Outside of Thomas Longfellow's study, the dining room was Audrey's favorite room of the Longfellow home. It had the same warmth of the study with the wood panels of the walls and the ornate fireplace creating a constant ember glow. While the long table, chairs and sideboards, crowded the space enough to give it an air of intimacy often lacking in the grand rooms of the high society of New York.
Thomas Longfellow sat at the head of the table, comfortably in one his vest and shirt sleeves, focusing on cutting the leg of lamb in front of him. Casey Longfellow sat to his right impatiently instructing the new young kitchen maid on what side dishes to bring out. Christopher O'Connell sat across from Casey, his hair pointing up in every direction as if he had spent the better part of the afternoon aggravatingly running his hands through it. A habit that had long since left the man, unless of course, he found himself being tested by these two old birds.
"She's a bird now." Critter voice grumbled. Audrey stopped at the door, holding her breath to hear the conversation going on without her. It had been exactly two weeks since the ball and Audrey knew that a silent argument had sprung between her guardians and Critter O'Connell. She wasn't quite sure what the argument was, what was opposed or how it was being argued, as anytime she was in sight the battle of wills would cease.
"She's my ward." Through the door, it sounded as if Thomas growled.
"She has always been a shared responsibility; the troublesome creature won't suddenly be surrendered to only one of you. Heavens knows she will continue to be enough trouble for the both of you." Casey mumbled in a bored tone of a woman so often settled in the middle of thick-headed men.
"it's dangerous." Thomas sighed.
"It's always been dangerous." Casey soothed.
"And just because she's been your ward had not made it less so. She has always been in danger." Christopher heaved a sigh so grand, Audrey was sure he had swung his hand through his locks. She pressed her cheek to the door, tilting her head back to catch sound from the crack in between the wood.
"Why didn't you do this years ago then, when you taught her?" Thomas implored.
"The only way for that girl to stop running around wild was if someone could have a hold on her. I took a hold of her, the only way I knew how." Critter explained.
"Isn't it more dangerous now, then it was then?" Thomas asked.
"She has grown, you've seen it. She's calmer, tempered in her impulses, careful of her surroundings. And in society, she's more contained within restraints we both know." Casey mused, quietly again. Audrey could imagine the way one of her hands settled onto her belly, feeling the unborn baby kick.
"And she's finally learned all the lessons I've tried teaching her." Critter paused and Audrey heard his seat move, registered the moving feet before she pulled back. Critter opened the door just as she straightened. "You can eavesdrop as easily from inside the room, as from outside the door." Critter snapped before holding out his hand to her.
Audrey slipped into the dining room letting Critter guide her to her place at the table.
"You are late, Miss Audrey." Thomas arched an eyebrow at her. He wasn't chastising her as his lectures and needling were left for bigger battles and more serious infractions. She knew he was questioning her tardiness, expecting an answer.
"I was reading in the study," Audrey explained.
"And what were we reading?" Critter asked, pulling out her chair. Audrey bounced into her seat, smiling widely and in a guileless manner that made Thomas immediately wary.
"Maps. Thomas has several of the United States, some adventure books of traveling the states. Have you ever traveled out of New York?" Audrey directed her question at Critter.
"Yes." Critter curtly responded. "What has spiked our curiosity?"
"Discovery that the world exists beyond the bridge of Brooklyn." Casey teased. But Cricket was studying Audrey, as one of the maids scurried around them settling food upon their plates.
"I have decided to start using some of my time to do charity work." Audrey declared, quietly and without looking at her guardian, who had a gaze she could feel prodding her. Thomas Longfellow was still a full fledged bird and he was studying every part of her to find his answers in her appearance.
"The ladies from my causes have been fretting about my absence, I didn't think you'd have the patience for the work, but if you are interested…" Casey began.
"What charity?" Critter held up a hand to stop Casey. Casey glared at her husband's palm.
"The Children's Aid Society." Audrey tilted her chin up, defiantly meeting Cricket's searching eyes. The dining room was suddenly still, silent except for the shifting servants. It wasn't until the last maid stepped out of the room that anyone spoke.
"No." Critter sucked in a breath.
"Have you lost what little sanity you seemed to have at all?" Casey demanded.
Audrey ignored the definitiveness of Critter's tone or the incredulousness of Casey's demand. She picked at her food, carefully, calculated as if she had been born and raised in these kinds of dining rooms. She held her head high, kept her shoulders back maintaining a perfect posture and politely took a bite. She waited.
"You will not." Critter repeated, recognizing the resolute rebellion of the girl.
"What is it you will be doing for the Children's Aid Society?" Cricket softly questioned. His tone was all bird, subtle and careful, he had dropped his gaze to his food. Going on about his business as if his ward hadn't suddenly opened warfare at his dining room table.
