Beginining
The currant Viscount Barrington of Aylesborough Abby, Miles Reginald Barrington, the Tenth of his line extending back to before the restoration, would NEVER do anything so plebian as to pace.Rather, he was inspecting the servant’s work in the library, ensuring that the layabouts did the cleaning he paid them for.Someone had to since the Mistress of Aylesborough Abby; his wife had taken to her lying in chambers weeks ago.The cause of this “inspection”; Lady Lucille, his wife, was about to produce his heir, a child who one day would become the 11th Viscount Barrington.
It had been a difficult marriage.Lord Miles married later in life after nearly twenty years of service to the Crown.He had seen combat in India several times and distinguished himself putting down the Burmese tribesmen serving under General Sir Frederick Roberts in the revolt of 1888.Persistent rumors of ‘witchcraft’ followed Viscount Barrington to the point that the tribesmen put a bounty on his head.Of course, when you always found your target “somehow”, these things crop up.The Dacoits didn’t have many modern Enfields, but those they did they put to good use.While only a Major of infantry, the guerrilla warriors took pleasure in seeking out the middle aged wizard.After several horses and an aide de camp were killed, the Major accepted the offer of Sir Frederick to return to London so he could place the army’s case in front of the Lords.Unfortunately for the Viscount, he didn’t leave before he was wounded.The wound wasn’t crippling, but the infection took its toll on the wizard’s health, and the pain from the broken collar bone every time a front passed through made him …difficult at times.
Once home from India, Viscount Barrington was introduced to a younger daughter of the Earl of Cold Harbor. A spirited lass of a political ally, it was hopped that an alliance could be made.A daughter brings no title, and with five sisters her dowry wouldn’t be much, yet the match would be beneficial to both families politically.Lord Miles had made enough tin in India to ensure that he had choices, after all, women were only to perpetuate the line, look at Her Majesty.Victoria had given Albert a number of heirs before his untimely demise, after that, well she just has been there, she generally has the sense to let the men run things and give her babbles.Lady Lucille understood her lot and what her role was to be:produce an heir and spare and then she would be free to pursue her own interests, within reason.She had no idea that she was marrying into a powerful wizarding family.
The Master of Aylesborough Abby continued his inspection of the library.Every few minutes he pulled the out his watch to yet again check the time.With a grunt he noted that the minute hand of the Lepine quarter repeater had moved past midnight.It was now Sunday, April 5th.The curse he feared: that of Wednesday’s Child is full of woe had been avoided days ago, yet he still feared something would go wrong.The watch had been a gift of the Marquess Cornwallis to the eighth Viscount Barrington for services in the Mysore War against the Tippu Sultan shortly after 1792.Apparently the then Earl Cornwallis had ridden out to see for himself the Sultan’s line with only Lord George, a young aide de camp who had only recently purchased his lieutenancy in the John Company for an escort.In 1792, an English Lieutenant General’s uniform, even a field uniform, was a sight to behold.
Forces loyal to the Tippu Sultan quickly moved out to capture the gaudy English officer.While Cornwallis’ eyes weren’t what they once were, young George could see the disaster unfolding.With only a pair of Dragoon pistols and his sword, the young man rode into the face the charging men.His movements startled the old General to seeing the precarious situation he was in; Cornwallis quickly got his horse under control and turned for the safety of the British line.The .62 caliber pistols young Barrington carried weren’t very accurate, but they did make a lot of noise!The lieutenant had the presence of mind to wait until he was barely a horse length away from the first screaming Kshatriya before he pulled the trigger.The acrid black powder smoke obstructed his view momentarily.With his ears ringing as he cleared the cloud, he saw a man without the back of his head standing still, dropping his jewel encrusted sword.A second Kshatriya grabbed Lord George’s left arm, which was holding the reigns before the shock of killing set in.It was also holding the mate to his Elliot pistol.Nine inches of “go away” in your face does tend to make the point.With two of their leaders dead on the brush, the others suddenly figured that they ought to leave this crazy English Lieutenant alone.Like a stallion with the bit in his mouth, the story goes; the eighth Viscount Barrington of Aylesborough Abby drew his heavy saber, looking for targets as they melted away from him as he screamed at them to come back and fight like men.Disappointed, he turned his mount back to the English lines and a grateful Lord Cornwallis.
About a year later, Lord George, now a Captain received this Lepine quarter repeater pocket watch.That it was made by Jean-Antoine Lepine himself there was no doubt. The movement said so with his own signature. The watch was 65 centimeters of 14 karat gold which was further engraved: “ C.C. to G.B.With thanks.1792”:made by the watchmaker of Kings and apparently George Washington. He would carry it until his death on 18 June 1815 while holding an infantry square together against Napoleon.The watch had passed from each Viscount Barrington upon the predecessor’s death.Upon the death on 25 October 1854 of the ninth Viscount Barrington, it passed to Lord Miles, the tenth and most recent Viscount Barrington.He had never met his father.What he knew of the previous Viscounts, he learned from his grandmother.She raised him after his mother followed his father into an early grave.That his magic was stronger than the Hindi Mantriks there can be no doubt:he survived their assassination attempts at least six times!Although that last attack almost put paid to his account, he recalled wryly.
