Those trips were almost daily, if not daily in their entirety, and the girl found herself heading down Weatherby Lane, preparing to turn off onto Hancock, where the man's house was. As she drew near to it, passing by the ancient Todd House, Evie thought she heard voices coming from inside the professor's home. That struck her as a little unusual, as she knew he lived alone, and the girl briefly hesitated before she knocked on the front door.
Still, she hadn't come all that way just to turn back and head all the way back home, and so she pressed on, stepping up and knocking on the door. There was a quiet word, conversation ceased, and then Evie heard someone moving up to the door,. A moment later Professor crouch pushed the door open, smiling at her. "Miss Evie Rose! Please, do come in."
He ushered her inside and to the den, where a man and a girl already sat. Seeing them, Evie slowed her steps. "If you've already got guests, Professor."
She was curious, but her parents had taught her to be polite first. Even if that curiosity was eating away at her.
"Nonsense." The older man chuckled. "These are just some friends from back home. Professor Silas Allard teaches at the same school I used to, and his daughter, Corrine is on her summer holiday. They're visiting."
Evie blinked. "They came all the way here from Britain just to see you?" It was a rude question, she knew, but one she found to be almost preposterous.
So did Professor Crouch, it seemed, as he let out a hearty chuckle. "No, no my dear. Corrine wanted to spend her hols here, in America, and so they asked if they could stay with me."
Turning, Evie studied the two newcomers in the room. Silas Allard and his daughter both were possessed of the same dark hair and dark blue eyes, so dark they were almost purple. The girl seemed to regard her with a mixture of contempt and curiosity, as though she'd never seen anything like her before.
"Actually," Professor Crouch seemed to be watching the two of them with interest. "As far as I know, Miss Allard hasn't made any friends here yet."
From the look on her face, the last thing Corrine Allard wanted to do was make friends, but Evie had already launched full tilt into her purpose, bounding across the room to stand closer, face to face with the girl. "Hi there, my name's Evie Rose."
"Yes." The other girl stated icily, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Professor Crouch did mention that."
"Corrine." Professor Allard's voice rolled across the space, lightly reprimanding."Remember your manners."
Corrine blushed, her face contorting into a frown as she nevertheless complied. "Yes, Father."
"Why don't you and Corrine go walk the neighborhood?" Professor Crouch suggested. "Show her the sights."
Corrine opened her mouth, turning to say something to her father, but before she could, Evie had grabbed her hand and dragged her out the door. As they left, she heard Crouch begin speaking to Allard silently, saying something about albums, and buses, dumbwaiters, and doors, It meant nothing to her.
Stepping out the door, the two girls walked down the walk from the door until they were on the sidewalk. Unsure of what else to do, Evie stood, watching the other girl. Corrine for her part, seemed equally as uncomfortable.
It wasn't at all, Evie thought, like when Betty Mae had first come to the neighborhood.
Betty Mae had been unsure of herself, had clung to Evie like a drowning man to a life raft, wanting her guidance on everything. In contrast, Corrine seemed far more aloof, almost lie Connie, but frostier. The breeze tousled the girl's curly black hair as she frowned, not quite at Evie but in her general direction. There was a gulf, Evie knew, between them, and a gulf she would have to work to bridge.
The girl did so love a challenge.
Without quite knowing what else to do, Evie asked the first question on her mind. "So, are you an only child?"
"Heavens, no." Corrine shook her head firmly. "The only girl. I've got three brothers."
Evie blinked, trying to shelve the information so she wouldn't ask it again later. "I've got two brothers and two sisters, myself. What are their names?"
Again, Corrine looked at her as though she was something foreign, something alien. "Bartholomew, Augustin, and Hector."
Evie was used to formal sounding names, names like Conrad and Evelyn, Dorothy, Wendell, and Lillian. "So, what do you call them?"
The other girl blinked at her, clearly thrown. "Bartholomew…Augustin…Hector."
"So, no nicknames?"
