An Itinerary of an Explanation
First impressions can be misleading in several different ways
So take care not to base your choices built on yesterdays
So take care not to base your choices built on yesterdays
Marve Goodpasture stood in the safe room, where Charles, Matilda, Isabella, myself and the dogs had been most of the day, looking rather wearied. Boris, Stogie and Spike sniffed around his feet and the opening under the floor. "From here to Thurgood's and every where in between, Charles. There must be a hundred of them. I could use some sleep, do you think you can help cover the house outside while I take a nap." Charles didn't hesitate, "Of course, who's where and where am I needed?" Marve told him to take his pick, "in the trees around back behind the shed, or up the gulley toward Horace and Judith's. You're choice." Charles went to get his duffle bag, "how many do we have?" Marve rubbed his forehead, "not as many as they have but we have better positioning. Horace sent word to Riverton earlier so we have a few more around and even more on their way. We also let Mr. Longfellow know that some one was making a fool out of him here. Who knows, maybe he'll send some of his own people around to see what his liabilities are going to be." Marve smiled. "After all he's the one who introduced himself as the one responsible for the bill to clean up the mess that was made wasn't he?" Charles wasn't very amused but agreed with what Marve said. "He was wasn't he? Problem with that is he's the only one who introduced himself to the lady folk" Charles cast a quick glance toward me. "Better make sure we keep all the women he introduced himself to out of his sight. Don't want him changing his mind about his promises now do we?" Marve patted Charles' shoulder, "no we don't. Now, do you have your bow?"
"Yes, in here" Charles patted his carry on bag. "I brought every thing I could think of with me."
"Alright good, I'll place the food bags later. Do you have any thing to take with you? You could be out there a while?"
"Penelope fed me earlier and I have a few things in here but to be honest I'm too anxious to eat right now."
"How about water? Got anything to drink?"
"Yes, it's all in here" Charles answered then moved over to the opened exit in the floor. He looked at me then asked, "Which way to the shed from here?"
"Left corner, crawl, right" I answered.
"Got it" he winked at me. "Make Marve here something to eat will you?"
"I will" I answered then down the escape he went.
Marve waited, watching underneath the floor for a few minutes then closed the door and latched it shut. He stood to his feet, "Good evening Ms. Penelope." He acknowledged me for the first time since entering the room.
"Good evening, Marve. How hungry are you" I asked him.
"Not very to be honest, mam" he took his hat off and held it in his hand. "I had some of the ham you sent last night earlier but I sure could use a few winks of sleep. New baby at the house hasn't been sleeping very much lately. Been keeping me and her mother awake both night and day." I smiled then invited him over to where we had been sitting. "Oh, that's right, you and Linda just had a new baby girl didn't you? How many kids do you have now?"
"She's the second; Amos is the oldest. He turns four next month after his mother's birthday."
"And how is Agnus? Has she recovered well since birthing little Linda?"
"She has, thank you for asking" he sat down in the chair I offered him to rest. "Her and the kids are over to her parents house right now. Didn't want to leave them home by themselves with all this mischief going around town, you know?"
"Well I'm sure Mrs. Samuels is more than happy to have them there."
"Indeed" Marve answered.
"I have a bed and some clean bedding behind that curtain there" I pointed to a corner of the room along the kitchen wall adjacent to my bedroom wall. "Then there's another one there" I pointed to the wall behind his chair. "There's a wash bowl in each. You can get some water at the sink pump to wash up with if you'd like."
"I would" he said then stood back to his feet. When he did he looked at Matilda and Isabella who were still seated on the couch. "Oh excuse me, Marve Goodpasture" he introduced himself. Like wise Matilda introduced herself, then Isabella did the same. Marve apologized for not acknowledging them earlier to which they both easily forgave then welcomed him into their presence. Marve didn't spend much time talking. He gathered some water then went behind the curtained off sleeping area that I had offered him next to the inside of the house near my bedroom wall. I sat back down in my chair. Matilda and Isabella were still seated on the couch. "Are you hungry" Isabella asked me. "A little" I answered. "Well I could certainly use something to eat" Matilda spoke before Isabella asked her. "Show me where you keep the food and I will make us all something to eat." Isabella instructed. I told her where they could find the food items I had stocked in the room then they went to the small kitchen area to prepare the food. I sat quitely thinking about every thing that Charles had told me that afternoon and evening. It had never occured to me that so many things could be going on around the lives of so many people without them ever being privy to any of it. Life and living was just day to day activity for most of us who had matured after all the humbug of our earliest years of life. Now that all of this had started, it seemed like some sort of ridiculous story book that no one had never mentioned existed, about a group of no gooders who were acting out in various degrees of shamefulness that no one would ever own up to. Yet, there I was, sitting in a room with two others trying to make sense out of all the senselessness. Matilda distracted my thinking when she brought a cup and saucer to me offering me a cup of coffee. "Don't worry" she smiled, "Isabella made it."
