Post by Infinity on Mar 19, 2008 11:45:02 GMT -5
*T* I wrote this originally for a class at my high school, what do you think??
It was a cold spring, 1892, for was a fairly common occurrence. On Saturday April 3rd the fog hung thickly about the small town, Grand Rapids. As the sun rose it abated slightly in the area around the town where Bethany Louis, 17, lived with her mother, aunt, and sister.
When Bethany awoke that morning the fog outside her shuttered window was still quite thick. She got up and shrugged on her bedroom robe, she called to Carla, the youngest maid to draw a bath for her. She ran a comb through her unruly, long brown hair and headed to the bathing room.
Carla was adding the last of the warm water to the bath when Bethany entered.
Carla’s voice was sweet and childish, even though she had turned twenty a month earlier, “your bath, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Carla,” Bethany said as she took off her bedroom robe. Carla nodded and left. Bethany took her bath in the silent morning, she had noticed, though that her nightdress was torn slightly around the bottom. I’d better get Melany to fix that today, she thought to herself.
As she dried herself she noticed a white, cotton slip that had been laid out for her. She smiled and pulled it over her head, then she pulled on her bedroom robe and went back to her bedroom Carla was waiting there with Bethany’s clothes for the day.
“What are my plans for today?” Bethany asked as Carla helped her into her petticoats.
“You are to take Emile out,” Carla spoke hurriedly. “Your father is in town today.
Bethany started, “father is in town today?
“Yes he sent word last week. Didn’t your mother tell you? Carla tied on the last petticoat as she spoke and went to get Bethany’s corset.
Bethany turned to follow Carla, “no, but does Emile know?
“I’m not sure, turn please, ma’am.” Carla put the maroon corset around Bethany’s torso and began to lace it.
“Why wouldn’t anyone tell m-“ Bethany was cut short with a gasp as Carla pulled on the laces of her corset.
“Ask your mother, ma’am, I don’t know.” Carla pulled on the laces even more, Bethany’s breath came in short, shallow gasps.
Carla ignored her gasping and pulled her navy blue cotton skirt over her head to her hips. “Good to see you remembered not to get your hair wet in your bath,” Carla said as she tucked a stray hair behind Bethany’s ear. Bethany nodded silently, still gasping.
Carla buckled the skirt.
**Part of the text was cut here, I need to locate it*Apologies!*
~Continued~
Bethany led Emile through the fog-strewn lawn, out to the road. They began to walk east towards the main town and the red, rising sun. Emile’s wavy blonde hair rippled down the back of her white overcoat. Her small, round face glowed in the early morning light. Her blue eyes darted around searching out the small animals that rustled the leaves in the brush next to the road.
Bethany smiled at her sister, but quickened her pace. She pulled an old brass watch out of her pocket, 9:15 am. “Hurry up, Emile! My goodness.”
“Sorry, Bethany.” Emile skipped up to her sister and took her hand. Bethany put her watch away.
It was 9:38 am when the girls reached town. They walked through crowded streets. Vendors of goods, like fish and pastry, shouted prices into the crowd. One particularly grubby merchant singled out Bethany and Emile for his sale, “a beautiful flower for a beautiful lady?” He offered Bethany a daisy. Bethany gently pushed his hand away and continued through the crowd.
Steam billowed out of the departing train. Its bell rang as it left the station. Bethany glanced at the station clock, 9:47 am.
Bethany tried to hear the telltale sounds of her father’s train, but nothing could be heard over the clamor of the nearest train being loaded and unloaded.
Emile tugged on her sister’s wrist, “when’s father going to get here?”
“I’m not sure, Emile, it’s only 9:53. Father will be here at ten. Bethany looked after the departed train, now almost a mile down the track. What if we’ve missed him, Bethany wondered. She sighed and led Emile to a nearby bench.
The fully loaded train began to chug away from the station. Bethany stared out at the meadow it had been hiding. The last lazy tendrils of fog still swirled through some of the bushes dotting the meadow.
A clock in town began to chime the hour, the chimes were met by the sudden noise of an approaching train. Steam poured out of the train, its bell rang as it pulled into the station. Bethany and Emile jumped to their feet, Bethany tugged at her overcoat and Emile adjusted her hat.
The train stopped and a single man stepped out of the passenger car. The man was in a navy blue suit with an orange tie. His jacket barely buttoned over his pudgy stomach. His black bowler hat sat slightly off-center atop his wispy brown hair.
Emile tugged Bethany’s arm, “is that father?”
Bethany grimaced in thought, “I can’t remember him being so large.”
The portly man’s pink face swelled with glee as he waved towards Bethany and Emile. They stood still as the man waddled towards them.
“Howard! A tall beautiful woman moved forward from behind Bethany and Emile. She jogged to the man and they hugged.
Bethany ushered Emile away as the couple began to chat. “That wasn’t father, is this his train Bethany?” Emile asked as she kicked a pebble.
“I suppose it should be.”
Another man was getting off the train ahead of the girls, he was exiting the boiler car. “Let’s ask that man.”
Bethany and Emile walked towards the man, he had begun to check the train track. Bethany almost had to shout to be heard over the noise of the train, “excuse me!”
The man stopped working and stood, his face was smudged with grease from the train. He tipped his grimy conductor’s hat at the girls and pulled a brown handkerchief out of his pants pocket. His blue eyes stood out against his tanned skin.
“Uncle Edward?!” Bethany exclaimed when the man’s face was clean.
“Bethany? Oh how you’ve grown!” Edward smiled as Bethany let
go of Emile to hug him. “Goodness dear it’s been too long!”
