Chapter 2: December 13, 1908
"Charity is the mother of kindness;
Chivalry, her fragrance."
December 13, 1908
Sunday,
HollyDale
After spending a great deal of effort in grooming her maroonish curls into a graceful upsweep, Merry examined her reflection. Modesty was one of her richest traits when it came to adorning herself. Expending much time on her appearance, however, was a luxury she wasn't willing to compel.
Rising from the vanity, Merry cast a glance over her shoulder to see Claire adjusting the ruffles of her skirt. She bent down to tie the satin ribbons at the back of her sister's ensemble into an elegant bow. A few moments later, she finished combing Claire's coiled, midnight locks into tidy cornrows and led her sister downstairs. Every time she braided the child's hair, memories of what she had seen in the little girl's past rushed to surface, and weighed her heart down.
It was a beautiful morning as the snow was crisp and even. She saw Charity scurrying about looking important while the boys looked smart in their Sunday best. Merry attended to her mother in performing necessary chores before the family assembled at the door, ready to make their way to Church.
As their little circle tread along the side of the street, they each held hands and walked swiftly. It was about a quarter to nine when the pleasant family heard the church bells ring, bringing news to the people of their town that the Sunday's morning service would commence shortly.
In the passage of about five minutes, the family was within the halls of the church, greeting cordial friends and neighbours. Charity took much pride in presenting her little family to their cozy society that was already quite informed of the children's "rich talents and etiquette", as they were notified every week.
The voices of the people of HollyDale united in hymns and worship, sounding through the snow-wreathed streets as the chime of the church bells go ding-dong. A warm blanket of silence spread over the hall in time for the Pastor to deliver his message and peace the eager ears.
It was noon when the final Amen was heard, the essence of the Word fresh in every heart: that they are to spend more time with God and drawing closer to Him. Merry purposed to pray more often or to carry on each day whispering prayers of every passing event as conversation with the tender Creator. The message had further urged the townsfolk to extend their arms to the homeless and needy in this frost-stricken season.
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him back again"
~Proverbs 19:17
Once her heart had purposed to leave some drink for the stray animals outside, unveiling the white shawl she had used to cover her hair, Merry rose to her feet and took a hold of Claire's hand, turning to look over at the portion of the hall beyond the aisle where the men were seated. Jesse and the little twins were safe under the care of the radiant, strapping Aaron Evergreen. Carrying both the toddlers in his arms, the man walked up to Charity with a cheerful grin painted over his face.
Merry, safely behind Charity, watched her favourite big friend engage in small talk with her mother, before looking into his eyes to see stories of his past week unfurl around her. When he turned his ocean-blue eyes to face Charity, the hues of lumbering timber with the colours of the snowy woods, encompassing her as a looming forest, began to fade.
She patiently waited while the two conversed about the need for Aaron's company at the orphanage this afternoon to shovel the snow off the cottage's roof. Ever the robust and good-natured friend, the man obliged to fulfil Charity's frequent request without ado. "I have good news awaiting you", Charity informed, a glow evident in her eyes.
"Is Allen visiting town this year?" Aaron asked, as if wishing truth would acknowledge his hopeful suspicion. Eyes wide as the moon, Charity brought her hand to touch her cheek, showcasing shock. "How did you know?" She gushed, making Merry want to chuckle. It was this exact conversation last year before Allen had visited, that these two pure people had held, exciting themselves over her brother's obvious annual coming.
Merry looked around to see the others leaving the hall, while Charity praised Aaron for his intellectual flair. The Merritt's family in grand silver-wear, glistening like the drops of icicles, frozen over the night's frosty reign, caught her attention. Bianca Merritt stood elegantly, a lacy hand-fan covering a part of her beautiful face. Merry looked away, knowing that the daughter of this rich family had shown no trace of interest in her acquaintance in all her twenty years.
Her attention swayed back Aaron Evergreen from whose embrace her twin brothers refused to descend. When they finally relented, Merry placed her hand over their heads, while the two huddled close to her, gripping folds of her skirt in their little hands. She looked up and smiled to see the man reflect the same. "I would stay to talk some more, but I must go. I'll be sure to join you when we head home", he said, giving Merry a nod. She shrugged in response and said "Your company is always welcome. I may ask you for another favour"
"I would be much obliged to help", he said, a grin conquering the length of his mouth, before he turned to walk away. The amount of trust this family had left in the possession of this kind young man was dangerous, yet justified.
