Stephen raised his wooden spoon and thrust it down upon Callie's hand.
"Miss Callie if I have to turn around and see you're dirty little fingers on the food again I'll put you in this pot and cook you for breakfast!"
"That wouldn't work," Callie shook and rubbed the pain out of her hand. "We all know I'm rotten." She sneered and ran out of the kitchen, nearly knocking her just entering father over in the process.
"Callie, please do be careful!"
From behind her back she brought out a biscuit that she had expertly swiped when Stephen wasn't looking. She stuffed it into her mouth without a moments thought. She was just passing by when she noticed that the front door was open, with Ray, Will, and a woman she did not recognize standing at the door.
"Who's that?" she muttered with her mouth full. Sandra smiled and extended her hand towards her.
"You must be little Callie Caldwell!" She exclaimed. Callie swallowed the contents in her mouth and her eyes widened.
"You're new at this aren't you?" Callie asked, she couldn't help the smile spreading across her lips.
"Yes, I am. I've heard an awful lot about you." Sandra continued. Callie put a hand on her chest, over-acting the image of being flattered.
"I'm famous!" She said to the smitten boys. Sandra laughed,
"They say you're vicious!" She said with a friendly skeptical tone.
"Oh stop! Before you make me blush!" Callie turned her face away. Sandra laughed again in delight.
"Could you tell your parents that I'm here?"
"Okay- Ma! Fa! Stranger at the door!" She roared over her shoulder. "There you go." Callie said before making her way back to the kitchen. Simultaneously Inman and Anita came out of the kitchen and approached Sandra together.
"Hello there!" Anita greeted as she curtsied politely; Sandra followed suit.
"I'm Inman Caldwell and this is my wife, Anita Caldwell." Inman introduced as he bowed to her. Only then did he notice the two boys still standing in front of the door.
"At ease boys." Inman chuckled as he gently pushed them away from the door, their mouths still ajar.
"So Miss Snow, forgive me but we sent that letter your…mother-I'm guessing?" Anita began.
"Yes, well the last time my mother had the honor of caring for the Caldwell girls she began to suffer what the doctor called hyper-anxiety and paranoia. She asked me to go in her stead." Sandra explained.
"Oh, I am sorry about your mother." Anita said, Inman and her snuck a quick guilty glance at each other.
"No need, she's doing fine and I'm here; ready to work." Sandra shook off their grief.
A loud crash came from the kitchen and Callie raced out.
"I didn't do it!" She cried as she made her way out of sight. Both parents turned nervously from their daughter back to Sandra; who surprisingly didn't seem to have the slightest bit of worry.
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Inman asked her. She nodded.
"Not a doubt in my mind." Inman and Anita looked at each other for a moment, wordlessly coming to an agreement. They smiled and looked back to her.
"You're hired!" They exclaimed at the same time.
They had stationed Sandra's sleeping quarters near the back of the house, in the same hallway as Inman's office. It was a modest room; however she accepted it without as much as a word of protest. While she had only been there a few days, she was very true to her word. She was more than capable of handling Callie. It seemed as if Callie couldn't pull through with anything mischievous as long as Sandra was around. This obviously put an enormous toll on Callie's patience.
Callie was pacing about her room, huffing angrily when Lucy entered. Callie had just finished one pace with her back facing Lucy, before whirling around and finally acknowledging her presence.
"Why are you alone?" She asked. "Where are the other two?"
"Where do you think? They're downstairs being 'Sandra's little helpers.'" Lucy quoted bitterly. "They've been here since seven this morning apparently." She added.
"What? Well why haven't I noticed that they were here?" Callie began to pace again.
"Maybe because you were so busy doing this?" Callie abruptly stopped and raised her brow at her, for it was the first real cheeky remark she had ever heard from Lucy. Lucy ignored her look.
"I don't know what's the matter with them."
"They're in love with the lovely Sandra Snow." Callie said with a fake dreamy tone, then a gagging noise to follow.
"I don't get it though! She's not that lovely. She's got hideously red hair and green eyes. She looks like Christmas!"
Callie whipped her gaze at Lucy whilst she talked in such ironic terms. Lucy realized what she was saying before adding "-But it looks good on you Callie." Callie rolled her hers at her friend.
"Let's go get those dim boys."
