Grandma Danford had no statement to come back to the stranger. She simply cleared her throat and moved on to find out about Nicholas’ education. Grandma Danford had an opinion on all subjects brought up and she freely spoke them as the whole family knew they were indebted to her someway or another. Though Grandma Danford hardly spoke to Ethan, which could be seen as rude to not be gracious to a guest but Grandma Danford was at a loss when some one spoke out. But Emmy did find out that Ethan was from a prominent family in Sussex with a large estate there.Julia said it was such a it was such a shame that he was such a dull because he was very rich. If he had more of personality she would see him as a much better friend to Nicholas.
“Out of all the friends Nick has I find him the least interesting, I do not wish mother insisted for Nick to bring him. Last week he read us some of the the tales of King Arthur and never so much had I wanted Lancelot dead as I did that night. Though I suspect mother has long wanted us to marry, I guess that is why mother insisted on him.”
“So you do not like him?” Emmy asked her shyly.
“Heavens no, English men are so dreary and irksome.”
“He didn’t seem so at tea today.”
“Emmy, he hardly said five words,” Julia laughed at her cousin’s foolish swooning. “I wouldn’t
recommend you falling for him either, you are nearly eight years younger than him and I know you read novels but in real life men of wealthy families do not make unfortunate matches.”
“Thank you cousin for your warning and if my mind was going that way your warning would be wise but it wasn’t, you can have him.”
“Yes cousin,” Julia gave Emmy a smile a smile as if she didn’t believe her.
Emmy wouldn’t admit it to anyone but secretly and suddenly she did have a crush on Ethan. He
had a gentle smile and was very sweet to everyone. He also didn’t treat any of the Cromwells poorly because they weren’t in the same rank as he was. And this kind behavior would attract any girl to him. But she soon saw the dreary ways Julia spoke of and though he was sweet she also saw they had little in comm with each other. He had no interest in adventure in seeing anything beyond his nose, he even described the hills of Italy ordinary. How could any one describe the hills of Italy as boring or not want to see the Serengeti Plans, she thought.
“In my foolishness, I have dreamt of my first love so long it is no one wonder I lost my head over Ethan,” Emmy wrote in her journal. She realized Julia had changed and she could not share her secret crush to her. “I have had so many almost love. There was Peter but he pushed me in the creek on the fourth of July, when I was nine. Then there was Andrew, Marcus, Robert, and Finley of course they were just sporadic loves it was Patrick Cooper that was my true love and he hardly noticed me. And while I waited patiently for him I had crushes on another Marcus, a John and a William. But William paid more attention to his pet frogs than girls. And while I had all these almost loves, I dreamed of having my own love it was no wonder I took to Ethan who was kind and noticed the way my eyes shined when he read some Keats. But besides Keats Ethan shows a lack of passion I would need. He would actually be perfect for Laurel.”
Emmy was not the only one who noticed Ethan’s attentions to Laurel. Everyone but Laurel noticed the way he looked at her and she seemed to shine in his eyes the way a candle light could light the whole night sky. No one had ever seen Laurel laugh as much as she did when Ethan’s company and her seemed eager to spend time with him and speak to her which was hard since Grandma Danford dominated most of the conversation. It was like watching Mr. Darcy trying to to talk to Elizabeth Bennett while Lady Catherine hardly let any one speak a word but no one could quiet Lady Catherine and no one could quiet Grandma Danford. And even though plainly dressed compared to Julia, it was obvious when Laurel was in the room he cared little for Julia.
“I am happy Laurel takes Mr. Foster off my hands. I would hate to disappoint a man so deeply in love with me,” Julia said almost after two weeks of being there.
“If dear cousin he was so in love with you surely he would not fall for Laurel, so quickly,” Emmy
said almost proud of Laurel snatching Ethan away from Julia.
“I did not mean he was in love with me currently or at any time but he had fallen in love with me, I would hate to disappoint him. My heart could never love a man of that nature.”
“Why do you think so ill of him? He seems nothing but to be a fine man.”
“Yes fine indeed but nothing beyond that.”
“I think you are jealous, my dear cousin.”
“Jealous of Laurel? I have a least twenty suitors. How many has Laurel had? None. Besides as I
said before Mr. Foster is not likely to make such a low match. And we all know you Cromwell girls don’t have two pennies put together.”
For the first time in Emmy’s life she wanted to slug some one. More surprisingly she wanted to slug Julia. She had realized Julia had changed but not so meanly. She now seemed cruel and unfeeling. Emmy could not stand to hear any more of Julia’s chuckles. Emmy picked up her books and walked quickly back to the house. For a minute or two Emmy was surprised that Julia did not follow her but then Emmy was hardened by Julia not following behind to apologize. “She must really feel no remorse for her cruel words,” Emmy thought. Emmy had never felt so low inferior to Julia and Emmy wanted nothing more than to punch that delightful, refined, judgemental face into the ground a make her eat dirt. If Emmy thought she could have gotten away with it with out getting an hour lecture first from Grandma Danford, then a disappointed look from mother, she would have.
Emmy was too wrapped up in her own thoughts she barely realized she had come across Laurel and Ethan strolling through the garden. They were walking closer than Emmy had ever see a man and a woman walk together. When Laurel’s shawl fell over her shoulders Ethan helped place it back up giving a little graze of his finger to her arm. It was casual enough any one far away would not have noticed but Emmy was watching them intently.
