“Indeed,” the man said, giving Emily only a glance. His dark hair was combed slickly to one side, and he had a long face exaggerated by long sideburns. He reached for a cookie from a plate on the small table beside him and poked the top one aside as if he thought a better one might be hiding behind it. Then he took his hand away, looking down his long nose as if none of the cookies met with his approval.
“This is the Piddingtons’ first visit to our city,” Dede went on as though she had not noticed Mr. Piddington’s rudeness.
“Yes,” Mrs. Piddington said with her phony smile. “Your city is even smaller and more charming than I expected.”
Her words sounded like a compliment, but they felt more like an insult to Emily. What Mrs. Piddington really seemed to be saying was that she thought Victoria was much too small and insignificant. Emily suspected that “charming” was a word Mrs. Piddington used for anything she thought unsophisticated and inferior. The answering look in Mr. Piddington’s eyes seemed to agree.
“I hope you will excuse me for a few minutes,” Dede said as she got up from her chair, setting her needlework aside. “I must attend to the supper.”
“Emily,” she added. “Go upstairs and change, then come down and see if our guests need anything.”
Emily followed Dede out the door. She made as if to head right up the stairs but turned back once Dede had disappeared into the kitchen. She pressed her ear to the drawing room door.
“You’d think they’d have at least one house servant,” Mr. Piddington’s nasal voice said with a note of disgust.
“Imagine dear Dede and the younger sisters having to prepare all the meals themselves.” Mrs. Piddington’s voice dripped with phony sympathy. “It must be such a lot of work looking after a house without servants.” She said the word “work” with distaste.
“There is little else to occupy them here, I am sure,” Mr. Piddington pointed out, sounding bored.
A chair creaked as if one of them might be getting up, and Emily pulled away from the door. Quickly, she walked up the stairs, keeping her feet quiet. Her hands were balled into angry fists at her sides. She definitely did not like the Piddingtons.
5
Not Like London
“Do you always dine this early?” Mr. Pidding-ton asked, sitting at one end of the long dining room table. He did not sit up straight but stuck his long legs out to one side and leaned back in his chair as if he were lounging. It seemed disrespectful to Emily–as if he did not think their dining room worthy of his whole attention or manners. She resented that he had been given Father’s old place at the table.
“In London, one never sits down to supper before nine or ten,” explained Mrs. Piddington as she delicately arranged her napkin on her lap.
“This isn’t London,” Emily snapped. Dede gave her a warning look across the table.
“Of that, we are very much aware,” drawled Mr. Piddington.
“May I interest you in some roast, Mr. Piddington?” Alice interjected, standing to serve him. Alice was always the peacemaker.
“I’ve taken the liberty of hiring a cab for tomorrow,” Dede said, changing the subject. “I thought you might enjoy a turn around Beacon Hill Park and a drive along the ocean. Some spring flowers should be in bloom now.”
“Aren’t you a dear,” Mrs. Piddington said, her voice oversweet. “I’m sure that would be lovely.”
Emily turned to Dick, who sat beside her, and held her napkin up to her face so that only he could see her gagging expression. He laughed, and Dede gave the two of them a quick, suspicious look.
“I need a cab for tonight as well,” Mr. Piddington announced. “Seeing as how we’ll be finished eating so early, I might as well go out.”
“Oh.” Alice looked flustered, but Dede was calm as ever.
“I’m afraid we don’t have a horse of our own, and it’s too late to order a cab now,” she explained.
“Too late?” Mr. Piddington sounded as if he didn’t believe Dede. “But it’s not even seven.”
Emily thought she detected a flicker of annoyance cross Dede’s face, but Dede hesitated for only a moment.
“I could send Emily and Dick into town,” she said.
“Oh, that’s right,” Mr. Piddington said. “I’d forgotten you have no servants.”
“Yes,” Dede said, her voice thin. “We thought it best to manage on our own after our father’s death.”
“Idle hands are free for the devil’s work,” Lizzie put in, as if this explained everything.
