Eve smiled and went on with the rest of her shift before returning to Downton and wrote a letter responding to Emilio's. The two had been writing each other letters since Emilio left after the Servant's ball. Robert had told Eve countless times to stop all forms of communication with Emilio for fear that he was a con man or that she should be with someone of the aristocratic class.
The next day, Eve managed to get the permission of the parents and Dr. Clarkson to bring the children outside. The children all sat in their chairs. Some are petting Hera while listening to Eve reading them 'Alice's Adventure in Wonderland,' by Lewis Carroll. She was reading the part where Alice met the Cheshire Cat when one of the children interrupted her.
"Can you tell us another story, Miss Evie?" Abigail asked.
Eve smiled as she placed the book down and asked, "Oh, what kind of story do you want?"
"What about the story of 'The Nurse and the American'?" Sabrina suggested, and the other children agreed with her.
"Very well," Eve said before she began, "Years ago, in a village much like this, there lived a beautiful woman who was the Earl's youngest daughter. She loved to explore and learn everything she could, but her family thought it was unladylike with some of the things she wished to do. In America, there was a young man whose family did not have much money and had to live in a church with other families who had been taken in by the kind people at the church. Even though his family had very little money, they were still happy. One day, the young woman wanted to study nursing..."
Eve continued telling the children her parents' love story. When Eve finished, the children and parents applauded her.
That evening in the dining room, Mary announced to everyone that Sybil had written her a letter with good news.
"But what was in the letter?" Violet inquired.
"Just that Sybil's coming after all. She'll be here on Wednesday in time for dinner," Mary announced.
"Will she be coming alone?" Isobel asked.
"Don't make trouble, Mother," Matthew reprimanded. Isobel gives Matthew a wide-eyed look.
Alfred, the new footman, Miss O'Brien's nephew, begins serving Violet dinner.
"Can I do it?" She asked.
"If you wish, My Lady, of course," Alfred puts the serving utensils in the dish so Violet can serve herself.
"Are--Are you really that tall?" Violet asked as she severed herself.
"Yes, My Lady," He answered.
"I thought you might have been walking on stilts," Violet said, earning a chuckle from Edith.
"When does Grandmamma arrive?" Mary asked her mother.
"She gets into Liverpool on the fifteenth, so she'll be here the day before the wedding," Cora replied.
"I'm so looking forward to seeing your mother again. When I'm with her, I'm reminded of the virtues of the English," Violet reminisced.
"Isn't she American?" Matthew queried.
"Exactly," She said. Matthew gives a sidelong look at Violet's insult.
Alfred moves on with his tray to Robert and begins to serve him.
"Can I...help myself?" Robert asked, causing Alfred to stop.
"Oh, you want to as well, My Lord?" Alfred puts down the serving utensils.
"To be honest, I think you'll find that we all want to do it as well."
"What do you think you're doing? You're not in a hotel now," Mr. Carson, in a harsh whisper, scolded Alfred.
YOU ARE READING
The life of Eve De La Cruz
Historical FictionEve is the daughter of a third-generation American and the youngest Crawley daughter, but when they died she was sent to live with her mother's brother and his wife at Downton Abbey at the young age of seven. Now she is grown, but her, her family's...
Chapter Seventeen
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