Mary by Sarah Grace Kuhlman

Hello all,
The Jane Austen Made Me Do It Top Ten Finalists have been announced. I, much to my disappointment, did not make the final cut. But I am very happy for those whose stories were what the judges were looking for. The contest had many magnificent stories & those who won rightly deserved it. I would like to thank those who created the contest for giving many an opportunity to flex our creative muscles, so to speak. I look forward to the next contest. In the meantime, I would like to post my own story submission, Mary, which was inspired by the lesser known epistolary, Lady Susan, although the plot is not similar, just the idea of relating the plot through letters. I know there is always room for improvement & I may attempt to brush it up in the future. Let me know your opinions & what you like or dislike in it.

Letter 1

Mrs. Stanton to Lady Waldegrave

Brighton
My dear Madam,
I wish to prevail upon our relationship as cousins to recommend my eldest daughter ,Mary, as a suitable companion for yourself. She is quiet & intelligent with a great love for reading & an eagerness to be of assistance at all times. Mary is desirous of a situation that could best prepare her for a future position as a governess, though I can not conceive why. She is barely sixteen, but is of a mature & affectionate disposition. It will be a matter of some grief to lose her, but knowing though that she will be of service to you will ease my pains over the loss. I pray that your response shall fulfill her hopes.

I am Madam,

Your most humble servant,

Mrs. Anne Stanton

Letter 2

Lady Waldegrave to Mrs. Stanton

Elkston
My dear cousin,
It gave me great pleasure to receive your letter. I must presume that you became knowledgeable of my looking into the matter of acquiring a companion from our mutual acquaintance, Mr. Morgan. He really is a rather dreadful man, never ceasing to speak, except to draw breath. On the subject of your daughter, Mary, she sounds as if she would make a splendid companion & I would be delighted to employ her services. You may tell her, if she applies herself, she may make an rather amiable governess, perhaps even for my own daughter, Mrs. Charles Holt. I am enclosing the fare required for the coach. I shall expect her here within a fortnight.

All my love, etc.,

Lady Charlotte Waldegrave

Letter 3

Miss Stanton to Mrs. Stanton

Elkston
My dear Mamma,
I arrived at Elkston safely day before last. Lady Waldegrave is a kindly, warm-hearted woman, very handsome in appearance, but one would not be remiss in calling her quite stout. She dresses in the latest fashions, diaphonous creations of silks, laces, & velvets. Her lady's maid does her hair in masses of curls, some pinned upon her head & others cascading onto her shoulders, but the maid on all occasions adds a single rather tall feather. The style is not to my taste, for I feel it to make one appear rather ridiculous & overdone, like a peacock amongst chickens. Though I should not speak so forthrightly of my new employer, for she has received me into her home with the utmost civility. The room that I am to use for the duration of my employment here is quite spacious considering my position is as a companion & not a guest. The furniture in my chambers is quite adequate in appearance, but very plain beside the furnishings of other apartments, although it is a far sight above the servants quarters. Do not think me to complain of my present situation, for it is far beyond what I could have imagined to be bestowed upon someone in such a pecuniary position as myself. I only attempt to give examples of how things are at present. I am most grateful to yourself, for corresponding with Lady Waldegrave on my behalf & to Lady Waldegrave for giving me a opportunity with so little to recommend me. Give my love to Catherine, Susan, & James.

With love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. I am enclosing a letter for Catherine.

