Poppy and Capri's Story

It was an early summer morning, and the sun was just starting to poke out of the horizon. The dew glistened on the flower beds in the Smith family garden.
Sitting under a nearby Weeping Willow tree, the eldest of the Smith children, Rose, was taking the chance to capture the dew glistened flowers in a portrait.

Elsie awoke in the big house and dressed, ready to start her chores for the day. She had been given work there after her older brother had heard a couple discussing problems with their staff. Her brother had put in a good word for Elsie and so they had agreed to gve her the work.

"Rose, why must you paint flowers? It's soo boring! I mean, why not pick them instead!" Jade moaned as she lay on the grass picking at it and the flowers.

Matty set out for an early and long day on the rough summer waters in a big fishing boat, with rough, burly men - most of which had tattoos of some sort on their upper arm biceps.

"For the same reason you complain, i enjoy it." Rose scoffed.
"Haha, it seems i forgot how your lovely sense of humor amuses us all." Jade rolled her eyes.
"Keep that up and your eyes might stay like that, sister dear." Rose said, trying to ignore her sister without it seeming like she was backing down. Jade just gave her a smug glare and went back to picking at the dandelions.
"Finally some peace." Rose smiled.
Roses being her favorite flower (as she was born in a rose garden) she included them in all her paintings. Putting down her painting brush, she observed the piece so far.

Gamekeeper Rutt went about his daily routine, checking the bird cages and nests. The pheasant eggs had hatched and there were baby birds running all about the place. Todd Rutt attempted to catch as many as he could find and put them into the bird habitat, safe from poachers and predator animals - atleast until they were big enough to fend for themselves.

Walking into the breakfast nook, and taking a seat, Mr.Brown thanked the cook and maids before taking his newspaper to read.

Elsie felt self-conscious, working in the same room as the Governer's son, though he wasn't paying attention to her. Still, she finished as quickly as possible to move on to another room.

"Elsie, there you are! I need you to bring a lunch for me at the shoot. Unless you would rather one of the other maids go? I just thought it would be nice for you to get out and associate with some of the maids from the other houses." Mr.Brown suggested.

"Uh..." Not sure what to say and thinking it would be rude to refuse, Elsie replied simply, "Yes, sir. Should i leave with you or join you later?"

"Whatever you choose, but i am leaving now." Mr.Brown said. He nodded politely to Elsie and strode out of the room.

Finishing her painting, Rose looked over to Jade. "I'm done now." She smiled.
"Good. Now it's my turn to choose what we do." Jade grinned slyly and jumped to feet, her dress covered with dew and dirt from the ground. "Let's go to the shoot!"
"Jade!" Rose eclaimed. "Ladies aren't allowed to shoot!"
"I know. Come on. I have to get something in the house first, wait for me in the front." Jade said, running into the house.

Matty, finally finished with his day's fishing, had heard all about the shoot and decided to go as an observer and also on the off chance he might see his beloved younger sister. He hardly saw her anymore. Whenever she came home, he was usually out working, earning as much as he possibly could so his younger siblings didn't have to work half so hard.

Elsie arrived at the shoot after completing her main chores for the day. She headed for the barn that had been set up for the maids to serve food. There were seven other young maids already in there. They greeted her with a smile and warm curiousity.

Rose and Jade arrived at the shoot.
"I must use the privvy." Jade announced to her sister.
"Jade, really! Not so loud! You might not like it, but you are a young lady and there are young men about."
Jade flipped her hair and laughed in defiance as she walked off toward the privvy.
When she returned, Rose hardly recognized her due to the men's slacks she was wearing and the way she had hidden her beautiful brown hair beneath a cap.
"Oh, don't be such a prude." Jade mocked Rose's shock.
"You can't be serious!" Rose pulled her younger sister behind one of the barns where no-one could see them. "Do you know how much trouble you could us both into if you're found out!"
"Then let me go and don't say anything and i won't be found out." Jade pulled away from her sister and before Rose could protest walked out from behind the barn to where the men were setting up for the first shoot.

Matty saw the two barns that had been set up - one for the maids to prepare the food and the other for the ladies to sit and talk and watch their men and brothers in safety. He headed for the barn occupied by the maids, searching faces for his sister, when he saw a wavy, dark-brown haired girl in the other barn. Deciding his sister wasn't among the the maids, Matty headed towards the other barn and the girl.

"Excuse me sir, I would like to enter the shoot." Jade stated to the gamekeeper.
"Name?" Mr.Rutt asked without looking up.
"Uh...John." Jade said.
Mr.Rutt added her name to the list of shooters, then looked up at her, curiousity spreading across his face. "I thought i knew all the folk around here." Rutt commented half to himself.
"I'm, uh...visiting a cousin." Jade informed him.
Rutt nodded.

