The Beginning of the end (WIP)

Chapter 3

When the sun was low in the sky and the birds were just starting their songs Lorena crept out of the room, taking her sketch book and a pencil. She went to the back of the house, the porch off of it that faced the sun in the morning. As she sat there with her knees up the her chest, her book opened out on front of her, she was thinking, waiting for inspiration to come, but she found mind being drawn back to the man she had met the night before.

Aaron Ryder, the thoughtful, quiet new man.

She had never met anyone that asked what you were thinking or said things that really mattered, or sounded poetic. But she had also never gone out of her way to meet new gentlemen and talk to them ask them questions about things that they cared about. Her parents weren't pushing her to get married anytime soon, they were fine with her just taking things slow and still enjoying her childhood. But they strongly encouraged Nora to start settling down and finding a man who could take care of her through the rest of her life, but Nora wasn't too keen on that idea, she still wanted to be young and free, she didn't want to have to start hosting dinner parties and having to hire new house help and the what-not.

Maybe Nora would think about Aaron as a suitable husband, the thought didn't sit too well with Lorena. A breeze came and blew a few stray hairs from her braid away, and the skirt of her night gown rustled. There was a golden haze over the whole world, the dew was heavy and it was warm, the sun heating up the wood on the porch and warming up the town. The sounds of hoofbeats on the roads as there was food being delivered to the cafes and the little shops along the street.

The sounds of the quieter part town waking up, there was shuffling in the kitchen, Lorena could hear through the open window, some clattering and humming. The cook most likely had been working all breakfast morning and the kitchen maid just came in. They had a couple of their staff from Andover come with them to London, a maid, the cook, and one of the stable hands. They were a fairly self sufficient family, not needing much help. Lorena wondered of a day where she wouldn't need any help and she could do everything herself, think of all of the money there wouldn't be spent. Maybe she could spend some time in the kitchen helping Mrs. Leery with meal preparation, help Mary with some of the chores, but Lorena had a feeling that Mary would get quite awkward if Lorena just came in one day and said to let her help. But she didn't find anything wrong with wanting to find some independence, having to rely on someone was something that Lorena didn't like.

She tried to draw a couple sketching of plants but she wasn't feeling particularly inspired to draw, so she stood up, closing her book with the pencil inside and opened the door, making sure not to close it too heavily and wake up anyone.

When she came to their shared bedroom Nora was still asleep, Lorena put her small sketch book in one of her drawers and went to get a dress, she didn't feel like wearing anything to extravagant today after having to wear a fancy dress all the night before, she tried to keep her steps silent as to not wake Nora, who was a fairly light sleeper. But she never noticed Lorena being out and about before anybody else. Maybe someday she would sleep in late, but she appreciated the early morning quiet and solitude.

Maybe should would be able to read her novel a while before breakfast was served. A few years ago she learned that is wasn't very polite to come into the kitchen too early looking for something to eat before Mrs. Leery had breakfast ready.

When she was in school she had to read all of the old ancient books that her teachers gave her, but she preferred newer published books. She was looking forward to going home to her own home in just one month, maybe meeting new people was jun for some people, but maybe that wasn't for her.

According to the clock on the wall it was an hour and a half before her family would be ready to eat breakfast, an hour before Nora would start to wake up, and probably want to ask her about last night, unless Lorena would be lucky and she would forget all about it. And it wasn't as if she would ever meet that man again, he was saying how his father was planning on moving again, and if they stayed in London, Lorena's own family would be leaving shortly.

By the time Nora had woken the house was showing signs of life, the kitchen had noise coming from it and there were footsteps past the door, Lorena herself had been dozing off for a bit but she had read a large bit of her novel.

Nora rolled over to face her and opened her eyes, it should not be allowed to look nice when you wake up in the morning, but Nora just looked sleepy, but well rested. she pulled her blankets away and sat up.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked her voice full of sleep, but she was smiling.

"Oh quite some time now." Lorena said as she herself climbed out of bed. She set her book the the bedside table and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Aren't you tired from last night?" Nora asks, putting her robe on and sitting in front of the mirror to brush through her long dark hair. "I am absolutely exhausted, Fredrick insisted on dancing all night long, my feet are aching!" She said, she knew that Lorena had no idea who Fredrick was and Lorena had the feeling that if she asked, then Nora would ask about Aaron.

"Well it sounds like you enjoyed yourself." Lorena said smiling and going to dress.

"Yes, did you meet anyone new last night?" Nora asked, a glance in the mirror to Lorena as she continued to brush her hair. 

"Well you know, you can't go to a party and not meet anyone new." She chuckled, sure that Nora wouldn't want to be caught prying but her curiosity would get the better of her eventually.

"You were standing by the wall the whole night, but for a while you weren't there, maybe there was just too many people there I might've just misplaced you." She laughed, but looked at Lorena with determination in her eyes.

"I got a bit of a headache, and went for a small bit of a walk." She said, not meeting her eyes in the mirror. So she occupied herself with dressing, pulling on her stocking, fastening her dress.

"Did anyone accompany you?" Nora asked, fully aware of the answer, but she apparently just enjoyed seeing Lorena squirm. 

"Well I guess that doesn't matter now does it?" Lorena asked, now meeting her eyes and walked out the room. She could hear Nora's sigh from inside as she went to the dining room, her parents were already there, her father with the newspaper and her mother with a few letters.

Lorena took one of the plates and put some fruit and a scone on it before getting her tea on the table. She sat down at the table and her father smiled at her before looking back down at the paper.

"Good morning dear," her mother said brightly, "are you having a pleasant day so far?" She asked skimming over the words on the page before setting it down on the table and giving Lorena her full attention.

"Yes I am so far, how is your's?" She asked as she took a sip of tea.

"Oh it's quite fine." She said picking her letter back up, conversation over.