Riverbreeze: Part 2 (7 page)

“Do come into the kitchen, please.” Elizabeth said in a low voice, grabbing Evelyn’s hand and pulling her into the room.

“Where is Robert? Where are the dogs?” Evelyn asked in rapid succession, looking around the empty room.

Whispering, Elizabeth told her everything from the beginning, about Robert leaving to alert his neighbors of his runaway servant, and especially about Abigail and how she had been attacked. Evelyn listened in shock, wondering how much more she had missed while she had been upstairs with Jamie.

Elizabeth also mentioned that Robert had instructed the servants to guard the house, alleviating any of Evelyn’s fears that they also might be in danger.

“Oh dear, the poor woman. Is she still in the other room?” Evelyn turned to look in that direction as if she could see through the walls.

“Yes, and she asked me to heat water for her to wash with, and I told her I would. I was too embarrassed to tell her I didn’t know how!” Elizabeth cried.

“Oh Bess, do not fret so.” Evelyn crooned, taking her sister’s hand into hers. “I shall help you.”

“Are you sure Jamie doesn’t still need you?”

“He’s sound asleep, finally. I made him as comfortable as possible.” She lowered her voice in disgust. “His bed was filthy…” She shivered exaggeratedly. “I made the servants hold him up while I searched the room for clean linens. And when I found some in a chest, I quickly stripped the bed and redressed it. The servants helped me take off his boots and his breeches and I tucked a clean blanket around him.” She ended her speech as if saying, ‘
voila
!’

Elizabeth’s eyes went wide. “You did all that?”

Evelyn nodded, smiling proudly. “So, now I can help you. What do we need to do first?”

“Well, I’m not sure.” Elizabeth answered, clasping her hands together to warm her fingers. “Pile some logs up, perhaps?”

Evelyn started to walk to the fireplace and Elizabeth followed. Both girls then stopped in front of it. It was so large they could almost walk into it. They stood there for several moments, contemplating the situation and studying the numerous tools that were hanging from the massive beam directly above the open area. There were also two baskets off to the side, one filled with resinous pine knots and kindling, the other was filled with split logs. A tinder box was on the ledge created by the beam along with flint and steel.

Hanging off the crane and trammel was a large black pot and closer to the fireplace wall was a brass kettle. “Should we clean out this pot first or should we just build a fire under the kettle?” asked Evelyn while peering into the cast iron pot. “Whatever is in here is no longer edible anyway.”

Elizabeth crowded next to Evelyn to also look in the pot. “Eew.” She stepped back quickly. She didn’t want the job of cleaning out that nasty pot! “Let’s just build a fire under the kettle.”

“Is there water already in it?”

Elizabeth went to pick up the lid with her bare hands.

“Stop! It might be hot!” Evelyn cried.

Elizabeth snatched her hand back. Nevertheless, she said, “But the fire is out.”

“It could still be hot. Be careful.”

“You’re right.” Elizabeth then carefully tested the lid with her fingertips. “’Tis cold.” She took off the lid and checked for water. It was full, much to her relief. “At least we do not have to fill it.”

Just then the front door banged open, startling both twins. They both jumped, pressing their hands against their pounding hearts, but when they heard Dolnick swearing up a storm as he struggled to carry the second trunk up the stairs, they breathed a sigh of relief and even let out a little chuckle.

“Why not ask him to build the fire?” Evelyn asked.

“He still has the third trunk to bring in and then the crates. And I didn’t think I could supersede Robert’s orders.”

“Well,” Evelyn paused, considering. “I suppose you’re right. But when he’s finished…”

“I
want to do it, Evie.” Elizabeth declared, brushing back a stray strand of hair. “I want to do it myself!”

Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. “All right. ‘Tis your decision.”

“Now…” Elizabeth mused, tapping her finger on her chin. “What did Henry used to do every morning?”

“I think he cleaned the ashes away first.”

“You’re right!” Elizabeth snapped her fingers. Seeing a little shovel that was hanging from a hook on the beam, she quickly grabbed it. “We’ll need this, but where should we put the ashes?”

