Well, I'm am ever so greatful to my reviewers, much love! Please-a review, eh? I know there are a lot of readers so please please R&R! Even just to say your reading this!
I am ecstatic. I, and Emily, having had packed and re-packed my trunk three times, am absolutely ready to go. We shall leave on the morrow. As we need a blasted chaperon for this journey, Em will accompany us.
I, having always been one for my practicality am not going to delude myself, this isn't going to be a particularly exciting journey. The note that Henry wrote to me yesterday in speedy reply stated that he and Tom would be on business most of the trip. And, even ifI did could, and then want to go, I shan't, or more so can't, for Marissa is apparently quite ready to pop.
I am nowhere near sleep so brushing off Emmy's admonishments, I suggest a "romp" to the kitchen. After much pleading she of course, gives in, as of habit. As we creep down the stairs, Emmy huffs and says ' This isn't necessary!' After I promise Bessie's gingerbread.
My eyes grow purposely big, as in I have indeed practiced this in front of the mirror once... or twice. "You are saying I am rotund, aren't you Emmy!"
"Well you got enough bust for the both of us!" We tumble into the kitchen laughing so hard, I stop short, yanking Emmy's wrist, as I am being most unladylike in front of none other than : Jamie! Heavens knows why he is here, hungry I suppose.
Well pish posh for that, I am young lady-ish of staning, it shall scar me none the less to be seen like this. If he heard a word, not so the worse for moi, for the bust part can be easily enough be seen. I can cry fowl if he so much as mentions a breath of this to Mother Pain. As for Emmy, poor thing looks to be a tumtult of emotions, almost to scream in fright, to laugh, and cry. Ole Jamie stares on with a little bit of shock, looking slightly enraptured with Emmy, and I do believe his shoulders shake mildly from trying to overcome a bout of laguhter.
Em ducks a meek curtsy, quite unsure of whats to be the outcome of all this. I, seeming to be the only one with a toungue working at present, grab the gingerbread from the pantry, and hopping up onto one of the tall dining chairs for the staff, wave it around and quip ' Ginger bread anyone?'
We talk and laugh for a good two hours, and now, as I am sure Jamie is perfectly adoring of my Emily, and won't go tattling to Mother Jane, scoot off my chair.
"Well I best be off." I say swaggering to the door.
"Wait!" Emmy says nervously wringing her hands. "Don't you need assistance for bed, Miss Lila?"
"Nay, I think, that I will urm, write some letters! I shan't need help, well much, for that." I roll my eyes and try to escape once more.
"Writing letters, at midnight, Miss Wells?" He says, grinning at Emmy.
"Yes.' I say, looking at him, as if he is the biggest simpleton I have ever met. 'Quite so."
I watch for a moment, as the two duck their heads and share a little laugh at my expense, then stop short and stare into each others eyes like mad. Not wishing to eavesdrop anymore, I dash off to bed, not letters.
The poor are not so poor, for they can do as they please for love.
The morning dawns clear and early, and as I find, too early. Perhaps that kitchen romp was a little unwise. I can barely eat the porridge in front of me, due to excitement, and perhaps due to the fact that is pig slop, and as I have long expected, Mother Jane, is indeed, trying to poison me. Alas, I have always expected it.
I shall not have to worry anway, for I can hear wheels on the drive, and surely my escape draws near.
Mother Jane and I give stiff, insincere goodbyes, for we at least do not have to pretend to like each other, lest in front of prying eyes. There is a knock at the door, and not waiting for a maid to get it, I glide over swinging the door open, ready to hug what I assume, would be Henry. But nay, of course, for surely things cannot go so well for a week straight.
Like the devil himself, Arlington sweeps into the foyer, and nodding to us and grinning, sweeps me into a very respectable handshake, even though I am sure there was some sin in it for his part.
"I have come to say goodbye to you Lila!", as I quirk an eye brow at Mother Jane. I need not even geuss how he found out. He takes my hands, begrudgingly on my part, and wishes me a very safe journey. At this point I, disinterestedly, crane my neck to see out the window, and blessed Henry's carriage is rolling up the drive, finally.
Henry comes in, and without even thinking, gives me a peck on the cheek. Arlington is none too happy for it. I say my goodbyes, as Emmy oversees the trunk being properly loaded into the carriage. Quite more like watching Jamie's muscles as he works. I cannot help but roll my eyes at this. She is, at least, not a horrid flirt.
I whip out of my reverie, as Henry and Jeffery vie to help me into the carriage, their arms held out and waiting. I dodge under both of their expectant arms, and land rather splendidly in the carriage, just barely bruising my shin. Emily is already in, and she glares at me as I plop down next to her. Henry says something I can't make out, and then swoops into the carriage.
We are off! I give a few feeble waves to Arlingon and Mother Pain, and spin around to Henry. Emily has pulled out some embrodery, for she can stitch like an angel. Henry and I have a rousing debate about the current mayor running for Baylor. We discuss the disgusting pollution in Marllow, whether or not Mari will have a boy or girl, the few social gatherings to be attended, and when all else fails we play our rather childish games. Would You Rather, we get Emmy to play, I spy, quickly goes droll, and riddles are endlessly wrong.
It is about mid-day now, and we stop for lunch. Henry wanted to stop at an inn, but I insist a roadside picnic would be best. We make quick work of the lunch basket Bessie made, for she is an amazing cook at least.
We are off again, and I am so bored, so I pull out my latest read and settle well into it. Often enough I will glance out the window or revert my eyes, and there will be Henry, looking at me. Honestly, it is quite annoying, for he always looks away when I catch him.
I drift off to sleep, as I got very little sleep last night, and jolt awake a few hours later apparently for it is dinner time, and Henry gets his way we dine in an inn, as we are now in Marllow, and we shall soon enough be at Tom and Marissa's.
It is a tidy little tavern with a sign above the door that swings to and fro and says "Dunst Inn". We enter, and even though it is a little shabby, it is clean. A little lady bustles out all pink and plump, maybe in here mid years, with hay colored hair with a few white streaks running through out. And she really reminds me of a ham, and I mean that kindly. I love ham!
Much to my chagrin, there are only sandwiches on the blasted menu, and though I can gloat to Henry about it. I wont. We all get the ham sandwiches, much to my glee, and the little lady tells us of Marllow.
Apparently it is a new town, with lots of factories and businesses. I care little for it, but it does grow on me, for if I look around, the hustle and bustle is exciting. There are vendors everywhere, and little shoe shiners and flower girls.
We finish off, after paying the dear little Mrs. Dunst.
We drive on for half an hour, the excitement mounting. For at least Tom had the sense to place them on the fashionable side of town. White, yellow, green, and brick two story houses with pointy little roofs line a sloping hill street, all within a hair of each other.
We stop half way up the hill, astutely name hill street, at a little white doll looking house with maroon shutters. Tom and Mari stand at the steps, and yanking her hand from his grasp she waddles as quickly as she can to us, and throwing me into a giant award hug, for you can really see she is huge, even with a cloak on.
She laughs and tells me to spin around, and she swears I have at least grown an inch. A clearing throat interrupts us and after giving Henry a quick hug, Tom leads us all inside.
Unlikely Rose
A/N: Well I hoped you liked it! There are some biggy no, huge changes coming up in the next chapter. Please review. Opinions are great. This chapter was uneventful, but it needed to happen.