The House of Beardsley

Chapter Four

We woke up that morning to the sound of gongs in the hallway of servants hall, then it stopped moving and constantly sounded outside the door of the room we shared, before Clo woke up and screamed,

"We are awake, for God's sake!"

"May you not take the Lord's name in vain in this house," Mister Kupka's voice came from outside. "Thank you very much." 

"Ugh." Clo rubbed her eyes wearily, sitting up in her bed. My teeth chattered as I also pushed back the covers and sat up. It was autumn, so the mornings felt dreary.

Rhiannon, who was already awake, and dressed in her maid uniform, was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, where her bed also was, reading a book in silence. I wondered how early she woke up. Also, how in the world she did.

"I'm going to wake up Beth," I said to Clo, looking at Beth, who was in the opposite corner, on my other side. Our beds were even lined up in order of how we usually did, to Clo's misfortune, as she and Rhiannon both hated each other.

"Yes, you should," she replied.

We both looked at Beth, still sleeping peacefully in her bed, in her lace white nightgown and hugging a strange doll. She looked more like a child than ever, her short hair falling over her rosy cheeks, her plump lips parted and breathing slowly and steadily despite the ruckus from earlier.

What was more puzzling than Rhiannon's ability to wake up so early was Beth's talent to not get woken up.

"Beth," I said, gently shaking her by a shoulder, "please wake up."

"Why would you say 'please' when telling someone to wake up?"

I turned around to see Rhiannon looking at me with her brows creased, her book closed for hand and in one hand, another resting on her hip. Now that I looked closely, she had braided her hair already. Yesterday night, when she changed into her nightgown and let down her hair, I was in surprise over how long and beautiful her blonde hair was. It was the color of cornflower, lighter than the twin's gold-like hair. It was something that I rarely seen, as in the orphanage and later on the nun's convent we rarely kept long hair and the nuns all wore habits.

"I don't know why, but it feels impolite otherwise," I said.

"Well, that's not going to wake her up." Clo, for once, didn't argue with Rhiannon, and instead walked to Beth's bed. "Wake up!"

Beth moved her arms under the cover, turned to her other side, then continued sleeping.

"I've never seen anyone able to sleep this good," Clo whispered in awe.

"We are going to be late," Rhiannon said.

She was right, Clo and I had hardly dressed and we only had an hour to get ready, not to mention all four girls shared one room, washing room, and basin of water. Since Rhiannon was done, it was down to us three.

"Beth, wake up, please," I pleaded.

"Wake up!" Clo added and then grabbed her yarn doll. It slipped out of Beth's arms easily, but she still didn't wake up. Instead, she just hugged her pillow in her arms with her head on the other half.