Freeing Ebony

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Ebony really liked Kitty and Annie. They were really kind women, and she couldn’t tell that there was eight and ten years between them in age. They laughed as if they were naughty children.

She’d never eaten so well in her life. A silver tureen filled with potato and leek soup had been delivered to Kitty’s room with fresh bread. Ebony almost wanted to steal some of the bread for later but she knew the kind Alcott family would not let her or Ellen go hungry.

While they had been enjoying their lunch, Annie measured Ebony’s waist so that she could alter the dress. She’d told Ebony that she would allow an inch as she was very thin and her figure would no doubt change with regular meals. Annie’s hands sewed flawlessly as she cut the stitches and removed material to narrow the waist on the gown. Ebony was excited to wear something so fine. Annie and Kitty didn’t know how lucky they truly were.

At the conclusion of their meal, the door opened. Ebony’s first thought was ‘more food?’ but instead, three small children hurried in. The first, a boy. He looked to be about three years old and there was no denying his parentage. He was James’ son. His hair was dark brown and was untidy and thick. His eyes were the colour of beautiful sapphires and his smile was very cheeky. The two girls who followed him were identical twins. They still walked like toddlers and looked to not be quite two years old. Their hair was the same colour as the boy’s but it hung in perfect little curls. Ebony envied them. Their eyes were much lighter too, the same colour as their mother’s. Their outfits were colour coordinated – pink and yellow.  

“Hello!” Annie exclaimed as both she and Kitty opened their arms to the children.

“Aunt Kitty!” cheered the boy as he was scooped up by Kitty.

“Aunt Annie!” the girls chimed as Annie stooped to their level and cuddled them.

“We were wondering when you’d come to see us. Did you grow some more, young man?” Kitty asked the boy.

“Oui!” he said proudly in French.

“I see maman is improving your French daily,” Annie commented. “Ebony, these are James and Alice’s children. This strapping young man is Jack, but Alice calls him Jacques. And the pink one here is Juliette and the yellow one is Madeleine.”

Ebony thought they had very pretty names.  

For the next few hours, they played with the children. It really reminded her of how she used to spend time with Celeste when she was really young.

It was late afternoon when it was time to go back to the practice. She was wearing the gown and it felt like feathers against her skin. It was still a little loose around her waist but she did want to vanquish her bones and look like a soft, healthy young lady.

Her hair had been tamed … to the best of Kitty and Annie’s ability. They’d twisted it into a loose bun and fixed it with silver hairpins. A few loose curls had been left hanging either side of her face. Not much could be done for her bruised skin, but regardless, she felt rather pretty.

She was helped into the carriage by a footmen who proceeded to bow his head to the ladies. Was it always like this? Were they royalty?

“Don’t they tire of it?” Ebony asked Annie and Kitty. “Waiting on you, I mean.” Growing up, nobody she knew ever had a servant. They simply couldn’t afford it. The house called Ethridge was filled with them.

“Some do, I suppose.” Kitty nodded. “But not our servants. Papa is a good master. Fair, and he always helps if he can. He respects them, so in turn he too receives respect, loyalty and devotion. That is the difference between our house and many others.”