So now he paced, inspected damn it, the library; waiting and waiting until just past 2:15 the doctor knocked on the ancient oak doors.
“Enter!” barked the nervous man.
“Joy to you and your Lady wife, a healthy daughter has been born ’ere this past quarter hour.Both are resting comfortably.Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should be up and about in the usual course of time.” The doctor announced, reaching out to shake the Viscount’s hand.
“A daughter you say?Are you pulling my leg Doctor?” bellowed Miles.
A confused doctor looked at the angry lord and stammered a bit before answering, “ Er, no M’lord.Female.Ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes and ears; everything seems to be in the right place and no wedding tackle.Definitely a daughter … this time.” He added prudently.
“Harrumph!” snorted the disappointed tenth Viscount Barrington of Aylesborough Abby, as he dismissed the doctor with a wave of his hand.
Thus was the Honourable Ethel Lucy Barrington welcomed into the world on Sunday, April 5th, in the one thousand, eight hundred, and ninety sixth year of Our Lord.
Things might have gone better for Ethel had Lady Barrington birthed a son on her fourth pregnancy, but that was not to be.After two heart breaking miscarriages, she carried her fourth and last pregnancy to term.Sadly for Lady Lucille, this pregnancy broke her health.Or perhaps she just chose to stop sleeping in her husband’s bed.Either way, the marriage soon devolved into a stereotypically cold English marriage. There would be no eleventh Viscount Barrington from Aylesborough Abby, two daughters ensured that.There was a mundane cousin somewhere who would get the title and the estate.It’s too bad, Miles thought in one of his better moments:the Abby had survived Henry VIII and Cromwell mostly intact.The chapel with its dead monks and Barringtons planted under the floor still remained pretty much as built in 1379: a simple country church.No gold chalice, no priests with high Latin or incense and no stained glass.Graves were marked with a name, often illegible after centuries of feet walking over them, and two dates.No titles, no initials, just a name, for we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord some visiting cleric said once.
Yet Miles Reginald Barrington understood that wasn’t quite true.Some are given more.He, and daughter Ethel Lucy, were given the gift of magic.‘Of those to whom much is given, much is expected’ thought the Viscount.Ethel was a force to be reckoned with.If she were a boy, there’s nothing that could stop “his” rise to whatever she wanted to be.General?Prime Minister?Marrying one of Victoria’s granddaughters even!Alas, that wasn’t to be.Her role would be to mother wizards and raise them properly, so they could help wizards guide the world.
The London Olympics of 1908 fired up British nationalism. The Americans refused to dip their flag to His Royal Majesty King Edward VII, there were all sorts of issues about a foot race, again with those damn Yankees!Would those colonials EVER learn?Sybil Fenton “Queeny” Newall fueled the imagination of young ladies by bringing home the gold in archery for King and country.Soon, bales of hay across England and Wales sprouted arrows like a hedgehog.
At 12 years of age, the girl was entering that “difficult” period of a young girl’s life.She shot up like a weed!Already she stood only several inches shy of her father’s 5’7”!And argumentative!Worse, Lucille hadn’t beaten the rebellion out of the child.
“What was the problem this time Lord Miles?’ asked his wife wearily, knowing full well that it was Ethel’s refusal to take ‘because’ as an answer to any of her questions when her father tried to teach her magic.The girl was a sponge when it came to learning Lady Lucille thought proudly.Her tutors were amazed!She took to languages like a drunk to rum.German, French, Latin and Greek she mastered with ease.She was moving on to Russian and Spanish.Ethel was torn between Chinese and Spanish; the later getting the nod simply because her father couldn’t find a Chinese master in England.History and geography were child’s play.Mathematics barely slowed her down.The ‘problem’ was she always followed up anything with a “why?” and sometimes didn’t have enough diplomacy to phrase her questions more deferentially, as befitted a ‘properly submissive’ woman.Case and point was when Ethel asked Lord Miles why her grandfather Arthur didn’t balk when ordered to charge at Balaklava.While the girl had a point, pointing out that the teacher’s father was a bit of an idiot isn’t polite.Of course, Lord Miles was just as direct.He never complemented the lass.He was as demanding as a Jesuit.Perfection!Everything had to be perfect.While she understood the basics of magic, now, and had a bit of understanding of the forces at work, she really didn’t understand the fuss if a child made a mistake in her book of magic, an … eduba?So what if Ethel scratched out something?And so it had gone for years.
Sybil Fenton “Queeny” Newall was all the rage for girls and ladies alike.At 53 years she won the gold in archery at the third Olympics in modern times.From one of the oldest families of England, tracing their line back to Henry IV with arms confirmed by Burke’s, Queeny was a problem to men.Unwed, answering to only herself and now a hero to the Kingdom, she was fuel to the fire that women should be given the franchise!Women everywhere started to take up archery and Ethel was no different.Her tutor thought she was a natural for the long bow, but, and this is all on Lord Miles, her father insisted that she learn judo and some boxing, figuring that the physical contact would disgust her and turn her back to other matters.He was wrong.
