Irene The Seamstress

That was when Richard realized that his father was no more. He did not know how to act at that moment. He kept questioning what acceptable behaviour was and what behaviour attracted punishment.

'Mother, what shall I do?' Beads of cold sweat covered his forehead.

'Thomas?' Lucy stood up and walked to her husband's side.

She saw for herself that he was truly gone. At least, he had apologized, and she had forgiven him. She held on to the fact that her husband passed away whilst on good terms with her.

'He is gone, mother.' Richard touched his mother's shoulder.

He felt her body tremble under his grip. He wondered how he was going to comfort her. He knew she was a strong woman but losing her husband had to affect her deeply.

'I reckon I shall speak with Cordelia and Oliver on his funeral arrangements.' Lucy made her way out of the room.

Richard stood there, over his father's body. He tried to remind himself of the happy moments he shared with his father, but nothing came to mind. He tightened his fist in anger.

He had to forgive his father for years of unwarranted beating. Thomas had chosen the perfect moment to ask his son for forgiveness. He had chosen a moment when Richard could not question his past actions.

'You do not deserve forgiveness father. I reckon it would have been better for me to come to your corpse instead.' Richard walked out.

He saw his mother speaking with his aunty and uncle. He knew there was no need for him to stay there and listen to them talk about his late father, so he left the house.

Richard could only run so far from his problems, but Gina could not share in that fate. When she woke up that morning, she knew what awaited her.

She knew Ansley was at his ranch, waiting for the clock to strike twelve. He was waiting for the time when Gina had no choice but to walk through the doors of his room, ready to be touched by him.

'I do not feel so good.' Gina was trying to escape her fate with Ansley and feigning sickness was the best way for her.

'My mother and I shall be going into town soon; shall we ask the doctor to come to you on our way?' Missy asked her cousin.

Gina had not told anyone about the result of her meeting with Ansley and she intended to keep it that way.

'There will be no need for that. A little rest should do the trick for me. Do not keep your mother waiting.' Gina looked at Missy.

She saw Missy's freckles and how there made her face look different from everyone else's. Her uncle, Benedict and his wife, Donna did not have any freckles on their faces and so she wondered where Missy had gotten them.

'I shall go ahead then. Get well soon, Gina.' Missy said and left Gina's room to meet with her mother.

Donna was at the gate waiting for her daughter. It disturbed her that Missy was not getting any suitors and so she made arrangements for them to walk around town. If men saw Missy outside of the tavern, maybe they would ask for her hand then.

'Whatever took you so long?' Donna asked Missy.

'Gina is not feeling so well. I stopped by her room to see how she was fairing.' Missy looked at the sky.

It was clear. It was too clear for a July sky.

'Whatever is wrong with her?' Donna questioned.

'I reckon she is tired. She assured me of getting better after resting and I shall take her by her word.' Missy kept looking at the sky.

'The rain shall not come, do not bother about it. Let us be on our way.' Donna took her daughter's hand and walked out of the gate.

It had been a while since Missy walked into town. She had great expectations for the day, and she wished to run into the stranger she served at the bar many dawns ago.

'Mother, we must make a stop at the seamstress' outlet. My father has provided me with money to buy a new dress.' Missy said.

It was a good idea for Donna. At least she could help her daughter pick out a new dress and catch up on the different happenings of the town. Donna was not one to carry gossip but whenever it got to her, she was always willing to listen.

'Very well then. We shall go to Irene.' Donna took her daughter in the direction of Irene's outlet.

Irene was a widow. Her husband had been killed by a few nobles because he knew a secret of theirs. But he was not very wise. He had gone to the nobles and requested money in exchange for his silence but instead, they took his life.

Nobody in the town knew who killed him or what their reasons were but Irene did. To protect herself and her young son, Buck, she kept quiet about it. It was a secret she was willing to carry with her to the grave.

Donna and Irene were acquaintances. There were many seamstress outlets in Garld, but Donna had Irene make all her clothes. Irene was talented with the needle, but Donna also liked all the gossip she got in her outlet.

'Donna, at long last you have decided to visit town.' Irene greeted.

The outlet was swarming with women and girls who spoke over each other. It was just like Donna liked. That way, she was sure to hear someone spill stories that should be kept private.

'My daughter requires a new dress, and I shall have one too.' Donna held Missy's hand firmly as she navigated her way through the outlet.

'Your daughter has grown so much from the last time I set eyes on her. Surely men are seeking her hand already.' Irene said.

She spoke from a place of ignorance for she did not know of Missy's bad luck when it came to getting callers.

'That is why we have come.' Donna said.

Missy had words she wanted to say to Irene, but she knew better than washing her dirty linen in the outlet that was full of ears that were eager to jump on any information.

'Missy is not in the tavern anymore, is she?'

When Donna looked back to see who had spoken, she saw Tabitha's face. Donna did not like Tabitha simply because she did not know when to stop.

Tabitha was too focused on her role as the town gossip to care about when her poke nosing was too much.