Chapter Five - The Broken Vase

For the sake of the new arrivals, I briefly retell my earlier account of how Pearl came to live at Great Smials before the rest of the family. I also pass around the letters that I read as a base to my story. (It was at this time that I nudged Dalia, sitting next to me, and asked her to make sure we recovered each letter, as I wanted to make them a part of the book that I am now writing to tell my sister's side of the story.)

"I believe it was the 29th of Astron when we pulled up the lane to Great Smials. I had been there before, but never to live. I was riding in the last wagon, my eyes still fixed on Whitwell, long disappeared from my view, when the wagons stopped at the entrance. I got out and was astonished at the massive dwelling while taking in the countryside of the large green hills surrounding it. Great Smials had always seemed large to me before, but that day, it was enormous. I spotted Pearl standing outside one of the many entrances alongside the Hill, and I can still hear her laughing as she came running down the hill to greet us. She nearly knocked over our father as she fell into his arms. But I knew my Pearl; she seemed too thin and pale; even though she was smiling on the outside, I could detect a troubled heart on the inside.

"We managed to get most of everything unloaded, and mother kept us all busy cleaning up the cobwebs and years of dust laying about the tunnels. I remember Cousin Lalia letting us use our Pearl for a few hours during her afternoon nap to help us clean up. I recall Merry and I eating a good amount of dust that afternoon!" (I smile, getting the desired result from the young cousins giggling in the corner.)

I continue on...

"I know that Pearl and mother had a long talk as they cleaned the kitchen together, and I know Pearl felt better for it. She seemed in brighter spirits afterward, at any rate.

"I didn't see much of Pearl after we moved in. We did go out to the market the following morning, but that was to purchase cloth to make Lalia a new frock. Other than that, our meetings were by chance--well, her chance, my deliberate planning!" (more laughter from my audience.)

"It was some time afterward, perhaps more, that the accident happened."

I open my sister's journal, feeling once again like a naughty lad, and skim over the contents of Pearl's personal diary. It doesn't take me long; she only wrote one small paragraph about it. And I know why. I feel all eyes upon me as I close the book and gather my thoughts for what I am going to say next.

"Pervinca and myself set out one day to investigate our new home. My usual companion for such matters already went home to Buckland (I wink at Esme Kali). We took our self-appointed task very seriously; it was important to know exactly where the secret tunnels would lead to, and how to get outside without anyone seeing us." (More giggling.)

"Pervinca and I were exploring one particular tunnel when we saw Pearl wheeling Cousin Lalia out of her apartments. We children quickly stood out of the way so the 'great' chair could go by without running us over. I watched as poor Pearl struggled with Lalia's chair, or more so, with Cousin Lalia.

"As Pearl continued to toil down the hallway, she accidentally knocked over an expensive vase off of a table.

"Cousin Lalia was livid, 'You clumsy child!", she said. "I suppose I should feel lucky you haven't dropped or knocked me over yet!"

"Pearl was apologetic and said she was sorry, but to no avail. Cousin Lalia kept chiding Pearl on how clumsy she was, dropping this, and dropping that. I could see Pearl holding back tears as she opened the door to push Lalia's chair up to the threshold.

"Pervinca ran to fetch a servant to help clean up the mess, but I wasn't going to wait. I stooped down to help pick up the broken shards of the vase. Pearl looked up at me and whispered, 'You don't have to do this, Pip.'

"Then I heard Cousin Lalia screaming. She was so loud I could hardly understand her, until I looked over Pearl's shoulder.

'Pearl!' I pointed behind her to Lalia, whose chair had by now slipped past the threshold.

"Pearl looked behind her and saw Lalia and her chair teetering on the brink of the garden steps. I watched Pearl jump up like a rabbit, but in her fatigue, she was caught off balance and fell back into the chair.

"Pearl was frantic as she scrambled to try and reach for her chair, nearly toppling down the stairs herself. 'Lalia!'

"We both stare in horror as the chair tips over beyond Pearl's reach and falls clattering down the steps. My legs grow weak, and I am frozen in place as I hear the sickening sound of the chair hitting the stone steps. I can hear the feeble cries of Lalia from the garden below.

"By this time several servants had made it into the hallway lead by Pervinca. Pearl was in a frenzy, sitting with her back against the garden door sobbing. I didn't know what else to do; I knelt next to my sister and try in my own way to console her.

"One of the servants ran down the steps to see about Lalia, and when she came back her face was ashen. She called for someone to fetch a healer, but I knew better. Cousin Lalia's small cries had stopped.