“Eight years, Uncle.” Bethany smiled at Edward as he let her go. She turned to Emile,
“Emile this is our Uncle Edward, father’s big brother. He hasn’t been here for eight years, you must have been only a little over two years when you met him.”
Emile curtsied at her Uncle. “Oh nice to meet...er see you again?” Edward laughed and gave her a quick hug. “How would you girls like an early lunch or how ‘bout a late breakfast?”
Bethany smiled, “sounds good, Emile?”
“Sure,” Emile took Bethany’s hand again.
Edward smiled and went back to the boiler car door, “HEY BARTY!” He yelled with all his might.
A squat man with straw colored hair appeared in the doorway, “what is it Eddy?”
“Goin’ on lunch break, Barty, with my nieces.” Edward motioned to Bethany and Emile.
“Yea, yea, but be back to go at noon.” Barty disappeared back into the boiler car as Edward nodded his head.
“Oh! Uncle Edward, I almost forgot, is father onboard?” Bethany asked.
Edward smiled and began to walk towards lane, “no, no, but he told me to make you girls an offer, but let’s discuss it over food. Okay?”
Bethany took Emile by the hand and followed her uncle, “yes, but why didn’t he come? He said he would.”
“Wait until breakfast.”
=^.^=
The trio soon found a small café, and went in to eat. A waiter showed them the menu and took their orders.
Edward ordered first, “three egg omelet, potatoes, bacon, and coffee, black.” The waiter wrote it down and turned to Bethany.
“Tea for me and Emile.” Bethany looked at Emile, who nodded happily.
“Very good, it will be right along, “the waiter walked away through the fairly empty tables.
“So, Uncle Edward, why didn’t father come?”
Edward hesitated with a quick glance at Emile, “well you see, Bethany, your father has gotten himself into some new things since he moved to Boston.”
“What kind of things?” Bethany asked.
“Well trouble type things,” Edward paused when the waiter appeared with a tray of china.
He set two cups in front of Bethany and Emile along with a kettle and a few pitchers and bowls. He gave Edward a steaming cup of coffee. Bethany nodded her thanks and poured tea for Emile and herself. Emile immediately began adding milk and sugar.
Bethany looked back to her uncle, “what did father do?”
“Well,” Edward paused to sip his coffee. “He got himself caught up by the police, he’s in custody waiting for his trial next month.”
“Trial!” Bethany exclaimed, “What was he doing?”
“Well, he was working with illegal tradesmen out at sea, you know how he is about the sea life.”
Bethany became silent, she and Emile sipped their tea carefully. The waiter returned again with Edward’s breakfast.
Edward was soon shoveling forks full of egg omelet into his mouth.
Bethany contemplated her options to help her father. She spoke suddenly, “I’m going with you to back to Boston, Uncle Edward.”
Edward coughed on a strip of bacon, “what?!”
“I said I’m going back with you,” Bethany stated simply.
Emile piped up next to her, “oh, me too, Uncle Edward.”
“But you’re just a girl, Bethany, you can’t go to Boston alone!” Edward stared at her in disbelief.
“I’ll have you and Emile,” Bethany smiled. Emile giggled.
“You won’t have me, I have to work, besides what good does it do?”
“I can help father, I’ll get information and I’ll go to court with him!” Bethany clenched her fist on the table next to her teacup.
“You’re a girl, Bethany! Nothing more, you can’t help him.”
“I can and I’m going to Boston, with Emile.” Bethany glared down at her teacup.
Edward sighed, “well I s’pose if you’re coming we’d better get you home to pack.”
Bethany’s eyes brightened, “really?” Edward nodded. “Oh thank you, Uncle!”
“Let’s go tell Barty to hold the train, we’ve got one of those new vehicles in a storage for a Mr. Vlademeer in Ohio, we can borrow it for a bit. It’ll be a snap.” Edward stood from his uneaten food, he dropped a ten dollar bill on the table.
Emile and Bethany followed him out of the café and back to the train station. Edward went to the boiler car, Barty was sitting on the steps trying to clean an apple.
“Done with lunch already, Eddy?” Barty tipped his hat at Bethany and Emile.
“Gonna borrow Vlademeer’s buggy and take these two home to pack up, Barty. They’re coming on board to Boston.”
Barty eyed Bethany and Emile uneasily, “do they cook?” Edward shook his head. “Do laundry?”
“No,” Bethany said.
“Clean?” Barty stared in disbelief as Emile began shaking her head, laughing. Barty sighed, “what good are they?”
“None, but they’re my nieces and they’re coming.” Edward spoke firmly as he reached above Barty’s head and took a set of keys from their ring. He led Bethany and Emile to the rear of the train, to a large blue boxcar. He unlocked the door and slid it open.
One of the first automobiles ever made sat silently inside the boxcar.
Bethany stared at it in awe, “what type is it?” She and Emile stood back as Edward dropped a large ramp for the buggy.
“Dunno, watch out now I’m going to pull out.” Edward hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The engine sputtered to life. Bethany heard the gears grinding as Edward put it into drive.
The black buggy rolled smoothly onto the loading platform. “Hop in girls!” Edward called merrily.
Bethany helped Emile into the front seat. Bethany climbed up when Emile was seated in the center next to her uncle. The small crowd, which had gathered for the eleven o’clock train, parted for the buggy as it puttered through the train station.
A thought suddenly struck Bethany, “Uncle Edward.”
“Hm?” he replied distractedly, gnashing through gears.
“What’ll we tell mother?”
“So ole Beatris is still kickin? Well I can take care of her, don’t worry about that.” Edward laughed as he turned down a back road to avoid the town roads. Emile laughed whenever the buggy hit a bump. “Have you two ever ridden in one of these before?”
“I have,” Bethany said watching Emile as she giggled. “This is Emile’s first time. You can tell, huh?”
