CHAPTER 4: GOSSIP WITH RED HAIR
Winnie woke up with the dawn again the next morning, and for the first time, did not feel the pain of the day. She was actually looking forward to it. She held so much anticipation about seeing Jesse. He was on her mind constantly. She had dreamt about him all night. She dreamt they had gone to England, and someone else was pouring tea for them, and she dreamt they went to Germany, and she got to drink real bear, and when they got drunk, they ran naked in the beaches, and in the freeze of the water. In her dreams he brought her so much. In her dreams, he gave her the adventure she had been dreaming about.
She sat up in her bed, and ran through her mind her schedule, so she would know the perfect time to sneak away to go see Jesse. "Shoot." She thought. She was busy all day. "Oh well. I'll make time." She said quietly to herself. "Time for what?" Her mother answered as she walked into her bedroom door. "Sorry to barge in on you like this, but you've got a busy day."
Winnie got up and put on her ugly yellow dress, had her breakfast, brushed her teeth, her maid did her hair, then she soaked herself in perfume, played piano for an hour, had an hour of her lessons on etiquette. Her morning ritual. By noon she was primed and proper, and ready to go out into the world. Well, her mothers world anyway. She played croquet with the other high class girls at 12:30, and after they stood around and she tried to ignore their gossip. Though looking like she was listening always made her mother happy.
"You'll never believe who I saw at the beauty parlor getting a wig," said the short stubby brunette. "Martha Birch."
"No." Chanted the others in disbelief.
"Doesn't her dad own the candy factory?" Asked the tall eloquent red head, who really was the most proper of them all, and she fed on gossip.
"I thought Eleanor's family owned the candy shop." The blond said clearly making fun of Eleanor's weight." She really was the most beautiful of the three. Joe had never really compared herself to other girls, or even really thought about her beauty. She new she was beautiful because many people told her so, but she never really cared. And at the moment, her mind was on Jesse Tuck, so she continued to ignore the others.
"Bight you're tongue Vivian." Replied the red head. "Poke fun at someone who's not here. It makes life easier."
Eleanor was glaring at Vivian now. The red head put a sympathetic hand on her back, but only in order to keep the peace. Everyone new that if Eleanor had been gone, the red head would have plenty mean things to say about her. She was the meanest and wittiest girl Winnie had ever met. She was always nice to your face, but the way she talked about people behind their backs almost scared Winnie. Sometimes she'd wondered if the read head had talked about her behind her back. She didn't really care, but she wasn't someone Winnie wanted angry at her.
"So, Winifred, tell us about your new beau." The red head asked her. Winnie stared at her for a while. The red head was studying her intently. Her eyes piercing like night eyes that stare at you in the woods. They were so dark, almost black. In that moment, Winnie was so fearful she new about Jesse. But how? How could she know? "Miles really is a dream."
Winnie let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, he's quite a catch."
"You know, I heard from Suzy Lies that you too have been seen around town everyday." Vivian stated.
"Yeah, and Amy Knoes said that she's sure you two have become serious." Eleanor poked in trying to get some of the action.
Winnie felt trapped. They were all staring at her, moving in like a pack of lions. What could she do? Should she lie? Tell the truth?
"His father's rich you know Winifred. But, I'm sure you already knew that. Any girl would be lucky to marry into his family." The red head's glare was getting sharper. She was still trying to read Winnie.
"If you'll excuse me ladies, I think I'm coming down with fever. Please." She stared to walk back to her mother, until the red head said a little louder, "Have you girls ever seen the boy that plays with the children in the street?" Winnie stopped, turned around and stared back at them. "Oh yeah." Said Eleanor. "He's quite a rebel." Winnie took a few steps closer. Then Vivian chimed in. "Yeah, but have you seen how gorgeous he is. Not very many that handsome coming around anymore." The red head took note of Winnie's presence. She stared at her as she spoke, and never took her eyes off Winnie. "Yes, yes he is quite a looker, but don't you know who he is?" No body moved. "He's Miles Tuck's little brother. It's like pure black and white don't you think. No one could ever know just by looking at them. A boy like that is bound to screw up his families honor. It's a wonder he hasn't yet. No wonder they don't talk about him, or ever be seen with him. I hear they keep him in a cellar when they go out somewhere. I imagine they locked him up just yesterday. He was gone all evening. I saw him, in the town center playing stick ball, and then he left later that day." Her eyes were still on Winnie. "I saw you too Winifred, with Miles, going into the candy shop. Anyway, a little while later, Jesse left, and no one saw him later that day. My parents went to his parents house for a business party, and they were looking for him, but he was no where to be seen." Winnie started to walk away, but she could feel the red heads eyes piercing her back. "I heard he's dangerous. I heard he's killed a man before. That's why they lock him up. They let him out on special privilege, but they don't talk about him because of that."
The read head was speaking loudly, but Winnie was far enough away to where she couldn't hear her anymore. No, she really was feeling sick. She ran up to her mother. "Mom I'm terribly ill. I'm going home." Tears were starting in her eyes and she ran away. Her mother got up to follow, but Winnie knew she wouldn't leave. Her mother could never be that rude.
