Duchess Of Veranda

        The sky was gloomy, clouds filled the sky and the gentle stale breeze blew the tall sycamore trees gently, making little Duchess shiver and her snow-white fur flow, as she was curled up next to her beloved owner, her human friend’s grave. The gravestone was beautifully etched with flowers above her epitaph, Lady Ernestine Lyria Beloved Wife Of  Duke Christopher Vernad 1840 - 1900. Then a figure entered the gloomy, gray scene, she was adorned in red, with her hair pinned up hidden underneath her hat,  she had caught Duchess’s attention, she had a familiarity about her. This young lady resembled Ernestine, she was her granddaughter that was soon to inherit Lady Enristne’s possessions including her beloved furry friend, Duchess.

         This young lady held out her arms kindly and Duchess jumped into her open arms and she carried her inside to the warm comfort of her home that was lovely decorated with gold and white. Lady Ernistines granddaughter sat down on the gold-lined sofa by the window and sat Duchess on her lap and opened a photo album of her Grandmother, she noticed in every photo, her white Maltese poodle, Duchess, was by her side. Duchess looked down at the latest photo taken of her and Lady Ernestine, Duchess remembered that day as if it happened just that morning. 

                The sunshine was very bright that morning, it was when a strange man came to the house, 

 “Good morning, Dr.Parker, how are you today?” Said one of Lady Ernestine’s housemaids,

      “How do you do? I am well, thank you” he replied then walked through, following the housemaid up the stairs. 

      Duchess sat and watched from the living room, curiously. She then got up and followed them upstairs to Lady Ernistine’s bedroom, where she was found laying down in her bed, Duchess whimpered at her owner looking so miserable.  

        “Ah, Dr. Parker, you arrived, I apologize for my appearance.” She cleared her throat fixing her hair slightly.

“Its quite alright, Lady Ernestine.” He chuckled as he opened his suitcase and took out a stethoscope.

  “Now what seems to be the problem?” he asked Lady Ernestine.

“I’m not sure entirely, but it seems it is hard to breathe, Doctor.”

“Sit up, please?” he asked and put the stethoscope on her back“Inhale and exhale, Miss.” 

“Ah, your breathing seems off, Ernestine.” he shook his head displeased,

“What is it, doctor?” the housemaid standing by, said concerned.

“I’ve seen this before, but usually because of smoking, pardon me asking Ernestine, do you smoke, at all?”

“Dear me! Goodness no!” she said 

“Then it is possible you received it from your father.” 

“Oh, yes, I do recall my father having it,” she paused, looking away sadly.

“How awful,” she said.

“You’ll have to stay at home and avoid pollen from flowers, they can trigger a breathing spell.” He put his stethoscope away.  

“Don’t worry, Ernestine, I will send a telegram and order for some medication,” he said holding her hand dearly. 

She nodded, “Farewell, Doctor Parker, I’ll have Clara send you the trip charge.”

“No need.” He smiled, following the housemaid out. 

“You’ll be seeing a lot more of me now, huh Duchess ol’ girl?” She said to the duchess that sat by her bedside. 

       Duchess smiled with her K-9 pearly whites, not knowing what that truly meant. 

Ernestine smiled and slid her legs out of bed and stood up, she pinned her hair just so and tied her rob and put her silk slippers on, and went down the stairs, having a firm grip on the railing with Duchess by her side. 

“Oh, Lady Ernestine!” Her housemaid, Clara, held her by her arm and helped her to her favorite seat in the living room, the sofa by the window.

“Miss, would you like some tea?” Clara asked,

“Yes, Clara, Dear, I would like that,” she said with a smile as she pets Duchess’s ears. 

Clara returned the smile and went into the kitchen to fix her a cup of tea in fine china porcelain. 

 Ernestine called for her other housemaid, Anne.

“Yes, Miss, you called,” she said bowing.

“What time will the photographer be arriving, sweetheart?” She said addressing her as sweetheart as she Anne had been her newest, and youngest housemaid, but Anne nevermind, it made her feel as if she was her granddaughter.

“He said he would arrive at noon, Miss.” She said with a smile,

“Oh, sweetheart and when will the pianist come?” she said,

“He will be arriving this afternoon at the lastest” Anne replied,

“Very well, then.” She smiled. “Could you call the other housemaids, sweetheart, I would like all of you ladies to join me for tea.” 