Silently the two girls made their way out of the room and crept to the banister. Through the wooden poles they peered over the edge. They could see Sandra dusting the window ledges and the different trinkets on the various side tables. Will and Ray of courses were standing at her side, both helpfully dusting.
"You two are just so great! Honestly I've never met two boys who would do chores so voluntarily." Sandra went on as they worked. "I'll be right back; I'll just shake these rags out." She politely took the rags out of the boys' hands.
"I can help you!" Ray offered eagerly.
"I can help him help you!" Will was determined not to be outdone by Ray.
"Oh well aren't you boys nice. But I can do this on my own." Sandra flashed another sweet smile down at the boys, causing them to blush like mad.
"I'll be right back." She said as she left through the front door.
"Okay" The two boys said at the same time.
"Well that was painfully embarrassing to watch." A sudden familiar voice from behind them caused the boys to snap out of their love stricken daze.
"We don't know what you're talking about." Ray said casually, Will nodded in agreement. Their act however was soon interrupted by Callie's loud laughter and scoffing.
"Oh please! 'Why Miss Sandra, I'd be honored to lick your shoes! Miss Sandra, perhaps the both of us should just wear one of your many pretty dresses since we're acting like enormous girls!'" Callie skipped down the stairs. Lucy was laughing hysterically while Ray and Will scowled at her. Sandra entered soon enough with the freshly patted dust rags and Callie no longer had the boys' attention. Sandra re-distributed the rags to them and they offered a shy thank-you to her.
"They say on the island booga-booga that giving a man a dust rag is as good as a marriage proposal!" Callie muttered to the boys under her breath. Sandra gave Callie a curious look, she couldn't help but hear her comment.
"Miss Caldwell, I would offer you a rag to help but I wouldn't want you to think that I'm too forward." Her smile was so sweet Callie was certain she would receive a tooth ache in moments. The boys erupted with laughter, Callie gave them her own scowl.
"You're right, I prefer to have dinner first. " She turned and stomped back up the stairs; Lucy followed closely behind, leaving Sandra and her happy helpers by themselves downstairs.
Three more days passed and besides Callie's efforts to get the better of Sandra, she always seemed to be at least three steps ahead of Callie. No doubt because of the new spying imps she had acquired while working here. One morning Callie stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door to keep out the uproarious laughter from downstairs. Her head and shoulders were covered in porridge. Fuming she went to her window sill and began pulling and squeezing the yellow ooze from her hair and throwing it angrily out the window. Since the people downstairs saw fit to laugh at her misfortune she saw fit to let the still warm food splatter on the side of the house, the porch roof, and flower beds below.
"She thinks she's so smart but she's only smart because of her two little minions spying on me. Traitors!" She spat between tosses of porridge. A light tap came at her door.
"No" Callie said, still picking at herself. The light tap came again. "No!" She repeated; more irritated this time. Whoever was behind the door ignored her wishes and entered anyway. Much to Callie's dismay Sandra stuck her snobby head in.
"I've come to apologize and help you clean up." She said, regret evident in her voice. Callie wiped another clump of porridge off her shoulder and shook it off outside.
"What are you talking about? I'm clean!" Callie's cool stature was interrupted when a glob of goop in Callie's hair that she'd missed fell and landed right in between her eyes. Sandra giggled at the young girl and came towards her with a porcelain bowl filled with hot water and a clean rag sitting at the edge.
"Let me help." She said and adjusted Callie's seating so she was easily in her reach.
"Well you got most of the little bits out…" Sandra began as she lightly ran her fingers in her hair. She reached for Callie's hairbrush. "I'll clean this out for you later." Sandra stated and lightly ran the brush through the gooey strands, getting the last chunks from her hair.
"This could've been avoided had you just not have been mischievous for once." Sandra felt she had to inform her. "And I didn't push that door on purpose. Had I known that bucket was there I wouldn't have touched it at all." Sandra defended herself in what had happened earlier.
"If you weren't so intolerable I wouldn't have to try to get you." Callie muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing" She answered.
A long period of silence took over as Sandra brushed Callie's hair and cleaned her face. The only bit of conversation was Callie throwing a tantrum when Sandra pulled too hard on a knot in her hair or touched Callie with the wet rag when it was too hot.
"Callie, sweetie…" Sandra spoke suddenly. Callie looked up at her.
