Of Gossip and Dances

Hugh watched the two saunter away from him, arm-in-arm. Miss. Hughes and her cousin. Miss… Did he even ask for her name? After encountering the woman again that he had thought about speaking with, Hugh could not believe that he did not ask her for her name.

“Miss. Hughes!” he called out, running toward the women. They stopped in their tracks and turned back to face him; both looked confused.

“Yes, sir?”

He sighed and turned to her cousin, locking eyes with her bright ones. “I completely forgot to ask for your name, ma’am. My apologies.”

She laughed. “Oh, of course. Miss. Durham! I slipped my mind as well!” At least he was not the only forgettable person.

“Lydia, you may address her as Lydia!” Miss. Hughes butted in, giggling behind her hand. “We really must be off now, Hugh. Goodbye!”

He said his goodbyes to the two women who had taken time out of their day to speak to him. If he had not run into either of them, then he would not know the woman’s name – Lydia Durham. She was just as beautiful as the day they danced; the gown that she wore that day would be called plain by his mother, but he was quite fond of the simple dresses that the women wore around the town. He was never too fond with all of the frills and laces and bows that his mother cooed over.

The woman that was with her, Miss. Hughes, had always been a quite pushy and strong woman, always insisting that he call her by her first name, which he always refused to do. Hugh did not know her well enough to refer to her by anything but her last name, and he was sure that the two would not become closer anytime soon. They had only talked to each other a small handful of times, and each time was only a short moment. His mother, on the other hand, felt the need to speak to the woman for half of the day, if both had the time; his mother quite adored her, treating her as if Miss. Hughes was the daughter that she was never able to have.

He looked around. Those who were shopping had finished their errands were beginning to make their way home for lunch. Hugh turned back to face the inn, the place that his cousin went through, asking him to wait outside until he returned. But, Hugh thought to himself, that there was no much for him to do in the town that he knew so well. There were shops, but they were clothing shops that his mother adored. He knew nothing about those shops, and did not want to look around at the different fabric; he had no need for more clothes at the moment.

Despite Richard’s instruction, Hugh started for the inn, knowing that there were interesting people that he could strike up a conversation with to pass the time. Before he could open the door, though, the heavy wooden door flung open and knocked him to the ground. A man shuffled outside in front of Hugh, and gasped when he saw the man on the ground.

“Oh, dear!” he said, shuffling the papers in his hands to one arm. “My sincerest apologies, sir!” Hugh looked up at the man, and rubbed his head with his hand; he was sure that he would have a headache the rest of the day from the bump on his head. The man was a stout man who wore small circular glasses on his face, similar to the ones that his father wore; for reading is what his father always told him. Hugh was sure that he had never seen this man in the town before; his mother introduced him to the majority of the people in town, and he had not spoken to this man before.

The man held out his hand for Hugh to take, and helped him up. The inn door closed behind him, and the two men stepped away so they would not be hit by any exiting people. “It’s okay, it’s nothing serious,” Hugh replied, feeling the bump on his head. It was small and sure to be gone the next day. “Are you visiting town, sir? I only ask because I have not seen you around here before.”

“I am only here for a short time, yes,” the man replied, looking around him as if someone were listening to him speak. He seemed paranoid. “I really must be going, and I apologize again.” He left without hearing Hugh’s reply, and disappeared among the shops. What a strange man, Hugh thought to himself.

Hugh put his hand on the door knob once again. And once more, the door opened before he could, revealing Richard. “Oh! You scared me, Hugh!”

Both men turned away from the inn, leaving it behind them. “You scared me! That was the second time the door opened before I could go in!” Hugh replied, feeling his bump once again. “A strange man knocked me to the ground by opening the door so quickly.”

“A strange man? Hmm,” Richard replied as he began to walk back the way that they came that morning. “Were you getting impatient waiting for me? You did not want to occupy yourself with finding the perfect dress for future balls?” Both laughed, and Hugh punched his cousin on the arm in a joking matter.

“You know I already have all of the dresses I need. If I were to look, I would look for you since you obviously do not have a sense of fashion,” Hugh joked in return. “But no. You were taking too long, and I was not sure what to do.”

“You have always been so impatient! Ever since we were children!” Hugh shook his head as if disagreeing, and said nothing else. Richard looked around, and locked eyes with the man that Hugh had run into, signaling with his hand that he needed to leave. He had to make sure that no one found out about what he was hiding.

The men continued to their house in silence. Hugh was sure that his cousin needed some time to think for he had not said another word. His hands were in his pocket, which seemed a little strange to Hugh for Richard’s hands were often occupied with whatever trinket that he brought with him. But he held nothing, and his hands remained in his pockets.

“Boys! You’re home early.” Hugh’s father came into their view from the side of the house. The clothes he wore were sloppy and covered in dirt. Sweat was dripping from his forehead, giving Hugh the impression that his father had been working on the garden that he adored so much again. His father made sure that the garden that grew so well on the side of the house continued to grow fruits and vegetables that continued to feed their family. Ever since Hugh was born, his father had the garden, and he was sure that it was growing long before he came into this world.

Richard said nothing and hurried inside. “He’s been acting strange since we left town,’ Hugh commented as soon as the front door closed behind his cousin. “How’s the garden?”

“It’s not doing too well this year I’m afraid. Maybe you can help me sometime with it? You were always good at reviving the plants that I accidentally kill.” The two laughed. Hugh had not had time recently to help his father in the garden, and Hugh missed it. It was a chance that the father and son had to spend time together since his mother took away all of Hugh’s other time, making sure that he was ready to find himself a wife.

Hugh nodded and smiled. “Let me go get changed and I’ll be right back.”