Sunday arrived much sooner than I would have liked. I woke up and after wishing me a happy birthday Ingrid picked out one of the fancier day dresses I have. After putting on my corset and hoop skirt I put on a dark purple petticoat and then Ingrid helped me pull the crème coloured dress with imperial purple floral print on it on. We went to my vanity and Ingrid French braided the two sides of my hair and the pulled them to the back creating the look of a complex bun. She placed one of my many inherited hair pieces and fastened it right above the bun.
I finished 'Great Expectations' within three days between the increased etiquette lessons. It was much darker than the other books of his I read. Sadly I did not enjoy the book much, Pip's sister got on my nerves a lot in the beginning when she was obsessed with him finding a girl to marry and she seemed a little to pre occupied with money. Pip I also found extremely selfish, thinking that he was better than everyone else. The only character in the book I found tolerable was Joe who had always been very kinds to Pip even though Pip kept his distance from him, due to his lack of wealth and because he was only a blacksmith.
"Lord Mordecai arrives today, everyone downstairs is very excited for his arrival," Ingrid spoke looking up at me in the mirror.
"As am I," I replied, "It hasn't been since this past Christmas that we have seen them."
"It is so very quiet with him not here racing around," She said which caused me to laugh. Mordecai could never seem to stay still. I remember all the adventures we used have riding around our property. It was a sad day, the day when he left with Corinne.
Ingrid left shortly after that, just making some final adjustments on my appearance. I then went to see Mme. Bouvier in the study where we worked on my grammar which she says is 'absolutely appalling'. I have the most trouble with past tense, especially with all the irregular verbs, it is simply impossible for me to remember them all.
I was almost ready to give up when I saw a carriage roll past the window. Forgetting all my manners I leapt from my seat and ran to the front door, my disturbance shocking most of the staff who were busy getting ready for luncheon. When I got outside Mordecai was helping Corrine out of the carriage.
"Attention ma chère," I heard Mordecai warn her.
"Je vais bien, cessez de vous inquiéter," She grumbled in irritation, seeming to have no trouble getting out the carriage with her quite large stomach.
"Mordecai! How long it has been since we have seen each other last," I called as I ran to give him a hug.
"Indeed it has, little grasshopper," I smiled at my brothers nickname for me. At one point I hated it. It made me feel small when he called me that as a kid, for he was only four years older than me. But with his absence it has seemed to grow on me.
"Il est agréable de vous revoir Mary," Corinne said bringing my attention back to her. Her hair was a light ginger colour that always seemed to look amazing. But it seems the pregnancy has taken a toll on her, even though she would never admit it. She had slight bags under her eyes and looked much older than last I saw her.
"Mother had just recently told me the news of the baby, félicitations Corrine."
They thanked me and we both headed inside. Sometime while we were talking outside my mother and father had been told the news of their arrival and were waiting just inside the door for us. My mother narrowed her eyes when she saw me, silently chastising me for my bad manners. I quickly checked my posture and found that I had also been slouching slightly and quickly corrected myself before my mother scolded me.
"Come now, you must be starving after that long journey," Mother ushered Corrine and Mordecai towards the dining room, questioning them about their life since she saw them last. Mordecai met Corrine when she visited town with her father. They immediately got along and her started courting her, Mother of course was ecstatic when she heard about the fortune that her husband would inherit. At first I wasn't too fond of her; I had thought that she was taking Mordecai away from me. But the more I got to know her the more I grew to care for her. While rich her childhood was no better than mine, surrounded by men who wanted to marry her for her money. I am glad that she found my brother and that they are happy.
Mordecai had offered to go out riding, just the two of us, after luncheon. Sadly I had to turn him down due to my etiquette lessons that I knew Mother would not allow me to miss. So there I sat at the dining table trying my best to eat a bowl of soup properly. Ms. Abrams, my governess, chiding me every few seconds on my poor eating skills. I ate either too much or too little, accidentally slurped, or leaned forward too much.
I finished around half of the soup before Ms. Abrams told me I had enough, that proper ladies never stuffed themselves. We moved on to practicing my walking. She placed three thick books on my head and told me to walk forward.
"Now Mary, your guests have arrived, how should you greet them?"
I focussed on not dropping the books as I spoke, "I am so glad you could make it."
"No Lord Collins will address the guests; you will not speak the entire evening unless spoken directly to. Gosh child were you raised in the stables! Head high and shoulders back!"
"Sorry Ms." I replied and fixed my posture, so far not dropping any books.
"Why your parents even bother with you I haven't the slightest idea."
Ms. Abrams spent the rest of the evening criticizing every mistake I made. I was so relieved when the clock chimed signalling that it was seven o'clock. Ingrid heaped me into one of my evening gowns and I headed to the dining room. Everyone had arrived shortly before me and was standing by their chairs waiting. The servants pulled out the chairs for us and we all sat down. Father, sitting at the end of the table, extended his hands to my mother and Mordecai who then joined hands with me and Corrine.
