Free Wellington Cross (Wellington Cross Series) by Cheryl Lane

look who I brought back.”
    “You did good, mother.  I had given up hope of ever seeing
our Madeline here again.”  He walked back over close beside me again and
reached for my hand.
    “Madeline, dear” she said to me.  “Is it all right to call
you Madeline?  What is the name you were going by before?  Melinda?”
    “Yes, that is the name Mrs. Washington first gave me, but I
started having dreams of me and Ethan as a child, not too long ago, and I
remembered that my nickname was Maddie.  I just remembered that Ethan’s
nickname was Wellsy.”  I failed to mention that it was Jefferson who first
called me Madeline, one of the few truthful things he told me.  I didn’t
know why, but I felt like I should leave Jefferson out of the conversations for
now, as I didn’t know where he fit into my past.
    “That’s wonderful, dear.  I’m glad you’re starting to
remember things,” Clarissa said.
    “Mother, Madeline would like to meet Lillie.  I told her
everything.”
    “Oh, of course.  Madeline, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but
I felt Ethan should be the one to break the news to you.  Do you forgive
me?”
    “Of course.  Think nothing of it.”  I smiled
tentatively.
    She smiled at me and turned around and walked inside the
house.  Ethan walked me to the door and held it open for me, helping me
step over the threshold.  I was distracted by the fact that I had a child,
whom I was excited to see, but I suddenly felt needy for him.  It was the
familiarity of him as my childhood friend in the midst of this – for now, at
least – unknown world that I was re-discovering.  Finally, something
familiar.  I didn’t want to ever let go of his hand.  Ethan smiled
encouragingly at me.  I felt nervous and somewhat tremulous.  I
wanted to look around the manor to see if I could remember anything, but for
the life of me, all I could think about was that I was a mother.  I wanted
to see my child.  Everything else was a blur.
    “Would you like a drink of water, Madeline?” Ethan asked
me.  He told Clarissa about my fainting spell.
    “Oh, for heaven’s sake.  Please, let’s get her some
water.  Won’t you sit down for a moment, dear?”
    “Yes, thank you.”
    She led me into a nearby parlor, and I sat on the couch while
Ethan poured me a glass of water from a pitcher on a large round table.  I
drank half the glass quickly.
    I heard Clarissa in the hallway and other footsteps
approaching.  “Jake, we need a hand up on the third floor if you have a
minute, to bring down Madeline’s trunk of clothes.  Get Zeke to help
you.”  She called to Ethan in the parlor.  “Ethan, when you go up to
get Lillie, I think you should tell Elizabeth the news.  Let her know that
Madeline is going to be staying with us for a while to help her regain her
memory.” 
    Ethan nodded and turned back and looked at me.  “Are you
all right?” he asked.
    “Yes, I’m fine now, thank you.”  I put the glass on the
round table and stood up.  “Elizabeth…is that your-”
    “My wife, yes,” he said softly.  I cringed slightly. 
He kissed my hand before reluctantly walking across the hall and through the
dining room.  I wondered where the staircase was, as I didn’t see one.
    Clarissa linked her arm with mine.  “Shall I show you the
house now?  Do you feel up to it?”  I nodded, and she led me back
into the hall.  We were standing in the entrance hall, which was wide
enough for dancing, Clarissa said.  The river-front door was exactly
opposite of the carriage-front door at the other end of the hall. 
Clarissa showed me the dining room, the first room on the left when coming in
the river-front door.  Once I entered that room, I could see the staircase
down a narrow hall, where Ethan had just gone.  Clarissa pointed up above
near the staircase to a landing where she said musicians played during
parties.  That seemed familiar; I could almost hear the violins now. 
Beside the staircase was the