Letters: Chapter 1

     Missy sat in the coach, sitting up straight as a board, and trying to look twice her age in order to impress her new mistress. In reality she was only a year or two older, but in the presence of the Lady Nelson, she felt the difference was in decades.

     Sophia Nelson, originally Sophia Conway, had a look in her eyes that made her appear mature beyond her years. She was a perfectly cultured lady, knowledge in multiple subjects, as well as music and the arts. Missy figured that the Conway family had trained their daughter for this marriage, and that Sophia was perfectly educated and well-mannered to a fault. Looking back at the younger woman, a sting of sympathy went out for her. Sophia was only twenty-two, and she had just been sent away from the only home she had ever known, to a place that was like a foreign country to her.

     To a husband that she had never met.

     Sophia sat quietly on her side of the coach, staring thoughtfully out of the window. She had sandy brown hair that curled about her face, and was swept up on her head in pins. Her hair was grown below her waist, but the current style of her hair made it look much shorter. The dress she wore was dark blue and very beautiful. She had a black coat over it, and a hat that was pinned neatly to her hair. Missy got the feeling that the girl's blue eyes could read more about a person than people were generally comfortable with.

     "We will be reaching Rosengate in a matter of minutes, m'lady."

     Sophia turned to smile at her, "Thank you again for accompanying me, Missy."

     "It is no trouble at all, ma'am."

     Sophia Nelson turned back to the window, and hid her apprehension.

-0-0-

     The house was immense, much larger than Sophia's family home. When she walked up the stone steps, the butler, cook, and head of the staff greeted her. Missy trailed closely behind her, taking her mistress's coat and hat when they were lead into the front entry.

     "This is Daniel Akheart, the butler," Missy pointed, each member of the Rosengate staff bowed and curtsied, "Rose Mills, the cook, and Katherine May, the head of staff."

     "It is a pleasure to meet you all," Sophia smiled softly as they greeted her warmly.

     "Would you like a tour of the house, my lady?" Katherine May inquired.

     "That would be wonderful."

     The cook excused herself, as did the butler, informing them that dinner would be served in an hour and half past. Missy left her mistress in the charge of Kate May, and proceeded to unload the baggage from the trip.

-0-0-

     Sophia always thought of herself as a plain individual. She never expected to have a dramatic life, one filled with unexpected turns and excitement. If she was honest with herself, she would have been completely content sitting in her old home, remaining in the life she was content with. As she was beginning to think that she was free to do as she wished, her parents had informed her that she was to have an arranged marriage with Lord Nelson.

     Her family had been close to going bankrupt. After year of flaunting their money, the Conway's had decided to marry her off to a nobleman in hopes of saving the family fortune. In her father's opinion, she was getting too old and it was time that she was married off. Although her mother had always done what she believed was in the best interest of Sophia's happiness, her father believed that he had the final say in all matters. In the end, Sophia was married off to the prestigious Lord Trenton James Nelson, and shipped off to Torquay.

     She paused in front of the old, aging map in her new husband's study. It was a world-wide view, beautifully drawn and painted, with intriguing designs and patterns. Her eyes fell York, her native home, and followed the path through England to Torquay.

     Rosengate Manor was her home now. There was nothing to say on the matter.

     "...Lord Nelson often spends most of his time here," Kate told her, then she scowled, "He often works late into the night."

     "He is dedicated," Sophia replied, almost to herself, as she ran her hand over the objects on the desk. Everything was neatly placed in it's correct spot, and there were no extraneous objects present. From what she had seen of the house, Lord Nelson seemed like a neat, organized individual. He liked order and the logical.

     Kate snorted, whispering to herself when she didn't think Sophia was paying attention, "...needs to take a break..."

     Sophia smiled to herself when her back was turned to Kate. Yes, she thought to herself, he was defiantly dedicated. The writing desk in the corner held a few letters and she voiced her thoughts out loud, "Are those letters from Lord Nelson?"

     "They are, ma'am," Kate replied, "He writes occasionally to check on the status of the estate, and to make sure things are running smoothly," she reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a crisp, off-white envelope, "Another just arrived this morning, I was about to read it myself when you arrived."

