I've really just thought of this. It came to me about 30 minutes ago when I was just watching Larkrise To Candleford :) Dorcas Lane 3
So, I've always wanted Sir Tim to come back and be with Dorcas like she wished they would be, but I thought that Dorcas's love life never really came to plan (James Dowland - ggrr!) So I added in a bit of a twist. I've always loved that period of time, I wish I was born back then, the corest and dresses :)
I do hope you enjoy and comment. They are loved!
To you, if you have felt the pain that Dorcas did.
Chapter 1
He looked down the road, his eyes wanding about the place till they settled on the front of the Post Office. How it had changed. The front wasn't that dull brown and the windows went as dark has they used to be, no, it was indeed different. The walls were now painted blue and white, flower pots placed on every inch of the ground, there was now a tree to the left of the Post Office itself. His eyes now wandered to the pretty sign that marked the top of the Post Office. Had it changed for the better?
Rubbing his head he picked up the little bag he carried and walked toward the Post Office, that little hub of the community.
Oh Dorcas. Oh my little girl. How I need you!
He let himself through the backdoor, he used to do it so often it seemed second nature. Walking straight into the kitchen he saw a young maid surrounded by water.
''Oh dear, look what I've done! Miss Lane will kill me!'' she muttered to herself not knowing quite what to do. She looked around in search for the mop but instead came facce to face with a handsome stranger ''Oh my!'' she gasped and then bowed low ''Are you ok, Sir?''
Smiling the handsome man placed his bag onto the table that settled in the centre of the little kitchen. He opened a nearby closit and pulled out a well worn mop ''I think you need this'' he said passing her the mop. The young girl took the mop and looked deep into the strangers eyes, they told a dark story.
''I was wondering whether Miss Lane was in?'' Asked the stranger. He pulled out a chair from the table and sat down in it.
''Miss Lane?'' Asked the maid with depp curiosity ''She'd still be in bed, Sir''.
The man smiled ''Well, yes. It is too early for Dorcas'' he turned to the maid ''So, fine missy! What would your name be?''
''Minnie, Sir. I'm Miss Lane's maid'' she looked at the watery mess ''Maybe not her best maid..'' She took up her mop and began to clean up the spills.
''Her maid? Oh, what happened to Zillah?'' The man leaned forward in his chair, not wanting to take his eyes of the little creature. She seemed so unaware of the world, like she was fearful of something, someone. He took in her looks, he wasn't the prettiest girl he had seen. Not like her. No, not at all...
''Zillah, Sir? The old maid. Well - she's dead Sir!'' Minnie muttered feeling the unhappiness, though she had never once met the poor woman ''She has been for sometime''. She placed the mop back into the closit and picked up a small scrubbing brush and began to work on the oven. She was slow at her work, not bothering to cover the whole surface of the oven or the pots and pans still placed on it from last nights supper.
The man rubbed his stubbley chin with his hand ''Dead? Zillah. Well I never..' He was so sure that Zillah would have out lived him, she was never without energy and there was nothing she couldn't do. Miss Lane must have been in such discomfort!
''Excuse me Sir'' asked Minnie poking her fingers into a tin of polish making them turn black and sitcky ''Who are you? If you dont mind me saying Sir! 'Cos Miss Lane hates it when I poke my nose into others buisness and she can shout when she want to Sir!'' she gasped for breath ''Not that I'm saying Miss Lane is a terrible woman, Sir! She is the most wonderfulest person ever!''
He laughed. Lordie this girl did like to speak her mind, and he liked her for it! Miss Lane always had an eye for people. He missed that ''I'm a very old friend of Miss Lane's'' he told the young maid. She moved closer towards him, wanting to know more ''Me and her go years back -''
''How many years Sir?'' asked Minnie smiling
''Oh, nearly all of my life I have know Dorcas!'' he grinned to himself at the memories of them running around as children ''We were childhood friends. And we were tennis parteners!''
Minnie grinned, making her front teeth poke out like rabbit's teeth. ''Miss Lane, tennis?'' The thought of her mistress running around with a racket made her imagination run wild.
''I'll let you know that Dorcas if very good at tennis! But she never liked to loss, she got awfully moody when she didn't win'' he tapped his nose ''Though I did let her win, a few times...'' For the fact, he let her win all the time. He loved to see her smile the way she did, making her eyes wide and her teeth sparkle. ''I remember the first time I saw her with my eyes, the most prettiest woman I'd ever seen! She was picked flowers down one of my father private walkways. I thought I'd be funny to hid in a brush and then when she'd come along I would run onto her! Well it didn't go as well as I'd liked. I jumped on her see, and then she grabbed me and boxer my ears so hard I cried like a baby!''
Minnie gasped ''Miss Lane hurt you, Sir?''
''She was deeply sorry afterwards. But she did like to bring it up from time to time, just to remind me that she could!''
The maid laughed and went back to rubbing at the oven. Her mind wandered away from the rest of the world, imagining Miss Lane beating this handsome stranger that sat in the kitchen. ''Miss Lane should be up soon, Sir!'' she told him.
''Ah, good!'' said the man clapping his hands together ''I'll tell you something else about Dorcas. She was riding past my house one day and she -''
''Timothy?!'' gasped a woman behind him.
He turned to her, she was dressed in a pale blue dress with her hair pulled high on the top off her head, how beautiful she was.
''Dorcas...'' he smiled.
Comment please! They make me happy!