15 years ago - 1862, July - Tea time

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

** Read the previous part with Preston arrival: Click Here**

Annabelle: Sorry for the inconvenience, we will not be disturb here. And I must admit that the house is totally in a mess with the move to come.

(She walked near the large window, where a small round table stand and the sun lighted the room).

Annabelle: That would be perfect... well anywhere without this Miss Limerick would be perfect.

(She sighed while pointing a chair to Preston. At the same time someone knocked at the door and Annabelle stood up for openthe door. A servant entered with the tes on a plate, passed side of Preston before put it on the little round table.)

Annabelle: Thank you Sophie. That will be all for now.



(She open the teatop, smelt the fragrance and smiled to Preston).

Annabelle: I hope you like the cinnamon...

(And she hesitated few seconds, majot guest from the North seem stranger to the various aroma they are usually used here for the tea.)

Annabelle: Or I can ask for another one if you prefer.

** Tag Preston **

[Preston A. Lodge III]

Preston: No, cinnamon will do just fine. I’ll like to taste something new now and then.

(Preston remembered Annabelle’s question earlier)

Preston: Well, when you move to Boston, I’ll most defiantly visit you and Albert as much as my time allows me. I’m afraid I don’t have much free time lately. Business life can be quite stressful at times, but I’m glad I’m following in my fathers footsteps. It’s satisfying for both of us.

(Preston took a sip of his tea)



** Tag Annabelle **

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

Annabelle: That is good to know that everything is fine for you. Your father must be proud of your achievement, a perfect make a match for a woman.

(She smiled to Preston. She didn't had a free conversation with soemone else than the employee here since few time now.)



(She stand up and walked to a wardrobe. After opening the door, she pointing the inside to Preston.)

Annabelle: Here few things from the house which belong to Sebastian. Well, if something you would like to have, just take it, we can't bring everything to Boston.

(There was few paintings, clothes, decorative accessories and books inside the wardrobe. She finally glanced back to Preston and let her nostalgic eyes - she didn't wanted annoyed her guest with sadness memories - and change her expression for a curious smile.)

Annabelle: Oh, there is a Mrs. Lodge in sight? There was so long time since our last meet that I'm curious to know everything happened since!

** Tag Preston **

[Preston A. Lodge III]

(Preston smiled back to Annabelle)

Preston: I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure yet of meeting such a beautiful and interesting woman as you.

(He gave a light grin and shortly after stood up from his chair and walked across to Annabelle. With his hand, he picked up a statue of a horse)

Preston: I’ve always been fond of horses. May I have this? It’s quite fascinating.


(LOL, I couldn’t make Preston hold that horse-statue correctly)

**Tag Annabelle**

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

Annabelle: Nice choice.

(She smiled and paused).

Annabelle: Sebastian always loved horses. The animals was a part of his dream in the West...

(She sighed, she knew that Sebastian wouldn't wanted to stay at the plantation and had planned lot of challenge into the West. Annabelle was always impressive by his brother attitude - she wouldn't be able to have this strenght and dreams.)


Annabelle: Give me it. I will put it in some papers for protect it during your travel.

(She pick-up the horse from Preston hand. While wrap it with some fine papers, she continued the previous conversation).

Annabelle: Thank you Preston, but don't feel obligate with all this nice words toward me. I meet enought Northtern gentlemen for know what they think of the Southtern petty woman. With the war-to-be, it seem to be an error all this, for Albert.

(She try to forget the few comment she had when she travel one week in Boston the last winter. She felt sad to bring more difficult to Albert when she remember that some businessman didn't came talk to him when they noticed her presence.)

Annabelle: But, the most important is that the baby born in a safe place. No?

[Preston A. Lodge III]

(Preston’s mind was for a moment stuck on Annabelle’s somewhat worries and displeasure, but then he focused on her comment towards her child)

Preston: Of course, and it will be, for sure.

