Cold and Ash

chapter 22

Alis and I were sitting at the breakfast table together. Miss Caroline hadn't come downstairs yet.

"How did it go?" She asked me with a twinkle in her eyes. I sipped my tea and answered after a moment as I whispered.

"Dreadful," Alis snickered and I gave her a small smile.

"Look at that! That's the first smile I have seen a smile on you since coming here," She said teasing. I didn't say anything and tried not to dwell on the statement too long. I hadn't slept much last night or many nights before that. After the ball, Miss Caroline was even more determined to marry me off. I wondered if she was worried that I would never leave, and that's where her ambition stemmed from. As if sensing my thoughts, Alis said quietly.

"I am her next target," I looked up, intrigued. Alis continued chucking.

"She said so herself that her only regret for not marrying was that she didn't have daughters she could marry off to so many well established and able mannered gentleman," She said mimicking her tone. I started chuckling and she continued.

"Let me guess there was a Mr. Thomas, Mr. Charles and lets not forget her favourite one." She leaned in dramatically. "Mr. Louis!"

"You forgot Mr. Walter- the physician," I said, and she chocked on her tea.

I smiled slightly as I asked, "How do you know him?"

"Mr Louis?" she asked and I nodded. Rolling her eyes, she continued.

"He comes here every week to look at the documents for Miss Caroline. He sits in the drawing room silently, doesn't even speak a full sentence before she bombards him with her comments," Laughing silently, she continued. "He seems so uninterested in anything that she has to say and can't wait before bolting out the door!"  Now I was laughing fully.

"He seems terribly boring by the way. He has spoken barely two words to me every-time we have met," her eyes were flashing with amusement. I smiled while looking at her. She seemed to be getting better. The first week we were here, she was crying every other night thinking of our mother.

"What sort documents does he look at?" I asked suddenly curious.

"The legal sort," She said and then said very quietly.

"I think our cousin is having troubles with her money," I stared at her in astonishment. "Apparently she is losing funds by the second but she still continues to spent extravagantly." At my silence she added.

"May be thats why she wants us to marry well so desperately—so we can repay her kindness," I looked at her in silence. She raised her eyebrows and took a sip of her tea.

"So?" she prompted. I looked up, "I didn't hear what you said," I said apologetically.

"I was saying did you like anyone?" I gulped and shook my head. I didn't think I could ever like anyone anymore.

"Of course how could you?" She said and my eyes snapped to hers, prompting her to say more.

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly, feigning ignorance.

"I heard what Mr. Arthur said to you that night when he left," She said. My cheeks pinked, was she up all night? She rolled her eyes.

"I came down to drink water when I heard him at the door," She finished looking curiously at me.

"And your not mad at me?" I asked.

"For what?" she replied and I didn't say anything.  I didn't even know what I was asking. That was she mad at me for kissing him or for failing to hate him or for taking comfort in him...