Bav is walking with me down the street to my fathers home here in the Gilded district, he refused to let me go alone. The homes here are closer together, smaller than the mansions where Bav lives, but still exquisite and pristine. I stop in front of the wrought iron gate, that is well oiled and opens easily. I take a few deep breaths as I glance around the well manicured lawn and bushes, lilies and roses in bloom around the foundation of the home. The three story homes walls are bright white with dark blue trim and shutters. Perfect, pristine, and nothing like my childhood home.
Bav takes his free hand and holds my own, "Are you sure about this?"
Nodding, I give him a strong smile, "Yes." I reach forward and pull the bell chain to alert the home that they had visitors.
A passive faced balding butler answers the door, his voice as dull as his demeanor. "Good day, Sir. Madam. How may I assist you?"
Bav informs the butler, "Mr. Fairchild and my fiance Ms. Langridge are here to present a gift to Mrs. Thorn."
"Please follow me, to the drawing room. I shall inform the lady of the house of your presence." He leads us down the well kept and clean home, with vases of fresh flowers, dainty porcelain sculptures of plants, or animals, set on shelves or tables. Paintings of landscapes and animals adorned the light blue patterned wallpaper. The butler opens the door to the drawing room, a pale green striped wallpaper brightens up the small drawing room, making it appear larger. We take a seat together on the sofa in the center of the room.
"Please wait here, I'll send someone with some tea." The butler bows and quickly leaves the room. I look around and see that the room has a few seaside paintings but other than the furniture for sitting and a few tables, this room is sparsely decorated.
A maid comes in and sets the tea service on the table with a small layered tray filled with tea sandwiches and cookies.
She goes to pour our tea, but Bav holds up his hand. "We will wait for the lady of the house to arrive. Thank you."
The maid bows and steps out of the room, never raising her face to meet our gaze or saying a word.
"Is that behavior normal?" I ask Bav quietly. He nods and places a hand over my own to give me strength or comfort whichever I may need.
The door opens and this, I hate to admit it even if it's to myself, beautiful, delicate woman comes walking in, dressed in a light blue day polonaise day dress, that looked just as light and fragile as she. Her pale skin was opaque but blue veins could be seen under the surface of her neck and hands. As beautiful as she was with her blonde curls set around her head, her tired blue eyes with dark circles under them gave away how she didn't feel well.
"Good day, I am Mrs. Iris Thorn." She takes a graceful curtsy, before her maid helps her to sit on the other sofa. The maid hands her a bottle that she sprays and breathes in. Seeing our curious faces, she says matter of fact, "My medicine for my tight chest. I have to inhale the mist so I breathe better. Now, you both are?"
Bav was about to speak when I squeezed his hand and spoke instead. "Good day, Mrs. Thorn. I am Ms. Langridge and this is my fiance, Mr. Fairchild. Your husband brought a fundraiser item that was left uncollected from the tea social fundraiser at Mrs. Sawyers."
Her eyes go wide in recognition, "Oh, yes, Elias did say he would need to give a prize to someone that was accidentally brought back to the offices. Did he not bring you the item?" She looks confused as to why we're here.
"No, Mrs. Thorn we received the item. No, we are here on behalf of your husbands request to purchase a gift for you, from my shop." I take the box that Bav had brought that was neatly done up in a decorative paper covered box tied close with a ribbon and a bow. I go to hand it to her, and the maid takes it instead and opens it up for Mrs. Thorn.
I notice Mrs. Thorns breathing is becoming more labored as she watches the maid show her the different teas.
"Oh this is lovely! Mr. Thorn is always so thoughtful." She smiles warmly looking at the box. "Thank you for bringing me this."
Just then a thud is heard followed by a little boys cry of pain. Mrs. Thorn starts but is held back by the maids quick hand. A little boy comes running in, with dark curly hair like my own, and golden amber eyes and olive skin, his youthful chubby cheeks, were red and wet with tears.
"MOMMA!" He cries out hugging onto her skirt as the nanny comes rushing in.
"I'm terribly sorry, my lady. He became over excited wanting to show his hard work off, and slipped while running." The nanny looks disheveled as well and Mrs. Thorn brings that up.
