The life of Eve De La Cruz

Chapter Four

May 1913

During daylight hours, Eve decides to get Mary out of the house by taking her to the village. After arriving, Mary and Eve saw that the fair was in the final stages of being set up. They stopped and watched it being set up when Anna approached them.

"Good day, Miladies," Anna greeted them before asking, "Is Her Ladyship all right? Has she recovered from...?"

"If you think she'll ever recover from carrying the body of Mr. Pamuk from one side of the house to the other, then you don't know her at all," Mary replied as she, Anna, and Eve turned and walked away.

"Well, I didn't mean recover, exactly, just...get past it," Anna reworded her question.

"She won't do that either. When she dies, they'll cut her open and find it engraved on her heart," She told Anna.

"What about you? What about your heart?" Anna asked.

"Haven't you heard? I don't have a heart. Everyone knows that," Mary said.

"Not me, Milady."

"Nor I," Eve said, "You do have a heart, Mary. You just chose not to wear it on your sleeve."

A bit later that day, Eve was in the kitchen helping Mrs. Patmore before joining her cousins and aunt. Anna walks into the kitchen, wiping her nose with a handkerchief.

"You've got a cold. I want you out of here," Mrs. Patmore told her.

Mrs. Hughes walks into the kitchen, "Anna, there you are. You know I'm out tonight because I don't want to come home to any surprises."

"That'll be the day," Mrs. Patmore laughed.

"We thought we might go to the fair later," Anna said to Mrs. Huges before turning to Daisy, "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Daisy?

"You ought to go," Mrs. Patmore told Daisy, "She's been that down in the mouth since the death of poor Mr. Pamuk."

"Don't say that," Daisy told Mrs. Patmore.

"She has."

"We could all walk down together after the service dinner if that's okay," Anna said before she sneezed.

"You won't be walking anywhere. She's got minutes to live by the sound of it," Mrs. Patmore said.

"Go to bed at once," Mrs. Huges said to Anna.

"Yes, Mrs. Hughes," Anna replied.

"I'll stop by and check on you later, Anna," Eve said before Anna left the kitchen.

"Right, if there's anything you want to ask me, it'll need to be before I go."

"What would I want to ask you?" Mrs. Patmore asked Mrs. Huges, "I'm preparing a meal for Lord and Lady Grantham and the girls. No one is visiting. No one is staying."

"Well...that's settled, then," Mrs. Huges said before leaving the kitchen and going on with her tasks.

A bit later that day, in the village, Sybil, Edith, and Cora walked towards the car where Branson waited.

"Why are Sybil and Eve having a new dress and not me?" Edith asked.

"Because it's their turn," Cora told her.

"Can it be our choice this time?" Sybil asked.

"Please, Aunt Cora," Eve insisted.

"Of course, darling. As long as you choose what I choose," Cora replied before informing Tom Branson, the new Chauffer, as they reached the car, "Branson, you'll be taking Lady Sybil and Eve to Ripon tomorrow. They'll be leaving after luncheon."