“Only a little,” Edward turned down the road that led to Bethany and Emile’s house.
Bethany’s horse, Calcifer, nickered and began to canter along the fence that ran parallel to the road.
“Do you remember my pony, Calcifer, Uncle Edward?”
“My he’s grown! Couldn’t of been hip high last time I was here.” Edward whistled to the cantering horse. “Is he a good rider?”
“The best of our lot. Emile’s pony, Malon, is one of the best too, she’s a good cart horse.”
They were soon in the driveway, bumping along. Carla was standing in the doorway. Edward stopped the buggy. Bethany and Emile climbed out onto the gravel-strewn walkway.
“Hello, Carla. Be a dear and go get Beatris, will you?”
Carla let Bethany and Emile past and went to get Beatris.
“Come on, Emile. I’ll help you pack up.” Bethany went with Emile and they packed up a few dresses and such. Emile insisted upon bringing her teddy, “Emile, there might not be room.”
“I’m taking teddy, you can’t stop me.” Emile held her teddy in one hand and her suitcase in the other.
“Fine,” Bethany sent Emile to the front room to wait for her to pack.
Bethany went to her room and packed her bag. She included her brushes and pins for her hair. When she went to the front room Carla and Emile had their faces wedged in the window next to the door.
Bethany set down her bag, “what are you two doing?”
Emile turned to face her, ”mama and Uncle are fighting.”
Bethany opened the door and walked quietly to the buggy.
“No, Edward, they can’t go.” Beatris’ face had a red tinge.
“Bea’, Bethany is old enough to choose for herself! Let her go see her dad before he’s sentenced.” Edward tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully.
“Sentence?” Bethany walked towards them. Edward and Beatris noticed her for the first time.
“Oh, it’s nothing, Bethany!”
“Is father going to prison?” Bethany asked nervously.
Beatris grimaced, “he might, Bethany. We don’t know for sure.
“Emile and I are going to Boston to see our father! Mother, we’re going!” Bethany went back to the house and got Emile and the bags. She put the bags on a luggage rack and helped Emile into the front seat.
“Well, Beatris, can’t keep Barty waiting.” Edward started the buggy and pulled out of the driveway.
Beatris screamed after them, tears rolling down her paling face. “Bethany! Emile! Edward, this is kidnapping, you won’t get away with this, I’ll call the cops, Edward!”
Bethany swallowed her tears as they turned onto the main road.
Edward smiled, “that offer I told you about, Bethany,” she looked at him. “Your dad wanted you to know that if anything happened to him, his house in Boston would be left to you.”
~ To Be Continued ~
~ Continued ~
The buggy bumped its way back to the station. Emile stared out the widow blurry-eyed at the landscape that she me never see again. Bethany watched her carefully in the corner of her eye. Edward drove steadily to the station, he tried not to look at the two sad girls. They soon arrived at the station, it was empty except for their train. Barty was sitting on the side of one of the passenger cars talking with a young woman.
“Hey, Barty, we’re back!” Edward yelled as they came closer.
Barty looked up. “You better get that buggy nice and shined before Vlademeer sees it!” Edward nodded and drove it to the car it was in before. Bethany helped Emile with her bag and they waited for Edward to put the buggy away.
“Come on, girls, let’s get you two into one of the nice sleeping cars, shall we?” Edward led the girls to a car near the front of the train. He helped them into it and to put away their bags. “Do you want to stay in here?”
Emile yawned and sat down on one of the bunks on the left wall. “I wanna stay, Bethany, you can go if you want me and teddy are gonna sleep,” she hugged her bear and rolled onto her side.
“I’ll come with you, Uncle.” Bethany followed Edward out of the sleeping car and out onto the station platform again. Barty was still talking to the young woman.
“Hello there, Miss.” Edward stated cheerfully. The woman turned to face them. Her round face was pale and her short black hair
was tightly curled to frame her face.
She smiled at Edward, “hello, Edward. Is this your niece? Bethany right?” she held her hand out to Bethany, who shook it. “I’m Marie, Edward’s old maid.”
“It’s a pleasure, Marie.” Bethany noted how Marie watched Edward constantly. Her green eyes always darting to meet his gray eyes.
Barty piped up, “she wants to come along also, Eddy. With your nieces.”
Edward smiled, “sounds fine, Barty. As long as your okay with it.”
“Yea, it’s fine!” Barty stood and ushered Marie towards the sleeping car. A small bag that was by her was deposited into the luggage area of the car.
Marie and Bethany were directed out the south entrance of the sleeping car into a dining car. Edward left them there with one of the train’s butlers.
“Can I get you anything, madams?” He asked politely.
“Tea,” Marie answered immediately.
“And for you, miss?”
“Yes, tea please.” Bethany sat down at a small round table with Marie. She noticed that everything was bolted to the floor of the car, through the carpet. The butler left without another word.
“So, Bethany,” Marie began, “what takes you to Boston?”
“Oh, my father, what about you?”
“Shopping.”
“Shopping?” Bethany asked in disbelief. She would go that far to shop! Bethany thought.
“Well, yes. Boston is known for its quaint little shops! I’m very excited.” The butler returned and tea was served in beautiful ivory china.
Bethany picked at the red velvet of the chair she sat in. “Marie, how old are you?”
“Twenty, why?” Marie sipped at her tea, then added sugar.
“When were you Uncle Edward’s maid?”
“When I was but a girl, my mother came here from Mongolia and Edward gave her a job as a housekeeper, I was given the task of being a maid. It wasn’t a fun child hood, but living with a fairly wealthy family meant I got to learn how to read and write.”