In 1906 the United Kingdom shocked the world when they commissioned the HMS Dreadnought, the first all “all big gun” battleship with steam turbines.This led to a naval race with King Edward’s cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.This naturally led to the British finding another way to dispose of those born on the wrong side of the sheets or who attracted a daughter’s eye:the Royal Navy had an insatiable appetite for man power.While Baden-Powell was working on teaching scouting skills to boys born into poverty for the army, and the Navy tried to teach basic seamanship to young lads through a four week naval school, everyone knew that the best teacher was experience.
It was funny how ridiculously easy it was to enlist the country bumpkins thought “Chief” Tompkins.Play a little bit on how the Kaiser insulted the King along with the Americans, add in the generous pay and allowances, and remind them that now the King would feed them, leaving more food for their brothers and sisters and voilà, another one took the King’s Shilling.Arthur Alexander Altsheler, “over 16” for the magistrate, was this evening’s catch of the day.The charges that Tompkins made in the kid’s book for the meals and such would ensure that he never saw a ha-penny of his enlistment bonus.By the time some bloody officer looked into the matter, Seaman Altsheler would be far out to sea and Tompkins would be on to a new local.These Olympics were a boon for recruiting.Six weeks on the “HMS Ganges” then off to the fleet for young Arthur.He’d be an old salt by Christmas … or dead.The methods at Shotley were legendary for their effectiveness and brutality.Whatever.
Unfortunately for “Chief” Tompkins and other scimpers like him, the HMS Gladiator stuck another ship and floundered quickly with a high loss of life.The hue and cry when the press found out that many of the dead were ships boys and lads of 15 or 16, led to the Royal Navy actually making some attempt at reform.Any sailor under 16 was sent home.It was that simple.So, in the spring of 1909, a nearly 15 year old navy veteran, Arthur A. Altsheler returned to Aylesborough Abby.A youth wise beyond his years with no idea what he wanted to do, except avoid the Royal Navy!
The debutante ball for Ethel had been planned with all the care and planning of a military campaign.Father and mother were in perfect agreement that nothing should mar Ethel’s introduction to society.The date, April 27th had been set nearly a year ago, after Edward’s untimely demise and the settlement of the “Lords Question”.Viscount Barrington had sided with the Crown before Edward’s death, and he remained committed to reducing the power of the Lords.This was nothing more than pure politics:there were more wizards without titles than with.In fact, he was the only wizard in the Lords, and that due to fluke.The first Viscount had been a lieutenant of the militia who supported Mary over Jane Grey.He was rewarded with Aylesborough Abby and the title for doing nothing except making sure that the girl couldn’t receive support from the north.They literally sat on the road and drank the village dry.Be that as is may, the current King, George V, rewarded the Viscount by accepting their invitation to Ethel’s coming out party in the name of his second child, Albert.Albert was barely four months older than Ethel, and shy.Not that anyone expected a marriage; no.This was to show that the family had the eye and favor of the Crown.
The tone of the party nearly turned somber in the aftermath of the Titanic, but a letter from the Countess of Rothes, one of the survivors of the Titanic, to Ethel reminding her to celebrate life as if every day was your last.It was the beginning of a correspondence they would continue until the Countess’s death.
There would be several other blue bloods present, but the vast majority of those invited were from solid wizarding families:LeFays, Silvesters, and of course the boogeyman, a somewhat behaved Romano to name some that were on the list.The tone of the party was light, but the mood … not so much.Ethel was polite and well behaved.In fact, she took a shine to Albert to her father’s dismay.The youths stutter had made him seek solace and friends in books.Add one introverted Ethel to an avowed introvert, bookworm who was also a Prince.What could possibly go wrong?However, the message of the night was clear:there was a new piece of wizard meat on the menu:Honourable Ethel Lucy Barrington.Could you pay the price?Would you dare?
The ball was a success by most measures:it was featured in the Times of London.Prince Albert’s presence ensured that.Further, several fathers had “shared a brandy or cigar” with the Viscount.Sadly for them, Ethel had no intention of being a brood mare to propagate more wizards.She wanted to exchange letters with Prince Albert, but both of them understood that this would be highly improper.Albert was destined for the fleet and marriage was something that wouldn’t be considered for the spare for many years.
Ethel fumed as she strode through the woods!Why couldn’t her father get it through his thick head that she had I have no intention of getting married! I have a much more important calling: becoming the powerful wizard he tries to be.I will let nothing and no one keep me from what I desire!As she slashed at branches and twigs whose only offence was being in her way, she heard a sound, a rustling.She quickly reached for the Source expecting an attack, the words of an attack spell at her lips when she saw that strange young man, whatshis name?Arty Altsheler!The lad, now nearly a man she noticed approvingly, bent over cooing at something.His life had taken an odd turn after the navy, he was befriended by the local woodsman and started to learn woods craft.Surprisingly, her father actually was a good steward to the land and ensured that there was a good balance in game, so he had a woodsman to keep the cooney population in check.He really didn’t enjoy bloodshed, and he abhorred fox hunting.
