Time to consider....September, Open to all

[Miss Clarissa Rawlins (Serenity)]

The smell of old books permeated through the room. Clarissa wasn't sure how she had ended her traveling here, but she was sure she had been about everywhere in the manor. The lovely wallpaper in the room made Clair feel at home, though, so she carefully choose a book and sat down on the cushioned chair by the window so she could use the natural light to read. The book had a simply beautiful cover, vines with roses cascading over the title. The title intrigued her, even if it was silly to read stories about things that never happened.

Tapping her softly padded shoe against the floor, she carefully opened the book. The book had an interesting beginning, talking about heroic knights in shining armor their trials to become greater and increase their wealth. How far was the concept of the book from real life? People just wanting more wealth and doing what ever they can to get it. Sighing, she closed the book. While her dad didn't think she listened to him, she did. She remembered his words exactly. 'Fantasy is no place for a young lady to stay.'

Standing, she moved to place the book back in the exact place it had been. She spent a few seconds searching for the tiny place before reinserting it. Standing there with her hand on it. She could hear footsteps outside so she knew she should prepare to be joined just in case, but her eyes roamed over the various titles and designs on the end of the book. None jumped out to her, none but one that she couldn't reach.

[Jane Carlyle (Bella)]

"Nanny, this is boring," Jane sighed with a heavy heart.

"Well what do you suppose we do, Jane?" the Nanny pushed the paper and pencils aside.

"Will you read me a story?"

"How about you read one to me for a change?"

"Nanny..."

"Alright, alright, you win. Go fetch something from the library, and don't go running off."

"I won't."

"I mean it, little miss!"

"I know!" Jane called already having skipped out into the hall.

On this particular day, Nanny had taken to keeping Jane right under foot. The ten year old had cleverly escaped her watch on countless occasions since the arrival to Fledston Hall, and it went almost without saying that she was annoyed, as it nearly cost her her job. They had spent the majority of the day cooped up in Jane's room, drawing, playing with puppets, playing simple games...Jane was bored of it all. The chance to leave her bedroom was a coveted prize at this point.

She wondered to herself what she might find. Jane was unsure if this house had the same books as the last or if any of them had come along on the trip. But if she could find anything, she had a few in mind. Cousin Alfred had asked her about Shakespeare the other day, which had sparked a small interest in her. And then there was Oliver Twist, which Nanny had read before, but it was one of Jane's favorites. Or she could waste the time to look for something new and have a chance to be out of her room for a while. However, if she was gone for too long, the nanny would certainly come looking and it would be quite embarrassing if any of the guests were to see her being dragged back to her room.

Jane pushed through the door as if it had been barricaded on the other side. Immediately noticing the guest in the room, she curtsied and addressed her. "Miss Rawlins." Jane tipped her head downward, waiting to be acknowledged and unsure of what she should do. It would be so rude to start looking at books before being addressed, at the very least. So she stood in the doorway patiently waiting,

[Miss Clarissa Rawlins (Serenity)]

Clarissa looked at the book intensely before turning around and smiling. It was.... Jane Carlyle she believed. In the same manner as young Jane, she nodded her head as she spoke the child's name. "Miss Carlyle. If you don't think I'm being rude, would you mind telling me why your in the library?" She hadn't seen any children's books, but then again perhaps she had missed them. this was an extensive library, so it would be easy to do so. Another thing that might happen is that this child was far smarter than she appeared to be, which sometimes happens.

Reaching down to pinch the sides of her dress, she smiled at the child and curtsied, since it was her home in the first place. She was the intruder, in a way.She at least had been invited so it was so much intruding than one would think when you thought of the word. She loved children, they were quite lucky indeed. They didn't have to snag a husband before one got too old for it. Quite the dishonor to become a spinster, and her father was counting on her to get a man with a title. Lucky child indeed.