Rochele awoke to sunlight streaming in
through white-curtained windows. For a
moment, she didn’t remember where she
was. Then it all came rushing back. The train
journey. The German inn. The long boat voyage. And now she was
finally at Uncle Shloime’s house.
But...what had happened? She remembered arriving and
meeting most of her cousins. She remembered that they, like the
people on the boat, used strange English names, much to her sinking
disappointment. She recalled feeling very weak and faint and
then not much else. She had collapsed into bed without so much as
a glance at her surroundings.
Rochele looked around the room now, awestruck at its beauty
and elegance. It was decorated in pure white, soft green, and lavender.
Lacy white curtains fluttered over the big bay window, and a
flowered rug graced the polished wooden floor. On her bed was the
softest and finest linen in a similarly flowered pattern, and above
her head was a lace canopy that matched the curtains. A white
dressing table with a large, framed mirror stood in the far corner,
with a white-painted wrought-iron chair in front of it. Another,
full-length mirror stood opposite. Against the wall was a chest of
drawers next to a white wicker bookcase filled with books. Having
all this just for her own use took Rochele’s breath away. She was
even more awestruck at the sight of the fireplace at the end of the
room and the two inviting wing chairs upholstered in lavender and
green brocade in front of it. One door in the room, Rochele later
found out, led to a closet. Another door was slightly ajar, and
Rochele could see, by craning her neck, a white porcelain washbasin
and bathtub.
Rochele had never seen the likes of such a place in her entire
life. She had thought only royalty slept in such rooms. Then she
caught sight of the clock on the mantle over the fireplace. The
clock read nine-fifteen. Rochele gasped. How could she have slept
so late? Mama would be appalled if she knew! Except when she had
been very ill, she had never slept past dawn. She didn’t dare think
of what her aunt and cousins must be thinking of her.
Rochele struggled to get out of the bed. Before her feet even
reached the floor, she felt the whole room spinning and she tumbled
back in. Maybe getting up by herself wasn’t such a good idea.
She sat there, pondering what to do, when she heard a light tap on
the door.
“Rochele, are you awake?” her aunt called softly.
“Yes,” Rochele answered in a small voice, mortified that she
had slept so late. She expected a reprimand or worse.
“May I come in?”
“Of course.”
Tante Raizel walked into the room with a kind expression on
her face. Rochele sighed with relief. Apparently, her aunt wasn’t
angry with her.
“I’m sorry,” she said before her aunt could get out a word.
“Don’t think I make a habit of sleeping so late. I am always up at
dawn at home!”
Tante Raizel laughed. “Think nothing of it, my dear. I would
never have even expected you up this early, but Gloria told me she
thought she heard you moving around, and I wanted to tell you
not to get up. Gloria will bring you breakfast in bed. The doctor
will be here at one o’clock this afternoon, so you still have time to
rest.”
“Breakfast in bed?” Rochele echoed in wonderment. “I’m sorry
if I missed breakfast with the family, but you don’t have to go to
any trouble. I’m used to taking care of myself at home. Mama is
always so busy with the children.”
“I’m sure she is,” murmured Tante Raizel, then gave her niece
a gentle smile. “Rochele, there’s nothing wrong with having breakfast
brought to your bed in this house. I do it myself sometimes,
even when I am feeling perfectly fine. Of course, once you are well
enough, you are invited down to eat with the others, but feel free
to eat up here whenever you like. Just ring this little bell next to
your bed, and Gloria will bring it for you.”
Gloria, Rochele surmised, must be the hired help. “Where are
the others?” she asked curiously. It was very quiet in the house.
“Julia is out calling on some friends, and Evelyn is taking a
walk with her nursemaid. The rest are in school.”
“Oh,” said Rochele. She had wanted to meet them again, properly
this time, but now she would have to wait until later. She was
especially eager to get to know Leah. She vaguely remembered a
pretty, dark-haired girl with a sparkle in her eyes.
Aunt Rose brought her a porcelain cup and bowl with a delicate
lavender and green design so that she could wash. Rochele did
so obediently.
“Where are my clothes?” she asked.
“Gloria took your clothes to have them washed, but you
shan’t be needing them here. I’ve rounded up plenty of the older
girls’ dresses for you to wear for now. Soon I will bring the
dressmaker in, and we will have a whole new wardrobe made
for you.”
“Oh no!” Rochele exclaimed, mortified. “I can wash my own
dresses. I’m not as weak as I look. Really, you don’t have to trouble -”
“Nonsense,” cut in Tante Raizel. “We have a woman who does
all of our laundry.” She added, in a softer tone, “Rochele, while you
are here, you are going to rest and relax. I don’t expect my own
children to do too many chores, and I certainly would not expect it
of an honored guest. After all, that is why you came - to rest and
recover from your long illness.”
“But my blue dress, it’s new! Mama made it so that I would
have something nice to wear here. I know it may not be as fancy as
those you and my cousins wear, but Mama is a fine seamstress.”
Secretly, Rochele was longing to try on the kind of dresses
Lucy Wein had worn. Frilly dresses made of fine silks and satins
with huge, full skirts and layers of petticoats underneath were
quite alluring to the girl who all her life had worn only plain wool
or cotton dresses, made simply, using as little material as possible.
But she was a proud girl, and she didn’t want to play the impoverished
beggar who appeared at the door needing to be fed and
clothed.
Tante Raizel smoothed Rochele’s tangled hair. “Don’t worry
about it, Rochele. We want you to have the best of everything
while you are here. Baruch Hashem, we are quite comfortable financially,
and it won’t be a burden on us at all.”
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