A Maid Without Memory

The Bonnet

After their highly inappropriate, yet highly enjoyable reenactments of a few more childhood games, the two girls spent a considerable amount of time stuffing Abigail's dresses into her trunk, enlisting Mrs. Mayes to cram in the last bits of fabric. Then they hurried downstairs, Sally to make sure the carriage arrangements were to Miss and Mrs. Hampton's liking, and Abigail to make sure her mother was ready to go.

"We cannot leave yet, Abigail. I have not found my favorite bonnet and I will not leave without it. It is most essential to calming my nerves, which have been on high alert planning your wedding. Of course I have greatly enjoyed doing so, it is all I have wished for you since you were born, but it is still quite an undertaking."

Abigail's mother had been talking of having her daughter wed as long as she could remember, but the inability to find her favorite bonnet, the one she usually left hanging prominently on her wardrobe, showed her mother had more concerns about her only child leaving home than she revealed.

"Let me help you look, mother," she sighed. They went upstairs and Abigail found it hidden under a chair by the vanity.

"Oh thank you, dear child. Alright, now best to be off before we need to extend our travel another day." Mrs. Hampton turned away as she spoke, refusing to let her daughter see the tears in her eyes. "Where is that incompetent maid of yours? She must bring down my bags. Celia is to assist me down the stairs."

Abigail turned to Mrs. Mayes, who had entered the room not a moment ago. "Will you please fetch Sally, Mrs. Mayes?"

"Right away, Miss Hampton." Mrs. Mayes hurried down the stairs to find her foster daughter.

Sally quickly rushed up to help Mrs. Hampton after Mrs. Mayes alerted her to the situation. She grabbed the two very large trunks after carefully hanging the bonnet left on top of the trunks on her right arm. She hurried down the steps. "Here Reggie, Mrs. Hampton's bags," she said, turning to one of the footmen, who happened to be her foster brother, and Mrs. Mayes son.

"Dear me, she seems to have found a way to fit even more clothes in here than last time."

"I suspect the fires will be completely obstructed from view by all the Hampton dresses when we arrive."

Reggie laughed at her remark. "I suspect you are right, Sally."

Sally gave him a quick smile and a nod and turned on her heel to leave when she heard a loud crack from behind her.

"Oh dear."