Chapters 2 and 3!


The Music Box (Chapters 2&3)


Chapter 2
Martha
The carriage jerked to a stop. Maria shook Elizabeth from her dreams in slumber land.
"What? Oh, we're at the mansion. So quick?" Elizabeth's reply to the shake was.
Maria giggled. "It's been longer than you think."
Elizabeth stepped out of the carriage. A stout, gray-haired lady said sternly, "Follow me."
Maria said slyly, "Excuse me but, aren't we forgetting something? Like, maybe an introducement?"
"Yes, ma'am," Martha replied coldly. "I am Martha, the Johnson's Mansion housekeeper. Now, if you will follow me, ma'am, I'll show you to your room."
Elizabeth shivered, but followed. They went up a large flight of stairs, along a short corridor, up another, smaller, winding staircase, and halfway down a corridor until they stopped at a door.
Very sternly, Martha said, "This room, and this one only is yours. You will not poke about. If you do, your ears will be boxed."
Elizabeth shivered, walked over to her new, large bed, and lye there until she finally fell asleep.



Chapter 3
Exploring the Mansion


Elizabeth woke up to the smell of porridge. A maid walked in carrying a tray with a cup of tea, rolls, and a bowl of porridge on it and put it on a large, oak table.
Elizabeth, still in her nightgown, walked over, sat down, and scarfed everything up. She was still thinking about magic, and she wanted to explore. She got dressed in a beautiful dress. She slipped on a pair of boots outside her door and walked down the corridor, and the whole way to the front door, to start from the beginning. She poked her head inside a few doors, but it wasn't very interesting. One of the doors led to the kitchen, another to a nursery, and yet others to other bedrooms.
Since she found nothing interesting, she decided to look in the other direction. She turned around and walked towards a door. She looked inside. Instead of a room like all the others, it was a dusty staircase. She crept up and turned the creaky doorknob to the door at the top of the stairs. She crept inside and looked around. She saw a bureau, and on it were a brass mirror, a brass brush and comb, and other things. One of the most fascinating things she saw on it was a music box. It had a note attached to it. It said:
Happy Birthday and best wishes. I hope you like it, Lucy. You've wanted it for a while, and I know this because you looked at it every time we passed the jewelry store.
You can work magic with the gift inside. Use the tapestries on any wall. Work some magic for me, Lucy Love!
Love,
Mommy




Short story by Catherine Stout
Read 595 times
Written on 2006-05-03 at 01:44

Tags Fantasy 

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