~
"Charity!"
Six heads turned to see Ladye Lockwood's grinning face and spritely waves from across the hall. Charity's smile lit her eyes as they two elder ladies walked forth, bridging the distance between them. For a person of such wealth as the Lockwoods', Ladye was truly humble. Her company never flaunted distinguished people, nor did she disassociate herself from any for their state of penury.
"Blessing the eyes with your beautiful brood, all dressed in ivory!" she exclaimed, taking Merry's hand as she admired her. Charity looked like she was floating over the clouds when she heard the compliment.
~
Ladye had much to savour when she met Charity's family. John and Andrew were dressed identical; the white of their outfits glowing against their skin that gleamed like cedar wood dipped in freshly harvested honey when the faint rays of sunlight pranced in to touch their quaint presence.
Claire looked like the starry midnight sky had descended to grace the earth in the countenance of a young child.
Jesse's calm, yet prudent airs had always rendered a true portrait of his old soul. And finally, there stood before her eyes: a maiden with the likeness of dew upon the wings of an Irish swan, eyes that twinned with the ice of a frozen rink reflecting the moon's rays like a shimmer of metal, silky hair in the colour of the blood of Romanian Plums and a heart that embraced both responsibility and kindness: Merry O'Bell.
She could not resist the pearls that her friend was gifted with since opening the orphanage; she simply had to steal any opportunity she could potentially embrace, in providing these children better lives. Allen had found himself concrete ground to spread his wings and take flight. The next, Merry, whom Ladye had employed in her library, would make the perfect match for her nephew, Jude.
And the prospect of their betrothal was precisely the object of excitement for herself and Charity. Ever since Ladye had proposed the idea of marrying Merry to Jude, every moment she laid eyes on the girl invited a sense of motherhood. She turned to see Charity who seemed to have the same sublime expression. They had much to discuss.
"Would you come over for tea?" Charity asked, much to Ladye's pleasure. A grand acceptance of the idea was followed by the ladies profusely exchanging about how much more charming the girl had grown with every passing day.
~
With a long journey home, Merry was only relieved Ladye didn't accompany them. Aaron had not been able to afford walking them back, but she expected his visit in about an hour's time. After serving her family a hot meal for lunch, they each retired to their rooms for a nap.
It wasn't long before Aaron had arrived, in time for Merry to greet him after tucking her little siblings to bed. It took him a while of effort to clear the white fur of snow off their roof, with one Jesse to assist and just as they were finished, cups of hot coffee brewed to their liking awaited them. Aaron spent an afternoon hour's time chatting with Charity.
Merry stood by the fireplace for the period of their conversation, as if waiting to ask the man for something when she was granted the opportunity. Charity soon left Jesse and Merry to give Aaron company while she rested to rid her fatigue. They talked about Allen's arrival the following evening. Aaron had been her brother's close friends growing up, so it was no new occasion for him to visit their house. The man's family was engaged in the profession of lumbering, the woods that conquered a great part of earth, its outskirts brushing shoulders with the fringe of their little town made a great convenience for their sport.
~
Aaron finally drew himself to withdraw from conversation. Time seemed to race to its uncertain goal under the cover of their ignorance when he enjoyed the jocund company of the orphans. He rose to his feet and requested to take his leave as he turned to make his way out.
"You absolutely shall not go without a bite of lunch", she demanded, standing between him and the door like she could prevent his exit. Aaron took a moment to admire the resolve of this damsel who barely stood eye-to-eye with him. He placed a hand over her head and smiled, "Maybe tomorrow? I have errands to run."
Hard as it was, he needed to overlook her obvious disappointment if he wished to be anywhere else this evening. "I promise to come by to share a meal tomorrow, is that alright?" he asked, lowering his face to make sure she was alright. "I guess I must respect your errands", she relented.
