Herodias Long

England in the year 1636 was a tumultuous place. The Thirty Years War on the European Continent had spread to the high seas and around the world involving England in war against France and Spain. However, the most troublesome conflicts to the people of England were on their own soil. There were at least a dozen different groups that supported armies to enforce their ideas. Conflict was everywhere. The most vulnerable were those who had no one to defend them.
A woman who had lost her father and husband in the same year who had no other relative, brother, uncle, or son to protect her would feel desperate. Maria Long had no experience or training and no opportunity for an income of any kind. With her only living relative being her 12-year-old daughter, what could she do? No man seemed interested in taking her in. She and her daughter would soon be living on the streets of London, relying on the scraps that others my cast off. And how could she protect herself and her daughter from…from… She did not want to think of what else.
A neighbor told her to contact Mr. John Hicks. Word was that he was a wealthy man who ran a school for well born ladies. He was said to often take in young women of good birth whose fortunes had turned just as Maria Long’s had.
Maria told her neighbor to tell Mr. Hicks of her plight. She was not as concerned about herself but about her 12-year-old daughter, Herodias who had that curse of beauty that attracted older men. There had already been men who had proposed marriage with Herodias. She was too young, the law said so, the church said so, everyone knew she was too young and still proposals had been made.
The neighbor contacted Mr. Hicks and he showed up at Mrs. Long’s door within a day. The moment she saw him she was relieved. He was dressed as a gentleman, groomed as a gentleman, and spoke as a gentleman. After a short conversation she was convinced he was a well educated gentleman who was willing to spend his fortune helping young women become young ladies. He was pleased to hear that Herodias was only 12 since this was the ideal age. “So many come to me older when it is much more difficult to teach them.”
Mrs. Long was convinced that this was the best thing for Herodias. She only wished she were younger so she could… Forget that she told herself. She called her daughter in to meet Mr. Hicks. She had said nothing to her daughter in preparation and yet Herodias by her own nature impressed the man. He was so impress that he ask her if she wanted to come with him that very day to his school for ladies.
The man made such an impression on both mother and daughter that they immediately agreed with his proposal. In turn he surprised Mrs. Long by offering her a stipend of 10 pounds sterling. For Mrs. Long in her position this was a fortune. She was asked to sign a legal document. She tried to read it but she did not understand the legal terms which were in Latin. “It just says that your daughter is in my custody by your permission,” he assured her. That sounded reasonable.
Before an hour had passed, Herodias had packed all her possessions and was riding with Mr. Hicks in his carriage on their way to his school for young ladies. He talked to her about the good things she would be able to enjoy once she had completed her schooling. He talked about the friendships she would develop with her school mates. Herodias was excited.
“Here is my school,” he said as the driver turned the carriage into a small park-like garden in front of an impressive building. Within moments Herodias was standing on the steps of the school. A footman had taken her baggage and Mr. Hicks led the way into the large entryway. There they were met by a man and a woman who were dressed as servants.
The man said to Mr. Hicks, “My lord, may I speak with you privately.”
“Yes Clarence, just a moment,” Mr. Hicks said and turning to the woman he said, “Ruth would you take Miss Herodias to a private room and get her settled in and then show her around.”
“Yes, My lord,” Ruth said with a slight curtsy. Turning to the girl she said come with me Miss.”
Herodias and the footman followed Ruth up a broad marble staircase to the second floor. There they went a short way down a hall that to Herodias seemed to go on forever. Stopping at a door with carvings of stylized foxes, Ruth said, “This will be your room for the time being. Remember fox.”
Herodias looked at other doors close by and saw that each had a different animal. “Yes, ma’am,” she said with a slight nod.
Opening the door and ushering the girl in, Ruth said, “You will stay in here until you are called unless of course you wish to use the water closet and that is a short way down the hall to the right.”
“Yes ma’am…ah what is a water closet?” Herodias asked.
“An indoor privy,” Ruth said with obvious disdain.
The footman who had deposited Herodias’ baggage near the dressing table was unable to suppress a chuckle.
Even with all of the excitement Herodias felt hungry. When Ruth asked if there was anything she needed she said, “I am hungry.”
“Yes of course. We find that for the first few days it will be best that food be brought to you so in about an hour a tray will be here for you. Can you last that long?”
It was obvious to Herodias she actually had no choice she agreed.
In less than an hour a tray of cold meat, cheese, and bread arrived with a glass of bitters. (bitters was a weak beer with just enough alcohol to kill water born bacteria) Although the amount of food was meager she felt somewhat satisfied when she had eaten it all.
Herodias made a visit to the water closet. There she saw strange porcelain fixtures that seemed extremely well designed for their function. They were badly stained brown from the cloudy, brown colored water the plumbing system delivered to them.
Back in her room Herodias wished she had something to do. She had hung her few pieces of clothing in the closet. She had placed her brush and comb on the dressing table. She had laid out he night gown and night cap on her bed in preparation of a good night’s sleep. She removed her uncomfortable boots which her mother had insister were all the style in London. They were used boots that someone else had worn. That woman had died and Herodias’ mother had bought them from her son for six pence.
Herodias thought that women of quality wore stockings but she had none. There were so many thing that she did not have. She wanted this school but could she survive here. What kind of ridicule will she have to put up with from the true women of quality that attended this school? The evening passed slowly for her as her mind filled with every kind of self doubt.
As evening came and darkness descended, Herodias did not light any candles. Instead she undressed and slipped on her loose fitting night gown.