spraying on some of Geraldine’s lilac-scented perfume.
Turning the bend near an out cropping of trees stood a small wooden structure. The white paint was peeling down the sides and the two windows were missing glass. The building lacked charm, but otherwise it looked sound for her tutoring lesson; much like a schoolhouse. She smiled, pleased with that idea, and walked up to the front door. Lifting her hand, she gave the door a rap. The door swung open.
Diana wore a floral muslin dress, displaying the graceful arch of her throat and her ample bosom. Her hair was spread across her shoulders like a curtain. She’s breathtaking! Ellie’s hand rose of its own accord toward Diana’s tresses. She blinked and dropped her hand down at her side.
Diana didn’t seem to notice her transgression and smiled in welcome.
“I’m so happy you decided to...oh my dear, whatever happened to your chin?”
She moved back when Diana lifted her hand toward her face. She covered the offensive-looking scratch. “It’s nothing to worry about. August swiped me with one of his claws.”
Diana gave her a skeptical look but didn’t press any further. “Come inside.”
She backed into the room and Ellie entered, taking stock of her surroundings. It had a homey feel to it with a fireplace, a tiny kitchen with a table, and a small bed arranged with linens and pillows in the far corner.
Ellie sniffed, expecting to smell stale air and dust. She found neither. “Did someone clean?”
Diana nodded and swiped a finger across the back of a chair. “I dusted and swept, and brought sheets and pillows for the bed.” She rubbed her hands and snuck a peek at the basket. “Did you bring August?”
“Not this time. I left him and Jack home. They get into mischief and I wouldn’t want them to be a bother.”
“Jack?” Diana asked. “You have another cat?”
“Erm, not a cat. Just another pet of mine.” She bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to smack her forehead for mentioning Jack.
To her surprise, Diana didn’t ask any questions about her rodent pet. On the table, Ellie set out the parcel of food she brought with her, as well as her slate and chalk, and a few old elementary books of Mina’s she found hidden in one of the library shelves.
“I bought some food in case we get hungry,” she explained, peering at Diana over her shoulder.
Diana stared at her hair. Ellie hunched her shoulders, uncomfortable at being studied in such a way.
“The ribbon suits you,” Diana said, and before Ellie could stop her, she pushed aside one of her curls behind her ear and her fingertip grazed over the ribbon.
She grabbed the chair next to her to stop from swaying. Diana moved over to the counter in the kitchen and produced a bottle and two glasses.
“Do you like wine?”
Ellie nodded, although she’d never had any. She didn’t want to disappoint Diana.
“Wonderful!” Diana clapped. “This will be our reward for when we finish with our lesson for today.”
She found it strange Diana used the word “our” and not “your”. She liked the idea of sharing between the two of them.
“That would be nice.” She sat down.
Diana took a satchel off a chair and sat. She opened the bag and extracted a bundle of paper and a book. “Put the slate away. From now on you’ll use paper and pen.”
Ellie’s jaw dropped. When Diana placed the paper in front of her, she stroked it. She never used real paper to write on before. What a treat!
Diana set a small jar of ink and a pen next to her and opened the book to the first page. “Why don’t you write out the alphabet and we’ll take it from there?”
Ellie nodded enthusiastically and hid her smile when Diana laughed. She lifted the pen, dipped it in the ink and drew the letter A.
* * * *
An hour later, Kristina wanted to take a break. Her back ached from sitting in the rigid wooden chair. But then again Elle had allowed her to take her hand to assist with her writing. Their shoulders
Turning the bend near an out cropping of trees stood a small wooden structure. The white paint was peeling down the sides and the two windows were missing glass. The building lacked charm, but otherwise it looked sound for her tutoring lesson; much like a schoolhouse. She smiled, pleased with that idea, and walked up to the front door. Lifting her hand, she gave the door a rap. The door swung open.
Diana wore a floral muslin dress, displaying the graceful arch of her throat and her ample bosom. Her hair was spread across her shoulders like a curtain. She’s breathtaking! Ellie’s hand rose of its own accord toward Diana’s tresses. She blinked and dropped her hand down at her side.
Diana didn’t seem to notice her transgression and smiled in welcome.
“I’m so happy you decided to...oh my dear, whatever happened to your chin?”
She moved back when Diana lifted her hand toward her face. She covered the offensive-looking scratch. “It’s nothing to worry about. August swiped me with one of his claws.”
Diana gave her a skeptical look but didn’t press any further. “Come inside.”
She backed into the room and Ellie entered, taking stock of her surroundings. It had a homey feel to it with a fireplace, a tiny kitchen with a table, and a small bed arranged with linens and pillows in the far corner.
Ellie sniffed, expecting to smell stale air and dust. She found neither. “Did someone clean?”
Diana nodded and swiped a finger across the back of a chair. “I dusted and swept, and brought sheets and pillows for the bed.” She rubbed her hands and snuck a peek at the basket. “Did you bring August?”
“Not this time. I left him and Jack home. They get into mischief and I wouldn’t want them to be a bother.”
“Jack?” Diana asked. “You have another cat?”
“Erm, not a cat. Just another pet of mine.” She bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to smack her forehead for mentioning Jack.
To her surprise, Diana didn’t ask any questions about her rodent pet. On the table, Ellie set out the parcel of food she brought with her, as well as her slate and chalk, and a few old elementary books of Mina’s she found hidden in one of the library shelves.
“I bought some food in case we get hungry,” she explained, peering at Diana over her shoulder.
Diana stared at her hair. Ellie hunched her shoulders, uncomfortable at being studied in such a way.
“The ribbon suits you,” Diana said, and before Ellie could stop her, she pushed aside one of her curls behind her ear and her fingertip grazed over the ribbon.
She grabbed the chair next to her to stop from swaying. Diana moved over to the counter in the kitchen and produced a bottle and two glasses.
“Do you like wine?”
Ellie nodded, although she’d never had any. She didn’t want to disappoint Diana.
“Wonderful!” Diana clapped. “This will be our reward for when we finish with our lesson for today.”
She found it strange Diana used the word “our” and not “your”. She liked the idea of sharing between the two of them.
“That would be nice.” She sat down.
Diana took a satchel off a chair and sat. She opened the bag and extracted a bundle of paper and a book. “Put the slate away. From now on you’ll use paper and pen.”
Ellie’s jaw dropped. When Diana placed the paper in front of her, she stroked it. She never used real paper to write on before. What a treat!
Diana set a small jar of ink and a pen next to her and opened the book to the first page. “Why don’t you write out the alphabet and we’ll take it from there?”
Ellie nodded enthusiastically and hid her smile when Diana laughed. She lifted the pen, dipped it in the ink and drew the letter A.
* * * *
An hour later, Kristina wanted to take a break. Her back ached from sitting in the rigid wooden chair. But then again Elle had allowed her to take her hand to assist with her writing. Their shoulders
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