"Is this seat taken?" Matty asked the young lady. Up close, she was far prettier.
"No." Rose shook her head.
Matty sat next to the girl, noticing the young man shooting he commented, "He's good."
"Yes, he is." Rose blushed slightly, knowing the truth about the young man that was really her younger sister.

Once the she had had enough fun with the shoot, Jade quit and found her sister in the barn.
"Hi." Matty stood, hand outstretched, greeting the young shooter. "You're relly good."
"Thank-you." Jade grinned.
"It's time to go." Rose said getting up.
"Wait...What's your name?" matty asked.
"Uhh...John." Jade said.
"I'm Matty. We should get together some time. You could teach me how to shoot like that." Matty looked at the pretty girl standing beside John (Jade).
Rose gave a small smile, then they left.
"I can't believe you did that!" Rose exclaimed once out of earshot.
Jade smiled, taking her hair down from the cap.

"Excuse me, but may i inquire of you the name of the young lady whom was sitting with you in the barn?" Mr.Brown asked Matty.
"Uh...I dunno her name, sir. But I'd sure like to find out..." Matty looked to where the girl and young man had dissappeared. He ran after them, only to find two girls walking side-by-side - one wearing slacks. He gazed in awe, shock and admiration.

Elsie spied her brother and made her way to him, happy for a familiar, loved face.
"Elsie! You're here!" Matty hugged his sister close.

Mr.Todd Rutt, the gamekeeper, had been watching a certain maid, but as he finally conjured enough courage to talk to her, he saw her hugging another man. "Blast it, Rutt!" He muttered to himself. "You should have known better."

"Would you happen to know the girl i was sittin'with? Or her friend?" matty asked Elsie.
"I din't e'en see the girl." Elsie said.
Matty looked to where the companions had been walking, but again, they had vanished from sight. "Nevermind." He muttered.



CHAPTER TWO ...

"Elsie, you are to join us at the ball tonight." Mr.Brown said.
"Mr.Brown?" Elsie asked puzzled by the invitation.
"It has not gone unnoticed that i often invite the staff to join in the balls." Mr.Brown informed her. "Since you're new here, i thought it might give you a chance to associate and the dancing is always great fun."
"I have nothing to wear." Elsie said, trying to find a way out of going.
"I'll have someone make something for you." Mr.Brown smiled.
"But, sir - " Elsie began.
"Excuse me sir. You have a visitor." The doorman said from the doorway.
Mr.Brown strode out of the room. "Bring your brother too." He called over his shoulder.

Elsie felt uncomfortable in her cream and brown ball gown. She felt like an imposter as she and her brother were announced.
Matty looked quite the gentleman in his tailored black suit, and acted it too. Elsie felt a measure of pride as she watched her brother escort a few less than pretty girls to the dance floor. She herself had only been asked to dance by her brother, though she felt sure someone was watching her. It made her uneasy.

Mr.Rutt felt ridiculous and over-sized in his suit. He sat in the corner of the room. He spied the young maid he had seen at the shoot dancing with the boy she had hugged. But he also noticed the boy had danced with many other young ladies. He couldn't quite figure out the boy's relationship with the young maid and had arrived too late to hear them annonced.

Walking into the ballroom with her sister, Rose saw the man whom had caught her eye at the shoot, and to her surprise, it was Mr.Brown, the son of the owner of this wonderful estate.
Jade, being the way she was, asked the men to dance herself, instead of waiting to be asked.

Seeing his friend, Mr.Rutt, in need of a dance partner, Mr.Brown excused himself to Matty and turning to Elsie said, "There is someone i would like for you to meet."

Elsie looked wide-eyed at her master's son. "Who?" She asked, a little scared as she followed him.

Rutt saw Mr.Brown approaching him, with the young maid in tow. He stood and quickly straightened his ever increaingly uncomfortable suit and ran a big hand through his unmanageable hair.

Matty saw the girl from the shoot and made his way toward her. "Hi." he smiled politely. "Could i have the honor of this dance?"
Rose looked at the boy and gave a small smile. "You may."
Jade became jealous when she saw her sister dancing with the young man.

"Mr.Rutt, i'd like you to meet Miss Elsie." Mr.Brown introduced.
Elsie smiled and politely dipped a curtsey.
"Hello." Was all Rutt could manage. He attempted a smile, but it failed.

"You're good." Matty said, then added, "At dancing." As they danced around the hall, suddenly, someone caught Matty's eye and he said to Rose, "Who was that you were with at the shoot? I know it was a girl."
"Uh..." Rose turned red in embarrassment. "My sister, Jade."

"You two dance. I need to aquaint myself with someone." Mr.Brown said as he walked away, leaving Mr.Rutt and Elsie alone.