"Thank you" I responded kindly.
"You're welcome, Penelope" she spoke then went back across the room to the kitchen area. Isabella was the next to approach the area where I was sitting to place a tray on the table. She removed the lid from a small steaming kettle revealing a hearty tomato based vegetable soup. I could see carrot slices, green beans, diced onions, potatoes chunks, and diced okra slightly submerged under the warm tomato liquid. Next to the soup sat a small loaf of bread and a small plate of butter. Matilda appeared again beside Isabella with a set of three bowls in one hand and silverware in the other. "Did you get the ladel?" Isabella asked. Matilda hadn't so Isabella went back to the kitchen area to retrieve the dipper for the soup. Boris, Stogie and Spike were crowding the table where Isabella had sat our food so I shooed them away. Matilda stood waiting for the dogs to move around her then sat down. She looked at me momentarily, reserving any comment about the dogs being so close to her, then began placing the bowls in an arrangement to be filled. I sat my coffee on the edge of the table then went to get the dogs something to eat for themselves. By the time I sat back down at the table, Matilda and Isabella had already placed our evening meal in our respective bowls. Isabella offered a blessing over the food, thankful for the meal we were going to eat, and our neighbors who were giving of their own time to watch over us as we ate safely on the inside of our home. Right before I put the first bite of any of it in my mouth Stogie went to the floor where Charles had exited and growled. I wasted no time going over to where he was. Boris, and Spike joined us over the floor boards. I lowered myself gently on to the floor then pressed my ear against the floor to listen for any sound underneath. I waited a minute longer trying to smell any scent of lantern oil but the smells of the prepared food over masked any other scent besides the dogs. I shushed the dogs to listen closer then heard, "when the birds find feasting easy upon the garden's soil" I started to open the hatch then remembered to say, "they bring also the gift of growth to honor the gardener's toil." I opened the latch then waited to see who was there. Howard Grouse's face appeared by the lantern light lighting the darkness underneath. He smiled up at me. "Good evening, Ms. Lochlan." I told him to crawl on up to enter the room but he refused. "I can't stay. I'm just on my way through else where. Just wanted to tell you that dog of yours there" he pointed at Boris who stood next to me looking down the hatch at Howard, "is a wanted dog. Apparently Gaston LaFeu has folks trying to find out who he is."
Of all the things I was expecting to hear from Howard, that wasn't one of them. "Looking for Boris?" I asked completely confused.
"Apparently, he took up smoking too" Howard grinned then chuckled.
"Howard, for god's sake man, what are you talking about" I spouted off.
"A couple of outside fellows were in Riverton with an engraved lighter looking for the owner. It had your dogs name on it."
"Are you pulling my leg Howard?" I wanted to know.
"No mam, not at a time like this. It's the truth as I was told it."
"What makes you think it was my dog?" I asked him.
"Well, when they handed it to me to see the engravement on it, I tried to strike it. It didn't have any lighter fluid in it; was dry as a bone. Probably a new one they're using to find out if the name belongs to a man or that dog there."
I looked at Boris who did nothing more than look at me. "You think they've been around here, don't you?"
"I can't say for sure. They could've been. Either which way when you have him outside the next few days call him anything but that. Just until we're sure this bunch around here is all gone. Do you understand?"
"Yes I understand. Are LaFeu's men still outside there?" I had to ask.
"They are and it's getting dark. Mr. Longfellow is suppose to be on his way to Riverton this evening. My father and a few others are waiting for him to arrive. Every one else is holding up outside until morning. Thought we might use this room as a midway point if you're alright with it. We could use a place for a few of the others whose been here the longest to rest a few minutes."
"If I say yes will you walk my dogs for me?" I bargained with him.
"Sure, I can do that" he agreed.
I told him, "I don't want to take them any further underneath without them going to the bathroom first. They've been in here with us all day."
"Not a problem" Howard seemed relieved that I had agreed. "I need to go back to the barn to let the others know we can use this room. After I get back we'll let them out the back door for a while and put a few lights on in the house. Give me about an hour or so then I'll be back."
"We'll be ready" I answered then he turned his lantern away from his face to start back through the path.
I softly nudged Boris away from the opened door boards of the floor then closed the hatch. Once I was back on my feet I went to the table where my food sat.