“Oh.” Bethany sipped her tea, she stared out the window as the train began to chug away from the station. She could hear Edward and Barty shouting orders to one another at the head of the train. She sat silently watching the landscape of Michigan begin to whiz by. “I will miss it here.”
“I know you will.” Marie stared out the window with Bethany. The train chugged out of the station and away from Grand Rapids.
=^.^=
Bethany woke with a start. Marie was shaking her awake.
“Come on, get up!” Marie pulled the blanket off of Bethany’s back, she had fallen asleep at the table in dining car. “Get up!” Marie pushed Bethany out of her chair, she fell to the floor with a dull thud.
“Wh-what?” Bethany stammered.
“Your stupid sister decided to go off to the boiler car and she got herself burned.”
“What!?” Bethany stood and ran out of the dining car into the sleeping car. Emile was sitting on her bed cradling her left hand. “Emile!” she looked up at her sister, tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.
“Bethany, it hurts.” Emile held out her hand, blisters blossomed on the palm of her hand. Edward came in the north entrance to the car with a bucket and a towel.
“Bethany,” he sounded surprised to see her.
“What happened, Uncle Edward?”
“She wandered in, we didn’t see her, she just put her hand on the boiler and held it there screaming. We practically had to pry her off of it!” he wet a towel in the bucket and held it up for Emile.
Emile set her hand carefully in the wet cradle that Edward had made of the towel. She cringed when he wrapped his hand around hers and the towel. Edward sighed when Emile began to whimper.
He carefully bandaged her hand when the towel had gotten uncomfortable. Emile began to cry again when Edward had left. Bethany gave her teddy and tucked her in.
“Emile, you must be more careful, this is a train. It’s not very safe.” Bethany kissed Emile’s forehead and changed into her bedclothes. She climbed into the bunk above Emile’s and was soon asleep again.
When Bethany opened her eyes, Marie was hovering over her, watching her. Bethany jumped and swung at Marie, who dodged and laughed. “What on earth?!”
“Morning, sleepy!” Marie laughed again and began to tickle Emile.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” Bethany climbed down and got a dress out of her bag. Marie straitened the red dress she was wearing and smiled.
“I’ll tell you over breakfast.” She laughed and left the car.
Bethany dressed and helped Emile to dress. They went into the dining car and sat at one of the larger tables to wait for Marie. Emile went with her, she sat in front of a window and watched the drizzle of rain that had begun to fall during the night.
Marie soon entered the car with a smile on her face. “Hey!” she sat down across from Bethany and began to eat a muffin that she had brought with her. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Bethany.
“What’s this?” Bethany asked curiously.
Marie cleared her mouth, “read it!”
“Dear sir or madam, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend the Greyhamm School for Girls. The following is a list of supplies that you will need for your education:
5 notebook
20 pencils
5 pens
1 ruler
4 reading novels (200 pgs. +)
We will be very pleased to see you on the first day of school.
Jeniveve Clarrion
Jeniveve Clarrion
Marie smiled again, “it’s for Emile! I got my fiancé’s mother to sign for her acceptance!”
“Oh, how wonderful, Marie! Did you hear that, Emile, you’ll get to go to a real all girls school!”
Emile smiled sleepily, “that’s pretty nice. I didn’t like my school very much, but, Bethany, how long do you plan on staying?”
“Until we can help father, Emile, why?”
“Well I don’t like being away from mother for that long, you know that, Bethany.”
Bethany smiled at Emile, “don’t worry, Emile, it won’t be that long.”
“Okay, Bethany.” Emile smiled at Marie, “thank you, Marie.”
Marie smiled gleefully, “no problem, Emile. I hope you like the school.”
Emile turned to her sister, “can I go to the bunks? Or would you like me to stay here?”
“Emile, you may do as you please for the day, don’t worry so much about asking to do things, mother was always to harsh about that”. Bethany motioned Emile away and sighed, “it’s going to be so different now.”
Marie swallowed the last of her muffin, “how so?”
“It’s just me and Emile now, my mother is back in Grand Rapids and I have a feeling my father is in jail, so we won’t have him either. It’s just the two of us, we’re all alone.” Bethany fiddled with the hem of her jacket, “I don’t know if it’s going to work.”
Marie smiled, “oh, Bethany. It’ll work I know it! You’ll do fine.”
She stood and went to the window, “looks like we’re nearing the state line.”
“Wait a minute, Marie, how did you get that letter!? We only met yesterday!”
Marie blushed, “well last night we had to stop, you see, Barty got really sick. So we stopped and I went with Edward to get a doctor and the hospital had a phone, so I made the call and a servant of my Jeniveve came while Barty was being looked at and he delivered the letter to me.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?!” Bethany was in shock that they had stopped and she hadn’t even known.
“You and Emile looked so peaceful, I couldn’t wake you for something as trivial as a hospital stop.”
Bethany sighed, she had to admit, she would’ve been mad to have been woken for a hospital stop. “Well, is Barty better? What was wrong with him?”
Marie laughed at this, “he, um, had gas He’s fine,” she laughed even harder at Bethany’s face.
Bethany looked appalled, she began to laugh with Marie. They enjoyed their day thoroughly, they spent the day learning about one another.
Marie had come with her mother from Mongolia so long ago that she no longer had any memory of her home there. When she arrived in America she and her mother had lived on the streets for a year before being taken in by Edward and his family. Marie told Bethany of how she had learned to read and write from Edward, with her mother by her side learning too.
Marie told Bethany of Edward’s family. His wife, Ellimere, was beautiful, she had dark features and a warm heart. His daughter, Gladdiss, was a fine child that took after her mother in beauty, but her father in her carefree nature. Edward’s only son, Harry, had died when he was five. According to Marie, he had been in the woods with Gladdiss and he had fallen down an embankment into a large hole, at the bottom was a watery grave awaiting the young boy.
