Prologue from Book 1 of the Darkes of Penzance series
by K. R. Richards
Penzance, Cornwall 1845
Every
other Thursday for the past three years Captain Jonas Darke took a phaeton from
his fine gentleman’s residence, Trevena House, just outside Penzance, into the
town proper to number four Regent Square. He called upon the young widow, Mrs.
Loveday there. On a fine day, the couple would walk along Chapel Street, maybe
even the Promenade. They might pause for an ice or stop in at the Book Sellers.
Afterward, they would return to Regent Square where Captain Darke, now eight
years maimed and able to walk only with the use of a cane would take tea or an
early supper with the widow then take his leave and return alone to Trevena
House.
On a
cold, bleak, winter’s day, such as this, the residents of Penzance were left to
wonder what the widow and the Captain did with their afternoons. Mrs. Loveday,
a widow for four years past, in her younger years was considered quite the
loveliest young woman in Penzance, with dark blue eyes the color of the Cornish
sea during a storm, dark brown hair and fair, unblemished skin. When she came
out, she was rumored to have been called a diamond
of the first water her first months in London, before her father arranged
her marriage to Henry Loveday.
Captain
Darke, considered quite a catch in his day, was still quite handsome with dark
hair, eyes, and a fit figure, excepting for his crushed leg. Though still
involved with shipping and ship building as all the Darkes were, his days as a
daring sea Captain and rake about London were long behind him. In truth, he was
now more of a recluse.
One rarely
saw Captain Darke in Penzance proper, unless it was to see him enter the
offices of Darke, Darke & Co or on a Thursday with the young widow on his
arm. The same could be said for the widow, Louisa Loveday, although she did visit
the unfortunate women at the almshouse weekly and attended services at the
church. She shopped at the market occasionally, but mostly her butler or cook
performed such tasks.
There were
whispers that residents of Regent Square were more attentive to the goings on
in the Square every other Thursday. Some even made a point to stay home on those
days and tended to remain near the front windows so they might have a good view
of the street and number four. None could ever say they saw anything untoward taking
place in the front parlour of Mrs. Loveday’s house. Occasionally, there was a glimpse
of the misfit couple sitting across the small tea table from one another. Those
Regent Square residents with very sharp sight might see the widow passing the
Captain a cup of tea.
He was a
man cut down in his prime, after all, who had no prospects of marriage after
the horrible accident that left him crippled. He was no doubt lonely living in
his grand and spacious gentleman’s residence outside of town. His elegant home offered
lush gardens and land, but no companionship save that of his Uncle, Aunt, and cousins
when they visited.
Poor
Louisa Loveday, widowed as practically a new bride, was married just a few
years really. Loveday left her childless, with only a small, yet neat and fashionable
house on Regent Square. It was rumored Mr. Loveday left very little money
behind, scarcely enough to pay for a cook, butler and allow much for her to live
on. There had been many whispers, even before his death, that Henry Loveday,
handsome though he was, was a gamester and womanizer.
So on
this cold and dreary morning, Mr. and Mrs. Leake in number three Regent Square,
and the Misses Symonds in number five were not paying particular attention when
the Captain’s carriage, not his phaeton as was the custom, rolled into the
square. However, once they realized it was the Captain indeed arriving at
number four, they were instantly attentive. Other neighbors took note as well.
It was
exactly two hours earlier than his normal arrival time, which gave the Misses
Symonds some cause for concern. True, it was a windy, drizzly day and the
Captain did sometimes arrive in a carriage when the weather was foul, but it was
not the Captain’s habit to call during the morning hours.
The
inhabitants of Regent Square thought the deviation from the normal quite odd.
That he was in a carriage, not a phaeton was one thing, but it was another
thing entirely that Captain Darke was indisputably early.
The
suspense increased when he did not step down, but sent his footman to the door
in his stead. Those who were at home on this particular Thursday morning, were now
at their parlour windows, eagerly watching this extraordinary event unfold.
The
growing number of residents congregating at the front windows about Regent Square
were left open-mouthed when she, Louisa Loveday, exited number four in a slate
blue gown. More than one lady remarked that the young widow wore only dark
somber colors. Even more shocking, the Captain’s footman stepped into the foyer
of number four and brought a small trunk with him, placing it into the boot of Captain
Darke’s carriage.
What
was this? What could this mean? The buzzing
of excited voices could nearly be heard travelling aloft from house to house throughout
the Square.
As the fine
carriage left the terraced houses of Regent Square behind and turned onto Abbey
Street, heading toward Chapel Street, practically all of the residents had
witnessed the widow and the Captain sitting side by side in the carriage, not
across from one another as they usually did.
The inhabitants
rushed into their narrow front gardens and excitedly speculated amongst
themselves what it all could mean.
By the
time they took their evening meals in the small but fashionable dining rooms in
Regent Square, all of Penzance Society
knew that Captain Darke and Mrs. Loveday had stopped by the church and
exchanged their vows. It was reported that a quarter of an hour after the ceremony
concluded, Captain Darke’s carriage took them to the gloriously modern and
fashionable residence, Trevena House, atop the bluff outside of town.
Many remarked
the next day that the conversation at every table in Penzance that evening was
of Captain and Mrs. Darke.
Penzance
was abuzz. There hadn’t been such excitement in the town
since Melissa Emonds eloped with Jory Davis five years before; excepting of
course when the Davis’s babe was born a mere seven months later. (Calendars were duly marked in the event the
new Mrs. Darke should have a child soon.)
The
Captain and the Widow must have been in love! Perhaps all this time he was
romancing her. It could be they were so lonely, they simply married for company,
to ease the boredom of their dark and dreary days that stretched endlessly
before them? Neither one had any other prospects really.
The
ladies tended to romanticize everything while the gentlemen might remark to one
another in the public houses or one of the clubs in the evening that the
Captain was a man, maimed leg or no, and the widow had always been, and still
was, quite handsome with a fine figure.
Yet, as
the days passed, the ladies and even the gentlemen in Penzance wondered what
really happened between Captain Jonas Darke and Mrs. Louisa Loveday. No one
knew exactly what it was that brought the couple together. Wouldn’t it be just
dreadful if they never knew the reason? Well, they certainly couldn’t allow
that happen.
Book 1 of the Darkes of Penzance series will be released late 2014.
Lords of Atonement, the final installment of the Lords of Avalon series will be released in Summer 2014!