A Poor Girl’s Peril (The Winds of Misery Victorian Romance #4) (A Family Saga Novel): The Winds of Misery, #4

prologue

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London

1864

Adeline gasped for air while hot air itched down her throat. Indeed, she knew that something was wrong, and pulled the blanket from her quickly, exposing her pale slender legs to the heated air. She opened her eyes and sat up in bed.

Twas the middle of the night after a grand theater performance that she was quite proud of, and she felt quite tired because of it. Life had been going substantially well for her, and she could not be happier. Adeline Simmons Proctor – or Adeline Proctor, as was her stage name as an actress – had been involved in many situations, and the theater that she now called home with the Douvains, was as good a home as any.

But on this particular night, something felt oddly wrong. In the moment that she sat up in bed and took a deep breath, she realized what caused this wrong feeling. She immediately started to cough and choke, the air thick with smoke. In the dark of the night, she could not see at all.

Rushing out of her bed, her feet hit the warm floor and she padded over to the window, flinging it open. The rush of air hit her face and she was able to breathe once more, but only for a moment, for the smoke that had gathered in her room quickly made its escape through the window. She coughed and choked again. Looking into the room with the moonlight streaming in from the open window, she could see just how smoky it was.

Fire.

No! This cannot be. I must wake the others!

In her white nightgown, Adeline made her way to the door of her bedroom. She needed to wake up the rest of the household. She lived in the townhome upstairs from the theater with the Douvaines, the couple that ran the theater.

Ouch.

She yanked her hand from the doorknob, which was considerably hot. Adeline folded the cloth of her nightgown in her hand and used it to open the door. But on the other side flames licked high toward the ceiling. Adeline shouted and jumped back. The flames engulfed the entire floor and she could not see beyond them. The splintering and cracking of the wood reached her ears as the floor began to collapse on the staircase. She panicked; there was no way for her to get beyond the flames.

Crash! Wooden posts from the stair railing crashed to the floor.

Mrs Douvain! Mr Douvain! Nancy! Adeline shouted over and over at the top of her lungs. But no one responded, for she could hardly hear her own voice above the roar of the fire and the breaking of wood. Suddenly a patch of flame inched toward her door, and toward her. She stepped back into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She could hear the sound of the door burning from the other side. Adeline dropped to her knees, where the air was less thick with smoke. She grabbed a shawl that sat on a chair. She wrapped it around her nose and mouth and crawled toward the window.

Help! Fire! Help! She shouted out of the window, but it was the middle of the night and most were asleep. Looking down from the second floor, there was no escape for her. There was not anything for her to climb or to be had on the side of the building that could help her dissent to the cobblestone streets of London below. A loud cracking sound averted her attention to her door to see the flame coming through.

Oh Lord, help me, She said, climbing through the window, her skinny pale legs dangling from her night shift. Help! Help!

Just then a group of people appeared below, and she could hear others shouting fire in the street. She was grateful that people were now aware of the situation.

Jump, Miss! You must jump! A man below her shouted. Two other men at his side also shouted the same thing with their arms outstretched toward her, as though they would catch her.

My friends; they are still inside I cannot get to them! Someone must go around to the front and go inside to wake them! Adeline shouted to them.

The entire first floor is up in flames, Miss! There is no way in. You must jump if you want to live!

No, I can’t.

You must. We can see the fire light behind you. Jump!

Adeline turned over her shoulder. Indeed they were right, the fire had made it into the room. Panic took over her very being, she turned back to the window, looking at the long way down and the men waiting below her. It would hurt, but that impact would feel better than burning alive.

Mrs Douvain! Mr Douvain! She shouted into her bedroom one more time, straining to hear for any response. There was none. Maybe they could not get to her either and had left out the front door. It was possible, and they were trying to catch their breath or beg for help to get inside to get her. If she jumped then she would be able to meet them out front and stop their worry.

Jump! Jump! Jump! The men below her shouted.

