At breakfast Matthew announced that they would be leaving that afternoon. Everyone, excluding Mike, Matthea and John, were elated. When most people say that they want you to visit longer they don’t really mean it, but Mike and Matthea had been away from human companionship for so long that they craved it more than most people. As for John, he was always a different story. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he was afraid of going home and facing his parents. The trip was the most exciting adventure, as well as the only adventure, that he had ever experienced. He was glad that Daniel had been found safe and sound, though he was a bit disappointed that it was all over.
After the meal, Eileen went up stairs to gather her things together for the long trip home. She couldn’t wait to see her family again and her friends, especially Meg. What a story she had to tell!
Finding that she had a little time to burn, Eileen decided to walk around the grounds a bit more.
John seemed to have the same idea.
“John, how come you looked so glum when Matthew said we were going home?” Eileen asked when she met him outside.
“John gave her a sort of sideways smile. “I guess I’m afraid of what my parents will say.”
“What you did was wrong, and you probably will be rebuked pretty harshly, but they can’t hurt you too bad. . .you are the only heir to the throne!”
The two laughed.
“That is true,” he chuckled
John smiled as he plucked a leaf from a vine that was growing up a tree. He started to talk, but Eileen interrupted him. “I’d drop that if I were you!” she said excitedly as he twirled the leaf in his hand.
John quickly heeded her warning and did as she commanded. “What! What’s wrong?” he asked with a gasp. He stared at the leaf on the ground.
“That was from a Poison Ivy vine! You had better cleanse your hands soon or else you might get Poison Ivy!”
John was beginning to panic. “What is Poison Ivy? Am I going to die?” he stared his palms as if he had grown more fingers.
“No, no, nothing like that. You’ll just have really itchy hands.”
John raced through the wood looking for the stream that was on the property. When he found it he started to rub his hands together in the water. Eileen strolled up to where he was wiping his wet arms and hands on his clothing.
“There!” he sighed with satisfaction. “All clean.”
Eileen shook her head. “Just water alone won’t cleans them, you need some sort of soap.” John’s look of horror returned.
You might not get if after all.”
John seemed to relax a little.
“But I would change my clothes.”
John stretched his neck forward a bit. “Why?” he said in a breathy voice.
“Since you wiped your hands on your clothes you might catch it through touching them.”
John frowned and wrinkled his brow. “How do you know all of this anyway?”
“I have had several cases of it myself. It is not pleasant. I noticed that every time handled those leaves, I got a rash. George named it Poison Ivy.”
Wasting no more time, John shot off in the direction of the house, holding his hands out in front of him.
Eileen smiled and shook her head. He had so much to learn.
At that moment Jenny came through the door and watched John run through it. “Eileen,” she called. “Matthea wants to see you before we leave.
Inside, everyone was gathered around the now inseparable Matthea and Mike.
“What’s going on?” she whispered to Jenny.
“Matthea insisted that everyone receives a gift before we go,” she replied.
“There you are child, I was wondering where you went. I have something for you.” Matthea called to her.
“For me?”
“Yes, I feel that I should give all of you a gift. Everyone has helped us so much that I think you all deserve it. So here.” She held out a small, wooden box. On it’s face was a carved picture of a rose in bloom. It was so delicate and so intricate that one was almost afraid to touch it.
“Go ahead, dear, open it,” Martha said eagerly. Everyone was crowded around, trying to see what was in the beautiful box.
Eileen undid the little latch and lifted the lid. Inside was an opal necklace.
“Oh!” Eileen gasped and held her hand to her lips. Then she lifted it out to get a better look. The opal was setting on a little gold leaf and on the stem was a tiny ruby. Threaded through the stem was a long gold chain, so thin and so dainty was it that you could barely see it. In fact the necklace was so lovely that words could not fully describe it.
“Thank you!” Eileen managed to whisper. She held it up to watch its orange and green specks glitter in the morning sunlight. “It is absolutely beautiful.”
“It’s not big and bold like today’s fashions, but I always thought it was pretty,” Matthea admitted
“I do too,” Eileen agreed
“It is a quite a thing to look at,” said Jenny. Everyone else murmured in agreement.
“I would have given you a book, but I was afraid that it might get ruined on your trip home,” Matthea said. The only book I have that has a box for protection is the on that I gave to John.”
“I absolutely love it. Thank you again.” Eileen beamed.
Everyone received something special. Martha got a decorative pepper grinder, Jenny, a set of silver tea spoons, Matthew a shiny, gold compass, George, a black leather bag to carry his instruments, Hamilton, a harness, Taggert, a map, Russell a pocket knife, Victor and Stanton got telescopes, Andrew, a knife with a intricately carved handle, John, the beautiful jewel incrusted Bible, and last, but certainly not least, Daniel got a compass, like Matthew’s, but his was made of fine silver. The gifts seemed to fit all of them perfectly, so everyone was content, and did not covet one another’s gifts.
That afternoon the party saddled their horses and said their goodbyes. Old Mike and Matthea stood in the doorway and waving handkerchiefs and watched as they rode off.
Eileen smiled to herself. John saw it. “What is it?” he asked.
“Oh, I was just thinking that this seems just like a fairy tale,” she replied.
“How so?”
“This whole trip has ended with a happy ending,” she smiled.