"I don't know who this 'sweetie' is, but I'm listening." Callie commented.
"Tell me, do you get along with your parents very well?" Callie frowned slightly.
"Depends on what you mean by 'get along'."
"Do you…enjoy your parents company? Do you appreciate one another?" Sandra chose her words carefully as to make it understandable to the young child. Callie smirked to herself.
"Well they haven't sent me to France yet to be reformed by my Grandmother. I appreciate that!"
"Do you get along with them?" She presses again.
"Well I really get along well with my father, he's great! My mother…." Callie trailed off. "We don't understand each other very well."
"Why?" Sandra asked. Callie shrugged.
"Our interests differ, that's all. She blames my poor father sometimes, saying he treats me too much like a companion instead of a daughter. She says he talks to me about stuff he shouldn't be. Teaching me stuff he shouldn't be teaching me. 'Gives her ideas.'" Callie said, not being able to hide the hint of resentment in her voice.
"How well do your parents get along?" Sandra seemed to be full of questions today.
"They fight a lot." Callie said casually. "But that's natural in our family. You should see my grandparents." Callie added in fear that she had given her the wrong idea about her parents.
"What do they fight about?"
"Why do you care so much?" Callie looked suspiciously at her.
"I hear things, I hear them…" Sandra trailed off.
"Mostly about him being away," Callie started again, now very careful of what she gave away. "He's a sea captain." She added proudly.
"Yes I know." Sandra says in a tone that Callie could not identify.
"They sometimes argue about my grandparents; how they're always here, and me of course!" Callie let out a hearty laugh at herself.
"How about when they're not arguing, are they happy?"
Callie blinked a couple of times, thinking of the proper answer.
"Are they happy with each other?" Sandra rephrases her question, mistaking Callie's silence for misunderstanding of the question.
"They went to the carpenters yesterday to buy chairs for the porch together last week." Callie offered. "That says love to me."
Sandra looked at her strangely again. A look that Callie could not interpret, no matter how hard she thought about it.
"They're happy." Callie said in reassurance to Sandra and even a bit to herself. She had never questioned her parent's relationship before, but now it caused her to give some attention to the matter. That made her a tad nervous.
"I would know," Callie shuddered, she knew she had to say it, if she wanted to end Sandra's questioning. She forced her lips to say it. "I can sometimes hear them through the wall."
The next day Callie and Lucy had snuck into Roseanne's room to see if there were any love letters from Dr. Dan to read. As delicately as they could they fingered through Roseanne's things so they wouldn't leave any room for suspicion when Roseanne returned. Out of Roseanne's window they could see Sandra's trained monkeys fulfilling today's chore; cleaning the rugs. They had them strung over a clothesline and the three of them were banging mercilessly at the thing. Sandra said something and walked away. Will started to follow however Ray came up behind him and hit him in the back of the knees with the swatter he had used to bat the rug. Will fell forward in pain, allowing Ray to get ahead of him. As war would have it, before he could get too far Will reached out and grabbed Ray's ankle, causing him to fall as well. The boys followed that trend until Sandra had returned in front of them holding a tray with three glasses of cider on them.
"Oh, you silly boys!" The girls heard Sandra say through the window.
"They might as well find a dead bird and plop it down by her feet since she's treating them like dogs." Callie said bitterly. "I don't trust her, there's something odd about her. Just yesterday she kept drilling me about my parents and I for no apparent reason."
"What could she possibly gain from asking those types of questions?" Lucy asked.
"No clue, but whatever the reason I'm not giving her any more information." Callie declared as she rifled through a few drawers of Roseanne's bureau. Lucy nodded at her.
"Good idea." Lucy looked over Roseanne's bedside table, "Callie I don't think we're going to find anything. Either she doesn't have any or knows you'd come looking for them and has hidden them very well."
Callie sighed loudly; it was the one thing that was guaranteed to brighten her day.
"Fine, let's just read Eve's journal. She's more daft about hiding things."
Within moments Callie and Lucy had Evelyn's journal in the possession and were huddled secretively in the back hall having a good laugh.
"'Travis Mackenzie is so handsome!'" Callie read aloud, choking on her laughter.
"It doesn't say that!" Lucy exclaimed, surprised to hear her brother's name mentioned.