It was a cold spring, 1892, for was a fairly common occurrence. On Saturday April 3rd the fog hung thickly about the small town, Grand Rapids. As the sun rose it abated slightly in the area around the town where Bethany Louis, 17, lived with her mother, aunt, and sister.
When Bethany awoke that morning the fog outside her shuttered window was still quite thick. She got up and shrugged on her bedroom robe, she called to Carla, the youngest maid to draw a bath for her. She ran a comb through her unruly, long brown hair and headed to the bathing room.
Carla was adding the last of the warm water to the bath when Bethany entered.
Carla’s voice was sweet and childish, even though she had turned twenty a month earlier, “your bath, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Carla,” Bethany said as she took off her bedroom robe. Carla nodded and left. Bethany took her bath in the silent morning, she had noticed, though that her nightdress was torn slightly around the bottom. I’d better get Melany to fix that today, she thought to herself.
As she dried herself she noticed a white, cotton slip that had been laid out for her. She smiled and pulled it over her head, then she pulled on her bedroom robe and went back to her bedroom Carla was waiting there with Bethany’s clothes for the day.
“What are my plans for today?” Bethany asked as Carla helped her into her petticoats.
“You are to take Emile out,” Carla spoke hurriedly. “Your father is in town today.
Bethany started, “father is in town today?
“Yes he sent word last week. Didn’t your mother tell you? Carla tied on the last petticoat as she spoke and went to get Bethany’s corset.
Bethany turned to follow Carla, “no, but does Emile know?
“I’m not sure, turn please, ma’am.” Carla put the maroon corset around Bethany’s torso and began to lace it.
“Why wouldn’t anyone tell m-“ Bethany was cut short with a gasp as Carla pulled on the laces of her corset.
“Ask your mother, ma’am, I don’t know.” Carla pulled on the laces even more, Bethany’s breath came in short, shallow gasps.
Carla ignored her gasping and pulled her navy blue cotton skirt over her head to her hips. “Good to see you remembered not to get your hair wet in your bath,” Carla said as she tucked a stray hair behind Bethany’s ear. Bethany nodded silently, still gasping.
Carla buckled the skirt.
**Part of the text was cut here, I need to locate it*Apologies!*
~Continued~
Bethany led Emile through the fog-strewn lawn, out to the road. They began to walk east towards the main town and the red, rising sun. Emile’s wavy blonde hair rippled down the back of her white overcoat. Her small, round face glowed in the early morning light. Her blue eyes darted around searching out the small animals that rustled the leaves in the brush next to the road.
Bethany smiled at her sister, but quickened her pace. She pulled an old brass watch out of her pocket, 9:15 am. “Hurry up, Emile! My goodness.”
“Sorry, Bethany.” Emile skipped up to her sister and took her hand. Bethany put her watch away.
It was 9:38 am when the girls reached town. They walked through crowded streets. Vendors of goods, like fish and pastry, shouted prices into the crowd. One particularly grubby merchant singled out Bethany and Emile for his sale, “a beautiful flower for a beautiful lady?” He offered Bethany a daisy. Bethany gently pushed his hand away and continued through the crowd.
Steam billowed out of the departing train. Its bell rang as it left the station. Bethany glanced at the station clock, 9:47 am.
Bethany tried to hear the telltale sounds of her father’s train, but nothing could be heard over the clamor of the nearest train being loaded and unloaded.
Emile tugged on her sister’s wrist, “when’s father going to get here?”
“I’m not sure, Emile, it’s only 9:53. Father will be here at ten. Bethany looked after the departed train, now almost a mile down the track. What if we’ve missed him, Bethany wondered. She sighed and led Emile to a nearby bench.
The fully loaded train began to chug away from the station. Bethany stared out at the meadow it had been hiding. The last lazy tendrils of fog still swirled through some of the bushes dotting the meadow.
A clock in town began to chime the hour, the chimes were met by the sudden noise of an approaching train. Steam poured out of the train, its bell rang as it pulled into the station. Bethany and Emile jumped to their feet, Bethany tugged at her overcoat and Emile adjusted her hat.
The train stopped and a single man stepped out of the passenger car. The man was in a navy blue suit with an orange tie. His jacket barely buttoned over his pudgy stomach. His black bowler hat sat slightly off-center atop his wispy brown hair.
Emile tugged Bethany’s arm, “is that father?”
Bethany grimaced in thought, “I can’t remember him being so large.”
The portly man’s pink face swelled with glee as he waved towards Bethany and Emile. They stood still as the man waddled towards them.
“Howard! A tall beautiful woman moved forward from behind Bethany and Emile. She jogged to the man and they hugged.
Bethany ushered Emile away as the couple began to chat. “That wasn’t father, is this his train Bethany?” Emile asked as she kicked a pebble.
“I suppose it should be.”
Another man was getting off the train ahead of the girls, he was exiting the boiler car. “Let’s ask that man.”
Bethany and Emile walked towards the man, he had begun to check the train track. Bethany almost had to shout to be heard over the noise of the train, “excuse me!”
The man stopped working and stood, his face was smudged with grease from the train. He tipped his grimy conductor’s hat at the girls and pulled a brown handkerchief out of his pants pocket. His blue eyes stood out against his tanned skin.
“Uncle Edward?!” Bethany exclaimed when the man’s face was clean.
“Bethany? Oh how you’ve grown!” Edward smiled as Bethany let
go of Emile to hug him. “Goodness dear it’s been too long!”
“Eight years, Uncle.” Bethany smiled at Edward as he let her go. She turned to Emile,
“Emile this is our Uncle Edward, father’s big brother. He hasn’t been here for eight years, you must have been only a little over two years when you met him.”