“Oh, pardon me, Lady Ethel,” he said as he rose, “I was busy freeing Mrs. Smithwick’s cat from our snare.Again.” He added dryly.He offered the offending puss to Ethel for a pet.She knew that some would berate him for seeing to an animal before showing deference to his better, but Ethel wasn’t one of those.
She scratched the cat behind his ear and he purred contentedly.Ethel was charmed.She never had any pets due to her mother’s sneezing fits whenever she was near a cat or dog.The longer she looked at the cat, the more enchanted with him she became.“So majestic” she murmured.
“Aye, and master of wrapping us around their paws; yet a terror to birds and small animals.Watch this,” he continued as he set the cat down.With a yawn and a stretch of his full length, the fur ball streaked off to Ethel’s gasp of delight.
“Why he looks just like a panther!” she exclaimed about the black cat as it headed for home and a warm fire.
Arthur set about resetting the snare as he explained, “If we don’t keep the rabbits down, they will eat everything in sight.So your Lord father has us … dispatch them.We share the meat with those the Parson suggests.Unfortunately, that one,” gesturing at the fleeing terror of field mice, “has realized if he gets caught in one of my snares, he gets rewarded.I believe he sticks a paw in just for the pets and a treat.” He added ruefully.
Ethel laughed at the cat’s cleverness.She was impressed by this young man’s tenderness.She also discovered another side to her father.She noted and resolved to do better before she judged people again.Her father was not quite the monster she made him out to be.She knew the story of Arthur, the old salt after nine months with the fleet.Some people are just cruel. She realized that her father had recognized that it wasn’t his fault that he lied about his age, he was told to that.To some, that sin condemned him.The navy never figured out what to do with these lads, eventually sending them a certificate of qualification as a “Seaman, Second Class”, however, there was no request for them to return to the fleet once they turned 16.There was nothing.Which, considering the naval race with Imperial Germany didn’t make sense.Further, it was understood that had Arthur re-applied for the navy his enlistment would be declined.That was nearly four years ago.Now, the youth was approaching his 19th year and was thriving as an apprentice forester.
Sadly, that troubled region currently known as the Balkans once again erupted into warfare on 1 June 1913 when Bulgaria invaded Serbia.Once again war was conducted with betrayals and other skull drudgery.While this didn’t affect Great Britain directly, it was a nudge to national leaders to prepare.The British navy had been doing this since 1908; the army, not so much.True, the army was one of the best, if not the best trained forces, but German had recognized that they couldn’t compete with Great Britain on the seas, so they were prepared to beat them on land.And there the Kaiser had them.
One summer night after Bulgaria capitulated, coming in as the bats were starting to stir, Ethel heard a German voice coming from the closed doors of the library.Eavesdropping sounds sobackstairsish!She was gathering intelligence!Who was her father talking to?Why was he talking to a German?Weren’t the Germans the enemy?She had lots of questions with few answers as she moved her ear closer to the door and heard clearly, “So my gutt Viscount, I destroyed the gateway on the Rhine and fled out of caution.I vear vat the Kaiser would do if he ever found out about the gates ways.”
“Bah!” her father said.“Wilhelm might be stupid seeking this war, but then so is the Tzar, but then so is Poincare for not quashing his generals!All France needs to do is redirect Wilhelm towards Moscow and sit back and let the Germans and the Russians bleed each other dry!With his army and our fleet … ah, never mind the gossip of the Lords.Your hasty actions have done the wizarding world a disservice.You can’t go back to Germany now.What are you going …” Ethel spied the butler coming up from the pantry and thought it best to head up stairs making some noise.
Over the next year Ethel saw Arthur once or twice a fortnight; nothing improper, just in passing here or there.The more she saw, the more she liked him.The kindness she first saw in him with Mrs. Smithwick’s cat she saw him display in a multitude of ways:when dropping off some meat for a widow, when he saw some children being cruel to an animal or a person.His basic decency shined through.Her father finally figured that she had set her sights on someone.That wasn’t strictly true.She liked Arthur as a man; she didn’t know him as a person.
Her father, with his usual John Bull attitude charged in demanding to know who Ethel was in love with.Of course, this did more damage to Lord Mile’s case than had he just left things alone.When Ethel demurred, he set the staff to spying on her.
August 1914 was a disaster.War exploded onto the world scene.As Viscount Barrington foresaw, France couldn’t control their generals and the Germans were driving for the Channel.England sent in the Regular army and recalled much of the army from India, to no avail.By December the British army had been gutted.Two full Corps were wrecked.What was left were training battalions and raw recruits.More than once Lord Miles nightmares had awoken the house.He relived in his head the battles for Burma and India.His night terrors made him more than irritable; he was downright horrible to be near.
Somehow Miles figured out that Ethel like Arthur.