"Don't believe me? See for yourself!" Callie showed her the script in the journal. "You'll love this, 'I saw him outside tending horses…'" Callie trailed off, snickering again. "…'I wish he'd take me away on one of those horses!'" Both Callie and Lucy broke into hoarse fits of laughter.
"I think it's time to play matchmaker again." Callie said through her giggles.
"My parents would love that, being connected to you by martial law." Lucy said, nudging Callie playfully. From down the hall they heard a knock.
"Mr. Caldwell?" A voice said. Quietly Callie and Lucy peered around the corner and saw Sandra listening into the closed door of Inman's study. He had said earlier that he was going into town, but obviously she did not get that message. Even though no one was authorized to enter his study without his permission, Sandra looked about quickly before letting herself in. Callie dropped her mouth in outrage.
Who does she think she is? Callie thought to herself. She stomped on with the intention of ordering her out of her father's study. She stopped in front of the open doorway for a moment before hurriedly moving to the side of it. She waved Lucy over and pointed into the room. Both girls peered into the room to see Sandra at the wardrobe, her back towards them. The wardrobe was open and she was lightly touching one of Inman's fine naval coats. Callie and Lucy looked at each other curiously. Callie thought for a moment and look at her friend in horror.
Sandra couldn't be attracted to my father, could she? Callie thought to herself. Lucy seemed to have read her mind, for her eyes spoke the same questions.
"We should do something." Callie walked away.
"What are we going to do?" Lucy asked nervously as she took off after her.
Outside Will and Ray were still beating the rug senseless, trying to outdo each other in the strength department.
"You guys, I have something to tell you!" Callie said urgently as she approached them. They boys spared her a single glance each but continued to beat the rug.
"Would you mind giving me your attention?" Callie was visibly getting angrier.
"Tell us while we're beating." Ray said, not even looking at her.
"Fine then," Callie huffed. "I think your precious Sandra Snow has her sights set on my father." Abruptly both boys stopped and finally gave her their full attention. Ray's face seemed to drop to the floor and Will looked like he had been punched in the stomach.
"That's not fair! Have you seen the man? He's six feet and has muscles on his muscles. We can't compete with that!" Ray whined. "Have you ever looked into his eyes? He's got the bluest eyes ever!"
"That's hardly the point!" Callie said, deciding to ignore Ray's strange comments about her father's looks. "The point is, is that she is interested in my already married father and she may have the gal to try something!" Callie roared.
"Well don't tell us! Tell your mother! Will pointed out.
"Right…" Callie said, "Be right back!" In the blink of an eye Callie was sprinting back towards the house.
"Mother, Viviane Tutsman got a new hat last week and has been gloating about it every day since she's got it!" Annette was selling her new dilemma to her mother, who was sitting at her dresser.
"You know I haven't had a new hat in so long so I think it's only fair that I-" The door flung open angrily, catching and throwing Annette against the wall.
"Keep the new lady away from your husband!" The urgency in Callie's voice caused Anita to whirl around. Callie was soon forgotten though when Anita caught view of Annette standing half hidden behind the door, clutching her nose and glaring daggers at Callie.
"Annie! Are you alright darling?" Anita flew from her seat and lightly lifted her daughter's hand to inspect her nose. "Well it appears to be alright, but just to be safe maybe put a cool cloth over it and we'll continue our talk later." Anita gently said, giving a wink to her as a wordless way of saying 'you've got yourself a new hat.' Annette gave a small grateful smile and swiftly left the room. Now she turned to Callie, her expression had hardened.
"Have we forgotten how to knock?" Anita asked.
"We have bigger problems than my inability to knock. There is a little snake in this house trying to steal your man!"
Anita couldn't stifle her laughs, just hearing her address Inman as 'your man' was more than she could handle.
"This is serious! She was just downstairs literally sniffing around his study!" Callie pressed on. That made Anita's laughs cease, she frown at her.
"What do you make 'literally sniffing around his study'?" The slightest bit of anger or maybe even jealously was obvious in her tone.
"Last time I saw her she was downstairs caressing father's coat!" Anita's eyes widened.
"Alright then" Anita marched past her and went downstairs to find Miss Sandra. Moments later Callie exited the room, looking very pleased with herself. It was only then that she noticed Lucy, Ray, and Will standing off to the side, obviously they had been eavesdropping earlier. She opened her mouth to speak when her mother's voice from below interrupted her. The children quickly moved to the edge of the stairs; as to receive better audibility of the conversation below.
