The Suggestion Box (Volume 1)

Part 1: A Balloon and a Butterfly (5)

Based on the following suggestions:

Names: Ignatz Ratzkewatski, Butterfly Huffingtree, Horatio Whistlestop
Places: Londonshire, Devonshire, an abandoned castle in Scotland
Times: 7PM June 30th, Sunset, late 1700's
Objects: Rope and hot air balloon

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For several minutes, no one said a word. The silence curled around them like the incoming clouds. Horatio felt the frustration of the last two days bubble out of him like water from a kettle that had been left on too long.

"Foolish, foolish girl!" He snapped at Butterfly. "What were you thinking, leaving him down there like that? Now we're stuck up here for who knows how long, with no way to steer and no idea where we're going-"

"Oh, dry up!" Butterfly interrupted him. "There ain't nothin' wrong wi' wot I done! Jist look at us! We're free, Rate! Free as the blessed birds!" Her eyes glowed in the light of the setting evening sun as she looked over the landscape. "Nae ropes," she murmured softly, "nae tethers, naeboddy to tell us go here and do tha', naeboddy makin' plans wi'oot a by yer leave-" Her voice broke and she stood in silence.

Horatio was fuming to himself. If he wasn't so afraid of the swaying motion of the basket every time he stood up, he would be pacing the floor right now. All he wanted was some rest and relaxation, and all of a sudden, through no fault of his own, he found himself trapped in a balloon with no escape or recourse, in the company of the last two people on the planet he ever wanted to be stuck with anywhere!

Ignatz was ignoring them, his hat drawn low over his face. Horatio could almost hear him snoring softly. Count on amiable, trusting Ignatz to be able to fall asleep in a balloon. Horatio worked his way over to the picnic basket. He pulled out portions for himself, and-after a moment's consideration-for Butterfly.
When he tapped her shoulder to offer the food to her, she hastily wiped her face before turning, but Horatio saw the red blotches on her cheeks. They ate in silence.

When he had finished, Horatio began.
"I'm sorry."

"Ye're no' half as sorry as I!" Butterfly burst out bitterly. "I've been an absolute ninny aboot this whole adventure!"

Horatio let her sob a little before he asked. "Why did you let the balloon go, Esmirelda?"
She didn't answer for a long time.

"It was me," she confessed at last. "The balloon was me. I saw it then, all tethered down, and wantin' to fly away, but I knew it would never be let go or anything like that, and even when we took off, there would be the guide inside, forcing the balloon to go where it didn't want to-" she broke off in a flurry of hiccoughing sobs.

Horatio observed solemnly, "Is that how you feel people are treating you?"

"Yes!" she cried. "With the Academy to tell me just how to be a certain kind of lady, turnin' me intae something I was naever meant ta be, and tellin' me where I ought to go and what I ought to enjoy just because it suits them!" She turned an accusing gaze on Horatio. "Even you have your own ideas of how I should behave! In truth, I'm running away in this balloon. Once we land-if we do, I'm leaving the both of you and starting my boarding house. There will be no Academy for me; I already know how to do everything I need to do. Huffingtree House will stand in Scotland, and perhaps you may visit, if you ever forgive me."

The pair lapsed into silence as the dilapidated, crumbling ruins of yet another Scottish castle slipped by beneath them.
Suddenly, Horatio noticed a change. The treetops and hills were much closer now-and the hissing of the fuel had all but stopped. He turned.