He smiled and turned to look at Jesse who watched intently. "We won't eat until you visit", he informed, binding the man to his promise. "I won't let you hunger", he smiled, turning to the door. The robust lumberjack stepped out, before he heard her say, "Oh wait!"
Turning back, he saw her send Jesse to fetch a flask of hot milk to take. "You honestly needn't spend your efforts", he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "The pleasure is mine", Merry shrugged with a smile. Aaron leaned his muscular figure against the frame of the door and looked down earnestly, "What was that favour you needed of me?"
"Ah, may I have another of the wooden cubes?" she asked,
"Of course, that's barely asking anything", he said, brushing his knuckles against his stubbled jaw.
A cheerful smile swept over her face before she looked away, "You know it is, Aaron. It means quite so much to me." He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him as the both turned to see Jesse bring the required.
Bidding them goodbye, Aaron left their place, heading to help others around their little town.
~
Merry closed the door and turned to see Jesse. "Aren't you feeling drowsy?" she asked, making her way over. "Not quite, I offered to help Mr. Baker this evening, so I may rest before I head to his place", said he.
"Ah, I remember he told me it was kindly of you", she recounted.
"It's a better way of spending the weekend, than moping around the house pretending to be useful", he replied, giving her a posh, yet pointed stare.
"I do not do that! I am very much useful!"
"Is that your conscience's owning up?"
"I was informing you", she said, with a huff of frustration.
Jesse followed his sister up the stairs. "Cooking supper and looking after the little ones is useful", she finally stated, making him want to bite his lip to stay the growing smile. "At least you don't spook the children past bedtime in an attempt to be useful. It's appreciable, I'll give you that", he said, shedding this flattery upon her.
"Spook?! What do I look like to you? A witch?" she stared at him, outraged.
Jesse nodded solemnly, eyes down. It was clear his shallow sister's mind was trying to concoct some sort of reply. He waited patiently till he heard her say, "You are impossible, Jesse. Go to sleep."
"Get some rest yourself", he said, opening the door and letting himself in. He could see his sister fixing her hair as she waited for him to close the door. In all honesty, he thought Merry looked charmingly aesthetic, for she truly did whisk the attention of most when she came to pick him up from the School-house. He had always beamed with pride when he introduced her to his friends, but admitting her beauty to her was somehow beyond him.
Maybe he would tell her... someday.
~
Merry took care to lay a soft tread through the room where Charity and Claire were sound asleep. She cast a quick glance at the mirror on the vanity to see her hair look a slight bit messier that it had been this morning. She wondered for a moment if this was what had invoked Jesse's comment. She knew he hadn't meant it, but she needed to assure herself.
She sat at the brink of the bed and pulled her neatly bound letters out. Leaning over, she lay down and drew the letter residing inside the envelope that read "Jude D.C. Lockwood". A chill ran down her spine as she closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't realise how much this name, borne by the mysterious man she was betrothed to, could have an effect on her.
All she had known about him was that he was Allen's closest acquaintance in Frostshire, the heir of the Lockwood wealth, who was a hard-working man. Allen had never mentioned anything amiss, but how would he? He barely said anything harsh of anyone, let alone a man his sister was engaged to.
It had been a period of two weeks since Ladye and Charity had decided this marriage, with the consultation of the man's father, Sir Gabriel Lockwood. It was only a week ago that along with Allen's continuous letters, she had received a letter from the Son of the Lockwoods.
Excitement had bubbled from within, before she'd read one of the most eloquent letters she ever had.
"To my beloved flower, Merry O'Bell" had somehow made the flavour of her name feel sweeter than before. The letter had been brief in describing only his ardour to meet her. It made her imagine all the things Allen could potentially have told him about her.
She closed her eyes tight and held against her heart the letter whose contents she had memorised. She had written back to him on receipt of his letter, expressing her reciprocation. Although she hadn't expected a response thereto, the feelings of his writing to her first had flooded her being with an overwhelming torrent of pleasant nervousness.
Though every part of her letter had been safe, she hoped there was nothing in it that could potentially disgrace his opinion of her. In fact, for once in her whole life, she wouldn't mind if the letter hadn't reached the eyes it was destined for.
