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Part 2
Family
Drusilla peered out the window of the coach as it rolled past the sturdy
stone wall that surrounded her uncle's house and lands. As the coach continued
up the drive, she surveyed the house that drew nearer with each passing second.
It was larger than her family's had been. Much larger. Built of heavy grey
stone, it's walls loomed before them, the windows creating boxes of light
in the dark stone. Unlike her family's house in the city it was surrounded
by acres of land, all of which was enclosed in the wall she had passed a
moment before. She felt herself shrinking under the self-importance of the
house and lands.
For the fiftieth time she wished that there was some other way. Some other
place they could go to. Some place where she could be sure that their welcome
was not forced. But there was nowhere else. The coach rolled to a stop in
front of the house, Drusilla's cue to gather up the children and disembark.
With a sigh she dragged her tired body forward. She felt like every inch
of her had been beaten with a very large stick. The men had wanted to ask
her about the murder, and it had not gone well. Her cheeks still burned as
she remembered the naked disbelief in their eyes. But she could not change
her story, she knew what she had seen. And they could not believe her.
It had taken only two days for her uncle to respond to the news that his
brother and sister-in-law were dead. It had taken two more to pack everything
that Drusilla and her small family would need in their new home. Then she
and the little ones were stuffed into a coach, and their belongings were
to be sent after them a few days later.
It seemed like years that they had been riding in the coach. Standing on
her own two feet, Drusilla felt strange without the sway of the vehicle,
the pounding of the horses hooves and the scenery that swiftly flicked by
her window. How long had it really been? Just a little over 12 hours she
supposed. Not even a full day. And how long had it been since she had watched
her mother die. A little less than a week. Drusilla shuddered, fighting back
the urge to scream or cry or vomit. Anything to purge the grief that weighed
heavy on her soul. But one glance at her two tiny charges strengthened her
resolve. She had to take care of them. They needed her. And as long as they
needed her she was determined to be there for them.
Drusilla stood in front of her uncle's house, Julianne hanging on her skirts,
Michael in her arms. She felt like a beggar, a refugee. She was here to impose
on the kindness of a relation whose ties of blood forced him to take her
in. For a moment she wished she had not dismissed the nanny a few days earlier.
At least then she would have someone to stand beside her. Someone to make
her feel she had some control over the chaos that had become her life. With
a sigh she carried herself, and her siblings forward. Lurching into motion
she walked up the front steps, across the porch, and with a raised fist she
was pounding on the door. She waited, staring sullenly at the heavy oak that
barred her way. Then she raised her fist and knocked again.
The sound of feet scurrying informed her that there was indeed someone inside.
And in a few moments the door swung open to reveal the tall figure of what
Dru assumed could only be the butler. She opened her mouth to announce her
name but before she could speak the butler was pushed aside. He was replaced
by a rosy cheeked woman, with a wide smile on her face. She was plump, and
not very tall. Her face was plain, but she exuded an overwhelming cheerfulness;
and Dru found her lips stretching into a smile despite herself. *Is this
the maid?* she wondered. *A house so grand would surely have a maid. But
how bold of her to push her way here.*
She realized that she was staring rudely and opened her mouth again to speak.
But the woman jumped in quickly, before Drusilla could make a sound.
"Come in dear," the woman told her. "Come in, bring the little ones." Drusilla
entered the house cautiously, not sure exactly what she was afraid of. "Come
have a seat," the cheerful woman continued. She led the way into a well appointed
sitting room and offered the three children a seat on the couch which overflowed
with cushions. "You must be exhausted," she continued. "After that coach
ride, and all the tragedy you three have been through...hungry too. Well
we can fix that," she said. "Trudy bring us our tea," she shouted. With barely
a pause she continued to shout. 'Robert get down here, and you too Jake...they're
here." She turned to Drusilla, an apologetic look on her face. "They're not
usually this bad...but they were so excited about you coming and now they're
nervous." Dru smiled as the chubby woman broke into a boisterous laugh. It
was hard to stay glum in the face of such happiness.
*Well, she's definitely not the maid,* Drusilla decided. *From the way she's
ordering everyone around she must be Aunt Mabel. It's been so long since
I last saw her, I barely remember.*
"There's the tea," Aunt Mabel said as the maid entered carrying a heavy-laden
tray. Julianne and Drusilla looked at the food with anticipation. Their mouths
almost hanging open hungrily. Their aunt placed a scone on each of their
plates and poured them each a cup of steaming hot tea. "We won't wait for
the boys," she said conspiratorially. "You go ahead and eat."
"Thank you," Julianne chirped, before setting to work on the pastry. Drusilla
reached forward for her tea, attempting to juggle both Michael and the steaming
liquid.
