The next day, the dust storm raged outside. There
would be no going out today.
"What do you do when it's like this at home?"
"Try not to kill each other." Isabel explained. "Liz
sews, Michael draws pictures of his animals, and Max
writes in his journal."
"I'm bored."
"Can't you read?" Isabel asked.
"Yes, but I have no books."
"What a shame. If Tess would let you in the library,
there would be plenty of books for you to read."
Maria didn't push the issue further. She didn't need
Tess' permission to go in the library. She'd find it
for herself. She was a brave explorer.
She scrambled out of her room when Isabel left. Now
she could have fun. She searched down many corridors,
sneaking as quiet as a mouse, until she finally found
what she was looking for.
The library was a grand room, two stories. There were
more books in that room than she thought could exist.
And there were curious pictures all around- family
pictures, she guessed. One particularly gained her
attention- a girl in a green dress, with dark curls.
"I wish you were here." She said to the girl in the
dress.
Walking up to the second story, she found a door.
Cautiously, she turned the handle.
Inside was an old room- one that obviously hadn't been
touched in some time.
It looked like a lady's sitting room. A display of
about a hundred ivory elephants were standing in a
cabinet on the wall.
Her mother had collected elephants as well. Maria
touched the case longingly. And cautiously, she
opened it, and took them out, and played with them for
quite some time.
She got tired and decided to head back to her room.
She must have made a wrong turn, for she heard the
crying again.
Then Tess appeared from nowhere. "What are you doing
here?"
"I was walking, and I made a wrong turn, and now I'm
here, and I heard someone crying.."
"You heard nothing of the sort!" Tess said, taking
Maria's hand and dragging her towards the room.
"Don't let me hear you say something like that again,
or I'll box your ears."
She deposited Maria in her room. "Now, stay here, or
you'll find yourself locked up. The master better
get you a governess, as he said he would. I've got
enough troubles without you under my heels." She
stormed out.
Maria sat down on the rug. She didn't cry or pitch a
fit, but she was white with rage.
"There was someone crying, there was!"