"That was fast. I think you broke a record for the world's shortest marriage," was Lucia's welcoming words as Sophia stands astounded to see her, what she thought was her shunned sister.
"Lucia get away from the door!" she hears her mother's retort from somewhere inside.
Sophia makes her way inside avoiding her sister's stares. The last time she spoke to her was back at the nunnery and she was saying some really cruel things.
"Sophia! My happily married baby! Come here!" says Mrs. Willis as she wraps her arms around Sophia tightly. Sophia winces at her exclamation and fears how it made Lucia feel. "I was expecting you yesterday, why didn't you show up?"
"I wanted to do some cleaning, help Lily a bit," she replies referring to her maid.
"Ah, clean you say?"
"Yes. It's a big house, it can be so much work for just one person."
Her mother nods, "You could always hire another maid."
"Yes," Sophia replies. "I suppose I can."
"Don't be silly mother!" Lucia speaks from the open door. "Sophia loves the life of the common folk."
"I don't love it. I just don't see a problem with doing some housework." Sophia, unable to hold back for much longer she lastly asks turning to her sister. "When did you come back?"
Lucia sits on the couch with a smile. "A few weeks ago. They couldn't hold me at the nunnery, I was too much of a temptation for Father Louise."
Mrs. Willis gives Lucia a disapproving look but she ignores it.
Remembering what Adam had told her a few days back about finding her at a brothel, Sophia refrains from asking her any more questions.
"Lucia, sweetie, go make us a cup of tea, will you?" says their mother obviously trying to get rid of her. Lucia nods and smiles. Her smile disappearing when she thought she was no longer being watched.
"I can't believe that your husband would leave you on the lurch so soon after your wedding," she comments as she takes a seat where Lucia once sat.
"He didn't leave me on the lurch," Sophia couldn't help but defend her husband. "He had business to attend to."
Her mother smiles at her reply. "I'm so glad to see your marriage starting off right. Most arranged marriages have such a rocky start. You two seemed to have really liked each other from the beginning. I'm glad we got it right." She turns to look to the door thoughtfully. "I wish we had arranged your sister's. Maybe all these problems could've been avoided."
"Mom," starts Sophia carefully. "What exactly happened with Lucia?"
Her mom sighs and turns to look at her with sorrowful eyes. "She was no longer welcomed at the convent. For reasons too terrible to mention. Your father and I were not told, so we assumed she was still there. A few weeks ago, a friend told your father that he saw her at a brothel," she spits the word in disgust. "You father went to see if that was true, and there she was, laughing shamelessly with the men that surrounded her. It was disgusting. But we were forced to bring her back."
"Oh," was all Sophia could say in reply. It was so apparent how much Lucia's situation pained her.
"You speak like I am the only one that has done mistakes," Lucia's voice echoes through the library. "You are always taking about how ashamed of me you are. But what about Sophia huh?" Lucia slams the tray with the teapot on the desk. Her face red with anger. "She's always the immaculate daughter that you can't find any fault in. But when I told you about her running off in the dark to meet her lover, you ignore me and pretend I never said a word."
Mrs. Willis losing her temper stands firmly. "Stop slandering your sister this instant!"
"But I am not," exclaims Lucia, her voice breaking. "Tell her Sophie, tell her the truth so I can stop being the black sheep of the family."
"You better get out from my sight right now or else I'llâ"
"She's not lying."
Mrs. Willis turns to Sophia dumfounded. "What?"
Lucia satisfied, decides to leave them to discuss it on their own.
"Lucia is right. I did run off to see a man. I used to sneak out of the house really early in the morning," she explains trying to hold back her tears. "But he wasn't my lover, I promise."
Her mother's face turned white as she was telling her. She stumbles backwards and Sophia comes to her aid, helping her down on a chair. "I'm sorry mother, I was so foolish and I regret it so much," Sophia continues as she kneels in front of her astounded mother, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"How long ago was this?" asks her mother after catching her breath.
"A few weeks before the wedding," she replies quietly.
"Who was this man?" she asked sternly.
Sophia blinks, memories flooding her mind. Memories she was able to lock away for the past couple of weeks. "I'm afraid I can't say," She says quietly unable to look at her mother.
"You can't tell your own mother?"
Sophia shakes her head slowly.
Mrs. Willis holds her hands tightly. "Well, it hardly matters. You are married now so it's better if no one knows. You must take this to your grave."
Sophia nods mutely.
"Alright then, I don't think there is anything else to discuss."
"Are you serious?" boomed Lucia's voice from upstairs. "That's it? She gave herself to God knows who and you forgive her?"
Lucia's words hurt Sophia so much that she doesn't dare to look up at her. Their mother tightens her hand in support. Both ignoring her.
"Oh for goodness sake, get in your room, I can hear you screaming from down the street!"
Sophia's face brightens at the sound of a familiar voice. "Gilda!" she exclaims excitedly as she stands hurriedly, Gilda's eyes widen at the sight of the beautiful woman her favorite child came to be. Dropping her basket full of groceries on the floor, she wraps her arms around her, tears of joy forming in her eyes.
"How are you? How's married life?" she asks her once they pull away.
"Oh Gilda," Sophia starts radiantly. "It's so much better than I thought."