Yes! Here I come! Adeline shouted to the men below, who took their positions. She put her hands on the window seal and pushed off. She fell and the drop seemed to take forever. She cradled her body drawing her knees to her chest, and closed her eyes. Suddenly she crashed into bodies. The men below had caught her together, but the impact caused them to fall to the ground.

Are you all right dear? Are you burned? The man asked.

Adeline opened her eyes, looking up into the man that had saved her. Thank you. Thank you so much.  She sobbed. I am not hurt. I do not think. I am not burned.

They helped her to her feet, and it was then that she saw the first floor of her home. It was completely engulfed in flame, the fire flickered out of the windows.

No. No. The Douvains are inside, we must get to them, she ran from the flames around toward the front of the building with the men following behind her, trying to stop her.

When she came to the front side of the street a large crowd had gathered. There was a line of water buckets being thrown onto the wall, but not to put out the current fire, to stop the fire from spreading before the firefighters could arrive to another building. It was a terraced home after all, and even though it was at the end of the block, it could burn miles down. It needed to be stopped as soon as possible.

Mrs Douvain? Mr Douvain! Nancy! she shouted moving through the sea of people. She did not see them.

No! There are people inside. We must get to them! she grabbed anyone near her, shaking them. But it was obvious that no one would be able to go inside, the fire was raging through the entire first floor and you could clearly be seen through the windows.

It’s spreading! Someone shouted. The fire raged through the theater and caught the building next door. The people that lived in those buildings were already on the street, in their night clothes. A few buildings down, people were coming out caring trunks of possessions, and everything that they could. But Adeline was numb to this; all she could do was stare up at the theater, knowing that the Douvains and the house servant Nancy had perished inside, the only family that she had.

Adeline ran back to the side of the building on the other side of the street, perhaps someone was trying to escape from the window the way she had. But those bedrooms were not on the same side that her room was on, they were across the hall toward the back. She walked around the back of the building and flames shot out of those windows; the windows that she knew to be the bedrooms of her friends.

She crumbled to the floor, and cried. No! No! Please!

The loud horn and bells of the firemen could be heard coming down the block. But she knew that they were too late, there would be no saving her friends.

Fire! Fire! People shouted as more and more people appeared on the cobblestone streets in the middle of the night. Anyone within one mile knew that the fire could reach them quickly. Complete chaos took over the dark still of the middle of the night.

My friends, my family, what will I do now? she sobbed.

There she be, a man said. She looked up to see one of the men that had caught her from her fall from the building pointing at her. At his side was a police officer in uniform. He stomped toward her.

Is this your residence, ma’am?

Yes. It is. My friends are still inside. Mr and Mrs Douvain, and our house servant Nancy. You must do something, she pleaded.

There is nothing that can be done, Miss. All we can do now is try to stop the fire from spreading, but it is already reaching the building next to it. You must come with me to the station down to Scotland Yard.

The station? I am in my nightclothes. I am without shoes. The fire woke me in the night from my bed.

The police wagon is just around the front, you can ride in that. When we get to the station we can fetch you some proper clothing. But you must come with me.

She took one last look at the building, allowing tears to stream down her face freely. Then she nodded her head. The officer escorted her around the front of the building and helped her climb into the back of the police wagon.

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chapter

0 1

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Adeline sat in a simple brown dress and brown lace up boots. It was the most simple dress she had worn in a long time, not since her days of living in the brothel at Portsmouth, where she was forced to be a courtesan. Since then she had gone on grand adventures when she and another woman named Katrina Proctor were pulled from the brothel by Mr Douvain, to become actresses in the theater company that he owned with his wife.

Together Adeline and Katrina left Portsmouth and embarked on a journey to London, where they studied acting and became grand actresses renowned through society. But being an actress was at the same level as being a prostitute in polite society and considered quite scandalous, though society enjoyed watching them perform in plays, they were not allowed to be in any sort of true acquaintance. Yes from time to time the theater troupe would perform inside private homes of the elite and rich, and therefore were also invited to attend a dinner or party, but it was just as guests for that night. It was looked down upon for anyone in high society to have an actual friendship or acquaintance with an actress.

