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Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"Allie!" Mrs. Treadwell's angry voice rang in the air and carried down into the cellar where Allie was busy reorganizing the dry and canned goods.

She quickly lifted her skirts and ran up the stairs, "What is it, ma'am?" she exclaimed when she reached the kitchen and found Mrs. Treadwell looking quite erratic as she paced the floors with clenched fists and anger flashing in her frigid blue eyes.

"Where is your horrid sister?" Mrs. Treadwell hissed.

Allie was taken aback, "Is there something wrong, ma'am?"

Mrs. Treadwell strode toward her and stuck her finger in her chest, poking to emphasize her words, "Yes, there is something wrong! Your heathen of a sister punched my Peter in the nose!"

Allie blinked several times and rubbed at her aching chest as she allowed that to sink in. She closed her eyes and prayed that there was some kind of mistake. When she opened her eyes Mrs. Treadwell was standing beside the wide kitchen window, "I am terribly sorry, Mrs. Treadwell. It is not in Amelia's nature to be violent.... May I ask what prompted that attack?"

"Are you blaming this on Peter?!" Mrs. Treadwell demanded harshly.

Allie bowed her head respectfully, hoping to appease the angry woman, "I am merely asking to hear the full story."

"The full story is that your sister is a monster. An uncontrollable, brute of a girl....."

"Mrs. Treadwell, with all due respect, please refrain from insulting my eight year old sister. If you must insult someone perhaps you can pick a target more suited for defending themselves," Allie chided.

Mrs. Treadwell clearly did not appreciate Allie's scolding however before the angered woman could speak, Mr. Treadwell's voice filled the kitchen, "She is quite right, my dear. Peter is not an innocent boy as we both well know. His mouth often flies off and says things it should not. Perhaps we should hear the whole story before we judge Amelia and refrain from calling the girl names."

Mrs. Treadwell glared at her husband but nodded as she took several deep breaths and smoothed out her heavy black skirt, "Peter says that she attacked him for no reason before running away."

"Amelia has never before attacked a person for no reason," Allie countered. She knew her sister and Amelia would not have hit anyone without severe provocation. Of course Allie would have to have a talk with her and make her understand that violence was never an appropriate reaction.

"Let us go have a discussion with Ms. Petrey. She will tell us what happened," Mr. Treadwell urged.

Allie followed her employers into the sunshine filled parlor that was used for the children's lessons. Ms. Petrey, a very tall, thin and unattractive woman, was packing her study materials into her leather satchel.

"Ms. Petrey," Mr. Treadwell spoke, "Could you please enlighten us as to the events that occurred today.'

Ms. Petrey pulled her glasses off of her hooked nose and her lips pursed tightly, "All three children need a sound lashing."

Mrs. Treadwell gasped, "Surely you cannot mean that!"

"I do," Ms. Petrey snapped, "Those boys were most cruel and provoked the girl into her heathen reaction. For days they have teased and tormented her and it was only today that she reacted so violently."

"Thank you, Ms. Petrey," Mr. Treadwell tipped his head. Ms. Petrey nodded curtly and strode from the room.

"I will have a long talk with Amelia, I can assure you both. I am so sorry that she had the reaction that she had," Allie offered. She was proud to know that Amelia had only been sticking up for herself but yet scared that this would be enough to have them kicked from this house and the security and money the job would provide.