Letter 4

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
Dearest Catherine,
How are the family truly doing? Mamma, I know would not wish to worry me & glazes over the truth at times. How are Susan & James keeping up with their studies? I pray you will not have too much difficulty in the task of temporary governess until my first chance to come home & see all you dear ones again. I will send you a portion of my earnings when Lady Waldegrave gives me my wages. Please be certain that Mamma does not squander it on foolish flippery. Hide it away if you must. I trust you will make certain the funds are spent wisely. Now enough talk of money, I wish to tell you of Elkston. I do believe it is the loveliest estate in all of Etonshire. The grounds are magnificent, with massive ancient oak trees, lushious gardens bursting with flowers of all varieties & colors, & impressive stone edifices. The estate is a handsome centuries old stone masterpiece with two menacing stone lions upon either side of the front entrance. Upon entering the foyer, one's eye is immediately drawn to an immense chandelier, which, when lit takes your breath away with its beauty. There is a vast winding staircase not far from the front entry, with thick red velvet carpets leading upstairs to upwards of some fifteen rooms & there are twelve rooms for various uses downstairs. My chambers have a simply stunning view of the gardens & from this vantage point, dear Catherine, you could capture its true beauty with your artistic eye & your talent for painting so true to nature. Lady Waldegrave will make quite a good employer, I believe, for she has shown me great kindness & compassion thus far. Elkston & Lady Waldegrave are well & good, but I do so miss home & my family. Do stand by your promise & write to me often.

With great love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. Give Susan & James a hug & a kiss for me tonight.

P.P.S. Please keep me in your prayers that God will help me to do my utmost for Lady Waldegrave.

Letter 5

Catherine Stanton to Miss Stanton

Brighton
My dearest Mary,
We all miss you desperately & long for the day we might see you here again. James inquires of me daily when Mary will be coming back to us, but no matter the times I have explained it to him, his seven year old mind can not grasp why it should take so long or why time can not go at the speed he wishes it to. Every night when I tuck him into bed, he insists that I sing Mary's song. Both Susan & James are doing very well indeed in their studies. Susan is showing a slight disinterest in the classics. She proclaims she would rather read something thrilling, by which I have found, she means those insipid novels that far too many young girls are filling their heads with these days. Please, can you suggest a method of getting her to read more appropriate books? James has progressed in his studies beyond what even you could believe possible. Mamma is in good spirits after reading your recent letter & imagining what a grand house it must be. I am seeing to the accounts as best I can, but I do wish you were here to help me. Lady Waldegrave & Elkston sound simply grand. I do envy you your view, but nothing of the other duties you have. Upon receipt of your last letter, I gave Susan & James the requested hugs & kisses.

Love from us all, etc.,

Catherine Stanton

P.S. You know you are always in my prayers.

Letter 6

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dear Catherine,
I have been at Elkston for a fortnight & it has become my second most treasured place in all of Christendom. Lady Waldegrave has continued on in her manner towards myself, just as she began. Her Ladyship is, I believe one of the most amiable & genuine people it has been my pleasure to be acquainted with. She never does put on airs or behave affectitiously towards anyone, whether he be of any consequence or none at all. Being as I am employed as her companion, it befalls my duty, to aid in her correspondence (She has praised "my fine penmanship"), read to her for hours on end (Thank heavens she likes several books that are not sermons, though a great deal are theology, old sermons, & the Bible), fetch small trifles, assist with her needlework. These are but a few of the tasks that I am daily charged with. When I am not performing any specific task & Lady Waldegrave has drifted off into slumber, I am allowed to do as I wish. Frequently I choose a book from her extensive library. Though she does not enjoy them very much, she has all of the classics & a vast many other books of varied subjects. Her Ladyship has told me that her son William, is the reason for this enormous collection of books. He lives but for to read, so she has said. When I inquired whither he resided, she informed me that upon her death, Elkston would go to him & that he resided there, but of late, he was in London on business. Her Ladyship does not know whence he will return. From what I have gathered, he is a very intelligent, kind, & sensible young man, which is what every young man should be. As to Susan, I shall enclose a letter for her. On the next post I shall send a letter for James of congratulations & encouragement for his improvements in his studies.

Give everyone my love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

Letter 7

Miss Stanton to Susan Stanton

Elkston
My dear Susan,
I miss you terribly & long to see you again. Catherine has informed me that you have been reading novels. You know all too well where I stand on such druthery. It clutters your intellect with filth & foolishness. I know you must imagine that I am being rather prude about this matter, but your mind is something that must be cultivated with the proper tools. The classics, theology, history, these will improve & empower your mind. Those novels you choose to read are not fit for anything except fodder for the fires. Please, I beg of you Susan, make another attempt at good, sound literature & keep your mind open to the possibilities. I am glad to hear that in other respects, your studies are doing quite well. I pray for you daily.

