Wilting Roses (Formerly known as Arranged)

The Little Things

"News spreads quickly. I am amazed to see half the family here. My reckon Lady Heart could not hold her tongue." Sonia whispered., referring to Dathan's mother.

"I suppose," she laughed, placing aside a batch of freshly cut potatoes. There was nothing she loathed more than to speak of her mother in law. The woman deserved the title of Queen in the pit of many snakes. Of course those were merely Scarlett's personal thoughts. She would never find the courage to actually speak it out loud. She wasn't so bold.

When dinner was ready, Hanna, Bridget, Sonia, and Rose went about waiting the table for the men to sit. They made sure to put out brandy and wine for them to drink and once the men entered they attended them and exited towards the kitchen as nippily as they had come. Scarlett timidly smiled as she excused herself into the kitchen simply chattering away with the maids until they finished. Soon, one by one they began to rise from their chairs and acquit themselves until only a cousin of Dathan remained sitting at the dinner table smoking a cigar.

Scarlett pushed past the door to find Matthew linger still, his posture a bit slant as he let out a waft. The dining room filled with the thick smoke the brown cigar in his hands caused. She held her breath as she and the other maids went about picking up the silverware and fine china off the table.

"It was nice of you to have the maids prepare a fine dinner for us all," Matthew said suddenly.

"The pleasure is all mine." she replied.

He smiled broadly and then rose from his chair putting out his cigar and placing it on the inside of his coat pocket. It was the small cough Bridgett gave that made Matthew's concerned face turn into an amused smile.

"Not fond of cigars are we?" He asked her. She paused with a bundle of silverware in her hands, her face growing pink at his question. Scarlett watched amused as Bridgett scrambled about to pick up the rest of the silverware and hurry out the door without a word.

Matthew stared after her for a moment before he adjusted his blazer and kindly smiled at Scarlett. "I'm afraid I've scared her." He said to her.

"I will make sure to send her your apologizes, that is if you wish it." She pressed.

Matthew pressed his lips into a thin line and considered her for a moment before nodding and smiling again from ear to ear. "I'd like nothing more than that." He replied.

"She fancies you...thought you'd might like to know." She whispered before taking a few plates off the table.

His face fell into that of awe as he stared over to the kitchen door again. And then suddenly his surprised expression was quickly guarded when the others came out to gather the left over food off the table. Clearing his throat Matthew sought to change the conversation but Scarlett could see he was pleased with what he had heard.

"Dathan is lucky to have such a wife as you, I do hope he is taking good care of you," he said.

He paused for a moment at the door and then turned to give her a sympathetic smile as if he knew what was occurring in her marriage. He walked out the door and Scarlett simply stood there staring at it shut on its own. A blush consumed her and she felt a bit uncomfortable by his words. Dathan did not give a damn about her one bit, was it that noticeable that he did not? She hushed her thought's and concentrated then on picking up the dishes and helping the girls to wash and rinse them, finally placing each one in its proper cupboard.