Thread: The Only Rules That Matter:  Afterlife (TheCorsair, Madam Mim)

Where's my drink, girl? John demanded as soon as he stepped through the door. On the other side of a proper fonging with that tone, Jenny replied with a smile. She stood in the kitchen--which was less a kitchen and more a corner of the one-room cottage--keeping a careful eye on the biscuits lest they burn. She turned her head to kiss John back and grinned at his mood. Teaching seems to suit you, she commented. And it's just as well you're eating with Van Tassel flour and lard's the only thing I could find in the pantry. I'll have to go about town tomorrow for proper supplies. Not like we haven't got the money for it. The last school master seems to have not cared much what his lodgings were like, as I'll have to patch up that quilt and stop all the gaps with rags, too. Lord knows if this town's even got a thatcher don't fancy finding out the roof leaks first time it rains. A servant girl's work is never done, is it Mister Crane? She turned with a smile to hug him and sighed. I'll make this drafty old place a home yet. As the biscuits baked Jenny filled in John on the outline of their alibi she'd provided to the magistrate and they worked to flesh out their story since they weren't to be husband and wife this time. What a scandal they'd cause when they got caught kissing in the corn crib! Finally it was time for John to leave so he could find Van Tassel's house in time for supper, leaving Jenny alone. She picked at the lard biscuits--which were dry because she'd had no milk and didn't know who to ask for any--but reminded herself how often she'd gone hungry before. This wasn't so bad. About an hour after John left there came a shy knock at the door. Please Miss, said the little pig-tailed girl who couldn't be more than ten, my Pa said you were the new schoolmaster's servant girl. Yes, that's right, Jenny confirmed gently. The shy little brunette reminded her strongly of Anne. Well he saw Mister Crane go out earlier, and he said Mister Van Holt--that's the old schoolmaster what died o'er the summer--usually et at other folks' house so he probably didn't leave much a stocked pantry behind. So...so he said as you probably worked up an appetite choppin' all that wood he gave you the ax for, you'd probably be hungry. She had problems with succinctness, didn't she? So he said you should oughtta come sup with us. Well that's awfully generous! Jenny replied with a gentle smile. Gimme just a mo' and I'll leave with you. She scribbled a quick note to John so he shouldn't worry if he returned first, then grabbed up the ax and left with the little girl. You can write? Her eyes were wide and she sounded a little envious. 'Course I can, she answered cheerfully. Mister Crane taught me how, and how to read too. Pa says a girl don't need to know how to read or write if she can work the land, the girl said, sounding a little dejected. Jenny shrugged. She was familiar with the sentiment, but at least her father hadn't actively stopped her from learning. Oh I dunno about that, she said casually. Knowing how to read and write can serve a great many purposes. No one can do you a bad turn on contracts if you lease or sell your land, for instance. And they can't forge your signature neither, if you know how to write your name. How come you can't read? School's just over the hill there. Pa stopped sending me to school a couple years ago. Said I knew my numbers and my verse and that's all I needed, and he needed more help on the farm besides. She kicked a rock, sending it rolling through the grass, then kicked it again when they came upon it. It made a sort of sense if it hadn't been for John then Jenny would have never learned how to read and wouldn't have been the worse for it by working in the family business. Well...er, what's your name? Kaylee. Kaylee von Kalt. Well Kaylee van Kalt, on days you get your work done early you come across the valley here and I'll teach you. Kaylee's eyes widened. Really Miss? Promise? Promise. So long as your Pa says it's alright. Bible says you should honor your father and mother and God comes above reading. By and by the reached the farmhouse, which compared to their closest neighbor was a mansion. It was about the size of the Nest in Dover though with not so many bedrooms as there were only two children in this household. Mr. and Mrs. von Kalt were cheerful and hospitable enough, true Christians to share what they had with a new neighbor. Once they had said grace Jenny worked hard to keep from crossing herself and singling herself out as an outsider in more than one way everyone began to pass around the food and Mr. von Kalt started asking Jenny questions about herself where she was from, how she'd come to take up with Mister Crane, and were they...? No of course not, they were both good God-fearing Christians! How silly of him to ask! Oh like brother and sister you say? with a less than subtle glance at his wife then at their boy Jenny noticed the elder son--who must have been nineteen or so--sneaking peeks at her between bites. What the poor lamb would do if he knew she was old enough to be his great-great-grandmother! So Mister von Kalt, Jenny said between bites after complimenting Mrs. von Kalt copiously on a meal well-made, what's the village like? Seems quiet enough, but on our way up we heard rumors of trouble recently? The large, well-appointed home of Baltus Van Tassel--wealthy gentleman-farmer and First Citizen--was over the hill and quite on the other side of town. On his way there John passed by a cemetery then over a bridge which spanned a little brook. Then past the main street with the barber and the dry goods store, past the carpenter and blacksmith at the more sparsely-populated end of this cobblestone path, up a paved drive and past a carriage house he finally came to the Van Tassel mansion. As soon as he knocked the door was answered by a butler of sorts and there seemed to be a bit of a celebration beyond. People danced and played games and overseeing it all was a rotund, older man looking about as a king overseeing his kingdom. Mister Crane! he boomed once he spotted John. Come in, come in! Do have yourself a drink! We weren't expecting you for another couple of weeks but I think we've put together a very lovely reception on such short notice wouldn't you say? He tapped his glass--crystal by the look of it--with a fork to get everyone's attention. The music and games stopped and all eyes turned to John. Ladies and gentlemen it is my absolute privilege to introduce our guest of honor tonight, our new schoolmaster Mister Ichabod Crane. There was polite applause before Van Tassel waved his meaty hands at the band. Well go on then! Don't stop on my account! The band struck up again and Van Tassel laid his heavy arm around John's shoulder. Now then my boy, you will eat and drink and be merry, and I shall introduce you to everyone who's anyone, he insisted. Magistrate Hardwick tells me you brought a serving girl with you, but no matter. You'll forget all about the help when you see the flowers which bloom in every season here upstate. Ah, and none so lovely as this! He steered John toward a pretty blonde of sixteen or seventeen. My daughter, Katrina. How do you do Mister Crane? Katrina smiled charmingly and curtsied, the fashion of the day making her cleavage more easily visible when brought below eye level.