"Oh, Nora, you missed out on so much." Minevera sighed dramatically, as she brushed her hair longingly. I almost felt like gaging, but I held it in for her sake. "Too bad you had to dance with Hodges or father could have introduced you to Mr. Samuelson. A wasted oppurtunity, I assure you."
"Yes, tis a shame, to be sure." I played along, rolling my eyes. Mr. Samuelson probably wasn't even his real name, as my eavesdropping led me to believe. It was all some facade. But why? I shook my head. It hardly mattered to me. Most likely, I was never to see the man again; I had no need to worry about him or his strangeness.
"Not only his he established, he is so agreeable, and oh so handsome." Minevera led the brush again through her hair, and I frowned.
"If you don't mind, I'm quite spent, so I'm off to bed." I fell onto my bed, and dug into my covers, hoping that would end all conversation of the ever-so-impressive Samuelson. Not even a full day in town, and he already had won my sisters over. I snorted, some accomplishment that was.
"And the way he looked at me." Minevera sighed. "I think he's interested Nora, and I have a strong feeling that won't be the last we see of him, especially around here."
I replied nothing, instead, took up a light snore, hoping Minevera would get the point.
"The only way the evening could have been better was if we had danced, but, I suppose that would be too much to ask for all in one night."
As my last resort, I found my spare pillow and threw it Minevera's way, and it hit her smack in the face, as she was left sputtering and spitting bits of feathers out of her mouth. "Nora!"
"Goodnight!" I smiled cheerfully, and blew the out the candle that had been on my bedside table, snuggled in deeper to my covers, and fell asleep almost immediately, without any worries or troubles.
"Yes, tis a shame, to be sure." I played along, rolling my eyes. Mr. Samuelson probably wasn't even his real name, as my eavesdropping led me to believe. It was all some facade. But why? I shook my head. It hardly mattered to me. Most likely, I was never to see the man again; I had no need to worry about him or his strangeness.
"Not only his he established, he is so agreeable, and oh so handsome." Minevera led the brush again through her hair, and I frowned.
"If you don't mind, I'm quite spent, so I'm off to bed." I fell onto my bed, and dug into my covers, hoping that would end all conversation of the ever-so-impressive Samuelson. Not even a full day in town, and he already had won my sisters over. I snorted, some accomplishment that was.
"And the way he looked at me." Minevera sighed. "I think he's interested Nora, and I have a strong feeling that won't be the last we see of him, especially around here."
I replied nothing, instead, took up a light snore, hoping Minevera would get the point.
"The only way the evening could have been better was if we had danced, but, I suppose that would be too much to ask for all in one night."
As my last resort, I found my spare pillow and threw it Minevera's way, and it hit her smack in the face, as she was left sputtering and spitting bits of feathers out of her mouth. "Nora!"
"Goodnight!" I smiled cheerfully, and blew the out the candle that had been on my bedside table, snuggled in deeper to my covers, and fell asleep almost immediately, without any worries or troubles.
*
"Nothing says good Saturday morning such as eggs and bacon, as me father use to say." Peggy grinned, and slammed another heaping upon my already full plate.
"Thank you Peggy." I nodded, and picked up my fork, trying to find a strategic way to begin the meal. "Where's father at? Still in bed?"
"Nope. He told me that he had a special business meeting this morning." Nelly nodded, playing with her doll upon the table. "Had to be taken care of real early."
"Earlier than breakfast?" I wondered. That wasn't usual for my father. The business matter must have had some urgency than.
"Hettie and I were thinking of going into town today." Minevera offered, trying to make conversation.
"For what purpose?" I turned to Nelly, who was sitting perpendicular to me, and urged her to eat some of her breakfast and put the doll down. She managed to focus on her food for all of two minutes before turning back to her doll.
"To mail a letter to Mr. Scott of course." Hettie stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Of course." I nodded, pretending to share their interest.
"Of course it would be nicer if we could send a note from you, sending your regard." Minevera added, not looking up at me. Probably dodging an icy glare from me.
"Well, I'm sure he won't notice if I don't."
"I'm sure it would be considered rude without it." Hettie muttered.
"Alright, I'll write a small note asking after him." I stood from the table, and took off into my father's office, where I was sure to find paper, ink, and pen.
After quite some time finding and making up the letter, I moved back into the small breakfast area, my eyes focused on the small letter, rereading it to find any mistakes.
"And here is my eldest daughter I was telling you about, Nora." I stopped short at the sound of my father's voice.
"Father, I hadn't heard you come in." I pulled the letter away from my face, and my jaw dropped at the sight of who my father's company were. The gentleman from last night stood, right in front of our eating table, smiling- no practically smirking- at Hettie and Minevera, who seemed to be eating up every bit of it. Nelly, who was typically shier, hid behind my father's leg, sneaking glances every once in a while at the man, who seemed a giant to her.
"Nora!" Both Minevera and Hettie whispered from across the table. I closed my mouth immediately and tried to compose myself into the lady I should be.
"Nora, this is Mr. Samuelson." The gentleman finally turned to look at me, and both astonishment and horror crossed his face, but almost as quickly, were replaced with a giveaway grin and twinking eyes. He seemed a bit nervous, but not more so. I watched him carefully, wondering what his next move would be.
I bowed, as was expected of me. He bowed his head in return. "Nice to meet you."
