Cedric Crane and the legend of Sleepy Hollow
Chapter 9: The court of justice.
Sunlight streamed through lace covered windows, while a rainbow assortment of ladies in layered dresses stood around the parlor, giggling and chatting light heartedly. The young women of Sleepy Hollow gathered at the Van Tassel house every Sunday, each dressed in their nicest day wear, as the Van Tassel estate was quite extravagant.
The family owned a prosperous farm, wealthiest in town actually, and Mr. Rolland Van Tassel had two daughters. Miss Amber Van Tassel, and, Miss Sofia Van Tassel. Both were beautiful and eligible, and both were packaged with a dowry the size of a small fortune. Every man in town wanted the hand of a Van Tassel sister, and every girl wanted to be one.
So, the ladies would dress them selves up, in all the finery they could afford, and pretend for an after noon that they were all aristocrats. Amber had always said that, their high status meant that they had a responsibility to the town, and that was her excuse to throw these little parties. All so that she and her friends could sit for tea and talk at length about the goings on around Sleepy Hollow. Amber called it socializing, Sofia called it idle gossip.
But, never the less, Sofia would stay, holding in her yawns and giving fake nods, as if she were just as intrigued as the rest of the feminine flock.
A variety of floral perfumes smog the air, as gentle melodies emanated from a gramophone, situated atop the chest of drawers beside the window, and it sent waves of pleasant emotions across the room. The music deafened the sounds of porcelain clinks and metal clanks, as the ladies enjoyed their luncheon.
In the corner was a round table supplied with seemingly unlimited amounts of fare. Plates of cookies and sandwiches lined from end to end, some even hanging ever so slightly over the tables edge. In the middle of the circular buffet was a tea tray. The white kettle was painted with roses, but each cup was slightly different.
Some with golden handles, like Ambers chosen cup, and some with rims of a copper color. Some had roses some had lilies, but the one Sofia had chosen was a matching set with todays served tea pot. White and silver rimed, with red roses dancing along the side. The tea it self was the one she favored most, peach and cinnamon.
It was in the third floor parlor room where Amber and company liked to hold their meetings, as it was the largest room in the house. The walls were white, printed with ribbon stripes of light blue, and one wall was fixed with a built in book shelf.
The ladies were settled around the small fire place on the opposite wall, though it wasn't cold enough in the mid day sun to need it lit, and each were seated with their respective plate of treats. Amber was sitting in an arm chair all her own, while the other ladies shared the adjacent long sofas.
On the left side, Hildegard and Clio barely nibbled on sandwich halves, as they snidely spoke of their own husbands. While to the right, Jun and Vivian Mills were chatting about artistic projects they'd been working on during the week. It was like a court justice, with the jury at either side, and judge at the center, indifferent in expression and haughty attitude.
Sofia always sat in a wooden tea table chair, disconnected from the group and off to the side, near enough to engage, but far enough that the other girls hardly acknowledged her. She was spending this time, as she usually did at these weekly gatherings, picking at her plate and day dreaming. At the moment, she was horse racing her brother across the Sleepy Hollow fields in her mind, but then the question Hildegard Horsfall posed, caught all of Sofia's attention.
"A new school master? Dad really found one?" Sofia probed, her heart fluttering a bit. She then bit her bottom lip, trying to control her excitement, as she was more accustomed to disappointment in this subject.
"Yes, it seems someone has finally taken the job." Hildegard explained, bringing her tea cup to her lips. Mrs Horsfall was daughter of the second riches man in town, and she tried to show it, with bright blue skirts and tall black curls. Her beauty was only rivaled by the Van Tassel sisters, though she'd never admit that. "There hasn't been a teacher in the old school barn in ages. Not since Mr. Graylock disappeared."
Clio Caldwell set her cup down with a tiny clink, before her lips curled into a sly smile. "I heard he's quite handsome."
Vivian tilted her head in confusion. "Mr Graylock?"
With a scoff, Clio swatted at the other woman. "Of corse not, I mean the new school teacher!" Clio was the only child of the towns only doctor. She was liked by pretty much everyone, and her wedding last June was practically a town holiday. She always dressed in sunshine colors.
"What should you care about that Mrs Caldwell?" Jun Sung teased her, bringing a hand up to cover her giggles. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten you're married." Juns parents were brought to America with by Mr Van Tassel. He promised them freedom, and that was exactly what he gave them, now Jun sat among the ladies as an equal in the Van Tassel house.
"I only mentioned it, because Amber still hasn't made her choice…" Clio explained, gesturing to the older Van Tassel sister.
Amber cocked a brow, lowering her tea cup in to its saucer. "You must be joking."
"What's his name?" Sofia asked with intrigue, and the ladies turned to her all at once.
"Miss Sofia, what a surprise…" Hildegard said with a smirk, and all the other girls exchanged little smiles of their own.
Sofia glanced between the ladies, taking in each ones reaction. "What? I'm ju-"
Amber then cut in. "You never usually participate in gossip. Why on earth do you want to know the name of some silly old school master?"
Sofia recoiled. "Well, I-"
"Besides, Clio's wrong." Hildegard interrupted, And Clio shot her an offended scowl. "The new school master isn't handsome at all. I heard he's tall, that his legs are like corn stalks!"
Amber then took a sip of tea, before tilting her head. "You don't like a tall man, Miss Hildegard?" She said, and Hildegard shook her head, her long black curls whipping around her shoulders.
"No no, he's not just tall, he's splinter thin!" Hildegard explained, gesturing with her hands what size she thought his waist must be, then moving to stretch her finger over her nose. "And his nose is long, pointed like a ravens beak!"
"Oh my…" Clio brought a hand up to cover her shocked expression, but Vivian shyly withdrew, her gaze sinking to the floor as she sipped silently from her cup.
"So?" Sofia said with a stern voice. "What does it matter what he looks like, he's a school instructor…" She took a aggravated sip from her tea cup, before muttering under her breath. "He must be very intelligent."
Hildegard waved her hand in the air to recapture the girls attentions. "I haven't even told you the strangest part!" Sofia huffed, but reluctantly listened out of curiosity. "I heard his hair is two different colors!"
All the other girls rolled their eyes and gave Hildegard a scoff, with the exception of Vivian Mills, who remained silent. Amber replaced her cup on the table before her and eyed the black haired woman with a sarcastic smile. "Oh Miss Hildegard, I think that's the best lie you've ever told."
"I'm telling you what I heard!" Hildegard insisted. "Mr Bones told me he saw the man walking into town this morning before church."
Sofia returned her gaze to Hildegard. "Mr Hugo Bones?"