     Sophia stared at the letter in Kate's hands a moment, and then smiled, "Would it be alright if I replied?"

     Kate looked surprised a moment, and then she shrugged, "Of course, ma'am, I'll leave it on the desk for you."

     "Thank you-"

     "Kate," the head of staff smiled, "Kate is fine, m'lady."

     "Thank you, Kate."

     "You're welcome, ma'am," Kate nodded, "Would you like to see your room?"

     "Yes, thank you."

-0-0-

     The corridors of Rosengate had white walls with marble columns, and beautiful marble floors. Sophia found herself amazed by her knew home, hardly understanding how someone could manage to live in such a place and not be overwhelmed.

     Paintings of the Nelson family hung on some of the walls in the other rooms, and a few portraits hung in the hallways. Passed by one particular picture of a young woman, Sophia found her attention caught by the portrait. The woman in the painting was wearing a shell-pink gown, her beautiful blond locks streamed around her shoulders and down her back. In her hand she clutched a fan, and Sophia did not miss the look of kindness in her eyes. Stopping in front of the painting herself, Kate answered, "That is Lady Eliza Nelson. She was the mother of the current Lord Nelson."

     "Where is she?" Sophia found herself whispering, but didn't really know why.

     "She died when he was twelve."

     Her heart when out to that little boy who lost his mother at such a young age. Judging by Kate's tone, Eliza Nelson had been well-loved, and Sophia had no desire to dig up painful thoughts. She simply nodded her head, saying a prayer for the woman in the painting, and turning to return to Kate's lead. Before she left, she noticed the edge of the rug was worn down in front of the picture. She found her heart turning once more in her chest.

     How many times had he stood in front of this picture and thought of his mother?

     From what Sophia knew, Nelson had been running the estate on his own since he was sixteen, after the death of his father. Another thought surfaced in her head as she pondered that piece of information, was he lonely? The household staff cared a great deal about him, and in turn he seemed to take good care of them, but Lord Nelson was essentially alone in Rosengate.

     "This is Lord Nelson's chambers," Kate pointed at the large set of white double doors. They were closed, and Kate had a feeling that despite the master's absence, it was clean and dust-free. "Here is your room, m'lady."

     The room was connected to her husband's room by a door. When Kate drew the doors open, Sophia's mouth dropped open.

     There was a massive, canopy bed in the middle. The walls were white, and there was a matching rose colored rug on the floor that reached each wall in the room. A massive closet stood off to the side, a writing desk across the room from it, and a small night table next to the bed. There were a set of doors that opened to a balcony, and floor-length currents that matched the carpet. The room itself was easily twice the size of her room back at her home in York.

     Her bags were already unpacked and tucked away.

     Kate smiled as she watched Sophia stand in the middle of her knew quarters, "Would you like some time alone to explore on your own, m'lady? I must check on the dinner."

     "Yes, thank you," Sophia smiled.

     "Welcome to Rosengate, ma'am. Please do not be afraid to ask for anything. This is your home now, and we are here to help you."

     A sad look briefly touched Sophia's face and then she nodded, and thanked Kate once again.

-0-0-

     She had enjoyed a wonderful meal on her first evening at Rosengate, and thanked Rosie profusely. After a long bath, in which she now felt completely relaxed, Missy had brushed and braided her hair, and then left Sophia to her own devices. Sitting on her new writing desk were the letters, neatly bound with string, along with the new letter sent by Lord Nelson that morning. Sophia found herself staring at it thinking that she should read them, but instead made her way towards the balcony.

     When she opened the doors, she let in the cool night breeze. Her braided hair was pulled over her shoulder and fell to her waist, and a smile touched her face as she remembered Missy ranting about how beautiful her hair was. Personally, Sophia thought it was average. It was longer than how most women wore their hair, but beyond that there was nothing special about it.

     Leaning on the railing, she stared at the shores of Torquay and heard the waves pound on the shores. Listening to the ocean was not something she was used to hearing, but it was oddly soothing.

