Ding Dong Bell | Duchess in the Well (open timestamp)

[Hope]

OOC: The PC who joins this thread can set the timestamp, and I'll edit it in. 

 

THE WELL

The servants puled up water every day for their most common needs, even though basic plumbing did provide the Castle with its necessary water as well. The well stood to the side of the small vegetable garden that was a part of the Keeps Ascent, hidden by a few bushes. It was not a busy place, and due to its seclusion perfect as a meeting place.

 

In recent years it had become a common sight to see the Duchess of Monmouth (and Buccleuch in her own right) out upon ‘adventures’ in her pair of sturdy walking boots. Those that knew her better, knew the deeper-seated reason for this, while others simply thought her a bit weird.

“Horse riding is so passe.” she claimed as she and her niece Agnes sat on the edge of the well. “No, I am looking for some other more daring adventure today. What ought we choose?”

Agnes meanwhile, was a far less daring girl. She’d recently found something of a niche in Her Majesties Household, where the demands were not too high, and she could drift along pleasantly enough.

“Well, we are still to cut out our Battenburg lace?” Agnes offered hopefully.  It was a tricky type of needlework, which, after careful sewing, required the cutting out of unnecessary fabric. A wrong snip and hours of work were ruined. For many, a modern woman was as adventurous as life got!

“Don’t be silly Agnes.” Anne scolded and turned around to peer into the well.  

“We could watch the farrier shoeing horses?” Agnes halted herself to add, “but not to try doing it yourself, not after what happened last time.”

Anne did not even reply to this but rather moved around the well looking in. “I wonder how far down the water starts?”

“Or your ankle is better enough now, we could climb the highest tower. They say you can see London if you …”

A scream interrupted Agnes, who spun around to see Anne falling, screaming, and desperately grabbing at the sides of the well!

“Help!” Agnes instinctively screamed, and snatching up the well’s bucket, she hesitated, not sure if throwing it in was a good idea or not?!

[Charles Whitehurst]

Wednesday Morning

 

Ann was not the only one looking for adventure.  Charles Whitehurst was ever ready to seek out a villain to dispatch or a lady's favor to win.  He had not slept well during the night.  Sam and he had an adventure to share, but Charles had no letter back from Susan or her mother as to whether he would be escorting Susan in the afternoon at the carnival.  It made his mind uneasy with possible reasons for this silence.

The morning's silence was broken by a scream for help.  In the fog, it was initially difficult to place.  It sounded like it was coming from the well area.  It seemed more urgent than just a bit of bad luck, so the young officer moved in that direction.

"I am coming!" he answered as he moved towards the women's cries for help.  Into view came Agnes, a lady he had met briefly, and someone in the well, hands holding to the rim.  "Has someone fallen in the well?" he cried as he closed the distance at a run.  Perhaps it was just a dog or cat.

When he arrived and was apprised of the situation, he maintained as much calm as he could.  "We will pull up the bucket," he instructed as he attempted to take the rope from Agnes.  "Your Grace, step into the bucket when your feet feel it.  I will hold the bucket steady and lift you out," he called as he looked to see if another servant might arrive to help hoist Ann.  He was fairly sure he could do it alone, but ropes and buckets were tricky things.

[Hope]

"Hurry, come quickly!"  Agnes called out as she heard someone's reply.  

Anne had managed to grasp the edge as she had tipped, and Agnes shifted her focus to holding her hand on top of the others, trying to help her hold to the ledge.   "Run please!" her cries encouraged Charles to quicken his pace into one unseemly. 

Meanwhile, Anne was screaming away frantically (the only pause being when she gasped in another breath) as she scrambled legs trying to get a grip for a foothold. 

"Is that you Charles!" she called plaintively, oddly his arrival brought relief and weakness, "I can't hold it much longer."  

The bucket, connected to a rope, sat on the ledge of the well. for Agnes had not thrown it down, out of fear she'd hit her mistress with it.

"I cant hold either!" Agnes felt one of Anne's hands slip from her fingers. 

 

 

 

[Charles Whitehurst]

No one else had appeared to offer assistance.  Charles had hoped that other passer-by might rally to the call for assistance.