With love, etc.,

Your sister,

Mary Stanton

Letter 8

Mr. Waldegrave to Lady Waldegrave

London
My dear Mother,
I am soon to be concluded with my business here & I hope to be at Elkston within a fortnight. I pray you are well & have not had any further sick headaches. I presume that your companion is of adequate capabilities, for I have not heard of your seeking another. How are Louisa, Frederick, & the children? I have not heard any news from them since prior to my departure for London. I do hope all is well with them, for as you recall, when last they wrote it was to tell of young Frederick's having a dreadful cold. I will be bringing quite a few books that I purchased & presents for you & the children.

Love, etc.,

William Waldegrave

Letter 9

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
Dear Catherine,
The entire house is in a state of quiet frenzy! The gardeners are ascertaining that the grounds are impeccable, which they were aforehand, the maids are scrubbing, starching, polishing, ironing everything in sight ( I should not be surprised if they attempted to scrub, starch, polish, or iron me next!), & the cook is busy creating endless confections & delicacies. Why all of this scurrying about, you must wonder. I shall tell you. Lady Waldegrave's son, William is en route from London, on his return journey home. I do pray he is not as exacting as all of the present employments imply. For if he were, it must assuredly detract from the attributes Lady Waldegrave claims to his character. Lady Waldegrave is most pleased & anxious to see her son, for he has been away some two months.

I miss you all,

With the greatest love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. I am enclosing the afore promised letter to James.

Letter 10

Miss Stanton to James Stanton

Elkston
My dear little James,
I wish to congratulate you upon your accomplishments & encourage your further application to your studies. You are excelling far beyond what I could have possibly hoped. I am quite proud & very pleased with you. You are growing into quite a young man. I know you will do all you can to help Mamma & your sisters.

I love you,

Mary Stanton

Letter 11

Lady Waldegrave to Mrs. Holt

Elkston
Dear Louisa,
I pray that little Frederick has gotten over his cold by this time. How are dear Charlotte & Lydia? I do hope they have not caught Frederick's cold. Did you receive an invitation to the Stanhope ball that is to be held in a fortnight?I received mine day before last. I went to Mrs. Winthrop's yesterday & chose a new silk length & was measured for a lovely new style with a crossover bodice. Mrs. Winthrop promises to have it completed several days before the ball. I took my companion with me to Mrs. Winthrop's & I came to find out that she has remarkably good taste in gowns. I requested her opinion of the silks Mrs. Winthrop spread out before me & Mary chose the exact silk Mrs. Winthrop suggested & the one I loved most. Mary is an excellent companion, exceedingly helpful & willing to do my bidding. She is a very pretty little thing too, with hair that is such a lovely shade of golden brown, deep blue-grey eyes that one feels could peer into one's soul, possesses a face that one might call cherubic & a form small, lithe, & very graceful. Mary's voice was meant for reading, her tone following the mood of the subject, it is very soothing & I must confess that it has on more than one occasion caused me to drift off into slumber. I do wish you to meet her on your next visit ( Which I pray you will make soon).

Love to you & the children, etc.,

Lady Waldegrave

P. S. William will be returning from London in a fortnight or less.

Letter 12

Mrs. Holt to Lady Waldegrave

Edgeton
Dear Mother,
I am most pleased to inform you that Frederick's cold has nearly vanished. Neither of the girls contracted any symptoms & are in exceptional health. Frederick will not be able to come with us, as he can not be spared from the office, when we come for a long overdue visit. I did indeed receive upon the exact day the post delivered your letter. I am most certain that your new gown will incite a high degree of envy amongst the ladies & admiration from the gentlemen. As to my own gown, it shall be on a far less grand scale. I have chosen a very pretty shade of blue silk with a slightly darker shade for trim. Mrs. Winters is to have it sent by special messenger upon completion. I am surprised at your willingness to be seen with your paid companion & to ask her opinion on silk, when she has likely never seen silk in her life, so her opinion should not have been asked, especially in the presence of Mrs. Winthrop, who happens to be one of the most gossipy women in Etonshire. I caution you not to put your confidence in her too readily. I am pleased to hear William will soon be journeying home. I do pray he does not bring any diseases back with him from London (Such an awful, filthy place that). We will be arriving at Elkston within less than a fortnight.