“You’ll find this is a modest home, Mr. Piddington,” Dede continued. “I apologize if it is not what you are accustomed to, but we find it suits us well.”
“And we do appreciate your hospitality,” Mrs. Piddington said loudly. “I was just saying to Mr. Piddington how charming your home is and how delighted we are in your company.”
Emily met Dick’s eyes. He too seemed to see through Mrs. Piddington’s false compliments.
After dinner was over, Dede insisted that Emily and Dick be sent to hire a cab for Mr. Piddington. Mr. Piddington offered no objection despite his wife’s assurances that the Carr’s “charming quiet lifestyle” was just what the two of them needed at the moment and that they hated to put anyone to any extra work.
Emily and Dick walked along the darkening road toward town, glad to be out of the house and away from the guests, but resentful at being sent on an errand for Mr. Piddington.
“How charming you simple and dull Victorians are.” Emily mimicked Mrs. Piddington’s shrill honeyed voice, waving her hand as though she held one of Mrs. Piddington’s lace handkerchiefs.
“Yes, your dull quiet lifestyle suits us fine,” Dick said, deepening his voice to imitate Mr. Piddington. “But send me a servant! Send me a cab! Lick my boots!”
Emily broke into laughter, staggering against Dick for a moment. Dick tried to keep his head up so he could continue looking down his nose at her the way Mr. Piddington did, but he was overcome by giggles and bent over, clutching his stomach. Finally, their laughter died away.
“Enough of those horrible Piddingtons!” Emily said. “Come on, I’ll race you to the bridge.”
Their feet drummed along the boardwalk as they ran, heading for the lights of the town and the livery stables.
6
Another Arrival
Emily put clean water and birdseed in her canary’s cage, whistling softly to him at the same time. She closed the cage door and sat back on her bed. The bird began to sing. At first he whistled back at Emily, then his notes expanded into a beautiful trilling song. He sang as if he was truly happy, and Emily felt cheered. She’d always wanted an animal of her own. Ever since she was little she’d wished for a dog, but Father, and now Dede, would not allow a dog in the house or in the garden. She’d saved her own pocket money to buy the canary, and she loved him dearly. But, the past few days she’d been feeling sorry for the bird stuck in his cage. Since the Piddingtons’ arrival she had felt like a bird in a cage herself, and she hated it. She had to tiptoe around the house on her best behavior.
“Stand up straight. Walk more slowly. Fix your hair ribbon,” Dede would whisper when-ever Emily passed her. There was nowhere to escape to because she never knew where Mr. and Mrs. Piddington or one of Dede’s regular churchy guests would turn up. Even in the garden or cow yard she would find someone glaring at her with disapproval, and the smell of Mr. Piddington’s nasty cigarettes seemed to follow her everywhere. If only she could get away on her own.
Midweek, Emily came home from school to find another change. The horse barn was no longer empty. Emily ran to the fence to admire the new occupant. An old dark bay horse stood placidly in the field beside the barn, looking as comfortable as if he’d always lived there. He ambled toward Emily, nostrils testing the air for her scent. She bent down and plucked a handful of the long sweet grass that grew beside the fenceposts.
“Hello there,” Emily said, holding the grass out to the horse. He leaned toward her and to
ok the grass in his lips, pulling it into his mouth and crunching it with long yellow teeth.
Emily held her hand against the horse’s muzzle, letting him smell her. She was amazed at his muzzle’s velvety softness. The horse’s black whiskers tickled her hand, and warm air blew from his nostrils. She reached up to stroke the coarse hair of his nose, and he pushed against her hand to show that he liked her touch.
“I’m pleased to meet you too,” Emily said.
The horse looked at her steadily with large brown gentle eyes.
He was wonderful.
Rattling and banging at the barn door interrupted Emily’s pleasure in the horse’s company.
“Emily!” Dede called from the barn. “Help me get the horse harnessed to the phaeton.” Dede was pulling the small carriage out from the barn, bumping it against one of the doors as she did so.
Emily hurried through the gate and up to the barn to help Dede. Together, they tugged the carriage out through the double doors. Then Dede brought the halter over to the horse.
“What’s his name?” Emily asked. “Where did you get him?”
“Just a minute, Emily,” Dede snapped as she struggled to pull the halter over the horse’s head. The horse ducked his head helpfully and stood still.
“There,” Dede said as the halter slipped into place. She led the horse over to the carriage, and Emily hurried along beside her.
“I bought him from Mr. Mitchell,” Dede said at last. “He’s got a few years left in him, and he’s a good all-around workhorse. He’s well behaved, and Mr. Mitchell said he’ll carry a rider or pull a carriage.”
“And his name?” Emily prompted.
“He’s called Johnny,” Dede said as she harnessed the horse to the carriage.
“Johnny,” Emily whispered, bending close to the horse’s nose so that she could feel his warm breath on her face. It felt like a secret or a promise shared between them.
“Can I go for a drive?” Emily asked as Dede climbed up to the carriage seat, holding her skirts in one hand.
“Certainly not,” Dede said. “Mr. Piddington is taking the carriage. I’m just bringing it out to the front of the house.”
Emily’s heart sank. The arrival of the horse had made her forget about the Piddingtons. But now they dropped back in front of her like a big stone in her way. Her disappointment over not getting a ride in the carriage turned to anger as she realized that Dede had purchased the horse just to please Mr. Piddington.
“Why can’t he buy his own horse?” Emily said.
“Emily!” Dede said warningly. “The Piddington’s are our guests. They are guests to our city and to our home, and I intend to show them the best hospitality possible. Furthermore, I did not purchase the horse for Mr. Piddington. I wanted the use of the phaeton myself to visit house-bound church members.”
When the Carrs had last had a horse Dede had often taken old people out for drives or visited sick people on the edge of town, but Emily was sure Dede was just using this as an excuse now. However, she kept this thought to herself and stepped back from the carriage as Dede took up the reins and gave them a shake. Johnny started to walk, and the carriage moved forward.
“Open the gate!” Dede ordered, and Emily ran ahead of Johnny to throw open the double fence gate. She glared after the carriage as it drove through, then she shut the gate and latched it. She watched the back of the carriage until it disappeared around the front of the house.
At least Mr. Piddington would be away from the house for awhile.
7
Serving the Piddingtons
Supper was late because Dede made them all wait for Mr. Piddington’s return. At last they heard the carriage pull up in front of the house and Mr. Piddington come in the front door.
“He’s just left the horse there,” Emily complained. “Does he think servants are going to come dashing out to do everything for him?”
Dede’s eyes narrowed.
“You and Dick go,” she ordered. “And make sure you put the carriage away properly.”
“I won’t be his servant!” Emily protested. “Don’t be selfish,” Dede said. “Do you want the horse left standing?”
Mrs. Piddington’s shrill voice carried down the hall as she greeted her husband. Emily turned back to Dede.
“I’m only doing it for the horse,” she hissed and hurried away before she had to see Mr. Piddington. Dick followed her as she slipped out the back door.
Johnny was still breathing heavily when Emily and Dick reached him, his sides heaving in and out.
“That nasty Piddington better not have worked you too hard,” Emily whispered to Johnny.
“Yeah,” Dick said, coming up beside her. “I bet he stayed too long at one of the road-houses and then had to rush back.”
They walked Johnny over to the barn and unhitched him from the carriage.
“I heard he used to be a circus horse,” Dick told Emily. “Do you think it’s true?”
Emily shrugged. She remembered the day several years ago when a circus had appeared in the field across the street. It was before the new houses had been built. She’d gone to bed one night, and the next morning three big, striped tents had been poking up into the sky. She hadn’t even heard the wagons arrive or the tents being set up. Father had taken them all to see the animals and the big top show, and Emily had watched with envy the fancy-dressed woman who rode a horse around the ring, standing on its back.
