One Look

Chapter 1

My eyes trailed after my tabby cat, Kit, as he stretched his front paws out on the ground and wiggled his bottom in the air, ready to pounce on a little brown leaf that had been tiptoeing across the lawn. I rolled my eyes as I continued to hang the white sheets onto the line. The sun was high in the sky and there was a slight breeze, which made it the ideal time for them to dry, and for the sun to bleach the sheets bright and white. I grabbed the basket and carried it inside, my grandmother shook her head slightly at me as I came through the back door.

"Eloise", she scolded, her lips pressed tightly together after she spoke my name. I looked at her and prepared myself for the onslaught of horrific insults. "You know it is not your place to do the laundry. Your father doesn't pay the maids to sit in the kitchen and drink tea all day because you are doing their work for them". I nodded my head, a solemn look plastered on my face as she spoke about the place a young lady was supposed to have in the household. She wanted me to focus on sitting pretty, singing and playing the pianoforte.

"Of course, grandmother", I replied a soon as she took her breath, so she would stop uttering on about it. She glared at me but left me alone. I made my way to the kitchen and a pleasant surprise made a smile stretch across my face when I walked in.

"Sophie", I gasped, and the maid spun around, her eyes bright with amusement.

"Happy birthday Eloise", she grinned, and I couldn't help but smile at the splendid cake that was sitting on the table for me. "Cook and I made it for you".

I ran over to the ageing maid and threw my arms around her thin frame.

"Thank you very much", I giggled as I hugged her tight. "Grandmother has forgotten that I have turned seventeen, but it probably is a good thing or she would most definitely be lecturing me on how I need to be a proper lady now and how I better start looking for a husband before I turn into an old spinster". Sophie laughed at my words as she cut me a slice of the sponge cake she had made, topped with a dollop extra cream and fresh strawberries. I picked it up and took a huge bite, my mouth watering with the absolute delightful taste that exploded in my mouth.

"Sophie you have outdone yourself", I sighed when I swallowed my bite. "I think this is the best sponge yet".

"I cannot take all the credit", Sophie said with a bright smile at my kind words, "cook done most of the work".

I wiped my creamy hands of my clean dress and Sophie frowned at me.

"Lady Elizabeth will not be please", she said gently, and I shrugged.

"She's just an old gibface", I shrugged, and Sophie let out a little wheeze.

"Oh, Eloise your father said to meet him in the drawing room", Sophie stated with a secret smile on her face. I gave her one last questioning look before I left the kitchen and the smell of the freshly baked cake behind. I skipped up the hallway and entered the drawing room where my father was indeed sitting on his reading chair with a book opened across his knees. This was his favourite room in the house. He loved how the evening sun filtered through the window and shone brightly on the wallpaper my mother had picked out for the walls, the only little piece of mother he had in this room.

"Father", I greeted as I walked in, he quickly glanced up at me and shut his book.

"Happy birthday darling", he exclaimed, and I let out a little giggle. "Come here". He patted the chair beside him, and I took a seat as I plonked myself onto the green cushiony chair.

He glanced at me and let out a little chuckle. "Your grandmother would have a fit if she saw that", he said. I raised my eyebrows and a grin broke out on my face. "I wanted to give you something". He handed me a thin delicate red velvet box.