"Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones." Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre 

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III.

Katy walked with purpose along the side of the road that led her from their cottage to the Wilshire village. She tried to keep her head straight and her breathing even, attempting to stay calm, and to hold her tongue at whatever Mrs Spencer might say.

Mrs Spencer was never one to let an opportunity for commentary pass her by. As though it was her mission, or even a hobby for enjoyment, she liked to put Katy in her place.

As though Katy could ever forget her place. Insolent woman.

Marching on, Katy wrapped her cloak around herself tightly to protect herself from the wind that had picked up in the last twenty minutes. Her hair, some of which had come loose, was being whipped around her face, and her skirts wanted to flap about her knees.

Why could this letter have not waited? Katy eyed the clouds cautiously. They were looking rather ominous. Perhaps if she took the path through the woods on her way back it would save time. The road was easily an extra half mile.

Katy increased her pace, arriving at the Spencer's house within half an hour. The Spencer's house was the finest in the village, standing three storeys high, and set on a flat, elegant green with perfectly tended gardens.

Taking one last deep breath and making a promise to herself to hold her tongue, Katy unlatched the gate and crossed the threshold into their garden.

Arriving at the door, she took the bronze lion door knocker in hand and rapt it three times. The door was swiftly opened and the Spencer's housemaid, Ellen, stood before her.

"Good morning, Ellen," Katy greeted cheerfully, putting on her smile.

Ellen managed a small smile in return, but she, like Katy, knew her mistress would not be receptive to Katy's visit. "Good morning, Miss Fairchild," she replied, returning a smile. "How can we help you?"

"I have a letter for Mrs Spencer from Mrs Banes," she replied, producing the letter from her pocket. "May I wait while Mrs Spencer replies to it?" Inside, she hoped, as the wind continued to whip her hair and skirts about.

"Please, wait in the parlour." Ellen opened the door widely and for the first time in ten years, Katy was glad to enter the Spencer's house.

Mrs Spencer kept an immaculate home, as though dust were illegal. Her furniture was reupholstered annually, and one would never find a pillow that was not perfectly plumped.

Katy stood in the parlour. She dared not sit. She always felt the need to make herself feel as small as possible in the presence of Mrs Spencer. It was a horrible feeling, really, when her only crime was that of being born to poor parents.

The door opened, and Katy jumped, but it was not Mrs Spencer that entered. Instead, it was her sixteen-year-old daughter, Emilie Spencer.

Emilie was a very pretty girl, with long, dark hair, treated and combed to look as shiny and as sleek as silk. Her eyes were the colour of forget me nots, and she was pale, though not as fair as Katy. Although she was sixteen, she still looked so young. Katy could have been six or seven years older than Emilie, and not only three.

Katy had always liked Emilie Spencer, though it was rare she got the opportunity to see her. Katy was not invited to any of the gatherings that the Spencers and Baneses were invited to, and Mrs Spencer always closely monitored who Emilie conversed with at public affairs.

Emilie was not as narrow minded as her mother, and Katy was glad of it.

Katy knew even less of Emilie's younger brother, Ben. Benjamin Spencer, who was fourteen, had been as good hearted as his elder sister in his youth before he was sent away to school to become the gentleman Mrs Spencer was determined he would be.

"Katy," Emilie greeted enthusiastically, coming towards her and taking Katy's hands in hers. "It is so nice to see you. Have you heard the news?"

"Yes," confirmed Katy. She hated to think that Emilie was excited for any other reason than there was to be a new member of society to socialise with. She hoped Mrs Spencer did not intend Emilie for the new earl. But even then, she knew her hopes were foolish.

"Is it not exciting?" Emilie cried, her blue eyes wide with delight. "Mama says he is an eligible, young man. Papa is to call on him the moment he arrives. Oh, I cannot wait to make his acquaintance."

"That is exciting news," Katy agreed, trying to sound as enthusiastic as her young friend.

Emilie beamed. "Oh, Katy. I hope you shall be able to meet him as well! You are so lovely."

Katy's heart softened at Emilie's innocent, yet unrealistic, compliment. But before she had a chance to reply, Mrs Spencer's sneer was heard.

