“And now that she’s gone,” Cecilia continued, “the pool doesn’t seem so beautiful anymore.”
Cecilia felt her shoulders begin to slump, so she made a double effort to straighten herself. For she knew that if she allowed herself to slump, she would begin to cry. And she did not feel comfortable crying in front of Miss Meyer.
“I’m sorry, child. I didn’t foresee that my remark would upset you so. But have you heard the old adage that, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’?”
Cecilia nodded.
“Well, there we are, then. Your dear mother’s death does not diminish the beauty of this reflecting pool, for the memories you shared here are still in your mind’s eye.”
Miss Meyer gave a reassuring smile which then caused Cecilia to appreciate something else.Miss Meyer never smiled in an aristocratic manner. All of her smiles seemed bright and sincere.
“Do you come from a happy home, Miss Meyer?”
This question seemed to stun her.
“In truth, no, not particularly, Lady Cecilia. What gave you that impression?”
“Nothing, Miss Meyer. It was just a thought.”
“I was actually raised in an orphanage, you know.”
Cecilia gasped, “An orphanage? What was that like?” This was not at all what she had expected to hear.
“Difficult, naturally. All of the children had to share almost everything with one another, from clothes to books, to a room, to toys, to food. You essentially owned everything in the house, and nothing, at the same time.”
Cecilia shuddered; she couldn’t imagine having to wear gowns that had also been worn by other girls. What if they had perspired in them? Or what if they damaged them?
Miss Meyer giggled at the look of terror on Cecilia’s face. “Oh, don’t fret, Lady Cecilia. It wasn’t as bad as you think. It was like having over two dozen brothers and sisters all at once.”
Cecilia laughed, “No offense meant, Miss Meyer, but that sounds more like a nightmare than anything else.”
Miss Meyer laughed again. “No, no. It was quite lively. You never ran out of playmates at the orphanage. I remember this one time, while we were playing hide and seek, this older girl…”
Cecilia listened with bated breath as Miss Meyer related in great detail some of the often silly—and sometimes dangerous—antics that she and the other children had got up to over the years. To Cecilia, that world sounded as foreign and exciting as Ancient Egypt.
* * *
Anthony couldn’t remember the last time he had experienced a hangover, but he was certain it could not have been as painful as this one. That was his first thought upon waking up. He opened his eyes and waited for the room to stand still.
Wait, whose room is this?was his second thought.
A series of soft snores answered that question. Anthony may not be able to recall the events that took place last night, but he most certainly remembered those snores from his university days.
Wait, am I lying on the floor?was his third thought.
This, too, was answered immediately, for in his periphery, he could see both the bed and one of the snorer’s feet dangling off of it. And a scan of the rest of his own body revealed that he was still almost fully clothed from the night before and was using his coat as a blanket.
Kenneth, you heartless halfwit. How dare you allow me to sleep on the floor when there’s plenty of space on that bed.This was his fourth thought.
He groaned in agony as he licked his dry lips and called, “Kenneth.”
His voice was hoarse. So he cleared his throat—which happened to be a big mistake, it felt as though he had swallowed a razor—and tried again. “Kenneth!” he said, a little louder this time.But still the snores continued. Anthony had forgotten that his friend was capable of sleeping like the dead.
Anthony did not dare try to sit up. He knew it would only serve to intensify his suffering. But on the other hand, he couldn’t stay on the floor forever. Or could he? His pursuit of this line of thought was cut short by Colin’s entrance into the room. He, too, was suffering from a hangover.
Ha! Colin looks terrible!was Anthony’s fifth thought.
He smirked as he found comfort in the fact that his misery was also being shared by two of his closest friends.
