Sinking through time (#Wattys2014)

Chapter 15 - Future wife, future life

It was 11am and Lucy was waiting in William’s office for him to arrive. Lucy wondered if he had forgotten. Lucy looked around as she waited. His office furnishings were as sparse as his drawing room; sparse but somehow still comfortable. His desk was handcrafted in solid wood and had a green leather top with a matching wood and green leather chair. A wooden clock sat on the wall behind William’s desk and there was a book shelf filled to the brim with books on various topics and two seats for William’s clients, one on which Lucy currently sat.

Lucy wished time would go faster. She wanted to be out of this time period. She wanted to be back at home with her mum and dad and John, and all of her friends. However much she wished to be back home, she also did slightly enjoy being in this time period and learning about it. If it had of been an organized trip with a start and a finish and lots of sightseeing in between she would have loved it, but it wasn’t. She had been thrust here without prior warning and she was tired of living one moment to the next, scared that her life would always be this way and she would never make it home. She knew God was always with her but now she had William on her side too. Well, at least she hoped he was still on her side. It was getting later and there was still no sign of him. Lucy started to wonder if he was coming at all. The clock on the wall read quarter past eleven.

Lucy thought back to last night and meeting the Beans. She was worried they would ask a lot of questions and she’d have to tell them her story, but she was relieved when they took her at face value.

“A friend of William’s is a friend of ours” Mrs Bean had said, welcoming Lucy into their home.

The Bean’s place was small but very homely. Mr and Mrs Bean and their four children shared the two bedroom house without much complaint. Three of the children shared one bedroom. All girls, they were three, four and five years old. The youngest child, a boy, shared Mr and Mrs Bean’s room. He was only one year old.

Lucy was given the sofa to sleep on. It was a wooden bench, much like the pews in church and had a homemade pillow covering its full length. Luckily for Lucy, the pillow had been stuffed with duck and chicken feathers, so it was comfortable enough. Lucy wouldn’t want to sleep on it for more than a couple of nights though.

Lucy wondered how Mrs Bean did it. Four kids under six years old would be hard to manage in 2014 let alone in 1877. Mrs Bean also worked in the post office with her husband. Lucy thought Mrs Bean was an historical super mum.

Lucy had been awoken at the crack of dawn to sounds in the kitchen. She got up off the sofa, yawned and stretched and got a good whiff of her underarms. She made a mental note to ask about a bath. She made her way into the kitchen to find Mrs Bean already baking bread and stirring oats for breakfast.

“I’m sorry Lucy; I didn’t mean to wake you. Sleep well?” Mrs Bean asked.

“Yes, thank you. Thank you for letting me stay” Lucy replied.

“That’s alright love. You’re most welcome. You wouldn’t find any lodgings anywhere else that late at night in a small town like Kincumba” Mrs Bean responded.

“Yes. It was an unexpectedly late night. I’m grateful for your hospitality. What are you making?”  Lucy enquired.

“I’m making breakfast for the girls. I’ll fry up some meat and eggs for George when he wakes up” she replied “Which will be soon, so I better get moving. No rest for the weary around here Lucy” she finished.

“Can I help you with anything Mrs Bean?” Lucy asked.

“Please, call me Alma. No, I have a morning routine and you’d just be getting in the way, thank you all the same. There’s a water closet out back and the hand basin is out there too, if you’d like to wash up before breakfast. Are oats for breakfast suitable for you, Lucy?” Mrs Bean asked.