Incognito

3

"Did you push your sister?" The large man bellows.

"N-n-no, Father," Darcy stutters.

"Did you push your sister?" If possible, their father bellowed louder.

"No." Darcy began to cry.

A wide woman emerges from the mansion, baby in her arms. The shadow of her hat hides her face. She held out a shaking hand and Angelica ran to catch it as her father screamed at her brother, threatening with Hell's fire if he did not tell the truth. Her mother leads her inside and sets the youngest child on a chair.

"Darcy did not push, Mommy." Angelica quietly says as the sounds changed from father's screams to child's yelps.

Her mother closed her eyes and hushed her daughter. "I know, my darling. Father has had a bad day. He will leave again tomorrow."

Angelica was left in the noise as her mother tucked her sister in bed. Father never stayed long, a day or two, maybe a fortnight. Then he would leave. But when he was home she was always frightened.

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Angelica leaned way over the bench. A beautiful rose sweet with fragrance sat just beyond her reach and she planned on snatching it for Evangeline. Her fingers grazed a petal and she stretched lower to the stem. Closer she inched until - she fell headfirst into the bushes! Thorns scraped and scratched through her dress when she tumbled and a shriek of surprise escaped her lips. when she found herself in the middle of the harmful bush covered in bloody pricks she whimpered. It was not from the pain nor her embarrassment. No, little Angelica feared what her father would think, how her mother would shake her head silently as her husband shouted. a later lecture rehearsed in her mind, how her brother would sadly smile then try and fail. She could already hear baby Elizabeth crying at the raise of Father's voice. He would snap at three year old Elizabeth and mother would hurry her away.

Recklessly Angelica squirmed through the roses, tearing her dress, losing a shoe. She runs for the cover of a friendly large tree and scrambles into its branches. When she is high enough, when she's safe enough, she chokes back tears. She is alone. Like this she sits for hours; if you hide no one will ever know you hid. The nursemaid brought her sister in. Her mother had afternoon tea. Father bid good-bye in the evening and set off on another trip for months.

Darcy, with his hat just-so, strode down the path. With purpose, he sits at the base of Angelica's hide-away. She holds her breath. For a long time, he sits. he looks, he listens and finally, he speaks. "There is a cake for dessert tonight."

Angelica slides down the tree, giving her sock a hole in the process. With an indignant plop, she slumps next to her brother.

"You knew?"

He nods.

"I am not good at hiding." She pouts.

"You are good at hiding. I am good at finding."

"Is there really cake?" A silent plea is in her adoring gaze.

Darcy shrugs. "I do not know."

They both sit for a while. Finally, Angelica stands. "You are smart."

Darcy pulls a thorn-less rose out and presents it to her. "Guess I am."

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The past: Zacary Holden

Maids didn't usually speak to their superiors. They did their job quietly with days full giggles, gossip, and flirting. But on that day Zacary's favorite maid rushed on in jumbled sentences when she rushed into him and Brooks'  adjourned suite. Kalliope was usually out of breath nowadays. She said it was from walking up and down so many stairs with a baby-weighted belly. This day was no exception. Lady Jinelle had offered the pregnant young woman a promotion to lady-in-waiting a few weeks before but Kallie insisted she remain a maid. She liked passing her husband, Fredrick, in the halls.

Brooks stood and ushered Kallie to a chair. Reminding her to breath deeply, both boys studied her for a moment. Her flushed rosy cheeks appeared under her loose blonde curls. All maids were required to were caps, but Kallie's curls gleefully fell out around midday. The result of that was oddly sun-kissed lower strands that contrasted her light brown head. Her blue eyes looked up and her porcelain chin nodded.

"Your mother and father must see you immediately. They are with the physician." Kallie's melodious voice floated gaily even though ten year old Zacary perceived awful news. Even though the boys were not very close, they exchanged a look that verified their thoughts were similar.

They dashed out of the room.

Down the carpeted hall they sprinted, around tight corners they skidded and down stairwells they raced. Adrenaline pumped as they anticipated the worst, for what food would come from a  visit to the physician. 

A laugh bubbled from their mother's lips when Brooks and Zacary barreled through the door. The duke, who was not one for public affection, marinated Lady Jinelle in kisses. The parents looked up and their faces turn stricken at the boys' visages.

Wrapping arms around his young wife, the Duke of Averie demands, "What is wrong?"

Brooks' beautiful face is marred. "We don't know. Kallie alerted us that you requested our presence."

Lady Jinelle smiles. "We have a baby on the way. Zac, you are a big brother!"

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Big tears ran down ten year old Zacary's face. The sea air quickly dried the wetness. At this time, he wished they would never go away. The kiss his mother planted on his cheek minutes before stung and placing a hand along his cheekbone he melted in its burn. Though never one to evince love, Brooks wrapped his arms around his trembling brother. The siblings watched the ginormous ship. The friends listened to the waves lap. The sons smelled the salt air. They took in nothing; they remembered everything. Their mother was leaving. Though they didn't know it, this would be the last time they saw her.

The young woman radiated youth and happiness to an ordinary land. When she smiled her blue-green eyes wrinkled in the corners and danced in the light. Now no smile was alight and even from the distance, her sons could see the tears threatening to break free Her hair naturally the color of the sun cascaded in curls which were the envy of all women. Today, they were under a veil and hat, the short, free curls wisping and dancing without joy in the wind. Gloomy and dull as most castle days were, the lady's posture never did fade. Now her shoulders held a burden. The pale, fragile hands that caressed the boys every night were tucked around a Bible passage and covered in gloves. Lady Jinelle had a face for everything. In the past month, her joy had returned despite the mourn that preceded now. Darkness and sadness cloaked her as her ship set sail leaving behind her sons and husband. Her mother, never pleased with the marriage, was forcing her away. Her excuse was that she wanted to see the baby well and healthy. She had no disregard for the men left in her daughter's wake.

Able to bear the pain of his mother's departure no more, Zacary runs. Away from his past and sorrow, he flees. He is convinced that no one cares for him.