Calming her nerves, she hurried her fingers to Allen's recent letters responding to when she had written to him of the Charity and Ladye's idea of marrying her to some man by the name Jude. The letter bore no more than words of his absolute disagreement. She could feel the waves of his anxiety seeping out of the parchment. Her eyes skimmed through the pages that expounded her to not take any thought to heart and that she was still much too young. There was more hurried writing about how no man was worthy of her hand and that he would have a sensible word with their mother, where the last few words were barely even decipherable.
The very next letter, before her reply to the previous could have reached her brother was of a completely reversed opinion. Allen had failed at concealing that he was probably later informed that the man whom she was to be given to was, in fact, his close friend.
"Jude may be a good man" were words that made her giggle a little louder than she should have. She carefully looked over to make sure her mother and sister were still asleep. Charity turned over and Merry quietly returned to read the letters again. Her mind began to weave stories of what Jude could have said when faced with the prospect of marrying her.
Anxiety poured itself into her heart when she wondered if he would like her when they met. She swallowed hard before she heard a knock on the door. She safely put the letters inside and hurried downstairs to get the door.
"Miss Ladye, what a pleasure to have you over", she exclaimed, leading the town's librarian inside. She saw Charity stepping into the room with a smile across her face, "Ladye, my dear, come on in."
Merry brewed the ladies tea whilst listening to them talking about Jude. Curiosity beckoned her attention to their conversation and she mutely poured the drink into a couple of cups. As she served them the hot beverage that was only their excuse for meeting up, they urged her to take a seat at the table.
"Jude is coming tomorrow!" Charity said, a feverish enthusiasm washing over her high-pitched voice.
Something inside her had been awakened, that caused her entire being to quake under the weight of her newfound elation. An avalanche of various feelings erupted though her body as she turned to see Ladye slightly sip the tea, her eyes glinting.
She wanted to elegantly tell them it was a pleasure, but she couldn't trust herself to phrase the words. She smiled and looked down at her lap, a deep blush prancing across her cheek.
The ladies cooed in excitement to see their proposed bride evince her first feelings.
~
Jesse walked out his room, tying a scarf around his neck to make sure the merciless winter wouldn't afflict his health. He heard his sister's hurried, yet light footsteps ascend the stairway ahead of him. He waited for her to bid him goodbye, but she seemed to be completely afloat in thought. Her face almost matched the colour of her hair and he wondered what his mother and her friend had mentioned to bring this upon his sister.
He followed her as she plopped face-down on the bed and whimpered. Jesse was concerned. He sat down beside his demolished sister and gave her a soft pat. He would expect her to respond by then, but she barely seemed alive.
Loud sounds of rejoicing flared up from downstairs that demanded him to check, before consoling his hopeless sister. Ladye looked like she was about to leave, but just as Jesse entered the drawing room, their attention chose to victimise the child by letting him carry out a special delivery.
"Would you give this to Merry, Jesse?" Charity asked, handing him letters. Jesse agreed and carried them to his sister. The young damsel had sat up, holding a cushion against her chest and smiling to herself like she was in the realms of her own fascination.
Jesse didn't let his curiosity get the better of him, but placed letters beside her. Merry's eyes darted to the names on the letters that said Allen O'Bell and Jude D.C. Lockwood. He could see the colour of red wine seep into her face yet again and felt alarmed.
~
Merry sat at the ledge of the window watching her little brother walk across the streets below, a beacon of pride swelling her heart. She leaned closer till the cloud of her breath hung as a fog against the cold glass of the window.
She withdrew herself, yet continued to survey, till the silhouette of her brother had proceeded from within her range of view. She mused over what a wonderful and thoughtful child he was, refusing to leave until she had urged him.
She turned to look at the wedges of wood that sat by her bedside, a few partly sculpted into curious shapes. She had intended to carve them this evening but that would have to wait. She had letters to enthuse over.
~
Nightfall had established its sovereignty over the town of HollyDale, leaving most of the folks in rest. Merry, however, could not ease her heart for the day that waited against them brought the visit of elder brother and a mysterious man. The letters had brought news that Jude was arriving, with his sister and brother-in-law. Merry buried her face in her pillow, knowing this night was going to be spent in sleepless reflections.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone