Book I: Burnt Bliss [BoyxBoy]

Chapter 6: Power Play

18 February, 1666

Later to-day I am to do more work for the business and I dread it. All those numbers, so boring! I wish Mother and Father would let Lily do this, as she is actually very goode with Mathematics and Logic. Despite her obvious talent, they find her taking any part in the Accounting of their Trade business as "improper".

Instead, we must fit their mold. I am to run numbers and Lily has her new Governess starting soon, Violet. She shall teach her Accomplishments with music and sewing and the like. She had a Governess before, Meg, whom she got on with quite well, but has recently left and I am un-sure as to why.

Violent's lessons are to make Lily a proper young lady and in a few short yeares, a wife. While she wishes to marry one day, she has said to me numerous times she wants to pick a man who values her mind. Besides, I know she de-spises such fussy things as sewing.

I hate seeing her being held back by Father's way of thinking. Mother isn't any better since she just agrees with him. I have no idea how all this accounting business even works. Father keeps telling me how well I'd do with it. But I have no mind for numbers. I grow restless and learn nothing. I don't understand why they re-fuse to see it.

~*~

"Father?"

Lily's confident voice seemed to awaken the living room. It was previously hushed by a large, crackling fireplace and the low talking with Francis once again trying to explain to Will the arithmetic that went into their business dealings.

But now Lily stood before Francis, staring at him even before he looked up at her. "Can't I help with the new account too?" she asked, gesturing to Will who sat frowning over the work at a small table, desperately lost in a sea of numbers.

Francis sighed and shook his head as he stared up at his daughter. "Come now, there's no need to concern yourself with such things." he waved his hand away. "Wouldn't you be happier with something else?"

"Not...especially." Lily frowned, then looked at the only other woman in the room, seeking validation.

"Mother, can't I?" she begged, pointing at Will again. "Please?"

Margaret looked sympathetically at her daughter, but grew wary when she saw her husband. She was torn. Her eyes scanned the room uncomfortably before she deflected her daughter's pleas.

Margaret tilted her head slightly. "Darling, isn't Violet coming soon? You wouldn't want to be late for her on her first day, would you?" she asked, slightly shaking her head as she spoke.

"No, I wouldn't." Lily replied with a disappointed sigh.

"Besides," Margaret glanced at the nearby Grandfather clock. "it's nearly three-thirty. I assume you'd like to make a good first impression?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I imagine you'd like me to change." Lily replied.

"Well, there's a good girl." Margaret approved with a bright smile.

Lily sighed and turned from the room, snatching up her sampler on the way out.

Will watched his sister leave, and sighed. He knew nothing about this work, and hated how mind-numbingly boring it was. But for some reason, she loved it. 

"Now then, we should--" Francis paused for a moment, shuffling around his papers. "I--I forgot that book, with the red cover. Bring it here, yes? It's on my desk."

"All right." Will agreed as he got to his feet, relieved to spend a second away from this mathematical nonsense.

After entering his father's study and picking up the correct leather-bound book, Will notice a large paper on the desk, and happened to see his name written on the top.