Beloved of Science

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

"What causes him to be down so?" asked Emma. She also wanted to know what kind of project was being worked on, but that wouldn't help her understand the behavior of her benefactor.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

"Well..." Ms. Weatherbee breathed deep and made a contemplative face. "It's not really mine to tell. Personal business, you see...But-" She paused. The girls waited intently. "You mustn't let him know I told you this. It's a very painful subject for him. Alright?" When they agreed, she continued. "For a time, when Master Burton was a young man, he was engaged. He was very deeply in love with this woman and she loved him also. And they were very happy, and then she died." Ms. Weatherbee waited, as if thinking of what to say next, but then she held out her hands in conclusion. "And, well, that's it. That's all, really."

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

Emma nodded. "And so he behaves as he does... because he has not moved on?" Emma asked, more telling, and more to herself, but out loud and in the form of a question. "And what is it that he does, here?" Emma directed at Ms. Weatherbee, determined to figure out some information on this situation she had become a part of.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

"Well, he oversees, mostly. Living out his days doing as he pleases. His inheritance is such that he probably won't have to work a day for the rest of his life. He really has no relatives to speak of, and so his main duty is to preside over his family's estate until...well, until there are no more DeTambles." Ms. Weatherbee shrugged sadly. "He was studying the sciences while he was abroad. When his fiancee passed, he gave up all ambitions and came home to stay. However, every once in a while he takes it back up as a hobby, and he always seems brighter with something to do- He asks us not to disturb him when he's in his lab or study and I'm perfectly content to let him alone, especially when it makes him happier." She smiled a little bit, the lines about her eyes crinkling.

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

Oh, so I work for a man who has no ambitions, Emma thought. That didn't sound impressionable. She wondered what he had been working on earlier. It must be something to do with science, as Ms. Weatherbee had mentioned. "What about you? Do you have children?" Emma asked Ms. Weatherbee.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

"Oh, no," she replied, waving. "I never really thought about that growing up. Just never felt the need to nab myself a man like some girls do, you know? I went without and did well enough." Ms. Weatherbee smiled and patted her knees. "What about you? Is there a lucky young man in your life?"

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

"No." Emma answered quietly. She'd probably end up like Ms. Weatherbee, an old maid with nothing but a quiet place to work. Emma sighed. It didn't seem like such a bad prospect, but still...

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[[ you can do something : d haha, i'm drawing a blank ]]

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

seek happiness in tranquility

Burton had barely made it to his bed before collapsing on it. The wine bottle landed with a thud on the floor next to him. He slept deeply and did not stir for the rest of the night.

Soon he was on a long, gray tree-lined road, much like the one that snaked up the hill to the manor. The trees were bare and ashy. Dull-orange leaves littered the ground below the branches. Far off down the road, he saw a petite figure standing. He couldn't make out her features. The whole scene was presented as if he were looking through a foggy glass.
He knew it was her though. As he approached, walking faster and faster as he neared, it obvious that it was her. He could see her mischievous grin from yards away. She wore a long, gray coat that was buttoned to her chin and she held her arms wide, beckoning. When he was finally before her, he saw that her feet were covered by a small pile of damp, orange-brown leaves, as if they had fallen off of her. She was a tree, dying.
In that instant, she began sinking into the leaves, like it was quicksand. The girl looked down. "Oh-" she uttered, surprised. "Well I suppose this was bound to happen."
She sank and Burton watched helplessly, frozen to the spot, until she disappeared below ground. Finally he got on his knees and scattered the leaves, feeling around, but all he found was road.

and avoid ambition

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

"I remember reading that you had some teaching experience." Ms. Weatherbee stated, her hands pulling at the yarn ball as she knitted away.

"Yes, I taught mostly art at Cross Academy." Emma answered, finishing up the dishes with Mary's help.

"You must be a good artist then." Mary deduced. "Do you play the piano?"

"Some, but I've never been skilled." Emma admitted.

"Perhaps you could teach us?" Lizzy piped up.

"Oh that would be splendid." Ms. Weatherbee rocked. "These girls have been wanting to learn such things as piano, perhaps you can help them in drawing lessons too."

"I would love too." Emma smiled, happy that she could teach. She had loved her job at Cross Academy. The only reason she left was the desire to see more of the world. Emma chatted more with the girls, finding they were Ms. Weatherbee's niece, their mother her sister. Their mother had died in childbirth after Lizzy was born, their father a drunken man who spent ever penny on alcohol. Emma excused herself, tired from the long day. She closed her door behind her, setting the candle on the night table. She removed her maids outfit, folding it neatly and placing it on the dresser. She put on a long night gown, its hem reaching a few inches above the ground. She let her hair out, brushing it gently then braiding it. Tired, she blew out the candle and lay in the total darkness. Silence filled ever space, shadows creeped across the surface of her bed, but for as long as she lay there sleep escaped Emma's grasp. Every so often the house groaned, a floor board creaked, as if the wind outside was going to blow the house over or a person was stealing across the hall. Finally tired of trying to sleep Emma got up, relit her candle. She sighed, pulling out her art portfolio. The top canvas was a work in progress, a motif of an elegant peacock. She had never seen such a bird, only in pictures in books. But she admired the beautiful colors. She wasn't sure how she was going to finish the picture now, with the book back at Cross Academy. She set it on the bed, then pulled out her case of water colors. She looked for the sky blue she was going to use on the tail, but found that she was low. The bright green and pale pink too. She'd have to have someone get some for her next time a person went to town.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

