The Swan in the Water

Chapter Four

A month has passed and moved deeper into winter. It hasn't snowed since that first week and Liana could swear that it's gotten warmer here. As time went on, sometimes Liana would forget about her parents' death but other times, she dwelled on it too much and it ripped her soul apart. Then Liana remembered that if her parents never died, she never would have known that she had an aunt. Liana then wondered what could have happened between her aunt and her mother. She remembered her mother to be very well tempered. Aunt Darcy, on the other hand, keeps up a protective wall, not allowing anyone through. Her father was also very sweet and there isn't an uncle to compare. Then Liana paused on that thought. Liana didn't know how old Aunt Darcy was but judging that her mother was about 40, she had to be close. Liana would judge on looks but, alas, she doesn't know what her aunt's face looks like. Why wasn't Aunt Darcy married? Liana then gave up on trying to figure that out and continued her day.

"Liana, you look more distracted than usual." Liana looked up from her lunch to dazed at Aunt Darcy.

"I beg your pardon?" Aunt Darcy sighed.

"Never mind," she said. "At least you're eating. Before you would merely scrape around the food." Liana rose an eyebrow, still wondering how her aunt was able to eat anything at all. Did it not bother her that her sister and brother-in-law died? Liana decided on to dwell on it. After lunch, Liana found herself wandering the library for her aunt wasn't in there. As Liana grazed through the stacks, she found Charles returning books to their respective shelves.

"Hello, Charles," Liana greeted with a smile. Charles smiled back.

"Hello, Miss Liana, not skating today?"

"No," she sighed, "I decided to stay indoors today. Read a little." Charles chuckled.

"Well, Madame Atkins has plenty of books to chose from." Liana hummed in thought.

"Speaking of my Aunt Darcy," Liana started, "why isn't there a Mr. Atkins? Or a Mr. Something?" Charles grimaced at the question.

"Um, well. I don't know the exact reason."

"Really?" Liana asked skeptically. "You seem to know everything else. Is it because Aunt Darcy isn't...you know," Liana gestured to all of her face, "appealing to look at?" That would explain the impossible to see-through veil but Charles just laughed.

"Oh, no. Not at all. She's very beautiful, as if she was an lovely angel that descended from heaven. She's very pleasing to look at."

"If that's the case, why isn't she married?" Liana questioned.

"One of my theories is that maybe she just intimidates men," Charles shrugged.

"How so?"

"Madame Atkins is very well educated," Charles explained, "Probably more educated than any man you'll meet. She probably would have learned forever if her parents didn't die. She was about twenty-four when she inherited the estate."

"Wait," Liana said, "that's makes Aunt Darcy about thirty-four years old, correct?"

"Correct," Charles said with a nod. "At the time, she probably terrified men. Being gorgeous and highly intelligent can prevent you from getting married."

"You praise Aunt Darcy a lot," Liana pointed out. Charles started stuttering and his cheeks were glowing a soft red.

"Um, well, I think very highly of Madame Atkins," he explained. "She's a force to be reckon with."

"She doesn't seem to intimidate you, Charles," Liana said, pulling a book from the shelves and flipping through it.

"I've known her for a very long time, Miss Liana. Besides, as a servant, women of her status always intimidate us but she treats us very well here." Liana nodded.