Matilda looked at me to ask, "do we have to go somewhere else?"
I picked up a slice of the bread that Isabella had prepared. "Yes" I answered knowing this day had been unlike Matilda had ever experienced in her life. I looked at Isabella who was holding her bowl in her lap with both hands. "It looks like we'll be going to the room I showed you last night so the men can use this one tonight." Isabella hesitated only for a minute before she asked, "Can we use a lantern in the tunnel?"
Her question made me laugh lightly, "yes, we can use the lantern tonight" I smiled at her when I answered.
"Oh thank goodness" she giggled with relief. "I'm not sure Matilda would be able to do that without one."
"Do what" Matilda asked.
"Go through the tunnel underneath the house to the safe room outside" I answered her.
"Wait, do what? Outside? What do you mean?"
Isabella sat her bowl back on the table then began to explain what I was referring to and how it was done. Matilda looked between Isabella and myself as Isabella explained. I busied myself to eating part of the bread and soup they had prepared earlier.
"Seriously?" Matilda seemed to be giving the idea a great deal of thought. "We have to go" she glanced over her shoulder at the crawl space where the hatch was located, "under there through a tunnel, with a lantern and the dogs?"
"One of the dogs" I corrected her. "I usually leave Stogie and Spike here in this room. They have more space plus they can keep an eye on the house while I'm not here." I don't think my answer gave her much courage; neither did Isabella. "It's really a very lovely place" she reassured a better picture to Matilda. Matilda looked down at the dress she was wearing. "Is this appropriate attire for doing something like that or should I change clothes?"
"There's a long coat in the closet there that use to belong to my mother. She used it to cover her clothing when she would go through," I answered her. About that time a loud, long snore came from behind the curtain where Marve had been resting taking us all by surprise. Once we realized where the noise was coming from we all laughed quietly. "For mercy's sake" Isabella said, "I thought that was one of the dogs."
"I think you'll be alright in your dress; unless you just want to change clothes." I promptly returned an answer to Matilda's question. "But I will caution you, that will be Howard's job to find the clothing you want from your bedroom when goes into the house. On the other hand you're about the same size as my mom and there is some extra clothing where we're going that you'll be able to use once we get there; blouses, pants, night gowns, house coats, soft slippers."
"There is" Isabella aided my explanation to Matilda, "I don't think you'll have need of anything really. From what I saw last night the entire place is full of absolutely every thing you can imagine needing, even a bathroom, with fresh water from the well." Matilda listened but still seemed reluctant accepting the idea. We finished our meal then put our dishes away. Matilda quickly washed the ones we had dirtied despite me telling her that she didn't have to. While she did that I gathered my own back pack to gather a few things from the room we were in that we would need later in the evening underneath. I went through the cupboards to make a display of items I thought any of the men who came through might want or need while they were inside. I prepared a first aid kit for any one who might have scratches or cuts from tunneling through underneath or outside. I brought out some of the clean plates, cups, eating utensils, and knives to place where they could be easily found. I prepped the coffee pot, rinsed out the tea kettle, arranged a few clean dish towels, then added a bar of soap to the sink where it could be discovered by anyone who might want to wash up at the sink. Then I took out a large bowl to fill with fresh fruits adding some unshelled walnuts, pecans and cashews to the mixture. Once I placed them in the center of the table in the small living room area I went to the other curtained off bed opposite the one Marve was sleeping in. While I was there gathering fresh bed linens to take with us Matilda and Isabella asked me if there was anything they could do. So I gave them the task of putting some fresh tea bags out on the counter, along with some sugar cubes and tea cakes. I also suggested they find a small bag, if they so desired, to take along anything they saw in the cupboards that they would like to have later. "A lot of the things I keep underneath are the same as the things I have here with the exception of the chocolates, fruits, and cookies."
"Did you spend a lot of time down there when you were younger?" Matilda asked.
"I can remember being there yes, when I was very young. But by the time I was a teenager my parents and I only went through it when we wanted; mostly to continue building them up and making them more secure; as you will see later. Honestly, I'm kind of new to doing things like this under these kinds of circumstances. Most of my personal experience has been during regular days because I wanted to; never because I was forced to."