Emile curtsied at her Uncle. “Oh nice to meet...er see you again?” Edward laughed and gave her a quick hug. “How would you girls like an early lunch or how ‘bout a late breakfast?”
Bethany smiled, “sounds good, Emile?”
“Sure,” Emile took Bethany’s hand again.
Edward smiled and went back to the boiler car door, “HEY BARTY!” He yelled with all his might.
A squat man with straw colored hair appeared in the doorway, “what is it Eddy?”
“Goin’ on lunch break, Barty, with my nieces.” Edward motioned to Bethany and Emile.
“Yea, yea, but be back to go at noon.” Barty disappeared back into the boiler car as Edward nodded his head.
“Oh! Uncle Edward, I almost forgot, is father onboard?” Bethany asked.
Edward smiled and began to walk towards lane, “no, no, but he told me to make you girls an offer, but let’s discuss it over food. Okay?”
Bethany took Emile by the hand and followed her uncle, “yes, but why didn’t he come? He said he would.”
“Wait until breakfast.”
=^.^=
The trio soon found a small café, and went in to eat. A waiter showed them the menu and took their orders.
Edward ordered first, “three egg omelet, potatoes, bacon, and coffee, black.” The waiter wrote it down and turned to Bethany.
“Tea for me and Emile.” Bethany looked at Emile, who nodded happily.
“Very good, it will be right along, “the waiter walked away through the fairly empty tables.
“So, Uncle Edward, why didn’t father come?”
Edward hesitated with a quick glance at Emile, “well you see, Bethany, your father has gotten himself into some new things since he moved to Boston.”
“What kind of things?” Bethany asked.
“Well trouble type things,” Edward paused when the waiter appeared with a tray of china.
He set two cups in front of Bethany and Emile along with a kettle and a few pitchers and bowls. He gave Edward a steaming cup of coffee. Bethany nodded her thanks and poured tea for Emile and herself. Emile immediately began adding milk and sugar.
Bethany looked back to her uncle, “what did father do?”
“Well,” Edward paused to sip his coffee. “He got himself caught up by the police, he’s in custody waiting for his trial next month.”
“Trial!” Bethany exclaimed, “What was he doing?”
“Well, he was working with illegal tradesmen out at sea, you know how he is about the sea life.”
Bethany became silent, she and Emile sipped their tea carefully. The waiter returned again with Edward’s breakfast.
Edward was soon shoveling forks full of egg omelet into his mouth.
Bethany contemplated her options to help her father. She spoke suddenly, “I’m going with you to back to Boston, Uncle Edward.”
Edward coughed on a strip of bacon, “what?!”
“I said I’m going back with you,” Bethany stated simply.
Emile piped up next to her, “oh, me too, Uncle Edward.”
“But you’re just a girl, Bethany, you can’t go to Boston alone!” Edward stared at her in disbelief.
“I’ll have you and Emile,” Bethany smiled. Emile giggled.
“You won’t have me, I have to work, besides what good does it do?”
“I can help father, I’ll get information and I’ll go to court with him!” Bethany clenched her fist on the table next to her teacup.
“You’re a girl, Bethany! Nothing more, you can’t help him.”
“I can and I’m going to Boston, with Emile.” Bethany glared down at her teacup.
Edward sighed, “well I s’pose if you’re coming we’d better get you home to pack.”
Bethany’s eyes brightened, “really?” Edward nodded. “Oh thank you, Uncle!”
“Let’s go tell Barty to hold the train, we’ve got one of those new vehicles in a storage for a Mr. Vlademeer in Ohio, we can borrow it for a bit. It’ll be a snap.” Edward stood from his uneaten food, he dropped a ten dollar bill on the table.
Emile and Bethany followed him out of the café and back to the train station. Edward went to the boiler car, Barty was sitting on the steps trying to clean an apple.
“Done with lunch already, Eddy?” Barty tipped his hat at Bethany and Emile.
“Gonna borrow Vlademeer’s buggy and take these two home to pack up, Barty. They’re coming on board to Boston.”
Barty eyed Bethany and Emile uneasily, “do they cook?” Edward shook his head. “Do laundry?”
“No,” Bethany said.
“Clean?” Barty stared in disbelief as Emile began shaking her head, laughing. Barty sighed, “what good are they?”
“None, but they’re my nieces and they’re coming.” Edward spoke firmly as he reached above Barty’s head and took a set of keys from their ring. He led Bethany and Emile to the rear of the train, to a large blue boxcar. He unlocked the door and slid it open.
One of the first automobiles ever made sat silently inside the boxcar.
Bethany stared at it in awe, “what type is it?” She and Emile stood back as Edward dropped a large ramp for the buggy.
“Dunno, watch out now I’m going to pull out.” Edward hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The engine sputtered to life. Bethany heard the gears grinding as Edward put it into drive.
The black buggy rolled smoothly onto the loading platform. “Hop in girls!” Edward called merrily.
Bethany helped Emile into the front seat. Bethany climbed up when Emile was seated in the center next to her uncle. The small crowd, which had gathered for the eleven o’clock train, parted for the buggy as it puttered through the train station.
A thought suddenly struck Bethany, “Uncle Edward.”
“Hm?” he replied distractedly, gnashing through gears.
“What’ll we tell mother?”
“So ole Beatris is still kickin? Well I can take care of her, don’t worry about that.” Edward laughed as he turned down a back road to avoid the town roads. Emile laughed whenever the buggy hit a bump. “Have you two ever ridden in one of these before?”
“I have,” Bethany said watching Emile as she giggled. “This is Emile’s first time. You can tell, huh?”
“Only a little,” Edward turned down the road that led to Bethany and Emile’s house.
