"Sorry about that." Matthew helped Erin up and the made their way back to the house, muddy and flustered.
When they made it back to the house Gregory was working in the yard and when he glanced up he frowned, "What happened to you to." He looked towards them and then his eyes shifted to Ania for the answer.
Ania shrugged her shoulders, "They fell in the mud, Erin lost her footing and took Matt down with her."
"Hmm." Matthew would feel Gregory's eyes burning him.
Emmeline came out and saw the state of the two and gasped. She held a palm up to her mouth hiding the smirk behind it. "Erin dear, why don't you follow me. Lets get you a change of clothes?"
Erin nodded, "Thanks, but I don't want to trouble you."
"No trouble, no trouble at all." Emmeline said as she ushered the girl to follow her. Emmeline took Erin upstairs, to an empty room. When they had taken in Matthew, they went through and washed everything in the house including the women's clothes that Ania had found. Some of the dresses were used to create new clothing for Matthew as he grew, others were stored in a spare bedroom. "I will wash your clothes, they should be ready before supper. That will give you two time to complete your assignment will that be all right?"
"Mm, thank you." Erin's eyes were gazing at the house around her. It was strange. They had always heard whispers of the place being haunted, but that definitely wasn't the case. The house seemed homey but what struck her was that there were no photographs of the family. Something else seemed off with the house and it wasn't until she got to the room did she realize it. The house didn't appear to be wired for electricity. She now understood why he never saw the latest TV shows and why he doesn't have the internet!
Emmeline opened the armoire and searched through the dresses trying to find one that would fit the girl the best and wouldn't require a corset as the girl clearly wasn't wearing one. After going through the wardrobe she found a simple elegant lavender gown.
Erin stared at the gown for a moment and then shifted her eyes to Emmeline. Was she serious?!?
Apparently thought Erin because Emmeline asked if she needed assistance. Erin turned her attention back to the gown. "No, I think I can manage."
Emmeline nodded, "I'll be right outside, if you need help."
Erin smiled politely thinking to herself, 'I can dress myself, I am not a little child.'
But as she stepped into the gown she realized the problem...all of the buttons were in the back of the dress and she wouldn't be able to do it herself. "Um, Emmeline?"
"Yes dear."
"I need your help."
Emmeline shook her head, what a stubborn girl she thought. Emmeline made quick work of the buttons and suddenly Erin herself felt like she was in a movie. She touched the dress rubbing the fabric in her hands. So weird.
Matthew was already changed and standing at the bottom of the stairs when Erin started coming down. She hiked up the skirt to make sure she didn't tumble down the stairs. Matthew turned and blushed for the umpteenth time today, his face turning a red hue. "I set the tea and scones in the library, we can finish our project there?"
Erin noticed that he didn't say anything about her dress. This was just normal in this house. Erin nodded and followed him to the library definitely confirming there was no electricity in the house. She noticed the candles and lanterns in this room. She sat across from him, he poured her some tea, "Do you take milk or sugar with your tea?" Matthew asked.
Now it was her time to blush. He was being so proper. She felt like she was at a victorian tea party. "No, I'm fine thank you."
He passed her the cup and a scone. They worked on the project for a couple hours finishing just before 5. "I better be going. Do you think my clothes are done?"
Matthew nodded and she followed him to the kitchen. Erin noticed the kitchen was super old fashioned, what did she expect the house didn't have electricity, she had almost forgotten. Wait! How did her clothes get washed?
"Emmy, Erin has to leave. Are her clothes ready?"
"Mm. Let me go fetch them from the line."
Emmeline delivered the clothes neatly folded to the young girl. She couldn't believe that they had been hand washed! Erin couldn't help but think about the strange house, but they made everything seem so normal. She hopped in her bug and left.
After Erin had left Matthew looked at the lavender dress that was put nearly on the bed. He could have sworn he had seen that dress before, he was sure of it. When Erin was wearing it there was a feeling in the back of his mind trying to come forward. For a brief moment he recalled sitting having tea and apple cake; the woman opposite of him was wearing the lavender dress. But he couldn't maintain the memory and it vanished in the air. He felt like he was having somebody else's memories.