~~~~~~~~Summer, 1910~~~~~~~~~~~
It was
a typical summer. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington had spent the season in London as
they typically did attending the most fashionable events their money could
afford. After a short visit to Southerton they left their children to attend a
hunting party in Scotland. Mr. Harrington claimed it was important for his
business connection, but business was hardly on his mind as enjoyment was his
true pursuit. Mrs. Harrington was perfect partner for Mr. Harrington on this as
she great joy in frivolity. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington also agreed that they found
their four children to travel with especially when they had Mrs. Gardner, a
diligent care take to watch over them. So the Harrington children spent most of
their summers alone. As it was the last bit of summer Marcus and Parker were to
return to Eton College in a few weeks and the children made every effort to
make the most of it.
On this
particular day Marcus, who was sixteen and should have known better had stolen
Mr. Harrington's new atlas from the library and perched himself on a large rock
that for years had been called Captain's Throne. When they were younger Marcus,
Parker, and Shane had formed an explorers club and swore they were going to see
the world and find new lands. Over the years only Marcus kept this dream alive
but once Marcus showed the boys the new atlas with its gold trimmed papers and
new country lines, the explorers talked as if they were children again.
"Everyday
people are discovering new lands and we can be the next great explorers!"
Marcus spoke daringly to his comrades.
"There
are no new lands, Marcus, just government powers changing hands," Parker
snorted.
Thomas
Edward Parker Welford, Parker as we called him was far too sensible for the dreams Marcus talked about. He never seemed to have much in mind for progress
and change. He was the Earl's heir and found it only decent to keep up
traditions. Sometimes Parker sounded as if the Jacobins were still beheading
nobles and if progress maintained they would be coming after him and all
nobility.
"That's
not true look at these parts of Africa and the Indies that haven't been touched
by any Europeans. We could claim them."
"We
cannot claim them, we are servants to his majesty and if we find any new land
it will belong to the Commonwealth, not to us personally," Parker was
quick to respond.
"He's
right you know," Shane said.
Shane
Gray, who was then seventeen, and practically a grown up in the eyes of Mattie.
They had all grown up together so the age difference did not always matter but
sometimes Shane was far more logical than the rest of them. He was usually the
voice of reason between Marcus' idealism and Parker's sensible and rather harsh
thinking. Though Shane was reasonable he
too had grand ambitions of leaving his servants status and know the world's
options so he often favored Marcus' ideals over Parker.
"I
for one cannot imagine having any interest in seeing such barbaric places,"
Daphne said in a conceited tone.
"Well
no one asked you," Marcus shouted down to her.
Daphne,
who was the fifteen, was in a phase of becoming a young lady. Her dresses were
now at least ankle length and if she attended a dinner she could now wear
dresses with a demi-train. She now constrained herself to tight fisted rules of
propriety. She could no longer go tramping through the woods, or wading in the
creek. She would not allow her dresses to have a mud stain or a rip. Though
Mattie could never remember a time when Daphne was ever so careless as to stain
or rip her dress. Today Daphne was wearing her cream shirtwaist blouse with a light violet skirt, and highly
impractical shoes. Daphne had tried to climb the rock and be a part of the
explorers club but it was impossible in her outfit that she wouldn't dare ruin.
"Be
nice to her," Shane said. "Women cannot imagine the thrill of
discovering new lands."
Shane,
the real reason why Daphne wanted to climb on Daphne on Captain's Throne. They
had grown up together and for the most part Shane was like an older brother to
her but last winter Shane saved Daphne's life (as she put it) and now she was
head over heels in love with him. Though Daphne never admitted it and thought
it was a great secret. Unfortunately for Daphne all the party had know about
it, even Shane, however he was close to three years her senior and he hardly
noticed her. That didn't put Daphne out, she did everything she could to get
Shane's attention. In that morning she had spent two hours primping herself for
our hour or so in the back woods. She had braided her hair down her back making
sure her curls were perfectly around her face. She had even put on some of
mother's rouge and perfume. It had not made the impact Daphne had hoped for,
for Mattie had heard Shane snicker about how the rouge made her look like a
clown and the perfume had made him want to chop off his nose. At that moment
Mattie had wanted to push Shane in the creek with all the sisterly affection
she could muster.
Besides
Shane's harsh jokes, that Mattie had overheard, Shane barely noticed Daphne
that day because of Mr. Harrington atlas. Daphne had been left to her own
devices of picking flowers to determine Shane's feelings. A waste of a good
flower Mattie thought. Mattie was too young, at twelve to understand, why her
sister liked a boy especially when it was so clear he did not like her in
return. Shane had actually had had a crush on Susan Sedly, a girl from town who
had paled around with Daphne during
picnics and such. Though Daphne dissolved all kindness towards her when she
found out Shane kissed her at the May Day picnic. Even though Daphne had heard
that Susan had given Shane two hard slaps she still did not renew her kindness.
Now for the past few weeks Daphne had heard nothing of Susan's name from Shane
and that made Daphne hope again. Mattie silently laughed at Daphne's behavior
and how idiotic it all seemed.
Though
nothing extraordinary happened, and the days all seemed to blend together one
right after the next with a few minor highlights of the years that passed, in
all this these were the grand days for the Harrington children at Southerton.
Without Mr. and Mrs. Harrington present they were under the care of Mrs. Gardner, and in the heat of
summer she was known for taking long naps and expected the children to do the
same. Instead many times they snuck a few pastries and would run away to the back
woods not stopping for any breath. It was here they would plot out the grand
adventures they desired for their lives.
Mattie,
was at the age when the idea of adventure began to creep into her brain. She
loved her home of Southerton Greens and really could not imagine her life apart
from it. It had been in the family since Charles II and while it wasn't grand
like Cranston Court it was still a prized estate. Southerton was built in the
high days of Georgian Architecture with tall columns along the front making it
look like a Romanesque temple in a beautiful English garden. Large enough that
on miserably cold or weary rainy days Mattie still enjoyed finding nooks and
crannies to hide in for hours on end. Mattie's grandfather used to tell her
that Southerton wasn't just a home or an estate it was part of her blood as a
Harrington. She remembered those words clearly and could never really envision
leaving but still dreams of exploration began to creep into her mind and she
started to imagine what the world beyond Southerton looked like.
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Mattie running to the back woods
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