HOME | DD

Description
   The room was beautifully decorated. There was a small lounge chair by the south wall that was embroidered with red and gold floral designs, a small table in the corner with a vase that held freshly picked lilacs, and in the center of the quaint little room, a round cherry wood table with delicate cherry wood chairs to match. It was the loveliest parlor I'd ever seen. I sat in one of those lovely chairs and awaited my hostess with patience. The sun was streaming in through the windows and it was a wonderful, breezy day. I smoothed out the many layers of my dress and then turned my attention to the paintings on the wall. The door to my left opened abruptly and Mary flowed into the room.
   "Elinor! How good of you to come for tea!" I stood as she came up to the table and we embraced in a hug that you give a dear friend you haven't seen in ages.
   "It was my pleasure!" I said. "I haven't been in town for quite some time and was delighted when I recieved your invitation. It gets quite boring in the country when all you do is watch children all day!" I smiled.
   "Well sit with me and talk for a while. I would love to hear about your family and new life in the country!" She rang a small bell that sat on the table and presently a young lady walked into the room with a tray full of items. It contained a tea pot, two cups resting upside-down on saucers, two small stirring spoons, cream, sugar, and a plate of tea biscuits. The young lady set the tray on the table and quickly began to remove the items from it. Once everything had been placed, she poured the tea, curtsied, and then walked briskly through the door she came in from.
   "I don't recall seeing that girl before Mary," I inquired, "is she new?"
   "Oh yes. She arrived a few weeks ago, looking for a job; so after looking into her background, Charles and I decided to hire her."
   "What is her name?" I asked.
   "Sally, Sally Bingel. She doesn't talk much, but she's quick on her feet and does what I ask." Mary gave a sharp nod and, thus, ended that portion of our conversation. "Would you like sugar or cream dear?"
   "Oh, just some sugar please."
   "One lump or two?"
   "One will be fine." Mary dropped a lump of sugar in my tea and proceeded to put two in her own cup. After stirring her tea, she took a sip.
   "So," she began, "how is James?"
   "He's doing well." I remarked. "I don't see him much during the day, since he is busy with his work. But when he is home he seems relaxed and in a good mood." I shrugged my slender shoulders and smiled. Mary nodded happily. "How is Charles doing?"
   "Oh, you know Charles! Forever working at the bank and never spending any time with me!" She laughed slightly and smiled, but there was an undertone of bitterness and sadness in her voice. I frowned slightly as she reached for a biscuit. It didn't seem fair that I had a loving husband and three beautiful children, and Mary had no one......except the warlock she was married to. We sat a moment in silence as we took sips of our steaming tea. "But I do have visitors that keep me company!" Mary said. Then she frowned herself. Poor Mary; she never was any good at lying.
   "I wish I could come visit more often." I remarked, leaning forward slightly. "But it's quite a distance, even for a carriage, to come here from the country." I put my hand on her arm and smiled warmly.
   "Oh, I know that dear. It just gets so lonely here...I don't know why I haven't lost my mind yet!" I shook my head.
   "Maybe you could come visit me for a few days!" I exclaimed rather dramatically. Mary shook her head.
   "Oh I couldn't! It's-"
   "Why not? James has been itching for someone to come see the house and the children would love to see you!" I smiled widely and raised my eyebrows, awaiting her answer. Mary looked unsure for a moment. I watcher her face go from hope, to anger, to happiness, to a look that seemed to say she was running to freedom.
   "Alright!!" She exclaimed and we both laughed. After discussing dates for her to come visit, we decided on the following Tuesday through Saturday. "Well!" Mary prompted. "Now that THAT is settled; tell me what you have been doing in your spare time."
   "I don't ever seem to have any spare time!" I laughed. "The children never give me any rest. But James likes to go hunting from time to time. Just the other day he brought home a few rabbits." Mary's face turned sad.
   "A rabbit?" She quavered.
   "Yes, four I think....?"
   "Oh, why that's cold blooded murder!" She sputtered. I was shocked, and for a moment puzzled. Mary studied my face, sighed, and then began to explain: "One Friday, a few weeks back, I was out for a walk when I came across an abandoned baby rabbit." She sobbed a bit. "The poor thing was starving! Charles was at work, so I took it upon myself to dispose of it.....but I couldn't, so I told my servant Henry to bring some milk and a spoon." She looked at me to make sure I was following her. I nodded and she continued: "I raised it....." she had begun to cry a bit, "and then one day...one day Charles discovered it and had it killed...." Mary began to sob. She bent her head to her hands. I stood and went to her side, cradling her in my arms like a mother does her child. The rabbit Mary had raised was the only child she ever had.....and Charles killed it; maybe not directly, but he had given the orders to have the rabbit extermintated.
   "Hush now." I said softly, still cradling her.
   "I even gave it a name....Scarlett." I smiled slightly and released Mary as she straightened. She wiped her face with a hankerchief she kept in the bosom of her dress.
   "There..... You need to get out of this house dear." I took her hands and urged Mary to stand.

                                                       ~~~

After our walk, Mary had forgotten about the rabbit and was eagerly looking forward to her visit. We said our goodbyes and I climbed into my carriage for the ride home. Once home, I smiled at the sight of my three lovely children running to greet me. I knelt down and let them run into my arms for a hug. James was standing in the doorway, smiling. The children let go of me and I stood, walked to James, gave him a slight kiss on the lips, and said, "Mary is going to come for a visit next Tuesday!"

