Alice had been living with Alfred for a few weeks and Alfred came in the house with another man. "Alice!" Alfred called. Alice went to the entryway and took Alfred's coat and the other man's coat. "Alice this is Mr. Edelstein, he's going to be giving you lessons," Alfred said. "He even offered to give some other lessons like arithmetic, and history," Alfred said with his big smile. "We even spoke about some sort of music lesson," Alfred said.
"H-hello," Alice said. Mr. Edelstein looked at Alice calculating and he held out his hand and with a slight accent introduced himself.
"My name is Roderick Edelstein, and I will be your teacher," Roderick said. Alice took it hesitantly and weakly. "I understand overall you are uneducated," he said. Alice looked a bit confused.
"Mostly cant read or write," Alfred said. Alice looked back at Roderick with a bit more understanding.
"We will start with eloquence and once we progress past that then we will move on to more complex things such as literacy, and arithmetic." Roderick said. Alice nodded.
"It wont effect your work schedule, and I would rather you get an education," Alfred said. Alice looked at Alfred confused.
"W-why?" Alice asked.
"Because you're a great friend," Alfred said with a smile. "Yow if you will excuse me, I have some things to take care of, I'll be in my study if you need anything," Alfred said going to his office. They moved into the drawing room and Roderick spoke to her.
"When speaking strongly and proudly, you make eye contact, and you use the diaphragm," he said.
"W-what a-are t-those?" Alice asked.
"I am making eye-contact," Roderick said pointing to his eye then to Alice. "And I am using my diaphragm," he pressed on his abdomen. "The diaphragm is a muscle in your abdomen that controls the breathing," he explained. "Now stand," he ordered. Alice did as she was told and stood. "Now repeat after me," he said. "Those hours that with gentle work did frame," he paused and waited expectantly.
"T-those h-hours, t-th-that w-with g-gentle-"
"Stand up straight," he said. Alice did as she was told. She walked up to her and pressed on her diaphragm. "Speak louder," he said.
"T-those hours t-that with g-gentle w-work did f-frame," Alice repeated. She was surprised. Usually it was either I or me that she didn't stammer.
"The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell," he said.
"The l-lovely gaze w-where e-every eye d-doth d-dwell," Alice repeated.
"Try pressing on the diaphragm whilst you speak, that way I wont have to help as much," he said.
"The l-lovely gaze w-where every eye d-doth dwell," Alice repeated.
"Much better," he said with a pleased look. "Will play the tyrants to the very same,"
"Will p-play the t-tyrants to the v-very s-same," Alice repeated.
"And that unfair which fairly doth exeel,"
"And t-that u-unfair w-which f-fairly d-doth e-exeel," Alice tried to focus, but her tongue would not comply.
"Some tongue twister's then?" Roderick thought aloud. "We'll move on after exercising the tongue," he said. "Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran," Roderick said quickly and rolling his 'R's
"A-around the r-rugged r-rocks the r-ragged r-rascal ran," Alice said.
"Faster," Roderick said.
"A-around the r-rugged rocks the r-ragged rascal ran," Alice said. Her tongue started to become looser.
"Again,"
"A-around the r-rugged rocks the r-ragged rascal ran," Alice said the same. They spent at least two hours on that tongue twister alone; they did it over and over again until Alice got it. Alfred came to watch Alice's lesson also helping her with her nervousness.
They had been having the lessons for weeks and Alice's eloquence had gotten much, MUCH better. The house was clean, and Alice was learning like a child seeing the world for the first time, when she wasn't learning, shopping, cleaning, or gardening, she was reading. She felt so proud of herself; if her parents saw her maybe they would love her?
"Alice, I need to go to the fields, Maddie is going to stay with you," Alfred said.
"How long will you be gone?" Alice asked. Usually she would have at least one hicc-up in her speech but she didn't in that sentence.
"I'll be home before dark," he said. "Bye Alice," Alfred said. He kissed Alice's forehead and left. Alice was shocked by the act and Alfred seemed to, as well. Alice looked down blushing immensely and Alfred left quickly muttering an apology behind him as he scurried out the door. Alice put a hand to her forehead and walked out to the back where Maddie was waiting.
"Hello Alice," Maddie said with a smile.
"Is Alfred a-alright?" Alice asked. Maddie looked confused.
"He was acting fine, why? What happened?" Maddie asked.
"O-oh, nothing," Alice said. They went out to the patio and Alice started to work in the garden.
"Do you want help?" Maddie asked.
"No thank you, I can manage," Alice said weeding.
"So what did Alfred do?" Maddie asked again.
"He didn't do anything," Alice said.
"Alice, you have never asked that question before," Maddie said. "And you came out a bit flustered,"
"W-well, I think it was only a mistake," Alice said.
