Status: new story(:
Dark Blue
v.
“Oh good, Juliet, you have Edmund. I was just coming to retrieve the boys. Your father has finished his business here and we must return home.”
“Of course, Mother. Why do you not go with Father to fetch the carriage? I can go fetch Thomas.”
Mother smiled her thanks as she hurried back down to where Father was waiting at the foot of the stairs. I returned to the nursery and Thomas came sprinting to my side as soon as he spotted me.
“Is it time to go home yet, Julie?” He whined.
“Yes, Thomas, come along.” I laughed, extending my hand.
Thomas looped his arm through mine and escorted me downstairs. I could tell that he would become a fine young gentleman once he reached adulthood. I caught sight of Millie and Lauren still in the dance hall. They smiled but did not make a move away from their husbands. I returned the gesture and could not help but feel as though I had been replaced. Although, it was unfair of me to assume that I would remain number one in their hearts now that they had families to think about.
Mother and Father were waiting at the door. I caught Father’s proud smile as Thomas thanked Auguste for opening the door and then proceeded to assist me into the carriage, but it disappeared soon after.
The ride home was quiet, Edmund having fallen asleep on my lap and Thomas looking as though he was about to enter Dreamland as well. I knew that the boys could not detect it, but I felt the slight tension and anxiety between Mother and Father. I knew better than to question them, but hopefully one of the maids would discover the gossip and pass it along.
After what seemed like an eternity I saw the faint outlines of our house. Mother and Father must have seen it too because they both seemed to relax a little. When the carriage came to a halt, Auguste came around and opened the door. Father quickly exited and then helped Mother down. They immediately began walking towards the door, held open by William, without a second glance back at the carriage. I sighed and gently shook Thomas awake. He whipped his head around, confused and terrified, until he saw me. He leaned against my side again.
“Thomas,” I whispered in his ear, “wake up, we’re home.”
Thomas mumbled something incoherent before beginning to lightly snore again. I nudged his shoulder, but there was no waking him up now.
“Miss Juliet, is everything alright?” Auguste asked, poking his head inside of the door.
Upon seeing Edmund curled up on my lap and Thomas slumped against my side, he moved so that he was leaning through the doorway, one foot resting on the step underneath. Auguste secured one arm under his knees and placed the other on the carriage wall. I pushed Thomas and he shifted his weight until he was resting on Auguste’s arm. Carefully, Thomas was lifted up and out of the carriage door. I secured Edmund to my chest before making my way to the door. William had joined Auguste outside and placed a firm grip on my arm and waist as I stepped out of the carriage. As soon as I was solidly on the ground he hurried back to hold the entrance open for Auguste and I.
I nodded my thanks to him as I passed and caught him smiling at me sadly as I headed towards the stairs. Auguste followed behind with Thomas as I climbed to the second story and turned right, walking towards the boys’ room. Their menservants saw us approaching and hurried to retrieve their respective charges. Auguste handed Thomas off to Robert but I shied away from Jonathon.
“Thank you, Auguste.” I said tiredly.
“It was no trouble at all, Miss Juliet. Those boys can be quite the handful.” He smiled and gave a short bow before walking back towards the staircase.
I walked into the room, still holding Edmund, with Robert and Jonathon right behind me. Robert gently laid Thomas on his bed before removing his shoes and socks. I placed Edmund in his bed as well, undressing him with the smallest amount of disturbance possible. I slipped his sleeping tunic over his head and tucked the blankets tight around him before turning to Jonathon.
“Not a word to my Mother or Father, Jonathon.” I said firmly. Then I turned my eyes to Robert, who was almost finished preparing Thomas for bed, “Auguste summoned the two of you down to the carriage where you took charge of the children. I walked with you up the stairs and then went straight to my room. Understood?”
“Of course, Miss Juliet.” Robert replied before turning his attention back to Thomas.
Jonathon placed a hand on my shoulder.
“You are a wonderful sister, Miss Juliet. Go rest, now. Your brothers are in safe with us, I promise.”
I looked up as he removed his hand. My eyes felt clouded and I realized I was crying.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
Jonathon smiled at me before rolling out his cot at the foot of Edmund’s bed. I leaned down and kissed Edmund’s forehead. I moved to Thomas’ bed and did the same.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Miss Juliet.”
I closed the door behind me and walked the opposite direction to my own room. Viola was perched on the chair next to my bed. She walked to me wordlessly and began the long process of removing my dress. My whole body began to sag as I was left in just my chemise. Viola led me to my bed and pulled the covers up over me.