Emily walked Johnny around the field until he had cooled down and his breathing was regular. As she led him back to the barn, he nudged her gently with his nose, and she scratched the top of his head. It was hard to imagine this quiet old beast galloping around a circus ring.
Back at the barn, Dick had found a piece of old blanket to rub the sweat and road dirt from Johnny’s body.
“There you go, Johnny,” Emily said as they finished. She stroked the horse’s neck, and he whickered softly. Emily didn’t care whether or not he really had been a circus horse. It was enough that he was here.
Inside the house, Emily and Dick cleaned up and hurried into the dining room. As Emily passed Mr. Piddington, she was sure she smelled liquor on him. She wondered if Dede knew where her precious guest had spent his time. Dede did not approve of roadhouses and taverns.
After supper, Dede and the Piddingtons retired to the drawing room, while Emily and her other sisters cleared the table and washed the dishes. Although Emily had always helped with the cleaning up after supper, it felt different with the Piddingtons staying at the house.
“They think we’re servants,” Emily said to Alice.
“Don’t be silly, Emily,” Alice said. “Do you expect guests to wash their own dishes?”
“I bet neither of them has done a speck of work in their whole lives,” Emily said.
“Let he who has never sinned throw the first stone,” said Lizzie.
Emily groaned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, you only talk to try to get out of doing the work yourself,” Lizzie said.
“That’s not true!” Emily’s voice rose.
“Hush!” Alice whispered.
Emily turned her back on Lizzie and thrust her hands into the soapy sink water, attacking the dirty dishes.
“Not so hard!” Alice urged. “You’re going to break a dish.”
Once the dishes were done, Emily retreated upstairs to the room she shared with Alice.
“I wish you could be more patient, Milly,” Alice said softy, following Emily into the room. “The Piddingtons won’t be here much longer.”
“Oh, have they said when they’re planning to leave?”
“No, but…”
“Doesn’t Dede see through them?” Emily asked, not letting Alice finish.
“See through what?” asked Alice.
Emily looked at her.
“Oh, never mind,” she said. She knew Alice was reluctant to believe anything bad of anyone.
Alice was quiet for a minute as she let do
wn her long red-brown hair.
“Don’t you see, Milly?” she said after awhile. “The Piddingtons’ visit is good for Dede.”
Emily sniffed.
“You want her to have friends, don’t you?” Alice continued. “You don’t want her whole life to be just taking care of us.”
“I guess not,” Emily said, feeling a bit guilty. Still, she didn’t know what Dede saw in the Piddingtons.
8
A Proposal
The next day, Emily came home from school to find Johnny in his field and the Piddingtons nowhere to be seen.
“They’ve gone out in a hired dog cart,” Dede told Emily. Emily knew this was a high two-wheeled cart that men liked to drive.
“Is our horse and carriage not good enough for them?” Emily fumed.
A dark look crossed Dede’s face. Emily wondered if it was only her words that had annoyed Dede or if Dede might actually be offended by her guests’ actions.
“We have to excuse men,” Dede said lightly. “They’d rather sit up high and look out over everything than ride in a low women’s carriage.”
Men. Why did they get to do whatever they wanted?
“You can’t blame anyone for wanting the best view along our ocean drive,” continued Dede.
Emily doubted the Piddingtons knew how to appreciate any view properly, but she didn’t say this out loud. Her mind returned to Johnny. He wouldn’t be getting any exercise today. If only Dede would let her ride him.
Emily opened her mouth to ask, then caught herself. If she blurted out the idea, Dede would surely say “no” on reflex. Emily would have to broach the subject a little more carefully.
“Are you going to be taking the carriage out later?” Emily asked.
“No, not tonight, Emily.”
“Has the horse had any exercise today?”
“No.”
“Will you be taking him out tomorrow?”
“I don’t know, Emily,” Dede snapped. “If you’re wanting me to take you for a drive, I don’t have time to take the carriage out just for fun.”
Emily's Dream Page 2