"I'm looking forward to showing it to you" said Isabella to Matilda. "To be completely honest, I had no idea these rooms even existed. Last night was the first time Penelope had ever mentioned them to me." Matilda looked at me with uncertainty showing on her face. I didn't bother asking what she was thinking because I knew she would ask if she wanted to know. A few minutes of quiet passed among us as we listened to Marve snore then the smell of warm cinnamon lantern oil floated under my nose. Boris growled where he was laying. Isabella and Matilda looked at the dog then back to the floor where our visitors had been arriving and leaving from all day. I went to the floor, took my position to listen underneath, then spoke. "When the winter's frozen ground begins to melt beneath my feet" Howard Grouses' voice spoke up to me. "Lead me from the valley's shores to where the trees are draped with leafs". I opened the floor hatch then offered Howard enough clearance room to make his way out of the tunnel into the room. Boris, Stogie and Spike all gathered around him, sniffing his pants and shoes.
"Well then" Howard greeted me, "good evening again."
"How are things?" I asked him.
"Improved actually" he stepped away from the floor entrance. "Not as many people outside now. Do you have what you need for your evening?"
"Every thing but Boris."
Howard made the offer to let Boris stay with him and the others. "He's more than welcome to stay with us here if it would make you more comfortable."
"It wouldn't" I answered him. "But thank you."
He smiled, "my mother has a dog she thinks that way of too. Wouldn't think of leaving it any where she couldn't be. You probably remember it, Patience. She's about the same age as Boris there."
"I remember."
He looked down at Stogie and Spike. "These two are staying with me then?"
"Yes, they're the house sitters."
"Ah, good. We can use a good set of extra ears."
"But so you know, they're more particular about who goes in and out of here when I'm gone than when I'm with them. So you might need to spend some time with them after we leave to make sure they respond to you."
"I will" he obliged. "How about we start right now? You boys ready to go outside for a little while?"
"Girls" I corrected his error. "Boris is the only male."
Howard laughed. "Really? Alright, well then excuse me girls, are you ready to go for some fresh air? How about you, Boris? You ready for a walk?"
The dogs responded well to Howard; wagging their tales and going to the safe door, near the kitchen wall, where we had entered the room from earlier. I helped Howard leash the three of them then opened the door for them to go into the house. I didn't bother closing the door behind him. I looked at Isabella and Matilda, "let's get ready while he's doing that. Matilda, the coat I told you about is in that closet there behind the curtain. There's more than one so take your choice. Isabella if you want one, you're more than welcome to it."
We finished gathering the things we were going to take with us for the evening then waited for him to return with Boris. Howard wasn't gone long, about twenty minutes or so, then came back in to where we were. "I turned a light on in the living room but that's the only one. I didn't think we should use more than we have to. Just enough to let anyone outside know we were inside." He looked at the three of us standing there with our back packs, ready to go. "I see you're ready. Here," he handed me the leash that I had put on Boris. "They all went to the bathroom so he ought to be alright for a while. I'll make sure these two get out to the bathroom again later. If he needs to go, you know you can bring him back this way."
"Thanks Howard" I politely responded. "I left some dog food for those two over there by the sink. After we leave fill their bowls for them, would you?"
"I will" he agreed. "I left a lantern lit at the bottom there. Thought it would be easier for your guest than going in in the dark. You ladies be careful down there."
"We will." I looked at Isabella and Matilda to ask them if they were ready to go. They both said yes so we went to the floor hatch. I gave Boris the lead first. As soon as I saw he had made it through to the bottom I offered Isabella a go. She positioned herself first then slipped under the floor with ease. I looked at Matilda. "Alright, your turn." She looked at me then sighed. She did exactly as she had watched Isabella do and made it comfortably through the clearing with no problem what so ever. Once I saw her standing next to Isabella at the bottom I told Howard goodnight then made my way down to where they were waiting for me. The light Howard had left burning filled the underneath passage brightly. "That's so much better than doing it in the dark" Isabella said to me. "It is, isn't it?" I agreed. I took the lantern that was still dark and lit it to match the one Howard had prepared. "Here" I handed the lantern to Isabella. "You follow Boris, Matilda will follow you and I'll follow her." Isabella picked up Boris's leash. "Just like last night, then?" She asked. "Exactly like last night" was my answer. I looked back up to the room. Howard was standing over neath the floor looking at me. "Alright, Penelope?"
"Yeah; it's alright to take this lantern, right?" I wanted to make sure.
"You can. I'll put a spare there in a few minutes."
"Alright, good night Howard."
"Good night."
I told Isabella to get Boris going and she did. Matilda was the first to say, "the smell down here is awful." Isabella laughed light heartedly. "It is isn't it? But according to Penelope, it's just the smell of the dirt."
"I had no idea dirt smelled like this" Matilda answered. "Penelope, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure" I said as we made our way.
"Those verses you and the others recite, what are they from?"
"An old poem" I answered her honestly. "There's a book in the room that we're going to that has those things in it. You can read it if you'd like."
