Trapped

Chapter One

It's extremely rare to have anyone call on us, so this was a very unusual surprise. I opened the door to find a tall blonde-haired woman dressed in black with three carpetbags at her feet. "Can I help you?" I hesitantly asked. I didn't recognize her at all.

The woman hardly glanced my way. She was too busy trying to see over my shoulder into the house. "Is this the Bell residence?"

"It is," she was making me uncomfortable, but I didn't want to be rude. "Can I help you?" I repeated after a moment of awkward silence.

She looked at me as if noticing I was there for the first time. Grinning polity she revealed perfectly straight white teeth, "Thank heavens." The woman then proceeded to grab her three bags and push past me inside the house.

What are you supposed to do? I did not know how to handle this person. "Uh," I stammered as she dumped her bags on the floor. Seriously, what do you do with a stranger who barges into your house? Finally, I managed to get over the shock enough to ask, "Who are you?"

She turned her gaze from looking around the foyer to me. "Oh, yes," she chuckled coolly. "How indecent of me. I am Anna Lowe," she paused as if expecting me to recognize the name or something. When it became apparent that her name meant nothing to me, she continued. "I got word that my dear little brother has passed on." For at least two minutes, she put on a show consisting of unusually loud sniffles, wiping away tears that simply weren't there, and nose blowing. It was really almost comical.

"And who are you, dear?" Anna asked after 'pulling herself together.'

"Kate, your brother's daughter."

Anna placed her gloved hand on my cheek, "Oh my, how you've grown since the last time I saw you! Good heavens, has it really been that long?" She clicked her tongue. "Has my darling brother been buried yet?"

"The service was three days ago." This supposed aunt of mine was beginning to irritate me, and I was growing anxious to flee back to the cozy parlor and my book. Father had mentioned having a sister a couple times, but she rarely came up in conversations. Now I knew why. She was so unlike Father, it almost seemed absurd that they were related at all. Father was always so silent and passive, and now this melodramatic woman waltzes in, claiming to be his sister? Honestly, the thought crossed my mind that maybe word had gotten around that Father was leaving some grand inheritance, and this woman had heard about it and thought to go claim it for some easy money.

The most tragic look crossed her face, "If only I had made it sooner. But, as I'm sure you know, Savannah is an extremely long and tiresome journey, especially with my delicate sensibilities." Anna waved her hand in the air as if shooing the thought away, "But I can fill you in on all the details later. In the meantime, I absolutely must see my dear sister-in-law to offer my condolences."

My eyes swept the foyer, desperately looking for Eliza or Kara or anybody, really. No luck. "Follow me," I sighed. Looking questioningly at her bags, I asked, "I suppose you plan to stay? Why don't we get you settled in the guest room first."

"That would be just lovely."

I stood waiting for Anna to grab her bags, but it quickly became apparent that she expected me to carry them. "Right this way," I mumbled through gritted teeth after scooping up the bags. Looking quite satisfied with herself, Anna followed me upstairs to the guest room. She winced when I haphazardly flung her bags on the bed, "You can unpack whenever you're ready. A chamber pot is under the bed, and the outhouse is in the backyard. I'll have Kara fill the washbasin in a few minutes. Is there anything else I can get for you?"