Therefore when her dear friend – who could be considered a sister – Katrina Proctor married a very wealthy man of nobility named Mason Byers, they caused quite the scandal. But when her friend went off, Adeline, though happy for her friend, stayed with the theater troupe. After a harrowing life, and being captured and forced in the brothel, she was very glad to have the simplicity of being an actress. Her belly was never empty, she did not want for clothing or shelter, and for Adeline that was quite the blessing. She indeed enjoyed the company of Mr and Mrs Douvain as well, for they had become like an aunt and uncle to her.

Sitting in this very plain dress felt very foreign to Adeline after being an actress for years, but she could not think about anything other than her friends, the ones that she had grown to love like family, all gone. She leaned on the table in front of her in a small room at the Scotland Yard police station.

She had not seen anyone since she had been brought into the room with clothing, and it had been hours. She could do nothing but cry into her folded arms on the table, until sobbing finally gave way to sleep.

A loud bang awoke her. She woke to see a man walking in the door, he was not in police uniform, instead he was in a dark suit with a derby hat. He had a very serious look on his face.

What has happened? Any word of my friends? The ones that were in the home? She stood from her chair and went to him.

Please sit, Miss Simmons, he said sternly.

What is it? Just tell me. Are they all right?

No. They have perished. Along with the family that lived next door.

She gasped. No.

Yes, it is true. The fire in your home is responsible for the death of others, and an entire block of homes that have now burned down. He said with anger in his voice.

Her eyes grew wide in shock. She sat down because she felt her knees going weak. She whispered, No. It can’t be.

Tell me. Miss Simmons, how is it that you escaped, but your friends did not?

What?

Adeline was in a complete haze. She could not focus on what the detective said. It was simply too horrific. He had final word that her friends who she thought of as family were dead. And not only that, but the nicest family next-door who had always been kind to them had also perished. As well as property that took up an entire block of homes and markets. It just can’t be.

I asked you a question, girl. How is it that you escaped but not your friends?

I... I barely escaped. I awoke in my bed choking and coughing on smoke. When I opened my bedroom door to the hallway there were flames all around. I shouted for my friends, but I could not go to them not without walking through a wall of fire.

A wall of fire, that is quite dramatic. You are an actress, are you not?

Adeline narrowed her blue eyes at him. Anger filled her heart. I am, and that theater and those people are dear to me. But I tell you the truth. I could not leave my bedroom. The only escape was the window located on the second floor. I had shouted for help. A few men came to my aid and persuaded me to jump. I did not want too but it was not long before the fire entered my own bedroom. It was either burn to death or break a leg jumping.

And you made the jump fine. You do not seem to be hurt to me.

The gentleman broke my fall. Thanks to them I am without injury, except for smoke in my lungs and some bruises and scrapes from the fall.

And what are their names?

I do not know. In all the chaos I did not have time to make introductions, sir. As soon as I landed and knew I was not injured I ran to the front of the building to try to go back in to get my friends, to wake them up.

But you did not go in?

The man tried to stop me, but as soon as I got to the front of the building I saw that the entire ground floor of the building was on fire, there was no way to get in. Then I went around back to see if they were trying to escape from windows, but the fire had already reached their rooms.

Without walking through a wall of fire, he said sarcastically.

I tell the truth! She said.

That will be for us to decide. Miss Adeline Simmons, you are now under investigation for the theater fire that has engulfed an entire block and killed several people. Until we can find out the cause, you are to remain here under arrest.

What? I am under arrest? That does not make sense. I have been through a lot tonight. I did not set a fire, how am I to know how it started if I was asleep?

The detective looked her over, looking at her eyes and then her bosom, and back to her eyes. Adeline knew that look very well. She grew angrier.

You think I don’t know what goes on in theaters? Debauchery. There must’ve been a lot of drinking, smoking of all kinds, and fornicating. Neglecting things such as candles and pipes and cigarettes that might be left burning. It is that kind of negligence that causes an entire block in London to burn down. I will not tolerate that kind of negligence in my city.

Well, Detective, that might be the kinds of theaters that you attend, but that is not this theater.