"Oh, Emilie, really. Poor Katy cannot expect to keep company with an earl," she said in a belittling tone.

Once again, with one sentence, Mrs Spencer had attempted to wound Katy.

Mrs Spencer was a short woman with a permanent expression of displeasure on her once fair face. At least, to Katy it was permanent. She had never seen Mrs Spencer wearing anything otherwise in her presence.

"Good morning, Mrs Spencer," Katy said stiffly. Katy knew that she would only bring grief to Mrs Banes if she spoke to Mrs Spencer how she wanted to, and she would never allow that.

Mrs Spencer did not return the greeting. Instead, she looked over Katy with disapproving brown eyes. "Ellen tells me you bring a letter from Mrs Banes," Mrs Spencer murmured.

"Yes, that's right," she confirmed, holding out the letter to Mrs Spencer carefully.

"Will you stay for tea?" asked Emilie. "Why, it is nearly luncheon."

Mrs Spencer's head whipped around to glare at her daughter.

"I am afraid I cannot today," Katy said, putting on an air of regret. "Mrs Banes needs me today. She asked me to wait for your reply, Mrs Spencer, and then I shall go."

"Oh, well then, I shall not keep you," Mrs Spencer said, turning towards the door. "Come along, Emilie. I require your assistance."

"But, Mama –" Emilie started to protest.

"Come," Mrs Spencer snapped, silencing her daughter.

Emilie obediently followed her mother from the parlour, offering Katy a regretful look, before the door was closed behind her.

Katy looked out the window and watched the trees in the Spencer's garden bend to the wind's will. The weather was swiftly worsening. Katy would most definitely need to take the short cut through the woods back home if she was going to beat the weather. There was no way Mrs Spencer would offer to host Katy until the weather improved.

In what was probably the fastest letter ever written, Mrs Spencer returned in ten minutes, letter in hand, sealed, and addressed. She handed it to Katy and pressed her lips together.

"I would not get any ideas if I were you," Mrs Spencer said quietly, an unsettling level of ice in her voice.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Katy replied honestly. It was as though Mrs Spencer believed Katy had an agenda that simply did not exist.

"Oh, sweet Katy," she said condescendingly. "Every young girl in this village is having ideas at this moment. But you need to understand that you are not the right sort of girl."

"How could I ever forget, Mrs Spencer?" Katy snapped, before she could even think about controlling her temper.

But Mrs Spencer did not seem to take offense. She merely smiled and laughed a little. "Good," she said. "Be on your way, Katy. We wouldn't want you to catch your death."

Katy put the letter in her pocket and said nothing to Mrs Spencer. She stormed out of the parlour in into the entryway. Before the reached for the doorhandle, she chastised herself. She knew that her quip and haste would be reported back to Mrs Banes as rude behaviour. She had promised herself that she would hold her tongue.

Why did that woman feel the need to treat Katy so? What power did Katy have? What harm could she do?

"Katy!"

Katy turned towards the stairs, where Emilie was standing halfway up. Emilie was looking upon her with sympathy and regret.

"It was nice to see you!" she offered weakly, but with true sincerity.

Katy smiled at Emilie genuinely. "It was nice to see you, too, Emilie," she replied.

Taking a deep breath, Katy charged out into the weather. It was not yet raining, but no sooner has she reached the road, the heavens opened, and the rain began to pour.

The rain consisted of large, soaking droplets. Katy lifted up her hood and wrapped her cloak around herself to try and protect herself from the weather. She moved as quickly as her legs would carry her, though as she was not tall in stature, her legs could only go so fast.

Katy's cloak became heavy with water as she made her way into the woods. The path in the woods was flattened with use, though it was filled with obstacles like wet leaves and fallen boughs. Though, luckily, the canopy from the trees offered her a little relief from the onslaught of water.

Water was still getting through, however, and the dirt path through the woods quickly became muddy. It was all Katy could do to not slip over. In her haste to avoid a pile of slippery leaves, Katy stood on an unsteady part of an embankment, which had been weakened considerably by water.

The dirt and mud gave way and Katy quickly vanished from the path.