Miss. Lizabeth purses her lips, a habit she does too often, and stares me down. I cringe a little, backin' away from her. I ain't usually afraid, but today I've seen enough. I don't wanna see me die.
"I swear she ain't well Miss. Lizabeth. She needs some bed rest," I say, tryin' to look all doe-eyed. I see her waver a little, so I continue, "She is my sister after all so I wanted to make sure she was well enough before I left her."
"Shall I go check on her?" Miss. Lizabeth asks, already headin' to Mary's chamber.
"No," I jump in her way, "no she's sleepin' right now. I wouldn't disturb her. Besides you might catch whatever she has."
Miss. Lizabeth opens her mouth to speak, but I stop her before it's too late. Whatever she plans to say, it ain't gonna be real nice.
"Has Cecile readied breakfast?" I ask, walkin' toward the kitchen. Miss. Lizabeth waits for a moment, lookin' toward the hall where Mary supposedly lays sick. Then, she shakes her head and follows.
We don't talk for minutes, Miss. Lizabeth studyin' me and the dirt runnin' down my skin. She even grabs my dress at one point, showin' her disapproval in her pinched features.
"That's what I wanted to discuss with you," she says, her nose scrunchin' at my lack of poise, "The misses is back, and will be joinin' you for breakfast this mornin'."
My face pales at the thought of daddy's wife comin' back. I see her with her fancy gowns and sparklin' jewels, hear her terrible voice in my head. It was perfectly fine when she was away, vistin' her ill mother. I was perfectly miserable without her.
Miss. Lizabeth looks at me to answer. All I manage to squeak is an "oh."
"I suggest you get cleaned up real well. The misses takes appearance very seriously."
I can hear mockin' in her tone, which causes me to smile a little. The only thing Miss. Lizabeth is good for his hatin' the misses. She had grown up with mother, and when daddy replaced her after she left us, Miss. Lizabeth had taken' a formal dislike. And when she had come to meet us all, and live here, Miss. Lizabeth's formal dislike turned more into a passionate hate.
"I think I'll take my chances like this." Miss. Lizabeth has no objections.
"I swear she ain't well Miss. Lizabeth. She needs some bed rest," I say, tryin' to look all doe-eyed. I see her waver a little, so I continue, "She is my sister after all so I wanted to make sure she was well enough before I left her."
"Shall I go check on her?" Miss. Lizabeth asks, already headin' to Mary's chamber.
"No," I jump in her way, "no she's sleepin' right now. I wouldn't disturb her. Besides you might catch whatever she has."
Miss. Lizabeth opens her mouth to speak, but I stop her before it's too late. Whatever she plans to say, it ain't gonna be real nice.
"Has Cecile readied breakfast?" I ask, walkin' toward the kitchen. Miss. Lizabeth waits for a moment, lookin' toward the hall where Mary supposedly lays sick. Then, she shakes her head and follows.
We don't talk for minutes, Miss. Lizabeth studyin' me and the dirt runnin' down my skin. She even grabs my dress at one point, showin' her disapproval in her pinched features.
"That's what I wanted to discuss with you," she says, her nose scrunchin' at my lack of poise, "The misses is back, and will be joinin' you for breakfast this mornin'."
My face pales at the thought of daddy's wife comin' back. I see her with her fancy gowns and sparklin' jewels, hear her terrible voice in my head. It was perfectly fine when she was away, vistin' her ill mother. I was perfectly miserable without her.
Miss. Lizabeth looks at me to answer. All I manage to squeak is an "oh."
"I suggest you get cleaned up real well. The misses takes appearance very seriously."
I can hear mockin' in her tone, which causes me to smile a little. The only thing Miss. Lizabeth is good for his hatin' the misses. She had grown up with mother, and when daddy replaced her after she left us, Miss. Lizabeth had taken' a formal dislike. And when she had come to meet us all, and live here, Miss. Lizabeth's formal dislike turned more into a passionate hate.
"I think I'll take my chances like this." Miss. Lizabeth has no objections.