     Finding her courage she returned to her room, leaving the doors open, and retrieved the letters. Sitting in the bed with the sheets turned down, Sophia sat with her legs crossed, her husband's letters around her. Sophia had never met him before in her entire life, and the letters would offer a way for her to learn a little about him. Despite the calm around her, her hands shook slightly as she tore open the new letter.

October 15th, 1805

Currently, the Royal Navy is nearing the coast of Spain. It is unknown why France is massing a fleet here, however, Britain is unwilling to allow Napoleon to have more of a influence in Spain than he already possess. Hopefully, the battle will not be too dire, but I have a bad feeling about the whole circumstance. The King believes that we must defeat Napoleon at all costs. Although I agree with this sentiment, the potential danger concerns me. The war is taking a toll on moral, and I believe that this is hindering the performances of my men.

I pray this conflict will be a brief one with the least amount of loss as possible.

Have the reports on the Essex investments arrived? They should be signed and taken care of as soon as possible, and sent back to Lord Mason before the next shipment of silk arrives in England. If the shipment is late it is due to his own procrastination, and do not allow him to make excuses. Lower your asking price and contact Grayson in Kent if Mason does not accept your offer. Please contact me as soon as possible if you have any difficulties, and I will send a letter to Grayson or Mason myself if need be.

Trenton James Nelson

-0-0-

     Missy knocked on Sophia's door at sunrise. Breakfast was ready, and it was important to have her mistress prepared for the tour of grounds that day. As soon as Sophia gained a feeling of Rosengate and its operations, she would be taking control of the estate herself as the head of the Nelson household.

     At first she hadn't know what to make of Sophia, but after Kate's glowing report, the staff was certain that Sophia was a decent person in general. Lord Nelson had been alone in Rosengate for so long, and having someone in the estate other than Nelson himself was a bright prospect, especially someone as agreeable as Sophia.

     Hearing no response, Missy cracked the door open slightly. Seeing that Lady Nelson was still asleep, Missy made her way to the balcony to shut the doors. The sunlight was coming through the curtains, and Missy drew them open to smile at the rising sun. When she turned to see to the young woman, she gasped.

     Sophia had fallen asleep, with Lord Nelson's letters opened and spread around her. Missy began to wonder how late the poor girl had been up reading them, and sighed. Picking up the letters, she set them back on the desk, and drew the covers over Sophia. Breakfast could be put off for another few hours, and after her long trip and introduction to Rosengate, Sophia deserved to sleep in. After shutting the doors gently behind her, Missy made her way to the kitchen to inform the cook.

Author's Note

Author's Note:

I got the idea for this story while I was looking at history of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1800's. Although the characters in this story :with the exception of occasional mentions of King George III and Napoleon: are fictional, I based the main male lead off Horatio Nelson, who was a well-known navy commander from Britain during this time in history.

Before the story begins, I apologize to all of the history buffs and all those who are well-acquainted with England. History is not my strong point, but I love studying it, and Europe itself has always interested me. I tried my best to not butcher geographic places in England and other European locations during this story, so if something is completely wrong, I apologize to everyone in advance.

If anyone has any other questions about this story, please feel free to contact me, or ask in a review. I will try my best to answer as best as I can. Grammar is also something I need to work on, and throughout the story I will periodically be correcting mistakes that I will miss. Thank you for your patience :D If anyone is curious about being a beta for this story, send me a message.

Please enjoy Letters to Whom I Have Never Met, and I appreciate any comments that you may have.

Thanks,

Lilith Rei

Reviews

[Bennet Ingvall]

In my personal opinion, Horatio Nelson was straight up the man. I absolutely adore history, especially eighteenth and nineteenth century England, so your story pleases me endlessly. I look forward to more chapters!

One correction, though, if I may: "After year of flaunting their money, the Conway's had decided to marry her off to a nobleman in hopes of saving the family fortune." The apostrophe is unnecessary, as it indicates posession and not plurality.

If you need a beta, hit me up/tell me so in the reply to the message I've already sent you. =]