"Nick…names?"
"Like Bartie, or Awe, or Hec, or…or even Rinne."
The look on Corrine's face could have curdled milk. "We have our names. The ones mum gave us."
Evie frowned. "Mum?"
"My mother."
"Oh! You mean mom!"
"If you must." Corrine sighed a long-suffering sigh. "If you must."
She swept her arm down the street. "Father said something about going for a walk, so let's, shall we?"
She took off with a sweeping gate, Evie forced to trot after her. They walked down Hancock Street and onto Weatherby Lane, Corrine only showing a momentary concession to Evie as she glanced back at the ginger girl as Evie gestured to the right, down the road towards her house.
"So." Evie stated, as she hurried to catch up with her. "Is your family planning on moving down here?"
"Heavens, no, thank goodness." The girl shook her head sharply. "We're just here to visit Professor Crouch. He's an old friend of my father's."
Evie frowned, allowing the comment to roll off her back. "What did he teach, back when he was a professor?"
"Ancient Ru—" Corrine seemed to catch herself halfway, as her mouth slammed shut on whatever she was pronouncing. "Old languages, ancient linguistics, that sort of thing."
The girl's curiosity was piqued "Where did he teach?"
Again, Corrine looked like she was wrestling with some sort of answer, with procuring one, before she finally said, "You wouldn't know it. It's not that well known."
"Have you heard of it?"
"Of course." The dark haired girl scoffed. "I go there."
"What's it like."
For the first time, Corrine's tone softened, her yes growing wistful. "It's wonderful. Surrounded by people like me, so much to learn, so many books to read—"
"Lots of places to explore?"
"Yes, I suppose, if you're into that sort of thing." The iciness had returned, as they continued to stride down the street. Momentarily Evie thought of stopping by Betty Mae's house, and introducing the two of them, but some niggling little part of her brain kept insisting the whole thing would end in tears on Betty Mae's part. So, as they crossed Gooseneck Street, Evie only spared a glance towards the Nebraskan transplant's home. She still had so many questinos for Corrine. "So you're my age, right? Fifteen?"
"If that is your age, then yes."
"So you're going into 10th grade?"
"I am entering my fifth year at school."
"Your fifth year?" Evie frowned. "Have you only been going to school for five years?"
"Of course not." Corrine scoffed again, the little huff of air almost swallowed by the sound of birdsong. "I've been going to this school for five years. Since I was eleven."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie?"
Evie frowned. She hadn't accused the girl of lying—she thought—and so shrugged it off. Corrine, it seemed, would take a bit more effort to crack. "I never thought you did. So…what's the school like?"
Her eyes flicked towards Francis Marion High where it stood, hidden by trees, on the far end of the street.
"It was a boarding school." Corrine shrugged. "I stay there most of the year, in my House."
"Really?" Evie's mind was suddenly filled with every story she'd ever read about children having adventures in boarding schools. Those types of stories filled the magazines in her room, and in the rooms of her siblings (even her brothers'. It wasn't unusual for Evie to steal a magazine just to read a Greyfriars story.) She'd never met someone who'd actually gone to that sort of school, much less someone who was currently going to one. "What's it like?"
"You already asked me that." Corrine frowned. "You're not that forgetful, I hope."
She turned her head, studying one of the homes, and Evie frowned. "What's that stick you've got tucked behind your ear?"
"Nothing." Corrine's tone was sharp, as she turned her head, smoothing her hair over her ear. "Where are we going, anyway?"
"My house." Evie pointed towards the flat-fronted Colonial home where it sat against the road. "Right there."
She hazarded a glance at Corrine, seeing the girl frown. "That's…rather small, isn't it?"
"My family seems to manage." Evie shrugged, rattled for the first time. "You can come in, if you'd like. My mom should have lunch ready soon."
Corrine hesitated, and for a second, Evie thought she'd turn her doowwn. Then, i the quietest voice she'd ever heard.
"I'd…I'd like that."