One night in December, Viscount Barrington contrived to have Arthur “run” into him while Ethel was nearby.To drive the point home, Lord Miles was escorting Anton Romano around the Abby.The Viscount started to violently berate Arthur in front of several people in the town including the Parson.
“Young Arthur, I gave you a position nearly five years ago out of the generosity of my heart.Now your King and country are in need, and I can’t believe that you would repay my kindness by not answering the call.I can almost understand not going on the first call.Almost.Barrington’s have answered the call of the Crown since before Cromwell.It’s in our blood.I figured that you would have answered the second time your King asked for your help.And yet, here it is three times His Majesty has asked for able young men, and yet you sit here safe at home catching rabbits.Perhaps the habit of the rabbit has gotten into you; perhaps there is something to that “Old Salt” tale.Whatever it is, I won’t abide cowards.You must remove yourself from the Abby by this time next week or I shale have the bailiff run you off.You can either join Lord Kitchener’s army, the fleet or run.I don’t care.You are not welcome ’round here anymore until you are in uniform!” he finished with a shout.
If Viscount Barrington expected cheers, he was sadly disappointed.The list of killed and missing was growing daily.Instead, the Lord of Aylesborough Abby was met with cold, hard stares.Whoever had mocked Arthur for not going back to the navy five years ago, now understood why he refused to go.
Arthur, for all his shock, also knew that he couldn’t stay.He had a choice:army or navy.He knew the fleet, and while some said the devil you know is better than one you don’t, Arthur wasn’t so sure.He left shortly before Christmas, not to return until granted leave in July of 1915 as a Lance Corporal.
Unbeknownst to her father, Ethel had been corresponding with Arthur since he was unceremoniously discharged from Aylesborough Abby.Initially it was just a way to pass the time and ease her boredom.Lady Lucille had formed a Red Cross circle where the women would sit around and roll bandages and write letters to the troops.Ethel’s education had come to a halt as her father would travel to the front to inspect, visit and try to raise the troop’s moral.When he came back, he was devastated and would drown his demons in drink for weeks at a time.When he sobered up, he nagged Ethel to get married so that there would be more wizards to prevent such human misery from happening in the future.
When she saw Arthur in the uniform of the Territorial Army with the single chevron of a Lance Corporal, she knew this was the man for her.Much to her surprise, he had already come to the same conclusion.All she needed was her father’s permission, which was about as likely as … well never mind.
That afternoon she determined to steal her father’s signet ring and forge a letter giving her permission to marry Arthur.Much to her surprise, her father had already signed and sealed such a letter, except he hadn’t put down the name of whom she was to marry.Four names were on a piece of foolscap next to the letter.Reading over each of the names she became more and more horrified.Each one was worse than the previous one; the first name was that odious chap Romano.Not only didn’t he brush his teeth, his thoughts about women were no better than her father’s!The letter was sitting on his desk, while he was passed out drunk on the couch.
Ethel was beyond reason with fury at her father!She calmed herself enough to focus on the spell of text transference.In her father’s own writing she filled in the blank with the name Arthur Alexander Altsheler.All she had to do next was seal it with his signet which was attached to his watch.It was child’s play to lift the watch from a drunken man.A few minutes later Ethel left Aylesborough Abby for the last time as a Barrington.
She and Arthur took the train to London where there was a Church of England priest who had set up shop doing weddings for soldiers for a “consideration”.About the time Arthur and Ethel were saying “I do”, Lord Miles was waking up to a nightmare.Ethel had left him a note telling him what she thought about his choices for her and letting him know that when she returned she would be Mrs. Arthur Altsheler and attempting to propagate the world with wizard babies.
He did not take the news well.
When the happy couple returned to Aylesborough Abby a week later, the explosion could be heard all the way to the front.Ethel’s father was about to ban her from the estate when, of all things, Lady Lucille spoke up.The mundane mother of Ethel had rarely intervened for her daughter, and never, to the best of Ethel’s knowledge, ever contradicted her father in public.
Lady Lucille simple said, “No.You wanted her to be married.She is; to a good man.While he is serving the King and in danger, she shall always have a roof over head at Aylesborough Abby.”
And with that, Ethel sent Arthur off to war.Her parting give was the Barrington watch, which her father had not realized was missing yet.
In February 1916, Arthur returned home on leave.He had been to Gallipoli and survived.Ethel came to understand that in an eight month battle the British forces, with significant help from Australians and New Zealand, never made it off of the beach.Over 250,000 killed, wounded or missing in action … and they lost!Arthur had two weeks off.It was the last time Ethel would see him.
In August 1916, Ethel received the dreaded cable, “We regret to inform you …”
Her father called her to the library.He had sobered up, but still was weakened.He glared at her for a moment before speaking, when he opened his mouth, he said, “Your Lady mother said that while your husband is serving the King you shall have a roof over your head.No one serves the King by moldering in the ground in France.You are to be removed from Aylesborough Abby before the first night of the Harvest Festival.Here is a copy of the letter I have sent to the Crown disinheriting you.Good day!”