seek happiness in tranquility

When Burton woke, it felt like his brain had swollen up behind his eyes and was throbbing. He sat up slowly, carefully, and squinted against the sliver of light that had sneaked between the heavy drapes and fell across his pillow. He knew he wouldn't be able to function like this. And he needed to go into town for supplies and books. He would have to have the staff cook something up special for his pains. He reached for a cord that hung beside his bed and pulled on it three times. Downstairs, a bell dinged, one, two, three times in the kitchen. Ms. Weatherbee and the others were already there and going about making breakfast, but she paused when the bell rang. "Oh dear, seems that the master isn't feeling well this morning. He'll need his special drink to revive himself..." She trotted to the cupboards and opened them, searching. "Emma, could you mix up the drink for me? I have to tend to the eggs." Quickly she returned to the stove and flipped the sizzling food. "It's basically coffee, but with a teaspoon of nutmeg, some mint, and lemon squeezings- not too much lemon but enough mint to taste it-can you handle that, dear?"

and avoid ambition

[[what did they call a hangover in the 1800s? razz my spell check says that it should be sneaked instead of snuck??]]

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

Emma managed to get some sleep. She woke up early, she didn't want to oversleep on her first full day of work. She washed her face in her basin, brushing her hair then replacing it in a neat bun, every strand in place. She put on her maid's outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles, having to be satisfied with the way she looked. She found Ms. Weatherbee had beaten her up, the girls dragging a little behind her. They began preparing breakfast, the girls waking up with lively chattering about the weather last night.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Ms. Weatherbee asked.

"Oh, quiet fine, thanks." Emma lied. She didn't want to put herself out there, and she just needed time to get used to the new place, that was all. A bell suddenly sounded, three times. Emma looked up, searching for the meaning of the chimes.

"Oh dea, seems that the master isn't feeling well this morning. He'll need his special drink to revive himself..." Ms. Weatherbee said as she pulled some spices from the cupboard. "Emma, could you mix up the drink for me? I have to tend to the eggs." She returned to the stove. Emma nodded, wondering what to do. "It's basically coffee, but with a teaspoon of nutmeg, some mint, and lemon squeezings - not too much lemon but enough mint to taste it - can you handle that, dea?" Emma took over, trying to remember the instructions. She put it together, hoping it was right.

"Take it up to him." Ms. Weatherbee told her, turning to get after Lizzy for something. Emma took the concoction, placing it on a tray, then carefully carring it up the stairs. She reached his bedroom door, shifting the tray to free a hand. She knocked on the door, clearing her throat.

"I have your drink." She told him through the door.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[[ a major headache?? haha... yeah, i backtracked in the story... gotta show Emma's pov! ]]

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

seek happiness in tranquility

Burton struggled to roll over and then rubbed his face in his pillow. Hearing the voice at the door, Burton sat up some more, slowly. "Come in," he grumbled. He needed a shave and his hair was as unruly as ever, but he never minded the staff seeing his unkempt presence in the morning. After all, they were the ones who helped him make himself presentable.

[[yeah, i realized that i got a little ahead, but i didn't really know what else to write, and had to stretch out the paragraph XP]]

[[argh it's hard to stay Literate when your just responding to another person! maybe we should excuse the paragraph rule for conversations?]]

and avoid ambition

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

Emma entered, making her way across his room. It was large, she had never seen a bed chamber so large. It was lushly carpeted, her feet made impressions. There were large windows on one wall, but they were heavily draped with shabby curtains, cutting out all but a sliver of light. There was very little furnishings, the bed, a small table with a chair by it, the fireplace with a large round table cluttered with some papers and another chair. That was it. Emma placed the tray on table by the bed, noticing a small portrait of a woman, pretty and rich Emma noticed. Her dress was that of fashion, her hair done up like that of a high class lady with curls that framed her fair face. Emma wondered if she was the one Ms. Weatherbee had mentioned last night.

"I'll leave the tray here." Emma informed Mr. DeTamble. "Who is that... in the picture?" She added, suddenly, curiously.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.

[[ nah, that's okay, i just went back to add more to my paragraph, lol. and yeah, i agree, conversations make paragraphs hard! ]]

[PepsiNarcolepsy]

seek happiness in tranquility

Burton looked up, awake now. "Hm?" He looked at the picture for a moment, then hopped out of bed and grabbed it from the table. He held it close, not sure what to do with it but acting like he wanted to hide it somewhere. After briefly looking around the room, he decided to hold it awkwardly to his chest. "Uh, she- she's just someone I know. Knew." It was strange to talk about her to others. The staff had so far been very careful to steer around the topic for several years now. Talking seemed to age the memory of her, somehow.
Turning and shaking his head, Burton slid back into the still-warm bed. The morning was cold and his nightshirt was drafty. He yawned and then winced, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain of his throbbing head. "Could you hand me that?" he asked her, reaching for the drink.

and avoid ambition

[animerider223]

Life is full of Beauty. Notice it.

Emma was surprised by his strange action. He made her think of the headmasters dog at Cross Academy. Whenever that old dog did something bad it acted like it was trying to hide it. She wondered why Mr. DeTamble would act like it was something to hide. She handed him the cup carefully, making sure it was firmly in his grasp. She was afraid that if she dropped it he would react negatively. "Well, she's very pretty." Emma told him, a small smile lighting her face. "If that is all you want, then I am needed in the kitchen." She slightly bowed, turning on her heels to the door. She closed it behind her, as quietly as she could. She walked slowly back to the kitchen, finding Ms. Weatherbee had finished the eggs and sausage and the girls were setting the table.

Smell the Wind. And. Feel the Rain.