Bowing our heads father spoke, "For what we are about to receive, may the lord make us truly grateful. Amen."
We all mumbled amen and started gathering food on our plates. Just like always my birthday dinner was extravagant with different types of chicken, duck and beef all served with a special sauce. It smelled amazing, but I remembered what Ms. Abrams had said about ladies never filling themselves. I took only small portions of everything and took small bites, chewing numerous times before swallowing.
"Comment est votre français?" Corrine spoke directing her attention towards me.
"Je vais mieux chaque jour," I responded, "Je rencontre des problèmes avec passe composée."
"Très bien, J'ai un conseil utile pour le passe composée."
"Je voudrais l'entendre parfois,"
"Bien sûr!" She smiled and drew her attention back to the plate in front of the plate.
The dinner continued with my mother discussing all of the latest gossip and fashion trends in France. It was when Corrine had started talking about the opera that my brother had taken her to that I stopped listening.
"Mary," I heard my brother whisper from across the table, "How about we go for that ride after dinner?"
"I would love that," I whispered back.
*********
After dinner we excused ourselves and got our riding clothes on. Mordecai, finishing first, had been waiting outside my door. Once at the stable Lucian had gotten both our horses ready. Mordecai's horse, Aspen, looks happy to finally be getting out of the stables. I had rode her a couple times while Mordecai was away, but she had never been as fond of me as she had of him. It was always like Aspen was just an extension of himself when he rode her. Soon Lucian was done with our horses; Mordecai looked over my horse and then helped me up onto Nirvana. I watched as Mordecai got onto his horse with ease and silently wished that I was able to wear pants instead of this bulky dress, it would make life so much simpler.
We had ridden out to the pavilion that I had passed only yesterday with my parents. The wind on my face as my brother and I raced our horses as fast as they would go was about the freest I had felt in a long time. We watched the sunset quietly enjoying each other's company.
"Mary?" I heard Mordecai question.
"Yes Mordecai," I replied.
"How have you been since I left?"
"Fine," I lied, ever since he left for France mother had just gotten worse, with Mordecai no longer there to distract her from me.
"Really?"
I sighed, "No."
"Come now child, you can tell me,"
"I do not want to be married Mordecai," I whispered a single tear falling down my cheek.
"But you know you must marry in order to have a nice life."
"Will I though Mordecai? I do not see the point in living in luxury when I my husband will be the only one with a voice."
"That is quite the predicament you have gotten yourself into little grasshopper, but know that I will support you no matter what,"
"Thank you Mordecai," I said and went back to gazing at the stars.
*********
I walked down the hallway expertly dogging any creaky floor boards, so I do not wake anyone. I had been trying to fall asleep since my ride with Mordecai but my efforts had been in vain. I turned the corner coming to a flight of stairs covered in a red velvet carpeting. I climbed the stairs, careful not to make too much noise. Turning left I saw the familiar door to the library.
Upon entering I noticed Corrine over by a stack of books who had also become aware of my presence.
"Mary, you are awake," Spoke Corinne's heavily accented voice.
"I was not able to sleep, so I thought I might read."
"I do not want to trouble you, but could you read this book to me? I am having a hard time with some of the words," She held up the book in her hand, It was the collection of Brothers Grimm stories that I had always loved to hear as a child
I smiled and replied, "Of course."
We went and sat at the window seat. With the book in my hand I turned to the first page of the story Corrine was trying to read, Rapunsel.
"There were once a man and a woman who had long, in vain, wished for a child. At length it appeared that God was about to grant their desire.
These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid-,"
"What does splendid mean?" Corrine questioned.
"It is like... Très bien," I clarified and then continued, "from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world.
One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion, and it looked so fresh and green that she longed for it. She quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable.
Her husband was alarmed, and asked: 'What ails you, dear wife?'
'Ah,' she replied, 'if I can't eat some of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, I shall die.'
The man, who loved her, thought: 'Sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.'
At twilight, he clambered down over the wall into the garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it greedily. It tasted so good to her - so very good, that the next day she longed for it three times as much as before.
If he was to have any rest, her husband knew he must once more descend into the garden. Therefore, in the gloom of evening, he let himself down again; but when he had clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before him.
'How can you dare,' said she with angry look, 'descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a thief? You shall suffer for it!'
'Ah,' answered he, 'let mercy take the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some to eat.'
The enchantress allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him: 'If the case be as you say, I will allow you to take away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one condition, you must give me the child which your wife will bring into the world; it shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a mother."
"What happened next?" she asked, yawning.
I continued, "The man in his terror consented to everything.
When the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the child the name of Rapunzel, and took it away with her.
Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower in the middle of a forest. The tower had neither stairs nor door, but near the top was a little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried-,"
I stopped reading and looked to Corrine, who was now fast asleep. I got up and gently laid her down on the window seat. I put the book on the closest table and found a quilt on the back of one of the chairs that I placed over her.
"Goodnight Corrine," I whispered and silently walked back to my room.