Winnie woke up with the dawn again the next morning, and for the first time, did not feel the pain of the day. She was actually looking forward to it. She held so much anticipation about seeing Jesse. He was on her mind constantly. She had dreamt about him all night. She dreamt they had gone to England, and someone else was pouring tea for them, and she dreamt they went to Germany, and she got to drink real bear, and when they got drunk, they ran naked in the beaches, and in the freeze of the water. In her dreams he brought her so much. In her dreams, he gave her the adventure she had been dreaming about.
She sat up in her bed, and ran through her mind her schedule, so she would know the perfect time to sneak away to go see Jesse. "Shoot." She thought. She was busy all day. "Oh well. I'll make time." She said quietly to herself. "Time for what?" Her mother answered as she walked into her bedroom door. "Sorry to barge in on you like this, but you've got a busy day."
Winnie got up and put on her ugly yellow dress, had her breakfast, brushed her teeth, her maid did her hair, then she soaked herself in perfume, played piano for an hour, had an hour of her lessons on etiquette. Her morning ritual. By noon she was primed and proper, and ready to go out into the world. Well, her mothers world anyway. She played croquet with the other high class girls at 12:30, and after they stood around and she tried to ignore their gossip. Though looking like she was listening always made her mother happy.
"You'll never believe who I saw at the beauty parlor getting a wig," said the short stubby brunette. "Martha Birch."
"No." Chanted the others in disbelief.
"Doesn't her dad own the candy factory?" Asked the tall eloquent red head, who really was the most proper of them all, and she fed on gossip.
"I thought Eleanor's family owned the candy shop." The blond said clearly making fun of Eleanor's weight." She really was the most beautiful of the three. Joe had never really compared herself to other girls, or even really thought about her beauty. She new she was beautiful because many people told her so, but she never really cared. And at the moment, her mind was on Jesse Tuck, so she continued to ignore the others.
"Bight you're tongue Vivian." Replied the red head. "Poke fun at someone who's not here. It makes life easier."
Eleanor was glaring at Vivian now. The red head put a sympathetic hand on her back, but only in order to keep the peace. Everyone new that if Eleanor had been gone, the red head would have plenty mean things to say about her. She was the meanest and wittiest girl Winnie had ever met. She was always nice to your face, but the way she talked about people behind their backs almost scared Winnie. Sometimes she'd wondered if the read head had talked about her behind her back. She didn't really care, but she wasn't someone Winnie wanted angry at her.
"So, Winifred, tell us about your new beau." The red head asked her. Winnie stared at her for a while. The red head was studying her intently. Her eyes piercing like night eyes that stare at you in the woods. They were so dark, almost black. In that moment, Winnie was so fearful she new about Jesse. But how? How could she know? "Miles really is a dream."
Winnie let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, he's quite a catch."
"You know, I heard from Suzy Lies that you too have been seen around town everyday." Vivian stated.
"Yeah, and Amy Knoes said that she's sure you two have become serious." Eleanor poked in trying to get some of the action.
Winnie felt trapped. They were all staring at her, moving in like a pack of lions. What could she do? Should she lie? Tell the truth?
"His father's rich you know Winifred. But, I'm sure you already knew that. Any girl would be lucky to marry into his family." The red head's glare was getting sharper. She was still trying to read Winnie.
"If you'll excuse me ladies, I think I'm coming down with fever. Please." She stared to walk back to her mother, until the red head said a little louder, "Have you girls ever seen the boy that plays with the children in the street?" Winnie stopped, turned around and stared back at them. "Oh yeah." Said Eleanor. "He's quite a rebel." Winnie took a few steps closer. Then Vivian chimed in. "Yeah, but have you seen how gorgeous he is. Not very many that handsome coming around anymore." The red head took note of Winnie's presence. She stared at her as she spoke, and never took her eyes off Winnie. "Yes, yes he is quite a looker, but don't you know who he is?" No body moved. "He's Miles Tuck's little brother. It's like pure black and white don't you think. No one could ever know just by looking at them. A boy like that is bound to screw up his families honor. It's a wonder he hasn't yet. No wonder they don't talk about him, or ever be seen with him. I hear they keep him in a cellar when they go out somewhere. I imagine they locked him up just yesterday. He was gone all evening. I saw him, in the town center playing stick ball, and then he left later that day." Her eyes were still on Winnie. "I saw you too Winifred, with Miles, going into the candy shop. Anyway, a little while later, Jesse left, and no one saw him later that day. My parents went to his parents house for a business party, and they were looking for him, but he was no where to be seen." Winnie started to walk away, but she could feel the red heads eyes piercing her back. "I heard he's dangerous. I heard he's killed a man before. That's why they lock him up. They let him out on special privilege, but they don't talk about him because of that."
The read head was speaking loudly, but Winnie was far enough away to where she couldn't hear her anymore. No, she really was feeling sick. She ran up to her mother. "Mom I'm terribly ill. I'm going home." Tears were starting in her eyes and she ran away. Her mother got up to follow, but Winnie knew she wouldn't leave. Her mother could never be that rude.