"Is that how you all know who to let in" Isabella asked.
"It is" I answered. Just then Isabella noticed another opening in the hall we were using as we were approaching it. "Do we go that way?"
"Follow Boris" I told her without explanation as to why.
"So there's more than one way under here?" Matilda asked.
"Yes and no" I wanted to explain more about where they were. "Isabella, have Boris stop."
"How?" She asked.
"Stop walking then tug back on the leash gently."
She did as I said. Boris stopped walking then looked back at me. I held the lantern in my hand back toward the way we had already came to illuminate the path. "See all of this" I began, "it's all connected to various areas outside." Matilda looked up and noticed the wood boards affixed to the roof from the sides of the walls. "Goodness" she said softly under her breath. I then proceeded to explain their surroundings to them. "As you go through the path here you'll notice a few different places that lead off to different areas. Some of them are paths through to the outside, some are duck holes to hide in, and others don't go anywhere except to a dirt wall; a dead end more or less. They're made that way on purpose. Some are for structural reasons while others are made as a defense technique. If anyone ever found these paths, besides the people who built them, they would have to know how to navigate them. For instance that opening there" I referred to the one Isabella had previously asked about. "It's a duck, meaning that if I was in here and thought someone was following me, or knew someone was following me that shouldn't be, I could slip through there until I found a safe place to stop. The cubbies are nothing more than a dead end. They lead the person unfamiliar with the paths out away from the real tunnels to no where; taking them one way then another in a squared off area to throw them off the path. The only way that you can get to the safe rooms is to know the way. Any one else unfamiliar with the path could be in those things for hours in a day trying to figure out how to get back out of there."
"And the walls are all sound" Isabella wanted to know.
"They've been on these grounds since before I was born" I reassured her. "That's why I have to check them from time to time. To make sure the structures integrity is still intact. Tell Boris to lead" I instructed Isabella. When she did he began meandering his way back along the path as he knew to go.
"Every thing looks so different" Isabella joked as we continued our course.
"Did you say you two did this in the dark last night" Matilda spoke next.
"Yes!" Isabella exaggerated her voice when she answered. "Last night; imagine doing all of this the first time without a lantern."
Matilda looked back at me. "In the dark, with no lantern?"
"Sure, it's not as difficult as you would think. Want to try it?" I pried her with the question just for her reaction.
"No thank you" she exclaimed. "Are you sure she's your friend Isabella?" Matilda playfully continued our conversation. "Making you do this in the dark for the first time seems more like something a rival would do."
Isabella joined the conversation. "Yes I'm sure she's a friend" she spoke then explained. "We did it that way so I would know how to follow Boris instead of using a light. That way if we had to make a quick move to leave the house in a hurry and someone was following me I would know how to get to safety without giving away which way I was going."
"That makes sense" Matilda conceded. "Still though, in the dark? I'm glad that I wasn't invited" she joked.
Boris stopped; Isabella looked at the distance between him and her. There was nothing in front of her other than a dirt wall. She asked, "is that the crawl?"
"Yes" I answered her. "Do you remember what to do?"
"Where's the space we went in through?" She asked. "I don't see an opening."
"Give Boris the go ahead" I reminded her.
"Right" she said then gave his leash a small ripple. Boris proceeded to walk toward the solid dirt wall then stopped. He nudged one particular area with his nose and pushed his way onward until an opening appeared. Isabella laughed joyfully. "That's incredible" she said. "Now we just go through there." I confirmed her deduction as correct then on she went through the opening at the bottom of the wall. She had left her lantern sitting on our side of the crawl so I handed it through to her so she could have light to see where she was at. Matilda looked back at me as if to ask if she had to crawl through the space. "Go on" I encouraged her. "We're almost to where we're going." She hesitantly proceded to follow my instruction and followed Isabella's lead. Once she was clear of the opening I slipped myself through behind her. Isabella was massaging her arm. "That lantern gets heavy" she announced. "Here" I handed her the one I had been carrying. "It's smaller." We exchanged lights. I gave the two of them time to gather their ambition again while we dusted the path dirt off of our clothes. Isabella noticed the divided area of the tunnel we were now standing in; one path going to the left the other divided into two different directions to the right. "Which way do" she started to ask then said, "never mind. Here Boris", he wagged his tail and heeded her request. She petted his head, "you truly are a very good dog" she complimented him. Matilda smiled too then looked at me. "Yes he is" she offered as a similar tribute to me. "You've trained him very well." I didn't have the time to respond to her comment because Isabella and Boris were on the move again. "Get your bag" I reminded Matilda who had brought a small satchel of goods along for our quest. "What about" Matilda looked at the open area of the space we had just crawled through. "Give it a push" I told her. She did and the opening eased closed covering the crawl in the wall. "You're family really put some thought into this place, didn't they" she said. I nodded my head yes then encouraged her to move on. We passed the few ducks and cubbies at the front of the path we were in then the walls smoothed out. A few minutes later Isabella announced she could see the door we were trying to get to. Matilda replied with a question. "So we're there?"
