Molly-Jane Walter

Chapter Eleven

"Laura! Oh my goodness!" I gasp, running to embrace her. She hugged me tightly and laughed. She pulled back and held my hands in hers. "Well look at you!" She gasped. "Give me a turn, let me see your figure," Laura told me. I spun around, laughing. "Oh, Molly, you are just as beautiful as you were when you were a child." Laura grinned. "Let me introduce my husband, Robert, my daughter, Susan, and my son, Jack." Robert kissed my hand gently, while Susan and Jack gave me tiny waves and shy smiles. "I am delighted to meet you all!" I exclaim, embracing the children with warm hugs. They wrapped their arms tightly around me. "How did you know where I was, Laura?" I ask, puzzled. Laura laughed. "Oh, I've known Mrs. Harding for many, MANY years." She exclaimed as Mrs. Harding nodded. "We met when Laura was hired by my mother to work as a servant many years before I had met my husband and had children." Mrs. Harding added and smiled warmly at Laura. "Oh, I AM delighted you are here!" I exclaim. "Gilbert," I call, reaching my hand out to him. He took it, and flashed a cheeky grin at Laura and her family. "Laura, Robert, Susan, Jack, this is Gilbert, and his two very adorable sisters, Charlotte and Lillian." I pointed at the girls, identifying to Laura and her family which girl belonged to which name. "I'm pleased to meet you all." She smiled, as her family also nodded and smiled. "Tell me, what brings you here?" I ask, signalling that we should all sit. "Well, I thought I'd come and pay you a visit. I hadn't seen you since you were just a little girl, and I wanted to come and see how you were doing. Of course, it took me a good couple of months to discover you were staying with Mrs. Harding and her family." Laura said. I nod in understanding. "Why, we've got so much to catch up on. Why don't we go for a walk by the lake until lunch is served?" I ask Laura, who nodded enthusiastically. Gilbert told me he would come and fetch us once lunch was served, to which Laura smiled and thanked him. Once his back was turned, she grinned at me like the Cheshire cat himself. "Shhh!" I whisper-laugh. Once we were outside and far enough away that no one could hear us, Laura demanded details. "Details on what?" I ask, clueless as to what she wanted to know. "You and that young man seem VERY smitten indeed." Laura wiggled her eyebrows, making me laugh. "Well..." I say, raising my left hand to show her my ring. "Oh! Oh, Molly!" Laura cried gleefully. I laugh. "Well when's the wedding then?" She questioned. "That's the thing..." I trail off, frowning. "What is it?" Laura asked gently. "Gilbert's mother approves...but, well, his father is trying to marry him off to Miss Doyle...he doesn't know that Gilbert and I fancy each other, nor that we are engaged..." I admit. Laura frowned. "Was that her in there? Miss Doyle I mean, was that her inside?" Laura asked, her frown deepened. "Was she staring daggers at me?" I ask, and Laura nodded. "Then yes, that was her. For unknown reasons, she absolutely hates me." I sigh. "She can hate you all she likes, but she won't ever win the heart of THAT young man. He's so smitten with you, that I highly doubt ANYTHING would be able to turn his head away from you." Laura laughed. I shake my head, smiling. "Laura, you cannot mention this around Miss Doyle, her family, OR Gilbert's father, alright? I simply cannot imagine things would go so well..." I trail off. Laura nodded. "I understand. We'll work this out, Molly. I promise." She laughed. "I'm so proud of you. You're educated, you're employed, and you're in love and about to get married!" Laura sighed happily, making me laugh. "So," She continued, "Tell me the WHOLE story! And don't leave out a single detail!" Laura gushed. "Very well then, but I'm afraid it is quite a long story indeed." And so I begin to tell her the story of how Gilbert and I had met, how we had fallen in love and everything that had happened since.

Halfway through telling Laura about my adventure in the river, Gilbert came out to tell us that lunch was being served. Taking his hand, Gilbert led Laura and I to the dining room. Laura was positively shocked about the man with the gun. "And he really...he put a gun to your HEAD?!" She asked in horror. Gilbert and I nodded. Laura shuddered. "Well," She said, "I'm glad that's all over and that you're both safe." She said firmly. "And good on you for saving my Molly, Gilbert." Laura praised him, to which Gilbert smiled and ducked his head. We made our way to the dining room, and I take my place next to Gilbert while Laura sat opposite me, leaving Miss Doyle next to Charlotte and Lillian. She didn't look very happy about that. Lunch was a pleasant affair, to which everyone was talking and laughing...except for Miss Doyle. She seemed intent on talking only to Mrs. Harding, and Mrs. Harding, although smiling tightly, seemed very unhappy with whatever it was Miss Doyle was saying to her. I nudge Gilbert, and motion for him and Laura to look over at Mrs. Harding. Miss Doyle didn't notice when Mrs. Harding rolled her eyes, making the three of us laugh quietly. This alerted the attention of Mr. Harding, however, he only raised an eyebrow with an amused expression on his face.