A Visitation Shrouded Part three

Exasperated, Hugh followed Matilda. Once they both were near the door, she sprinted again. They let themselves out and closed the door behind them.

Hugh finally smiled, his eyes sparkled as he looked at his overly-excited wife.

Benjamin turned around on the seat when he felt them pull the carriage door open. "Ma'am, do you need help?"

"No, just take us to the funeral parlor."

Benjamin puckered his face, squeezing his eyes shut. "The funeral parlor?" He repeated.

Matilda whipped her head around and huffed. "You heard me!" She climbed in, leaving the carriage door open. Hugh jumped in after her.

"How very unladylike, Matilda." Hugh smiled, chuckling lightly under his breath.

Matilda huffed. "As if you care. You like me wild and free. Makes for a better time at night . . . "

Hugh placed a finger over Matilda's lips. "My, my, look who is now being so bold." He turned toward the carriage door and shut it. Hugh knocked on the window, signaling Benjamin that they were ready.

Once Benjamin heard the knock, he brought the reins down on the horses, starting the carriage to roll.

Viola released her hold on the settee and played with her fingers. "Are they gone yet, Billy?"

Billy walked over to the window. "The carriage is pulling away now, Madam."

"Let me know when they are halfway." Viola gritted her teeth, seething. She picked up her teacup.

After a few minutes, Billy responded again. "They are nearly gone, Madam."

Viola narrowed her eyes, throwing her teacup. It shattered upon impact with the wall. Billy bit his lip and turned around to face her. He stood still.

Viola grabbed at her face and stood up screaming. She turned her attention to the coffee table and viciously tipped it over.

"Madam, the glass . . . " Billy began but promptly shut up after he caught sight of the look she gave him.

She wielded on him. Her eyes were blazing. "I am not a moron, Billy! I cannot believe her! The nerve!"

The front door suddenly opened, and a man stepped through the threshold. "I have off work early. Did we have a guest? I saw a carriage leaving from this way," he called out.

"Sir." Billy ran into the foyer. "She is having one of her fits in her sitting room."

"What," the man's face dropped. He ran into her small sitting room and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

Viola hit his chest. "Those bastards!" she cried sliding down to the floor.

He slid down to be with her, holding her tightly.

"Viola, it's me, Frank, your husband." His eyes sunk down. He held her tighter.

"Frank," she looked around the room, breathing in relief.

"Yes, It is I. Was it one of those nasty girls again, teasing you?" His face took on a red hue.

Viola's eyes widened. Yes. She was so awful to me!" Viola trembled. "She called me mean names and threw my coffee table and teacups. I am terrified of her," Viola sniffled.

Billy, hearing every word, opened his mouth. "Madam . . . "

Viola shot him an angry look.

Billy shut his mouth and turned to walk away.

Frank looked at Billy's back. "You were going to say something . . . ?"

"No, Sir, it happened as she said." Billy sighed and walked away.

"We will get them, do not worry. We will get them!" Frank seethed, rocking her in his arms.

In the carriage, Hugh leaned back against the seat. "Matilda, enough of the fun and games. We need to discuss all that I noticed."

"What," Matilda's eyes shot up. "What do you mean? We were just over at the Jenkins residence. Surely you cannot mean. " Matilda blinked, beginning again. "Surely, whatever you noticed was a misconception."

Hugh reached his right hand up to ruffle his hair. "You knew I was going to analyze. After all, Sir Francis Bacon did say, 'The gestures of the body, which are no less comprehensible by art, are of greater use and advantage. For the lineaments of the body do disclose the disposition and inclination of the mind in general.' "

Matilda's lips trembled, and her tone waivered. "But it is Viola, one of the first people I met when we moved here."

"And I am an unattached person, the person who is looking in from the outside." Hugh spoke and glanced everywhere but at Matilda. "You know that means that I was able to see what you cannot or chose not to."

"Fine tell me what you noticed," Matilda snarled.

"We were unwelcome. And she was tense, Matilda. Viola was also hiding something."

"Rubbish, Hugh! Absolute rubbish! She is just having a hard time. And we did show up unannounced. You also were not very welcoming either. I saw from the corner of my eye." Matilda leaned away from him, choosing to remain silent.

"That is because I noticed." Hugh looked down, frowning. His heart was breaking from his wife's disapproval, but he knew they would always resolve any issues between them.

"Shush." Matilda focused on her window, choosing to look at the houses and shops they were passing.

"I get she is your friend." Disregarding her anger, he continued to speak. "But perhaps you should treat her with a bit of distance."

"I am not speaking to you," Matilda growled.

The carriage jolted frequently until they reached the funeral parlor, located right beside the jailhouse. A large hand-painted sign, reading "Williams Family Business" in bold red letters, pin-pointed the entrance. A saloon stood directly across the street from the funeral parlor. Carriages and people constantly passed or loitered around, all making for a noisy public area.

Benjamin stopped the carriage alongside the road, close to the funeral parlor.

Hugh went to get out, then heard Matilda's door pop open. "I will be right there to help you down," he called out to Matilda.

But before Hugh could finish speaking, Matilda had already hopped from the carriage. As she attempted to straighten her attire, she couldn't help but notice disapproving eyes scowling at her. A lady always pauses to accept her companion or driver's assistance to alight from a carriage. Matilda's departure from normal traditions frequently created a negative response.

The looks of disapproval were not lost to Hugh, either. But he also found Matilda's independent nature very interesting, sometimes even charming, and most assuredly never boring. He let himself out of the carriage and rushed to be at his wife's side.

Matilda waited for Hugh by the entrance to the funeral parlor. Feeling his reassuring hand on her shoulder, she slowly turned the knob, not knowing what to expect inside. An announcing bell jingled above her head as she pushed the door open. She cautiously stepped a few feet inside, then took a quick peek behind the door. She did not know why she did that, but after all, it is a funeral parlor. Matilda gave out with a soft nervous chuckle.

Hugh followed behind her cautiously, a frown visible on his face.