Bethany’s horse, Calcifer, nickered and began to canter along the fence that ran parallel to the road.
“Do you remember my pony, Calcifer, Uncle Edward?”
“My he’s grown! Couldn’t of been hip high last time I was here.” Edward whistled to the cantering horse. “Is he a good rider?”
“The best of our lot. Emile’s pony, Malon, is one of the best too, she’s a good cart horse.”
They were soon in the driveway, bumping along. Carla was standing in the doorway. Edward stopped the buggy. Bethany and Emile climbed out onto the gravel-strewn walkway.
“Hello, Carla. Be a dear and go get Beatris, will you?”
Carla let Bethany and Emile past and went to get Beatris.
“Come on, Emile. I’ll help you pack up.” Bethany went with Emile and they packed up a few dresses and such. Emile insisted upon bringing her teddy, “Emile, there might not be room.”
“I’m taking teddy, you can’t stop me.” Emile held her teddy in one hand and her suitcase in the other.
“Fine,” Bethany sent Emile to the front room to wait for her to pack.
Bethany went to her room and packed her bag. She included her brushes and pins for her hair. When she went to the front room Carla and Emile had their faces wedged in the window next to the door.
Bethany set down her bag, “what are you two doing?”
Emile turned to face her, ”mama and Uncle are fighting.”
Bethany opened the door and walked quietly to the buggy.
“No, Edward, they can’t go.” Beatris’ face had a red tinge.
“Bea’, Bethany is old enough to choose for herself! Let her go see her dad before he’s sentenced.” Edward tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully.
“Sentence?” Bethany walked towards them. Edward and Beatris noticed her for the first time.
“Oh, it’s nothing, Bethany!”
“Is father going to prison?” Bethany asked nervously.
Beatris grimaced, “he might, Bethany. We don’t know for sure.
“Emile and I are going to Boston to see our father! Mother, we’re going!” Bethany went back to the house and got Emile and the bags. She put the bags on a luggage rack and helped Emile into the front seat.
“Well, Beatris, can’t keep Barty waiting.” Edward started the buggy and pulled out of the driveway.
Beatris screamed after them, tears rolling down her paling face. “Bethany! Emile! Edward, this is kidnapping, you won’t get away with this, I’ll call the cops, Edward!”
Bethany swallowed her tears as they turned onto the main road.
Edward smiled, “that offer I told you about, Bethany,” she looked at him. “Your dad wanted you to know that if anything happened to him, his house in Boston would be left to you.”
~ To Be Continued ~
~ Continued ~
The buggy bumped its way back to the station. Emile stared out the widow blurry-eyed at the landscape that she me never see again. Bethany watched her carefully in the corner of her eye. Edward drove steadily to the station, he tried not to look at the two sad girls. They soon arrived at the station, it was empty except for their train. Barty was sitting on the side of one of the passenger cars talking with a young woman.
“Hey, Barty, we’re back!” Edward yelled as they came closer.
Barty looked up. “You better get that buggy nice and shined before Vlademeer sees it!” Edward nodded and drove it to the car it was in before. Bethany helped Emile with her bag and they waited for Edward to put the buggy away.
“Come on, girls, let’s get you two into one of the nice sleeping cars, shall we?” Edward led the girls to a car near the front of the train. He helped them into it and to put away their bags. “Do you want to stay in here?”
Emile yawned and sat down on one of the bunks on the left wall. “I wanna stay, Bethany, you can go if you want me and teddy are gonna sleep,” she hugged her bear and rolled onto her side.
“I’ll come with you, Uncle.” Bethany followed Edward out of the sleeping car and out onto the station platform again. Barty was still talking to the young woman.
“Hello there, Miss.” Edward stated cheerfully. The woman turned to face them. Her round face was pale and her short black hair
was tightly curled to frame her face.
She smiled at Edward, “hello, Edward. Is this your niece? Bethany right?” she held her hand out to Bethany, who shook it. “I’m Marie, Edward’s old maid.”
“It’s a pleasure, Marie.” Bethany noted how Marie watched Edward constantly. Her green eyes always darting to meet his gray eyes.
Barty piped up, “she wants to come along also, Eddy. With your nieces.”
Edward smiled, “sounds fine, Barty. As long as your okay with it.”
“Yea, it’s fine!” Barty stood and ushered Marie towards the sleeping car. A small bag that was by her was deposited into the luggage area of the car.
Marie and Bethany were directed out the south entrance of the sleeping car into a dining car. Edward left them there with one of the train’s butlers.
“Can I get you anything, madams?” He asked politely.
“Tea,” Marie answered immediately.
“And for you, miss?”
“Yes, tea please.” Bethany sat down at a small round table with Marie. She noticed that everything was bolted to the floor of the car, through the carpet. The butler left without another word.
“So, Bethany,” Marie began, “what takes you to Boston?”
“Oh, my father, what about you?”
“Shopping.”
“Shopping?” Bethany asked in disbelief. She would go that far to shop! Bethany thought.
“Well, yes. Boston is known for its quaint little shops! I’m very excited.” The butler returned and tea was served in beautiful ivory china.
Bethany picked at the red velvet of the chair she sat in. “Marie, how old are you?”
“Twenty, why?” Marie sipped at her tea, then added sugar.
“When were you Uncle Edward’s maid?”
“When I was but a girl, my mother came here from Mongolia and Edward gave her a job as a housekeeper, I was given the task of being a maid. It wasn’t a fun child hood, but living with a fairly wealthy family meant I got to learn how to read and write.”
“Oh.” Bethany sipped her tea, she stared out the window as the train began to chug away from the station. She could hear Edward and Barty shouting orders to one another at the head of the train. She sat silently watching the landscape of Michigan begin to whiz by. “I will miss it here.”