Description
   The room was beautifully decorated. There was a small lounge chair by the south wall that was embroidered with red and gold floral designs, a small table in the corner with a vase that held freshly picked lilacs, and in the center of the quaint little room, a round cherry wood table with delicate cherry wood chairs to match. It was the loveliest parlor I'd ever seen. I sat in one of those lovely chairs and awaited my hostess with patience. The sun was streaming in through the windows and it was a wonderful, breezy day. I smoothed out the many layers of my dress and then turned my attention to the paintings on the wall. The door to my left opened abruptly and Mary flowed into the room.
   "Elinor! How good of you to come for tea!" I stood as she came up to the table and we embraced in a hug that you give a dear friend you haven't seen in ages.
   "It was my pleasure!" I said. "I haven't been in town for quite some time and was delighted when I recieved your invitation. It gets quite boring in the country when all you do is watch children all day!" I smiled.
   "Well sit with me and talk for a while. I would love to hear about your family and new life in the country!" She rang a small bell that sat on the table and presently a young lady walked into the room with a tray full of items. It contained a tea pot, two cups resting upside-down on saucers, two small stirring spoons, cream, sugar, and a plate of tea biscuits. The young lady set the tray on the table and quickly began to remove the items from it. Once everything had been placed, she poured the tea, curtsied, and then walked briskly through the door she came in from.
   "I don't recall seeing that girl before Mary," I inquired, "is she new?"
   "Oh yes. She arrived a few weeks ago, looking for a job; so after looking into her background, Charles and I decided to hire her."
   "What is her name?" I asked.
   "Sally, Sally Bingel. She doesn't talk much, but she's quick on her feet and does what I ask." Mary gave a sharp nod and, thus, ended that portion of our conversation. "Would you like sugar or cream dear?"
   "Oh, just some sugar please."
   "One lump or two?"
   "One will be fine." Mary dropped a lump of sugar in my tea and proceeded to put two in her own cup. After stirring her tea, she took a sip.
   "So," she began, "how is James?"
   "He's doing well." I remarked. "I don't see him much during the day, since he is busy with his work. But when he is home he seems relaxed and in a good mood." I shrugged my slender shoulders and smiled. Mary nodded happily. "How is Charles doing?"
   "Oh, you know Charles! Forever working at the bank and never spending any time with me!" She laughed slightly and smiled, but there was an undertone of bitterness and sadness in her voice. I frowned slightly as she reached for a biscuit. It didn't seem fair that I had a loving husband and three beautiful children, and Mary had no one......except the warlock she was married to. We sat a moment in silence as we took sips of our steaming tea. "But I do have visitors that keep me company!" Mary said. Then she frowned herself. Poor Mary; she never was any good at lying.
   "I wish I could come visit more often." I remarked, leaning forward slightly. "But it's quite a distance, even for a carriage, to come here from the country." I put my hand on her arm and smiled warmly.
   "Oh, I know that dear. It just gets so lonely here...I don't know why I haven't lost my mind yet!" I shook my head.
   "Maybe you could come visit me for a few days!" I exclaimed rather dramatically. Mary shook her head.
   "Oh I couldn't! It's-"
   "Why not? James has been itching for someone to come see the house and the children would love to see you!" I smiled widely and raised my eyebrows, awaiting her answer. Mary looked unsure for a moment. I watcher her face go from hope, to anger, to happiness, to a look that seemed to say she was running to freedom.
   "Alright!!" She exclaimed and we both laughed. After discussing dates for her to come visit, we decided on the following Tuesday through Saturday. "Well!" Mary prompted. "Now that THAT is settled; tell me what you have been doing in your spare time."
   "I don't ever seem to have any spare time!" I laughed. "The children never give me any rest. But James likes to go hunting from time to time. Just the other day he brought home a few rabbits." Mary's face turned sad.
   "A rabbit?" She quavered.
   "Yes, four I think....?"
   "Oh, why that's cold blooded murder!" She sputtered. I was shocked, and for a moment puzzled. Mary studied my face, sighed, and then began to explain: "One Friday, a few weeks back, I was out for a walk when I came across an abandoned baby rabbit." She sobbed a bit. "The poor thing was starving! Charles was at work, so I took it upon myself to dispose of it.....but I couldn't, so I told my servant Henry to bring some milk and a spoon." She looked at me to make sure I was following her. I nodded and she continued: "I raised it....." she had begun to cry a bit, "and then one day...one day Charles discovered it and had it killed...." Mary began to sob. She bent her head to her hands. I stood and went to her side, cradling her in my arms like a mother does her child. The rabbit Mary had raised was the only child she ever had.....and Charles killed it; maybe not directly, but he had given the orders to have the rabbit extermintated.
   "Hush now." I said softly, still cradling her.
   "I even gave it a name....Scarlett." I smiled slightly and released Mary as she straightened. She wiped her face with a hankerchief she kept in the bosom of her dress.
   "There..... You need to get out of this house dear." I took her hands and urged Mary to stand.

                                                       ~~~

After our walk, Mary had forgotten about the rabbit and was eagerly looking forward to her visit. We said our goodbyes and I climbed into my carriage for the ride home. Once home, I smiled at the sight of my three lovely children running to greet me. I knelt down and let them run into my arms for a hug. James was standing in the doorway, smiling. The children let go of me and I stood, walked to James, gave him a slight kiss on the lips, and said, "Mary is going to come for a visit next Tuesday!"