Lightning Strikes (Hudson 2)

"I believe that feeling is mutual. Your name is on his lips so much these days, I feel like I should check to see if you're still here."

I laughed again, and again my Great-aunt Leonora's eyes widened.

"How is my brother-in-law treating you? Like one of the lowly unwashed?"

"Not so bad," I said. "I'll write you a letter," I promised, "and give you all the details about my school and my experiences in London."

"Very well," she said with her characteristic impatience. "Put her on. I'm sure she's breathing down your neck."

"Thank you for calling," I said and smiled at Great-aunt Leonora. "She would like to speak with you."

"I was wondering if she would ask," Great-aunt Leonora said taking the phone. She waited until I left the room before speaking.

Afterward, she returned to the dining room and took her seat quietly. Mary Margaret and I were standing by the door waiting for her. As soon as she appeared, Mary Margaret went into the kitchen quickly to retrieve her food.

"How long did you say you were living with my sister, dear?" Great-aunt Leonora inquired, her eyes narrowing.

"A little over six months," I replied.

"She is certainly very fond of you. You should feel terribly honored. I can't think of too many people Frances is fond of. She was always a stern judge of others and very unforgiving, which was something she inherited from our father. Anyway," she said turning back to her food, "I'm happy for you, my dear," She flashed me a weak smile. For a moment I had the strange feeling that she was actually jealous of the affection Grandmother Hudson showed toward me.

"I appreciate everything she's done for me."

"Yes, I'm sure you do. I've heard more from her about you than I have about her own grandchildren," she continued. "You've met Megan's children, I assume?"

"Yes," I said.

"I've invited them all here many times," she said sadly. "Megan and her husband actually came to England once without stopping by. They claimed they were on some whirlwind trip through Europe. I don't know why they couldn't stop in for a cup of tea at least. I know Victoria is so busy she hardly gets abroad. What about your family, dear?"

"I have a brother in the army. He's stationed in Germany now and may come to see me someday?'

"I hope he does. It's nice to have some family about you," she said wistfully, her voice soft and low. She ate staring at an empty chair to her right and after a moment, it was as if she had forgotten I was there. I returned to the kitchen and didn't come out until Mary Margaret and I had to clear the table. We ate our dinners in the kitchen as usual and then Mary Margaret and Mrs. Chester both left to go home.

The house was unusually quiet. Randall Glenn had asked me to go sightseeing with him on Saturday afternoon. He was coming by to get me after I had completed the morning chores. I was excited about it because it would be my first opportunity to see the famous places like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the like. There were so many things to see and places to go that we knew we couldn't do much more than skim the surface during one afternoon.

For now I thought I would read some of the plays I had been assigned and then go to sleep early. The thought of sitting in that dingy little room was not very appetizing, however, so I fetched my books and went into the drawing room. I was so involved in the first play, entitled A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, that I didn't hear my Great-uncle Richard come home. Suddenly, I felt someone's eyes on me and looked up to see him standing in the drawing room doorway, staring. I had no idea how long he had been standing there.

"Oh," I said, nearly jumping up, "I didn't hear you come in. I hope it's all right for me to be in here."

"Of course it's all right," he said. "Why shouldn't it be?"

I wanted to say that from the way Boggs ran the house, I didn't know what was permitted and what wasn't. I could give him a list of ridiculous restrictions an arm long and I had been here barely a week,

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"A Doll's House, a play."

"Yes, I know it well. So then, you are enjoying your schooling?"

"Yes, I am," I said.

He nodded. He looked uncomfortable, standing there speaking with me alone.

"And you're getting around London all right?"

"I'm not doing much more than going to and from the school on the subway. Tube, I mean," I said.

He made a soft smile and nodded.