"Miss Snow, I have been recently informed of your presence in my husband's study. Perhaps he did not mention this; and I do apologize if this was not evident to you but no one is permitted entry in there unless invited. On another note, 'sniffing around' other people's property is rude to begin with!" Callie had the most gleeful smile on her face at the sound of her mother's fierce voice. Will and Ray however could not help but feel sorry for Miss Snow.
"Mrs. Caldwell, do forgive me but I believe you were misinformed," It was amazing how even though they did not speak her name Callie could hear it being spoken through other words.
"I was simply straightening up the room; Mr. Caldwell has such lovely trinkets I wouldn't want to disturb something. I was in the wrong for being in the room. For that I offer you and Mr. Caldwell my sincerest apologies. In fact once he returns I will offer it to him myself. I just thought it was a nice thing to do, since he has been so kind and has received no reward for it."
Callie looked to Lucy and drew her finger slowly away from her nose; meaning for it to look as if her nose was growing. Will nudged her in Sandra's defense.
"She's lying" Callie protested, although careful about the volume of her voice.
"That is another thing Miss Snow." Anita's voice sounded again from below. "My informant seems to believe that your attitude towards my husband," They could not see Anita's face but they could imagine the fierceness in her eyes, especially by the way she said 'my husband'.
"…has started to become inappropriate. I hate to do you the dishonor of thinking such distasteful thoughts about you; however my informant seemed very upset by something that brought on these thoughts…"
Callie had always proudly pictured her father fighting in her name, righting wrongs. But at this moment she had the image of her mother clad in shining armor atop a noble steed inhabiting her mind. The image of her mother strangling Sandra Snow mercilessly was evident in her thoughts too.
"I truly don't want to continue this subject any further. All I'll say is this, if what my informant believes is true than I must ask something of you. I know it is impossible to stop certain thoughts from surfacing, but I must command that you keep those thoughts exactly the way they are; as thoughts. " Anita emphasized strongly. "Out of respect for my family, myself, and my husband. You have been a valued worker and I do not wish for you to end your employment here on such a foul note."
"Yes ma'am" The first and only words Sandra got in during the entire rant. The sound of footsteps filled the house. Callie scoffed angrily and took off down the stairs. Her mother was in the family study, staring vacantly at the books on the shelves.
"Ma!" Callie's outrages voice caused Anita to turn around. "You were doing so well, but you didn't go in for the kill!"
"Everyone deserves a second chance, Callie. Until legitimate evidence is shown of ill behavior I really don't have a right to dismiss her." Callie's image of her valiant mother suddenly diminished.
"You are too kind for anyone's good." Callie said quietly and left before her mother could say anything back. The completely let-down face of Callie's was something that would haunt Anita for many nights to come, Anita prophesized.
Callie ignored the three expecting faces waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs and went into the kitchen alone. A pile of recently cleaned and shaven carrots lay on a cutting board next to the stove. Callie grabbed one and started to absent-mindedly nibble as she thought of the previous events just moments ago.
"You're very foolish you know that? I was willing to feed off of it mercilessly before but now it's making the game too easy. " Callie snapped her gaze upwards to see Sandra standing at the back door leading to the yard with a basket of laundry under her arm. "To make this a little more fair, child, don't go informing your mother anymore of what I do in this house." Sandra gracefully strode from the back door to the entrance way from the kitchen to the rest of the house.
"Where are my helpers?" Her tone went impressively fast from dead serious to light and carefree; that tone Callie realized was a complete act. Callie could hear Will and Ray's pitter-patter of eager footsteps coming closer and her blood felt poisoned with hate. Sandra turned to Callie once more, a smile creeping across her lips.
"Or perhaps you actually wish to worsen the problems coming to your father in the very near future?"
She had barely managed to spit her threat out before Will and Ray were at her side, eager and dough-eyed. With a flick of her hair she turned and led the boys of the kitchen, leaving Callie to stare dumbly after her.
A/N: A new idea of how to continue with Sandra struck me suddenly, i figured it was time for another intense moment/adventure to occur. Tell me what you think, or better yet what you think Sandra's objective is. It's a pretty good one, if i do say so myself. Just a hint; it's not a completely black and white problem as described in the chapter.