“A low match,” Emmy wanted to laugh in Julia’s face obviously Ethan did not think so. Emmy had to get closed she longed to hear what a man would say when declaring his feelings.
“Dear Miss Cromwell thank you for the walk today. Ever since I got her I have wanted to-” Emmy’s heart skipped a beat wondering what Ethan would say next “see these gardens. Your Grandma surprises me being so traditional but yet these woods come right up to the hedges I would never see such things in England.”
“The gardens, that’s what they were talking about and he wasn’t comparing Laurel’s beauty to a
flower, how unromantic,” Emmy thought.
“These woods were my Grandfather’s love. He saw no reason to cut down nature to plant planned out gardens.”
“Well I must say I quite agree the woods look more picturesque than a perfectly trimmed hedge.”
“Yes I agree.”
Emmy could tell Laurel was lying for Laurel hadn’t been in the woods since she was thirteen and
the only reason why she went then was to get Emmy to come home.
“But I don’t get into the woods as much as I would like, I have to stay close to home my mother is absolutely dependent on me, she and I both round the clock health physicians to my Grandmother.”
“That must be a big strain to you.”
“Well Gloria is far too young and I am afraid Emmy doesn’t see much beyond her books and day dreams. I am the only one left.”
“But surely your Grandma must not need you all the time, I think you would do very well in Boston’s society they are such intellectual thinkers to be honest I feel sometimes nervous to be in large groups. Everyone has an opinion and they all seem right.”
“Going to Boston is out of the question,”just like that Laurel made him quiet she hadn’t meant to but she didn’t know what to say.
After a bit he said “Yes I can see your attachment to your family and this house is very strong and I understand why the house is beautiful and your family is so close. I am not close to any one and I am entirely dependent on my aunt.”
“I thought your family owned much of Sussex county,” Laurel said it faster than she could realize it might be rude.
“We do but,” Ethan stammered over his thinking.
“I am sorry Mr. Foster it is not my place to ask,” Laurel wanted to turn away and bury her head in her hands in shame.
“No Laurel,” it was the first time he called her by her first name. “It is all right. I want us to entirely honest with each other.” Laurel had never felt this pain and lightness in her heart all at once. “My family the Fosters do own a great estate by my father was the younger son and has made his profession in the law, my mother was a shop keeper’s daughter and had little money of her own. My father’s family looked down upon the marriage until the very end.”
“Oh Mr. Foster,” Laurel’s heart ached.
“Its all right Miss Cromwell, I have never seen a couple so happy and we never went out food or clothing or happiness. My mother is in a better place now, you know its odd in many ways you look like her,” he stepped close and looked into her eyes “same sweet smile that could light up a room and hair shined in the sun like yours.”
“Oh,” Ethan stepped away from the intimacy of standing close “My uncle inherited everything and a few years ago he died with no heir so he left everything to my aunt, minus the money he promised to educate myself and my siblings. She has all the control of the estate she could leave it all to her pugs if she wanted to.”
“Surely no one can be that selfish.”
“You are too kind Miss Cromwell. Now I will not waste another minute of this glorious day boring you of my Aunt Foster.”
“You are not boring me.”
“That’s sweet of you. Now Miss Cromwell will you show your favorite part of these woods.”
“Like I said Mr. Foster I don’t get out into the woods very much if you really want to know about these woods, I would ask Emmy. She knows every tree and plant.”
“Well then Miss Cromwell lets explore together. These woods remind me of the woods I saw surrounding the ruins of Billington Castle. They go all the way back to the eleventh century, I guess that’s still young comparatively the whole span of European history. But they are so breath taking.”
“My mother has told me stories of her being shown Europe and she loved all the ruins all the way back to the Romans. I hope one day to see the Roman ruins.”
“Well then you shall.”
“Oh no Mr. Foster I said I can’t leave my family.”
“Your sisters won’t always be young.”
“Gloria is only ten and will be in school for some time. Emmy would have to pull her head out of the clouds or books to notice the needs of others. Mother won’t for her into reality as she urges to Emmy to dream.”
“You are a good sister and daughter to sacrifice your dreams to help your dreams to help your family. I hope they know how lucky they are to have you.” Ethan saw a distressed look upon her face. “Let’s not talk about worrisome ordeals, instead lets see if we can find our own buried treasures.” He gave her gentle smile.”
Emmy heard them getting closer and tried to make herself as small as possible. If Laurel had known Emmy had over heard the entire conversation she would say Emmy was intruding and that Emmy was being immature for over hearing. Emmy hated when Laurel called her immature. They passed by with out noticing Emmy but Emmy still didn’t move until she felt certain they were out of ear shot ad not to be noticed.
Fiona was the first to greet Emmy. “Where is everyone its almost time for tea?”
“Mother, do I have my head in a cloud.”
“What?”
“I over heard Laurel tell Mr. Foster I have my head in a cloud and can’t see any one else’s problems.”
“What were you doing over hearing them?”
“I didn’t mean to, I was coming into the gardens and they were walking around and I over heard them and Laurel said she couldn’t leave the house because you were dependent on her and you couldn’t depend on me because I have my cloud. Is that true?”
“You have always been a dreamer like your father. I would not worry about what Laurel says she has placed a burden upon herself.”
“But can I help out more.”
“Yes by telling me where everyone is,” Fiona gave Emmy a hug and a kiss on a cheek.
For part 2 click here
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