By the River

Chapter 8

I nestled into my warm corner amongst the forest of books that surrounded me. The book in my hands was a heavy one and I found myself shifting my positon many times because my arms grew tired after too long. I also found myself constantly glancing in the direction of the small door to the attic. It leered at me from the corner and it was beginning to bother me, I wished I were somewhere else. I couldn't believe I was actually disappointed to be stuck at home on a Sunday morning, instead of going to church. My aunt was away, and Miles happened to be sick, so I was completely housebound, other than being allowed out onto the grounds, which didn't have any appeal for me anymore without the company of my ginger-haired companion. I had hoped to see him at tea. I wondered if he was there today.

I read the morning away, getting more and more comfortable in my corner, before Cook yelled up the stairs for me to come down for lunch. I wasn't at all keen to abandon my tome of a book, but my stomach growled angrily at me to listen, so I did. Since Aunt Absinthe was away, Cook and I simply ate together down in the kitchens. There was really no need to set up the dining room, and I'd much rather have an eating companion than a servant. We had chicken soup and a hearty helping of some freshly baked bread. The smell that permeated the kitchen air was divine.

"When should my aunt be back?" I asked between bites.

"I'm really not sure, Dearie, she just told us she would be away for a while on business," she replied.

"What business?" I asked quizzically and raised an eyebrow. She never did anything but sit in her study and drag me off to the Reverend's house.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure, but you know she has tenants out on some of the land. She may be doing her business with them."

I looked down at my soup, not truly satisfied with the answer, and watched the bits of carrot swirl around and around. I took another bite of bread and continued eating. I finished quickly, wanting to get back to my books, as Cook was not in a very talkative mood today.

"I'm heading up," I said as I stood from the chair.

"Very well, dear. I'll call you down for tea in time," she responded absentmindedly as she cleared the ancient table.

I was about halfway through the book by the time the door began bothering me again. I wondered if it was locked, and eventually got up the guts to go and try it.

I climbed down from my window-side perch and placed the large book down at my side. That the day was bright and sunlight streamed in through the windows comforted me, I was not alone in the dark as before. Still, I hesitated. I crossed the carpeted floors cautiously, but all too soon found myself before the doorway.

The fear thrumming through my veins was growing, so instead of slow and steady, I whipped out my hand and turned the knob as quickly as I possibly could and pushed with all my might. It was locked. And I felt as though I had disturbed some long-sleeping creature above me, but even trying to open the door. I spun around and walked swiftly out of the library and to my room, leaving the book abandoned on its seat for another day.

A few days later I sat with Gideon beneath the willow. The question of the attic still tugged at my mind but it disappeared swiftly as our afternoon in the woods moved on. He sat up against the tree trunk half asleep, seeming to disappear into it when the fronds swayed to hide his figure. We had been talking about school. He finished very soon for the summer. For good. I didn't know if I would be going back to school when all this was over and that upset me some, but I was content enough at the moment to spend my days reading and out amongst the trees.