“Yes, miss” she smiled and left the room to get the others, as Clara entered the room with Erenstine’s tea and set the tray on the gold-lined, marble, coffee table. 

“I apologize, Clara could you bring in four more teacups along with a teacup for yourself? The nicest ones I have!” 

“Yes, ma’am!” and went to the dining room display for the finest teacup set Lady Ernestine owns, Clara smiled as she collected them on a tray, knowing that Lady Ernestine would like to have a tea party with her beloved staff as if we were all her close friends. Clara came back into the living room and curtsied first setting the teacups on the coffee table then joined the other housemaids on the other sofa that sits across from Lady Ernestine. Duchess was thrilled that her beloved Ernestine is at home, knowing she would probably be over at her neighbor’s house or at a garden party of some sort. 

“Ma’am is something wrong?” Anne asked, considering this was her first tea party with one of higher standing.

“Nothings wrong, Anne” Clara corrected her, “We’re just having tea time with Lady Ernestine.”

“Yes, there’s nothing wrong with that, but if you talk to the ladies of the neighborhood about this matter, they surely would laugh in your face and look down on you” Lady Ereniste addressed. 

“Oh! I have some baked goods in the oven!” Clara jumped up and set her teacup on the coffee table

“Oh, I should help you!” Anne put her teacup on the coffee table and followed her into the kitchen. Duchess got excited about the sound of baked goods and followed them into the kitchen to see if she could get a “taster”. When they were in the kitchen, Anne pulled Clara aside,

 “Clara,” Anne whispered, “Why is Lady Ernestine in such a fabulous mood today, I mean she ordered a pianist and photography!!” 

Meanwhile, Duchess hopped on the kitchen chair and began to lick the remaining batter off of a bowl,

“Oh, Anne,” Clara said in sadden voice, as she pulled the puff pastries out of the oven  “Lady Ernestine is a dying woman” 

“What do you mean? Don’t you have hope that the doctor will order the medication?”

Duchess’s little ears perked up and she glanced at them,

“I wouldn’t count on it, I did some research reading in the library, the medication is expensive.” 

“Oh, come on Clara, we both know money is no object, just look at where we’re standing in a palace” she snickered at Clara.

“Alright, its because the medication actually, doesn’t exist.” Clara’s voice drifted off as she finished piping the cream into the cooled off pastries. “I can’t imagine how her granddaughter would feel, or worse, her beloved little lady, Duchess.” 

They then both carried the pastries on a tray and entered the living room, 

“Oh, good! The pastries are finished”  she said happily clasping her hands together, “Please dig in, ladies, for your work, has been dearly appreciated!” 

   After the tea party, Lady Ernestine carried Duchess out to the veranda and sat down in her rocking chair and sat Duchess on her lap. Lady Ernestine took a deep breath of the cool breeze that complimented the warm crisp sunshine that made her skin goosebump. She closed her eyes and started to pet Duchess, Duchess was overwhelmed with happiness and enjoyed the presents of her owner. The hired pianist and photographer soon arrived and she got her and Duchess picture taken and enjoyed the soothing sound of the piano that her husband used to play for her in the ballroom adorned with beautiful historic paintings where they used to dance the night away. 

She chuckled at the thought as she sat and listened, she smiled and began to waltz by herself, reliving her favorite memories of him. Duchess, then followed her around on the ballroom floor, then Lady Ernestine swept her little dog off the floor and began dancing with her, with Duchess very delighted in her owner’s arms. Lady Ernestine began to cough and hack, Clara her housemaid quickly took her arm and sat her down, the pianist then left.  Duchess whimpered sadly and laid at her feet,

“Miss, between going outside and breathing in the pollinated air and all this dancing none sense, its like your planning your death!” 

Duchess recognized that word, death, it was the word that was used when Christopher strangely disappeared.  Her heart saddened.

 “I know, I know, but what harm it is to enjoy these last days? I already know my curtain is dropping soon, my once colorful life is going gray. All have now is the company of my housemaid staff and my wonderful poodle that my husband bought me before he died!” She was in tears. 

“I just want to die happy, good night,” she said as she climbed the flight of stairs with Duchess by her side. She entered her room and sat down at her bedside and held Duchess in her arms. Duchess was saddened thinking that it was a good thing her owner was home more often, but some things aren’t as they always seem.