"Thomas," Critter gritted out.
"Miss Alice Shephard, at the ball, told me she dedicates time to teaching at some of the aid society's lodging houses. I want to help." Audrey finally stared at Thomas.
"This is why you have been studying so much." Thomas smiled knowingly.
"Have you ever even been taught anything?" Casey asked curiously. Realizing quite belatedly that her pretty and clever ward may not have ever had a formal education.
"I was tutored until my father lost our fortune. I learned to read and write." A drop in her voice gave her tone a sarcastic edge, "I could read the headlines when I started hawking papes…" A sharp glare from Thomas settled her voice back into a calm whisper. "I was starting on classical music and fine arts."
"Maybe we should have sent her to a finishing school?" Critter mused, glancing at Casey.
"She's far too old for finishing school Christopher, do be less absurd darling." Casey laughed.
"Also, finishing schools aren't for educating in the same way Crit. I do not believe Miss Audrey needs to learn how to catch a husband." Thomas murmured to the man at his left. Audrey ate her food carefully as if she was keeping her focus by concentrating on the task.
"If I am to be a bird now having a reason to be in the Brooklyn Lodging House for philanthropy, would be looked upon favorably…" Audrey started, setting her fork down and staring at Thomas.
"If you are to be a bird?" He repeated.
"When did you think of it?" Audrey turned her head, just enough to settle her gaze on Critter at her side. Critter's eyes began to narrow at the girl. "Is it because of the baby?"
Casey tapped her fork against her plate, before letting out a low soft whistle. A long release of melodic breath. Thomas dropped his hand onto his wife's hand.
"We've not been birds for a few years now, we shouldn't go blaming the babe." Casey leaned forward over her plate.
"Once a bird, always a bird." Audrey smiled understandingly at her guardians.
"Audrey, you have been doing so well…" Critter started in a reasonable tone.
"Being a good girl who does as she's told." Audrey sneered.
"You were splendid at the Arion Ball, charming and engaging. I may even let you have Jack's next letter when it arrives," Critter praised and offered a reward.
"And yet, you still believe me unable of behaving myself enough to be around a bunch of newsboys? Or is that my virtue would not be safe among the street urchins?" Audrey's voice was raising, as color speckled onto her cheeks. "Is that why I couldn't go out west, was it my status as a lady that you were protecting Christopher O'Connell?"
"Audrey Alexandra Kai. That is enough." Thomas sighed quietly.
"Why don't you want me to be a bird? Is it that it's dangerous or is it a wound to your pride? Are you jealous that I might do what you once did? Have I become too much of Critter's favorite?" Audrey rose from her chair, fully in a fit of anger now. She had planned to enter dinner collected and win over her guardians with charm and patience. But Audrey was lost to her emotions the moment Critter mentioned Jack, the moment anyone ever mentioned Jack.
Critter reached out and gripped her wrist.
"Sit down." Critter commanded. But Audrey was beyond being ordered this evening, beyond being controlled, being having no choices. She tore her wrist from Critter's grasp, flinging out her hand in a way that sent her plate crashing into the man's lap.
"What if I won't? What if I do not sit down? Or if it isn't enough! What if I want to be bird? And I don't want to sit around idly waiting to hear from Jack and how he hasn't yet arrived in Santa Fe, or how he might never arrive there!" Audrey demanded, her glare dancing between Thomas and Christopher. She grabbed her glass with intent to fling it across the room and getting the satisfaction of hearing the glass shatter.
"Laces, do not dare to throw that glass. It was my great aunt Elizabeth's and I will not have your temper tantrum ruin the set." Casey stood, huffing impatiently as her husband tried to help her. Casey slowly moved around her still sitting husband, pushing him none to gently back down. Stepping away from the table, she gasped curling into the pain as she pressed a hand to her belly. Thomas jumped to his feet.
"Southie, what is it?" Critter reached out to her. But Casey inhaled audibly through her nose, before straightening to wave away the attention of her husband and friend. Audrey had set the glass back on the table and the angry color had drained from her cheeks.
"You haven't called me Southie in years," She smiled at Critter.
"Should I call the doctor?" Thomas asked worriedly.
"No, no. The babe is excited, dancing around to the temper tantrum of our young miss. Seems the child is on your side Audrey." Casey smiled at her ward.
"I didn't mean to…" Audrey began.
"I will help you up to bed," Thomas began but his wife shook her head.
"Come, child, help me and the babe up the stairs." Audrey stepped forward to accept Casey's outstretched hand. The women began walking towards the door leaving the men worried and confused.