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A Ride and A Surprise

Cecilia was soon put to work helping Lily dress. There were pulls, stays, and buttons that Lily could not reach. “No wonder rich women have ladies’ maids,” she mused. “It is impossible to dress one’s self.”

“May, I do your hair, Miss?” Cecilia asked her once the dress was accomplished.

“My hair?” Lily asked, touching her brown curls. “What is wrong with my hair?”

“Most ladies wear their hair up,” Cecilia offered. “I can arrange it like so with some curls in front and secured in back in case you have occasion to remove your bonnet.”

Lily was thoughtful. She liked her hair down. Father had never wanted her to wear it up. He said that the moment she wore her hair up, she would cease being his little girl and he couldn’t bear it. “Just secure it with a ribbon so it doesn’t fly about, Cecilia,” she finally conceded.

“Yes, Miss,” Cecilia replied.

Uncle seemed pleased when she descended the stairs. “You look well, young lady. Will you take my arm?”

Lily smiled at her Uncle’s formality. “I will not disgrace you then?” she asked.

“Hardly,” he replied. “You could never disgrace me. The color is pleasing. But I am glad you chose to leave your hair down. I could not bear you transforming into a grown-up woman all at once. Someone may wish to steal you from me.”

Lily laughed. “Hardly, Uncle. I am still a child after all and will need quite looking after.”

Lily took her Uncle’s arm and they proceeded out of doors to where the horses were waiting. The brown mare looked gentle enough, but Lily wondered how she was to mount her.

“You stand upon the box, Dear,” her Uncle offered, “and place your foot here in the stirrup.”

“Now what,” Lily asked after that was accomplished.

“Well, grab here and you pull yourself upon the seat,” her uncle instructed.

Lily leaned over the horse and twisted herself into a sitting position, but she had to take her foot out of the stirrup to do so. “This doesn’t seem right, Uncle. I am sidewise.”

“Yes, of course, ladies do it differently,” Uncle Nael mused. “Bring your knee into this notch and then your other foot can go back into the stirrup. It’s called sidesaddle.”

“It is uncomfortable,” Lily countered.

“You will grow used to it. Proper ladies always ride sidesaddle. Now take the reins in your hands.”

“How do I hold on if I have to hold these?” Lily asked, startling as the mare began to move under her, shifting her weight.

“Hold on with one hand and hold the reins with the other until you grow more comfortable. And mind you don’t let the reins go. She could trip on them and injure you and herself. Or worse yet, she’ll go to eating grass and stop walking altogether. She’s a touch lazy.”

Lily found the instructions dizzying as they set out. She sat stiff in the seat and held the reins so tightly she lost the feeling in her fingers.

“Relax, Niece,” Uncle Nael said as they plodded along. “You will not fall off and if you do the ground is soft and your dress plentiful. It will cushion your fall.”

“Uncle, do not make me laugh,” Lily protested. “Or I will lose my grip.”

“The horse knows what she is doing,” he instructed. “She knows how to keep you safe.”

“She does?” Lily wondered. “How does she know that?”

“Horses are very intelligent creatures,” Uncle Nael replied.

“What is her name?” Lily asked.

“Whose name? The horse?” Uncle Nael asked with surprise. “Well, it is Molly. Called so after an old nanny I had once. I could never get her moving either,” he chuckled.

Lily smiled, but would not let herself laugh at the joke. “So, Molly,” she said. “Uncle says you’ll keep me safe? Is it so?”

Uncle Nael smiled. “She says to lower your hands and stop sitting stiff as a board.”

“You speak horse, do you?” Lily asked, grinning.

“Feel the horse move,” Uncle Nael instructed. “Move with her. She has a rhythm and you will do better if you match it.

Lily willed herself to relax. She closed her eyes and lowered her hands. She could feel what Uncle meant. It

was a steady rolling and swaying. “I think I see, Uncle. Am I doing it now?”

“Better, Dear,” he advised. “You have kept your seat well. But here we must leave the road. No, do not stiffen up,” he cautioned as he saw her body tense with fear. “It’s only that the path may not be smooth. If there’s a root or a hole, you must keep vigilant that she doesn’t trip and jolt you off.”

Lily watched the path so vigilantly that she didn’t notice when her uncle had pulled his horse to a stop. “What is the matter, Uncle?” she asked as Molly followed suit.

“I wanted you to look up, Niece.” Uncle Nael told her. “I thought you would like to see this.”

Lily looked around. The green meadow fell away at their feet and the downward track was full of every manner of wildflowers. “Oh!” she gasped. “And the scent!” she said, breathing deeply.

Uncle Nael smiled. “And the houses beyond. That is what I meant you to see. Somewhere among those is the childhood home of your father.”
“Oh Uncle!” she gasped again. “They are so quaint.”

“Quaint?” he countered. “I would more say in need of fresh paint and carpentry.”

“May we go down?” Lily asked.

“You’ve ridden a good deal already for your first time,” Uncle Nael replied. “I think we should start back.”

“No, Uncle! Look,” Lily said, pointing to the nearest house. “I see someone there. Let’s go down and see if he knows aught of my father.”