As she stumbled out of the library, her little sister beckoned her over.“I’m sorry Ethel.I know mamma tried to dissuade him from this path!If only you hadn’t stolen that bloody watch!Mamma wants you to meet her in the village tomorrow morning; you are to stay at the Parson’s house tonight.They are expecting you.”She gave Ethel a hug and led her outside.
The following morning Lady Lucille knocked on the parsonage door.The Parson’s wife let her in and put some tea out to steep.She excused herself saying that she had to visit Mrs. Chandler.
Once Lady Lucille and Ethel were alone her mother was uncharacteristically blunt asking, “Are you pregnant?”
Ethel stammered and blushed as her mother brushed aside any protests, “You were married.Marry people make babies.It sure sounded like you two were trying very hard for that outcome.”
It is kind of hard to avoid answering her mother’s question when put like that.Ethel replied sadly, “No.”
“Good.” Was her mother’s answer.It brought a tear to Ethel’s eye.Her mother sighed and relented… a bit. “I’m not trying to be heartless, but you brought this on yourself.I’m sure no one would care too much about you marrying a mundane; after all, your father married me.A child would complicate matters, but what really tears things is that bloody watch.If only you hadn’t stolen it!What were you thinking?That watch means more to him than all of us together!”
Ethel didn’t want to answer.She knew what she was thinking.She WANTED to hurt her father.He had hurt her so many times!She also knew her mother would never understand, so she said nothing.Also, she was ashamed of her actions, no matter how much he deserved it!
Lady Lucille waited another few minutes before continuing, “I have secured a position for you with the Volunteer Aid Detachment.You will head to London today and join immediately.The Barrington name will get you past the minimum age requirement.You will be an ambulance driver.Your pay is a little over one pound per month.While you are over there, you are to use your skills to find that bloody watch.Do not return without it.Do you understand?”
Ethel was numb.Her life was in ruins, and her mother was tossing her from the pan into the fire!
She also knew that her mother was right.This was partially her fault, and if her father wouldn’t fix it, then she had to.She nodded her acquiescence wearily.
After seven weeks in Newport, Wales, Ethel was a trained Volunteer Aid Detachment nurse.That meant she could do some basic first aid, help wash a man, and drive an ambulance.By the end of 1916, she was in France along the Somme front as promised.She was wet, tired, shelled, shot at and saw things that people shouldn’t have to constantly. She now knew the demons that woke her father at night. Also, because she was the daughter of a Viscount, she was put in charge of eight ambulances driven by two women each.
Once in the Somme she searched out Arthur’s regiment.It had been amalgamated with several other territorial regiments.At first the soldiers were leery of the young woman in the VAD uniform.Once they realized that she was looking truly looking to recover her husband’s body, they showed her the cemetery where he might have been buried.They all seemed a bit skittish talking about where people were buried.They did say in various ways that he died quickly and cleanly while leading the men. It took Ethel several weeks to see through their lies.It wasn’t that the troops were trying to hurt her; rather, they were trying to spare her.The lie that he was leading troops into battle is so she’d have a nice remembrance of him doing something, if not great, at least good.The second lie was the burial grounds.Names were mixed up with frightening regularity, worse, what was called a body was often a body part.The last wasn’t a lie.It was the truth.However, it was a lie by omission.A soldier missing in action was truly missing.As in there was nothing left!More often than not a shell had obliterated the man that was, leaving just a bloody mist hanging in the air.What the truth was for Arthur was anyone’s guess.Ethel was no witch so summon a demon or fey to find Arthur’s remain, and she hadn’t learned any tracking spells, so she searched the graveyards for his name when she could, and worked when told to.
Even though she was not a soldier, there were hazards.One night as they ran to evacuate the wounded from another German attack they came under heavy German artillery fire.The road became impassable.As the shells crept closer, they pulled the wounded from their ambulances and sought shelter.Their wounds were terrible; else the men wouldn’t be being evacuated.They screamed in pain and fear.The women did what they could for them.The men called out for wives, sweethearts, mothers, God.Anyone they thought who could save them as the shells marched across the field.Soon there was a rain of earth, stones, metal and who knows what.The explosions of sound and fury were so intense, buffeting Ethel from every direction at once, she lost, not only her connection to the Source, but all sense of herself.
Ethel only became aware again by the silence.Slowly, ever so slowly, her body and mind returned to her.She first heard the cries, and then noticed the smell; finally, she realized it was day.She picked herself up and assed her situation.Surprisingly, most of the ambulances were more or less intact.As she stood up, she saw others starting to stir.Continuing to digest the situation, she saw the first of her ambulance driver’s body lying in a shell hole missing several limbs.The shock of seeing one of her charges broken like a child’s doll brought her to full readiness.A quick triage told her the tale:two ambulances destroyed, all the remaining six damaged, but with just a bit of work, drivable. It looked like she had 12 of her 15 fellow VADs alive.Of the 18 wounded they had started with, 12 were still here.She had no idea if the blood she saw on them was new or old, but looking at the gashes and scratches she saw on her fellow ambulance drivers, she presumed there were new injuries.