Surveying the situation, there was not time to lower the bucket to assist Ann, so Langdon acted instinctively to bend over Ann and attempt to grab her arms above the elbow, lifting her up above the well's ledge .   He was counting on Agnes helping in whatever way she could, by grabbing flesh or dress.  With luck, and a strong back, he would be able to lift the Duchess to safety.

[Hope]

With urgency in the air, bodies pressed close with intentions only upon the Duchess, whose screams had lapsed into sobs as Charles's hands took hold of her arms.  Agnes was doing all she could, grabbing at whatever she could reach and pulling too. 

Anne didn't dare let go of Charles's arms, but her feet kicked - until they made purchase with the top ledge she catapulted, lurching them all to the ground.   

[Charles Whitehurst]

It was a relief when Charles felt his efforts succeeding.  He was lifting Anne out of the well successfully.  The Duchess seemed more emotional than usual in the moment, but even the bravest person can know panic when one's life is in the balance.  Even a soldier's mettle could be tested in such a moment.

As she kicked the stone ledge, the trio fell back abruptly, landing with Anne atop him. As he cushioned her fall, he remained motionless as he caught his breath.  "You are safe Your Grace," he whispered as he tried to comfort her.  "You are safe."

[Hope]

With that final kick, Anne pitched free from danger and, in a blur, tumbled to land upon her saviour!  Her tensed form didn't relax, though, until his soothing words, at which point she became a rag doll and cried for a little while.  "Thank you Charles, that was far too much adventure even for me." 

Agnes, who'd also taken a tumble, shifted away to sit on her bottom... expecting her cousin to disentangle herself any moment now. 

[Charles Whitehurst]

Charles lay still as Anne's panic passed.  It would be uncharitable to make her stand before she was ready to stand.  She used his familiar name, so he felt free to do the same.  After all, Anne was only a few years older than he.  "Anne, not all adventures need danger."  She had gotten herself stuck in a window once and she did not seem particularly skilled at performing adventurous feats.  "Perhaps a game of chance or cunning?  A fast ride in the woods?  A walk in the higher battlements? Researching a piece of lore?" He offered several that would appeal to him and would seem more fun than knitting or whatever women did.

As he allowed Anne to remain on him, he swiveled his head to Agnes.  "Lady Agnes, are you hurt?  Do you need assistance?"

[Hope]

As Charles replied, conversationally even, Anne recovered herself.

Scrambling back off him, and getting herself to her feet, she presented a rather sorry figure.  "I did not do that willingly Charles, it was not an adventure I thought to attempt. Rather, I was only speaking about making a plan when... when somebody pushed me." 

Agnes, who'd quietly shook her head to answer Charles's kind inquiry, looked shocked at Anne's statement.  "I did not push you!" 

"I know it was not you Agnes," Anne sighed, and then fixed a firm look at her niece,  "it was that other."

 

[Charles Whitehurst]

As Anne attempted to stand, Charles rose with her, assisting the lady to her feet.  Though Agnes declined assistance, Charles moved to her side at once and offered his hands to lift her from her seat upon the grass.  Observing that she had some grass and bits of branches on her bottom, he resisted the urge to brush them off, as it would be most inappropriate to do so.  He pointed to the debris instead.

Turning quickly to Anne as she made an accusation, Charles asked "what other?"  It certainly sounded sinister.

[Hope]

Agnes flushed with embarrassment and dusted herself off.  After all, no girl wants a handsome lifeguard to point out their imperfections, even if they are only debris.  "Thank you." she lowered her eyes while wishing that Anne would hush up and they could all go back to their rooms. Somewhere nice and safe.  

"I did not see him exactly, but there was definitely someone that pushed, then rushed off." Anne looked into Charles's eyes as she spoke; seeing his earnest concern inspired her to tell him more. What to tell him though?  "I think I smelled sandalwood, though, just as I began to fall.  That is a man's fragrance isn't it." She knew it was; it had been her husband's favourite. 

 

 

[Charles Whitehurst]

This sounded serious.  "It was a man and not a boy?"  Boys were known for stupid pranks.  Yet boys did not wear fragrances.  "Lady Agnes, you were with the Duchess.  Surely you must have seen something?"  It was inconceivable to Charles that someone would not wish to harm Anne Scott, nor would she imagine it.