Lily nudged Molly, but she only looked at her. “Very well, Niece. If you are determined and I can see you are,” Uncle Nael said, nudging his horse forward so that Molly would follow. “Let us go down.”

“Do you know anything of the people there, Uncle,” Lily asked. “It is not a far ride from your house?”

“No,” he replied. “I am not acquainted with anyone from this area. It is beyond the bounds of my land. And they are not often associated with the town. There has been no reason for our paths to cross.”

“Then we shall have to inquire,” Lily replied. “Sir,” she called as they drew close.

The old man looked up slowly and stared at Lily, making her uncomfortable. “Sir?” Uncle Nael questioned. “Are you well?”

Without a word the man turned and disappeared inside. As they waited atop their horses wondering what to do next, a younger man came to the door and slowly opened it. He too stared at Lily as he stood upon the porch.

“Sir,” Lily began timidly. She was vexed by the staring, but determined to know if they were acquainted with her father. “Do you know a man named William Wilder?” she asked.

“Aye,” the man acknowledged. “You better come in then.”

Lily was thoroughly confused but thought they had better since the man said nothing else. “Should we, Uncle?” she whispered since he did not dismount.

“Yes,” he said, slowly lowering himself. “I believe we had better.” He tied his horse and Molly to a rail and lifted Lily from her seat.

She held onto her uncle a little longer than necessary for her to find her feet. “I believe my foot has fallen asleep,” she whispered, keeping her eye on the man on the porch.”

“Stamp it a few times,” he advised. “And hold my arm tightly until you are sure of yourself.”

They walked toward the house together. The old man had returned at the door, which he held open for the pair to pass. They were ushered into a sitting room where a woman sat doing needlework in front of a window with the sun warming her.

“She’s here, Mama,” the younger man said, kneeling down to speak to the old woman.

The woman turned her face toward the pair. Lily was startled by her loveliness. Her hair was white and her skin wrinkled. But she was lovely.
“I have seen that face before,” said Uncle Nael.

“Where?” whispered Lily.

“It is your face,” he replied.

Lily took a seat across from the woman who had let her stitching fall to her lap. “Are you? My grandmother?” she asked.

The woman nodded. “She don’t speak none,” the younger man said. “Stroke the doctor called it. “But she understands your words.”

“Then that means you are my uncle?” Lily asked. “And grandfather?” to the older man.

The men nodded. The older man took her hand and kissed it. His eyes were wet with tears. “You were a wee child when we last saw ye’,” he told her.

Lily looked at them in amazement. “Well, you all seem to know who I am. Please tell me about you. My father told me some stories, but I am quite bewildered at finding you here.”

“Your father didn’t mention aught of us?” the younger man asked. “Shame it was then. Shame at his upbringing.”

“Nay,” the older man countered. “It was his anger at us forbidding him from squiring after that fancy girl from the big house.”

“My mother?” Lily asked.

“She was a beauty,” the younger man said, nodding. “I be Percy,” he said, holding out his hand. “This be my father, William the first. You see, your father was William the second. And mother here is Rosana.”

“Such a lovely name,” Lily said, taking his hand absently, while staring at the woman. “Rosana.”

Suddenly there was a clamor on the porch and a group of children burst through the door. “Hush children,” a woman said, following them in. “Cain’t you see there be company?”

“Millie, come see who it is,” Percy called.

The troop entered and silently stood before Lily. No one paid any attention to Uncle Nael.

“What’s your name?” a little blond girl asked Lily, reaching out to touch her curls.

“Lily Wilder. What’s yours?”

The girl smiled. “Maggie. I’m Wilder too. Ain’t I, Mama?” she queried.

“Aye,” Percy said. “That un’s Maggie. This here be Cecil, Tommy, and Carl. The little one there is Hazel Grace and the big un holding her is our Luella. She looks pert near your age.”

“I am pleased to meet all of you,” Lily said with a slight tilt of her head. They curtsied awkwardly in return and huddled around their mama who seemed intent on bustling them out of the room.

“Stay Luella,” her father commanded. “I’d like ye to get to know yer cousin.” The girl shyly moved to her father.

“Come and sit by me,” Lily invited, making room on the settee for her. The girl acquiesced, but like the others did not speak. She simply stared until Millie returned without the children.

“Well, so you’re Lily,” the portly woman began. “I ain’t heard naught but you and your folks since I joined this family.”

“You have me at a disadvantage, Ma’am,” Lily explained. “I only remember father mentioning a brother and his parents. Nothing like all of this.”

“Brother William left us before Millie and me got wed,” Percy offered.
“And your fancy gent there? Who be he?” Millie asked snidely.

Uncle Nael rose and bowed to the room. “Forgive me for not introducing myself,” he began.

Millie snorted at the demonstration.

“My name is Charles Nael Mildenhall,” he continued, ignoring the snort. “I am Lily’s uncle and guardian.”

“Guardyan?” Millie queried. “What’s that mean?”

“It means my William is dead,” her father-in-law replied, wiping his eyes. “I should have knowed it. He would uv forgive us and returned before now if it wasn’t so.”

“You’ve had no word in all this time?” Lily asked.

