Disclaimer: I only own Rose
Thank you for your reviews.
Chapter Two: Lost
Rose and Peter talked in the library for about an hour. They talked of school and the war. Peter told Rose about his brother and sisters. Rose confided in him that she wished she had a big family. The two hit off, and Rose felt comforted, knowing that at least for a time, she wouldn't have to be lonely here.
The two agreed to meet in the gardens the next afternoon. He had told her that he was feeling a little stuffy being inside the house with his schoolbooks all day. Rose agreed, and she was especially interested in seeing the gardens up close.
Outside it was getting a little crisp. The leaves had turned red, orange, and yellow. Rose sat on a stone bench, watching the leaves twirl to the ground, thinking about how well Mr. Taylor was doing. He had felt well enough today to sit up in bed and read to himself. He had told her that he missed seeing the outdoors, having no window in his room. Rose brought him in her two paintings that she had completed since her arrival. Both were of outdoor scenery. She had set them up where he could easily see them. He had called her a doll for doing it.
" 'Ello." Peter's footsteps crunched on the leaves and he rubbed his hands together for warmth as he approached.
Rose stood and fell into place beside him as they strolled along the stone pathway through the gardens.
Laughter rang through the grounds; the Professor himself noticed this as he watched the two from his study window with a smile.
Peter found himself wishing that he could tell Rose about Narnia. She was so easy to talk to, and he had so much fun with her. Unfortunately, she would probably think him as foolish as he thought Lucy was if he told her.
Rose found herself wishing she could meet Susan, Edmund, and Lucy the more Peter talked of them. Susan sounded sweet, Edmund sounded fun, and Lucy sounded like an adorable darling. They must make such a nice family together. Rose made up her mind to paint pictures of what she imagined the three would look like – once she was done with the portrait she had begun of Peter. She found that her fondness of Peter had grown very quickly over the past few days. He was such a gentleman, so kind and agreeable, and so much fun to be around. But he would be leaving within another week, and who knew if she would ever see him again. Her thoughts were foolish.
"Miss Rosie, dear. Would you mind terribly going to get me an extra blanket? It's beginning to get a mite cold in here."
"Of course, Mr. Taylor." Rose smiled and her dimples deepened.
She recalled having seen a linen closet when she had looked around the first week of her coming.
"I think this is it." She said to herself as she opened the door. Inside the closet she found sand at her feet, and the harsh glare of the sun caused her to squint until her eyes and become accustomed to the light. Looking out she saw a beautiful crashing ocean. Her immediate impulse was to remove her shoes and run barefoot in the warm sand.
By the time she had her fill of running, she was very tired and her feet had begun to ache. The bun that she had pulled her hair into had become undone and her brown wavy tresses hung messily on her shoulders. Reality began to sink in with the fading sun. Rose began to panic. What would she do all alone on the cold beach once it was dark? The only thing she could see in the direction she had come from as the endless beach stretching on. She looked back ahead. Cliffs loomed up and… was that a tower reaching up into the sky? Her heart gave a start of joy and she ran toward it, happy to see the shapes quickly growing larger. Perhaps this building would offer explanations…and a place to stay for the night.