"What?" Maddie asked. She seemed extremely eager.
"W-well he was leaving," Alice said.
"Uh- huh," Maddie was practically on the edge of her seat.
"A-and as he said good bye he sort of… kissed my forehead," Alice said blushing again.
"I knew it!" Maddie said. "I could see it the past few weeks after he got you the teacher," Maddie said with a huge smile on her face. "Francis could see it too,"
"See what?" Alice asked.
"You smile more," Maddie said with a smile. "Every time Alfred walked in the room,"
"I-I'm grateful," Alice said.
"Well many people are grateful, but you have a polite smile then you have a blissfully happy smile, you have the latter whenever Alfred walks in the room," Maddie said. "It's ok, lots of people actually have crushes on Alfred, I did at one point," Maddie said a bit embarrassed.
"You?! But you're his sister!" Alice said.
"I know, and that was what held me back, plus I was far to shy to admit it," Maddie said.
"Does Francis know?" Alice asked.
"Francis was the one who made me forget about Alfred," Maddie said. "Now my heart and soul is dedicated to him,"
"Well that's good," Alice said. She continued with the garden and got to the irises and started to water them gently then moved to the roses that had started to combine with the iris bed.
"Alfred's favorite flower is the iris," Maddie said.
"Mine is the rose," Alice said with a gentle smile. "They look nice together don't you think?" Alice asked. Alice didn't realize she was having that blissful smile until she saw the smile on Maddie's face. "What?"
"I think they are beautiful together," Maddie said avoiding the subject. Alice finished her job out in the garden and then went back inside with Maddie at her side.
"Hello Francis," Maddie greeted. Francis hugged his wife and the two kissed tenderly. Alice didn't watch, she made tea and the three went out to the drawing room.
"'ow are your lessons going?" Francis asked sitting on the couch next to his wife. Alice took a chair and poured the tea.
"They are going well, we are going to work on eloquence in reading next," Alice said.
"I'm sure zat after these lesson's it 'as been a rest on Alfred's ears non?" Francis asked. Alice sighed.
"Francis that was unkind," Maddie scolded.
"No it's true, my speech was quite bad before all my lesson's I tried to talk as little as possible before I took lessons," Alice said. Alice looked out the window and felt a bit worried as it was getting dark.
"Well you are much better then before," Francis said taking the tea. "you must be part French," Francis said.
"No," Alice said immediately.
"'ow could you not? You make such wonderful tea," Francis said.
"There is no way that I am French, my roots lay deep in the British isles," Alice said.
"It cant be! You are to good at making tea," Francis said. The two fought about it for a few hours. After that Alice fell silent and she started to worry. Maddie and Francis had to leave after dark and Alfred still wasn't back. Alice finally grabbed her shawl and started to walk the way Alfred would, to get to the fields. Alice felt scared. Alfred had told her stories to never go out after dark, apparently there are people that would set out to hurt Alice, especially in these times of high taxes and tyranny from the British army. Alice was scared. Where was Alfred? Was he hurt? Did he get in a fight with a redcoat? This constantly scared her. Alfred was so against the red coats, he probably wouldn't think twice about fighting with one. Alice finally got to where she thought was Alfred's fields. No one was at the loading doc… Alice felt a nervous knot in her stomach form. Alice continued down the road. She got into the town and she read the sign.
"B-Boston?" Alice asked. She continued on and she stumbled through the streets and shops. She got into a square and found redcoats on one side and some villagers on the other. Alice was confused. What was going on? There was something in the villager's hands and one man from the villagers shouted something getting the redcoat's attention. The men in red uniforms turned and the villager's started to throw things at the redcoats. She saw the anger in the solder's eyes and they lifted their guns and started to shoot. Alice screamed and ran running into a man then continuing to run. Alice saw some people running away from the horrific scene and Alice held her hands over her mouth and she tried to quietly sob. Alice leaned against the brick shop. Alice shook violently. It was cold, and she was scared and crying. Some solders started to walk away from the scene and Alice panicked. Alice broke out in a run, she wanted to go home, Alice didn't make it out of the town before running head on into some one she didn't expect to. Alice looked up and saw Alfred. Alfred looked worried and surprised even angry to see Alice.
"Alice?!" Alfred asked. Alice shot up and clung to Alfred and started to cry again. "Oh my god Alice you're shaking!" Alfred said holding her. "Lets get you home," Alfred said. He helped her up and they headed home.
OKAY GUYS! That was that chapter! So that's when all the fun beguins! And we have some fighting next chapter! Ok guys it's late so I'm going to post this and go to bed! Happy thanksgiving and see you guys on like Friday!