Love, etc.,

Louisa Holt

Letter 13

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dearest Catherine,
I have news. Lady Waldegrave's daughter, Mrs. Holt has arrived from Edgeton but two days ago, with her three children, Frederick, Charlotte, & Lydia, for a visit. I have the distinct impression, that for reasons unbeknownst to me, she does not approve of me as companion to her mother. Mrs. Holt is like her mother in that she too is stout, but there the resemblance ends. She has piercing eyes that when she is angered become almost black, dark brown hair frizzy with curls, & small, narrow lips that always appear to be pursed with displeasure & disapproval. Her children are shockingly kind to me & I like them very much. Another visitor arrived the day after Mrs. Holt & the children, Mr. William Waldegrave in the flesh. Mr. Waldegrave possesses numerous traits similar to his mother. I have only had the pleasure of his acquaintance for one day, but I have seen him show forth attributes that are truly pleasing in a man; kindness to all who are about him, compassion for other's concerns, generosity of spirit to any in need, a love for family & those dearest to his heart, & an inexpressible desire to be jovial whenever the situation warrants. Add to the aforementioned traits, a very pleasureable appearance & an eloquent method of speech, when all are combined, the result is Mr. William Waldegrave, indeed a very fine specimen of a man. Upon the occasion of our introduction, when he extended his hand to grasp mine, the moment our fingertips touched a sensation, one such as I had never felt before, raced up my arm & straight ways to my heart where it gave a simultaneous leap & flutter. I do believe he felt a similar sensation, for his eyes showed forth the mirror of my own emotions at that moment. It only lasted a brief second, but seemed far longer, then we released our grasp & withdrew our hands. Please reply promptly with your thoughts of what took place & how I should proceed.

Give my love to all, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. Find enclosed a portion of my first month's wages.

Letter 14

Catherine Stanton to Miss Stanton

Brighton
My dear Mary,
I hope to caution you concerning Mr. Waldegrave. Remember your station & his. You must not give away your affections too quickly. I would presume that his family have expectations of his marrying well, to a woman of high rank or great fortune or both. Do not think that he prefers you unless he tells you that it is so. I am certain it would be far too easy to loose your heart to, what sounds like such an agreeable young man, but proceed carefully. Let his conduct be the guide for your own. I do not wish to put a damper upon your emotions, but to attempt to prevent any heartache in future. If Mr. Waldegrave deems to select you as his future life's companion, I will be most pleased to call him brother. But until such a time, take care, my dear sister. We all miss you severely & hope to see you soon.

Love from all, etc.,

Catherine Stanton

P.S. The funds you sent were put to proper use. Thank you from Mamma for your generosity.

Letter 15

Mrs. Holt to Lady Waldegrave

Edgeton
Dear Mother,
There is something I must address, the matter of Miss Stanton. She appears to be a somewhat adequate companion, but I would advise the questioning of her regard towards my brother. You likely have not noticed that she frequently looks at him & when he speaks to her, she often becomes flushed, giving her cheeks a ruddy tint. I could not ascertain if there was any reciprocating regard in William. I propose you keep a close watch upon Miss Stanton & William & how much time they spend in each other's company. I have brought this matter to your attention as I am concerned for my brother' s future & that he be not trapped into a promise that would do him great ill. Though she be the daughter of your cousin, her circumstances are a very undesirable connection for our family's standing in society. Think Mother, of how ill-fitting she would be in society. She likely does not know the proper etiquette for aforementioned affairs. Please just think on what I have said. The children & Frederick send their regards.