“I know you will.” Marie stared out the window with Bethany. The train chugged out of the station and away from Grand Rapids.
=^.^=
Bethany woke with a start. Marie was shaking her awake.
“Come on, get up!” Marie pulled the blanket off of Bethany’s back, she had fallen asleep at the table in dining car. “Get up!” Marie pushed Bethany out of her chair, she fell to the floor with a dull thud.
“Wh-what?” Bethany stammered.
“Your stupid sister decided to go off to the boiler car and she got herself burned.”
“What!?” Bethany stood and ran out of the dining car into the sleeping car. Emile was sitting on her bed cradling her left hand. “Emile!” she looked up at her sister, tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.
“Bethany, it hurts.” Emile held out her hand, blisters blossomed on the palm of her hand. Edward came in the north entrance to the car with a bucket and a towel.
“Bethany,” he sounded surprised to see her.
“What happened, Uncle Edward?”
“She wandered in, we didn’t see her, she just put her hand on the boiler and held it there screaming. We practically had to pry her off of it!” he wet a towel in the bucket and held it up for Emile.
Emile set her hand carefully in the wet cradle that Edward had made of the towel. She cringed when he wrapped his hand around hers and the towel. Edward sighed when Emile began to whimper.
He carefully bandaged her hand when the towel had gotten uncomfortable. Emile began to cry again when Edward had left. Bethany gave her teddy and tucked her in.
“Emile, you must be more careful, this is a train. It’s not very safe.” Bethany kissed Emile’s forehead and changed into her bedclothes. She climbed into the bunk above Emile’s and was soon asleep again.
When Bethany opened her eyes, Marie was hovering over her, watching her. Bethany jumped and swung at Marie, who dodged and laughed. “What on earth?!”
“Morning, sleepy!” Marie laughed again and began to tickle Emile.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” Bethany climbed down and got a dress out of her bag. Marie straitened the red dress she was wearing and smiled.
“I’ll tell you over breakfast.” She laughed and left the car.
Bethany dressed and helped Emile to dress. They went into the dining car and sat at one of the larger tables to wait for Marie. Emile went with her, she sat in front of a window and watched the drizzle of rain that had begun to fall during the night.
Marie soon entered the car with a smile on her face. “Hey!” she sat down across from Bethany and began to eat a muffin that she had brought with her. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Bethany.
“What’s this?” Bethany asked curiously.
Marie cleared her mouth, “read it!”
“Dear sir or madam, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend the Greyhamm School for Girls. The following is a list of supplies that you will need for your education:
5 notebook
20 pencils
5 pens
1 ruler
4 reading novels (200 pgs. +)
We will be very pleased to see you on the first day of school.
Jeniveve Clarrion
Jeniveve Clarrion
Marie smiled again, “it’s for Emile! I got my fiancé’s mother to sign for her acceptance!”
“Oh, how wonderful, Marie! Did you hear that, Emile, you’ll get to go to a real all girls school!”
Emile smiled sleepily, “that’s pretty nice. I didn’t like my school very much, but, Bethany, how long do you plan on staying?”
“Until we can help father, Emile, why?”
“Well I don’t like being away from mother for that long, you know that, Bethany.”
Bethany smiled at Emile, “don’t worry, Emile, it won’t be that long.”
“Okay, Bethany.” Emile smiled at Marie, “thank you, Marie.”
Marie smiled gleefully, “no problem, Emile. I hope you like the school.”
Emile turned to her sister, “can I go to the bunks? Or would you like me to stay here?”
“Emile, you may do as you please for the day, don’t worry so much about asking to do things, mother was always to harsh about that”. Bethany motioned Emile away and sighed, “it’s going to be so different now.”
Marie swallowed the last of her muffin, “how so?”
“It’s just me and Emile now, my mother is back in Grand Rapids and I have a feeling my father is in jail, so we won’t have him either. It’s just the two of us, we’re all alone.” Bethany fiddled with the hem of her jacket, “I don’t know if it’s going to work.”
Marie smiled, “oh, Bethany. It’ll work I know it! You’ll do fine.”
She stood and went to the window, “looks like we’re nearing the state line.”
“Wait a minute, Marie, how did you get that letter!? We only met yesterday!”
Marie blushed, “well last night we had to stop, you see, Barty got really sick. So we stopped and I went with Edward to get a doctor and the hospital had a phone, so I made the call and a servant of my Jeniveve came while Barty was being looked at and he delivered the letter to me.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?!” Bethany was in shock that they had stopped and she hadn’t even known.
“You and Emile looked so peaceful, I couldn’t wake you for something as trivial as a hospital stop.”
Bethany sighed, she had to admit, she would’ve been mad to have been woken for a hospital stop. “Well, is Barty better? What was wrong with him?”
Marie laughed at this, “he, um, had gas He’s fine,” she laughed even harder at Bethany’s face.
Bethany looked appalled, she began to laugh with Marie. They enjoyed their day thoroughly, they spent the day learning about one another.
Marie had come with her mother from Mongolia so long ago that she no longer had any memory of her home there. When she arrived in America she and her mother had lived on the streets for a year before being taken in by Edward and his family. Marie told Bethany of how she had learned to read and write from Edward, with her mother by her side learning too.
Marie told Bethany of Edward’s family. His wife, Ellimere, was beautiful, she had dark features and a warm heart. His daughter, Gladdiss, was a fine child that took after her mother in beauty, but her father in her carefree nature. Edward’s only son, Harry, had died when he was five. According to Marie, he had been in the woods with Gladdiss and he had fallen down an embankment into a large hole, at the bottom was a watery grave awaiting the young boy.