He did not like that at all. He stood up from the chair, and gave her an angry stare. You will stay here. You should be lucky I am not locking you up in the cell. It is quite unpleasant in there. You will stay here in this room, but that door will be locked. I will have a blanket brought to you, but the floor will be your bed tonight. Not that you have a home to go to. He said the last sentence with a smile.

It took every ounce of her being to not slap the smile off his face. But she knew that it would only make things worse. Her freedom lay in the hands of this man. She had to play the part, and playing parts was what she was good at.

I thank you for your kindness sir. I am terrified and exhausted. I wish to be alone in my grieving of my friends, they were the only family I had. A tear moved down her cheek.

I am sorry for your loss, but save the theatrics for your next theater group.

The detective opened the door and walked out. She was so angry, but there was nothing that she could do but cry. It was official, her dear Mr and Mrs Douvain and Nancy were gone. All she could think about was that hopefully they died in their sleep from breathing in the smoke and felt no pain, because she could not stand to have them burned alive and conscious during it. In that moment she was grateful that Katrina had married, and was no longer living at the theater. She and Katrina had been through a lot and she couldn’t bear having that sort of fate happen to her.

She sat back down, put her face in her hands, and cried. She was truly alone in the world again. What would she do?

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chapter

0 2

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Indeed Adeline slept badly that night, on the floor wrapped in the small blanket. She was grateful that it was the middle of summer, so the room was not too cold. The next morning she awoke to the detective pushing her awake.

You are free to go, Miss Simmons.

What? She wiped the sleep from her eyes.

You are free to go.

Adeline stood up to her feet. She was still trying to wake up and confused about where she was, then it all flooded back to her. That she had lost everyone she loved and knew in the fire, as well as anything she owned.

I am free to go?

Yes, as I have said many times. Now you must go, we need this room for another investigation.

But where will I go? My home burned down.

That is not my concern. The detective opened the door, waiting for her to walk through it.

The building? Is there anything left of it?

I have not seen it myself. But from what I heard it is nothing but a pile of rubble.

Adeline nodded her head, and walked away. She knew that she should be grateful for her freedom, and that they were not going to throw her in jail for thinking that she somehow was responsible for the fire. But at the same time she was very scared about walking out the main door of Scotland Yard. She had nowhere to go. She was destitute. She had no money, and no possessions. But she had to see it for herself; she had to see the building.

She walked out onto the streets of London, making her way several blocks across the city, until finally she came to the street that she had called home for so long. She could smell the scent of smoke and ash. It was very strong. As she rounded the corner, and came to the block, she was completely shocked.

The entire row of buildings was gone. In their place were piles of burned timber and brick. These were her neighbours, and she would barely recognize the area, if it weren’t for the houses across the street. There were many people picking through the rubble, and she knew that those were not people that lived in those homes. They were scavenging.

Then she remembered that it wasn’t just bank notes that the theater took in, but coin. And she knew exactly what area of the house the money box was kept. She quickened her step, toward the end of the row where her home once stood. She gasped. No. No, this can’t be, she said looking at a large pile of burnt brick and timber piled on top of each other. It was just too sad to look at. It rocked her through her core. She didn’t even know if the bodies of those burned had been carried off by the officials or if they had burned completely.

Many people scavenged through the rubble, and it made her angry. None of these items belong to them.

Stop. This is my home. These belong to my family, get out of here, she shouted at the many dirty faces going through the rubble. They stopped to look at her, but they continued scavenging. For what could a small girl with a petite frame like her really do? She was exhausted, so tired, and so confused.

She climbed onto the rubble, searching in the back area of the house for the moneybox. But the heavy bricks and heavy wood were not easy to lift. She went to the area of the home that would have been her room. She searched and scavenged herself, finding nothing. If any  jewelry, money, or anything of value had survived the fire then it was long gone, picked off from the people that were looking through for anything they could take. Damn those police for keeping her overnight, they made it so that she could not even collect her possessions if any remained. She had nothing.

Looking at her black hands, she was now worse off than she was before. She noticed people looking at her, people that she recognized, they were the neighbours that had lost homes. They gave