Theodora's Dragon

Chapter 12 Mathilda

Theodora had slept later than she had intended. And those strange dreams came again, three women in black flew to her on dragon back and burned her to a cinder. Then the dream again and this time she mounted a dragon and flew off with them. The dream was unsettling and the frequency of the dream was increasing. She had more pressing needs than pondering silly dreams. She needed to move quickly if she were going to eat breakfast before starting her planned activities. She was running about her room trying to dress hurriedly. She managed to get her petticoat and red-brown skirt on but her chemise smelt of fish from laying under her work clothes that she had carelessly tossed on it last night, and she needed to do laundry. She put on one of her white blouses, the only clean one, and struggled buttoning the back and leaving it loose and not tucked in hoping no one noticed her lack of underwear. She unbranded her hair and did a cursory brushing. She stubbed her toe on one of her beds posts and was still hopping on one foot as she entered the dining room barefoot and disheveled. Seeing the food was still out she quickly took a plate and piled on fried eggs, sausage, black pudding, buttered toast and melon.

"Good morning Teddie, I see you made it up in time for breakfast."

"Morning Martha," Theodora had to take a moment to swallow as she had taken a large bite of toast even before she had found a seat. "I'm so starving."

"Did you eat anything after your breakfast yesterday?" Martha laughed.

"Some pretzels."

"You have a guest this morning."

"Who would want to see me?"

"David's mother, Abby."

"Oh god!" Theodora whispered. "Could I please use the private dining room, and please give her a plate. Tell her I'm buying."

Theodora waited in the private dining room for Abby. She tried to eat slowly with good manners, but her hands were shaking in anticipation of their meeting. Abby walked in carrying a plate with a single piece of toast with jam and a cup of tea and sat across from Theodora. David's parents had never been overly fond of Theodora.

"I wanted to thank you for the letter you wrote us about David. Apparently you left a lot of detail out."

"I thought I included all the pertinent parts Abby."

"I'm not sure how to say this Teddie, but you have always been a bit eccentric and wild. That appears not to have changed," she said staring disapprovingly at Theodora's brightly colored skirt, partially misbuttoned blouse and loose wild hair. Theodora was positive she noticed her lack of undergarments. "And some of the things I heard last night have me worried."

"What do you mean?"

"First of all your running off with my son. You were how old, fifteen I believe," she hissed.

"I ran off with my brother, David was with Billy."

"What happened to Billy?"

"He died protecting me."

"You slept together."

"We 'slept'. The mine was a living hell. David protected me the best he could. I love him Abby."

"So he didn't have sex with you, is that what you would have me believe?"

"He was always gentle and treated me like a little sister."

"You said you argued when you asked him to make love with you."

"Yes, that was not one of my finest moments. David wanted to wait until we could be married."