A side of Pastry

The rain outside the window was dripping in a delightful melody as she sat on the soft blue chaise fingers wrapped around her fan, her gloves hiding the sweat that was building from the anticipation she felt.

The maid was quiet as she placed the tea and cakes on the glass gold painted plates on the table closest to the window. She could see the worry on her mistress’s face but knew better than to ask if she was alright. Slowly she poured the tea and the sound of the liquid hitting the porcelain took the woman out of her trance.

“Sarah, when Mrs. De La Cruz arrives make yourself scarce. Tell the others as well.”

She began fanning herself as if the air had suddenly become stifling her cheeks rosy and sweat falling from her brow down her neck to her chest. Sarah did not make eye contact but made a slight bow and exited the room.

The sound of the rain was overshadowed by the neighing of a large horse and the wheels of the carriage splashed water against the sidewalk outside the brownstone where she lived.

She straightened herself on the sofa and then decided it was best to stand and greet her guest in the hall when she heard a light knock on the wood door.

“Ah, finally. Mrs. De La Cruz please join me in the sun room. It is such a miserable day but the light coming in has made this day a bit less dreary.” She said as she gestured toward the room she had just come out of.

“Thank you, Amelia- I mean Mrs. Amaya.” Her guest said as she gave her parasol to the butler and allowed him to shake the rain off before following her host to the sunroom.

The room was bright despite the outside rainfall and thunderstorm, the sun shining brightly into the small room. Pastel covered cakes were in a 3-tier holder on a table closest to the window, 2 chairs slightly ajar as Mrs. Amaya indicated for her to sit.

They waited for the maid to pour the tea and close the door fully before they made eye contact and decided wordlessly that they would speak in hushed tones and be able to speak freely now that no one was watching.

“Ugh, finally, it took you all day to get here! I told you to make haste after yesterday’s events. I couldn’t very well say this in front of anyone who could possibly overhear, Ana, sweet friend I heard that Mary is with child.”

Ana’s eyes widened and she leaned in closer as if the walls could hear the words she uttered next.

“Amelia, no it could not be possible she isn’t even betrothed yet. Could she really be so foolish as to let that boy that is below her ranking get her pregnant?” Her eyes had the look of fear and her lips trembled as she said the words her gloved hands shaking as she held her cup of tea above the linen table clothed table.

“The modiste is absolutely certain she all but told Merriweather when she was altering her gown for the evening.” Amelia’s smug face and arched brows went up in a look that said I told you so.

“How did she all but tell her?” Ana whispered her eyes shining with curiosity.

“She mentioned that she was having to take out her dress for the ball that’s coming up this Saturday. She as good as told her she was not keeping her figure and so soon after returning from the country with her family.”  Amelia paused to take a sip of tea as Ana’s face became more and more intrigued in the conversation.

Light footsteps outside the room caused Amelia to look at the door quickly and say the next part of her news in even quieter tones.

“I don’t want my maid to spread this around in case we are mistaken, could you imagine the scandal if they were to find out it was my help that was spreading this around?” Her eyes were expressive and full of fear for what could happen if this news was to escape from her household.

She continued, “I know it seems trivial, but do you not remember that her mother was making a huge fuss about her making a match this summer? Well, it seems that during that time she was being courted by Mr. Adkins she met a boy at the market who worked a booth there for buttons or something I’m unsure of all the details and well it was not one fortnight later that she was caught in the garden outside talking to him with no chaperone present!”

Ana took a sharp breath as her eyes widened and never left Amelia’s face. Her hands still clutched around her tea that was growing colder by the minute. Amelia nodded her head slowly taking a sip of her tea as if agreeing with her friend’s breath that the idea of her being alone with a boy was a ridiculous notion that was simply not done.

“But Amelia, maybe she was upset when her mama told her she could no longer see the boy and she had to return to the city, I’ve heard she barely left her room since being back maybe she stuffed her face with snack cakes and gained a pound or two from it.” Ana’s hand glided over to take a pastry as she spoke and as if she thought better of it, she set it on the plate and rubbed her gloved fingers together to let the crumbs fall on top of the pastry without taking a bite.

“You can’t be serious?” Amelia said louder than she intended. Leaning closer to her friend she whispered, “They were found on the grass under a tree with nary a blanket between them, as a newly married woman you must know what that means.” The sound of a knock at the door made both women catch their breath and look at each other with worry and fear in their large brown eyes.

“Did you invite someone else to tea?” Ana whispered as she set her teacup down and flattened the front of her dress.

“No.” Amelia said while attempting to stand up smoothly and turn to look out her large window.

“Oh no.” She gasped as she looked back at Ana.

“What? Who is it?” She questioned.

“It’s Mary.” She said as her cheeks flushed and her heart pounded afraid that their conversation would spill out from her lips and seep through the walls and all would know about the gossip she had spilt.