"Did you fall too, Agatha?"
"Yes, Milady. Hence why he intruded upon your company. My sincerest apologies, sir, madam." The nanny deeply curtsies to us both.
"That is quite alright. What a handsome young man you are raising Mrs. Thorn, he's adorable." I inform her as the crying has calmed down already but he shyly looks at us from his mothers skirt.
"Thank you, Ms. Langridge. Now, Mathias what do you say to Ms. Langridge?"Mrs. Thorn asks looking at her son.
Mathias hides his face in his mothers skirt quickly before turning and in a sweet voice, "Thank you, ma'am."
"You are most welcome, Mathias. How old are you?" I smile down at him.
"Four. I will be 5 in two months!" He states proudly.
"Oh, my. 5! How exciting!" I exclaim making him giggle.
"You are good with children, Ms. Langridge." Mrs. Thorn compliments me and I shy away at the compliment. "She will make a good mother, Mr. Fairchild." She informs Bav with a proud smile.
Bav chuckles, grinning widely at me, "Oh I'm sure she will make an excellent mother."
Now his compliment has me blushing from head to toe. Mrs. Thorn is handed her medicine again as her breathing is becoming more labored.
"Well, I hope you enjoy the teas, Mrs. Thorn. We should leave and let your young man help his mother to rest before tea. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality." Bav makes our reason for leaving and Mrs. Thorns face falls.
"Oh so soon? Well, thank you so much for stopping by. Please, Ms. Langridge, feel free to come by anytime you would like. I would love to get to know you more. I don't get out much and still do not know many people here in Lagford. Your company would be appreciated." Mrs. Thorn looks hopefully up at me, as her maid helps her stand.
"I shall, Mrs. Thorn." I smile at her as the butler walks us out, bowing to us as we left.
"That poor woman." I whisper to myself and shake my head at the thought of her health.
"Yes, I agree. When you visit again, you should find out her symptoms and complaints, maybe we might find a doctor that can treat her better than that temporary mister does. Then you could get more information from her about your father." Bav suggests,
"Yes, I think that will be the best way. I just am not sure because what if he comes home and I am there?" I wring my hands in concern.
"We will figure it out. Don't worry dear. Eventually, you will have to meet with him. I will do my best to be by your side when that happens though."
We continue walking through the park, walking past the waterfall from our first night out together. A thought crosses my mind and I give Bav's hand a pull, with a devilish smile.
"What are you...?" He stops talking when he see's where I am leading him. His eyes flash all black in hunger at me in that moment, my heart catches in excitement at the thought.
Giggling, we wait till no one is around, which is only a few minutes and sneak back behind the waterfall, knowing no one can hear us or see us from the park looking at the waterfall.
Once inside the grotto, we shimmy out of our clothes, before sliding into the water in just our underclothes. The water was chilly at first, making my diaphragm freeze, my breath coming in short gasps that improved as I moved into the warmer part of the water. I turned around looking for Bav who had disappeared.
"Bav?" I look around, treading the water. I felt something graze my ankle, and I look around.
"Bav! That is not funny!" I whisper yell at the water.
Arms slide around my waist as Bav's voice caresses my neck, "I thought it was." Chuckling he kissed my neck as I gasped at the way he could make my body feel so alive and alert with barely a touch.
"How are you doing?" Bav asks me after we've relaxed in the pleasantly warm water from the broken hot water pipe that filled this pool.
"I don't know, sad? Angry? Jealous? When we gave her the tea and told her that it was a gift from him, her eyes became so gentle. I only saw momma look at my father like that once. He had told her how beautiful she still was, just like the day he first saw her. An hour later, I was hiding in the wardrobe as he forced himself on her. It doesn't look like she has to endure that sort of treatment. Mathias eyes are not haunted, neither are hungry or cold, they have a good home and good clothes. Everything I could not even dream of. Just to have enough food..." My emotions take me over as I weep for the injustice and cruel hand me and momma were dealt in life.
All we wanted was for Daddy to be nice to us, love us. Why were we not good enough?