"Oh dear," the older woman said. '"Where are my manners? You sitting there
with a resting baby and I say nary a word." In the blink of an eye, Drusilla
saw Trudy return to take the baby away. She felt empty without the soft body
in her hands, but it was also a relief to be rid of the heavy responsibility
for a while. She breathed in deeply, loving the warm smell of the food, and
then she was digging in along with her sister.
She had just stuffed a bite of the scone into her mouth when her uncle and
cousin entered the sitting room. Her uncle was older than she remembered,
his dark hair sprinkled with grey. He seemed smaller too. *Of course, he
seemed huge when I was 6.* He was a thin man, muscular and he moved with
an easy languor that bespoke a refined upbringing. Next to him stood their
cousin, Jake. He was a tiny copy of his father, his dark hair slicked back,
his eyes a little apprehensive. Although he was young, seeming to be about
Julianne's age, he wore black breeches and a black waistcoat almost identical
to his father's. *Of course,* Drusilla realized. *They were all in
mourning.*
Drusilla rose to her feet, motioning for Julianne to do the same as her uncle
approached her, hand outstretched. He greeted her with a warm smile that
touched the corners of his dark eyes and a firm handshake.
"My dear, you are very welcome in this house," he said in a voice that was
for her ears alone. "You and your brother and sister."
Then he moved to Julianne and gravely shook hands with her as well. Drusilla
knelt down to put herself at Jake's eye level. He stared at her seriously
for a moment, then his small arms wrapped around her neck in a surprisingly
strong hug. Drusilla felt herself smiling. Her doubts were unfounded. She
was welcome here. She felt her heart swell and had to fight back tears for
the thousandth time this week. This time though, they were tears of relief
and joy.
* * * * * *
Drusilla stopped to look at herself in the mirror that hung in the hallway,
just before the stairs. She was wearing black, she was still in mourning.
But the dress was new, and in her closet hung several more new dresses that
her Aunt had given her. She smoothed the soft fabric with her hand, and smiled
tentatively at the girl in the mirror. Then she touched her hair lightly,
making sure it would stay in place, before she hurried down the stairs.
Jake was already in the foyer, waiting impatiently for everyone else to be
ready. He was practically bouncing out of his skin in his excitement.
"Just wait until you see the park, Dru," he said when he saw her finish her
descent down the stairs. "They have a pond...and ducks!" Drusilla smiled
at the younger boy's excitement. The grounds around the house were so beautiful,
she had been surprised when her aunt and uncle suggested a trip to visit
the Smith estate a few miles up the road. The grounds were open to the public.
But seeing Jake's enthusiasm for the ducks, she began to understand. They
had horses, dogs, and cats on their own grounds...but no ducks.
"Do you think we'll feed the ducks?" she asked, crouching down to put herself
at his eye level. Her habit of putting herself at his eye level had won Jake's
heart forever. It made him feel more grown-up when he didn't have to look
up and up to the person he spoke with.
"Look," he said, brandishing a basket in front of her.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"For feeding the ducks," he explained, pulling out a piece of bread. Drusilla
grinned. The two of them glanced up as they heard someone jumping down the
stairs. "Julie," Jake exclaimed, using the nickname they had adopted for
the younger girl. "We're going to feed the ducks!"
"Ducks, Dru!" Julianne nearly shouted happily.
"That's right," Uncle Robert called as he stepped down into the foyer, closely
followed by his wife. "We're going to have a picnic too." Julianne clapped
her hands in delight, her eyes shining with excitement. Drusilla smiled up
at her uncle and got to her feet.
It had only been a few weeks since they had first arrived, but Drusilla already
felt like she was part of the family. They treated her like she was their
own daughter, rather than a charity case. She had quickly learned that although
Robert and Mabel had more money than her own family had, they retained none
of the conceit or formality that usually accompanied wealth. Mabel wasn't
afraid to get her hands dirty helping in the kitchen or digging in her numerous
gardens. Robert would always lend a hand if something needed repairing, or
one of the horses was sick. And Jake was as sweet as could be, letting Julie
use his toys, never angry that his place as only child had been usurped by
Dru and her siblings.
Dru was happier than she would have thought was possible. Surrounded by her
new family's love, she could feel herself letting go of the pain. And if
Julianne was quieter than she used to be. And if Michael would cry when he
was left alone in the dark, if he screamed for his mother whenever Dru left
him. And if Drusilla herself woke up almost every night covered in sweat,
shaking with fear as she lived her mother's death again in her nightmares...well
it was to be expected. She could not deny what they had been through, and
she didn't know if she would ever fully recover. But looking at the smiling
faces around her, she had hope.
CONTINUES