Chapter 11
My heart was pounding painfully in my chest as I watched the reddish gold ornate handle move. Dear God, it's him kept racing through my mind as I made a mad dash to replace the letter on the table where I had found it.
The door opened slowly, scraping across the stones of the kitchen floor; inching forward so not to be heard by anyone. A long dark shadow soon stretched across the tiles, covering my face and the left side of my body. My arm was reaching out, the letter in my hand, my fingers just loosening enough to let it drop; when a loud voice called my name.
"What the devil do you think your doing Eliza?" I gasped and on an impulse, accidentally clutched the letter to me once more. I froze and watched as the creaking door finally opened. I nearly sighed with relief at the sight of Aunt Maria.
She stood on the threshold of the doorframe, her expensive deep red gown swirling about her. I was about to say something when the twinkling of her jewelry and the oddness of her attire made me clap my mouth shut. Why is she wearing her best dress, and at this time of night?
I was still gaping at her when she strode in the kitchen, peering at me harshly down her nose. The rich silk swished as she waddled forward, and her many rings shone in the dim candlelight. I watched her circle me in her awkward manner, then with astonishing speed she gripped my wrist.
I cried out, as much in shock as in pain, as her sharp diamonds cut into the sensitive flesh of my chapped hand. She pulled the letter from my grasp with her other hand, all the while her gaze intense and burning into mine.
Once she had the yellowed parchment in her grasp she threw me backwards slightly and I bumped into the rough counter. I didn't move as she opened the letter and quickly scanned it's contents. When she had finished she looked up at me once more, her flashing eyes boring into mine.
"How much did you read?" Her voice was soft, quiet and icy. I knew better than to make a cheeky remark when she didn't rant.
"I didn't read it, madam. I only noticed it on the table and was about to pick it up to see who it belonged to when you walked in." I lowered my eyes in respect to her authority, hoping it would feed her pride enough for her to not be as harsh to me in the next few moments.
"I see..." She replied, looking hurriedly at the large mirror in the corner. I tilted my head slightly at her glance, pondering as to why she would have looked over there. I shouldn't have shifted my gaze, as I once again felt the tight, clammy grip of her hand.
When I tried to pull away, she dug her nails into my skin, drawing a faint line of blood. I hissed softly at the pain, and allowed her to drag me to a corner of the room. She released me and moved back towards the mirror once more, her eyes warning me not to move.
I watched as she examined the large reflecting device, poking at the sides and peering in to it as if she would see something beyond her hazy reflection. After a few moments of her strange inspection she turned back to me. I stood up a bit straighter, my corset cutting painfully into my spine as I did so. She moved like a cat, her steps calculated and slow, back to where I was. She means to frighten me. Well I won't give you an easy time of it dear aunt!
"Elizabeth Brett, why are you in here? And snooping through my things?" I had just opened my mouth to defend myself, when she decided to prattle on. Her next few comments chosen especially to get me vexed, each word carrying it's own poison.
"Why? Why do you choose to go through my personal things? Did your father not raise you correctly? I always told Jacqueline that she was making a mistake in marrying that high-spirited man. He was unemployed for the longest time, no structure at all in that heap that he called a home! And worst of all he filled you girls' thoughts with the new radical ideas! Wanting to vote! Good lord, what next? He was a fool, and it looks like you will turn out the same way."
I was trembling with my rage, my whole body stiff and locked. Don't rise Lizzy, that's just what she wants you to do!
"He put his nose where it should not have been, and look at what happened to him. Boom! He got his comeuppance for doing that to my dear Francis. Telling the foreman that he was stuffing his own pockets with the extra profits. Buying bad machinery! Hump!"
I was beginning to feel quite lightheaded, a dark wave of anger coursing through me at every word that she said. I had to say something! "My dear aunt," I began, letting my voice cut through her own.
"My father was a good and honest man. I wish that you would not abuse him so, especially seeing as he has just passed away."
She laughed; that horrible cold-hearted hussy laughed.
"Oh! Honest is he? Mark my words girl he was a liar, and your brothers were no better then pimps."
"Madam! I will not stand here and take this kind of talk from you! You have no right, no right at all to speak in such a way! If you wish to insult my family then you leave me in an open path to do the same to yours!" I cried, my temper getting the better of me.
"Oh! Well then, if you Brett's are not all liars and thieves, then why did you have my letter?" She asked, waving the parchment about in front of my face.
"I merely wanted to know why it was sitting so haphazardly on the table. If you didn't want anyone to see it then why was it sitting there! For all to see nonetheless! Don't you dare put the blame on me you horrid woman! I was just trying to find who to return the letter to." I said my voice deadly and low. She was silent for a moment, her breath heaving in her fury. Then without a word she turned and went back to the mirror.
She looked in once more, this time her gaze becoming more demanding. I looked also when her bulk moved enough that I could see it as well. Why on earth would she be looking in there? The mirror reflected the dark room around us, no more no less. Surly the Phantom is not hiding in a mirror. I thought with what normally would have been humor, had my mood not been so dark.
Then she turned to me. She pursed her rouged lips and talked to me in her normal tone, loud and overbearing.
"If I find that you have read this... never mind you told me you did not. I am quite put out with you Liza dear, your comments were entirely uncalled for." She paused, looking at me. I swallowed another harsh comeback, and took a deep breath. Once she was sure that I would not snap back, she continued on.
"Aloysia will only be able to help you for a few hours in the morning. We have an appointment with that wretched Giry woman for her." Aunt Maria was about to quit the room, her steps having taken her to the large doors once more, when she thought of something else.
"Now my dear, you do know that Aloysia is of a delicate nature, and that too much hard work will cause her great pains in her back? So do try to let her rest often? I hope you will for you will find that if you do not take care of her, someone with much more power then I will deal with you." She smirked at my confused look and rounding on her heels, she swept out of the room.
What on earth did she mean by that? I wondered.
