The trees and floral displays of Hyde Park provided an oasis of escape from the urban sprawl of London. Birds chirped out, busy at work feeding their young. The air was fresh with a slight scent of wet dirt.
“I have a favorite spot on the knoll across from the Serpentine, where the swans often linger. It’s a bit of a walk,” Helen said to her footman as he carried the basket containing her blanket, sketchbook, and pencils.
The young footman kept his facial expression neutral. “Very good, Miss Davenport.”
She glanced over her shoulder.
This will not do.
“Please don’t feel obliged to walk behind me. If you speak with any member of the senior staff, you’ll find my father and I are quite like Lord and Lady Greenly—eccentric and at times unconventional. We wish for our servants to be seen, not to be invisible.”
She was rewarded with an upturn of the corners of his mouth.
Helen continued. “If we are to spend the morning in one another’s company, it’s only fair, I have your name.”
“I’m John, miss.”
“John. That’s an amiable name.” She placed her hands behind her back.
He must be a newer servant. She didn’t remember him from the last time she and Papa stayed at Curzon Street.
“Have you worked in service long?”
“I’ve worked in Lord and Lady Greenly’s household for just over one year. My brother is also a footman.”
Helen wracked her brain, reviewing the names and faces of the servants who had always been kind to her, and remembered one with curly brown hair similar to John’s. She snapped her fingers together. “Samuel.”
John raised his eyebrows. “That’s him, miss.”
Around them, the morning breeze caused the surrounding tree branches to sway and creak. They talked more as they walked deeper into the park.
She learned John had four other younger siblings who resided with his parents in Kent. He was sixteen years of age and aspired one day to rise to become a gentleman’s valet or, if fortune smiled upon him, a butler.
They slowed their pace, and Helen soaked in the majestic sight of the sun reflecting off the edge of the Serpentine, the sky awash in pink and orange hues. A family of five adult swans lay clustered together on the sandy banks of the pond with their heads tucked under their wings, fast asleep.
This is exactly the scene I hoped to capture,Helen thought.Now the question is, where shall I sit and sketch?
She surveyed the area. Her gaze turned to the knoll of grass directly across from the Serpentine. Walking over to it, she bent her knees and removed the leather glove from her right hand. The ground was damp, but firm.
She gestured to the basket John was holding. “If you would be so kind as to please unpack the blanket that I asked Watson to include in our supply kit, we’ll establish ourselves here.”
John nodded and set to work unpacking the thick, heavy item just as a large gust of wind caused the now-lighter picnic basket to blow over. Helen’s sketchpad and pencils fell out, rolling down the hill and onto the dirt path. She rushed over to retrieve them.
In the distance, she heard the telltale clip-clop of horse hooves galloping against the path. A muffled male voice yelled out. Helen strained her neck, searching for the direction the horse was coming from. Her pulse quickened.
“Miss Davenport!” John exclaimed.
As she glanced over her shoulder, a massive black stallion galloped towards her. Her mind urged her to move, yet her body froze. Instinctively, she knew she wouldn’t be able to jump out of its path in time. Her arms moved to cover her head and neck, and she braced for impact.
Three
Chapter 3
The impact, however, never came. Instead, Helen felt John’s strong hands grab hold of her body. With two hearts frantically beating as one, he dove with Helen cradled to his chest. For several terrifying moments, the world blurred as they both rolled. She squeezed her eyes shut. Sounds were muffled. Rocks scratched against the tender flesh of her bare arms. Mud entered her mouth.
Then, in an instant, it was over. She breathed sharply in short gasps. Opening her eyes, black dots danced in her field of vision, yet otherwise, she felt no pain. Slowly, she sat up. From her position, she could discern John’s form lay sprawled out to her immediate left. His chest rose and fell sharply.
He had saved her life.