Fade to Grey (3 page)

“Why are we going this way?” she asked him while they bumped along.

“The shorter path past the pear orchard is smoother since it’s on grass.”

“I hope I’m not too heavy,” she said.

“Oh no, light as a feather.”

Royce wouldn’t have told her anything else, it would have been ungentlemanly and besides he was only a few inches from the back of her hair which smelt heavenly. If it wasn’t for the late hour and his limp, he would have loved to have pushed her about in this manner for hours.

Ten minutes later, Royce pushed the cart up to the back entrance of the house. Gran always said in the old days it was the servant’s entrance, but now the family used it constantly since it was easier to take off their riding boots in the mud room. Formal guests still used the big entrance as they always called it, circling around the sunken goldfish pond and turning right into the huge wooden doors with the horse head doorknocker.

“Stay put,” Royce said. “I’ll knock for the maids.”

Donna just wanted to jump out of the cart and go through the door, but she stayed. It made it more fun. Being delivered by Royce also was fun. In fact, she sort of felt like Cinderella in the pumpkin coach. This whole evening was starting out to be memorable and even a bit romantic. She wondered who would come to the door. Would it be Mrs. Holtzclaw in a long formal costume dress? Or would she be dressed in a silly costume for Halloween? She couldn’t wait. This was really such a hoot. Or maybe their son might open it a crack and yell “surprise”. Perhaps her parents were playing a trick on her and had doubled back from their Chicago trip to pull a good one. She knew when they threw the door open the lights would blaze out, and the warmth from the oil furnace would envelop her. The annoying bumpy ride in the cart would have been worth it and they would all have a good long laugh. She had to admit the night air was getting a little chilly and she was looking forward to a well deserved hot shower. She turned to see who would open the door. It finally creaked open and she saw a strange middle aged woman with a white cloth cap on her head, wearing a black dress and a white lacey apron. She wore high top black shoes from what Donna saw. Her hair was pulled back behind her head with a clasp in it. She first smiled at Royce and then looked past him at Donna. Donna knew the maid, or whoever she was
pretending
to be a maid, could not see her clearly. But Donna saw her, since she was backlit by the soft candle lights of the house and the taper she was holding. She wished she could get a better look at her, perhaps to ascertain exactly who she was. Since Donna did not live around the area, she knew the Holtzclaws could have gotten anyone to play the part of a maid, a personal friend or party-goer. Of course! That would have made it even more believable, to get someone who was a stranger to Donna! While she sat there, proud to have figured this part of the trickery, a large mixed-breed dog suddenly burst of the house, bumping into the maid and almost bowling over Royce. He didn’t seem bothered by Royce, but headed directly to the cart.

Donna was scared – everything happened so fast. Since she was still in the cart, she had no defense against the dog. So in the few seconds that she had before the dog reached her, she didn’t know which way to turn. If Royce had been closer he could have struck at the dog, but he was up by the house. The snarling dog bounded closer to her and then he was so close, Donna saw his teeth.

Royce jumped off the stoop towards her and gave out a loud yell. Then, just as suddenly as the dog had lunged out of the house, he pulled up short.

“Rex!” Royce shouted. “Stop!”

Donna cringed back in the cart, but Rex now simply hung his tongue out and began wagging his tail.

“Thank heavens!” the maid cried out. “He hates strangers – just doesn’t tolerate them at all. It’s obvious you’re family! If not old Rex would have taken a chunk outta your leg!”

The maid laughed heartily. Donna didn't find it amusing, but she managed to laugh a little.

“Anyway, all’s well that ends well,” she said.

Royce took her hand and helped her out of the cart. She supposed he had whispered something to the maid at the door that she didn’t hear. No matter, it would soon all be cleared up and everyone would have a good laugh over it. It troubled her about the dog, though. Where had he come from? The Holtzlaws didn’t have any dogs the last time she visited. Strange. Royce walked her up to the door, with his lantern guiding her steps. With the maid holding the door open she stepped inside. Gran's mudroom entrance was always plain and Spartan. But while Donna looked around she saw everything seemed altered. The slate floor was gone; replaced by oak planks. The coat hooks that were immediately to the left were nonexistent and the wallpaper was simply a painted stucco wall. As the maid motioned her to come in farther so she could shut the door Donna felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was Fallow Field Farms…but yet it wasn't.

