Thicker Than Water – Chapter Seven – Tea Time at Three
Over the next eight years, Rebecca was transformed from a wild and crazy Tortugan to a neat and proper fine lady. Dallin kept in touch, but always my mail. She barely ever saw him in person anymore. Now, at thirteen, she did everything she was supposed to. No wonder the girls at this school were married to such high class citizens. They sat, looked pretty, and did what they were told.
But Rebecca knew that she would never get a decent husband. What man would ever want a wife with a map tattooed on her back? This was her best-kept secret here at Walters-Churchill School for Girls. She never let anyone see her back. She didn't want them asking why it was there.
Frankly, she didn't even know why it was there. All Dallin had said was that it would someday reunite her with her father. Well, she wished he would come soon. This school was getting boring after eight years.
Some people look foreword to finding hidden treasure. Other people look foreword to fighting pirates. What do I look foreword to? Tea-time at three, Rebecca thought smugly. Hey, she did what she was told, but that didn't mean she had to like it.
Rebecca leaned back against the large oak tree that was behind the school, in the gardens. The gardens were beautiful. Tall hedges lined the back and in the middle was an intricately carved marble fountain. Two girls holding hands and twirling were carved in the middle. The water sprayed out from between them, falling over their heads. Stone paths lead all around the garden. There were wooden benches at random intervals, and even a table and chairs.
It was a warm sunny day, and most of the girls were outside, picking flowers or reading. They were all wearing identical white dresses with light blue ribbons tied around the waist. They came to about ankle-length and were kept puffed out by extremely frilly petticoats. Rebecca at first, had found them most uncomfortable, but was used to them by now. She also rather liked the way they looked if they were worn with a normal sized petticoat.
All the girls wore matching light blue ribbons in their hair, too. Rebecca liked this very much because her hair was constantly getting in her face.
Rebecca had been lost in thought when a very red headed girl came over to her. She had a pug-nose, but an otherwise cute face. She wasn't fat, but wasn't skinny, either.
"Hello Rebecca, do you mind if I join you?"
"Not at all, Gail. Please, sit," Rebecca waved her arm to a spot next to her. Gail sat down, carefully fixing her dress underneath her. She did not lean against the tree, and stared at Rebecca who was doing so.
"Rebecca, you shouldn't lean you back against the tree. You'll dirty your dress."
"We are dirtying our dresses by sitting on the ground, are we not?"
Gail's eyes widened and she stood up, wiping off her behind of any dirt and grass that might have stuck there.
Rebecca laughed, "Sit back down Gail, your dress is fine. Besides, the maids can get a stain out of anything."
Gail hesitated. Rebecca looked at her, a smile forming on her face. "You know you want to…" Rebecca teased.
Gail smiled, "Oh! All right!" And plopped back down next to Rebecca.
The two chatted girlishly, and before long it was three o'clock. Tea time.
The tea room was rather small. It had five round tables with white tablecloths draped over them. The walls were made of dark wood, and the carpet was a deep red. A fireplace crackled at the far end of the room, making the air give the room an even cozier feel.
Rebecca and Gail took their seats at their usual table. Tables seated five girls, and also at their table was Harmony, a very tall girl with shoulder length light brown hair; Kirsten, a blonde-haired blue-eyed beauty; and Ryesen, short haired freckly tomboy who was meant to be anywhere but a school for fine ladies. She was the reason they only said most of Walters-Churchill girls married high class citizens. There was no hope for Ryesen.
As they sat and sipped their tea, Ryesen started the conversation.
"Did you hear about what happened to the governor's daughter today?"
"No, what?" Asked Kirsten, putting down her tea.
"She was held hostage by a pirate!" Ryesen exclaimed.
"Ryesen, lower your voice." Gail said.
"Come now, Ryesen, we all know how you like to make up stories." Rebecca said, adding more sugar to her tea.
"No, no it's true, I swear!" Ryesen said, putting down her tea and holding up her right hand.
"Don't swear," said Harmony. "It's not proper."
"Aw, I'll swear all I want, and I swear it's true." Ryesen said.
"All right then, if there was a pirate, where's his ship? Surely we should have seen the ship. We have a clear view of the water at the stables down the road. I didn't see anything at equestrian class today." said Gail.
Kirsten pointed at Gail. "She's got a point."
Ryesen hesitated. "Maybe he doesn't have a ship. I don't know. All I know is that my uncle Mullroy is a Royal guard and saw the whole thing happen! He said he even got to talk to him!"
"And when did you speak with your uncle Mullroy?" asked Rebecca, raising an eyebrow.
"So maybe I snuck out again…" Ryesen mumbled, pouring herself some more tea.
"Your uncle wasn't angry that you weren't at school?" Kirsten asked.
"Do you think that if you had just seen the governor's daughter have a gun held to her head by a pirate you just spoke with that you would be worrying about whether your niece was supposed to be in school or not?" asked Ryesen.
Rebecca smiled and pointed at Ryesen, "Now, she's got a point."
The girls kept arguing until two servant girls came around their tables to collect their teacups and saucers. Tea time was over; it was now time for French class.
None of the girls questioned Ryesen's story after that, because that night, a pirate ship attacked Port Royal and kidnapped the governor's daughter.