Evelyn looked around and spied another tightly-woven basket beside the sideboard. She went to fetch it. “How about this?” She asked, holding it up.

“Perfect!”

Evelyn brought the basket over and Elizabeth knelt down, sweeping her skirts back to keep them out of the fireplace. The floor was cold and hard on her knees, but she ignored the discomfort. Evelyn knelt down beside her, holding the basket in her lap.

All of a sudden, Elizabeth started to giggle. “Do you remember…” She asked as she started shoveling the ashes a little too enthusiastically.

“…old Henry?” Evelyn nodded, knowing exactly what Elizabeth was recalling. She started to giggle too.

“We were so cruel when we were little…” Elizabeth dumped the first scoop into the basket and fine, gray ashes puffed everywhere.

Evelyn coughed and wiped her eyes. “…the way we made him stand on his head…”

Elizabeth coughed also and laughed, shoveling up another scoop. “Like an acrobat. He was so funny…” She dumped that scoop and more dust and ash flew about.

Evelyn waved her hand in front of her. “I know, the way he tried again and again to please us…”

Another scoop. Another dump. Elizabeth coughed again. “…positioning himself against the wall…”

“…kicking his feet up into the air.” Evelyn’s eyes started tearing; a speck had gotten in her eye.

“I’m surprised Papa never scolded us when he saw the damage to the plaster.” Elizabeth said, using the shovel to push the unburned wood to the back and scooping up the rest of the ashes. One more dump and she would be done.

“He loved us so much.” Evelyn sighed, rubbing her eyes. Tears were streaming down her cheeks now.

When Elizabeth heard Evelyn sniffle, she looked at her and gasped. Evelyn’s tears had made tracts in the fine dust covering her face. “You should see yourself!” Elizabeth laughed.

Evelyn turned to her sister and saw that she was also covered in a fine, light gray dust. “No, you should see yourself!”

And they laughed at each other until their sides hurt.

Presently, they heard the front door open. It was Dolnick again, swearing under his breath and struggling with the third trunk. Almost at the same time they heard a tentative knocking at the side door, and as if they were attached by strings, both girls turned their faces towards the door and without even thinking, automatically called out, “Come in!”

The door opened and Owasewas appeared in the opening. Evelyn let out a shriek! Owasewas, uncharacteristically, also let out a short yell. Elizabeth just laughed. She was delighted to see him again; she thought he had gone with Robert to the neighbors.

She put the shovel down, pushed herself up and shook out the apron and her skirts, causing another dust cloud of ashes. She smiled broadly as she briskly walked towards him. He took a step back, his eyes wide with shock.

She welcomed him nevertheless, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the kitchen. “I thought you had left. Please, do come in!”

He was, at first, reluctant, but allowed himself to be led a few steps into the kitchen. He couldn’t help himself from staring, first at Elizabeth and then when he caught sight of Evelyn, his eyes widened even more and his mouth dropped open. “You…you…” He motioned his slightly spread hand up and down in front of his face two times. “…covered in dust.”

“No; no.” Elizabeth laughed a little. “Not dust, ashes. Ashes.” She repeated slowly for his benefit. “We were cleaning out the fireplace. We thought you had to do that first before starting another fire.” She explained.

“How you…?” He shook his head, struggling with the English language. Finally he said, “N…
Ningh
. Two…two of you.” He stuttered, simply stunned.

“Oh! Yes, I guess you could say that there are two of us. This is my twin sister, Evelyn.” Elizabeth said, turning sideways to sweep her hand in Evelyn’s direction. “Evelyn,” She addressed her sister with a smile. “This is Owaseway. The savage that met us at the dock. Isn’t he fascinating?”

Evelyn had already placed the basket of ashes down on the floor and stood up. Now she came forward eagerly, saying, “Hello, Owaseway. I’m pleased to meet you.” She stopped in front in him and made a quick curtsey to the Indian.