"Yes" Isabella answered her calmly. "We're there."
I asked Matilda to hold the lantern I was carrying so I could retrieve the key from my pocket. She did as I asked. I eased around her and Isabella to unlock the door. Boris sat looking up at me. "Good boy." I congratulated him then unlocked the door offering Isabella and Matilda to enter the room first. Isabella entered with the lantern revealing the room to Matilda. I closed the door then bolted all the safety locks on the inside to secure us in for the rest of the evening. The two of them were standing in the living room, the lantern was now sitting on the table. I asked Isabella to take off Boris's collar and leash then pour him a bowl of water. I sat the lantern in my hand down on the table with the one already there. Matilda asked if there was anything she could do. I asked her to help me light the rest of the lamps in the room then handed her a box of long matches. She was happy to oblige my request. I took the back pack off my back then took it to the bed in the corner of the room. By the time I looked back around Isabella was helping Matilda with the lamps. I lit the bedside lamp then sat down on the bed. I slipped my shoes off of my feet to relax.
"Oh, I want to show you this" Isabella told Matilda. She took her to the corner where the book shelves were to show her my family's reading collection. Then showed her our family photos and various other mementos we had gathered there over the years. "Is this you" Matilda ask me holding a picture frame in her hands of a picture took of my parents and I when I was seven.
I answered, "yes."
"You were adorable" she complimented me. "And this is your mother and father with you?"
"It is."
She looked at the other photos arranged along the book shelves among the books and those that were hung along the walls. I stretched out on the bed to rest while they continued to explore their surroundings. Boris made his way to where I was then gently pawed at the bed for attention. I had forgotten to give him his usual reward after the trip through the path. I really didn't want to get back up but I did then went to the cupboard to find his treats. By that time Matilda was wondering, "how long do we stay in here?"
"Until someone lets us know to leave" I answered.
"How many of those fellows up there know where this place is?" She asked.
"Two; Charles and Howard, they helped sculpt the tunnels when they were younger."
Isabella stepped in front of the sink, "is that a window?" She was looking in the direction of the bed at the back of the room in the corner.
"It is" I answered. "My mother loved looking out the window when she woke of a morning so my father built that for her."
"May I? Isabella asked.
"Certainly" was my answer.
She went to the curtains hanging on the wall then pulled them back. When she saw what was behind them she cordially laughed then said, "a picture of a sunrise in a sitting garden. It's lovely." Matilda joined her where she was standing then she herself commented, "ah, what an excellent idea. Did your father paint this?"
"No, my grandmother did when my mother was very young. The painting itself is of the actual view from my mother's backyard at her childhood home in Bridge Port. That was the scenery outside her bedroom window. It use to be inside the house in our living room but father moved it here for her to have in the event any thing should ever happen to the house; and so mother would have more than just boards to look at while she was in here."
"Well I have to say" Matilda approached the living room where I was, "when Isabella said we were going through a tunnel under the house to a safe room this wasn't what I imagined at all. The tunnel itself was, sort of, but this" she looked around the room again, "this is way more than I expected."
"Thought I would drag you off to some crummy old hole in the ground, did you?" I spoke playfully.
Matilda obliged my humor with, "To be honest I'm really not sure what to think of you yet. Of course I've never had to become acquainted with someone under these conditions before either."
"Not exactly a tea party is it?" I understood her better than she understood.
"No, it is not" she confirmed.
From there the three of us made our way back to the living and dining room areas. Matilda took a few minutes to put the items she had brought with her in the cupboards; Isabella took off her shoes to curl up on the small sofa and I sat down on the opposite sofa, quietly deciding our sleeping arrangements for the evening. "You and Matilda can have the bed this evening; I'll sleep here on the couch."
"I don't mind sleeping on the couch" Matilda said. "You and Isabella should have the bed so you can rest better."
"That's where you're wrong" I replied. "The couch is much softer than the bed."