Love, etc.,

Louisa Holt

Letter 16

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dearest Catherine,
I appreciate the concern that your previous letter exuded & I will attempt to be more careful inasmuch as pertains to my regard toward Mr. Waldegrave. I am making an effort to hide what regard I do feel, but I have an intuition that Mrs. Holt is suspicious in regards to her brother. She made a rather blatant insinuation not long afore she left, about the family's expectations of his marrying exceedingly well, for rank or fortune, not love. Thank heavens she & her children (Who really were very nice, inspite of their mother's example) departed two days ago. I will allow his conduct to govern my own. Please pray for me in this matter, that God will guide me in the path I should take. All of you are in my prayers daily.

Love to everyone, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. Susan, I do hope you are learning to love the classics, as well as literature in general. I love you & miss your sweet voice singing in the mornings.

P.P.S. James, I know you are growing up to be a young man rather quickly & I am proud of your present progress. I will miss my little brother when he is full grown. I love you & miss those comforting hugs you give when my spirits are low.

Letter 17

Lady Waldegrave to Mrs. Holt

Elkston
My dear Louisa,
I believe your worries are unfounded. Mary Stanton is a shy young woman, so it is natural, that when around a young man, such as your brother, she should become flustered & reticent, a reaction that might be easily misconstrued as affection. I think you are incorrect in assuming that just because her family is now in reduced circumstances that she would be foreign to the proper etiquette expected in society. You forget that both her father & mother were gentlefolk of good birth & were quite well off financially. No matter that she no longer travels in the same circles, Mary is as much a gentlewoman as you or I. I will brook no further discussion or dissent on the subject. I would be proud to have such a considerate, affectionate young woman as a daughter in law. Do you not recall that I was the daughter of a gentleman of reduced means when your dear father married myself? As to her capabilities as a companion, she is the finest example of a companion I could ever wish to have in my employ. She is sensible, respectful, courteous, intelligent, & desirous of being able to assist in any situation. William would be as blessed as she in the selection of a spouse. Now that you know my sentiments upon the whole, let us leave the matter lay. The Stanhope ball was a delightful event & your gown ravishing. Mrs. Stanhope far exceeded her previous efforts. All in attendance appeared to enjoy themselves thoroughly & the music gave great pleasure to the listener. The dinner that was served was simply delicious, in my opinion. I truly enjoyed your recent visit. The children are growing so rapidly, I hardly recognized them. I do hope your next visit shall not be long in coming. I so wish that you, Frederick, & the children lived closer that we might see each other far more frequently. Give my love to Frederick & the children.

With all my love, etc.,

Lady Waldegrave

P.S. Give the children a hug & kiss from Grandmamma for me tonight.

Letter 18

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dear Catherine,
How is everyone faring at home? I am doing very well indeed. Lady Waldegrave recently went to the Stanhope ball & had a stunning gown made by Mrs. Winthrop, a highly sought after seamstress. A day before the ball, Lady Waldegrave brought a paper wrapped parcel to my room. Inside lay a dress length of the most beautiful pale rose organdy & a deep rose silk ribbon for a sash. Lady Waldegrave told me she felt selfish, what with her getting a new ballgown & so she decided when she saw the cloth, to buy me a dress length. Her Ladyship, after telling me the above details & receiving first my protestations & then my gratitude, proceeded to inform that she planned to have Mrs. Winthrop make it up for me. I immediately proclaimed shock & dismay at such an extravagance. The cloth & having it made up by Mrs. Winthrop would be too much, but Her Ladyship would not accept refusal. For she said it had to be completed within a fortnight, as there is an exhibit to be in town two days hence. Pray my dear sister, do not despise me too greatly for conceeding, but I could not restrain myself from accepting, for Lady Waldegrave can be at times a force to be reckoned with. I dearly miss everyone at home.