His eyebrows went up at the curtsey, but that didn’t stop him from correcting Elizabeth. “Owasewas.” He said softly, still looking back and forth between the two twins.

Elizabeth jerked to look back at his face. “What?”

“Owasewas. My name…Owasewas.” He repeated louder, softly touching his fist to his chest.

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” She said apologetically. Then to her sister. “Owase…
was
and I met earlier, outside, when you had already gone inside with Jamie…”

“You didn’t tell me you had already met him!” Evelyn interrupted petulantly.

“I’m sorry. I had other things on my mind.” Elizabeth apologized, then became more animated. “Look at this wolf skin and these shells and copper pieces on his necklace.” She pointed to the items, her fingers very close but not quite touching. “Are they not magnificent? And these shells, do they not remind you of the shells on the king of Virginia’s mantle?”

“They do.” Evelyn responded, moving closer to get a better look. She was just as fascinated with Owasewas as Elizabeth was. After visiting Tradescant’s Ark, a museum on the outskirts of London where artifacts from America’s native population were displayed, including an impressive ceremonial cloak, she and Elizabeth had become hugely curious about the savages of the new world. “But I especially like this shell he has hanging from his ear.” She said, her fingers barely touching the whorled shell. It was a light tan with a white lip around the opening and no bigger than her thumb.

“And this one, look at the pretty pink color.” Elizabeth said, finally getting up the nerve to finger one of the mollusk shells of his necklace.

Owasewas grunted, finally taking a step back, clearly uncomfortable.

The girls stilled, realizing their lack of manners. “Oh my, we’ve been very rude, Evie.” Elizabeth said, taking a step back.

Evelyn followed suit. “Yes, I suppose we have.”

“Forgive us, Owasewas.” Elizabeth said formally.

He grunted again, but not in a mean way this time. “I have gift.” He said, reaching down to his waist and untying a cord that was holding three field-dressed rabbits. He held them by their ears and presented them to the twins. “Ra…bbits.” He said slowly. “Bring them early. For Robert and Jamie and me. Now for…” He motioned with his other hand, pointing to the girls. “…all you.” Then he showed his teeth in a kind of forced smile.

“Oh.” Elizabeth gasped, momentarily taken by surprise. At first she had thought that he was going to present them with the necklace since they had been admiring it so much—that would have been the gentlemanly thing to do in her opinion--,
but rabbits
! Elizabeth eyed the limp, plump creatures hanging from his tawny hand and much to her surprise and embarrassment, her stomach grumbled with hunger. She could see that he had done a beautiful job of cleaning the animals so that they were not at all disgusting. In fact they looked cleaner and fresher than some of the carcasses she remembered seeing at the meat market in London.

“Thank you, sir. They’re lovely.” She said. As much as she appreciated Owasewas offering the rabbits to her, she hesitated to touch the animals. A dead animal is a dead animal, after all. “If you would please put them here on the table I would be ever so grateful. My hands are filthy, you see.” She held out her hands for him to see.

He looked at them and made a disapproving face. “No matter. You take.” He said, holding the animals out to her. “You cook.”

Elizabeth hesitated, a troubled look on her face. Embarrassed, she lowered her hands.

Owasewas grunted in disapproval. “You take.” He said then, holding out the rabbits to Evelyn.

Evelyn also hesitated. She tried to hide her hands in the folds of her skirt. “I’m sorry, but…”

Owasewas grunted and said something harsh in his language which alarmed the girls “You not like?”

Suddenly nervous, Elizabeth was quick to reassure him. “Oh yes, yes, we love them. In fact, one of my favorite dishes is creamy, spiced rabbit, but…we…” She paused, clasping her hands together and watching his face warily. She didn’t want to tell him that she felt squeamish about touching the animals.

Evelyn came to her rescue. “Let me get a plate.” She said triumphantly. And she quickly went to the sideboard, picked up a crockery platter and walked over to Owasewas. She held the platter out to him; it was clear she wanted him to put the rabbits on the plate.