The Ember In The Storm

Part V

  Breakfast had been served and ready early enough, which left Scarlet and Elizabeth with half an hour before the Andersons would make their way downstairs.

"Splendid!" Scarlet praised, fixing her apron and neckerchief before facing Elizabeth who had been drooling down at the food.

"I have never seen this much food in one place my whole life. They all eat this?" Elizabeth spoke, absolutely flabbergasted. The rounded table held enough dishes and pastries to feed the whole farm. The dining table was barely large enough to fit six people, it was the private family breakfast table, yet the food looked like it was for a dozen.

How was it that they all— except Senior Anderson— maintained such healthy bodies? All that brawniness despite their gluttonous meals. How was it possible?

Most especially for Jackson, Elizabeth thought at the back of her mind, taking in a gulp.

"Of course not. They barely eat half," Scarlet laughed. "We throw whatever remains away or give it to the animals that can eat it. Senior Anderson just loves the diversity of food on the table."

"Why not give it to the workers instead? It would be enough. We barely have breakfast," she walked to the kitchen, grabbing a large dish and filling it with as many muffins as she could.

"You can not do that. That will not be tolerated by the Master," Scarlet ran after her. The words bounced right off Elizabeth. "He will be angered by this."

"He can go shove his anger where the sun won't shine for us all to not see it."

Scarlets face turned strawberry from her words. "Sorry," Elizabeth scrunched her face.

"My Lady, you just can not do that. The Lords do not do that".

"Exactly, I am no Lord," she retorted, walking past her and out of the mansion, running towards the small crowd of workers across the land, holding the dish firmly in her hands.

Michael, Elizabeth's brother was the first to notice his sister, shouting her name with glee as she ran towards them with the same and more joy.

"Elizabeth!" He shouted hurrying to her with warm hugs, she soon pulled back to hand him a muffin. She handed them all one.

"And why are you up so early?" Elizabeth squeezed Michaels cheek. He wasn't always an early riser. He usually woke up at ten o'clock.

"The work has been extra on the field, so The Elders asked me and the others to be waking up early too," he frowned. He did not like chores very much, especially if it involved a hoe and dirt.

The Elders; Elizabeth's mother and three other elderly workers. They could be called Overseers too, they had the same responsibilities, except they never punished their fellow people. Instead, they held a gentleness to them that one could only feel from family. 

"Did you make these?" A woman asked, moaning at the wonderful taste.

"No, I just helped make them. Eat up! They are ravishing, are they not?"

Thandiwe grabbed a muffin, however with not as much excitement as everyone else. She stared at hers for a moment, taking a bite out of it finally. "Senior Anderson let you serve us?"

Elizabeth ignored her question, rather tending to the questions of the others who asked about what the mansions rooms looked like, how the bathrooms felt like, what the bed linens smelt and felt like. She was glad to answer all their questions.

"—And when they are eating they have a whole full meal, filling the tables from the front to the end!"

"They eat like pigs whilst we pick off their crumbs like dogs," one man spoke in utter detest.