The World Over

Books On The Phone

Chapter Twenty-Three

         Books On The Phone

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but it should be back now :)

William’s POV

   We had been at the house just over two months now and we were still searching for the perfect building for the school. Edith’s stomach was getting larger and larger as the months pass by and she still refuses to sit down and just relax, nothing stops this woman! Even her mother told her to calm down once she reached eight months and she refuses to listen.

    “William, I’m going into town with father to get some apples and a pound of ham,” Edith spoke as she met me in the living room.

   I frowned at her, “Edith, your due in three weeks, you need to sit down and just rest for a while, I’m sure you’ll be on your feet when you have the baby, enjoy it while it lasts,” I advised her but I already knew she would refuse.

   “Why are you always on my case?” She huffed as she took a deep breath, “I’m pregnant, not dead, just let me be,” she sighed, not looking well at all.

   I shook my head, I was the head of the household so I need to show my authority sometimes and now was one of those times, “no Edith, your out of breath and it cannot be good for the child, so please just do as I ask and sit down, if you feel better tomorrow you can go about your business tomorrow,” I told her.

   She glared at me for a few seconds, but when she saw I wasn’t letting her out of the house, she wandered over to the sofa and laid down on it, avoiding eye contact with me. I was doing it for her own good; when the child is born she will see for herself.

   I wandered outside to see her father sat on the horse and cart, reins in hand. “I’m sorry Gerald, but I’ve forced Edith have a rest due to it being so close to her due date, do you need help going into town? I could send one of the servants with you,” I asked and he shook his head.

   “I’m glad you’ve forced the girl to rest, it’ll do her no good being on her feet all the time and thanks for the offer, but I’ve managed this far without servants, I’m sure I can last a little longer,” he joked as he ordered the horses to move forward. “See you later William,” he spoke before the sound of the horse’s hoofs on the gravel floor took over everything. I waved, seeing at speaking would have been futile and went back into the house.

   The telephone in the house started to ring and I looked at it with awe, ever since George told me he had one, I got a little rush of excitement when it rang. It was such a wonderful invention. I answered it. “Hello?”

   “William Cunningham?” The voice spoke down the receiver.

      “This is he, and who may I be speaking with?” I replied.

      “Sir, I am Terence Brooks, I have been told that you have been looking for a building for a school, well I believe I have found what you have been looking for,” he spoke in his rough American voice.

   “You have? Where? And how did you find out about my plans?” I asked as I sat down in the chair that was appropriately placed by the telephone. Edith probably put it there for a quick rest between rooms.

   “Your plans are all over the town Mr Cunningham, do you not know? The whole town of Westchester is excited about your plans, it’ll bring great publicity,” he explained, “I had heard you had not found a building yet, well I have the perfect one, if you’ll meet me in town at four in the afternoon, I shall show you,”

   “Okay thank you good sir,” I replied before placing the phone down and wandering into the living room where Edith was laid – asleep. I knew she wouldn’t be awake for long, I do not understand why she keeps trying to push herself, she will harm herself and the child if she is not careful.

   “Peter, Harriet!” I called up the stairs. Edith’s mother was out in the gardens, trying to keep herself busy, she did not know what to do, with the servants, she did not have to do no cleaning or get a job, so she asked me if she could be the gardener and I agreed.

   You could hear their feet come running down the stairs immediately and they both looked up to me while stood on the last few steps of the stairs. “Yes William?” Peter spoke first.

   “Your sister is asleep and I have to go out, so please tell her when she awakes I shall be back later tonight and if your mother comes in first, I want you to tell her as well. Also, please keep the noise to a minimum level, she is due to have the child soon and I want her to get as much sleep as she can,” I told them both.

   “Okay,” Harriet replied in her meek voice and I nodded my head once in agreement before they both wandered back upstairs, going slower to not make as much noise.

   Once I saw they were gone, I wandered out of the house and to the car that Gerald seems to not like at all. He calls it a death trap and that it shall do more harm than good, but I have ridden in a car on more than one occasion and none of them have been bad experiences.

   Victor opened the door for me and I stepped in the back in the car and sat down. “Where to sir?”

      “To the town square, I am meeting a Mr Terence Brooks, do you know of him?” I asked as he set the car into motion.

   “In fact I do, he is a carpenter, he is also very influential man,” Victor informed me. Victor was a great man. He had lived in the town his whole life and knew where everything was and who everyone were, so he was handy in the first month living here when I were trying to familiarise myself with the surrounding area.

   “Good.”