Surely she wasn't losing her mind? What on earth was wrong? Somehow she felt something was amiss and it wasn't just the surroundings. Royce and the maid were flesh and blood but their clothing and the surroundings seemed old fashioned for a reason. They acted comfortable in their clothes. Was it because she had somehow gone back in time? Could that be possible? She hadn't seen her car outside the stable, was it gone? Had something happened when she pricked her finger? Suddenly she felt faint and leaned against the wall.

Holy moly. What have I gotten myself into?

Royce and the maid were exchanging a bit of gossip while the woman closed the door. They noticed Donna's predicament and came over to her.

“Miss, is something wrong?” the maid asked with concern.

“Yes. I'm just…hungry.”

“I fear she hasn't eaten since the train ride, Mother,” Royce said. “Come on, let's fix her a plate in the kitchen before we take her any farther. Some of your good food and drink will make her feel better.”

“Yes, thank you. I think that's it. Just a touch of hunger,” Donna said.

“Here, I didn't tell you who I was. I'm Lilly, the cook and seamstress. I’m also Royce’s mother.”

“Pleased to meet you. I'm Donna Bradenton.”

“She's come in on the Chicago train,” Royce added. “I found her in the tack room all alone, lying on a pile of horse blankets.”

“Do tell?” Lilly said. “It's not safe for a woman to travel alone nowadays without an escort. You look so pale. I think a nice plate of roast and vegetables will heat you up quick.”

“Yes, Lilly's a fine cook,” Royce added.

Donna had to admit the smells from the kitchen were heavenly. She was seated on a wooden chair pulled up next to a marble-topped pastry table. She ran her hands over it, admiring the veining in thick milky stone. It was cool and smooth to the touch.

“Now, Royce, you stay too and have a bite. I know how hard you work.” She smiled at Royce.

“Mother, you’re a fine cook. The Bradentons are lucky to have you.”

Lilly smiled.

“Truthfully, I've had my supper a few hours ago. But I would enjoy a good cup of hot tea and some of that rich pound cake if you could spare it. I was boiling a pot of water for my last cup of tea when I had to go and fetch Miss Bradenton.”

Soon, Donna had a plate full of hot beef, gravy, fried potatoes and boiled cabbage in front of her. The food was plain but hearty and it seemed a feast to her. She thought it best to concentrate on the food while she puzzled over her situation. Thankfully, Lilly and Royce were preoccupied with their own gossip, preparing loose tea and slicing cake to notice her. Royce came over to the table with his large slice of cake and pulled up a chair while the kettle was put on to boil. The wood stove was stoked with chunks of wood; Donna saw them when Lilly opened the door to throw another piece in.

Donna looked around the room.
They’re cooking with wood and use candles for lighting,
Girlfriend, what’s wrong with this picture?

“Here—while the water’s boiling, I'll go tell Missus Bradenton that another guest has arrived. I don't know if it’ll make a difference, the party’s been in full swing for two hours now and the liquors been uncorked the same amount of time.”

With this, Lilly rolled her eyes at Royce and he nodded. Apparently it was a shared confidence. She walked through the swinging doors with a whoosh of skirts.

“Missus Bradenton hired Lilly away from a family in town. They were fixing to move to Boston anyways, so it worked out for everyone involved. She was an excellent cook and Missus Bradenton just had to have her at any price. So, she provided her husband a job also in the deal. He’s my step-father. He keeps the cow shed and helps the maids with the milking and cheese making. It worked out well for both of them.”

Donna nodded her head. She finished mopping up the last of her gravy with a biscuit she found in a basket by the stove. As the two of them sat quietly eating, Lilly reentered the kitchen.

“Mrs. Bradenton said for you to finish up your supper and join them if you wish. But she said she understood you might be tired and if you wanted to go straight to bed she understood that also. She said not to feel embarrassed, just do as you wish. Missus Bradenton is a very gracious lady.”

“It does feel good to sit here after my journey. I might just skip the party after all and go straight to bed. Yes, the more I think about it, a fresh start in the morning would be better.”

