'It's been quite an eventful week,' Arabella mused at breakfast one
morning. She looked across the table at the girl who'd changed so much in
the short space of a week. The 'deer-caught-in-the-headlights' look had
completely disappeared, and in its place was the 'I'm-determined-not-like-
it-here-but-it's-alright' look.
Elizabeth looked up from her plate, 'Here it comes, another question.' Arabella thought. "Aunt Arabella? Why do you have such a big house if you live alone?" She asked with those big, intelligent eyes boring into her aunt.
"I didn't always live alone. I was born here with my twin sister, Abigail, your great, great grandmother. She got married and we all lived here together until she died. Then I had to go live somewhere else for a while because of my job. Your grandfather lived here all his life, and both you and your father were born here. Did you know that?
"This old house has been in the family forever, and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Did you know the cottage has a name? Most cottages in this area do and this one's name is Lilies View. It's named for the lilies that grow on the mountain side in the summer." Arabella explained.
Elizabeth soaked up the information with an enchanted expression on her face. Arabella had quickly found out that the child loved anything that had a story behind it. The name of the house had obviously tickled her fancy. Maybe the history of the house did too.
"What do you want to do today?" Arabella asked. Elizabeth shrugged, "would you like to learn how to ride?"
"Ride what?" The little girl asked perplexed.
"Well, a horse of course silly! I have a large stable here and you can choose a mare for yourself if you'd like." It was clear from Elizabeth's face that she would indeed like.
"There are responsibilities though. If you own a horse you care for it too. Make sure it has water, food, and its stall is mucked out. That goes for any animals you find and decide bring home as well." Arabella said sternly, deciding to give the girl something to do while she was here. Who knows maybe she'll find a release in it.
"Understood." Elizabeth said seriously before her sunny smile played to the surface. Arabella smiled in turn offering her hand so she could show Elizabeth the stable. The rest of the morning was spent outside in the sunshine as the natural talent for horses that Elizabeth had came into play.
And so I found something in England that I actually liked. After a lot of begging and pleading Aunt Arabella finally caved and let me have a gelding. He was a beautiful creature, a palomino, and I named him Southern Breeze. Corny I know, but I was terribly homesick and longed for something to remind me of the land I left behind. Plus I was ten! But I think that horse, among other things, saved me from myself and for that I'm eternally grateful. Aunt Arabella was an incredibly smart woman.
Elizabeth looked up from her plate, 'Here it comes, another question.' Arabella thought. "Aunt Arabella? Why do you have such a big house if you live alone?" She asked with those big, intelligent eyes boring into her aunt.
"I didn't always live alone. I was born here with my twin sister, Abigail, your great, great grandmother. She got married and we all lived here together until she died. Then I had to go live somewhere else for a while because of my job. Your grandfather lived here all his life, and both you and your father were born here. Did you know that?
"This old house has been in the family forever, and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Did you know the cottage has a name? Most cottages in this area do and this one's name is Lilies View. It's named for the lilies that grow on the mountain side in the summer." Arabella explained.
Elizabeth soaked up the information with an enchanted expression on her face. Arabella had quickly found out that the child loved anything that had a story behind it. The name of the house had obviously tickled her fancy. Maybe the history of the house did too.
"What do you want to do today?" Arabella asked. Elizabeth shrugged, "would you like to learn how to ride?"
"Ride what?" The little girl asked perplexed.
"Well, a horse of course silly! I have a large stable here and you can choose a mare for yourself if you'd like." It was clear from Elizabeth's face that she would indeed like.
"There are responsibilities though. If you own a horse you care for it too. Make sure it has water, food, and its stall is mucked out. That goes for any animals you find and decide bring home as well." Arabella said sternly, deciding to give the girl something to do while she was here. Who knows maybe she'll find a release in it.
"Understood." Elizabeth said seriously before her sunny smile played to the surface. Arabella smiled in turn offering her hand so she could show Elizabeth the stable. The rest of the morning was spent outside in the sunshine as the natural talent for horses that Elizabeth had came into play.
And so I found something in England that I actually liked. After a lot of begging and pleading Aunt Arabella finally caved and let me have a gelding. He was a beautiful creature, a palomino, and I named him Southern Breeze. Corny I know, but I was terribly homesick and longed for something to remind me of the land I left behind. Plus I was ten! But I think that horse, among other things, saved me from myself and for that I'm eternally grateful. Aunt Arabella was an incredibly smart woman.