Voices Deep Inside (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Preparations for the Weekend Party

After breakfast, Talia and her mother went into the library to take care of household business. In the correspondence pile of letters, there was an invitation to the Huntveldt party. Geneva handed it to Talia to read.

"Is this the party that Josie was telling you about?" asked her mother.

"Yes, it was one of them," said Talia.

"That is this coming weekend," said Geneva. "We will need to finish a couple of dresses and pack our trunks for the trip."

Geneva began writing lists for items to take with for the weekend.

"Mother, am I allowed to go anywhere on the estate?" asked Talia.

"Yes, of course, you are as long as you have Myrna with you," said Geneva. "You are a beautiful young lady, and it would not be proper for you to walk the grounds by yourself."

When she was a servant, she was free to go wherever she wanted on the Huntley Estate. Restricted freedom did not seem fair. She brooded on the idea until she accepted the reality. Myrna would just have to go with her.

Talia wrote an acceptance letter to the Huntveldt's invitation and then handed it to her mother. She returned to her room to tell Myrna to get dressed to go walking.

She came downstairs with her cloak, earmuffs, and gloves on to tell her mother she was going to walk. Her mother told her to go to the shoemakers in the village to have a fresh pair of shoes made for this weekend.

The sun shone brightly as she and Myrna walked to the village. When they arrived at the cobbler's shop, Talia loved the smell of leather. The shop was warm and cozy. She did not like the tiny dancing shoes. Talia chose a pair of black lace-up boots with a smaller heel. She decided to wear them to the dance with her gown.

Then she and Myrna walked to the stable to see Mick. The air was crisp, and Myrna's cheeks were red from the cold when they arrived at the stable.

"Good morning ladies," said Mick, as he bowed ever so graciously.

"Good morning, sir," said Talia as she curtsied to her friend.

Then Mick told the girls to follow him. He walked them to the back door of the barn. He opened the door and told Talia to look out past the corral fence to the trees on the other side of the road.

"See over there in the trees," said Mick. "See that horse tied up to the tree."

"Where's the rider?" asked Talia.

"Look down there."

"I see him," said Myrna. "There he be. Do you know who it is?"

"I believe it is our old friend, Sire Brown."

"You're right, Mick. What is he doing here?"

"I betcha anything he is looking for us. Omar Huntley wants his property back, which is us."

"Oh Mick, he can't take you back. Can he?" asked Myrna, on the verge of tears.

"No," said Talia. "Our family won't allow it."

"What if he decides to take us?" asked Mick, not putting anything past the Huntley family.

Then, Mick and Talia told Myrna about the prison tower at the Huntley's and how servants were killed for stealing whether or not they were guilty. They explained how Talia helped Roman Thanturnam to escape the tower.