Foretold Heart by Camille Oster

Author:Camille Oster [Oster, Camille]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

THE SHARP, FREEZING nights gave way to crisp days. The sun gently shined, but it was too cold to feel it. it was difficult to keep the house sufficiently warm, but they kept the fire well-fed in the drawing room.

"I suspected that after this week, the Thames would be frozen enough to skate on, and I think we need to test the theory." He walked into the drawing room and stood by the fire. "We didn't quite have sufficiently cold days last year, but we're having a good winter now."

"Shame Alexander cannot come," Sylvia said.

"How is poor Alexander?" Mother asked.

"Largely bedridden," Andrew said.

"You've seen him," Sylvia accused.

"Of course I have seen him. And I am not taking you to visit him in his bedchamber."

"Andrew! Why would you suggest such a thing?" Mother chided. "Sylvia would never do that."

Sylvia blushed slightly, because she probably would have—with Andrew present. Although it sounded a bit sordid when he put it that way. "Of course not, Mother."

The last thing she needed was her mother doubting her judgment, so Andrew’s tactic had worked well, ensuring she could not pester him until Alexander was firmly out of his bedchamber. How long would that be?

"So today we skate," Andrew said.

"Well, take your sister."

At times, their mother dealt with them as if they were still children.

"I think we should make a real party of it. An icy picnic, perhaps. Maybe some mulled wine."

"That sounds nice," Mother said. "You should definitely invite Ester."

"Of course," Andrew said. "We'll send a note around."

"Sylvia, why don't you go inform Mr. Wilson of your plans, and he will see a picnic basket is organized."

"Yes, Mother," she said and rose to go find Mr. Wilson. Then proceeded upstairs to dress in her warmest clothes.

They took the carriage as it could accommodate the picnic basket as well as the canvas chairs they sometimes brought with them on excursions. In which Sylvia would probably spend some time. Skating had never really been her favourite activity.

There were indeed skaters on the ice when they arrived. It seemed they weren't the only people with a similar idea.

"Oh," Ester said, sitting forward and looking out the window. "How exciting." They had driven past her house and picked her up.

Andrew jumped out and then turned to help Ester, and finally Sylvia. The chill air swept down the length of the Thames.

"Do you think the whole river is frozen solid?" Ester asked.

"No," Andrew said. "Probably just a crust like on a puddle."

"Of course," Ester said and smiled. Sylvia refrained from rolling her eyes. The way they treated each other was sickly sweet and almost painful to watch.

"Come," Andrew said and urged them down the stairs to the ice. A light coating of snow covered it, revealing their footsteps as they walked out. It was such a strange thing to walk out on the very river. She dreaded to think of the manners of things the water concealed. Her father had, at one point, said that the Thames hid all sorts of misdeeds.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.