"I believe we have met, last night, at the ball?" I feigned a casual tone, trying to gauge his reaction.
"Did we? Names, faces, they all seem to blend when you are the stranger in town. I hope you can forgive my forgetfulness." He shifted, which was almost inperceptible, as it was quick and gone in a flash, but I picked up on it. He was lying. He knew exactly who I was and was trying to play it off now.
"Oh, what is there to forgive, Mr....? I'm sorry, what was you're name again?" I asked, playing along.
"Samuelson. Eliot Samuelson." He winked at me, and I felt like chucking an object at his head. Luckily for him, my family was present.
"Mr. Samuelson and I have some business we must attend to, so if you don't mind..." My father directed Mr. Samuelson out of the room after he bowed to all of us a final time.
Once they were gone, I was left to be hanged. "Nora! I've been talking about Mr. Samuelson for weeks now. How could you act so infavorable to him? Forgetting his name? We were to make a good impression upon him, now he'll probably want nothing to do with us!" Minevera threw her hands up in exasperation. "How could you be so inconsiderate, of my feelings?"
"Nora, what on earth is wrong with you? I honestly can't believe I have to have you as a relation. Why must I be so cursed?" Hettie grimaced.
I shrugged, knowing it was all a loosing battle anyway. "Look on the brightside; I finished the letter for Mr. Scott. Now you can go into town." I dropped the letter on the table, and the two gapped at me, disgusted at my behaviour.
She nodded and grinned and took my hand as we ascended the stairs. "I like him!" She stated, and I had no need to even ask who, as the strange, mysterious man was on my mind too.
"Thank you Peggy." I nodded, and picked up my fork, trying to find a strategic way to begin the meal. "Where's father at? Still in bed?"
"Nope. He told me that he had a special business meeting this morning." Nelly nodded, playing with her doll upon the table. "Had to be taken care of real early."
"Earlier than breakfast?" I wondered. That wasn't usual for my father. The business matter must have had some urgency than.
"Hettie and I were thinking of going into town today." Minevera offered, trying to make conversation.
"For what purpose?" I turned to Nelly, who was sitting perpendicular to me, and urged her to eat some of her breakfast and put the doll down. She managed to focus on her food for all of two minutes before turning back to her doll.
"To mail a letter to Mr. Scott of course." Hettie stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Of course." I nodded, pretending to share their interest.
"Of course it would be nicer if we could send a note from you, sending your regard." Minevera added, not looking up at me. Probably dodging an icy glare from me.
"Well, I'm sure he won't notice if I don't."
"I'm sure it would be considered rude without it." Hettie muttered.
"Alright, I'll write a small note asking after him." I stood from the table, and took off into my father's office, where I was sure to find paper, ink, and pen.
After quite some time finding and making up the letter, I moved back into the small breakfast area, my eyes focused on the small letter, rereading it to find any mistakes.
"And here is my eldest daughter I was telling you about, Nora." I stopped short at the sound of my father's voice.
"Father, I hadn't heard you come in." I pulled the letter away from my face, and my jaw dropped at the sight of who my father's company were. The gentleman from last night stood, right in front of our eating table, smiling- no practically smirking- at Hettie and Minevera, who seemed to be eating up every bit of it. Nelly, who was typically shier, hid behind my father's leg, sneaking glances every once in a while at the man, who seemed a giant to her.
"Nora!" Both Minevera and Hettie whispered from across the table. I closed my mouth immediately and tried to compose myself into the lady I should be.
"Nora, this is Mr. Samuelson." The gentleman finally turned to look at me, and both astonishment and horror crossed his face, but almost as quickly, were replaced with a giveaway grin and twinking eyes. He seemed a bit nervous, but not more so. I watched him carefully, wondering what his next move would be.
I bowed, as was expected of me. He bowed his head in return. "Nice to meet you."
"I believe we have met, last night, at the ball?" I feigned a casual tone, trying to gauge his reaction.
"Did we? Names, faces, they all seem to blend when you are the stranger in town. I hope you can forgive my forgetfulness." He shifted, which was almost inperceptible, as it was quick and gone in a flash, but I picked up on it. He was lying. He knew exactly who I was and was trying to play it off now.
"Oh, what is there to forgive, Mr....? I'm sorry, what was you're name again?" I asked, playing along.
"Samuelson. Eliot Samuelson." He winked at me, and I felt like chucking an object at his head. Luckily for him, my family was present.
"Mr. Samuelson and I have some business we must attend to, so if you don't mind..." My father directed Mr. Samuelson out of the room after he bowed to all of us a final time.
Once they were gone, I was left to be hanged. "Nora! I've been talking about Mr. Samuelson for weeks now. How could you act so infavorable to him? Forgetting his name? We were to make a good impression upon him, now he'll probably want nothing to do with us!" Minevera threw her hands up in exasperation. "How could you be so inconsiderate, of my feelings?"
"Nora, what on earth is wrong with you? I honestly can't believe I have to have you as a relation. Why must I be so cursed?" Hettie grimaced.
I shrugged, knowing it was all a loosing battle anyway. "Look on the brightside; I finished the letter for Mr. Scott. Now you can go into town." I dropped the letter on the table, and the two gapped at me, disgusted at my behaviour. They began another lecture, and I ignored them instead, leaning down to Nelly. "Should we go get you washed up?"
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