Ethel had four of them repair the one ambulance’s tyre. This was supposed to be a two person job, but these ladies were beat up.It would take all four.She went round and checked on the men, and confirmed that the three ladies were truly gone.As she was returning to the broken group, a staff car came up with several officers, followed by a single troop carrier.The staff car came to a stop.It had no choice.Ethel’s ambulances and wounded were blocking the road.The officer in the front seat began to berate the women, telling them they had no business in war and to stop blocking the road.The toff in the back seat interrupted him, “Now Tom, they are helping our wounded and got caught in a barrage.Why don’t we help them get on their way so we can be on our way?”
Tom replied sullenly, “Yes, Your Highness.”
Ethel looked up in shock!She had heard that he visited the front line as often as possible, but this was a very active front line and no place for a royal!
She was about to say something when apparently an astute German observer felt the same thing.Since they already had the coordinates, the German gunners didn’t have to range their shots.The shells just poured down on them, destroying the troop carrier and another ambulance.The occupants of the staff car might be rude, but they weren’t stupid.They ran for the ditches as car blew up.
Ethel knew she had to do something and fast.Wizards weren’t supposed to use magic around mundanes, and especially not in one of their never ending, stupid wars. However, just sitting by and letting the heir to the throne get obliterated wasn’t an option either.
The first thing she did was rule out a spell circle.There wasn’t time, it was too obvious, and if a shell landed as she was casting it the results would be spectacular!So she put a shielding spell on the Prince; no one else.It wasn’t a hard shell, but it would keep him alive.If worse came to worst, she would cast a compulsion on everyone to forget that they were seeing the impossible.Once the shield was set, she started on the spell of cloaking.She could have probably hid them all, but if the Germans were bored, they could keep up the shelling all day.That simply would not work. Rather, she made the ambulances disappear one by one.As she did that, she moved over to check on the Prince.She muttered a curse as she realized he was wounded.It wasn’t much, but it was quite real and would cause a problem with the press.Ethel dressed the wound as best she could and then motioned for the Prince to get further into a shell hole.He shook his head and started to stand up, which was naturally seen by the observers.Ethel couldn’t match the strength of a man, but she did know judo.A quick flip put the Prince down in the hole, out of the line of fire as once again they were bracketed by heavy fire and death flew around them.Ethel handed the Prince his cover which had a nice shell tear in it.He balanced realizing how close to death he just was.
She shouted to him that they needed to get him out of there.While there was little possibility of infantry or a gas attack, twice now he had just missed getting blown up.His father would not be amused if she let that happen.
He let her guide him to the rear by jumping from shell hole to shell hole.The artillery didn’t fancy a snipe hunt for two people running away, so they ceased fire.Once back behind the reserve trenches she handed him over to a brigade commander.The Prince asked who she was, as he wanted to know who his savior was.She told him, Mrs. Arthur Alexander Altsheler, formerly of Aylesborough Abby.She was called Ethel.
“Viscount Barrington’s daughter?George’s friend?” the Prince exclaimed.
“Yes, although my father … prefers that I retain my married name.” Ethel answered diplomatically.
“Ha!I bet he does!”said the future Edward VIII.“He made quite the scene to my father.Well.Well, well, well.” He said as he thought.
“Yes your Highness.Well.You are well and truly lucky to have survived with only a small injury.At least it will get you a bronze stripe.” The colonel said as he was ushering the wayward price to a waiting car.
“No.”Edward said.“I forbid it.These women are volunteering to help the war effort and we barely tolerate them.I saw several of Lady Ethel’s compatriots lying broken and dead.I know we will not recognize their loss now, if ever.If they can serve without acclaim for making the ultimate sacrifice, I think I can do without a piece of cloth earned due to my own vanity and stupidity.”
“I see.” said the colonel as they drove off to Paris.
“Well done Ethel.” Commented a major she didn’t know.The face seemed familiar, but …
“You don’t know me, but I’m sure you have met my family.I presume it was you who put the compulsion on Price Edward to stay away from danger.” He commented.
She nodded her weary head.
“Good.He wants to serve, to see danger.His younger brother, your friend George is on the Collingwood as a turret officer.He saw action at Jutland over the summer.Of course, if something happened to George it would be sad, but not the problem if Edward were captured.The Kaiser would demand we leave the French if that were to happen.I don’t want to find out what His Majesty would do.Best for all that Edward stay in the back and,” coughing, “inspect the troops from a safe area.” He concluded lamely.
Ethel had heard rumors about him and she let it go.She had wounded and dead that she had forgotten about that now needed to be helped.
Sensing her shifting gears, the major informed her that they had sent troops to recover their ambulances the wounded and dead.They would give her a ride to the VAD camp so she wouldn’t have to walk the 15 miles after all that happened.
