Alberta Chp. 1

Hey everyone, just wrote a new story for you all, I hope you enjoy it!

A —L — B — E  —R — T — A

1

“Alberta May Albury. The most despicable, the most disgraceful, the most horrid child, I have ever had an encounter with! And believe me, I know! I have seen girls from all over the world!” Miss Ruth stretched her arm out as she explained. “I have tried. And tried, and tried, and tried again! But it’s no use. Your child is either handicapped, dysfunctional, or simply refuses to learn!”

Miss Albury looked down. “I understand. But can’t you give her one last chance?”

Miss Ruth laughed in her face. “Me? Give her a last chance? I’m sorry, miss Albury, but your—your animal has already been expelled from my school.”

“What? Expelled? When did that take place?”

“Two weeks from today.” Miss Ruth thought the woman was crazy.

“Two weeks? I knew nothing about this!” 

Miss Ruth gave a small smirk when Miss Albury wasn’t looking. “Well, then, I guess you have no business here, Miss Albury. It’s clearly not my problem, so I suggest you run along home, and deal with it yourself.” Miss Ruth was cruel.

Miss Albury almost cried. Here she was, almost the richest woman in town, and still she could not find a suitable school for her daughter.

“I guess I won’t be back.” She faintly said. She left the room, without even glancing at Miss Ruth.

But Miss Ruth didn’t care. She had other girls to deal with.

Miss Albury, also called Janet, was holding back her urging tears. These tears though, were not for herself. 

Usually, when she arrived home after a day like this, she would find Alberta and give her a scolding. But this time, she felt sorry for her daughter. Alberta seemed like a bright child. But was she? She often enjoyed her time outdoors and her time with plants and animals. But was she smart?

Miss Albury arrived home, to her beautiful mansion. She had walked for miles, and her grand house was a sight for sore eyes. Instead of rushing out to the grassy meadows, or the rippling brook to find Alberta, she plopped down on the fancy sofa and asked her maid, Trishka to fetch her a glass of tea and a platter of biscuits with jam. She also asked for a lemon sponge cake with some buttered potatoes.

Trishka was very confused with her large order for just one person, but she was paid to obey her mistress, so that is what she did. 

“Here is your glass of tea, platter of jam and biscuits, a lemon sponge cake, and some buttered potatoes.” Trishka said, while setting them on the table next to the sofa. When she was finished, she politely asked, “Was that all, Madam?” 

Miss Albury weakly smiled and gently nodded her head. “Yes, Trishka. Thank you for being so kind.”

Trishka was again confused at her lady’s behavior. First the big order, then the ‘thank you for being so kind?’ What was going on? Also, Trishka noticed that Miss Albury looked quite sick and frail this afternoon. She didn’t mention anything about an ill feeling or some sort, but Trishka could hear it in voice, see it in her eyes, and sense it when Miss Albury came into the room. She felt worried for her mistress. 

Miss Albury had almost raised her from a young girl of seven years old. That is when Trishka’s parents died and she became Miss Albury’s maid. Trishka, in all her years before she came to be a maid, she had been born and lived in Poland, Europe. Her parents died from a contagious disease and she was going to be sent to live in an orphanage. And orphanages weren’t very pleasant. Most of the owners, were poor and didn’t treat the children well. So when Mr. and Mrs. Albury took her in to let her be a maid for them, Trishka was very grateful. She had her own room down in the basement. And it was a very nice room, indeed. Of course, not as nice as the family’s rooms, but it was very grand, compared to the rooms of the other maids and servants.

Trishka was also a friend to Miss Albury when she grieved for her husband on that dreadful day. The day she got a telegram, saying that James Albury had crashed in a train accident, on his way coming here. “He was so close,” Trishka told the other maids. “So close to coming home, and wrapping his big arms around his lovely wife.”

“Yes, so close indeed.” Miss Cinch sorrowed as well. She was the head maid and was in charge of all the other servants of the house.

“Poor little mite.” Rita lowered her head as she talked. The three maids huddled together and sobbed.