49 Muddy castle
Music Recommendation: La Familia Vega- John Paesano
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The ride back in the local carriage was peaceful as for once Eve was the only passenger travelling in it. She let her head rest on the side of the carriage’s window, watching a few carriages pass along with the people and many trees.
The fatigue she felt from yesterday continued to linger in her body, especially after she had encountered Mr. Morris face to face. A soft sigh escaped from her lips and she closed her eyes. Slowly her body relaxed, and her mind lulled to sleep while she sat in the carriage.
‘Eve, what are you doing in the backyard?’ She heard her mother’s voice from the house.
‘I am building a castle, Mama. Come see!’ Came little Eve’s reply from the backyard of their house.
Her mother stepped outside the house from the back door, and her eyes fell on little Eve. The little girl’s hands were covered in wet and dry mud on her skin. Due to the previous night’s rain, it had left the ground muddy. The little girl had pulled the front of her dress till her knees to avoid it from getting dirty. But she had forgotten to take care of the back of her dress, where its hem touched the muddy ground.
‘Oh my goodness, looks like we’ll need to get you to bath after this,’ Rebecca stated in a worried tone. Her eyes fell on a squared-shaped structure of mud, on top of which was a smaller square. ‘Is this your castle, my dear?’
Eve nodded, ‘You and I shall live in this castle, mama.’
‘How wonderful. I cannot wait to live in this castle,’ answered Rebecca, and she stretched her hand to Eve to hold. ‘Come on, time to clean you up.’
Little Eve placed her muddy hands in her mother’s hand before getting up. When she was picked up in her mother’s arms, the little girl said, ‘Mama. We shall have horses and then sheep. Cows and cats. Dogs and… what do you want?’
‘I just want you and don’t want anything more than that,’ replied her mother, and Eve circled her arms around her mother’s neck with a smile. ‘But we might not be able to stay together forever,’ whispered the woman. This had the little girl pull away from the crook of her mother’s neck.
‘But I want us to be together. Forever and ever,’ little Eve stared into her mother’s eyes. ‘Will you leave me, mama…?’
Rebecca smiled fondly at her daughter’s attachment to her and patted her back. She said,
‘I would never leave you, not purposely. But one day, your prince will come to take you to live with him. Someone who will love you dearly, just like your papa loved me or more than that.’
The little girl had a confused look, and she said, ‘I have you.’
Her mother laughed, kissing her daughter’s forehead, ‘You will always have me. One day, there will be a person who will love you and make sure you are always happy. And protect you from the monsters that we hide from.’
The monsters weren’t just the creatures who were different, but also the ones they knew and were familiar with. Ones who caused harm.
‘I only want you,’ the little girl repeated, wrapping her arms around her mother’s neck again and hugging her tightly.
Back in the carriage, Eve opened her eyes that she had earlier closed. The memories triggered an ache in her chest, and it brought tears to her eyes, and she tried hard not to cry. She had made a habit to not cry, as she couldn’t afford to be seen crying.
Once the local carriage arrived at the town of Meadow, the coachman got down and opened the carriage door for Eve to get down.
“Thank you for the ride, Mr. Ferriwell.”
“Anytime, Miss Barlow,” the coachman replied, raising his hat. “Have a lovely day.”
“You too,” responded Eve, and started to walk. She swung her hands, which had her lunchbox in one hand and the other held her infamous purple umbrella. As she made her way home, she said to herself, “Finally a free day. This must be what it feels like, to be employed and cherish a holiday.”
Humming a tune under her breath she reached her house and entered it.
“Welcome back home, Miss Eve. How was your day?” Inquired Eugene, who was cooking in the kitchen.
“The same as usual,” replied Eve with a smile, and she came to stand behind him and take a peek at what he was cooking. “It smells like flan. Is it what you are preparing?”
“It is indeed flan, milady. But I decided to add the seasoned fruit to see how it would taste,” answered Eugene. He pulled the lid for Eve to see the steam moving up in the air. “Smells good, doesn’t it?”
“Heavenly,” said Eve, which brightened Eugene’s already brightened mood. “Where is Aunt Aubrey?” Her eyes skimmed the living room.
Eugene closed the utensil with the lid, “Lady Aubrey is in her room.”
“I will go see her,” said Eve, leaving the kitchen.
Upon reaching the front of Lady Aubrey’s room, Eve knocked on the room’s door. She opened it and saw the older woman sitting on the resting chair in front of the little fireplace.
Lady Aubrey turned, startled at Eve’s presence and turned to Eve, “What time is it?”
“Close to half past five,” replied Eve, and she came to sit next to her on her heels where her aunt was sitting. She noted, “You aren’t knitting today.”
Her aunt released a tired sigh and said, “I worked on it an hour ago but it felt a little too tiresome and I came to the room. I wonder if old age has finally caught up to me.”
Eve placed her hand on the woman’s forehead and her eyebrows knit, “You haven’t grown old, Aunt Aubrey, but you do have a mild fever. You need to rest more properly in bed.”
Aunt Aubrey waved her hand, “I will be just fine. I wonder if it is because I walked quite a lot yesterday.”
“It could be due to exhaustion. I will ask Eugene to make some porridge so that it can make you feel better quickly,” replied Eve. When she got up Lady Aubrey grabbed Eve’s hand.
“Both you and Eugene worry for nothing. I will be just fine. A little temperature like this cannot kill me. Why don’t you give me company now?” Lady Aubrey smiled at Eve, and Eve readily agreed.
“Alright. I will be right here.”
“Tell me about your day. Are the Moriarty family members treating you well?” Lady Aubrey asked her, while Eve brought a blanket from the cupboard and draped it on the older woman’s lap just so that she wouldn’t feel cold.
Eve explained to her aunt about the Moriarty family members and her interactions with them until now. Though she gave out most of the details and events that had taken place there, she skipped some parts with her employer Vincent Moriarty who had rudely remarked on her bottom or how he had seen her naked back.