Matilda was obviously feeling more at ease now because she responded "oh, I see how you are. Making us sleep on some lumpy old bed while you take the soft comfortable couch." Isabella rolled her eyes knowing Matilda only wanted to goad me. I couldn't help but to respond to her playing thusly, "alright, if you're going to be that way, Isabella, you can have the bed to yourself. I'll take the couch and Matilda can sleep outside the door in the tunnel." Matilda picked up a pillow from the couch and threw it at me. I laughed knowing we were all feeling more secure now with each other. Isabella was the next to speak saying, "I don't know if I can handle the two of you being in here together like this or not."
Matilda joined us sitting down on the sofa next to me. I tossed the pillow back to her when she sat down. Boris made his way over to my feet then curled up on the rug to rest.
Not long after that Isabella said she was tired so she went to the bathroom to wash up and change her clothing for the evening. She didn't rejoin Matilda and I after she finished, rather, she simply bid us both a good night then went to bed. Matilda congenially asked if I was interested in a cup of tea and cookies. I was, so she prepared the pot for tea. As she busied herself in the kitchen I went to the closet at the back of the room to find some clothing for the evening; then gathered a few of the thicker blankets from a storage trunk. I laid one across the foot of the bed for Isabella and Matilda then placed the other on the small sofa for myself later. Matilda was softly singing in the kitchen as she was preparing our evening refreshments. I listened only momentarily to see if I recognized the song, which I didn't, then took my bed clothes to the bathroom. Before I closed the door I told her I would only be a few minutes and welcomed her to make herself as comfortable as possible. I took my time in the bathroom knowing the tea would need a few minutes to cool. It had been a long day and the bath water was a welcoming comfort. When I was finished bathing I dressed, hung my bath towel and wash cloth to dry then gathered my dirty clothing to put away until tomorrow. As I left the bathroom I saw Matilda sitting on the couch reading a very large book. I put my belongings away quietly, wishing not to disturb Isabella, then joined Matilda once again in the living room. I sat down on the smaller sofa drawing my feet up on the couch then covered myself with the blanket I had placed there earlier. Matilda serviced my tea cup adding a few sugar cookies on the side of the saucer. I thanked her kindly then asked what she was reading. She folded the front cover closed some turning the front of it to face me. The aged leather bond cover was unprinted. "I didn't see a title so I opened it to see what it was. I hope you don't think I was snooping."
"Not at all" I replied when I seen that it was only my families recorded genealogies. "You're more than welcome to explore what ever you find here."
"Thank you." Matilda then went on to say, "do you mind if I ask you about some of this?"
"I figured you would" I smiled then sipped my tea.
She didn't bother to play or jest, "your father's family is from Switzerland?"
"Yes."
"And these are all stories of his family's life there?"
"Yes and no; the first few chapters is mostly about his family before they left Switzerland, moved here and changed their names. The other chapters are about their history of life here; births, marriages, extending family lines. The latter half of the book is about my mother's family. There's actually much more to my mother's ancestry in there than my father's. He was very young when he came to America so when he wanted to compile the ancestry of his family he had to rely a great deal on his own memory from family stories he heard growing up and the memories of his friends and family who were, also from Switzerland, older than himself."
"You're mother was born in America?"
"Yes, in Bridge Port. Her great great grandparents were children when they came to America. The whole lot of them settled in and around that area during the early 1800's."
"Fascinating" she replied. "My family keeps most of our ancestries in our family Bibles. We have two; one for my father's side of the family and another for my mother's. They've had to add a few pages over the years but they're all there. The poetry verses that are written here, did your father write them?"
"No, well, the ones at the front of that book no. There are a few later on near the end of his families records that he wrote. Most of the ones you see there were written by his mother; a lot of them are poems or songs she was taught verbally when she was a girl before she married; then later here in America, when she learned to write, she wrote them down for her children to have. It was how she learned to read and to write the English language. My father's sister was the first in his family who learned to speak English. She taught the rest of them; then they all learned to read and write later."
Matilda's expression showed an interested wonder. "I forget sometimes how different other people's lives have been from my own. Is this where the verses you and the other's recite at the safety doors are from?"
"No, those were actually developed as the tunnel system was being developed. Each passage requires a different verse at different intervals according to the current conditions by which they're being used."
"Wait, what" Matilda chuckled because she was confused.
"We don't always use the same verses in the same places of passing. It's one of those things you just have to learn, I suppose, to truly understand it."
"So there's no actual structured order of reciting them?"
"Well yes and no. Each family has their own set of compositions. Take Charles for example, his family the Samuels, created their own set of stanza's for use, my family did the same. Then there is one set between all of us that are used but only during times of immediate dangers, like today for example. The rest are used during intermittent times of waiting and watching. We use them simply to identify ourselves to each other and who's using the paths without having to say, hey it's Penelope, or it's Charles."
