The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: A great day

Mary was pacing the floor, listening to the cracks of the wood as she stepped onto the weaker boards. Eli was sitting behind his desk, watching her walk back and forth from the window to the door.

She was nervous. And frightened. And fearful. But also hopeful.

"Mary, darling, please do not break the floor," Eli interrupted her trail of thoughts. She stopped walking and turned toward him. He too looked nervous and fearful, but not very hopeful.

She sighed and lowered herself on the coach next to her sister. The latter wrapped an arm around the youngest Brompton, and Mary laid her head on Elizabeth's shoulder. Twas indeed a way to be calm, yet her heart kept racing like it was mad. If she was not holding her own hands, she was certain they would be shivering. That was how nervous and frightful she was.

Just when she closed her eyes in an attempt to calm everything inside her down, the floor from the study started cracking again. William was now pacing back and forth from the window to the door.

Elizabeth chuckled, while Eli sighed loudly. "If you break my floor, I will make you pay it."

"Eli," Mary warned, not wanting her family to know of their money problems. Elizabeth had already wondered where the nurse was.

As William sat down, Elizabeth moved so that Mary lifted her head and looked at her sister.

"I have an idea," she said, then quickly looked at Eli before turning her eyes back at Mary. "While we wait, why do we not discuss how you are doing?"

Mary frowned. "We are doing good, considering..."

"And you cook?" she asked, startling Mary.

"What?" she asked, hoping it would divert Elizabeth's attention from Mary's anxiety.

The oldest sister sighed. "Eli had to work twice as much, all your staff is gone... Tis not difficult to see that the play is not doing very well and you are not having enough money."

Mary looked at Eli, then sighed. "Tis our problem, Elizabeth. And I believe we have solved it."

Her sister gave her a kind smile. "Allow us to help you anyway." She turned to look at her husband, who nodded. Then she looked at Eli and motioned for him to come closer.

"William has worked more than usual for over half a year. And he has earned more than we can spend, and that is beside all the money we have had stored for years."

Though Mary's heart started to swell in hope and love, she shook her head. "No, Elizabeth, we could never-"

"Yes, you can," William interrupted her. "And you shall."

"Everything William has earned in those eight months is yours."

Mary tried, but she could not stop the grateful smile from spreading across her face. She put a hand in front of her mouth, but Elizabeth chuckled at the sight. Then the oldest wrapped her arms around Mary, who could only hug her back while trying to fight back the tears.

It had been a very long time since Mary shed tears of joy, and today she let them run. It might not be for the reason she initially wanted – her daughter to be brought back to her – but it was a good reason anyhow. And right now, she would take every bit of happiness she could.

She pulled back from Elizabeth's embrace and looked at her. "It might not be much, but we can thank you by letting you be the first ones we tell it to."

Her eyes moved to Eli, who apparently had the same thoughts. He nodded with a proud smile, and with a similar one Mary turned to look at her sister again.