Ch5-A Fireside Tale

CHAPTER FIVE A Fireside Tale "Hello, Mary!" said Augusta. She kissed the old woman on her wrinkled cheek. With the firelight on her face, Mary seemed to glow. Her warm, snug cottage was the opposite of the Big House. It smelled of damp leaves and moss, bread and chocolate. Firelight danced on the earthen floor and stone walls. Rain dripped

through the roof, pinging into a couple of tin buckets. "And who do we have here, Miss Augusta?" Mary asked. "Two poor children from town," said Augusta. "I want you to tell them about me—how I truly love the poor and try to help them." Mary smiled. "Please, sit down first," she said. Jack, Annie, and Augusta sat down on three rickety wooden chairs. "Would you children like some hot cocoa?" Mary asked. Jack and Annie nodded eagerly.

"Yes, please, Mary," said Augusta. "But would you tell them—" "Yes, I will tell them all about you," said Mary. She picked up a pot sitting on the hearth. She poured steaming cocoa into three mugs and handed them to Jack, Annie, and Augusta. The cocoa smelled delicious. Jack took a sip and licked his lips. "Yum," he said. His insides felt warm for the first time all day. "Now, Mary?" asked Augusta. "In time, my child," Mary said to Augusta. "Tell me, what have you been doing today?" "I delivered cakes in town," Augusta said proudly. "Then I found these poor children in our kitchen looking for work. I've tried to help them.

But they say I am snobby. I brought them here so you could tell them the truth about me." "Ah, I see, Miss Augusta. How did you try to help them?" said Mary. "I've tried to discover what they are good for," said Augusta. "But it appears they are good for nothing." "Really?" Mary fixed her twinkling eyes on Jack and Annie. "Well, let us start with this, children: tell me something you like to do. No, wait—what do you love to do?" "Uh… well, I love to read," said Jack. "And write," said Annie. "Read and write?" said Augusta. "I don't think so."

Mary ignored Augusta and kept looking at Jack and Annie. "What do you like to read and write?" asked Mary. "Facts mostly," said Jack. "True stories." "Jack writes facts down all the time," said Annie. "Honestly, Mary," said Augusta. "Soon they'll be telling you that they are actors, too—and have performed in a play by William Shakespeare. Can we talk about me now?" "Actually, that's true," Jack said to Mary. "We were in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Annie and I were fairies. I had stage fright, but Will—" "William Shakespeare himself," said Annie.

"He helped me get over it," said Jack. He looked straight at Augusta. Augusta rolled her eyes. "Will was so nice," said Annie. "And smart," said Jack. "Of course he was!" said Mary. "You can tell that from his stories." "Oh, please stop. Don't tell Mary those ridiculous things!" Augusta said. "What about me, Mary?" "Wait, child, I have a question for them," Mary said. She leaned forward and spoke in a whisper. "Where is summer? Can you answer me that?"