“You sleep now, Miss Juliet. You deserve it.” She said, turning out the candles that lit my room.
I was asleep before she closed the door.
“Of course, Mother. Why do you not go with Father to fetch the carriage? I can go fetch Thomas.”
Mother smiled her thanks as she hurried back down to where Father was waiting at the foot of the stairs. I returned to the nursery and Thomas came sprinting to my side as soon as he spotted me.
“Is it time to go home yet, Julie?” He whined.
“Yes, Thomas, come along.” I laughed, extending my hand.
Thomas looped his arm through mine and escorted me downstairs. I could tell that he would become a fine young gentleman once he reached adulthood. I caught sight of Millie and Lauren still in the dance hall. They smiled but did not make a move away from their husbands. I returned the gesture and could not help but feel as though I had been replaced. Although, it was unfair of me to assume that I would remain number one in their hearts now that they had families to think about.
Mother and Father were waiting at the door. I caught Father’s proud smile as Thomas thanked Auguste for opening the door and then proceeded to assist me into the carriage, but it disappeared soon after.
The ride home was quiet, Edmund having fallen asleep on my lap and Thomas looking as though he was about to enter Dreamland as well. I knew that the boys could not detect it, but I felt the slight tension and anxiety between Mother and Father. I knew better than to question them, but hopefully one of the maids would discover the gossip and pass it along.
After what seemed like an eternity I saw the faint outlines of our house. Mother and Father must have seen it too because they both seemed to relax a little. When the carriage came to a halt, Auguste came around and opened the door. Father quickly exited and then helped Mother down. They immediately began walking towards the door, held open by William, without a second glance back at the carriage. I sighed and gently shook Thomas awake. He whipped his head around, confused and terrified, until he saw me. He leaned against my side again.
“Thomas,” I whispered in his ear, “wake up, we’re home.”
Thomas mumbled something incoherent before beginning to lightly snore again. I nudged his shoulder, but there was no waking him up now.
“Miss Juliet, is everything alright?” Auguste asked, poking his head inside of the door.
Upon seeing Edmund curled up on my lap and Thomas slumped against my side, he moved so that he was leaning through the doorway, one foot resting on the step underneath. Auguste secured one arm under his knees and placed the other on the carriage wall. I pushed Thomas and he shifted his weight until he was resting on Auguste’s arm. Carefully, Thomas was lifted up and out of the carriage door. I secured Edmund to my chest before making my way to the door. William had joined Auguste outside and placed a firm grip on my arm and waist as I stepped out of the carriage. As soon as I was solidly on the ground he hurried back to hold the entrance open for Auguste and I.
I nodded my thanks to him as I passed and caught him smiling at me sadly as I headed towards the stairs. Auguste followed behind with Thomas as I climbed to the second story and turned right, walking towards the boys’ room. Their menservants saw us approaching and hurried to retrieve their respective charges. Auguste handed Thomas off to Robert but I shied away from Jonathon.
“Thank you, Auguste.” I said tiredly.
“It was no trouble at all, Miss Juliet. Those boys can be quite the handful.” He smiled and gave a short bow before walking back towards the staircase.
I walked into the room, still holding Edmund, with Robert and Jonathon right behind me. Robert gently laid Thomas on his bed before removing his shoes and socks. I placed Edmund in his bed as well, undressing him with the smallest amount of disturbance possible. I slipped his sleeping tunic over his head and tucked the blankets tight around him before turning to Jonathon.
“Not a word to my Mother or Father, Jonathon.” I said firmly. Then I turned my eyes to Robert, who was almost finished preparing Thomas for bed, “Auguste summoned the two of you down to the carriage where you took charge of the children. I walked with you up the stairs and then went straight to my room. Understood?”
“Of course, Miss Juliet.” Robert replied before turning his attention back to Thomas.
Jonathon placed a hand on my shoulder.
“You are a wonderful sister, Miss Juliet. Go rest, now. Your brothers are in safe with us, I promise.”
I looked up as he removed his hand. My eyes felt clouded and I realized I was crying.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
Jonathon smiled at me before rolling out his cot at the foot of Edmund’s bed. I leaned down and kissed Edmund’s forehead. I moved to Thomas’ bed and did the same.
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Miss Juliet.”
I closed the door behind me and walked the opposite direction to my own room. Viola was perched on the chair next to my bed. She walked to me wordlessly and began the long process of removing my dress. My whole body began to sag as I was left in just my chemise. Viola led me to my bed and pulled the covers up over me.
“You sleep now, Miss Juliet. You deserve it.” She said, turning out the candles that lit my room.
I was asleep before she closed the door.