The war was entering a dangerous phase.The Tzar was tottering; Russia was awash in rumors and rebellion.Germany was striking out almost blindly, sinking every British ship they could.England was starving.The Americans weren’t about to enter the war on Britannia’s side … yet.True, some Yanks had joined the French forces, and the friendly press was playing it up, but as her pointed out to that unknown German wizard, this was a war that the governments wanted.Now the people bleed for their folly and the Americans smelled a rat.
After her encounter with the Prince and her detachment’s near destruction, Ethel’s ambulances were broken up and used to fill in for other groups who needed help.Soon the Germans retreated from the Somme and things quieted down.
In December she was summoned to number 2 Whitehall Court.She had no idea who or what she would meet there, just that she was told to pack her things and go.She wouldn’t be returning to the Volunteer Aid Detachment in France.Once there she met Mansfield Cummings, a Navy Captain.
“I understand that you are fluent in a number of languages, including German, French, Latin and Russian?” he began.
The tired, bedraggled VAD volunteer, still in her field uniform, which needed a good fire to clean it, since she wasn’t given any time to freshen up answered, “Da.”
Captain Cummings smiled at her impertinence. “Very good Lady Ethel, …”
She interrupted him by saying, “As I understand it, my father would not have it known we are related; therefore, please don’t use that form of address for me.”
“Ahh, I had heard that your father wasn’t pleased with you.I didn’t realize … never mind.I have something for you.You come with some extremely high recommendations.Apparently, you can keep your head when others are losing theirs, and remember that your job was to drain the swamp when the alligators are circling, as the Americans say.”
Ethel bobbed her head in acknowledgement at the compliment.She wondered who would tell this navy Captain about her?Prince George?They wrote, but they only talked about books and things, nothing specific.Prince or not, the censors wouldn’t allow them to write about military anythings.
She quirked an eyebrow at him and he went on. “I am head of the Secret Intelligence Service.I need people behind the German lines.I need people in Russia.And frankly, I need people in America!Our propaganda there is good … oh, never mind about the Yanks!I want you to be my eyes and ears behind the German lines.Do you think you can do that?”
Ethel thought a moment, knowing that she could do it, but should she?
Her firm answer, “Yes.” made the Captain smile
“Good.This evening you go back.Let me swear you in, and then get you your gear.My aid will explain how we operate …”
Ethel was sent to Russia during the civil war.She had done her job for SIS in Belgium and France as part of those overseeing the ‘La Dame Blanche’.However, when the Germans began to put more resources into Russia, Cummings moved his Russian speaking assets to counter them.While there were other assets, they weren’t enough.Very simply the Germans beat the British spies. It was a case of too few, too late.Yet she was still needed, three years in service, two behind enemy lines without respite.
The SIS kept Ethel moving around Eastern Europe as their eyes and ears. Ethel was shocked when Nicholas and his family were murdered in 1918, but the King had first denied them asylum, then Ethel discovered that a rescue attempt was implacable.Eventually it was decided that Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovana and other surviving members of the Romanoff’s would be given asylum.Ethel worked tirelessly writing and running letters.While the War with Germany was over, there was the continuing Russian civil war and the Spanish flu to dodge.In April, 1919 she had it all in motion.A British battleship would cross the Black Sea to make sure the Red army didn’t attack.The French would send passenger ships, and the Dowager Empress would get all those who wished to flee to Yalta.Naturally, things didn’t work out that way.Eventually the Empress Dowager and many family members boarded the HMS Marlborough and sailed away.Because the promised passenger ships did not appear, Ethel was left behind along wetting with others.She was also getting too well known by Trotsky and his forces.The Soviets were not nice and wouldn’t care that she was the daughter of a Viscount.
It was time bolt.
Eventually Ethel made it to Archangel, American troops and safety from this increasingly bitter war.She had no desire to return to France and the Somme.Very simply, she wanted to leave Europe and its woes behind.
Christmas, 1919.The Viscount Barrington of Aylesborough Abby, Miles Reginald Barrington, the Tenth of his line extending back to before the restoration, was summoned to Windsor Castle for a private meeting with King George V.Lord Miles was perplexed.He was a loyal supporter of the Crown.True, he supposed he hadn’t done as much as he could have for the war effort, but he had no idea why he was being called here late on a wintry Friday evening.
He was shown to the King’s private office.There were two others with him, Edward, the Price of Wales and a Navy Captain.The face of that Captain he had seen somewhere, he just couldn’t recall.He further knew that this was a hostile group; very hostile to him.In fact, he called up a shield spell.
The said nothing to break the silence; rather, they judged him with their eyes. The King rose from his desk and handed him a sealed envelope on top of a box with the Royal Cypher on it.
His Majesty said, “You sent this in error.Destroy it.”It was his official letter denouncing and disinheriting his daughter Ethel.Lord Miles felt the shiver of death in those words.“This is for Dame Ethel.See to it that she receives it.You may go.” He said coldly.
Miles stumbled to the train that brought him back to Aylesborough Abby.
As his days were drawing to an end, Lord Miles finally opened the Royal box.Inside was an eight sided, silver star with a white cross superimposed upon it with the word “Victoria” below the crown.He felt a crushing pain in his chest as he closed the box.
