《After Dark》Chapter 29

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Florence walked through the halls of her house with confidence. Her red hair was already perfectly done, her dress crisp and ironed. As she passed each room, sunlight beamed through each doorway. She took the back steps down to the kitchen, then walked through to the dining room.

The dining room was humongous. The table could probably fit 20 people when the leaf was added. She watched as the maids set the table. All seemed to be well, but then she noticed one thing.

"Leonard!" She shouted out in curiosity. Leonard walked from his sitting area in the kitchen and made his way into the dining room.

He stood stiffly. "Yes, Miss McGill?"

"Is there a reason why there are only five table settings here?" Her finger pointed toward the table settings.

"I was told to only put five." Leonard answered, clasping his hands together behind his back.

"By my husband?" She asked. Leonard feared answering, but the look in his eyes told her the truth. She continued on with the conversation. "But where will the sixth person eat?"

"I was ordered to give Ms. Eliza a plate in the guest house before the sun rose." He told her. That was enough to fill her with anger. Without another word she walked off, immediately heading toward the library. She knew she'd find her husband reading the morning paper there.

After opening the large oak double doors with a boom, she stood with her hands on her hips. "Why is it that there isn't a plate for Eliza at breakfast."

Mr. McGill sat in a large, cushiony chair. He did in fact have the paper in hand. His wife's barging in was no surprise, he expected an uproar from her. "I believed that discretion we the right course of action."

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"Discretion from whom and for what?" Florence crossed her arms. Then she walked farther into the study. "I will not have Eliza feeling like a stranger in our home."

"She is a stranger." Answered Mr. McGill.

"William loves her!" Florence told him.

"He would never." Mr. McGill calmly dismissed, then straightened out his newspaper to continue reading.

"Oh, but he has." Florence smiled. "And I think she's lovely."

"She isn't." Mr. McGill disagreed.

"She's beautiful, she's kind..." Florence listed. She trusted that if William chose a girl to love, then she must be good. But Mr. McGill had other ideas as to what made a good woman.

"She's colored, Florence." Mr. McGill told her. "And I have no problem with colored folk. Many have worked for me through the years and I was a wonderful boss to them. But dating a colored girl? What if he gets her..."

"You are unbelievable." Florence said with tightness in her throat. "I never taught our son to be that way."

"And that's why he's the way he is. His bleeding heart. Constantly caring for people below him. Refusing his birthright!" Mr. McGill mumbled on.

"I am ordering Leonard to make Eliza plate. And she will sit at our table and eat with us." Florence told her husband. He opened his mouth to object, but she lifted a finger. "And may I remind you that I have evidence of your unkindness. And I believe I've been well ripe for a divorce. Mess this one up and I'll find myself in Europe with alimony money."

"Fine." Mr. McGill lowered his newspaper. "Allow her to eat with us. But she may not stay here for a long while."

"Who said they're staying for a long time?" Florence asked.

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"You know how those negroes are. They'll squat in your house." He grumbled. Florence rolled her eyes and walked out of the library. In the hallway on the way to the dining room, she saw William, Connor and Bunny walking.

"Good morning, boys." Florence told them.

They all answered good morning, but Connor and Bunny were all the more enthusiastic. William almost felt sick as he watched the way they looked at his mother. They laughed playfully at his discomfort, and together they made their way to the dining room.

Eliza sat in front of the television, attempting to get it to work. She believed that making it overheat caused it to break entirely. Filled with guilt, she just knew she'd never be invited back to this wonderful home because of her stupidity.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Through the window, Eliza could see Leonard. She was especially nervous, quickly switching off the television and heading for the door.

"Miss. Eliza, Good Morning once again. May I invite you inside for breakfast?" Leonard said.

"Breakfast?" Eliza asked. "I already ate breakfast."

"And now, Miss. Eliza, it's time to have a proper one." Leonard smiled at her. A relief washed over her for a moment, Eliza figured it must've been Florence or William to vouch for her.

"Well let me just get me cover up." Eliza turned away from the door. When her eyes fell on the television, she turned to Leonard once again. "Leonard, may I ask for one favor?"

After a few moments, Leonard was able to turn the television dial and catch a channel. He laughed at Eliza's nativity toward the television. "Not every channel has a program on all the time. You simply have to keep flipping through to find a picture. But so long as you hear that static noise, you know that it's working."

"Thank you so much, Leonard!" Eliza rushed to hug him. The butler was shocked at such affection, no one had ever hugged him while on the job like that. He patted her shoulder calmly.

"It isn't a problem at all, Miss. Eliza." He told her. "Now come with me, we'll get you all set for breakfast."

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