“He sent letters,” Percy said, rising to pull a bundle from a drawer and handing them to her. “Naught for a few years.”

“These aren’t opened,” Lily asked, perplexed, casting about the room until Uncle Nael caught her eye. “Oh,” she said, realizing what it meant. “You can’t read? None of you?”

“Luella can, some,” Millie replied. “She’s had some learnen. But not enough to decipher those. I think it’s your Maw’s hand. From what I hear, William couldn’t read or write much.”

Lily was shocked by this revelation. Of course, her father could read and write! Couldn’t he? She was trying to think of a time that her father read something to her or wrote a note, but she couldn’t.

“Maybe you could read them to us sometime,” Lily’s grandfather asked. “I’ve always wanted to know what his words were.”

“Oh of course, Grandfather,” Lily gushed. “I would love to hear them myself.”

“You will come again?” Luella asked shyly.

“Of course,” Lily assured her. “It is not far by horse. But I am not very experienced at riding, so I am dependent on my Uncle’s kindness to accompany me.”

“Is yer Maw dead too?” Millie asked. “Is that what guardyan means? You ain’t got no folks no more?”

Uncle Nael looked affronted, but Millie didn’t notice. “Yes, Aunt. May I call you Aunt?” Lily said, intercepting Uncle Nael’s look. “My parents died last year, and Uncle Nael was so kind as to have me come and live with him.”

“You been livin’ in that fancy house for a year and they didn’t tell ye about us?” Millie scowled.

“Uncle Nael did not know!” Lily protested, shooting a questioning look at her uncle.

“His folks knowed it,” Lily’s grandfather said. “I went there to beg ‘em to tell me where I could find my boy. I meant to see him if I could do it, but they just drove me from the door.”

Lily looked at Uncle Nael, puzzled by this pronouncement. “My parents died several years ago,” Uncle Nael offered. “They didn’t share any of this with me. I only knew William used to live in this area. I thought his people had moved on long ago. Following the harvest, as was his way when he courted my sister.”

“We returned every spring,” Percy explained. “My parents said he would not know where to find us if we left. After Mama’s stroke, we stayed put.”

“We waited all this time, and now we know he will not come,” Lily’s grandfather added. “But the child has come,” he said, patting her hand. “And she will come again. She has said she will.”

“Yes, Grandfather,” Lily assured him. “I will come again.”

Uncle Nael rose. “I’m sorry, Niece, but the weather seems to be turning. I would like to reach home before it rains. We have already been gone longer than planned.”

Lily was reluctant to leave, but complied with her uncle’s request. “I will come again, Grandmother. I promise. I’ll plan a day when I can stay longer.”

“We will send word so that you know to expect us,” Uncle Nael added, ushering Lily out the door.

The family gathered on the porch to watch them leave, which was disconcerting for Lily who wasn’t sure how she was to mount Molly without the box to help her. Fortunately, Percy saw her predicament and offered his knee as a step while Uncle Nael held Molly’s head.
Lily tried to seat herself without letting on what a novice she was at riding. Fortunately, the dress mostly covered her clumsiness.

The ride home was filled with her amazement at finding a house full of unknown relatives. She couldn’t fathom why her parents rarely spoke of either of their childhood homes and families. She knew it was her father’s injury that prevented them from traveling so far, but why weren’t there more stories? “Did they think they were protecting me,” she mused. “But from what?”

The questions continued throughout the day and through the evening meal where Nael decided to finally interrupt. “Niece, you came from society and poverty and your parents ended somewhere in the middle. Is it not possible that to acknowledge either would endanger the path they chose for themselves? I know my parents would

have interfered, often interfered. They liked to direct people’s lives.”
“But these people weren’t like that,” Lily protested. “They were…”
“Common,” Uncle Nael offered.

“I was going to say simple,” Lily countered, somewhat annoyed. It was hard getting used to her uncle’s way of elevating himself above those that Lily felt a kinship to. “They just wanted to be a part of our lives.”

“They had the letters. They could have gotten someone to read them and to write a reply,” Uncle Nael said. His argument seemed reasonable and it silenced Lily long enough for her to contemplate her plate.

“Maybe there was no one they could ask,” Lily wondered. “It is a fair walk to town and I saw only shacks nearby. And you said the people there ‘followed the harvest’? Is that what you said?”

“Yes, that seems reasonable,” Uncle Nael agreed. “If the residents there are transitory, and they had little contact with the town.”

“And your parents drove him from the door,” Lily added. “Maybe they asked but were rebuffed.” She thought for a moment. “But the vicar would have readily done it,” she said, frowning.

They sat in silence for a moment, thinking. “There was no vicarage!” they both said at once.

Lily frowned. “No vicarage and no school! Who cares for these people? Do the landlords provide them nothing?”

“The landowners are only interested in workers to tend their crops,” Uncle Nael replied. “They do not give much thought beyond the work they provide.”
“And you, Uncle? Do you hire people like these to tend your fields?” Lily asked.

Uncle Nael was thoughtful. “Yes. But I’ve never asked who my overseer hires. I leave it to his hands to manage the fields. It’s what I pay him for.”
“But Uncle! No learning and no preaching. How is anyone to better themselves?”