes.
‘Come and talk to me on this day of all others. It is the anniversary of my hell, Molly. You’re a good listener.’
‘Doesn’t your wife listen to you?’ she asked.
‘No, not really, but certainly not today; today she will be on her knees asking God’s mercy. When has God ever been merciful?’
Molly refilled his mug.
‘Everything changed with the accident. Lizzie gets all my wife’s time now. It’s difficult to begrudge my poor crippled daughter. Have I told you that it was John who died, my beautiful John? As God is my witness, I wish that I had been taken instead of that precious child.’
Molly had never known despair; her life, though humble, was rich in a different way.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Really sorry. If our Will was taken, I would hang myself from the nearest tree.’
‘That would be a great loss to the world.’ Sir William smiled, and for a brief instant he was able to forget his suffering and relax in the light of the young woman before him. When he took her hand, she didn’t pull away.
‘My other two children seem to hate
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