Opensesame54321
Lost in Limbo
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Posts
- 4,754
Bridget Sweetwater
http://m.shutterstock.com/images/84408943
Bridget looked once again at the paper in her hands. She had not been able to read it, requiring her to visit the local priest. She should have known that the news would not be good.
Papa had died just 3 months earlier, leaving her an unpleasant surprise. The little cottage that she had grown up in, had lived in all her life, was not really theirs. Mama had died when Bridget was 10. Since then, it had been just her and Papa. And he always took care of everything. They always took care of each other. She cooked, and cleaned the house, did the mending, while Papa took care of the crops. It was small, but enough for them.
Papa had apologized for not having enough for her a dowry. So, at 18 years of age, Bridget had resigned herself to the fact that she would either die an old maid, or wind up married to a widower in order to raise his children. Bridget was not an ugly young lady. With her auburn hair and grey eyes and clear complexion, she was attractive enough. But lack of a dowry kept any of the local lads from dating her or asking for her hand.
Suddenly, Papa had died, and to her surprise, she had received a letter. The priest had read it to her and she discovered that the cottage was not theirs. It belonged to Lord Lexford. She had traveled up to the Manor and met with him. He was a sweet older man that took pity on her in her situation, and told her that she could stay. He had promised to reduce her payments. She had traveled back home, a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
And then, not one month later Lord Lexford was dead. Something about dying while hunting. So once again she worried about whether she would get to stay at her cottage. Lord Lexford's heir was in the process of taking over.
This morning another letter had arrived and once again, she went to see the priest. This letter was from Lord Lexford's heir, demanding that she present herself in 2 days time, along with full payment due or be prepared to vacate the premises. There was no mention of the agreement between Lord Lexford and herself.
She was worried but surely the heir would be as kind as Lord Lexford had been.
http://m.shutterstock.com/images/84408943
Bridget looked once again at the paper in her hands. She had not been able to read it, requiring her to visit the local priest. She should have known that the news would not be good.
Papa had died just 3 months earlier, leaving her an unpleasant surprise. The little cottage that she had grown up in, had lived in all her life, was not really theirs. Mama had died when Bridget was 10. Since then, it had been just her and Papa. And he always took care of everything. They always took care of each other. She cooked, and cleaned the house, did the mending, while Papa took care of the crops. It was small, but enough for them.
Papa had apologized for not having enough for her a dowry. So, at 18 years of age, Bridget had resigned herself to the fact that she would either die an old maid, or wind up married to a widower in order to raise his children. Bridget was not an ugly young lady. With her auburn hair and grey eyes and clear complexion, she was attractive enough. But lack of a dowry kept any of the local lads from dating her or asking for her hand.
Suddenly, Papa had died, and to her surprise, she had received a letter. The priest had read it to her and she discovered that the cottage was not theirs. It belonged to Lord Lexford. She had traveled up to the Manor and met with him. He was a sweet older man that took pity on her in her situation, and told her that she could stay. He had promised to reduce her payments. She had traveled back home, a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
And then, not one month later Lord Lexford was dead. Something about dying while hunting. So once again she worried about whether she would get to stay at her cottage. Lord Lexford's heir was in the process of taking over.
This morning another letter had arrived and once again, she went to see the priest. This letter was from Lord Lexford's heir, demanding that she present herself in 2 days time, along with full payment due or be prepared to vacate the premises. There was no mention of the agreement between Lord Lexford and herself.
She was worried but surely the heir would be as kind as Lord Lexford had been.