Gilda smiles happily for after the wedding took place, Sophia was in her mind almost every second of her day, wondering if marriage was going to destroy her like so many arranged marriages destroyed the young ladies involved.
"Come to the kitchen, and you can tell me all about it."
Sophia turns to look at her mother who nods telling her to go ahead. And she follows Gilda into the kitchen who is now putting jars and vegetables away in their respective spaces.
"So, tell me, how is Mr. Adam Lancaster? Is he a good husband?" Gilda says with a twinkle in her eye.
"He is, surprisingly so," Sophia replies honestly. "We eat breakfast every morning before he goes to work, and before he leaves, he kisses me goodbye, and if he forgets, he turns back from wherever he is just to give me that kiss." Gilda nods wanting to hear more. "We sometimes have lunch together. Either he comes home or I go see him at the shop and we go and have a picnic somewhere. Then when he arrives, the first thing he does is to take me in his arms and embraces me so firmly that I can simply loose myself." She stops abruptly fearing that she has spoken a little too much.
"And then? At nights?" urges Gilda winking at her.
Sophia's face turns red. "At night, he holds me close and loves me like I've never known one could be loved."
"Well, he sounds like the husband of the year. Has he written?"
"Um, no. Not yet. But I'm expecting a letter soon," she replies rapidly.
She hasn't heard from Adam since he left with his father a week ago. He promised to write but she has not received a single letter, which worried her. But she tries pushing that worry off her mind for he was out on a business trip, perhaps he has no time to sit down and write silly letters.
"What are your plans for today? You can stay for dinner, I will not be happy with myself if I let you go to an empty house," Gilda suggests.
"I won't be. I am having Mrs. Lancaster over for dinner. Actually, I have to go back and help Lily, she doesn't really know much about cooking." Sophia stands and embraces her longtime friend, almost mother one last time.
"Oh, I've missed you Sophia," she hears Gilda whisper in her ear. Sophia smiles, she didn't realize how much she missed her old home until she stepped inside.
Ò Ò Ò
"Oh well you look at this!" gasps Mrs. Lancaster as she enters the Lancaster home. "Such a nice little house, isn't it John?" The twelve year old boy simply shrugs not really caring.
Mrs. Lancaster, with her big black gown and her blonde hair as high as it could be, holding a hand held fan that she just carried to demonstrate her lady like behavior, she points it at every single item of furniture she recognizes as her son's creation. "Well, he did such a good job, didn't he? He's such a talented young man, isn't he Sophia?"
"He's the best," she replies offering her to sit down once they entered the library.
"Sorry, I had to bring him along," Mrs. Lancaster apologizes as she points at her son. "Martha has the day off, she had some emergency or another."
"Oh that's perfectly fine, he's just as welcomed," she replies giving John a smile. But John seems like he's bored. "You know," Sophia starts as she gets up and stands in front of the window. "Lily is out on the yard feeding the horses, would you like to help her?"
John's eyes widens for he adores horses, just as his older brother. "May I Mama? May I go feed the horses please?"
"Alright, alright but you be careful!" she calls out as he rushes out the back door excitedly. Mrs. Lancaster laughs quietly. "I sometimes think he prefers to be around horses rather than people."
Sophia smiles. They are quiet for a few minutes, neither of them knowing what to say. Sophia shifts in her seat uncomfortably. "So," she starts. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
Mrs. Lancaster turns to her surprised. "Don't you have a cook to make that announcement?"
"No, not really. We only have Lily."
She fans herself clearly confused by her reply. "I guess I can't expect more from my son. He's always preferred simple things."
Sophia nods not knowing what to reply.
"So," Mrs. Lancaster says. "Have you heard from Adam?"
"No."
She rolls her eyes. "Like father like son. My husband has had countless business trips and I have received not a single letter. That's what you get from being such a good wife."
Sophia looks back at the cuckoo clock and wishes for this conversation to be over.
"Ever Since Adam was little," continues Mrs. Lancaster. "He always looked up to his father. Always putting him on a pedestal. I am not sure why though, he's just a normal man with normal man issues, nothing special if you ask me."
"Well, don't children look up to their parents generally?" asks Sophia sweetly.
Mrs. Lancaster scoffs loudly. "There are better men out there that is all I am going to say."
Sophia nods.
"How old are you Sophia?" asks the lady watching her intently.
"Eighteen."
"Hm, you should hurry and have children," comments Mrs. Lancaster. "You are not going to be young forever."
"Yes, well, we are waiting for a bit. At least until we're more. . ." Sophia pauses trying to think of the right word. "Stable."
"Stable? That's mad. You are already stable. With his money you are set to have children, as many as he wants. Don't wait for too long before he goes to others."
Sophia blinks unable to believe what she said. "Is it common?" she finds herself asking out loud.
"What?"
"Well, for husbands to look for others."
Mrs. Lancaster shrugs, "It depends. If you give him what he wants, he might. If you don't give him what he wants, then he will." Seeing her daughter in law's face makes her realize that perhaps she is being too harsh on the poor girl. "But I tried to teach Adam to be respectful and loyal, but . . . " She looks out the window deep in thought. "Like father, like son."
Lily comes in to announce dinner. Mrs. Lancaster stands rapidly talking about something else. But Sophia couldn't hear her. Her thoughts on her mother in law's last words.
Like father, like son.