Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

17. The Strange Man

 Providence was careful not to prick her finger as she pushed her threaded needle through the fabric caught between an embroidery ring. She glanced over at Ottaline who was swaying softly to the piano music. She had long finished her Noah's Ark sampler and was now making a garden of pansies.

Providence looked down at her slowly forming bunny. She wished she could just rip it apart and start anew, but Ottaline recommended she finished. When the piano music stopped both girls looked up from their work.

"All right, it's dancing hour." Granville said though the dancing lasted for much less than that. "What shall I play?"

"Greensleeves," Ottaline said.

"We did that two nights ago," Providence said to her sister then looked at Mr. Heritage. "Sir, will you play that lovely music box tune? The one the carousal plays."

Granville's brows started down then he smiled. "I see you have been exploring again," he said. He started the tune, jumpy, on the piano and the sisters put down their embroidery and jumped up from their seats. They moved gracefully in their satin house slipper across the floor.

Baby in the cradle

Fox in the rye

Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie

Bride in the attic

Wolf at the door

These are the things of legend and lore

They played through twice and when the sisters were tired they sat to rub their feet.

"Mr. Heritage," Providence began. "What is the name of that song?"

Granville rubbed his left shoulder. "I just call it Brigit's Rhyme." he said. "She wrote it. She used to play it on her harp all the time."

"But how did it get in a music box?" Providence asked.

"My father gifted that to her when she came out," Granville said. "He had it made."

Providence smiled. "He must have loved her very much."

"My father was never ashamed to show affection for his children," Granville said. "We could come to him with anything and he'd help us. Yet he always made us pay for our mistakes. He never covered for us."

"My daddy would do the same," Providence said. "He says it would make us responsible adults."

"And respectable," Ottaline added, having gone back to her embroidery.

"Mr. Heritage?"

"Yes, Providence?"

"What did you go to school for?"

Granville smiled. "I wanted to be a doctor," he said. "But clearly I've had to settle for less."

"I think you should have been really good at the practice." Ottaline said.

"Thank you kindly," Granville said.

Providence sighed and got up. "I'm very tired," she announced. "I think I'll go on up to bed now." She set her embroidery aside to be taken up again tomorrow. "Goodnight, Ottaline, good night Mr. Heritage."

"Good night, Providence."

Ottaline watched her sister go then crossed her ankles and continued with her work. She already liked the way the blue and purple pansies were turning out. She stopped in her work when she heard the familiar tune of Greensleeves floated weightlessly from the piano. She did not get up to dance. She folded her hands and listened quietly to the tune played just for her. She dabbed the tear from her eye as she smiled, letting her imagination carry her over rivers and glens.