With greatest love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

Letter 19

Lady Waldegrave to Mrs. Stanton

Elkston
My dear cousin,
I must relay some very distressing news. Mary has been severely injured. Whilst attending an exhibit with me this evening in Etonshire, we were preparing to depart as we had viewed the exhibit thoroughly. As we stepped nigh the edge of the road side, awaiting our carriage, when suddenly a charging black steed hitched to a carriage came careening down the street. The appearance of such a sight, I believe, left us both slightly shocked & horrified, causing a temporary paralysis. Before I could even draw another breath the horse was nearly upon us. Mary reacted by pushing me out of the horse's path, but in so doing, losing a chance of gaining her own escape. The horse reared & Mary stood frozen with fright, & as the horse's forefeet came rushing down, connecting with poor Mary's head. Thank God at that exact moment our carriage arrived & the footman went for a physician post haste. We dared not move her, for she had been unconscious since the blow struck her. The physician arrived a quarter of an hour after I sent the footman to fetch him. He examined her & claims she has suffered a severe head injury & that he is not certain if she will live or not. I have been given the task of informing you & requesting that you come to Elkston immediately for the situation is indeed grave. I do believe my son William is infatuated with Mary & it would devastate him if she did not survive this. Pray God that she will recover speedily, without any complications. I am enclosing the fare for the coach. I pray you arrive soon.

With all my love, etc.,

Lady Waldegrave

P.S. You should be very proud of Mary, as she performed a feat of great bravery & selflessness in thrusting me out of the path of danger & not thinking of her own safety. You raised one of the finest young women it has ever been my pleasure to be associated with.

Letter 20

Mrs. Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dear Catherine,
As of yet, your sister has not awakened from her unconscious state. She lays there, her skin pallid, her breathing shallow, never making an utterance. Mrs. Waldegrave's physician has given directions for a solution that he prepared, to be administered every hour, by means of opening her mouth & dribbling liquid in, then massaging her throat to aid her in swallowing the mixture. He has stated that if we can not get plenty of fluids in her, she will become dehydrated & die. Lady Waldegrave, her maid, & I have been taking shifts so that the burdens not solely upon one. I feel so helpless, observing Mary lying upon the bed, as still as if death hovered above her, waiting, for I know not what. I beg of you, Catherine, to pray earnestly for your sister's complete recovery. Tell Susan & James to pray as well, but do not let them know of the severity of Mary's condition, for I do not wish them to worry overtly. Mr. William Waldegrave is relentless in his desire to be near Mary's side. If he be not by her bedside, he is pacing the corridor outside her chambers, he has been pacing to the point I believe the rug will need be replaced. Lady Waldegrave seems to approve & even encourage her son's attentions to Mary. Continue to see after affairs, as you well know how & give my love to Susan & James.

With love, etc.,

Anne Stanton

Letter 21

Miss Stanton to Catherine Stanton

Elkston
My dearest Catherine,
As the fact that I am writing to you attests, I am on the mend. I was utterly unconscious for nigh unto a fortnight, but one evening I regained consciousness & been recovering my strength since. That was a week ago. Two days after I awoke, William Waldegrave requested my hand in marriage. I lay there, believing my head injury had done damage to my hearing, but alas no, my hearing was in excellent condition & William has indeed proposed that we wed & as soon as might be. Once I realized that he was in earnest, I happily accepted, whereupon he went to ascertain Mamma's consent. I am most grateful for your prayers for my recovery. William was praying, as were Mamma & Lady Waldegrave. I believe that the physician thought I would never awaken, but I am certain that God must have a reason to have given me the gift of life, without your prayers I am assured that I would not have survived.

With all my love, etc.,

Mary Stanton

P.S. Mamma will be returning shortly to bring all of you to Elkston for the wedding.

Conclusion

After the previous correspondence was received, the communication ceased between Elkston & Brighton. Within a month after Miss Stanton's recovery, she was summarily wed to Mr. Waldegrave of Elkston & Mrs. Stanton removed herself & her children from Brighton to within a short distance from Elkston. Mr. & Mrs. Waldegrave enjoyed a leisurely wedding tour. Both respective families lived in harmony & happiness.


I look forward to new ideas for further writing & hopefully someday in the future, publication (if the Lord wills). Have a blessed weekend,
Sarah Grace