Serena sighed as Mr Xavier drove away from her front gate with no more than a curt nod. No sense in dwelling on ‘what ifs’, or allowing her imagination to take flight. Home was her reality now. A loving family who needed her.
‘Serena!’ Papa came bursting out of the house and wrapped her in a bear-like embrace filled with warmth and smelling of home. ‘What are you doing here? I thought you were to serve Mr King for many more months.’
She opened her mouth. What could she tell him? Very little in fact. ‘I’ve been dismissed.’
Confusion creased Papa’s forehead. ‘Did you do something wrong?’
Serena shrugged. ‘Not precisely.’ Now to make it sound convincing. ‘They weren’t happy with my work.’
‘They?’
‘Mr King’s family.’
Papa’s expression clouded. ‘But what of his threat? He was most emphatic about reporting me to the authorities. He didn’t let you go so easily, surely.’
Serena tried to shrug and forced a bright laugh. ‘His family overruled him, you see. They assure me Mr King will not go to the authorities.’
‘That is something, I suppose.’ His face brightened a little, and then his brow furrowed again. ‘But to say you weren’t good enough ...I’ve never known a girl who worked harder or more selflessly than you, my dear.’
‘Thank you, Papa. That means so much.’ Serena squeezed his hands. ‘Aleron House is kept in such pristine order. In comparison, our home might be called a rubbish heap.’ Her thoughts travelled to Edward’s chaotic rooms. Perhaps she had grossly overstated the matter—for that one section of Aleron, anyhow.
Papa let out a deep sigh. ‘You cannot realise what a relief it is to have you home, Serena.’ He tucked her hand through his arm and led her toward the door. ‘I think a celebration is in order. Your sisters will be so pleased to see you home again.’
‘Yes, I’m sure they will.’ Serena’s smile covered a nagging doubt. Pleased because they truly missed her, or pleased because she would be there to coddle them again?
22
Thursday, 2nd June, 1842
Gone.
She is gone.
The light.
The life.
No more, no more.
Grey.
Dull shadow.
Nothing remains.
But the curse.
The curse.
Always the curse.
23
Serena sat around the kitchen table with her family as they shared their first supper together in months. As Papa suggested, they celebrated with mutton stew that Serena, for the most part, cooked herself, although it tasted nothing compared to Becker’s masterpieces. It didn’t even smell as good. So, her sisters had learned little in the cooking department.
As if reading her mind, Papa closed his eyes, savouring a mouthful. ‘I have not had food this tasty in weeks.’
Curious. ‘What did you eat these past weeks?’
‘A lot of bread.’ Papa chuckled. ‘From the bakery, of course. None of your wonderful home-baked goodness.’
Julianne pouted. ‘I made you food, Papa.’
‘Of course you did, my dear. Just nothing like this.’
Serena waited for more details, but none came. Probably boiled eggs, cuts of preserved meat, and a few vegetables, if she were to guess. Knowing Julianne’s fear of the stove, it would have fallen on Rachel to prepare any hot food.
‘Well, at least you’re home now. And sooner than I expected, too.’ Julianne wore a wide grin.
‘Sooner than we all expected.’ Papa corrected. ‘You girls should tell Serena your news.’ He waved his fork in their direction.
‘What news?’ Serena sat straighter.
Julianne’s grin widened. Serena wasn’t sure her sister could look more excited.
‘I have a beau.’
Serena had expected an announcement of sorts, but not that kind.
‘And I am to attend school,’ Rachel’s eyes shone. ‘At least, I will next year. Papa says so.’
‘You have? You are?’ Serena almost choked on a piece of mutton.
The girls nodded so vigorously, their curls bobbed.
‘My dear Reynold has been the greatest support without you here,’ Julianne sighed. ‘We met in the store, while I was attempting to buy sugar and flour. I cannot tell you how silly I felt. I was so uncertain about how many pounds to buy. Just when I wished that you were still home—because you know all about that kind of thing—Reynold approached me. He must have seen what a pickle I was in and most helpfully suggested quantities. After I made the purchase, he asked if he could call on me, and, well, that’s how it started.’
There were no words. This was the last news Serena had expected. ‘So ... you like him very much?’
‘Yes.’ She demurred. ‘When I am seventeen, I hope he may make an offer.’
Still nonplussed, Serena turned to Rachel. ‘And you? School?’
‘Papa says I am good with numbers and that I should learn.’ Her younger sister bit her lip, appearing nervous. ‘He says perhaps I might one day help him with the ledgers for his merchant business.’
‘You’re to keep ledgers?’
‘Oh, Papa thinks I am quite capable, and since his business is doing better again—’
‘It is?’ Serena’s eyes swerved to her father who wore an indulgent smile, rather than the expected shamefaced guilt or regret over his own failings. Surely their situation couldn’t have changed so much. And yet, he did not indicate opposition. He sat there, proud as a rooster strutting in front of his hens. Yet, Serena had been away for almost two months, and they hadn’t written her a single detail about any of this.
‘Why have I not heard anything from you?’
She wrote to them. She wrote often. And she had written everything. In return, they had written nothing. Nothing of consequence.
‘Well, we thought it might upset you, since you wouldn’t be able to return to see us, stuck in that terrible place.’ The three of them exchanged glances, flashes of guilt in their expressions.
So, they had moved on with their lives, never expecting to see Serena home again. Julianne was looking toward marriage and Papa would replace Serena with Rachel to administrate his merchant business. How vain I have been. She assumed they were at home pining