“She has been riding in the hay cart after all,” Royce said with a laugh. “Mother, I have to get back to my cottage. It's been a long day.”

“Oh, I know! On party nights, it feels so strange to stay up late!” Lilly said.
Yes probably. What could it be, all of nine o’clock? At darkness people probably retired. This
is just the shank of the evening. And who could the Mrs. Bradenton be? This is so strange,
Donna thought. She kept her thoughts to herself on this issue but it was startling to think of being back in this time. By the way, what time was she in? What year was it? How could she casually ask?

Perhaps after a night’s sleep she might figure out more things.

Royce stood and handed his plate to Lilly. “It was scrumptious. Might you be so kind as to wrap me a piece in some cheese cloth or some brown paper to take back to my cottage for my morning coffee?”

“Yes, of course. Here's a tin bucket. I'll just slip it in here. To make it travel better, I'll wedge in some cookies around the edge.”

Royce took the bucket and headed to the door. He picked up his lantern and put his hand on the handle. “Miss Bradenton, if you need anything, please let me know.”

“Yes, of course, Royce. Thank you for everything tonight,” Donna said.
Even though I don’t
know him all that well, I know him better than these folks. I wish he wasn’t going.
With this he passed back out into the blackness.

“Royce told me you lost all your luggage. I'll get one of the maids to fetch you some nightclothes and slippers and show you to your room. We'll assemble some kind of wardrobe for you in the morning if that is alright with you,” Lilly said.

“That’s fine. Just anything that will fit will be fine for tonight.” Donna thought it best if she maintained a bearing of a wealthier woman with the hired help. It seemed to her they might expect it and anything else would be odd to them. It looked like she had to play along with this bunch until she figured everything out.

“You sit here and I’ll get Annabelle to come help you. She’ll take you to your room and get you settled for the night, ma’am.”

Once again, Lilly left Donna in the kitchen. She sat still, looking out the lace curtains into the inky blackness outside.
There used to be a yard light out there,
she thought. She had never given any thought to time travel or other dimensions, yet here she sat dead center in the past. It must have happened when she pricked her finger. In the blink of an eye she was transported somehow through space and time. She rubbed her head in misery.

What of Rex, the dog? He seemed to recognize her, but how was that possible? He had never seen her. Just because she was of the same bloodline as the property owner wouldn't have mattered to him. A dog mainly relied on scent, so what had he picked up on? It dawned on her!

Great Gran's handkerchief! That had to be it. Could a person's scent stay on an article of clothing for such a long stretch of time?

She studied the kitchen. It was amazing to see how it was originally built. Since she had never seen photographs of the original house, she studied everything with interest. Where Gran used to have her dishwasher was just a large metal sink with a pump handle. Since there was no electricity, that meant no spigots. Buckets of water sat under the sink for washing and rinsing. So that meant outside there must be a well close by, perhaps right outside the house? Candle sconces on the walls cast light, though not a lot. A grouping of plain tallow candles was on the table and the iron stove cast some light through the cracks. Though Gran's house never had a fireplace in the kitchen, it did now, complete with a stone hearth with iron prongs for cooking pots to perch on and a teakettle balanced on some bricks. That must have been taken out and the chimney destroyed when Gran's oil furnace was installed in the Fifties. The cabinets were different also. Instead of closed wooden doors, they had glass fronts with white enamel knobs. Donna wondered what the rest of the house looked like. Lilly reentered the room with Annabelle in tow. Annabelle was probably lower in the pecking order of the maids, Donna felt, as she followed differentially a few steps behind Lilly. Lilly walked and acted with more authority, probably garnered through years of service in wealthier households. Annabelle smiled at Donna and kept her hands folded in front of her.

“Annabelle, Miss Bradenton will be staying in the Crows Nest room. Find her a warm nightgown and some slippers please.”

“Yes, Ma'am.”

“And she'll need some toiletries, perhaps a hairbrush, some soap, washrags and a towel. You can take her up now.”

Donna stood and followed Annabelle. They passed through the swinging door and she was curious as to how many people were at the party. She had been hearing sounds of piano playing, some singing, and glasses clinking while she was in the kitchen eating.