Love & Misunderstanding

Chapter Ten - Helene's POV

I giggled with pure, undeniable glee as I ran among the lush green fields of Germany. I could hear the all too familiar sounds of bleating sheep, and feel the warm summer breeze on my face as I scampered through the grass, only to be caught a moment later and scooped into the strong, secure arms of my fifteen-year-old brother. Everything seemed perfect in that moment. It was almost as if I was in paradise.

I felt happier than I had in a long time. It was as if the world was only filled with light, with no darkness to be found. There was no sadness. There was no pain. Joy was the only thing that remained. However, that seemed to change rather quickly. In an instant, the light all disappeared, along with the field, and the adorable, fuzzy sheep, and was replaced by a dark empty void.

"Is something wrong?" I asked innocently, as he set me down, which seemed odd to me considering we were not exactly standing on anything in particular.

BANG! A gunshot was fired out of nowhere. I watched in horror as my beloved older brother collapsed to the ground, a puddle of blood forming around his lifeless body. I started to scream as whatever invisible floor I had been standing on gave way, and I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the darkness. I seemed to fall forever before I suddenly heard a voice calling my name. "Helene!" The voiced seemed to grow louder as the darkness around me began to fade away. "Aunt Helene, wake up!"

Slowly I opened my weary eyes to find my precious, four year old niece towering over me. I let out a breath of relief. It had only been a dream. What a relief. "Giselle, what are you doing here?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"Papa asked me to come wake you," she explained.

That was when it all came back to me. "What time is it?" I asked, looking around for a clock, only to remember that I did not have one in my bedroom.

"Papa says that our guests could be here any minute," she replied in a sweet, innocent tone.

I sprang to my feet. "I slept past noon? Alexander was supposed to wake me up hours ago!"

"He did not want to disturb you."

I lifted Giselle off the bed and set her down in the doorway, "Go fetch Grandmama and tell her to come and help me dress!" I exclaimed. Fortunately, she listened and rushed off immediately. "At this rate I will be lucky to have my corset tied by the time they arrive!" I began to rush about, putting on my stockings and shoes before grabbing my corset and beginning to fasten the laces behind my back.

"Helene, do you need help?" my mother called.

"Yes, Mama," I replied.

She came in and went straight to the job. "You are very fortunate to be so thin. I believe you inherited that from your father," she said with a laugh. "You are both nothing but skin and bones."

I smiled and breathed in. "Who all is coming for tea?" I asked.

"I am not quite certain. Mr. Caldwell said that his children had planned on visiting the Abbotts for a fishing trip."

"I suppose that we will have to wait and see then."

"There you go," she said, as she finished lacing. Then she slipped the corset cover over. "Now, which dress are you going to wear?"

I dashed over to my wardrobe and flung open the doors. My family had enough money to afford a few privileges. A moderate selection of dresses was included. "I was planning on wearing my light blue dress," I said, as I grabbed it and a few thick petticoats.

My mother helped me slip the petticoats and dress over my head. Then, just as I was about to leave, thinking that I was finished dressing and ready to go downstairs, she stopped me, "Are you not going to style your hair?"