Louise

Chapter 5

As the carriage continued, Louise turned her thoughts to the uncertain future. What would her life become, exiled at some remote boarding school?

The carriage jostled over the rough road until it finally rattled to a halt in front of a grand, yet ancient building. The stonework was weathered from centuries of wind and rain, and ivy crept up the walls, covering parts of the architecture. The windows were narrow and crooked, the leaded glass panes foggy with age. A few trees dotted the overgrown lawn, their branches bare and skeletal. The air was crisp and cold, carrying with it a hint of the nearby sea.

As Louise stepped down, the heavy door groaned open. A thin man in a frock coat emerged, his eyes cast downward, his long grey beard flowing down his chest. He glanced up at her, a stern expression on his face, his brown eyes assessing her with a critical gaze.

"Miss Louise," he said curtly, his voice gravelly and deep. "Welcome to Creekwood Seminary for Young Ladies, I am Headmaster Caldwell." He gave a stiff bow. "Your aunt wrote saying you are to become a governess. We shall refine your reading, arithmetic, and scripture knowledge here, in addition to skills in comportment, household duties, and languages."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Headmaster Caldwell," Louise replied, forcing a small smile. "Thank you for taking me in." The headmaster nodded curtly, his expression unyielding. "Follow me, Miss. Your quarters have been prepared."

Inside, the headmaster led Louise through dim halls lit only by candles and flickering sconces. The walls were covered in a layer of dust, and the furniture was worn and old. The floorboards creaked and groaned beneath their feet as they walked. The air was thick with the scent of books and old paper. Even though it was a school, there was an eerie silence that tormented the place, as if everyone were holding their breath in anticipation of some unseen event.

Eventually, they reached a set of stairs that led to the upper floor.

The headmaster climbed them slowly, his fingers gripping the handrail tightly. At the top, he turned down a narrow hallway, its walls lined with doors. The rooms were even more plain than the ones below, with little more than a bed, a desk, and a chest for personal belongings. He stopped at one door and pushed it open, revealing a room at the very end of the hall.

"This is your quarters, Miss Louise," the headmaster said, his voice barely audibles over the sound of the wind howling outside. "You may unpack your belongings and make yourself at home. Dinner will be served in the great hall at six. If you have any questions or need anything, do not hesitate to ask." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Louise alone in the eerily quiet room.

Her small room furnished with only a straw-stuffed mattress, chest, and basin, she was used to such small quarters, but she still felt the gravity of her situation. The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper, the colour faded and stained from years of neglect. A single drafty window let in what little light there was, casting shadows across the room. The cold seeped through the floorboards, making her shiver. Though the atmosphere of Creekwood Seminary was rather bleak, she forced herself to remain hopeful. Perhaps this place would become a refuge for her, a new home where she could find peace and purpose. She unpacked her few belongings, carefully folding her dresses and placing them in the chest.

The harsh bells jolted Louise awake. "Time to start the day," announced someone outside in the hallway. Groggily, she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The sunlight streaming through the grimy window cast a dim glow over her makeshift quarters, and the room felt colder than ever. She glanced around, taking in the familiar sight of her chest, bed, and basin.

Louise sighed and slowly got up, her back aching from the lumpy mattress. She washed her face in the basin, wincing as the cold water hit her skin. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet as she made her way to her chest and put on her drab grey dress. The dress, like all of her clothes, was too large, hanging loosely off her frame. She tied the frayed sash around her waist, doing her best to make it look presentable.