The Arrogance of Elegance

Part the Eighteenth

The children were antsy to get out over the next few days. Not to mention they were stuck inside doing the same stuff, reading the same books, day after day. And I wanted to do something about it. After all, I missed out on most of the children's lives over the years and wanted to treat them with something.

After much begging, I was able to convince Marjorie to let me take her children out shopping. I had a few ideas such as getting Anne a new coat (hers was getting short on her arms), Daniel and Lucy Hannah a toy, and maybe even get Little John a book to read— also one for myself. Maybe two.

We walked down the paved streets of London, Lucy Hannah holding my hand. Little John and Daniel were walking together in the front while Anne was in between the boys and me. Anne pulled the sleeve of her coat to try and cover her wrists before looking longingly in the window of a passing store. I saw what she was looking at and smiled. It was a mustard-colored bonnet and I knew she would look absolutely precious in it.

"Let's go, girls," I said, stopping at the door of the store before turning to the boys to hand them a few coins. "You two can go and get some candy for you and your sisters next door."

The boys ran off excitedly before I turned to the girls to beckon them inside the shop. I was soon surrounded by fabric and bonnets and my nieces in awe.

"You want that bonnet in the window?" I asked, looking at my niece.  She looked at me eyes widened.

"It wouldn't be wise," Anne said looking at me.

"Why ever not?" I asked, confused.

"Well, it's for an adult and I wouldn't be able to wear it for a long time," she replied honestly. I hadn't thought about it.

"I'm sure they have some in your size," I stated, looking around for an attendant.

"But I would only get to wear it for a short bit of time," Anne countered thoughtfully. "I think it'd be best if I waited."

I looked at my eight-year-old niece in awe. She was so wise and practical, thinking about the future instead of her wants. And here I was, ready to buy anything and everything just because I liked it.

"When did you become so wise?" I asked earnestly as I saw the weight of financial stress on her young shoulders. "Would you rather get a book with Little John?"

"Yes," Anne said with a small smile. "Thank you, Aunt Delly."

As we left the shop, I looked back at the bonnet wishing the girl could have something as beautiful as that. I wondered if she would regret it later. I looked at my eldest niece and saw that she didn't look back at all.

The book store was much larger than what we had in Taunton. I was surrounded by the smell of paper and the anticipation of a new story. It was overwhelmingly wonderful. I scoured the tall bookshelves the children towed behind me as they stared in awe at the towering amounts of books.

"If you see anything you'd like, let me know," I said assigning Little John and Daniel to go off together. Anne and Lucy Hannah could stay with me as we looked together.

I was automatically drawn to the philosophy section, but I only wanted to check shortly since I knew the girls wouldn't be quite as interested as me.

"One moment, girls," I stated, looking over my shoulder as I neared the shelf. "I'll look at something more interesting soon."

I scoured the shelf for anything that sounded interesting or appealed to me. I reached for a book for a moment before pausing. For some reason, I was thinking about little Anne and her wise words. Though I knew books were practical for the most part, I found her honest awareness of what was to be spent admirable. And then I thought of the times I feigned that I cared about wise-spending when in reality it wasn't true. I loved to buy books, bonnets, and Spencer Jackets.  Those were my favorite things and I had many. Yet Anne didn't let me buy it for her when she had little.