"So more or less to keep your name's concealed."
"Not so much concealed as private. That way if someone's snooping around outside they're not as aware of how many or whom is inside the house if the need be to defend ourselves. For example, let's say you and Isabella have to go to the safe room in the kitchen while I'm away in town. When I returned to find you I wouldn't identify myself by name. I would recite something to you so you and her would know it was me. That way if anyone is inside the safe room that isn't a friend they wouldn't know how to respond. All they would hear was someone say," I paused to think for a minute then said, "I prim so delicate my delights dependent upon my mood," now if you are the one on the inside you could respond to that with, "simply because I firmly believe in being a finicky tea making prude." Matilda laughed whole heartedly at my choice. "Or with what ever you and I decided was reasonable enough to know that you were certain who I was before you opened the door and I would know that it was you inside the room."
"I understand" said Matilda, who was still chuckling to herself.
"You're sitting there trying to think of something to go with clod stomper aren't you?" I went on to ask.
"Yes" she answered after regaining her composure.
"I figured as much," was my reply then I yawned and laid my head over on the couch.
"You look tired" she acknowledged my fatigue.
"I am."
"Here then, trade couches with me and you can go on to sleep."
"That's alright, I don't want to leave you without company. You might think I'm a poor hostess." She made a pift sound with her mouth before she said, "trust me, I'm more than able to entertain myself. Besides, I've seen you when you're tired. You're grumpier than a bear."
Knowing how tired I really was I relented to her suggestion. "Alright, change places with me."
"Why don't you share the bed with Isabella tonight? Honestly Penelope, I don't mind sleeping here."
"Well, I'd rather be by the door if Boris barks. Someone might be through here later with information that we need. The couch is closer than the bed."
She nodded her head slightly agreeing to my reasoning. "I understand. Is it alright if I finish looking at this?" She held up the book of my families ancestry.
"Sure, like I said earlier, make yourself at home. You're invited to every thing in the room. Is there anything you might need before I go to sleep?"
"You mentioned a night gown earlier. I could use one of those."
I told her where she could find the clothing she could use then gave her instructions on how to properly use the facilities in the bathroom. I also made sure she knew if she had any difficulty or heard anything that gave her concern to let me know. She said she would and also said she would trim the lamps before she went to bed. I told her to leave the lamp on the table lit, she agreed, then I snuggled under my blanket and closed my eyes.
It was Boris who woke me much later when he licked my nose. I opened my eyes and saw Matilda still sitting on the small sofa reading. I didn't bother speaking at first until she looked up from her reading noticing I was awake. "What time is it" I asked. She lifted the small locket watch she wore around her chest and opened it. "Two in the morning" she answered softly. "Do you need something?"
"Water would be nice" I answered.
Without question or hesitation she rose from the couch and went to the kitchen. She returned with a glass of water then handed it to me. I drank it slowly at first then finished the contents and sat the glass on the table. "Do you want some more?" She asked.
"No thank you. Are you alright? You're up awfully late." I said to her.
"I'm fine thank you. I'm still reading" she pointed at the book on the couch next to her. "I could fill a water pitcher if you have one. I didn't see one in the cupboard earlier."
"They're in the cabinet under the sink and yes, that would be nice." I spoke when I laid back down. "Would you do me another favor?"
"Yes" she answered.
"Check Boris's water dish over there. He usually don't wake me up unless he needs something." I thought about what I had just heard myself say then sat up straight on the couch. Boris was still next to the couch looking at me. He lifted his paw again nudging the couch cushion then went towards the door. I threw back the blanket that was covering me and went to the door. I looked at Matilda who was still standing in the kitchen. She didn't offer to move. I waited momentarily then went to the living room to put out the light. Before I did I motioned for Matilda to join me where I was standing. I whispered lightly, "turn the light as low as you can, follow close to me." She slightly spoke back to me, "alright." She sat the water pitcher in her hands on the table then pick up the lamp. Boris still sat in front of the door. I told Matilda, "when we get closer to the dog step to your right, but stay behind me." She trimmed the light where we could see then started making our way gently toward the door. Two feet from Boris I saw the light move over my right shoulder. I eased to the door, to a small place between the hinges and the wall, then slid out a long nail pin that gave sight through a peep hole in the wall. The tunnel was dark. The light in the room behind me was the only light visible. Boris pawed at the door. I replaced the pin in the peep hole then backed away to stand closer to Matilda. Still whispering I told her, "I can't see anything, but there's most certainly something different going on out there. He don't respond to nothing."
"What do we do" she asked.
"All we can do; wait."
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