(Preston admired Annabelle in silence while she wrapped the statue firmly with some papers. He smiled at the way she was being so precise with the wrapping and how she used all those layers. When she finally handed the item back to Preston, he took hold of it with both hands and held it close to him)

Preston: Thank you. I will display this on my working desk, so I can be reminded of you, (he froze) Sebastian! So I can be reminded of Sebastian, how a good friend he was for me.



(Preston’s face turned red and was extremely embarrassed of what he accidentally just said)

Preston: I thank you again. I’ll never part with it.

(Preston turned his back at Annabelle and looked out the nearby window)

**Tag Annabelle**

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

Annabelle was amazing on the emotive side of Preston about his lost friend - usually the men she meet not show this soft side face the live tragedy but prefer been indifferent with other people.

Annabelle: I will miss this charming view, far of what we can see in Boston.

She walked toward the table for take her cup of tea but was stopped by a lighty pain in her belly. In despite the baby was moving since a time now in her belly, she was always surprised when he was moving or kicking. She solfty put her hand on her huge belly and show some worries.

Annabelle: I'm really scare to give birth during the travel in train. That is totally new for me and the travel with that just scare me. Well, enought talk of my personal fear, you not come here for heard me lament. When your train will go back to Boston? Do you will stay for the dinner?

[Preston A. Lodge III]

Preston: Ah dinner?

(He remembered that he had promised his brother Edward to join him and his new wife for dinner in Boston)

Preston: Sure, why not, I’d be honored.

(With a low smile, he thought that this could be a way to get back at his brother, because of a humiliating event Edward had put Preston in, a couple of weeks ago)



**Tag Annabelle**

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

Annabelle: I hope you don't mind to eat a typical Southern meal. I don't know when I would have the chance to have some when we will be in Boston. Not that I don't like the cooking there, but that is very different of what we usually cook here.



She waled toward the door, opened it and asked to Miss. Limerick for talk to the maiden Sophie.

Miss. Limerick stepped when she noticed Annabelle, but Annabelle knew that the nurse would stay behind the door, waiting to be ready if something happened to her.

Annabelle: Told to Sophie that Mr. Lodge will stay for the dinner. Thank you.

And she entered back in her bedroom and sighed, annoyed by the nurse presence.

Annabelle: I know that I should see this like Mrs. Emerson is very preoccupy for me and the baby, but it becoem more and more damp to have Miss. Limerick in my back everywhere.

[Preston A. Lodge III]

(Preston was not sure how to response, being afraid of the nurse overhearing from past the door, and answered with a low voice)

Preston: I assume her presence won’t be needed once your child is born?



(Preston took the last sip of his tea and put the wrapped horse statue on a table nearby. He then turned to Annabelle with warm smile)

Preston: Thank you for tea. I’ll look forward to a Southern meal. It’s been a while since I’ve had a solid meal. Being constantly busy, I hardly have time to enjoy a proper meal.

**Tag Annabelle**

[Annabelle Rose Emerson]

Annabelle: You will see, Molly is the best cook in the South!

Annabelle smiled while close the closet door.

Annabelle: If anything else in the house interest you, you can take it you know. I'm sure Albert wouldn't mind to save few items.

[Preston A. Lodge III]

(Preston looked curious around the room, trying to spot something that would interest him, but then he thought that it would look a bit peculiar if he came carrying around with a lot of stuff, when returning to Boston and he also felt bad taking any more possessions from his dear friends)

Preston: I think the one item will be more than enough for me. But thank you for the offer.

(Just when he said this, a painting of a horse caught his eyes)

Preston: What a splendid painting.

(He couldn’t hide his fascination for horses, as he stood still and admired the painting)

(OOC: LOL, I’m picking out items that we see in his office at the bank, in the show)



(Time passed and Preston enjoyed a fabulous southern meal and left the D'Orillon plantation just in time for him to catch the last train to Boston. With him back home he had the horse statue and the painting that he admired just before supper, which Annabelle insisted of him taking along)

* End of this past story *

** Go to the Boston, Victoria Birth: Click Here**