Sarah's Roses, Book I: Roses of Blue

Chapter XXX

“Travel?” I looked at him with round eyes.

“Yes. My sister-in-law, Elinor, is planning a trip to Europe. She was going to go last year but the illness of my mother put it all on hold. She just wrote me yesterday with the request that I allow you to go with her, as her companion. I think the trip would be good for you. It will further your education and give you a nice change of scenery. What do you say?”

A trip to Europe? Could he be serious? I would love that! Get away from the memories that clouded every inch of this room, ever blade of grass in the garden. Get away from this house, get away from my aunt, how wonderful would that be? I couldn’t believe what Uncle Andrew was saying to me.

“I would love to go very much,” I slowly replied.

“I know it’s all a little sudden, but it couldn’t have happened at a better time. You will leave for Greyhound within the next two days, stay there for a little to spend some time with my mother while all the arrangements are made and then you and Elinor will travel across the ocean.” He stood up to leave, when his suddenly eyes caught sight of the dress on the floor. I had thrown it off when I came home from my night adventure and all the commotion with Sammy missing must have made Elsie not notice it and hang it up.

“Where did that come from?” He eyed the old ragged dress with surprise and suspicion. “Is that the dress you wore last night?”

I turned beet red. “Yes, sir,” I stammered, “it’s an old dress of mother’s.”

Uncle Andrew bent over and picked up the dress, running his hand across the right sleeve, his fingers caressing the threadbare fabric.

“You brought it with you when you came here? Ah, yes,” He answered his own question, “there was that note in the pocket, the Italian poem.” He reached over and pulled the out the note. Unfolding it, he ran his eyes over the foreign words, then placed it back. “Poor Evy,” I heard him whisper. Looking up, he handed the dress over to me. “I’ll go write my sister-in-law and tell her to expect you,” he said and with a smile left the room.

I sat staring at the fabric in my hands, not quite understanding what had just taken place between my uncle and the dress.

***

“Now, I know you have a thing for exotic men.”

I blushed at Elsie’s choice of words. The girl was blunt to her very core and whatever was on her mind was on her tongue when she was around me.

“But you will not bring any Italian, German or French husbands back with you. An Englishman I think I could still deal with, but I don’t want someone who rambles on in some foreign language and is filled with strange customs.”

“Really, Elsie, I’m not going to Europe to find a husband. After all that has happened to me, I want to stay as far away from men as possible.”

“Always a good policy to have,” she agreed with me, “You stay clear of them foreign gentlemen. They’re strange and suspicious people.”

I was busy writing a note to Jeff while Elsie was running around the room, placing dresses into trunks. “Mind your manners and don’t pick up any of those strange customs. You are leaving an honest American girl and you will return an honest American girl.”

I giggled, “perhaps I should bring you a husband from Europe.”

“Lord love you, what would I do with him? I told you my opinion of foreign men. No husbands for me or for you from Europe. Particularly from Italy, I could never bear it if you ended up with an Italian husband.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied, trying to focus on my letter, “but why it should matter to you, I don’t quite understand.”

“Why? Because I’ll find it very hard to serve my mistress and try and put up with her foreign husband; I’m sorry, Sarah, but I do draw a line at some things and Italian husbands are one of them.”