Mother and daughter looked like sisters—younger and older .
Diana was of medium height, with straight dark brown hair that she let flow down her back to her waist. At times, she piled it atop her head in a large bun or created a crown—often inserting small flowers from the garden. She was thin but not fragile, and perhaps her best features were her large brown eyes and her delicate mouth—which almost always had a welcoming smile .
Ann—Diana’s mother—looked just like her daughter, only a little shorter and a tiny bit stouter. And, as there were no other siblings, the two behaved as slightly naughty sisters who loved mischief and playfulness .
“I’ll have no cream but just lemon today in my tea,” Mother said as she set out the tea cups .
“Cream and honey for me, please. I want some of the honey from the comb we found while out walking in the Dailey’s field last September,” Diana said as the kettle came to a boil and she poured water into the teapot .
Mother opened a tin of ginger biscuits and sat at the kitchen table as Diana poured the tea .
“And how is the writing going this morning?” Mother asked .
“Well enough, but I have only just started the new book so I am still feeling my way to some extent .”
“I loved the way you used our banker, Mr. Cropper, as the villain in your last book. Poor old dolt never had a chance, did he ?”
“Mother, it was just fiction. It was nothing personal .”
Mother laughed. “It seemed personal to me after he rejected your father’s request for a loan .”
“Perhaps a little personal, then,” Diana said with a sly smile .
“Did I hear the crunch of a ginger biscuit?” Father asked as he shuffled into the kitchen in his bathrobe and slippers .
“Are you still not dressed?” Mother exclaimed .
“I don’t have any tutorials until this afternoon,” he replied. He reached into the biscuit tin and took out a handful of biscuits .
Mother gently slapped his hand. “Just two, George .”
He dropped several but kept three .
“Would you like some tea, Father?” Diana asked .
“I would not say no,” he said, slipping into a chair at the table .
George Browning looked rumpled even in his bathrobe. He had a bald pate, but his ring of remaining grey hair shot out in all directions like he was caught in a crosswind. He constantly rubbed his pate with his hand as though he was attempting to polish it. He had droopy eyes from his years of reading in the poor light of musty libraries. And he kept a pair of eyeglasses that had either slipped to the end of his nose or were pushed up to his forehead where he could never find them .
Diana poured her father his cup of tea .
“I have not seen Adam lately,” Father said. “Has he not been coming around ?”
“I believe he has been studying for some important exam or other. And I know he is still working hard on his dissertation,” Diana answered .
“He’s a good lad, your Adam. He’s a very promising scholar,” Father said .
“But he wants to go into his father’s publishing house. I do not believe he wants a university position .”
“Huh. That would be a shame .”
“Not for him .”
“So I suppose you like him because he will promise to publish your scribbles?” He dipped a ginger biscuit into his tea .
“Not at all. I am already published, as you well know, Father,” Diana said .
“Yes, that silly business. Romance and fluff and frills. Is that not so ?”
“My many readers might disagree with you, Father,” Diana said sternly .
“What do they know? Layabouts or silly teenaged girls, I imagine .”
Diana stood up from the table and whisked her and his teacup away and took them to the sink and began washing them. She was angry at his narrowmindedness but refused to engage with him any further at the moment. She wanted to get back to work .
Mother, who preferred to stay out of these arguments between father and daughter stood, grabbed another biscuit, and stated, “It’s been a lot longer than five minutes and I must get back to the gallery. Ta ta, you two.” Then she left .
*
D iana saw Adam Hardy coming down the street toward their house. He was carrying a pink pastry box from Delaware’s Bakery —a favorite of her family’s. Adam usually brought something from the bakery when he was either feeling guilty about something or wanted to ask a favor .
Diana went to the front door of their house to greet him as he came through the front garden, just beginning to bloom with the first spring flowers .
“Adam, what did you bring us this time?” Diana asked as she accepted the bakery box from Adam .
“Something new,” he said with a big smile. “They have just started making the most delicious, individual custard tarts—just perfect for tea or breakfast .”
Adam was a handsome young man with dark red hair that he combed to the side. His green eyes were most appealing, and his freckled cheeks dimpled when he smiled, as he did often .
He wore large owlish metal rimmed glasses, which made him look like he was always just about to ask you a question. However, he tended to be a bit clumsy and would trip on even the most modest door sill .
“Come in. It’s been over a week since you stopped by,” Diana said as she ushered him into the parlor after taking the bakery box to the kitchen .
“Just a few more months until graduation, so I have been piling on the work to get it all done in time .”
“Please, take a chair by the fire. It’s still a bit nippy out .”
“I’m not interrupting your writing, am I?” he asked as he sat .
“Not at all. I am usually done for the day by lunchtime. I find I can only do so much creative writing without fading after four or five hours. Would you like some tea ?”
“Not for me, thank you. I had some in digs before I came over .”
Diana sat opposite him and folded her hands in her lap .
“Have you spoken to your parents about the walking tour of Switzerland?” he asked enthusiastically .
“I have not, Adam. I have given it a lot of thought. And I know you are excited about such a trip, but I can’t, in all honesty, subscribe to such a venture. It just isn’t right for us to travel abroad together unchaperoned .”
“But we will be going as a group. There will be plenty of people around at all times,” he insisted .
“Yes, but they are all young people like us .”
“Certainly, there will be some older people too. It’s not just for youth .”
Diana stood up to emphasize her point. “I am truly sorry, Adam, but I just do not think it is advisable or wise. And besides, I am still in the early stages of my new novel and I would have to leave it for too long .”
Adam looked dejected and hung his head and stared at his folded hands .
“But might you reconsider if we were formally engaged ?”