[Author Note: I read about these time frames and how they bathed back then. They stood bathing in rooms. Men often were ones to use the bathrooms. Women preferred to bath in their private rooms. They did not have running water then you'd have to get well water then heat water up to bath. Just interesting facts I learned.]

Dedicated To: cherrystainedstarlet

Chapter 2~Poetry

I woke to a new day. I heard chatting in the kitchen downstairs. I think that Hannah, as well as my aunt and, uncle were cooking us all breakfast. Good smells of yummy food had traveled up the stairs to my nose. My stomach growled.

I did not sleep to badly my first night there. Beth had a very cozy bed. It was not a king size bed with a yellow lace canopy such as the one I grew up with. Sunlight poured into this room through the little bay windows it had. 

The fire had died down in the room now, so it was getting to be a little bit chilly. I get up and saw Meg had prepared a bath for me with heated warm water. I stand up rinsing my body. Getting cleaned up. And I brush through the tangles in my long honey blond hair.

And then get dressed picking out a dress that Amy requested that I wear. She said Laurie would be so impressed to see it on me. Though I was not sure why I needed to impress this, Laurie. The girls talked so much about him the night before. I was looking forward to meeting him.

We had stayed up late in the night up in the March's attic. Jo was so much fun. Meg to. They used to perform Jo's plays for the kids in the neighborhood. I told them I actually performed in plays growing up. Mother owned a little theater in town.

And it was a hobby of ours. When I learned later, I loved art more than I loved acting. I found Jo and I had a lot in common to. We both enjoyed to read and write. Only I just did poems. No romance stories or dark ghost tales as she did.

They told me Laurie even performed in the plays with them. And he had taken them to a play. That was how Meg got to know her fiancée Mr. John Brooke. And they fell in love.

I yawn as I stretched. I wondered if all the girls were already up. How did Jo write so late in the night and manage to get up at these hours of the day? Sunday we were to attend uncle's church where he was a pastor there.

Meg comes into our room just as I had finished getting dressed. Her eyes grow wide with shock when she looks over my gown.

•✿︎︎•

"What a beautiful dress that is" she gushes. "are you sure you do not want to put on a day dress. I would hate for you to ruin this gem" she worries.

"This is one of my day dresses" I inform her.

"Well, you have a lovely dress. Coming to breakfast?" asks Meg.

"Sure, is Jo downstairs with you and Amy to?" I wonder.

She laughs and shakes her head. "Jo was up writing in the night. Jo is not up yet. Beth used to play the piano really loudly and wake her. She hated that" laughs Meg. I giggle.

"She does not know what she is missing. Hannah is a wonderful cook" I say. I follow Meg downstairs. I stop by the old piano.

"Has anyone played this since Beth?" I ask Meg.

She smiles sadly. Then shakes her head. "No"

"Allow me" I say. I sit at the lovely oak piano. I begin to play. Aunt Margert comes in and Uncle Robert when they hear me playing Amazing Grace.

"That is lovely. No one has played that since our beloved Beth" my aunt sniffs back happy tears.

"Beth would want it to be played again" reflects uncle. Meg nods in agreement.

"Who in the blazes is playing at this hour? Is Laurie over? I am up! I am up" calls out a cranky Jo as she storms down the stairs. She yawns. She looks shocked to see me playing the piano. "Bye George you play that thing to?" she laughs.

"Do not us slang words Jo. It isn't ladylike" snaps Meg.

"I am a woman of many talents" I brag as I stop playing. We head to the table to have breakfast together. "Is aunt March joining us to? Should we wait?"

"Oh Auntie does not join us no. She thinks we threw away our money. She hardly comes over here. But with you here now she may come over more often" Amy explains to me.

"Good, I hope she does" I say.

"Do not say that" groans Jo. 

"You are just sore that she chose to take me to Europe over you" laughs Amy.

"Little brat" mutters Jo.

"Girls not at the table" warns aunt Margert.

"Let us pray then we shall eat" says uncle.

We join hands then bow our heads to pray. 

"Dear father we may not have a lot. But we have a lot to be thankful for. Thank you for this time we have together as a family when some are no longer with us. Our hearts need to be reminded of the little joys we have in this life. Thank you for the food we have to nurse health in our bodies to keep them strong. So we can be a blessing to not only our family but to others who will be needing us. Thank you father for everything you do. AMEN" uncle speaks a breakfast prayer.

"Amen" we all say in unison together.

•✿︎︎•

We dig into our breakfast. Hannah made turnovers. And eggs. Toast. It was so good to. I ate so much that my stomach soon was full. I could not eat another bite until lunch came around.

I helped Hannah clear the table. Meg had to go to her job and teach little kids. Jo was going into town to help aunt Margert at the soup kitchen. Uncle was off to the church. Amy had to go pack because she was going back to Europe soon with auntie.

I went back up to the attic. I had time to write. So I was going to use it while I had some time alone. I wanted to write a poem for Beth for my aunt.

And I wanted to write a poem for my parents to. Jo had given me some of her paper and a quill with ink to use to write. I sit at her desk. I notice papers scattered about.

Notes to. 

"The Lost Duke?" I say out loud as I read the title, Jo's work. I put her book aside. I was not sure if she wanted me to read it yet. 

•✿︎︎•

I had a clean desk now. I begin to let the words flow. Helping my grief that I was battling with deep inside me. I look out the window and smile as I keep writing. Suddenly someone was behind me. I had not heard them come in. Maybe it was Jo.

They hug me.

"I am so sorry I could not get away from grandfather yet. How are you taking the death of your Beth? And your uncle and aunt?" they say as their arms go around me. I notice the hands were of a male. A boy!

I gasp as I jump leaping out of the chair. Startled I scream in alarm.

I scream. "Who are you? I shall scream again! Hannah will throw you out!" I warn him. I notice I spilled ink on my lovely dress. 

"Calm down! I am sorry. I thought you were Jo" he tells me.

"Don't you look? Or do you have a habit of hugging strange girls you do not know?" I snap. "Look you made me spill ink on my dress" I grumble.

"I am terribly sorry" he says nervously.

"HANNAH!" I scream.

She was out checking on the chickens.

•✿︎︎•

"Hey, no need for Hannah, she let me in" he tells me.

"Who are you?" I demand to know.

"Did the girls not tell you about me? I am Theodore Laurence. I live next door. They call me Laurie" he announces. I am blushing now.

"Oh, I am sorry you gave me a fright. You ruined me" I sigh as I look at my dress.

"That is expensive. I know that brand. Come with me downstairs." he orders. He takes me to the kitchen. Gets a rag and water. Then helps me get the stain out. "Almost good as new"

"Thank you" I say gratefully. His eyes meet mine as he smiles. I am at a loss for words. 

"You must be Fiona March?" he asks me.

I manage to nod.

He smiles. He had a beautiful smile for a boy.

"Pleasure to meet you" he says. "you look like some of Miss Amy's friends" 

"Thank you" I laugh. "I am happy to meet you. I so sorry to meet you this way. Do not tell Jo how beastly I have behaved" I worry.

"My lips are sealed" he vows.

I laugh feeling at ease around Laurie. Jo comes in with my aunt. Her eyes light up when she sees Laurie. They hug.

"It is so good to see you again Teddy! Welcome home from college" exclaims Jo.

"It is good to be home. I met lovely Fiona" he brags.

"You two are going to be best of friends. I know it" brags Jo.

"Please excuse me. I was working on poems. You two catch up" I say as I excuse myself.

I head back to work on the poems. I glance back to find Laurie curiously glancing my way. He smiles then I smile back finding my cheeks to grow a rosy glow.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Thanks for reading!

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