January 28
Later that Evening
Rosemary hadn't woken from her nap a moment too soon. When she walked down the stairs, there was Elizabeth squinting at a rather worn and weathered cookbook. Elizabeth nodded to her as she entered and then returned to her reading.
"What's this?" Rosemary walked up and leafed through the pages of the recipe book that rested precariously on the edge of the kitchen table.
"Oh, Abigail lent it to me. I'm desperate to figure out some meals before Jack and I are married. I mean, how many times can a man eat shepherd's pie?" She laughed, but her eyes looked discouraged.
"I'm sure a starving man would eat it as often as needed to get by."
"Exactly, but I'd hoped to be making further progress by now. Just last week I had to throw out two suppers. They were inedible to say the least." Elizabeth sighed and turned to the next page of the recipe book.
Rosemary rolled up her sleeves and went to the washbasin. "Well, I can help with that."
"No I couldn't ask that of you. You cooked last night. Plus, I am wanting to learn for myself."
"And you will. Last night you learned the basics of an omelet. Tonight we will stick with something simple like ham and beans, maybe some biscuits if we are really on a roll." She felt the laughter bubbling up and her own pun. "Biscuits, roll… get it?"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes but there was a hint of a slight smile on her lips. "Okay, but this time I'll do the prep work. You'll just walk me through it."
"Deal." She tied an apron around her ample middle. "First we need to grease a pan and get it to heating."
Elizabeth reached for the pan and began to smear lard on the inside of the pan before lighting the stove.
"Good. Now, do you happen to have any beans? Ham?"
"Ham, yes. Beans- well, they haven't soaked yet." Elizabeth made a face.
Soaking beans took hours upon hours, surely nothing they had time for now. If only— She snapped her fingers.
"I forgot! I left some to soaking before Lee left. I'll just go gather them. While I'm gone, cut the ham into chunks about 'yay' big." She held her index finger above her thumb a little distance.
Elizabeth nodded and began to look for a knife and cutting board while Rosemary headed for the door.
She didn't bother with taking off her apron, but fastened her overcoat and stepped out into the cold. Poor Elizabeth—not even knowing how to put together a simple meal of ham and beans. Well, tonight they will remedy that and she would at least have two more meals to add to her repertoire.
She reached the front of their row house and paused to open the gate in front of her, but oddly it was ajar. The wind had probably blown it open. She opened the gate the rest of the way, causing it to creak. The night was still, cold, and dark before her. She'd never felt spooked going into her own house, but if any night she did, tonight was the night. Perhaps it was just because the usually warm household was left empty with Lee's departure. But, if things went according to plan, he'd return tomorrow evening and a warm lamp would light their front window and the sweet smells of supper would be flowing from their house into the cold night air.
She stopped at the front porch and stomped her feet on the rug, willing all the last bits of ice and snow to fall off, before opening the front door. Funny, she could have sworn she locked it this morning after preparing Mary's dress for the special delivery. Rosemary went to the lamp at the front desk, but as she did she stumbled on something, and barely caught herself on the edge of the desk. Why, what was that there in the middle of the room? She couldn't make it out in the dark but gingerly stepped over whatever it was and proceeded to turn on the lamp.
The gentle glow of the lamp revealed everything was in order, the misplaced item in the middle of the rug just a small ball of yarn Sidney must have pulled out to play with. She continued to look over the room. Everything was in physical order, but something just felt plain off in here. Oh well, she ought to hurry with the beans it was nearly suppertime. Speaking of suppertime—
"Here, kitty, kitty…It's time for your supper." She sang in a singsong voice.
All that met her ears was the quiet tick tock of the grandfather clock in the corner. Where was that silly cat?
She went to her knees and called out as she searched under the furniture.
"Sidney! Here kitty, kitty…"
After a moment or two she finally saw the kitten's golden eyes reflecting back at her from underneath the settee.
"You silly kitten. What are you doing all the way back there?" She leaned forward and tilted her head under the settee.
"Come on out now. It's time for—" She saw something sparkle under the settee and reached for it. Why, it was her specialty thimble. She had several thimbles, but only one thimble like this— golden with a diamond pattern border. Lee had bought it for her on one of his business trips. She'd used it just this morning while hand stitching the lace onto Mary's dress. She'd specifically put it in her sewing basket on top of the desk. Perhaps Sidney had gotten into her sewing basket as well? She pulled herself out from under the settee, thimble in hand, and looked to the desk. There the sewing basket closed and in perfect order. Just as she'd left it. She blinked. She couldn't have imagined the whole ordeal- she was meticulous that way. After her project was finished, she always returned her supplies to their rightful spot. It was a habit she prided herself in. But now, it was under the settee? The hair raised on the back of her neck. Something was definitely not right. She'd bet her bottom dollar someone had been here, snooping through her stuff. She could just feel it in the very air of the house.
"Sidney, let's go kitty kitty…" Rosemary leaned forward and patted her knees urgently. She looked over her shoulder fearful that whoever had broke in was still here, but just the cold, empty room sat before her. Thankfully, the curious cat came out from under the settee, her tail between her legs. Rosemary put the thimble in her overcoat pocket, hoisted the kitten into her arms without hardly taking a breath and left without turning off the lamp. Something here was not right. Not right at all.